AFUL Explorer

shntrkr

New Head-Fier
Aful Explorer discover the beautiful star
Pros: Nice effective bass
Soft, non-fatiguing treble
quality cable
Cons: treble could use a little more clarity and sparkle
Audio Geek Türkiye Group; Sent to me within the scope of Türkiye Tour
I will write my experiences and notes for Aful Explorer. Many thanks to them for providing this opportunity.


Explorer, the latest product of the Aful brand, has a hybrid structure consisting of
1 dynamic driver (DD) and 2 balanced armature (BA) drivers.
The Explorer aims for a bit more bass performance and technical prowess.
In this review, I will try to write about the sound signature and technical capabilities of the Explorer.



Technical Specifications:
Driver Structure:1 Dynamic Driver +2 Balanced Armature Driver
Impedance: 26Ω ± 10%
Tip: 3.5mm or 4.4mm
Sensitivity: 108dB/mW
Frequency Response: 10Hz – 30kHz
Cable Length and type: 1.2m 2-Pin (0,78mm)


What's Offered in the Aful Explorer Box:
The glittery items themselves on midnight blue
0.78 mm 2-pin silver-plated cable
3 pairs of White Silicone Tips (S,M,L)
3 Pairs White-Blue Silicone Tips (S,M,L)
2 Pin (0.78mm) Silver plated 4.4 cable
Nubuck Carrying Bag
Warranty documents
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Resources Used
Btr 7 Hiby R4 Fiio K3

Comfort: The box design is decorated with galaxies and stars and is named explorer,
based on exploring space, to match its name.
We see this design language on the iems as well.
The galaxy design is revealed by decorating the dark navy blue with glitter and it looks very cool.
The shells are quite ergonomic. It fits very comfortably in the ear.
It does not tire the ears when listening for long hours.
The silver-plated cable is soft and never gets tangled. It extends up to 4.4 ends in a double helix.
The round carrying bag made of nubuck looks very stylish.


Bass: This is the part where AFUL Explorer is ahead of the other frequencies they offer us in the bass section.
It feels controlled, but its extension can be bland in some parts.
It has a soft extension without crushing other frequencies.
It is starting to show its potential in a more Hiphop style,
But it is not at a level where we can say that's it.
It does a slightly better job with very balanced and polite sub bass.

Mid:Since the extension of the bass does not have a hard texture and has a smooth transition, the mids are a little more
It remains in a free space. It is a little darker and the male vocals are felt a little ahead.
Female vocals sound a little more natural. While the resolution is good, the details are close to good.


Treble: Due to the overall dark structure of the headset, it needs to have a little more shine.
It exists at a certain level, but its movement is limited and you feel areas where it needs to go up or extend.
Although it is quite reasonable for those who do not like trebles, some problems may arise for those looking for mids and details. However, it provides comfortable listening without tiring.


Conclusion: The Explorer is very stylish and eye-catching with its design and
is in this segment with its quality cable and bag.
It is a suitable option. It is a great daily use with its light structure and fit.
With its warm, detailed and satisfying bass that adapts to every music genre.
is also recommended.


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J
jmwant
Excellent review. Do they sound identical when changing source from btr7 to Hiby R4?
S
shntrkr
Thank you
When you get hiby r from btr
Bass softens a bit
Vocals come to the fore a little more, of course this varies depending on the music you listen to, but there is no big change in the character.
J
jmwant

MakeItWain

Previously known as SemperMalum
Aful Explorer - Exploring the Bassy Side
Pros: Smooth overall sound signature
Great overall bass that hits above it's competition
Comfortable shell/size
Mids are great with a full, lush characteristic to them
Treble is super smooth/safe and to my liking - good at any volume listening
Easy to drive and bring out the full character
Cons: Do not like the smooth nozzle; some tips get stuck in my ear
Not for neutral/trebleheads
Super average'ish technicalities
Higher volume listening required to unlock full potential
TL;DR: Warm, smooth, bassy sound in a comfortable and affordable package

Overview/History

Hi all.

Aful has been well known for providing unique tuning whether it's their MagicOne or their Performer series. They've also recently released a flagship IEM the Cantor which has been well received overall.

But, the following is a nice IEM that's gotten a very solid following of fans and has usually been an easy recommendation for reviewers and IEM enthusiasts.

aful-explorer-1dd2ba-hybrid-in-ear-monitors-hifigo-explorer-35mm-594487_1000x1000.jpg

*Image from Hifigo.com*

From Hifigo's website as a description: The wait for the AFUL Explorer is finally over, the much-awaited and anticipated 1DD+2BA IEM is here. Crafted with elegance, the pair boasts exciting looks with face panels that match the depth and exploration energy of the Cosmos. As for sound, AFUL has implemented several different patented technologies to come up with the Explorer. They basically used the techniques that they developed for the MagicOne and Performer series of IEMs. We have the self-developed wide-frequency range BA drivers and a DD driver arranged with RLC Network Frequency Division Technology and MicroResonator technology, allowing the pair to deliver a high-resolution sound performance. Are you ready to dive deeper into the realms and experience new level of music with the AFUL Explorer!!

What does it mean?

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Specifications so you don't have to look yourself!
  • Impedance: 26Ω±10%>
  • Sensitivity: 108dB/mW.
  • Frequency Response: 10Hz-30kHz.
  • Connector Type: 0.78m 2-pin connectors.
  • Cable Termination: 3.5mm/4.4mm.

Disclaimers: This is a personal unit that I'm reviewing and was not given to me by a retailer for the intent of reviewing. All opinions are all my own here.

Build Quality, Comfort and Accessories
Photo dump time!

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AP1GczMhuz01VYDPEEnf2NqoyRjJJTy8rPsPvPTmzjfKsHIcMYwVr03pIEL7mLrwEnd7JKv2IBqaK4kFT5YA6QNjucZerHUMuz5a4AYBqQcOe4GkGuFoKNf8yEEIi76zD34FEIk5v3L39FvAVmR78e1YUIFd=w2196-h1653-s-no-gm


AP1GczMyDU1Xrz9J0_OGujJTdQZ6YktUhn7OrHqH9n81Zrgcryqk3tNRwTgTCzjn_PMlW0YNCt-TykZkSWi3EUXNdZTOyCyCucK3-w4EbhUKBVOp7alrh2KD8n4RXYAJef_Ut1tnD5k1CTAOISIkwzmzbZkk=w2196-h1653-s-no-gm


AP1GczMeqba8foiWW40vZ72iT7OvOHb_6HZCGoJJ0nAk_LNdQSUoWjE4rPJM_p1pCHE8Rt87mRvW3MShC7dPWni4dKtKIpKBlCFgIzuYd4uVO-mg8XezizfdQ-n7ICtDRP2G722z9olDqinHqlIr7e-o0CF1=w2196-h1653-s-no-gm


The Explorer is an extremely comfortable sized IEM with a very small nozzle (5.6mm) that is also exposed and smooth.

AP1GczMZYIQgNs6Oqa5I5jxtLHFTOERb_9V9bb3QkDdUhLYDgSNTwq7JJbzyq03PomglB2U1O9R8FKDa0Q0Ls5kD39nYZ0j_HhngbnTFjyFFXT0p7q_6WXN9atgBlYBbhZYcAYmCMlxBhYBXhDE6LIilKHmW=w2196-h1653-s-no-gm


AP1GczOfiWcmZpmBjwZO0MZZdUUUpwho6pNuI11lBK-KXAGES0aPfykGFYPA7xZOnlfYKDMuYNOnEZkwOQd4xiWyvkJMKUxCx2LT_440UdCO0ePm-bk4ht25BjZgS3bRnQ3oIKE30WFQ4VkxfZsbeG7GDEcE=w2196-h1653-s-no-gm


AP1GczPwQNg3eQ1p8NV8n6xEBULbl2n7LL-cMIwWa5XzWCkwfIPKn4uPUYUr5dIQ5366ASxIXvFkrk19KXgZ9YQICHrw5Dbqbg26sFNh4f_Atn76A5ehdkSFkJHh8XrOrvTswzN0ICOZr5Egt7y8Uk_PBWoa=w2196-h1653-s-no-gm


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Also, this picture makes it look like a face. Teehee. (I'm very mature, y'all)
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The overall fit is extremely nice and it plays well with a lot of different tips but I'm not the biggest fan of smooth bored IEMs. There is a tendency for the tips to slide off depending on seal. There's also no guard into the nozzle so be aware of that.

AP1GczOW00ZWDmW5zMqSM2NrkXUPgEWShx_a9rFRk1JEJ66z29-9G9jZGLdTLYWz-U7F88lTmj-cuesmvDXMT_xsTxyV4HWfKDD4tI_3XCWsaljZdYJvsElIowi5_07UUz7HW_A_Q_NvgaqpwqBHFLSAtq-f=w1245-h1653-s-no-gm


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*Here's a little mood lighting*

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The Explorer comes with decent accessories with a cable, some tips and a case.

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Tip Rolling
Following my current trend, I have a handful of tips available but I'll only talk about my favorite synergies + stock.

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Stock Tips: Stock tips are... okay. They are a bit stiff in the ear, almost seemed to compensate for the treble being tuned to be less elevated so it had a weird balance. Not the biggest fan. I tried both the transparent one and the black one but quickly moved on.
Final Type E - Clear/Red: This is one of my favorite combos since treble/mids are very natural sounding but bass is punchy/deep. Only issue is that the smooth bore does NOT play well here. These tips were stuck in my ear more times than I can count. It wasn't every single time but it happened enough times that I stopped trying. This could be because my Type E are well used so they've lost their grip on the nozzle but it's noticeable for me and happens on all smooth bore IEMs like the Explorer and the Dusk.
Radius Deep Mount: Thankfully, this was my other favorite combo and the Radius Deep Mount keep a firm grip. Bass is deep, punchy and it synergizes well with the treble response even when pushed to higher volume listening.
Radius Deep Mount Zone: Just like the Deep Mount, these worked well for me. The main difference is that bass isn't quite as punchy but it helps bring up the vocals/treble extension a bit here. Not a bad combination.

Cable
Stock cable is solid. It's a bit plasticky feeling/cheap feeling but, at the same time, I feel like it isn't flimsy and is substantial.

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It does not appear to be too memory prone so they can wrap/nest well without any issues. Not the best stock cable but I don't have any real complaints.

Sound
So, how do the Explorer sound?

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This is like basically audio paradise for me where I recognize that this is not going to be tuned to be technical or detailed.

But, there's just enough of that performance while having one of the smoothest, warmest, bassiest sounds I've heard in that sub-$200 category. The Explorer really narrows that gap further at higher volume listening allowing you to enjoy them no matter how you prefer.

Gear Tested On: Primarily streamed music via either dedicated Streamer, Laptop or Phone
Phone chain: Pixel 8 Pro -> Abigail Pro
Phone chain: Pixel 8 Pro -> Shanling Onyx XI1
Streamed Music Chain Workstation: Laptop -> JDS Labs Element 3 MK2 (Boosted)
Streamed Music chain: WiiM Mini -> JDS Labs Atom DAC+ -> JDS Labs OL Switcher -> Geshelli Labs Archel 3 Pro


*My Audio Preference and Score Disclaimer*: To preface my breakdown, here's my sound preference. I tend to prefer warmer sound. I enjoy good sub-bass extension with enough mid-bass to feel the music. I prefer more fuller sounding mids to match my library. My preference is for smooth treble extension; while I'm not treble sensitive, I'd probably lean more towards 'safer' treble tuning for longer listening. I also tend to listen at either medium to louder listening volumes (reasonably loud).

In addition, all scores listed below are typically (unless otherwise stated) rated/scored as it relates to it's peers in the same price group.

Lows/Bass: Hello bass.

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The Aful Explorer have some of the best bass against it's peers providing deep sub-bass with plenty of detail and the right balance between attack/decay. Mid-bass hits hard and provides that level of fun to music that I enjoy.

The bass notes linger just enough to be warm but is gone without it becoming 'boomy' or 'slow'. There's an extremely well balanced tuning that Aful implemented here that is just so well executed.

I think if I was going to nitpick, I wish it had a bit more sub-bass rumble but, as previously noted, the Explorer -loves- volume. At higher volume listening, the Explorer will bring all the bass notes in spades. This does mean that the Explorer is only good until you crank the dial to 11 but, again, this is a nitpick.

Bass Score: 8.75/10 - TL;DR: Absolutely great, deep sub-bass with nice and punchy mid-bass. 0 bleed. Not the best bass ever but some of the best in this price category.

Mids: The midrange for the Explorer is full and musical with just enough details that shine through. There's great note weight in the instruments and male vocals that add a good amount of warmth without pushing out the details that it's capable of.

Female vocals do tend to sound a smidge husky likely due to the upper-mids not being as elevated but there is some alleviation in this when you go with higher volume listening.

Instruments aren't the most detailed but there's a quality in it's timbre/musical delivery that makes the mids still feel life-like and compensates for it not being the most technical delivery.

Mids Score: 8.5/10 - TL;DR: Smooth and full. Could use some more details but this is 'musicality' done right

Treble: At first listen, especially at moderate volumes, the treble may seem a bit safe sounding. There's no sense of sibilance, everything seems extremely 'dark' or potentially non-existent.

With higher volume listening, though, the treble really opens up and provides that sense of energy that is missing. The louder you listen to them, the more energetic they become (which makes sense in the grand scheme of things but it is particularly well implemented here).

That isn't to say that they have great treble extension overall especially first it's peers. But, there is a hint of airiness to the upper-mids/treble area that really scales depending on how you turn your volume knob.

Treble Score: 8/10 - TL;DR: Safe treble - no hint of sibilance, probably not enough air for some but I like it as it brings enough elevation (at higher volumes) without being harsh

Detail, Separation, Imaging, Overall Soundstage, Etc.: Good enough. Typically, especially at this price bracket, you're not going to get the best of all worlds and this is probably where Aful decided to not push on.

Detail, imaging, separation - they're all -good- enough. They are not leading, but they aren't fully lacking either. Soundstage is a bit more on the intimate side but it doesn't feel claustrophobic.

If you were looking for a technical beast, you're not getting it here.

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Technicalities Score: 7.5/10 - TL;DR: Average all around - but these are not a technical monster

Library Hit List: The Aful Explorer really does well with my library which usually consists of rock (classic, indie, alt) and various eclectic genres.

Daft Punk - "Get Lucky"
Gorillaz - "19-2000 (Soulchild Remix)"
The Wombats - "Your Body is a Weapon"
Bastille - "Good Grief"
Death Cab for Cutie - "Everything's a Ceiling"
AJR - "Sober Up"
The Black Keys - "10 Lovers"
deadmau5 - "There Might be Coffee"

Really, it did admirably on stuff that doesn't have a lot of bass (where it wasn't just artificially creating bass for the sake of it) but it really hits well when there's a track that calls for it.

Comparisons: Here's some short comparisons based on things I've had that offer or try to offer something similarly.

7hz Five: The 7hz Five is more V-shaped while the Explorer is more L-shaped with the mids/treble being a gentle rise. The 7hz Five is a fun bassy set but I think the Explorer is easier to listen to over extended periods of time and at a varying level of loudness. Aful Explorer > 7hz Five for me.

7hz Legato: The 7hz Legato is another bassy IEM (probably more tuned basshead style) but it doesn't have quite the detail nor technicalities of the Aful Explorer. Vocals are a bit more drowned out here. While I like the Legato, I think the Explorer is better for overall value and what it brings to the table. For me, Aful Explorer > 7hz Legato.

Other Things to be aware of:
Really, the Aful Explorer is an extremely capable, well priced IEM. I think there's a place for it in everyone's library since it just handles that warm/bassy sound in a different manner than most in the market where they're trying to go with that V-shaped or gentle U-shaped tuning.

That being said, that is just my opinion and I'm speaking volumes to it due to being an extremely biased bass lover. If you don't like bass or prefer a more neutral tonality, I think the Aful MagicOne may be better for you. But, I think the Explorer is a great compliment to a library of IEMs without breaking the bank or without being uncontrolled with it's sound signature delivery.

Volume Listening: The Aful Explorer, again, is better suited to be bumped up. They don't crave power (though it helps) - they crave volume and the replay being more on the higher volume side will reward you with better elevation for the mids/highs. Or, you can keep it at moderate volume listening and put on some lo-fi and enjoy yourself. There is no wrong answer here, IMO.

Source Synergy: The Aful Explorer works very well with any source but I do find that the best balance (without going one way or the other) would be likely to pair it with a more neutral type of DAC/AMP vs a warmer source - unless you want to go full bore warmth. I didn't notice any issues with rolling sources and I felt like they worked well but the best synergy came with my JDS Element 3 MK2.

Special Sauce/Personal Bias Score: 10/10 - TL;DR: Special set that does something not a lot do at an affordable price and an extremely comfortable size.

Conclusion:
The Aful Explorer is one of my favorite IEMs I've tried. At $119 (with regular sales putting it below $100), the Explorer provides a warm, satisfyingly bassy yet well extended sound signature that is smooth whether you listen at moderate or high volumes.

This is an extremely complimentary piece for anyone's IEM line up and I'm going to shill this until Aful discontinues it.

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Final Weighted Score: 8.55/10 - This puts score at 4.275 and you damn right I'm rounding this up, I love the Explorer. You're not my manager.

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Thanks for reading!
Last edited:
MakeItWain
MakeItWain
Thank you @pk4425 - appreciate you and the writing guidance!
J
jmwant
Excellent review. The treble opens up when it's played loud. Glad that I bought it.
MakeItWain
MakeItWain
@jmwant - thank you, sir! Yes, this is one of those special "crank it up" sets that really expands once you do.
  • Like
Reactions: jmwant

Nealz

100+ Head-Fier
Aful Explorer: The Baby DaVinci
Pros: Excellent Build Quality, 3D printed full-resin body
Warm, smooth and organic sound quality
Good quantity and quality bass
Lush mid range with thick note weight and lower mids
Smooth, non-fatiguing treble
Good Imaging Performance
Cons: Not a technical performer
Lacks details and resolution
Not for neutral lovers or treble-heads
Sounds congested in busy tracks
Intimate Soundstage
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Disclaimer:

HifiGo has offered me a small discount in exchange for reviewing the Aful Explorer and sharing my honest thoughts and opinions. If you decide to purchase this IEM based on my review and find that you disagree with this assessment. That responsibility lies solely with you. I strongly discourage relying solely on a single review for making purchasing decisions in the realm of audio gear, as preferences vary. You should conduct thorough research by exploring platforms such as YouTube, head-fi forums, and various Facebook audiophile groups and websites until you come to a final conclusion.

Non-affiliated Purchase Link: https://hifigo.com/products/aful-ex...POHuiWY_i-ToE9Qk-wfxiOLCMf__NYN62gq7xN9txI4d3


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Unboxing:

Aful Explorer has a minimal unboxing experience, the good quality cable is definitely the highlight here. What’s in the box:

  1. A Pair of White Silicone Tips (S,M,L)
  2. A Pair of White Silicone Tips with Blue Stem (S,M,L)
  3. A Carrying Case
  4. 200-core, silver-plated copper cable, comes in either 3.5 single ended or 4.4 balanced termination
I am glad to see Aful providing a choice of 3.5/4.4 mm cable option to the user, and the cable is high quality for the asking price. So most owners will not feel the need to immediately upgrade the cable of this set. The included ear-tips are a different story, both are narrow bore and exactly the same in every single way except for color. I would have preferred to see Aful include a wide bore option here, they have clearly cheaped out in this department. Good news is aftermarket ear-tips options are not that expensive.

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Build Quality & Design:

The shells of the Aful Explorer are ergonomic and on the smaller side, with an average length nozzle. I don’t think even people with smaller ears will struggle with these shells. I was able to listen to them for hours without feeling any fatigue or discomfort. Aful has implemented a high quality 3D printed full-resin body for the Explorer. The build quality feels very premium for the asking price, and the aesthetics are fantastic as well. I loved the starry night theme. They could have used a smaller font for the “Aful” branding though!

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The Tech:

Aful has implemented 1 balanced armature driver for High’s, 1 balanced armature driver driver for Mid’s and 1 Dynamic Driver for the Low’s. These are most likely customized BA’s as there is no branding mentioned on Aful’s website, they are the same ones that were used in the MagicOne model. The size of the dynamic driver isn’t mentioned in any of the marketing materials as well. The Explorer has multiple patented techs that AFUL has previously implemented in the Performer series, this includes RLC network frequency division, 3D Resonator crossover, high-damping air pressure balanced management system, etc. I personally find these to be marketing Mumbo jumbo. I am more interested in discussing the end result (sound quality), rather than all these fancy tech’s Aful has applied.

Sources Used During Review:

  1. Cayin RU7
  2. Hiby R4
  3. Hiby R6 Gen III
I have observed that the Aful Explorer scales quite well when provided with good clean power. The vocals sound more forward, bass has better texture quality and soundstage is wider. The Explorer sounds cleaner with neutral sources like Hiby R4/R6 Gen III rather than warm sounding sources like Cayin RU7.

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Sound Evaluation

Signature:

The Explorer is a fresh breath of air from the sea of Harman or even in some cases the new meta “JM-1” tuning. I find the Explorer to have a warm U-shaped tuning, it has a bass boosted signature without pushing the mids too far back. The upper-mids sound smoother compared to most Harman sets, And there is a better balance between mid & sub-bass. The bass quality is one of the best even in sub $200 price category. Although the tilt towards the warm tuning with meaty bass and lower mids will not impress those who are looking for neutral, warm and spacious sound.

Highs (3.5/5):

I found the Explorer to be dark sounding and lacking treble extension. It doesn’t have enough air or sparkle up top and lacks energy. The details are above average but aren’t completely veiled by the warmth in the tuning. Cymbal strikes and synths sound blunted and lacks definition. The Explorer struggles to keep up with faster and snappier genres of muck like Rock & Heavy Metal, it sounds congested. Treble sensitive folk will enjoy the smooth presentation of the Explorer while those looking for a more brighter and more airy sounding IEM will not be satisfied with the treble performance of the Explorer.

Mids (4/5):

Midrange doesn’t suffer from too much bleed from the transition of mid-bass to lower-mids. Instead there is a hint of warmth which adds density and thickness to the note weight and male vocals. Male vocals sounds textured, thick and more forward in the mix. Female vocals doesn’t sound artificially boosted like Harman tuned sets instead they maintain a good level of clarity and emotion. I do wish the Explorer offered a bit more resolution and details here, instruments like cellos, electric guitars and snare drums sounds recessed. The timbre of the instruments sound natural, I did not detect any hint of BA timbre.

Low’s (4/5):

This set maintains a good balance between sub-bass and mid-bass, although the sub-bass is highlighted more. It’s quite textured and dense and offers a deep reaching rumble. Mid-bass is well controlled, instruments like kick-drums, bass guitars and double bass have adequate note weight and body. Overall the bass offers a good slam and sounds authoritative. Although the Explorer offers plenty of low-end extension, bass-heads who are looking for sub-woofer like rumble and vibration might want more bass quantity.

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Technicalities (3.5/5):

Aful Explorer is not a very resolving set, still it has good resolution and micro-details for the asking price. Like most entry-level warm sounding IEM’s, details and resolution is not fully compromised. Soundstage is rather intimate and the depth is average. Imaging performance is really good, instrument separation is rather average. The congestion in the lower-mids make instruments in that region sound blurry, separation there could have been better.

Comparisons:

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Dunu DaVinci:

The Explorer provides near about 70% of the DaVinci’s performance at a much more affordable price. They have a very similar tuning which focuses on the musicality and fun factor rather than details and technicalities. Both have similar smooth yet dark sounding treble, DaVinci might have slightly better extension here. Mids sound very similar with thick lower-mids and male vocals. Female vocals have similar level of clarity and isn’t overly boosted. DaVinci does have better bass quantity and more slam. Bass sounds tighter and more textured on DaVinci as well. Both sets struggle with busy genres like Rock & Heavy Metal, both suffer from congestion. Aful Explorer has less noticeable BA timbre compared to DaVinci. Imaging performance is very good on both, DaVinci does have slightly better resolving capability and pulls more micro-details in the mids. Soundstage is intimate on both but DaVinci has better spatial depth and height.

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Conclusion:

If you are looking for a laid back, warm, organic and bassy IEM without sacrificing too much resolution or technicalities at the sub $100 price range, then the Aful Explorer is an excellent choice. It’s not really a detail or technicalities monster nor is it pretending to be one. The Explorer provides a soothing sound you can listen to for hours without feeling any fatigue. Aful Explorer can also be an excellent choice for those who want to try out the DaVinci’s tuning at a much lower price tag. I enjoyed my time with is set and it gets my recommendation.
J
jmwant
Well-written. It's my favorite set for relaxation.

Sajid Rahman

New Head-Fier
AFUL Explorer Review (Value for Money)
Pros: Well-Rounded Bassy Sound Signature: Offers a well-rounded audio experience with boosted bass, rich mids, and smooth, non-fatiguing treble.
Excellent Build Quality: Durable construction with a premium feel and practical detachable cables.
Comfortable Fit: Ergonomic design and multiple ear tip options for extended comfort.
Effective Isolation: Good passive noise isolation enhances the listening experience.
Easy to drive: A very easy to drive IEM, doesn’t require a huge amount of power.
Cons: Average Treble: The treble could be a bit sharp, more enrgetic but it is not dark.
Limited Accessories: The accessory package is basic and could include more options.
Average Soundstage: Average imaging and soundstage depth.
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The AFUL Explorer is designed for audiophiles who seek a high-quality, immersive listening experience. They offer a balanced sound signature and a range of features aimed at providing an exceptional audio experience. Here’s a detailed look at what makes them stand out, as well as some potential drawbacks.


Disclaimer: This review reflects my personal and subjective listening experience. I would like to thank HiFigo for the tour review unit with Audiophile Alliance BD and allowing me to share my thoughts on the product, it doesn’t influence my review in any form and nor I am compensated.


Accessories:


The accessory package that comes with the AFUL Explorer is functional but somewhat basic.
  • Ear Tips: The package includes a selection of ear tips in different sizes, which are essential for achieving a good fit and sound isolation. However, the variety of materials or tip types is limited.
  • Carrying Case: The carrying case provided is practical and protective, but it could be more premium in quality. A more robust case would be preferable for safeguarding the IEMs during travel.
  • Cable: The detachable cables are a positive feature, allowing for easy replacement or upgrades. However, the included cable is of decent quality but not exceptional.
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Build Quality:

Materials:


The construction of the AFUL Explorer is robust and well-engineered. The housings are made from high-quality materials that lend a premium feel to the IEMs. The use of durable materials ensures longevity, and the overall build quality reflects careful craftsmanship. The detachable cables are another highlight, offering both convenience and the possibility for upgrades or replacements.

Comfort:

Comfort is a key consideration for the Explorer, and they deliver in this area. The ergonomic design ensures a secure and comfortable fit, which is crucial for extended listening sessions. The IEMs come with a range of ear tip sizes, allowing users to find the best fit for their ears. This snug fit not only contributes to comfort but also aids in achieving optimal sound isolation.

Isolation:

The passive noise isolation provided by the Explorer is effective. The secure fit and well-designed ear tips block out a significant amount of external noise, enhancing the immersive quality of the listening experience. This isolation is particularly useful in noisy environments, such as public transport or busy urban areas.

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Test Setup:

Sources:
Shanling M3X, Cayin RU7, Shanling UA3, FiiO BTR5

Tips: Default Tips, KB Ear KB07 Eartips, Final Audio Type E Silicone Eartips, DIVINUS Velvet Silicone Eartips

Cable: Stock Cable with 3.5 termination, NiceHCK AlloyUltra 16 Core Silver Plated Copper+Alloy Cable.

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Sound Quality

The AFUL Explorer deliver a well-balanced and engaging audio experience. The sound signature is tuned to offer a harmonious blend of frequencies, making them versatile for various music genres.
  • Bass: The main highlight feature of The AFUL Explorer is the thumpy BASS! It delivers a bass response that is both impactful and controlled. The low frequencies are well-articulated, providing a satisfying rumble without overwhelming the rest of the sound spectrum. This makes the Explorer suitable for genres that demand strong bass presence, such as electronic music and hip-hop. The bass is neither too boomy nor too recessed; it strikes a commendable balance that enhances musical enjoyment without distortion.
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  • Mids: The midrange is one of the standout features of the AFUL Explorer. It is warm, smooth and rich. Vocals and instruments are rendered with clarity and warmth, making them particularly effective for all genres. The mids are enough forward, which helps in highlighting vocal performances and intricate instrumental details. This prominence adds to the overall richness of the sound and allows listeners to appreciate the nuances in complex musical arrangements.
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  • Treble: The treble is smooth and precise, offering good detail and airiness. However, they could have added some more crispness and sparkle in the treble section. I missed a little bit energy in treble section. It overall has an enjoyable presentation of treble for the listeners I must say! Not too dark, nor too bright, a fatigue free and clear treble, that’s all.
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  • Soundstage and Imaging: The soundstage could be wider and more immersive for the Explorer in this price range. The Explorer offers good imaging, allowing for a realistic sense of space and separation between different elements in the music. This makes complex tracks with multiple layers more engaging and easier to appreciate.
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Conclusion:

The AFUL Explorer IEMs are a solid choice for audiophiles looking for a balanced, detailed sound in a well-constructed package. They excel in sound quality, build, and comfort, making them suitable for various musical tastes and listening environments. Given their performance, the AFUL Explorer IEMs can be considered a great value. They offer sound quality that competes with higher-priced models, making them a compelling option for both newcomers and seasoned audiophiles. Overall, if you're willing to invest in a high-quality listening experience, the AFUL Explorer IEMs are a compelling option.

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J
jmwant
Nice review. The Explorer is the perfect FH3 upgrade for me, great bass without the "cuppy" mids.

nikbr

1000+ Head-Fier
AFUL Explorer - This Exploration Was A Success!
Pros: Superb build quality and shell design, Ergonomic shell, Decently accessorized, Fantastic smooth yet resolving tuning, Punchy midbass with subbass to go along, Subdued but present treble, Full-bodied male vocals, Competitively priced
Cons: Only a 3.5 cable, Only offered in this blue shell, Not for trebleheads or out-and-out techheads, Lacking air, 'AFUL' writing on this otherwise stunning faceplate
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Having had the possibility to try so many different sets in a relatively short time I felt obliged to go ahead and express my gratitude by trying to help some lost souls out there, just as I was when I first stumbled upon this weird hobby about wired earphones – so yesteryear! … I thought. Possibilities are seemingly endless and only by getting to meet the right people did I manage to jump onboard the train heading the 'right' direction without getting off-track thousands of times along the way. Make sure to understand the helping person's preferences and you too can find your footing and hit the ground running in no time.

Quick Intermezzo About Me

I won't bore you for too long with personal trivia, however my quick & short background resume goes as follows. Currently I am 27 years old and more in awe of sheer power of music by the day. I have always been moved by music just that slight bit more than average, I'd say. My spending started with a roughly 200€ Bose bluetooth speaker back in my first grade of highschool. What an extraterrestrial thing that was in early 2010s. And it keeps on playing to this day – a true testament of quality. Also sounded fantastic back then, nowadays … yeah, not so much. Lots of BT speakers, TWS, car audio speakers, IEMs, etc., later bring me to this day when I truly consider myself an audiophile. What brings me the most joy beside listening to music is singing, so I am currently participating in a choir and challenging myself with solo vocal covers (check the links in my signature to hear my projects). Unsure where all this leads, but the journey itself is marvelous and life is nothing but a journey.

Disclaimer: I have received the AFUL Explorer free of charge from Hifigo in exchange for a review. They had no special requests and I am in no way incentivized to speak highly of this set. Should you be interested, here is a non-affiliated link to Hifigo's site: https://hifigo.com/products/aful-explorer?_pos=1&_sid=0236580ce&_ss=r

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How My Reviews Are Structured

I will start off by mentioning the packaging, accessories, design & comfort, then continue by placing the showcased IEM in my special trademarked graphs&graphics, give it a score on certain qualities, and describe the main sound categories to reach the final star score. Those that are seriously considering a ~100€ hybrid, please do not hesitate to ask for any specifics you want me to answer.

I have left the set to burn-in for 100+ hours and listened to songs of varied genres to better convey what one can expect from the AFUL Explorer. As sources I have been using my FiiO BTR7, Venture Electronics Megatron, iBasso DX180, and Venture Electronics RA2B-FE + Prime DAC. Certainly no lack of power and quite a different taste on all. Listening was (mostly) done at a volume ranging between 75-85dB. I am using the Divinus Velvet Wide bore tips and a similar-to-stock XINHS SPC 4.4 cable to extract every last ounce from my sources.

Here is the quick and rough description of how I understand various star ratings:

Do not even think about it :star2:
It has too many drawbacks and gets demolished by competition :star2::star2:
This item has the potential but feels a bit too bland and has multiple issues :star2::star2::star2:
Wonderful item with rare and mostly subjective drawbacks :star2::star2::star2::star2:
Eargasmic performance with all the aspects covered at an incredibly high level :star2::star2::star2::star2::star2:

Keep in mind these ratings are certainly affected by the item's price in the overall assessment too. Sometimes that will result in slightly higher score than based solely on my scoring of bass, mids, and treble, while other times it results in a slight penalty if I deem the item a tad overpriced.

In layman's terms - anything rated below 4 stars overall does not get a space in my regular rotation and is either stored and revisited some time later again just to see if my thoughts have changed, or it gets gifted.

Let's Get Going!

Let me preface all you are about to read with a few words. This was one of those rare examples when you know immediately upon first listen that it's gonna be a good one and look forward to hearing it more. This happens only rarely (at least for me) and such sets should be praised, especially when they come at a reasonable price that is within reach of many.

Instead of going through a million songs and describing what I hear in real-time, I will do it a bit differently this time. I'll describe individual aspects briefly in whole.

Should you have any specific questions regarding any genres/songs in particular, feel free to contact me.

I am still catching my stride on how to describe the sound aspects in a clearer way. It is a slow but enjoyable learning curve. I am attempting to make my reviews as ballast-free as possible. The graphics were the step in the right direction, I feel. Capturing the essence of sound characteristics in a less wordy way is next on the list. We all have our own busy schedules and I understand reading a review for 15+ minutes is in (nearly) no-one's interest.

Packaging, Accessories, Design & Comfort


Explorer comes in a reasonably sized and rather subdued box that's neither disappointing nor exceptional. This theme continues throughout unboxing. Everything is done well, no complaints at the asking price.

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The Explorer is decently accessorized too. See the nine pairs of tips and a very well behaved and nice-to-touch cable. I don't really see the reason for including three quite literally identical sets of tips, though. The case is very soft and a decent little extra for sure.

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Shells immediately surprised me with their smallish outer dimensions. The cutout to allow a secure and comfortable fit for those of us with a bit wilder shaped ears is fantastic too.

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All of this is topped off with a stunning design except for the awful branding pasted on faceplates - not the worst, though, to be fair. The style is chosen wisely and the font is not too big.

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Graphics, Graphs & Scores

This trademarked graph I came up with does not come with a thick user manual. All you need to know is that sets further left are warmer than sets further right, and sets higher up are better technically than sets lower down. Those little yellow lines on both axis represent where sets with average technicalities and neutral overall balance lay.

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Here are my scores on the Explorer in individual categories. All three subcategories of each of the frequency spectrums can be rated 1-5. Keep in mind that I am primarily scoring sonic performance, regardless of the price, so cheaper (meaning sub 150€) sets getting a 3 in any given subcategory is already good going! I had to approach this in a simplistic manner so to keep it easy to understand and compare sets. Eventually, I will have to make a table of all sets I have rated so far.

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As mentioned a little earlier, I have worked on trying to cut down on wordiness and all excess gibberish and rather improve upon my nikbr trademarked graphics to truly be able to compare IEMs visually since that offers an easier-to-comprehend, more interactive and simply more appealing experience.

These truly cover most topics in a pretty straight-forward manner.
I have described each of these in a bit more detail in my previous reviews. If anything remains unclear, here I am at your service.

SBT - Six Basic Traits
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This proves all six basic traits are well taken care of.

MBB - Magic Balance Boards
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A quick showing of which side of all balancing boards the set gravitates towards.

SMT - Soundstage Measurement Tool
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This particular face of the three possible ones shows that I am neither impressed nor disappointed by these three soundstage axes on the Explorer.

QCP - Quarter Circle Playground
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The red dot is where I would place a neutral, uncoloured set. Explorer is very bassy and not too energetic, but rather slightly calm.


Sound Descriptions

These were meant to be very concise, but I got carried away and wrote way too much again. But I let my mind wander and it took me to some interesting topics along the way too. Feel free to read and share your opinion.

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The obvious categories will be subcategorized into a few important aspects. It is impossible to just claim the bass is great or not, there are levels to this hobby and since you're reading this review, you've obviously fallen deeper into this rabbit hole than many.


BASS

Quantity vs quality
: This set has both. While the quantity is plentiful, it does not surpass the limit of overbearing and completely ruining the balance. Quality is first-class. Let's discuss it in these next five points.

Rumble: To those who need a powerful rumble in their playlists, these will do it very effortlessly. Please, make sure your fit & seal is good. While the overall balance lies more towards the midbass, subbass is no slouch either. My standardized test with the FiiO BTR7 wired at full volume on phone and level 25 volume on BTR7, playing Bass test on Youtube shows Explorer can rumble all the way down to 20hz before becoming a flabby mess.

Attack: This is where this set truly stands out. Despite being very capable at descending nearly into infrasonics, the midbass speed and initial attack are wonderful. This will also largely depend on your source and its capability to control that DD's membrane during these quick and extended movements. While it does not compete with some of the better BA's in this regard it still is very impressive for a DD at this price.

Decay: This is where BA's would struggle despite their marvelous attack. Explorer carries the bass notes all the way to their natural decay which lasts a little while. This will be more obvious in certain genres, whereas with others it could not matter any less. For those with playlists that have those longer sustained low bass notes and need the maintained bass shelf, this is a quintessential trait.

Boominess: It manages to avoid any boominess. I am very susceptible to boominess and prefer a lower bass shelf if that means the set avoids boominess. Explorer has a healthy bass shelf free from boominess, so that is great and refreshing to my ears. Midbass heft often comes with unwanted qualities too, so I am happy to report boominess is not to be found on the Explorer.

Bloatedness: Bass uncontrollably o verflowing into low mids is a very common thing, especially in lower priced hybrids where crossovers are not as well implemented. Explorer once more avoids this very skillfully. Low mids do feel quite full, not as much due to any bloatedness but more due to the reduced upper mids in comparison to what we are used to with Harman-ish tunings of these last few years.



MIDS

Timbre
: Getting this right is crucial in overall acceptance of any set. Hybrids have gotten better recently at blending the crossover between DD and BA units for those not to sound to strange whenever a single instrument crosses that line. Plenty of instruments can play low enough or have their undertones in bass area, so carefully chosen units that can cooperate in a uniform fashion. All this to say, Explorer has no major timbral issues, but can take some adjustment with brass and strings which will feel blunted in comparison to many other sets.

Forwardness: I am a huge sucker for very present mids and all else should work in unison with the mids, not the other way around. That is why my preferred singature is a tasteful W-shape. Getting the mids to carry the song while bass and treble stay in their lanes, so to speak, is not easy. Today's market also calls for more and more bass. V-shapes are not getting out of fashion any time soon. Explorer is quite a clear L-shape which I prefer to V-shapes. Mids can be brought out by upping the volume and unlike with the V-shapes, this does not bring a wild ear-piercing level of treble along. Vocals could still be placed just a bit more upfront in my opinion. A dB here and there would do that without messing with the overall perception of the Explorer.

Clarity: Despite big bass and reduced upper mids, the clarity does not suffer to badly. That would be a big dealbreaker for me, and plenty others, I'm sure. This does require a correct source pick, though. On FiiO BTR7 it does indeed sound clear, but way too digitalised at the same time. That takes away my ability to fully indulge in acoustic music. Electronica and other bassy genres are not too badly affected. VE Stack sounds the cleanest with a huge bass shelf too.

Vocals: Since the tuning was obviously aimed toward warmth, male vocals are less bothered by it. But even the tenors among them, do feel just a tad attenuated in their higher range. Females struggle a bit more, but I would not call it a dealbreaker. They are not as intense as they should be, but remain very composed. Listening to soprano arias is not advisible. For most other, less otherworldly performers, this will do just fine.

Note weight: A quality that can make quite a big difference and is not visible on graphs. It is not necessarily limited just to midrange, but since the majority of instruments are hiding here, this is where I have placed this subcategory. What really made me understand just how important this can be, is the difference between AuR Audio Neon Pro and Night Oblivion Butastur, both a 10BA per side sets. They graphed VERY similarly, so I was naturally expecting a similar sound. Boy, was I in for a surprise. Butastur sounded very thin and hollow in comparison. That had it's benefits (acoustic guitars sounded tremendously alive, I'm still on the search for an equal in that regard), but musical it was not. Thereafter, I have become more sensitive to note weight. Explorer has it in spades! That can be understood both ways. Some instruments do not require all that weightiness. Guitars, for example, do sound quite a bit heavy-footed, so do wind instruments. Disclaimer, this will be seriously affected by source choice as well, VE Megatron is my pick. The naturalness and enjoyment of this pairing is through the roof and not even affected by the crazy high noise floor of the Megatron with anything sensitive.



TREBLE

Quantity vs quality
: A fanstastic choice for those of you that prefer a calmer dose of treble in your bass. I love treble, always have, but I'd be the first to choose an L-shape over a W-shape if the additional treble is not done to perfection on the latter. Explorer is not too dark by any means, it still has a healthy dose of treble, but lacks the fairy dust that is treble extension to truly add that brilliance. Let's remind ourselves, this only has 2 BA drivers per side, so expecting miracles in treble extension is a fool's errand. Instead, I am drawn to that skillfully measured quantity that never ends up sounding dull.

Sibilance: Perfectly attenuated. Get this wrong and many aspects of the overall sound perception will struggle. There is lots of overtones hiding in that 6-8kHz range. While I would say I am sensitive to sibilance, I am even more sensitive to overdampening this range. It sucks out lots of energy. Explorer is done wonderfully, which fills me with trust in Aful's tuning and makes me excited to try any of the Aful upcomers.

Crispness: This is achieved by correctly handling that 8-12kHz range where lots of sets drop off a cliff to then come back with a sharp peak at around 15kHz – never really understood why, it rarely ends up working well, at least to my ears. Checking out some of the Explorer's graphs primarily shows that measurements still have a way to go, since each graph is its own thing from that 8kHz coupler peak onwards. Some show Explorer maintaining equally loud to well above 10kHz, while others show a smooth descent. Whichever option, I am currently hearing, is a tastefully done one.

Air: One of Explorer's weaknesses, no doubt. As discussed previously, this is packing just two BAs, so focusing on achieving any noteworthy airiness would not be the wisest. Instead, they have covered the basics to perfection.



TECHNICALITIES

Soundstage
: A very touchy subject with no objective truths, highly affected by source, and incredibly different from one pair of ears to another. Skipping the effect of our pinna, as IEMs do, is both a blessing and a curse. One has to figure out for themselves what tricks their brain into placing objects furthest away from their actual point source. I'm starting to get a grasp on which qualities make sets present a large soundstage to my ears. Explorer is not among the larger ones I have heard, but it shares similiarities with two other warm and treble-light sets – Venture Electronics SIE, and TRN Orca which are the largest. Therefore, I am not as easily fooled by good treble as I am with big bass that provides a bigger dance floor. Bass on the Explorer is not as free-flowing or enveloping as on those other two sets. That said, all three of these sets have a specific treble quality I cannot really pinpoint yet. I would maybe wish for a more generous width on the Explorer. Ultimately, Explorer might sound average in this regard to most, but it definitely isn't a weakness.

Imaging: Potentially the most crucial technical aspect in IEMs. And this is the reason why I feel soundstage might be just a bit overhyped. The outer edges of where the sound is coming from are not as important to me as their localization and size of the image. Give me a more intimate soundstage with better presented individual sounds over a huge soundstage with more diffused imaging any day of the week. Explorer, despite possibly not extending as wide as we could wish for, does very well in the imaging department. Even the wilder songs with lots of electronically-produced sounds are never too crowded and, as a consequence, annoying.

Detail retrieval: A subject that should be cut into even smaller subjects to cover more easily, but I will try to explain it in one. Macro- and microdetails is how they are usually referred to. Macrodetails will be the larger items we can look into. Maybe something like a clap. How well is that clap separated and detailed in its onset and offset. While microdetails would mean delving even closer into that clap – how crisp is it, any minute detail that stands out, possibly the person is wearing rings and those hit each other when clapping. Okay, so how does the Explorer fare here. Hm, decently, but not the most detailed. Of course, we are back to the subject of driver count (and I acknowledge there are plenty of exceptions to this 'rule'). To those of you who are hungry to hear each and every recording slip up in your favourite songs, this set is better avoided.

Cohesiveness: Such an important and often overlooked quality. We focus on bass, mids, treble, etc., but do they work together as a team or is it a bunch of talented individuals pulling to their sides? Explorer is among the better sets that tie these together and make them work like a team. A good coach, we could say. Nothing stands out like a sore thumb. Now sure, this will bring us back to preferences, since those that cannot stand a bass-first tuning, will inevitably say this set is a complete and utter failure in cohesiveness. Avoiding personal preference is not easy while writing reviews. The biggest risk of getting this wrong comes from crossovers – getting those right means us listeners will not be able to detect when and at what sort of crossover slope one driver hands off its duties to another.


EXTRA

Fun factor
: Immeasurable. Give it a juicy source and it sounds like a party. It benefits from sources capable of dynamic changes. I have thoroughly enjoyed via my VE Megatron which was definitely not a quiet background source, but provided the energy and made notes feel childishly lively. iBasso DX180 provided a much more serious listen and a very detailed one.

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How To Summarize The AFUL Explorer

This one was a true joy to experience and an easy recommendation to those who prefer a warmer tilt. The Explorer won't only impress with its warmth but a decent technical aspect to go along as well. Is it the most technically adept and airy set? No, that it is not. But just how much more can we expect from a roughly 100€ set.


Thanks for reading and stay wonderful.
OhmsClaw
OhmsClaw
This is a wild amount of work for a 100 euro piece. They need to keep feeding you review units 🤭this is quality AF, in depth, and informative.
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nikbr
nikbr
@OhmsClaw lol thanks, it definitely is, but this one fully deserves it 😄
Jimmyblues1959
Jimmyblues1959
Excellent review!

domq422

500+ Head-Fier
Explore the great, not the awful
Pros: Stunning faceplate design
Very healthy assortment of accessories with a fantastic stock cable!
Nice included case
An easy to listen to signature, very laid back
Excellent timbre and tonality across the board
Easy fit, small shells that are very contoured and comfortable
No pressure build-up for me
Mid-bass is impactful and very fun with a deep thump
Upper mids are flat, causing a lovely spacial effect at high-volume
Treble, while subdued, is surprisingly detailed and sparkly when it needs to be
Dynamic sound
Immersion is a strong suit
Cons: The bass is overshadowed by the mid-bass
Sub-bass lacks texture
Vocals suffer from being a little on the blunted side, lacking texture
Not the most detailed IEM around this price point
While not a con for me, the treble may be too laid back from some
Could be considered ‘dark’
No nozzle screen (I can’t stand this)
Transient definition in the mids
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Full Disclaimer; This set of Explorers was part of a HiFiGo reviewer tour & I just happen to be part of the last leg of the tour. I was very fortunate to be gifted this pair by the tour group, so I wanted to thank you and HiFiGo for providing this pair for evaluation!

I also wanted to apologize for the lackluster photos for this review, I was running low on time this week.


Test tracks

- Give Life Back to Music - daft punk - Overall clarity
- Infinity Repeating - daft punk - Lower mids control
- Voyager - daft punk - Bass line clarity/busy track layering
- Overnight - Parcels - mid bass punch
- Tieduprightnow - Parcels - bass line/sibilance test
- Justice - Neverender - Sub bass rumble and mid bass impact with treble sparkle balance
- Daytime - Lunar Vacation - Staging/female vocals w/ heavy bass
- Days - No Vacation - Vibe test/treble energy
- Fruiting Body - Goon - Sub bass
- Wavy Maze - Goon - Mid bass
- Together - Maggie Rodgers - Female Vocals
- Slide Tackle - Japanese Breakfast - Sibilance test/consonants harshness
- Decode - Paramore - Vibe test/stage depth
- Vinta - Crumb - Stage depth/layering
- Kim’s Caravan - Courtney Barnett - Female Vocals/resolution test
- Small Poppies - Courtney Barnett - Distorted Guitar
- Lifelong Song - Men I Trust - Sub/mid bass texture
- One and Only - Adele - Female Vocals/consonants harshness test
- Waves - Wild Painting - Overall Enjoyment and stage depth/width/Bass guitar speed
- Not the One - Highnoon - Female Vocals
- Cowboy Killer - Varsity - Layering
- Alone in My Principles - Varsity - Distorted female vocals
- Summer Madness - Kool & The Gang - Treble Harshness
- They Are Growing - Renata Zeiguer - Mid bass impact


Special Test Tracks for the Explorer

- Justice - Neverender
- Justice - Incognito
- Justice Phantom Pt. II
- Justice - Audio, Video, Disco
- Justice - Safe and Sound
- daft punk - Derezzed
- daft punk - Alive 2007/Encore
- daft punk - Voyager
- DJ Mehdi - Pocket Piano
- DJ Mehdi - Signature (Thomas Bangalter Edit)
- Kavinsky - Pacific Coast Highway
- Kavinsky - Testarossa (SebastiAn Remix)
- Busy P - Pedrophillia
- Benny Benassi - Cinema (Skrillex Remix)
- Eric Prydz - Call On Me
- Eric Prydz - Pjanoo
- Eric Prydz - Opus
- Cassius - I <3 You So


Sources

- Apple Music Streaming Hi-Res Lossless when available
- Topping D10s/Toppling L30
- Muse HiFi M4
- Fosi DS2
- FiiO BTR7 BT


Tech Specs

>Three-Driver Hybrid Setup.
>1DD+2BA Setup Per Side.
>3D Printed Acoustic Tubed with Special-Shaped Resonator.
>High-Damping Air Pressure Balanced System
>Precisely Engineered Multi-Layered Electronic Crossover.
>RLC Network Frequency Division Crossover Technology.
>Self-Developed Wide-Frequency Response BA Driver.
>Consistent High-End Sound Reproduction.
>Eye-Catchy Cosmo Inspired Face Covers.
>Easy to Power

Technical Information:-

>Impedance: 26Ω±10%>
>Sensitivity: 108dB/mW.
>Frequency Response: 10Hz-30kHz.
>Connector Type: 0.78m 2-pin connectors.
>Cable Termination: 3.5mm/4.4mm.

If you’d like to purchase the Aful Explorer, follow this unaffiliated link to HiFiGo where it’s currently on sale as of writing this!

https://hifigo.com/products/aful-ex...DeRLUVvlWcDZVqViyDzbi324UuIWN0k57os8VlvWnYWmi


Fitment note; The Explorers are one of the best-fitting IEMs I’ve ever graced my ears with. These remind me of a more molded, rounder Hexa and that’s a huge compliment as the Hexa not only fit my ears like a glove but also provided superb isolation from outside noises. The Explorers fit just as nicely but don’t attenuate outside noise as much, but they do provide a nice seal nonetheless. I never had any fatigue or pressure build-up while wearing and using the Explorers, for long periods of time. They also have great fit security as well - they were great and have become my everyday carry partly because of the great fit for my ears. One thing to mention is the lack of lip on the nozzle. I’ve had a few tips fall off both in my ears and randomly on my desk. Neither was fun - I found that Clarion tips work really well, but YMMV.

Summary - When I first put the Explorers in, I was not blown away in the slightest. In fact, they weren’t clicking with me or my library which is mostly Indie rock, usually with a female vocalist. Not the best combo for a low-pinna, dark treble kind of set obviously. The sound was somewhat compressed and as you can imagine the vocals were far too pushed back for my liking, keep in mind that I love low pinna tunings too. It just wasn’t working for me and I nearly packed them away after a quick session and called it right there and then.

Small backstory; when I was 12/13 years old all I listened to was Hip-hop, Rap, and EDM-type music. It was only just recently, about 2 years ago, that I started to really explore what other music was out there. One of my favorite duos in all of music, Justice, had their first live show in Boston earlier this month and I was very lucky to go, and front row mind you. It was a mind-melting experience and it really sparked my love of Dance music once again, especially French Touch style dance music. That’s where the Explorers come in. These are incredible for the dance music side of my library. I just didn’t think to check there. If it weren’t for that concert I went to, I most likely wouldn’t have even tried to listen to dance/EDM whilst I had them. I’m glad I did.

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Bass;

The Mid-bass is impactful and powerful on my entire EDM playlist, it has a slightly soft character to it, but this, I think, is to its advantage. Initial transients aren’t as snappy as I’d like, yes, but the thump behind the kicks and the extremely natural decay is what sold me. Neverender by Justice sounds big and larger than life. The Staging also feels deep and vast, especially during that intro. The initial beat drop is just impossible to resist, I found myself replaying it over and over again for the first week I had them. Pocket Piano by DJ Mehdi has an extremely authoritative kick drum, and the Explorers eat that up. I believe the laid-back treble and upper-mid range somewhat contribute to a softer and blunter bass experience, but this set having a DD really does help. This bass response reminds me of a better version of the Symphonium Meteors. I felt like the Mid-bass on the Meteors was thumpy and powerful, but it lacked that initial attack snap-on drum kicks - While the Explorers don’t have the sharpest attack I’ve heard, I really do feel like It works wonders for EDM/Dance/Electronic music and it strikes the right balance. The elephant in the room, however, is the sub-bass. Simply put, compared to the mid-bass, it’s lacking and the mid-bass overshadows it quite a bit. Depending on who you are, this might mean a lot, or maybe you’re a mid-over sub-bass kind of listener. I prefer sub over mid, but I still think the explorers rock the house when it comes to the bass department, if these had the sub-bass texture and rumble to back up the mid-bass, we’d be talking market-breaking when it comes to bass.

Mids;

The mids may not be what the Explorers do well depending on what you consider “good mids”, however, the timbre and tonality are really top-notch. While the mids don’t have the best detail or overall resolution, the way they’re rendered is very pleasing to the ear. On my typical playlist with artists like No Vacation, Paramore, Wild Painting, etc. the vocals aren’t what I would call ideal. They’re slightly dull sounding and lacking that emotional stamp that a more boosted upper-mids would provide. Still, the timbre is very pleasing and extremely easy to enjoy. I did notice that when a song isn’t mastered/produced very dynamically, it can sound a bit flat with the vocals being so subdued. I will say, however, that Men I Trust sounded phenomenal. Really chill, laid back, and very immersive, especially at higher volumes.

Treble;

Probably the most surprising part of the Explorers is in the treble region. On a graph, it looks like an absolute divot, and yes, it is somewhat dark, but honestly, not as much as you’d think. I firmly believe what’s going on here is the way the upper-mids and treble interact is extremely important. The Explorers take a completely different approach from the Meteors in that the Meteors had Symphonium’s patented boosted mid to late treble and that really made the star of the show the treble. While the Explorers don’t force the matter and choose to be a lot more cumbersome to a degree. When the sparkle is needed, it’s there and it’s there in spades with lovely timbre. I will say that listening at higher levels than normal certainly helps the immersion factor here, truly highlighting the wonderful mid-bass slam, keeping the upper-mids at bay, while getting the treble to a point where it doesn’t really sound dark at all, but rather pretty balanced. Safe and Sound by Justice sounded great during the intro with those ghostly choir vocals. Synths sound slightly on the blunted side on songs like Testarossa by Kavinsky, but for probably the better. It’s very easy for these songs to come off as harsh, especially at a higher volume which tends to happen to me when listening to dance music.

Technicalities

It’s no secret that the Explorers aren’t the tech beasts of the bunch when it comes to the under $150 club. That’s going to go to the Simgots of the world. Detail retrieval is quite good on The Explorers, but overall resolution and transient attack is not something you’ll be jumping for joy over when listening to The Explorers. Instead, sit back and relax with these IEMs. The staging at higher volumes becomes very immersive with a fairly deep effect. The width is fairly decent as well, but the height isn’t anything to write home about. Overall dynamics are strong at higher volumes as well so that's a huge plus.

Conclusion

All-in-all, the Explorers are not the tech beasts of the IEM world. But what they are is an immersive, fun, and dynamic listening experience with a larger-than-life presentation for EDM and dance music if that’s your thing. I did not listen to much rap on the Explorers but I assume that is also going to be a strong area where they excel. Combined with the laid back upper-mids, which gives the listener a silky smooth listening experience, with a healthy bass shelf and a treble that is deceivingly fun when it needs to be and you have yourself an IEM that might just be a specialist but it’s damn good at it. Depending on your ear shape and size, these have some of the best fit I’ve experienced around, above and below this price point no doubt about it and I totally forgot to mention that the stock cable is one of the most comfortable cables I’ve used, stock or 3rd party, no joke! The ear hooks are unusually plush and I dig it! Add all this up and what do you get? A set that’s fantastic for extended listening sessions, sleeping at night, or just general casual music, podcast, or movie enjoyment! I really do like the Explorers and I hope these impressions helped you decide if you were on the fence.

Happy to answer any questions if you have any, take care, and happy listening!

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J
jmwant
Completely agree with the last paragraph, its not a technical IEM but it's tuning makes it an ideal companion for pretty much anything.
domq422
domq422
@jmwant absolutely brother. Thanks for reading!

Pelperson

New Head-Fier
Not a Galileo V2, nor mini DaVinci
Pros: Bass quantity
Decent accessories
"Relaxing" sound signature
Comfortable
Cons: Uncontrolled bass
Not for faster genres, this thing cannot do rock
0 air
Fake resolution
No grill on the nozzle
I am part of the NanoTech team.
Here are our socials (for now)

Instagram​

https://www.instagram.com/nanotech.labs/

X​

https://x.com/Nanotech_Labs

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Equipment used to make this review:

Qudelix 5K
Aful Explorer (Tangzu Sancai Balanced)
Dunu DaVinci(Softears Ultraclear)
Letshuoer Galileo(Softears Ultraclear)

i am VERY late to reviewing this, as I was busy with school, and then had vacation.. and then the cable of my davinci broke so i had to get a new one... soo... i apologize?

The two IEMs I will be making comparisons to, are the Dunu DaVinci, and The Letshuoer Galileo.

Why these two you may ask?

Because I've seen people comparing the Explorer and the Galileo, and also because when I watched Gizaudio's video on the Explorer, a bit vaguely, it reminded me of the Galileo, which is, my 2nd favourite IEM.
personal preference for music listening:

hd580 <=> thieaudio oracle og > letshuoer galileo > dunu davinci = moondrop s8 > letshuoer s12(eq) > binary chopin > aful explorer > koss ksc75(yaxi pads) > kinera celest wyvern abyss > moondrop blessing 2 > tangzu fudu(eq) > wan'er s.g > ccz melody

technical performance(cant compare to headphones here):
moondrop s8 > thieaudio oracle > letshouer s12 pro(eq) > dunu davinci > binary acoustics chopin > moondrop blessing 2 > letshouer galileo > aful explorer > tangzu fudu(eq) > kinera celest wyvern abyss > ccz melody > tangzu wan'er


With that very vague ranking list of mine out of the way, I will now begin to elaborate on why I think, the Explorer is not the second coming of the Galileo, and nor is it a mini DaVinci.

Or so you thought, because first lets briefly touch my thoughts on the accessories.

Accessories:

Pretty looking cable, that's on the stiff side, but not unusable. It's fine. Doesn't really match the IEM though.

Eartips included are alright. I immediately decided on the Sancai's though.

The Pouch is interesting. It's small, but it can fit a q5k and the explorer. But what intrigued me the most, is the fact that the inside material, seems to be the SAME material as the velour sennheiser pads you find on hd6x0 headphones.. Which I found to be very interesting, which made me just rub my fingers all over it, because that stuff is really soft.

And now, onto the sound, the very interesting part.

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Here's a graph for reference.
Bass:

When I received the Explorer, I kind of forgot what information I had gathered from the early reviews I had watched, and when I put it in my ears, I was immediately taken aback by the sheer quantity of bass. I was like HUH. THIS THING IS BASSY?????

So.. compared to the DaVinci, which it is similar to on graph, to me, the Explorer sounds uncontrolled. It's like the impression many people get from the DaVinci. Too much bass, which I personally can't relate to, but I do understand.
So the bass thing on the Explorer is weird, there's a lot of it but it seems to me like the driver is just crying in a corner while bouncing back and forth, or something along those lines. It's like a cheap IEM in terms of that. Quantity, but no quality. Basically, its slow, and because of that, it also messes with the lower mids, making it also sound bloaty and just mix things together.

I can't see anyone using this for faster genres. But this is supposed to be a "relaxing iem" anyways.. so in that regard. It's fitting, because you can only use it properly for slower tracks.

Midrange: The mids sound alright actually, as long as you're playing stuff within it's limits, by that i'm referencing to the bass. Pretty natural and average for IEM's around this price point.

Upper-Mids/Treble: Now this is the... strange part. So, not only do these have less air than the Galileo for my ears, but the fact that the Explorer does audibly just flatline from 2khz onward, is honestly something that's not alright with me, especially considering my library consists of 90% female vocals. So it just cuts out on the feeling singers give you, there's no soul. And the treble isn't that detailed either..
There's that slight lift from 8khz to 10khz which is what Aful used to give the impression of resolution, which makes things sound a bit artificial at times, because they're using that to make up for the fact they deleted the air.

Compared to the Galileo, the Galileo sounds way more natural to my ears, and its even slightly more detailed than the Explorer, as technical performance is one of the main issue with the Galileo, this kinda puts in perspective to how the Explorer actually is.. And then, female vocals sound infinitely better. It's not 2nd on my preference list for no reason after all.. the female vocals are the main reason I'm so in love with the Galileo. More forward, more soulful, more feeling. yadda yadda.

Compared to the DaVinci.. the Explorer has not much techs to speak of, the bass is uncontrolled, has no detail, is quantity over quality so you dont really feel kicks or hits either. The mids obviously DaVinci just sounds better. That's all im going to say. Treble, whole different story. DaVinci has air, Explorer does not. DaVinci has some treble funny stuff going on but it's still much better than the Explorer, sounds more natural, even if the DaVinci's treble isn't exactly natural either.

And an end note.

I eq'd explorer to galileo, whacked on some extra air and it actually sounded quite good lol.
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here's a screenshot because i couldn't find the file to copy the txt anymore.

Conclusion
Would I recommend the Aful Explorer to anyone? Mmm.. That depends. I'm pretty sure anyone looking for this type of IEM would already be well-versed in the hobby. Because this thing is niche. It can't handle fast tracks, the bass is just.. there. It has no filter on the nozzle, There is no air, the treble is definitely unique..

All in all the Explorer isn't something you can just recommend, because it's way too unique, and it has it's specific usecases. That being said I wouldn't call it a bad IEM either. It's just, special. And perhaps.. Aful used this IEM to.. explore or discover.. like it's some sort of public prototype of things they're trying to figure out.

Anyways. Yes. 3.5/5. It's cool, i guess.

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zabiri

100+ Head-Fier
Aful Explorer Review

Summary
Recently Aful released a new set called the “Aful Explorer”. So how is it and is it any good? Firstly, what is it? The Explorer is a budget hybrid iem with 2BA+1DD, coming in at 120$. Price wise, stock accessories are very good quality, build and design is great, fit and comfort is pretty good. Talking about sound signature, it has a balanced sound wuth sub bass boost. The bass is string and dominant but not over powering, the mids is thick and rich, and the highs are smooth and lush but not dark. Back to the main question is it any good? Yes, this is very unique at this price range considering the tuning Aful has gone for. If you want a very relaxed set that is just perfect to put on some tunes in the background, you should check it out.

Pros: build and design, high quality accessories, relaxed and smooth sound
Cons: not as detailed highs

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Intro
Hey Guys, whats up….
Today I am checking out the Explorer from Aful. This is a hybrid set 1DD+2BA set up. The retail price of the Explorer is 120$. So is this worth the price? Lets discuss…

About the brand:
First, lets get to know the brand, Aful is a popular iem manufacturer. They gained big popularity with their first release the Performer 5, it was one of the best if not the best sub 200$ hybrid iem for quite a while. Later they released the Performer 8 and Magic 1 which were also fairly popular. Anyways, lets get into the review.

Disclaimer: thanks to Hifigo and the review tour group “Audiophile Alliance Bangladesh” for this unit. But as always this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

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Specs
> Model: AFUL Explorer
> Drivers: 1DD+2BA
> Impedance: 2652 +10%
> Sensitivity: 108dB/mW
> Frequency Response: 10Hz - 30kHz
> Cable Connector: 2-Pin (0.78mm)
> Cable Plug Termination: 3.5mm or 4.4mm
> Effective Sound Pressure Level Range: 20 - 108dB
=PRICE: 119.99$

Packaging
Continuing on to the packaging section, the Explorer comes in a good looking box. I like the over all blue type aesthetic they have gone for. Sliding off the outer sleeve you will find a simple black box with some branding on top. Sliding off the lid, you will see the iems beautifully presented in between foam. Below that you will find the hard shell case. Inside the case you will find the cable and the eartips.This comes with 2 sets of eartips, the quality is standard. The hard shell case is quite nice and pretty good looking for the price, but the size is on the smaller side. And the cable is also quite good. I will get into more detail about the cable later. List of box contents:
Iems
Cable
Case
Eartips

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Build and Design
Moving on to the build and design of the Explorer, this is quite nice. Aful has gone for a full 3d printed resin construction similar to their other sets, the quality of resin seems quite good. The faceplate design is very gorgeous, the light and dark shades of blue and white dots on it, seems like a night sky with stars or space kind of theme. Other than the faceplate the shells are dark blue. The shells feel quite nice for the price because of its good quality resin I believe, the weight is standard, and the size is on the medium to small side. Fingerprints and scratches were not an issue in my use case. The nozzle does not have any protective mesh or grill similar to its brother, Performer 5, I think this is called a fish mouth style nozzle 😆. Anyways, the nozzle insertion is deep and width is normal. The 2pin connectors are flush type, I with they have used recessed 2pin as its more secure.

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Fit and Comfort
Talking about fit and comfort of the Explorer, it is solid. Long term listening comfort is quite good, whether for music or movies. Isolation is good. Breathability is ok. Stability is pretty good. All in all I find it plenty comfortable for daily use.

Inner Structure and Tech
Let’s explore whats inside the “Explorer” (😆 I was waiting to say it). Anyways, inside we will a three driver configuration consisting of a dynamic driver and two balanced armatures. The balanced armatures are self developed by Aful to cover wide frequency range. The dynamic driver is a 8mm bio cellulase diaphragm driver. Theres a lot more marketing info which I will not include and make it unnecessarily lengthy.

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Cable
Now let’s look at the cable. The Explorer comes with very good looking and well made cable, one of the best if not the best cable I have seen in the sub 100$ price range, but I wish it had modular terminations. Anyways, talking about aesthetics, this has slightly reflective grey finish and I find it to pair quite nicely with blue shells. Build wise this uses 200 cores of silver plated copper wire braided in 2 core. Over all this is on the thicker side, if you know me you know I like my cable thick. The braiding is nice and tight, and the pvc coating also seems quite nice. The Y split and the connector casing are polished silver color and seem to be made of metal. There is almost no audible microphonics. There is a bit of cable memory, but I guess this is knit picking considering the price.

Sound

Please note: Listening impressions are highly subjective and can differ depending on different ear shape, individual music library, choice of source, eartips, cable and personal preferences, so your experience may differ. I personally always use and test all my gear in various setups to get a generalized idea on it. You can find my “tested with” info below.

Now most importantly sound. Aful has gone for a unique tuning approach for the Explorer, specially compared to its family, the Performer series and the Magic One. Talking about the sound signature, technically it is balanced to mild V with a sub bass boost. But tonally this is a very smooth and relaxed set with fairly forward sub bass. As I previously said this sort of tuning is very unique at this price range, and quite frankly I really appreciate such bold move by Aful.

The relaxed nature of this set makes it the perfect companion when you just want to put on some music in the background. Yet the bass keeps it enjoyable when you want to focus. When I write reviews like this I usually put on some light music, such as Lofi beats, and I must say the Explorer was a ex ordinary performer for such case. Anyways lets get into the specifics. .

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Bass
Let's delve into the bass performance of the Explorer, which is its strongest suit. This provides a forward, hard and visceral bass. What I find interesting is that, it still maintains a above average quality while providing high quantity of bass. In terms of positioning, the mid bass is subtly tamer compared to the sub bass. The sub-bass, thanks to its unique 8mm dynamic driver feels visceral and very engaging, at first I thought the driver was much bigger. Mid bass is slightly less forward but still provides hard slam. Overall the Explorer has a very musical and engaging bass response. The body and layering are decent but nothing too crazy. Decay and reverberation are good, and bass note separation is satisfactory. Personally, I did not find it to be bloated or muddy. I feel like both bass heads and audiophiles will enjoy the unique musical and engaging nature of this set.

Mids
Moving on to the midrange, this is good. The Explorer provides a smooth and rich midrange. Transition from mid bass to lower mids is smooth with a touch of warmth. Male vocals are lush and thick and not too recessed. Whats unique about its mids, is its female vocals. Usually most iems go for crisp, clean and sparkly presentation, sometimes making it unbarable for treble sensitive listeners. Here Aful has gone for a smooth and thick presentation. The note weight is good. Instruments are also a bit toned down. This is not for everyone but it is still fairly enjoyable. .

Treble
Proceeding on to the treble section, Explorer follows the same path as the midrange. It is smooth with ok detail here and there. If you like resolution monster sets like me, then you will miss the amount of energy and extension. Don’t get me wrong, for the kind tuning Aful has gone, the resolution or the detail level is acceptable. This does not get dark, but maintains a decent balance. Explorer’s treble is not very spacious.

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Technical Sound:
Soundstage of the Explorer is ok, fairly intimate sounding.
Imaging is also better than average.
Sound separation and layering is standard
Resolution is ok
Dynamics are standard
Timbre is ok

Tested With
Source: cayin ru7, questyle m15, apple type c dongle
Eartips: stock, Final E, Divinus velvet
Cable: stock
Music: Tested with versatile genre of music


Rating
Sound: 4/5​
Fit and Comfort: 4/5​
Build and Design: 5/5​
Packaging: 4/5​
Accessories: 4.5/5​
Pricing: 4/5​
Total rating 4/5​

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Conclusion
So to conclude the review, who is this for? If you want a relaxed and smooth set with engaging bass, this is a great option. And do I recommend it? Yes, I quite enjoyed my time with this set. I think price wise this offers great value not only in terms of sound but the build, comfort, accessories, everything. Big props to Aful for making such a great set. And huge thanks to you all for sticking around, see yall in the next one.

Purchase link (not affiliated)
Hifigo:
https://hifigo.com/products/aful-explorer
Last edited:
J
jmwant
Excellent review and nice pictures. The Explorer scales pretty good with more power but the treble remains smooth

Pranto Dev

New Head-Fier
Aful Explorer, The Mini DaVinci
Pros: Lush vocals
Smooth Treble
Tasteful Bass
Good Accessories
Plays all genre quite well
Cons: Micro Details could be better
Sub Bass could be better

*** These are solely knit picks in this price bracket.

Disclaimer : Huge thanks to HIFIGO for providing me with this review unit. My review stays unbiased as always, as it may influence your purchase decision.​

Inside the box:​

IEM
Cable (Silver plated copper)
Eartips
Premium carry case

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Specifications:​

Divers: (1DD+2 BA)
- 8mm Bio Cellulose Dynamic Driver
- 2 Custom Balanced Armature Aluminum Magnesium Alloy Diaphragm
Impedance: 26Ω
Connector: 2 pin Connector , 0.78mm
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Features:
Basically they put all their technologies from their previous iems into this one. Like :
Sound resonator from Magic one, Self developed BA used in P series, Pressure balancing system and RLC network division. (Resistor, Inductor and Capacitor, This basically provides extra power to the drivers for consistency . Used for magnification either voltage or current)
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Build and Comfort:​

It is beautifully built with a resin shell. The iem is very light weight. The faceplate is a bit on the flashier side. Love it or hate it. Up to you.
Inside they used a 3 way crossover for frequency division.
The cable is very beautiful and of good quality. You won’t need to upgrade.

Speaking of comfort, you can wear them for hours. They used an air pressure balancing mechanism. It actually works quite well.

Testing Setup:
Ibasso DX170
Meizu Dongle
Cayin iha-6 amp + DX170/ Meizu Dongle

Drivability: In order to get full potential you will need a good dac dongle which packs power. If you provide low power it lacks details and bass, plus vocal sounds thin.

Sound​

signature / graph : Balanced with bass boosted

Bass and sub-bass: Bass has a good texture and authority to it. It has good slam to it. I would say the subbass is tasteful. If you are someone who has bass heavy iem then you will feel the sub bass has less authority. I mean the sub has less presence compared to the bass’s presence. These are solely knit picks. I am comparing it against a 300$ iem.

Treble: Smooth, Non Fatiguing and well extended.
This iem is made for a longer session and laid back listening experience. There is no harshness in the treble. This is due to the RLC circuit. Vocals sound natural and lush. Female vocals are done well but male vocals might sound thin in some tracks. No BA timbre. For some songs I prefer explorer over Davinci.

Technicalities: As i mentioned earlier its made for laid back listening. They could work a bit on the lower mid section. Sometimes instruments playing in the background feel muddy. Again this is a knit pick.

Sound Stage : It has a decent sound stage. With good imaging. Instruments are easily separable. It feels like they are playing music in front of you.
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Verdict:​

This iem is beautifully done keeping in mind about the listeners who prefer laid back listening experience. I would go as far as saying that this is a mini version of DaVinci. If you loved DaVinci you will definitely like Aful Explorer. One big point to Aful for this wonderful implementation of BA driver, because it doesn’t have BA timbre.
This is my pick for around 100$ price bracket iems. This is a blind buy for me.

Purchase Link: https://hifigo.com/products/aful-explorer
P
Pranto Dev
@NinjaGirayaZ I would say 85% . Davinci does everything explorer does but in a high level precision if that makes sense.
NinjaGirayaZ
NinjaGirayaZ
Thank you very much for your answer. 85% means they are very close. It is my preferred sound signature. I think the explorer is worth it then, for less than half the price.
P
Pranto Dev
@NinjaGirayaZ Yes you can definitely try. They are very close in some tracks explorer is better as it doesn't have BA timbre

Sonic Sleuth

100+ Head-Fier
Aful Explorer Review
Pros: Deep and impactful sub bass
Tight and punchy mid bass
Smooth and detailed mid range
Natural tone and timbre
Comfortable and secure fit
Non-fatiguing treble
Cons: Treble lacks extension and airiness
Detail retrieval is limited by overall warmth
Soundstage could be more expansive
Not ideal for critical or analytical listening
Preface:

I would like to thank @gadgetgod and HiFiGo for sending this unit as part of the review tour.

You can purchase Explorer at the following link (not an affiliate link):
https://hifigo.com/products/aful-explorer

Also, I’m not a seasoned reviewer or a seasoned audiophile, so whatever I say is purely my observations and your results may vary.

I’m not the one to usually focus on specifications and numbers. I focus more on how happy I am with the equipment’s sound and that’s it.

Sources used:
  • xDuoo XD05 Pro (AKM / Rohm) (w/ SS3602 OpAmps)
  • Dita Navigator
  • D16 Taipan
  • Qudelix T-71
  • RME ADI-2 Pro FS R
  • iFi Go Pods
Introduction about Aful:

Aful has made a name for itself with the release of the Magic One, Performer 5, and Performer 8 IEMs, each praised for their remarkable sound quality and innovative designs. Building on this reputation, the Aful Explorer aims to deliver an exceptional listening experience at an accessible price point.

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Design of the IEM:

The Aful Explorer features an extremely comfortable resin shell that has a starry night design on the faceplate. It has a sturdy and aesthetically pleasing cable that feels durable. The connectors are robust, and the cable itself is flexible, avoiding tangles and ensuring ease of use during long listening sessions.

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Fit and Comfort of the IEM:

These IEMs offer an excellent fit, conforming well to various ear shapes without causing discomfort even after extended use. The lightweight design and ergonomic shape ensure a secure and comfortable seal, enhancing both passive noise isolation and overall sound quality.

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Sound:

Sub bass:
The sub bass is well-extended and provides a solid foundation without overwhelming the rest of the frequency range. It’s deep and impactful, adding a satisfying thump to bass-heavy tracks while maintaining control and avoiding excessive boominess.

Mid bass: The mid bass is tight and punchy, contributing to a dynamic and lively sound. It integrates seamlessly with the sub bass, offering a full-bodied low-end experience that adds warmth and richness to the overall sound signature.

Mid range: The mid range is smooth and detailed, with a slight warmth that adds a pleasant richness to vocals and instruments. It’s articulate and well-resolved, making it a strong point of the Explorer’s sound profile, providing an engaging and natural listening experience.

Treble: The treble, while clear, lacks the extension and airiness. It’s smooth and non-fatiguing, making it suitable for long listening sessions, but it may not satisfy those seeking the utmost in high-frequency detail and sparkle. The treble does not come across as harsh or sibilant, which is a plus for treble-sensitive listeners like me.

Tip rolling to wide bore tips definitely helps with improving the treble slightly.

Tone and Timbre: The tone and timbre are natural and accurate, making the Aful Explorer a versatile IEM suitable for various genres. Instruments and vocals are rendered with a lifelike quality for the price, though the overall warmth may slightly color the sound.

Staging, instrument separation, and layering: The soundstage is moderately expansive, providing a decent sense of space and depth. Instrument separation and layering are competent, allowing for clear differentiation between different elements of the music, though it may not match the holographic presentation of more premium IEMs.

Detail retrieval: Detail retrieval is good but not exceptional. The warmth in the sound signature can obscure some micro-details, making the Explorer more suited for a relaxed listening experience rather than analytical or critical listening.

Technicalities: The Aful Explorer performs well technically, with good imaging and a balanced tuning. However, its overall warmth and slightly recessed treble limit its performance in the areas of treble extension and ultimate detail retrieval.

Conclusion: The Aful Explorer IEM is a solid addition to Aful's lineup, offering a warm, engaging sound that’s comfortable for extended listening sessions. While it may lack the treble extension and detail retrieval of some higher-end models, it provides a pleasant, natural sound that will appeal to many listeners.

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J
jmwant
Nice write up. Do you think there's an upgrade to Explorer under $200?
Sonic Sleuth
Sonic Sleuth
@jmwant You can consider Kiwi Ears KE4 but if you prefer a relaxed presentation, then Explorer is a really good value at less than $100 when it's on sale.
J
jmwant
@Sonic Sleuth Thanks a lot, I bought the Explorer at regular price haha, no regrets though.

SherryLion

New Head-Fier
Beauty And The Musical Beast! The Aful Explorer
Pros: 1. Rich and balanced sound
2. Smooth and soothing treble
3. Melodious and natural sounding mid range
4. Well controlled and deep bass
5. Safe and favourable tuning
Cons: 1. It could've been more clear and detailed sounding.

Review Of The Aful Explorer


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Introduction


Aful is a reputable firm that has been launching excellent products in all price ranges in recent years. Many audiophiles have acknowledged Aful's hard work and sincere usage of in-house technologies. Since their first IEM, which was marketed as the Performer 5, I have been a fan of theirs. Every product they have released, including the Performer 8, Magic One, and even their first dongle dac, the Snowynight, has been praised and acknowledged by numerous audiophiles, including me. They have now produced the AFUL Explorer, which is a fantastic offering in a more affordable market that I was fortunate to obtain for review. However, before moving on, let me make a few clarifications.

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Disclaimer


*Since this unit tour was organised by the beautiful people at HiFiGo, I am grateful to them. And as I've said in all of my evaluations, the same is true for this one: all of the concepts I've expressed below are entirely my own, original ideas that haven't been influenced by anyone else. If interested, go to this link.
*I am not associated with the connection, and I receive no financial assistance from anyone.
*For the remainder of the review, I will refer to these IEMs as “Explorer.”
*I am using different Ear-tips for convenience and better versatility.
*Finally, I will only evaluate the Explorer based on their performance, even though I will explain how it feels and seems physically and aesthetically.

Specification


Two specially balanced armatures and one dynamic 8mm bio-cellulose diaphragm driver are part of the multi-driver hybrid the arrangement found in the Explorer, which is linked to an internal RLC crossover. These are equipped with their 3D printed acoustic tubing, which features a special resonator technology that they have used to all of their IEM releases thus far, with results that have shown to be authentic. In order to aid in a better fit, the shells have longer nozzles and a smaller body. In my opinion, because of the ergonomic shape and small form factor, tip rolling shouldn't cause any problems with fit or comfort because I was able to achieve the right seal and comfort, especially when using these for extended periods of time. The 200 core dual strand high purity copper silver plated cable that comes with the IEM includes a two pin connection on one end and a 3.5mm straight termination connector on the other; however, you can choose to purchase a 4.4mm termination option instead. For the price, the cable is truly excellent; it is flexible and performs well. Three sets of eartips in various sizes and a carrying circular case finish out the accessories. Regarding the technical details, the sensitivity is 108dB and the impedance is 26 Ohms.The range of the frequency response is 10Hz to 30kHz.

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Sound


Although there are many IEMs in this price range or less that follow the same quality of tuning, the richness and refinement that the Explorer offers is impressive while being very tonally inclined. The Explorer has a very cohesive and warmish sound that leans towards a balanced sound with rich tonality and decent technicalities for the price these are being offered at. Anyone searching for an IEM that sounds fatigue-free will find the sound to be particularly endearing or favorable, especially given the IEM's compact and snug form factor. IEMs with similar energetic high frequencies as the Explorer, but executed far better, don't have the same luscious and deep tone. IEMs like the P1 Max II, EM6L, etc. sound balanced, engaging, and satisfying enough. Even while I recognize that the relative lack of extension and air prevents an open, airy sound, I still think it's worth the money to have a balanced, tuned IEM that sounds vibrant and active without coming off as offensive in any manner. To learn more about the sound, let's explore it more thoroughly.

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Treble


First, the treble range strikes me as being rather relaxed yet incredibly smooth sounding. By that I mean, the response isn't overly wide or airy, but it does have a respectable presence and a feeling of spaciousness. The notes have a tendency to sound more melodically pleasing, but the subtleties are there enough in my opinion. Although the instruments don't sound as clear as I had anticipated, the top treble features smooth and clean voices that are pleasing to listen to. The vocals and instruments sound prominent and have a reasonable amount of energy. The forward presentation of the lower treble allows the notes to be clear and vividly present, while the upper frequencies create an appealing yet smooth sound. Songs like "By My Darling" by Maria Miki and Nito are enticing and enjoyable to listen to because the vocals and instrumentation are presented in such a way that the response sounds clear and captivating without coming off as muddled or secretive. The clean and distinct vocals allowed for a rich and mesmerizing sound as the bass dropped. The top frequencies were presented in a dynamic and seamless manner, with clear notes throughout. As a result, the treble region's overall presentation sounds calm, fluid, and energetic.

Mid Range


IEMs in this price range, and maybe even higher, typically feature a midrange that sounds front or dominant in the mix. In fact, Explorer is tuned quite differently from the other IEMs, giving it a far superior timbre without sacrificing an open, expansive sound. Regardless of the sounds in the higher or lower mid range, there is a little similarity in the intensity and approach of both sections in the mix. In contrast to the lower treble, the upper mid range has a more relaxed sound, but the notes still have a natural timbre and good presence, making them sound clean and well-defined. Although the instrumentation are more subdued than the voices, their difference nevertheless enables a smooth and powerful response. In order to provide the right noteweight and thickness, the lower mid range resonates with the upper mid range and has a pleasant tone. This response, in my opinion, was able to produce a vibrant presentation without adding any inconsistencies, while also making the lower treble seem smooth and calming. It also sounds melodic to listen to. Aimer's songs like "Haruka" have a very organic feeling violin and her voice sounding correct tonally. The dynamics and timbre of the note are preserved while the guitar strumming adds a highly vivid exposure. The music, in my opinion, sounded deep and soulful without coming off as shouty or peaky in the mix. As a result, the mid range is presented in a relaxed, melodic, and natural way overall.

Bass


The bass is the most emphasized part of the presentation overall, but in my opinion, it was never overpowering or overly influential in the mix. It's absolutely amazing how well the bass is adjusted for those who prefer a strong bass presence without experiencing a bloated or muddy response. In my opinion, their technology has always seemed authentic, with a strong emphasis on the sub-bass range and a noticeable mid-bass presence that results in a warm, pleasing sound. While the punches strike hard enough to sound natural and enjoyable, the sub bass goes deep and rumbly enough to provide some feeling. There are sufficient, well-controlled smashes and booms from the mid bass. The lower mid range sounds rich and warm without coming off as bloated or oppressive, in my opinion, thanks to the mid bass, which also flows over to it. The bass strikes in songs like Jay-Z's "Run This Town" sound different. I mean, I can really hear the bass notes changing between them, creating a more vibrant and resonant response. In fact, you can hear the after sound long after the bass notes stop. Male voices in particular have a pleasing noteweight because they sound clear and distinct. Overall, the bass area is presented in a deep, powerful, and rumbly manner.

Technical Performance


Regarding the Explorer's technical performance, I think it has excellent staging, layering, and separation but is more tonally oriented. When it comes to technical agility, other IEMs in this price bracket or less than it, such as planar IEMs like the MP145 or Melody, really shine. In terms of sharpness and details, the SIMGOT EM6L sounds even better. Now let's become more detailed.

Soundstage, Sound Imaging & Separation


Regarding the staging, I think it's broader and farther away, and the sound is sufficiently expansive. The notes, in my opinion, were extremely well placed, and they sounded clean but harsh or overly exact. However, because of the distinctness and space between the notes, I was able to identify which way the sound was coming from.

Speed & Resolution


Although they, in my opinion, have decent macro details and a sufficient resolution, the micro details do seem to suffer a little while appearing ahead. The note attack and decay have a more organic tempo, which contributes to the response's calming or pleasant tone.

Sound Impressions


Sources


Sony WM1A - When listening to the Explorer with WM1A, the response seemed considerably roomier, with the upper treble being more noticeable and the lower treble being more subdued, allowing for a fuller and more airy response. The male vocals were too thick, but the mid range sounded the same with muted lower treble and richer notes that maintained clarity and vibrancy. On songs like "Over My Head" by The Fray, the vocals were more thick and lush, preventing them from sounding more energetic and prominent. Instead, they were enveloped by the instruments as they scaled higher. Despite the fact that the instruments sounded fantastic, the song was pleasant to listen to altogether.

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FiiO M15S - Incredibly, the tone didn't seem any different when listening to the Explorer with M15S; instead, the richness and thickness felt a little lacking, which resulted in a lack of warmth. The response sounded much more transparent and leaner with more forwardness in the lower treble, bringing more details and clarity. This kind of reaction enhanced the bass texture and details' differentiation from the notes. The presentation as a whole sounded lively and conclusive. Ai Higuchiu's song "Akuma no Ko" has an incredibly rich, airy, and clear tone. The bottom notes were highly defined and controlled, and the instruments sounded crisper and sharper than the vocals, which presented themselves in a very open and expressive manner.

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Tracks


Millet - Anytime Anywhere
Anri - I can’t stop the loneliness
Ai Higuchi - Akuma no Ko
Nito - By My Darling
Kohana Lam - A Few Sentimental
Kohana Lam - Loving Me, Loving You
Uru - Kimino Shiawasewo
Uru - Kamihitoe
Kujira Yumemi - Kenka
Majiko - Kokoronashi
Anly - Sukinishinayo
Kohama Lam - A Few Sentimental
Kohana Lam - Loving Me, Loving You
Miliyah - Kono Yumega Samerumade
Rokudenashi - The Flame Of Love
Yu-Peng Chen - A New Day with Hope
Yu-Peng Chen - Another Hopeful Tomorrow
Yu-Peng Chen - For Riddles, for Wonders
Valentino Khan - Satellite
Kai Wachi - Happier By Now
Jawns - Erotica
ISOxo - how2fly
Kai Wachi - Happier By Now
Weeknd - Popular
YUNGBLUD - When We Die(Can We Still Get High)
Bring to Horizon - Kool-Aid
Middle Kids - Bend
FLETCHER - Leads Me On
Loathe - Aggressive Evolution
The Weeknd - Save Your Tears
Sigrid - Burning Bridges
AURORA - Black Water Lilies
AURORA - Runaway
X Ambassadors - Renegades
Lupe Fiasco - Words I Never Said
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis - Can’t Hold Us
Goyte - Somebody That I Used To Know
Jay-Z - Run This Town
Lady Gaga - Poker Face
Lady Gaga - Just Dance
Ladytron - Ghost
Travis - Love Will Come Through
LINKIN PARK - Somewhere I Belong
DJ Shadow - Six Days (Remix)
Hoobastank - The Reason
The Fray - Over My Head
Ricky Martin - I Don’t Care
Tool - 7empest
Tool - Vicarious
A Flock Of Seagulls - Space Age Love Song
Zack Hemsey - Vengeance
Elton John - I’m Still Standing
The Moody Blues - Nights In White Satin
Micheal Sembello - Maniac
Guns N’ Roses - Sweet Child O’ Mine
A.R. Rahman - Kun Faya Kun

Conclusion


Ultimately, I think The Explorer is a very well-balanced, rich-sounding, smooth IEM that appeals to audiophiles who want a warmish sound and want to listen for extended periods of time without getting tired or uncomfortable. Although Explorer lacks the fine clarity and crisp sound quality of a high-end IEM, it does provide a detailed enough sound to provide a nice and heartfelt response. I thus heartily recommend the Aful Explorer.

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J
jmwant
Nice review. Nowadays I am seeing some good words about the new Adonis too. Which has the same configuration. Have you heard it yet?

nxnje

500+ Head-Fier
AFUL Explorer - Unique low-pinna sweeties
Pros: - The sub-bass-boosted warm-neutral signature leads to thick note weight, a polite yet not recessed midrange, a well-mannered and controlled pinna gain and a relaxed treble response that doesn’t lack resolution
- Good technicalities considering the relaxed and smooth signature
-Top of the line comfort and above average isolation
- Basically no competitors with this kind of tuning in their price range
Cons: - Vocals could sound a bit too polite for those who come from the usual Harman-target IEM
- Not the most analytical and detailed treble around, but this was in the intentions of the tuner who wanted to provide for a smooth response
- The pre-made ear hooks of the cable are stiffer than average

Introduction​

AFUL Acoustics (from here on “AFUL”) has been in the industry for quite some time already, and it has become very popular thanks to their Performer series.
After the MagicOne, their first single BA set with Nautilus tubing, they’re now back with a new hybrid set that was rumored to be their “Performer 3” and that was finally released under the name of “Explorer”.
Disclaimer: the AFUL Explorer were sent to me by Simgot so that I could write an honest review. This review represents my personal opinion on the set, it isn't promotional or paid content and I don’t get any revenue from the sales of this product.
At the time of the review, the AFUL Explorer were on sale for about 119$ at
HiFiGO.
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Technical Specifications​

  • Driver Configuration → 1 x DD + 2 x BA + multi-layered electronic crossover + LRC network + high-damping air pressure system + RESINators3D (Microresonator Acoustic Tube)
  • Impedance → 26Ω
  • Sensitivity → 120 dB/mW
  • Frequency Response → 10Hz-30kHz
  • Cable → 200-core Silver-Plated copper cable with 0.78mm 2-PIN connectors
  • Plug Type → straight gold plated 4.4mm jack (the 3.5mm version is also available)

Packaging​

The packaging of the AFUL Explorer contains:
  • The AFUL Explorer
  • The detachable cable
  • 2 sets of silicone tips in S, M, L sizes (there is a single “additional” tip in the package, I guess that was not intentional :D)
  • A carry case
  • User manual
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Design, Build Quality, Comfort and Isolation​

The Explorer look exquisite in their small and blue resin shells. The shells have no imperfections whatsoever and they are identical to the ones used for the AFUL MagicOne, except for a pressure vent on the side (which was not present on the MagicOne due to it being a single BA IEM, as BAs don’t strictly need proper venting like most DDs).

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The comfort and the isolation are excellent, and I think this is one of the most comfortable IEMs of my inventory. For sure, your mileage may vary, but the small size and the well-designed shell shape ensures that almost everyone can get a good fit with them.

Cable​

The cable is very good and has good plug shielding and a chin-slider. Being completely honest (and kind-of nitpicking), I think the ear hooks should have been softer, but that’s all.

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Sound​

GEAR USED FOR THE TEST
  • DAC: Topping E30
  • AMP: Topping L30, Fiio A3
  • Mobile phones: Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, Xiaomi Mi A3, Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
  • Moondrop May’s DSP cable with PEQ=0
  • Dongle: Apple Type-C dongle, Fosi DS2, Hidizs XO
  • Portable DAPs: Benjie S8/AGPTEK M30B
  • Bluetooth Adapters: KBEAR S1, KZ AZ10
  • Other sources: Presonus AudioBox iONE, Elgato Wave XLR
Do they need an amplifier?
They don’t strictly need an amplifier as they are relatively easy to drive, but I’ve noticed that they pair pretty well with neutral sources rather than warmer ones, especially because of their sub-bass emphasis and their warm and relaxed signature.

Sound signature
I think the best way to label them is: warm-neutral with sub-bass boost. Only saying that they’re warm-neutral wouldn’t be completely fair.
Overall, it’s a very relaxed and smooth tuning that is basically unique in their price range.

Lows
The sub-bass has a very good extension, digging deep into the lowest registers without struggling. This is probably thanks to the “RESINators3D” microresonator, which leads to an augmented low-end presence despite the 8mm driver (at first, I thought it was a slightly bigger driver honestly). The rumble is very controlled and in fact we are not speaking about a super boom-boom-pow basshead IEM, so what you get consists of a nice extension and good quality sub-bass bass that is pleasantly textured.
The midbass is not the star of the show, due to the focus on the sub-bass, but it’s punchy, it has good speed and it’s reproduced in a very natural way.

Mids
The midrange is fairly neutral, with a slight touch of warmth even though the bass is not intrusive and never overshadows the lower mids. Male vocals come out pretty nice, and the same applies for lower instrument notes. Many people will probably fall in love with Explorer because of the controlled upper midrange pinna-gain, steering away from the usual Harman tuning we’re used to see almost everywhere nowadays. Female vocals aren’t reproduced in the most vivid and exciting way and sound rather "boxy" sometimes, but I was expecting worse performance and in fact they come alive in a very controlled manner by sounding intimate and delicate, with no hint of sibilance.
Those who like super exciting vocals should probably go for something else, whereas everyone else will find this as an escape route from the average Harman boosted upper mids (with some timbrical caveats, though).

Highs
The highs are generally smooth and non-fatiguing, and even though sometimes they lack a bit of bite and sharpness (not the “negative” meaning of sharpness, though) during the reproduction of some cymbals, the overall detail retrieval is solid for this kind of tuning, and I have never thought that the Explorer weren’t worth their price in terms of overall sound quality or resolution.
If anything, there’s a bit of BA timbre here and there that occasionally pops up and becomes noticeable, which combined with the very warm signature doesn’t really make up for a “natural sounding” IEM.

The soundstage is relatively compressed and the overall presentation is quite intimate. Despite not being very open-sounding, the imaging is solid and so is the instrument separation, except for some very busy tracks that push the Explorer to their limits.

Some comparisons:​

AFUL Explorer vs Simgot EM6L
Both are hybrid, but the EM6L have two more BAs while the Explorer has the micro resonator, different crossover implementation and different damping system.
They are totally different in terms of sound, since the Explorer are warm-neutral with sub-bass boost while the EM6L are U-shaped with brighter and more extended treble.
The Explorer sound thicker, more relaxed and smoother, with less energetic vocals and less focus on resolution and technicalities. The EM6L, on the other hand, have a tad more bass, a much more emphasized upper-midrange and a brighter treble response that, even though more detailed and precise, could make the EM6L sound less “full-bodied” and kind-of thinner than the Explorer.
The soundstage is a lot more spacious on the EM6L, that also leave a bit more space and air between the various instruments and vocals, whereas the imaging is less vague on the Explorer with more precise pinpointing (well done AFUL, especially considering the small-sized soundstage).
Build quality and design are good on both sets, with EM6L’s biggest cons being the QDC connectors and the fingerprint-magnet glossy faceplate. Comfort is good on both sets but the thicker nozzles (that don’t even have any lip to secure the tips) of the EM6L could be a dealbreaker for some folks. The isolation is much better with the Explorer in the ears.

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AFUL Explorer vs QoA Vesper 2
Both sets go for a non-fatiguing sound with a slight focus on the low-end and a relaxed tuning.
The Vesper 2 have more mid-bass, thicker lower mids, a slightly more emphasized pinna gain and a more rolled-off treble with inferior detail retrieval and resolution. The Explorer, instead, have a better sub-bass extension (with better textures and that can reach deeper registers), a tighter and faster bass, a clearer lower midrange and also a cleaner upper midrange that, combined with a better treble extension, provide for more natural and natural female vocals.
The soundstage is small on both sets while the imaging and the instrument separation are better on the Explorer.
When it comes to the design and build quality, there is no big difference, whereas in terms of comfort and isolation the Explorer have a small advantage.
The stock cable of the Explorer is the best one out of the two, even though the ear hooks are on the stiffer side.
The price is different, but I thing the extra money for the Explorer is totally worth it.

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AFUL Explorer vs AFUL MagicOne
IMPORTANT NOTE: this is not a “technically fair” comparison since the MagicOne feature a single BA whereas the Explorer have 1DD and 2BAs, but I know that some are curious to hear how they compare with each other.
The Explorer are better from a technical standpoint and there is no doubt about it, there isn’t any pressure buildup over long-listening sessions, they’re not as tip sensitive as the MagicOne, and they clearly have better low-end extension.
In terms of signature, the MagicOne has more exciting female vocals and a slightly more vivid treble, although that doesn’t really give them an edge in terms of perceived resolution or better detail retrieval. I gotta, say, though, that the MagicOne sound a bit more “open”, which is understandable due to the signature being less relaxed and less thick than on the Explorer.
Design, build quality and comfort are identical (except for the fact that the MagicOne require more tip rolling as the insertion is slightly different, due to it being single BA IEMs). Isolation is above average on both sets with a tiny advantage for the MagicOne as they have no venting.

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Final Thoughts​

The AFUL Explorer are very good and I was really pleased to use them (little spoiler: I will keep using them): not only are they tuned in a very unique way considering their price, but they also have solid technicalities given the warm, relaxed and smooth signature and the compressed soundstage that characterize them.
I don’t think these will be ideal for those seeking for ultra resolution, top notch detail retrieval, huge soundstage or extremely natural reproduction, but I am sure that many other listeners out there with find the Explorer a very unique sounding IEM to have in their inventory.
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J
jmwant
Nice write-up. Yeah it's not a detail monster but an excellent set for relaxed sessions.
nxnje
nxnje
I completely agree. I like them when I wanna sit and relax.
I would get a set of Kiwi Ears KE4 with some more money though, but that's a different price range so I guess that if you simply want something that sounds thick and relaxing, this is the set to get when discounted.

Ceeluh7

500+ Head-Fier
Aful Explorer Review
Pros: -Nice 3D printed full-resin build

-Great design

-One of the better cables in the price point

-Interesting tuning and different tuning

-Smooth, warm, buttery sound

-Organic timbre, great cohesiveness

-Deep & palpable sub-bass

-Mid-bass is all about impact and slam with good definition

-Silky midrange with realistic note weight and good clarity

-Easy treble, non-fatiguing

-Detail Retrieval per the warmer setting & thicker note weight. Better than I would’ve thought.

-Great depth of field

-Imaging is well done on the Explorer
Cons: -Analytical or neutral lovers may not be thrilled here

-Bass will be too emphasized for some hobbyists

-Could use some more treble energy, lacks brilliance, vibrance

-Technically a step behind some sets. Good for the tuning though.

Aful Explorer Review

By: Chris Love

AE

Full Review HERE
AE

Aful Explorer Review

Intro

Hello everyone, this review is covering the absolute latest from the brand “Aful” called the Aful Explorer ($119). I have a handful of their iems and each one is very well crafted and very well-tuned per the target they were going for. I actually reviewed the Aful MagicOne (MagicOne Review), the Aful SnowyNight (SnowyNight Review), and the Aful Performer 8 (Performer 8 Review) and each review yielded high marks from me. Now, I also own the Performer 5 (Mahir’s Performer 5 Review) which I personally never got around to reviewing, but I feel it is a fantastically tuned set and certainly is high in the ranks within its price point. Actually, I’d say that’s true of all their sets. Each set also houses patented technology, from Aful, which is all made in house. Folks, I cannot begin to tell you how impressed I am with this brand. They don’t copy paste anything else that’s on the market like so many brands do. I mean, everything that Aful produces seems to be pretty unique. At least this is the impression that I get.

Innovative= Aful

Look at the MagicOne. A single BA set that quite literally sounds like it’s got at least a few drivers. Here Aful used their SE-Math Electro-Acoustic Intermodulation Technology and their Nautilus Acoustic Maze Technology which is all done “in-house”. That set is truly remarkable folks. Just the fact that it’s a single BA and sounds so beautiful across the spectrum. Each area of the mix is accounted for. Most notably, vocals are a gem on that set. In fact, I don’t know many “better” vocal sets within the price point. The Performer 5 uses their patented RLC Network Frequency Division Correction Technology. Again, awesome for vocals. Then there’s the great Performer 8, one of my absolute favorite sets under $400 with that particular style tuning. It uses a high-damping pressure relief system, along with the same RLC Network Frequency Division Correction Technology that was used with the P5 but much more complex as it uses eight drivers, a million tubes going every which way as well as other technology that I honestly don’t have the will to extend this paragraph for. The point is, this company is all about innovation and trying new things, thinking outside the box and going the extra mile to develop these techs. It’s very impressive to say the absolute least. The best part is that somehow the price on each is relatively budget oriented in relation to what’s out there on the market and for how much R&D goes into these sets.

Competition

Like any set in the game today, there’s a ton of competition in the market. Every day of the year something new gets released and so it’s even harder for any set to stand out, let alone remain relevant. This is something I say in every review anymore. So many brands and so many great iems vying for your dollar, especially in the $100 to $150 price point. At this range the Explorer is really competing against any and every set no matter the driver configuration. Obviously, I will try to break the Explorer down and see exactly where it fits against the field and try to explain the Explorer as best I can. With that all said, let’s dive into this review. The Aful Explorer…

Non-Affiliated Purchasing Link:​

HiFiGo

Disclaimer:

I received the Aful Explorer from HiFiGo as a review sample and in exchange I will conduct a full review and feature at Mobileaudiophile.com. I have not received any payment or any other form of compensation for this review. This set is a review sample iem. HiFiGo has not requested to pre-read any review and doesn’t have any control over “what” or “when” anything gets published to mobileaudiophile.com. All thoughts within this review are my own, though please take note that I will always have my own biases. This is impossible to get around. I try to be as objective as my subjective self can be, but this is an opinion piece folks. Thank you to HiFiGo and thanks for reading.


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Gear used for testing
EPZ TP50 / Ifi Go Blu / iBasso DX240 / Fiio Q15 / Shanling M6 Ultra / Aful SnowyNight / Roseselsa RS9039

Gear used for testing

Ifi Go Blu

EPZ TP50

Aful SnowyNight

Fiio Q15

iBasso DX240 with Amp8 MK2

Shanling M6 Ultra

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The Fiio Q15 is hands-down my favorite way for me to listen to the Explorer.


Packaging / Accessories

Unboxing

Aful usually puts together a fitting unboxing experience per the cost of their earphones. I wouldn’t say they stack up against some of the better brands out there in this regard, but they do well. The Explorer wound up at my door in a regular sized rectangular box. On the box is a sleeve, and on that sleeve is an obvious picture of the cosmos and a multitude of stars and constellations. I’m quite positive that the name “Explorer” has something to do with the Exploring that cosmos. It’s a cool theme and one which extends to the actual appearance of the Explorer itself. Anyways, take off the sleeve and you are met with a black box. Take off the lid and the Explorer will be looking pretty and set comfortably in some foam cut-outs. Next to the earphones is the round case which is also sitting in a foam cut-out. Inside the case you’ll find the eartips as well as the gorgeous cable. That’s about it. It’s a nice unboxing and the quality of the accessories is fairly evident.

AE Packaging
AE Packaging
AE Packaging

Eartips

AE Eartips

The eartips provided in the packaging are a strange inclusion. They aren’t bad tips by any stretch of the imagination. Let me explain. The first set of tips (S, M, L) is all white silicone eartips with a narrow bore and a somewhat flimsy flange and a stiff inner stem. Not bad, it’s nice to have some narrow bore tips. Now, the second set of tips is a white silicone eartips with a blue stem. These tips are the exact same size of the other tips. In all ways. These tips are the exact same in every way actually. Same firmness of flange, same firmness of stem, same everything except the inner stem color. Very strange. I would’ve liked to see a good set of shallow fit wide bore tips, or something other than two different types of the exact same eartips. Weird. Anyways, I instead used the eartips which came with the Letshuoer S15. The blue wide-bore tips with the shallow fit. Using those tips, I found that it does help to open up the sound a bit more. Nothing world changing but the fit is also perfect with those tips. I went through quite a lot of eartips trying to find that perfect match of comfort and sonics. The S15 tips did it. I’m sure you can seek out most any shallow fit wide bore tip. Another set which I used was the Tenmak Whirlwind eartips which are also wide bore. Anyways, it was a strange tip selection that Aful handed out here but… oh well.


Carrying case

AE Case

Also, within the packaging Aful did provide us with a carrying case. The case is smaller, around 3” across. It’s just a small round zipper case but with a very satisfying outer covering on it. It has this nice, almost… microfiber cloth material. It’s a small case and you won’t fit anything more than the Explorer and the cable attached but it’s a case, nonetheless. I would say it’s a good size to put into a front pocket and definitely good enough to throw into a bag.




Cable

AE Cable

One area where Aful gets it right every time is the cable. This cable is a very nice wire. I don’t even know what the color is, like a sand color but slightly metallic, shiny on the outer insulation covering. It’s a very good-looking cable that pairs very well with the deep blue of the Explorer. The Explorer cable is a 2-pin, 200-core, silver-plated copper cable which comes in either 3.5 single ended or 4.4 balanced jacks. It features a nice twist to the cable and is pretty fat in appearance. Really a cool add-on to this packaging and it looks fantastic with the Explorer. Sounds nice too.



AE Cable
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Full Review HERE

Build / Design / Internals / Fit

Build Quality

The actual build of the Aful Explorer is nice. It’s an all-resin, 3d printed shell and housing which doesn’t have any visible flaws (which should be expected). Now, these shells are actually fairly small and so people with smaller ears should enjoy that quite a bit. I see one line vent near the front of the housing and that’s about it. One thing which I noticed when tip rolling is that the nozzle tip doesn’t have a ridge for holding on your eartips and so you have to find tips which will work perfectly for this set. The nozzle itself is about average in length. Nothing too egregiously deep or uncomfortable. Another thing I noticed is that you do not have a metal mesh, or any mesh for that matter covering the nozzle. Anyways, the build is very solid. In fact, 3D printed into the housing is a physical crossover and a 3D printed cavity as well as a shaped resonator designed into the printing as well. This is stuff that can only really be done by way of 3D printing. Very cool.

AE Build Quality
AE Build Quality
AE Build Quality
AE Build Quality



Design

The design really creates a special look. Aful states that they designed this set after the cosmos which is pretty easy to see. The entire set has a base color that is almost like an indigo to even dark blue with rich coloration happening. The faceplates have what appears to be stars and the look of a galaxy floating around. What it actually is nicely placed glitter arranged in a way that it appears to be a galaxy and then resin overlaid. Truly a gorgeous design. Of course, they did add in their brand name “Aful” right on the front which I really wish they wouldn’t have done. All they really needed was a small print logo somewhere on the side. However, it is tastefully done, I think. Nothing that is a huge eyesore for me. Maybe for you though. At any rate it’s a very nice-looking set with a completely unique artistic design. I absolutely love the blue, my favorite color and paired with the sandy looking cable, it’s a really nice-looking set.

Internals

Okay this is where I have my work cut out for me. Basically, on the Explorer, Aful actually used already patented technology that was used on their previous sets. As far as drivers, Aful went with one dynamic driver and two balanced armature drivers. I don’t know much at all about the dynamic driver. I haven’t seen a driver size, material of construction, or anything really. When I find that info out, I can edit those specs. Now, both of the BA’s are actually the exact same BA used in the MagicOne. The DD is also arranged in line with their RLC Frequency Division Tech as well as their Micro-Resonator Tech. Attached to that special resonator design is an extra-long bass tubing which is supposed to smoothen out the frequency response and eliminate unwanted resonances from the final sound as well as enhances the ultra-highs a bit too. Inside Aful also opted for what they refer to as a “Multi-layered electronic crossover. Folks, this crossover is huge and covers the entirety of the width of the Explorer. This crossover does what a crossover should do and separates certain tailored areas of the spectrum and delineates which driver will take what area and where those areas begin and end. So, there’s quite a bit of tech involved with this set. Will it help the overall sound? I suppose that we shall see.

Fit

As far as fit is concerned, like most iems the Explorer fit me perfectly. I never once had any issues. Now I don’t know how they will fit you but for me it’s great. Like I said, the Explorer is a smaller iem as it’ll likely be great for smaller ears. In fact, I’m quite surprised Aful was able to fit all of the internally while still keeping this one relatively small. Also, the Explorer is a lighter iem without all too much static weight on the ear which does help in wearing comfort over time.



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The Aful Explorer & the Aful SnowyNight reach good synergy very easily, nice pairing!

Drivability

The Aful Explorer has an impedance rating of 26 ohms and a sensitivity of 108 dbs/mw. What does this mean? Well, it means that the Explorer should be pretty darn sensitive and should be able to be driven quite well from most any source. I always test every set out on my simple iPad, and I can tell you that I had quite a lot of headroom in volume. However, yes, it is sensitive and yes most anything can adequately drive the Explorer, but to get the most out of this set I would recommend using a more powerful source device. Without question having more power and a more talented source helped to bring out the most in this set.

Mobile Listening

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Using a Bluetooth dac/amp like the IFi Go Blu was my first choice when out and about. Rolling through the market with the Explorer in my ears is a nice look, but the Go Blu provides a decent pairing too. I didn’t really hear a huge difference between 3.5 single ended and 4.4 balanced but there was a slight tightening up of the spectrum with seemingly better note definition and the low-end isn’t as boomy. I also love the synergy of this set with the EPZ TP50. The TP50 is (in my opinion) the best (or one of the best) dongle dacs at or around $100. Take the neutral and highly dynamic sound of the TP50 and merge that with the warm velvet of the Explorer and you have yourself a nice pairing. Aful’s own Aful SnowyNight is just as good too. The sound really does bring upon a cleaner sound out of the Explorer. Now, what wasn’t nearly as “fitting” was the combo of the Roseselsa RS9039 and the Explorer. You have two warm and heavier sounding pairings which is a bit too much of one thing for me. I do believe it best to counter the warmth of the Explorer with something brighter or neutral…most of the time. Of course, you may love the gooey warmth and if that’s the case then… do your thang. Having said that, this isn’t always the case as you’ll read in the next section.

More juice

Okay, so I said that it’s best to not pair the Explorer with a warmer source and generally it does help to offset a warm set with a more neutral source. However, the velvet dac chip inside of the Shanling M6 Ultra says otherwise. Friends, the M6 Ultra is ridiculously resolving and while it’s a bit warmer, it’s still a very talented source device. Now out of my daps or larger output dac/amps, I would say that the Fiio Q15 really nailed it for me. The Explorer sounds so clean, still has nice note weight but also has great macro-dynamics when paired with it. So, take that how you will. On all source devices I used the 4.4 balanced and I do feel that more output does help a bit.

What do you need?

I honestly feel that all you should really need is a decently powerful dongle dac and a smartphone, computer, or dap to plug it into. It may be smart to check out some dongle dac reviews and get your hands on a closer to neutral dongle dac. That’s up to you. Maybe you love loads of warm. To each their own. Anyways, this set doesn’t need a boatload of power to bring it to a pleasurable place. Maybe 75 to 100 mw @32. Nothing with huge power, but more does most certainly help. In fact, to get the best fidelity out of the Explorer I would say that more power is required as you can keep feeding them and they seem to keep getting better.

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Sound Impressions

Note: I want to preface this entire section by stating that most of my critical listening in which my notes were derived was done using the Fiio Q15. It is just too good paired with the Explorer folks. My Shanling M6 Ultra was used a bit too but the neutral sound of the Q15 really gave the upper regions a hint of spice and dynamics was improved. Also, I listen solely to flac or better files stored on my devices. Also, I did burn the Explorer in for about 3 days and I did most certainly hear a difference. The first difference was in the bass region. When I first listened, I did feel that bass was a hair too involved with the sound. A bit too overbearing. Burn-in didn’t strip the emphasis but it did tighten up the sound down low. There were other subtle changes that aren’t significant enough to spend my time talking about.

What’s it sound like?

Like you’ve already probably gathered from this review thus far, the Explorer from Aful definitely leans to the warmer side of the spectrum. I think you have to consider this an L-shaped tuning with the bass region pumped up above the rest of the mix and the upper-mid to treble region slightly less emphasized. I could also say a U-shaped with a bass boost because the midrange isn’t as pushed back. Perhaps the upper midrange isn’t as energetic and vibrant as I’m used to, but the midrange is not attenuated to any great degree. Certainly not another Harman tuned set. This is a special sounding earphone with an irregular style of tuning. That all said, I don’t feel the usual pitfalls which doom warm dominant iems are pitfalls for the Explorer. Maybe for cheaper and less sonically gifted iems, not for this Aful set. At least not to the extent that I would’ve assumed. Prior to receiving this set I was able to look at a graph and I assumed it would be a slightly more veiled sound, less energy across the mix, less detail as well, less resolve. Those things are only partially true. The truth is, the Explorer is a very talented iem and it just so happens to have a convex and meaty bass region. Beyond that, there is very nice energy and pretty expressive & warm macro-dynamics. Something I’d usually credit to more neutral focused, brilliant and energetic iems. Also, believe it or not, detail retrieval isn’t nearly as bad as I assumed it’d be.

Timbre is nice

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One great aspect of this tuning and implementation of the drivers is that the Explorer has a very natural “warm-natural” and organic style of sound. It has that earthy, analog sound that is also very well able to pull out details and even separate instruments in the sound field very well for a slightly thicker note weight. Now, I’m not saying it’s a technical wizard. Not saying that. What I am saying is that the Explorer doesn’t follow the same trend as some of those heavy note weight, warm, and veiled sets that I’m used to with an L-shaped tuning. Especially budget oriented L-shaped iems. That said, the Explorer is still smooth throughout with a more velvet sound and a very engaging sound at that, but it also has an element of crispness when needed and fantastic note definition for a set tuned this way. It has this wholly immersive quality which hedges on musicality first and has some real nice charisma for a warmer sounding set. Don’t sleep on the Explorer’s ability to resolve the subtleties in a track either. It is better than I expected technically. I actually just reviewed the Dunu X-Gizaudio DaVinci (DaVinci Review) which is also a slightly warm sound, and it too bucked the trend. I think it comes down to quality of drivers, quality of the tech that’s used and a smart tuning. To add to that, the timbre is very nice folks. Aful did a nice job.

Not for everyone

This is not going to be the favorite of everyone. Let’s just get that out of the way. For instance, folks who dig the sound of say… the Simgot EA500LM. They usually desire a closer to “neutral” tonality, high energy, and more brightness, open space, airy. Those folks aren’t going to all of a sudden desire milky, weighted, warm and heavy, not usually anyways. This is an acquired taste for many hobbyists. Of course, others have always loved a warmer tilt. So, it comes down to preferences always. Personally, I enjoy just about every sound signature and so it was easy for me to see the appeal of the Explorer. This is a wonderfully cohesive sounding hybrid iem with no odd peaks, valleys or odd moments of timbre. Still, the fact remains that not everyone is going to love this sound and I want to get that across from the outset. It’s a very easy going sound which won’t make you want to rip your ears out in agony over any shrill peaks and brightness. This set has a warmly weighted and milky type of note structure which comes across in a lean-lush way. Not too heavy, not too thick, not too veiled and resolution is much better than I would’ve thought and note definition is actually quite great. Folks, Aful crafts nothing without purposeful intent and the Explorer is a testament to that.

Condensed Sound Between the 20’s

Pint-Sized Bass

The bass has a very generous emphasis with a big and heavy weighted rumble, deep, authoritative and even pretty agile for the size. This is a quality bass which you don’t usually see with this amount of emphasis while under $200. The bass has good density. It’s also actually very nicely defined and has the ability to dance through somewhat complicated passages of music without losing that density. For the most part.

Pint-Sized Midrange

The midrange is not overwhelmed in bleed from the bass, but instead there’s just enough spill over to add some weight. Subtly warm, not overly recessed and actually males sound somewhat forward even, great presence in the mix. Females aren’t as spicy/vibrant as most sets tuned to a Harman curve but instead, they are more full sounding, engaging. The midrange has a fantastic organic timbre and does have a nice transient attack through release for the tuning. Resolution is also very nice; details are decent too (which is very good for such a tuning as well), and all of this comes under the umbrella of a slightly warmer climate. It’s a cool sound.

Pint-Sized Treble

The treble has good extension but it’s not a very emphasized treble. Almost linear once it reaches its pinna gain and then it extends rather well. It simply isn’t all that brilliant and luminant. So, the treble may see overly subdued and less energetic for some folks, but it’s also nicely bodied, haptic almost. There’s a give and take there. Definitely not sibilant, peaky or metallic. It’s a non-offensive treble which comes across as a nice supporting role and does fit the intended tuning.

Pint-Sized Technical stuff

Technically the Explorer is nice. Not a detail monster and no it isn’t the king of separation. However, depth of field is great which adds some nice layering, very good imaging and decent enough detail retrieval. We have to be somewhat reasonable about this set and its limitations. The stage is close to the listener, wide, tall and deep. It’s a nice set folks.

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Graph is courtesy of A-Tech Reviews, Thank You!


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Bass Region

Like I’ve already stated, the bass hits with deep authority as it’s tuned with a heavier bass shelf against the lesser rise of the treble region. I would call it tastefully done for a heavier bass. The Explorer carries a very leaden and opaque style rumble which is more sub-woofer like than anything else. However, just because it is a larger quantity doesn’t mean that the Explorer doesn’t have some very nice quality to the rumble and slam. I love the way the Explorer can release all this weight and authority into my eardrum but recover very fast. The transient response is clean, agile, almost ductile in the way it can come and go through different passages of music. The crest of each note is a hint soft, however. This isn’t some rock-hard note outline. There’s a hint of fuzz there. Underneath that outward layer is a rich density and concrete solidity. I hear very nice separation between the mid and sub-bass which is a nice thing to hear.

Sub-bass

The Explorer gets low friends, it can run deep, and it can penetrate very deep within the frequency. Let’s put it this way, if the track you’re playing tells it to go deep… It’ll go deep. This sub-bass forms a nice foundation full of textured and tactile notes. Depending on the track I have noticed some very satisfying and tangible bass notes which render themselves more haptic, to where I can easily feel the sound as well as hear its depths. No doubt the overall sound is colored and skewed with more warmth and weight in-part to this region’s unabashed range and robustness. Listening to “Mancey” by Andrew Bird I find that the Explorer is actually pretty talented in this region. Once the bass drops the Explorer’s depth down low rumbles in a guttural fashion. It’s a low drone and deep haptic vibration. Another track “Shadow on the Sun” by Audioslave features a low-pitched bass guitar surrounded by successive kick-drums, snare pangs, and Chris Cornell’s amazing voice. What I enjoy about the Explorer is its ability to focus this region and separate it from the rest of the melody and the way the sub-bass maneuvers while also feeling as though there’s some air between instruments. It isn’t just some mash of emphasized bass. There’s some nuance there. It’s big, it’s bold, but it’s also quality.

Mid-bass

The mid-bass carries a slight bit less emphasis than the sub-bass regions but by listening you can hardly tell as the mid-bass has the ability to slam with an acute density. Again, this is a ductile style bass region and although it is lifted quite a bit, it also isn’t muddy or boomy. Instead, it’s able to dance through even more difficult bass tracks and every modulation and shift very nicely. Obviously, this is not going to be to the transient skill level of a good balanced armature bass or a planar bass, but also, those drivers cannot mimic the organic properties of these DD’s. Aful did a nice job crafting a set with satisfying low-end muscle that has great texture and has a palpable slam. Bass guitars have plenty of actual body to them as in “Groove” by Ray Wylie Hubbard. The bass has almost a crispness to it with very textured and clean notes. Bass singers like Avi Kaplan in “First place I Go” has that sonorous resonance to his voice which is pleasing to hear. Expect a mid-bass that has a very nice impact, and which can bang pretty darn hard while staying relatively clean in the process. The only other thing I’d add is that there is a slight spill over into the midrange, enough to give the mids some nice weight and warmth.

Downsides to the Bass Region

The obvious downside is that the bass is the focal point of this set which casts a slight warmth across the entirety of the spectrum. While I think it’s great and sounds great that certainly doesn’t mean everyone else will feel that way. I know plenty of friends who would much rather have an ultra-tight and leaner bass profile that stays in its lane and doesn’t encroach at all into the midrange. In this regard the Explorer is probably a hair polarizing. However, I feel if one were to let that brain-burn kick in then they may find the joy in how well Aful was able to tune this set, including the bass region. It’s big and it’s meaty but that doesn’t mean it has to be muddy. Nice job Aful.

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Midrange

The midrange takes on a hair of warmth from the low-end’s emphasis while at the same time sitting somewhat forward in the sound field. I have spoken of the warmth which settles on most of the mix, but I feel that the midrange is actually a nice mix of neutrality and warmth. I’d say that the note weight takes on a more lean-lush type approach rather than straight up lush and heavy. I definitely wouldn’t consider it veiled as usually that’s the first thing I’d think when looking at an L-shaped iem. At any rate, the note attack has a nice crispness to it at the crest of notes and a certain fullness and realism which makes for an organic type of listen. Details come through quite well as the midrange is more resolving than my expectations would’ve believed. Again, not saying that the Explorer is a detail marvel, but it is actually nicely proficient in this area. There is a subtly warm airiness to the sound which is nice for clean separation of instruments. To add to that, I also hear a nice transparency in this region as well. However, to me its best quality is the timbre which is certainly closer to natural than not. I don’t hear sibilance, metallic edges to notes, and I don’t hear any real shoutiness or glare. Definitely one of the benefits of not hiking up that pinna gain to Harman standards.

More energy?

Beyond those things, I should also state that yes, the midrange is good in all of these disciplines above. It is organic, clean, resolving (for the tuning), lean-lush and nicely weighted while technically the Explorer is not deficient to my ears to a detrimental extent. Still, there will most certainly be a number of folks who will want more energy. They will want more vibrance out of this area. I said that the Explorer has almost a warm airiness to it. Well, I will guarantee that there will be plenty of folks who want that feeling of openness accompanied by neutrality and cooler clean air between instruments. Some would rather listen to an analytical style note structure, speed, and detail retrieval. Speaking of details, again, the details are better than expected with the Explorer, but there are definitely iems which handle details and bring them to the surface easier and better. That isn’t the Explorer’s fortay, nor should we expect an L-shaped set to specialize in detail retrieval. There are sets tailored to bring the subtleties to the forefront. Not that the Explorer cannot be that, it may just depend on the genre and track you’re listening to. Plain and simple. Also, much has to do with your source and with the track you are playing. I used the Fiio Q15 a lot for critical listening. So bare that in mind as it is definitely a powerful, neutral, dynamic sounding dac/amp which does greatly benefit this set. Please remember that.

Lower-midrange

The lower midrange features male voices which are out front and not as pushed back into the sound field. Males have good weight and authority in most of my vocal Playlist, which is a great thing to hear for this guy. Vocals are important and I have a host of male vocal centered tracks that I love to listen to, especially for reviewing purposes. There’s something to be said for a set that can replay with just the right mix of neutrality & warmth coupled with just the right amount of velvet richness. Noah Kahan in the track “Stick Season” comes across a bit higher in the register but also his voice carries a certain amount of body behind it. Much unlike most Harman derived tunings. Usually, his voice would sound thin and not as enriched. With the Explorer I am impressed at its ability to add density even to higher register voices while not coming across veiled and overcast. Dermot Kennedy in the song “Rome” has a slightly deeper and gruff voice in this song (well, any song). The Explorer is able to pull out the emotional sentiment in this track quite nicely by backing up his vocals with that lower pitch weight along with some light crispness to the inflections in his voice. I don’t hear that edginess that some sets put on Dermot vocals and that’s what I’m listening for. Along with timbre, cadence, agility, and note weight. Perhaps not all males sound perfect but for the most part this style of tuning seems to fit males nicely.

Upper-Midrange

The upper-mids are much more subdued and less energetic, less shimmery and less vibrant than many of the Harman sets on the market. The Explorer doesn’t really have that brighter and more peppy display. To me the Explorer does fairly well but I would want just a hint more vitality and vigor. Maybe a bit more elation in women’s voices. Having said that, I also really do like that women’s voices have very melodic intonations to their vocals and won’t cause me fatigue, while at the same time plumping up the fundamental frequency of each voice with that lean-lush styled milky display. Still, generally, folks will likely want just a bit more of that dynamism in this range. Instruments follow this same trajectory with stuff like strings. I could use a hint more of a snap, more crispness and more bite. Percussion could also use a hint more of a pointed snap. That said, it makes up for it in authority, tonality & timbre.

Upper-mids cont…

Now, this tuning works wonderfully for voices like Adele’s track “When We Were Young”. She sounds slightly weighted, ponderous, clean and emotionally devoted to this track and the Explorer carries her voice very well. Clean lines which wrap her vocals and plenty of emotional body to carry her voice. The melody surrounding her vocals is very well separated and placed very nicely in the sound field as well. To be honest I like the way the Explorer handles females. It’s a slightly different take and it doesn’t come with sibilance; it doesn’t come with harshness, and it provides a nice velvety lean-lush setting for females to exist in when listening with the Explorer. Not bad at all. Now, details in this region are actually pretty nice too. You have decent separation of elements within the stage, and the stage is presented in a way that there is some space between those elements with the Explorer. The note definition is much better than I would have thought and resolution follows suit. It’s nice.

Downsides to the Midrange

I feel the number one issue that folks will have has to do with the energy in this region. I realize that some may find it duller than many iems within the price range. You are slightly missing that extra brilliance and sprightly energy attached to a female voice and some instrumentation. Granted, I’m sure that many will adore the tuning here, but I feel that most folks have trained their brains for a more vibrant and energy-riddled midrange. However, I’ve said it a few times that you also don’t have some of the downsides of this extra energy too. You don’t have the annoyance of a shouty set and you don’t have the sibilance which comes with a touch more energy either. So once again it’s a give and take. Also, analytical lovers are not going to be happy with this set at all. This isn’t some ultra speedy and thinly weighted midrange that will blaze through and show off every last detail. It isn’t that to my ears. Again, the Explorer does very well for what it is and to give up some details here and there for a bit more musicality is a good trade-off for me. Give me natural tonality and pleasing timbre any day.

AE



Treble Region

The treble is not one of those which are going to blow your mind in brilliance and at the end of the day it’s not the most emphasized and bright. In fact, the treble will likely sound a bit rolled off to most people. I don’t agree though. Yes, the amount of treble activity is less than some other sets but also the extension into the upper treble is quite nice. Instruments in this region do have a touch more organic of a replay without the forced resolution adding too much of a treble sheen across the region. This is a smooth and very precise treble region, but it simply doesn’t have that snap on attack or edgy bite that some will want. Beyond that, it is able to give some haptic recognition to my senses with at least some feel to the Treble at times. Honestly, this is a supporting actor type treble which fits the overall tuning nicely and I do think that is what Aful was going for. Once again, this is an area where some people find it a little bit too unenergetic and almost dull compared to other iems. That all said, extension is nice. Take a cymbal strike, they usually come through with a solid bodied chisk followed by good harmonics that aren’t tizzed out in treble lustre. So, there are good qualities and there are some qualities that won’t fit some folk's preferences. That’s pretty much the running theme of every review I complete.

Snappy?

Now, the treble region is smoother and yes it does carry a hint more body and weight, but how does it do with faster and snappier passages of music. The answer is…the Explorer does okay. No, it definitely won’t keep up with the likes of some gifted planars… that’s a given. However, the Explorer isn’t tuned to glide around the micro-dynamic shifts and the transient attack to recover speed won’t be as fast and as abrupt as something actually tuned to do so. That said, the Explorer may surprise some of you in some moments. Billy Strings has some lightning fast banjo play in his track “Ice Bridges” and the Explorer actually… Keeps up. No, it isn’t the kind of treble that comes across perfectly round and etched out against the rest of the mix. However, it is actually decent at commanding faster tracks while keeping that earthy type of sound and not missing out on details completely. Again, this is a supporting role here. Not the main attraction. The treble is tuned to a different target folks. Remember, organic, smooth, warmer, not as energetic up top, thicker note weight, etc. So, the fact that the Explorer keeps up at all is pretty great. At any rate, the timbre is great, it’s organic and it exists this way with non-offensive ambitions. You won’t have that shrillness and peaky ear gouging brightness and metallic treble tizz that other sets will have. The Explorer will provide a nice treble which can move at a fairly gracefully and won’t miss much in the process. Also, just because it’s smooth doesn’t mean it isn’t well defined and accurate.

Downsides to the Treble Region

Without question there are treble heads who won’t touch this set. They see warm and non-offensive and run for the hills. So no, not everyone is going to dig a treble that isn’t at least marginally brilliant. I get it too. I’d like a touch more bite and raw snap to instruments and a touch more vibrance to a female voice. However, I wouldn’t give up this nice tuning for a little bit more vibrance. Coincidentally, anything you change will affect everything else and the Explorer has a very nice signature as-is. Very earthy, very clean for that style too. It’s a talented set, just not in the aspects that everyone usually would badge something talented for. Most of all, it’s fun and it’s musical and the treble is a huge supporting actor in that presentation.

AE



Technicalities

Soundstage

The soundstage is quite nice. I don’t say it’s nice because it is the size of a stadium. To be honest the Explorer’s stage is more intimate than anything else. Now, when I say intimate, what I’m actually saying is… It’s pushed forward. The mids are not heavily recessed on this set and so it gives the psycho-acoustic impression that the presence, the sound, the elements on the stage are closer to the listener. This is not a bad thing at all. First off, just because it’s intimate in this way doesn’t mean it doesn’t have a wide sound field. It also doesn’t mean the Explorer’s stage doesn’t have very good depth. In fact, I can say right now that the Explorer has a nicely wide presentation, and the depth is definitely above average at this price. Along with that depth comes nice layering abilities and even some of that subtly warmer air between instruments like I was talking about. It’s a nice stage, it’s full, it’s big and it’s deep, just not pushed back. To be honest, I like this stage better than the other type. Who wants pushed back?

Separation / Imaging

Okay, so now we arrive at separation of elements on an imaginary stage. In my opinion, the Explorer is better than it should be. Not up to the best in the price point. Not even in the running but the Explorer is much better than it ought to be. Again, warmish colored, thicker style note weight, intimate stage too. It all adds up to a set that will blend the sounds a bit. Especially on faster and more complicated tracks. Why then does the Explorer do fairly well? I feel it’s because of its resolving ability. No, it doesn’t resolve anything like the Aful Performer 5 and definitely not like the Performer 8 for example. But it does do well for what it is. It does have some clean note outlines. Yes warmer, yes thicker… but clean. So, separation isn’t bad. Imaging on the other hand is flat out good. Imaging is very good actually. In the same breath I find layering of sounds to be quite well done as well.

Detail Retrieval

Detail retrieval is somewhat of a mixed bag. On one hand the Explorer does very well for an L-shaped tuning. Much better than I would’ve expected. However, I think I’ve said it enough that the Explorer doesn’t match up with sets in the price point that are quite literally tuned to illuminate the small stuff. It just can’t match those sets. I will keep coming back to it though… the Explorer may surprise some of you. There is a cleanliness that the Explorer carries that makes up for a lot of what this type of tuning takes away. However, bass heavy tracks make it very difficult to catch any details and ultra complicated tracks may not be perfect. I said “Ultra-complicated”. Don’t confuse the meaning. This set can handle some more complicated and congested stuff so long as the bass isn’t constantly booming along and so long as it is a track that most sets can resolve decently. Also, the Explorer is quite agile, dexterous and can be pretty nimble, especially in the midrange. No, it isn’t perfect, but yes, it’s pretty darn good. Probably above average when all is said and done.

AE



Is it worth the asking price?

When looking at answering this question in a way that’s helpful to you I will answer it from the perspective of someone who loves this type of tuning. I figured anyone who is opposite from that has already checked out from this review. I highly doubt they are still here reading. Also, I will answer for myself. I’ve said many times in the past that I literally can enjoy and find joy in most any sound signature. I just have to wrap my brain around each one. For whatever reason I’ve been going through a few reviews now which feature warmer iems and so it has been an easy transition into this review. At any rate, the Explorer from Aful is 100% worth every penny.

The Why…

No dancing around this. Yes, there is a ton of competition out there and yes, the Explorer isn’t a technical like some sets which are made to be technical monsters. However, it is a specially tuned set that dwarves it’s issues and subjective gripes with that organic and warm-natural timbre. It has an extremely well-done bass region that’s big, meaty, deep and very well defined for its quantity. The Explorer also has a sonically pleasing midrange that features great presence in the mix, very nice note weight and body, and a transparent sound with clean note edges and a smooth cadence. The treble isn’t going to hurt your ears, it won’t force details upon you in shrill brightness, and it will extend well into the upper treble. The stage is nice, closer to the listener but also deep, and wide. Folks, if this is the sound that you are searching for, and you can’t spend a dime over $120 then without question the Aful Explorer is an absolute steal at this price.


AE



Ratings (0-10)

Note: all ratings are based upon my subjective judgment. These ratings are garnered against either similarly priced sets or with similar driver implementations or styles with the unique parameters of my choosing. In the case of the Aful Explorer ratings below, that would be $100-$150 multi-driver hybrid iems. Please remember that “ratings” don’t tell the whole story. This leaves out nuance and a number of other qualities which make an iem what it is. A “5-6” is roughly average and please take into consideration the “lot” of iems these ratings are gathered against. $100-$150 US hybrid iems is a smaller scope of iems but it’s also extremely competitive, though it’s not out of the question to see a Rating above a “9.0” for example. My ratings are never the same and each set of ratings tells a different story. Each time you read one of my ratings will be unique to that review. Basically, I create a Rating that makes sense to me.

Aesthetic

Build Quality: 9.1 Built well, all resin & complicated internals.

Look: 9.6 Very well designed & pleasing to the eye.

Fit/Comfort: 9.1 Fit and comfort is great for me.

Accessories: 9.0 Very nice cable, nice case, decent tips.

Overall: 9.2🔥🔥


Sound Rating

Timbre: 9.6 Organic, natural, robust.

Bass: 9.6 Big, authoritative, clean, defined.

Midrange: 9.2 Musical and engaging.

Treble: 7.3 Fits the sound, but not treble heads.

Technicalities: 7.5 Technically fine, better than expected.

Musicality: 9.5 Hangs its hat on musicality.

Overall: 8.8🔥🔥🔥

Ratings Summary:

I rated the Aful Explorer against any hybrid iems between the prices of $100 and $150 US. This is a sizable scope of iems that it’s competing against but it’s not colossal in scope. It is fair to say that this price range was going easy on the Explorer. Still, it is the price range that it sits in. We’ve seen a number of banger iems in this range too and many of those I have sitting next to me right now. That all said, I feel the Explorer does stand out in its own way and does have legs to stand on here. Yes, an “8.8” is pretty high, but also… it’s an “8.8” to me no matter how you slice it. This is a very nice sounding set per the tuning and the target that Aful was hoping to meet.

Explain Yourself!

Anyways, the Explorer really shines in the bass department, and it does so due to its sheer cleanliness per the quantity. To have this hard hitting, deep and palpable sounding bass is a sort of rarity at this price I’d say. So, a “9.6” I feel is well worth it. I know, some of you will say “It’s Bloated, too muddy, too big!” Honestly, I would simply disagree. Nothing more and nothing less. Also, we are both right. So, due to the type of bass, I could see someone having issue with my rating on that. I could also see some folks having issues with me over the midrange. Without question there will be those who desire more brilliance, sparkle and effeminate shimmer to the upper mids. I get it too. In my perfect world I’d like a hair more. However, if adding that lustre up top would affect in any way the syrupy, milky and smooth midrange than I’d say… I like it the way it is. When you look at the nice definition, the timbre, the lean-lush weight, the presence in the stage, it all adds up to a “9.2” for me. The other ratings are kind of what they are. Maybe some folks would feel that Technicalities could be a point or two lower or higher but a “7.5” is a good rating and serviceable, above average.


AE



Conclusion

To conclude my full written review of the Aful Explorer, I first have to thank the good folks at HiFiGofor sending me the Explorer in exchange for a feature and full review at mobileaudiophile.com. I’ve said it many times in the past that HiFiGo has never even hinted to me that they’d like me to change my review to suit their needs. Never have they ever requested to pre-read anything, and they’ve never once asked me to skew anything, which I can respect. So, thank you HiFiGo and thank you to anyone who decided to read this review. We at monbileaudiophile.com greatly appreciate you clicking the link and staying for a while. We exist only because you all take the time to read our thoughts…thank you!

Other perspectives

Please take the time to check out other thoughts on this set. I am only one person, one mind and that mind is my own. I can be polar opposite to the person next to me. This is one hobby where people have greatly varying opinions. In fact, I don't think there’s another hobby quite like it. We all have different likes and dislikes, different gear, different music libraries, some may hear better than others. It would behoove you to take in other thoughts as $119 is a lot of money for a lot of people and getting as many perspectives as possible will only help. With that, I think I’m done folks. I’ve greatly enjoyed this review period and I am impressed by what Aful was able to accomplish with the Explorer. For those who desire a more organic and warmly tilted sound with bigger bass and a musical nature…the Explorer may be for you and for those people I give my recommendation. I hope you all are well and good. Please take good care, stay as safe as possible and always…God Bless!

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NinjaGirayaZ
NinjaGirayaZ
If you were to put it in percentages, how much does he have of Da vince performance?
domq422
domq422
Extremely comprehensive review. Well done, sir
Ceeluh7
Ceeluh7
@domq422 i appreciate your kind words, thank you!

Zerstorer_GOhren

1000+ Head-Fier
AFUL EXPLORER: Exploring New Tuning Endeavour
Pros: ● Reasonable asking price for an entry-level model.
● High quality 3D-moulded hypoallergenic shell chassis with a beautiful colour way on it.
● Like all previous AFUL model, it offers the best fitting and comfort to wear due to its UIEM-style contours.
● Inclusion of a premium stock cable.
● Pretty well-accessorised for an under US$150 set.
● The tuning of this one is quite uncommon in this price range segment.
● A balanced-neutral with a bass boost sound profile.
● Solid, tactile and authoritative bass response.
● Excellent for tracking on bass clef instruments and deep male vocals.
● Smooth, well-textured yet delineated midrange presentation.
● Quite versatile on both male and female vocals and also, an organic sounding to almost all types of instruments.
● Smooth and inoffensive treble response, a good recommendation for some treble-sensitive folk.
● Not a hint of harshness nor sibilance.
● Almost all of its technical aspects are quite competent from stereo imaging up to do resolution capabilities.
Cons: ● Just an average sound/speaker stage therefore it gives an intimate presentation.
● Definitely not for treble heads as it might lack brightness and sparkle on its treble response.
● It doesn't have that analytical and clinical tuning to please audio enthusiasts that are advocating towards reference-neutral sound profile.
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AFUL AUDIO is definitely one of the most innovative audio companies out there as they try to implement some new features that some components and materials are part of continuously evolving portable audio technology. With their proprietary patented audio technologies that they possessed and will implement with those newly-developed components, it will be assured that they will release a product that is well-polished and meticulously crafted.

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What I have here and will be featured in this review article is their latest product for the entry-level segment, The AFUL EXPLORER. The AFUL EXPLORER is an IEM with a hybrid driver configuration that has a dynamic driver, in tandem with balanced armature drivers inside.

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On its internal part, The 8mm dynamic driver with a bio-cellulose a.k.a. paper cone diaphragm will solely handle the bass section as it will deliver a deeper and well-bodied bass response as it was also integrated to AFUL's High Dampening Air Pressure Balancing System which even more improves the texture and depth of its bass response and somehow lessens air pressure for people who are bothered with excessive air pressure that might cause some occlusion effect to some ears. The balanced armature drivers that were also implemented here are of custom-made based on the specific engineering on AFUL’s specification as these driver has better composite materials like magnesium-alloy and DuPont's self-developed polymer material which are known for their fatigue resistant and strength, was implemented inside for better frequency response to deliver a Hi-Fi quality.

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Aside from the drivers and proprietary acoustic resonance tube, it also has an advanced electronic crossover for more stable and precise signal processing for a better separation of frequency sections to guarantee a well-balanced and accurate sound reproduction. Like all AFUL sets, It also has its proprietary RLC Network Frequency Division to further improve and augment its sonic quality as it balanced and evened out its overall frequency response by minimising any possible dips and peaks in the treble region for better consistency of its sound quality.

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The drivers and other components were encapsulated in a 3D-moulded medical-grade resin shell chassis in a compact-sized UIEM-type form factor. The shell itself is quite a looker as it has a glittery blue-ish hue on its faceplate and on its cavity base part, it has a stabilising fin to provide a firmer fit into our ears. Like all previous AFUL sets, the EXPLORER has a 0.78mm bi-pin connector as its interlocking mechanism with its detachable cable which is more stable in connection and easier cable swapping.

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As for its stock cable, AFUL included a premium one for this set as it has a thick 2-core multi-strand silver-plated copper wire cable with a gold-plated 3.5mm straight termination plug. Its build quality is quite sturdy, flexible and it has a resistance from entanglement, and I don't encounter any microphonic issues.

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In terms of fitting, AFUL sets are well-known for its superb ergonomic fit and it seems that the EXPLORER inherits those aspects as it perfectly rests well into my lug holes without any discomforts or wear fatigue. In that regard, it also offers an excellent passive noise isolation as it seals well from external noises from the outside surroundings.

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When it comes to product packaging and its presentation, the AFUL EXPLORER is quite pretty well-accessorised as it offers a quantifying amount of inclusions.

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Inside of its packaging box, we can find the following contents inside on it and here are those accessories:
  • Pair of AFUL EXPLORER IEM transducers.
  • Stock cable
  • Storage case
  • Three (3) pairs of balanced bore silicone ear tips in different standard sizes.
  • Three (3) pairs of wide bore silicone ear tips in different standard sizes.
  • Paperwork like instruction manuals and Q.C stub.

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The EXPLORER is quite sensitive and it is easy to drive as it scales well even to some sources with decent power output. As this set will be given a proper amplification, it will have a full range with a good amount of dynamics on it.

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The AFUL EXPLORER has a bass-boosted balanced-neutral type of sound profile as it presents an L-shaped sound presentation as it has a more prominent low frequency section over the rest of the frequency range which stays neutral and almost linear in presentation.

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(Graph was provided by @baskingshark , credits to him)

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LOWS/BASS:

The bass profile of this set is pretty well-balanced as it has a clear sub bass presence and a well-textured yet well-controlled mid bass part. Overall, it delivers a reverberant, punchy and firm bass response in which I perceived it as well-done.

I clearly hear a rumbling and reverberating response that was generated from sub bass-focused instruments like octobasses, low tuned bass guitars and double bass, drum machines and synthesisers. Mid bass section is quite textured as it will give some ample note weight on selected instruments particularly some bass clef ones and also, some deep low-octave male vocal types. Bass guitars and double bass have an adequate broad, weight and rasping sound on these string instruments while bass kick drums have sonorous, dark and full sound on every stroke. Bass and bass-baritone vocals have good depth and weight to deliver a gravelly, dense and dark tone on their voices.


MIDRANGE:

While it seems that this frequency part was presented just underneath the bass region in its overall frequency spectrum, the midrange is fairly well-textured, clean and detailed while it has proper warmth on it. I can surmise that this one is very versatile and capable of delivering a natural and engaging sound to almost all types of vocals and a well-defined timbre and tonality on instruments.

Male vocals like baritones have a smooth, lush and rich voice that will sound excellent on any baritone vocal-type whether its leggero, lyric, kavalier baritone, dramatic, Verdi or noble baritone. Tenors have warm, graceful and a brassy sound as it has a required vocal weight, depth and darker tonal colour that lyric, spinto, dramatic and heldentenors will sound fuller with power on it. Countertenors have a pleasantly smooth, tender and emotive vocal quality.

Meanwhile, on female vocals, the contraltos vocals are depicted almost accurately by this set as it projects a strong, smokey and rich voices from their distinctively chesty vocals. Mezzo-sopranos have a velvety, tender and sensitive voice to show the versatility nature of this type of vocal. Meanwhile on sopranos, while this type of vocal will sound more better on a bright tuning one, the EXPLORER unexpected perform well as it gives a more rich, emotive and a tad warm on spinto and dramatic sopranos, but on coloratura, soubrette and lyric sopranos, it loses some of its light timbre and shimmer.

As for instruments, on brasses, trumpets, trombones and horns have a full, dramatic and resounding sound respectively while the concert flutes, piccolos, saxophones and clarinets have rich, graceful, sonorous and melodic sound correspondingly. On string instruments, guitars (electric or acoustic) have a meaty and a tad warmth with a good overtones on it while violins have sweet and sensuous sound on them on every motion on its bow strings and cellos have warm, silky and calming sound on them. As for percussives, tom-toms have a warm, resonant sound while snare drums have a hard and penetrating sound. Tenor drums have that venerable sound on them as it pairs well with kettledrums’ velvety and mellow sound in an orchestral performance to evoke a dramatic and thematic feel. Meanwhile, pianos appear to have a mellow and rich tone on them as they sound a bit rounded and sweet.


HIGHS/TREBLE:

This frequency part is in the same level presentation with the midrange frequency as it also has less prominent position in comparison with bass frequency in the overall frequency spectrum but it conveys a smooth and balanced treble response with just mild brightness on them. This type of treble presentation might be lacking of some definition and clarity on some vocal energy particularly on soprano ones and a bit blunted on attack of both percussives and rhythmic instruments, but there are some silver lining on this one as sibilances and harshness will not certainly occur on this one.

On the brilliance section, while it has noticeable less intensity on its sparkle it but remarkably, it has a moderate airy extension.

Cymbals have a lustrous and glistening sound while hi-hats have a shortened buzzing sound on them with some fullness on it. Celestas have a lustrous and velvety sound enough to give that “heavenly” vibe and glockenspiels have a lustrous and bell-like sound that doesn't add some strident nor piercing tone on them.


SOUNDSTAGE, IMAGING AND OTHER TECHNICALITIES:

As an audio enthusiast who is quite a bit of a stickler on technical performance. This set presents a rather intimate presentation on its perceived sound/speaker stage dimensions as it has average lateral span from left to right, at least above-average height ceiling and a good depth as it is quite immersive from front to rear. It has a well-layered stereo imaging as it projects a holographic presentation where I can pinpoint the location of instruments and instruments with a perceived good separation on those elements.

The cohesiveness of its hybrid drivers is impressive as it gives some homogeneity and harmonious performance of its fast transient response of its dynamic driver while having a clear and high fidelity performance of its balanced armatures.

On resolution capabilities, it seems that the AFUL EXPLORER is very competent in that aspect as it has solid macro-dynamics on its presents it well-defined notation attacks while its micro-detail retrieval, while its doesn't have a sharp definition nor it is blunted, it can extract some nuances and details in an audio track like roomy effects, vocal ends and instrumental reverb tail.


PEER COMPARISONS

KIWI EARS FORTEZA

  • Like the EXPLORER, this set is also a hybrid driver configuration of the same number of drivers and it was encapsulated in an equally aesthetically-pleasing resin shell chassis although its array of drivers is quite a bit different as this one has two dynamic drivers and a single balanced armature driver. While it also has a good amount of inclusions, its stock cable isn't on par with EXPLORER's high quality and more premium looking stock cable.
  • The FORTEZA is indeed quite a contrast with EXPLORER when it comes to tonal profile as the former has a typical V-shaped sound which is more coloured and fun sounding. Compared to the EXPLORER, the FORTEZA has a boomy bass response, a recessed and a leaner midrange presentation and a brighter treble response as it quite more shimmering and energetic to the point it has some instances of having a sibilance and piercing sound from them. On technical performance, while it has a similar sound/speaker stage presentation, its stereo imaging particularly on layering and separation isn't on par with the EXPLORER's while the cohesive performance isn't that its drivers isn't that well-implemented.

SIMGOT EM6L
  • The difference between these hybrid sets, the EXPLORER and EM6L, is that the latter has a composite shell chassis and it has more drivers inside as it has a total of 5 drivers consisting of 1 dynamic driver and 4 balanced armature drivers. While this set is also quite well-accessorised on its own, it only includes one type of ear tips and a decent stock cable, although not on par with the EXPLORER's stock cable.
  • The sound profile of EM6L is a bright U-shaped which follows a Harman-ish type of target curve. Compared to the EXPLORER, it is more of a sub bass-focus bass presentation as it has rumbly and tighter response, leaner and recessed midrange presentation yet energetic that it affects the tonal qualities on some vocals particularly on baritones, tenor, contraltos and mezzo-sopranos and some instruments’ timbre, and brighter treble response with a hint of having a shrill and piercing sound on them but at least it has more sparkle and air on it. On technical performance, the EM6L is relatively more spacious on sound field dimensions but on stereo imaging, it somehow projects a rather linear two-dimensional stereo presentation with decent layering and separation. This set is a bit more resolving particularly on micro-dynamics as it has a sharper detail definition compared to the EXPLORER


As I conclude my review on this one, AFUL is consistently refining its product line-up on every release as it truly signifies their commitment to release a well-polished product without any drawbacks or compromises. The EXPLORER is probably of the AFUL's finest set that they ever created with their meticulous craftsmanship on how they produced it. With the implementation of some components and technologies that recently development in portable audio technology field along with its proprietary patents that AFUL have, The EXPLORER indeed delivers flawlessly as it has solid build quality and a tonality which is quite a rarity in its price segment as it has balanced-neutral sound signature thats delivers has a coherent, smooth, clean and delineated sound quality while having a competent technical capabilities on its sleeves while having a reasonable price tag as its feature. This set truly makes it one of the most compelling sets to try this year.


AFUL EXPLORER is exclusively available in HIFIGO, you can check it out on an unaffiliated link that I have provided below.

★★AFUL EXPLORER - HIFIGO★★


For more AFUL products, check out my other AFUL product reviews below.

■ AFUL PERFORMER 5

■ AFUL PERFORMER 8

■ AFUL MAGICONE


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SPECIFICATION:

MODEL:
AFUL EXPLORER
IMPEDANCE: 26Ω
SENSITIVITY: 108dB
FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 10Hz – 30KHz
CABLE LENGTH: 1.2M
PIN TYPE: 0.78mm 2-PIN CONNECTOR
PLUG TYPE: 3.5mm
DRIVER UNIT(S): (1) DYNAMIC DRIVER + (2) BALANCED ARMATURE DRIVERS


Tracks Tested: ( * = 16-bit FLAC, ** = 24-bit FLAC, *'* = MQA, '*' = DSD, *'= .WAV)

Alison Krauss -When You Say Nothing At All *
Jade Wiedlin - Blue Kiss**
Led Zeppelin - When The Levee Breaks **
Mountain - Mississippi Queen *
Queen - Killer Queen **
Guns N' Roses - Patience *'*
Eric Clapton - Tears in Heaven '*'
Sergio Mendes- Never Gonna Let You Go '*'
Pearl Jam - Daughter **
Roselia - Hidamari Rhodonite *
Assassin - Fight (To Stop The Tyranny)*
Celtic Frost- Visual Aggression *
New Order - Blue Monday *
The Corrs- What Can I do (unplugged version) *
Jimi Hendrix Experience - Voodoo Child *
The Madness- Buggy Trousers *
Metallica - Motorbreath **
Mariah Carey- Always Be My Baby *
Destiny's Child - Say My Name *
Malice Mizer- Au Revoir *
Mozart - Lacrimosa *
New York Philharmonic Orchestra - Dvorak- Symphony 9 " From the New World." *
Eva Cassidy - Fields of Gold (Sting cover)*
Michael Jackson - Give In To Me *
Exciter - Violence and Force *
Diana Krall - Stop This World **
Debbie Gibson - Foolish Beat *'*
The Sisters of Mercy – Lucretia My Reflection**
Suzanne Vega – Luka **
Lauren Christy – Steep *
Ottoman Mehter - Hucum Marsi *
Diana Damrau - Mozart: Die Zauberflöte*



P.S.

I am not affiliated to AFUL ACOUSTIC nor receive any monetary incentives and financial gains as they provide me a review unit for an exchange of factual and sincere feedback from yours truly.

Once again, I would like to send my gratitude to HIFIGO especially to MS. ALICE XIE and MS. YUMU SONG for providing this review unit. I truly appreciate their generosity and trust towards me and other reviewers.



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GoneToPlaid
GoneToPlaid
Very nice review. Your product photos are lovely.
Zerstorer_GOhren
Zerstorer_GOhren

arifgraphy

100+ Head-Fier
Pros: • Relaxing warm tuning
• Tasteful Sub-bass
• Very good thump in mid bass
• Enjoyable Vocal (male & female)
• Non fatiguing, airy treble
• Good build quality (as usual from Aful)
• Nice & usable cable
• Practical carrying pouch
Cons: • Lacks sub-bass body a bit
• Not enjoyable for those who loves powerful vocal presentation
• Treble lacks sparkle
• Not technical or analytical
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AFUL EXPLORER: EXPLORE YOUR MUSIC

After launching three highly tuned IEMs, including the Performer 8, Performer 5, and MagicOne, Aful takes a different approach to tuning. This time it's warm, melodious, and treble-safe. During development, they dubbed it Performer 3 since it had three driver configurations: one DD and two BA. However, in their formal announcement, they call it 'Explorer'. Aful's approach to new experiments is not novel; they demonstrated this by introducing MagicOne, an IEM with a single BA driver, and their proprietary acoustic chamber. This time with Explorer, they explored with a warm balanced tone that reflected the current trend in the chi-fi IEM industry. To establish the sound character, they use a DD for bass and lower frequencies, as well as two self-developed BAs, one for mids and another for treble.

Will they stand out in the present crowded IEM market, or will they simply be another IEM to wear? Let's go through all Aful has to offer with this package.


CONTEXT:

For your information, I am an avid Aful fan. I adore their stunning IEMs with amazing sound quality. So I always check their social media platforms for any updates. When they introduced a new IEM titled 'Performer 3', I was eager to try it. I made the choice to buy it after listening to just one song. The pleasant tone is so satisfying and relaxing, and it sounds quite laid-back. I'm not a usual basshead; instead, I'm a warm-head and treble-sensitive man. That's why Explorer sounds so delightful and safe to my ears. I enjoy the bass presentation, both sub and mid. The vocals are clear and textured, but not overpowering. Oh, the treble... They are quite smooth and airy without being overly active or sparkling.

I tested the Aful Explorer using my favorite DAP, the Cowon Planue R2, and was amazed by how well it performed. My Hip Dac 2 provides some warmth and body to the bass region, while my Moondrop Down Pro opens up the mids and makes them more enjoyable. The set is not power hungry and very easy to drive but scales up very well if you push a little more power into it. I swap cables and roll tips, as usual. Although the included cable is fine for most uses, I constantly attempt to experiment with different types of cables to see if the sound quality improves. According to my testing, NiceHCK MixPP works really great with it and highlights the IEM impeccable sound qualities. In this price range, I would say for that kind of IEM stock tips are way too basic. Used a lot of tips and chose Dunu S&S or TRN Clarion for comfort, fit, and sound quality.I'll go into further detail about the cable and tips at a later section of this review.

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DISCLAIMER:

I bought the AFUL Explorer with my own money and interest; this is not a review unit. I do not have a monitory transaction with AFUL Acoustic. And my verdict is entirely objective, based on my listening experiences during the previous week or two.

One thing more:. My personal experience and information gained from many sources form the basis of this review. Due to individual preferences and variations in physique, such as variations in the depth and form of the ear canal, your experience may differ significantly.


For your personal purchase-

Geek Mart is the place, if you are in Bangladesh.
For international buying checkout HifiGo


TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION:

• Drivers: 1DD+2BA
• Impedance: 26Ω±10%>
• Sensitivity: 108dB/mW
• Frequency Response: 10Hz-30kHz
• Connector Type: 0.78m 2-pin connectors
• Cable Termination: 3.5mm/4.4mm


WHAT’S IN THE BOX:

• Aful Explorer IEMs
• Braided silver plated single-crystal OFC copper cable
• Two types of ear tips (S,M,L each type), total of six pairs
• A synthetic leather made carrying case
• Official papers

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UNBOXING EXPERIENCE:

The Aful Explorer comes packaged rather simplistically. It's basically cardboard packaging that's more functional than loaded with flashy design. Opening it, you can see the IEMs safely housed in a foam insert. Once the lid is off, you start to notice right away that Explorer itself doesn't take the simplistic packaging as a license to slack on style. Immediately, you greet a lovely carrying case, most likely made from synthetic leather. Casing open it reveals a braided, silver plated single-crystal OFC copper cable-added with a touch of sophistication. It does come with ear tips, but the selection seems to be on the basic side.

The IEMs themselves are a wonder to behold. The faceplates are made from 3D-printed resin with an "cosmos" pattern-one that is both mesmerizing and full of sparkling stars. It is a design element in space that is sure to turn heads and give oomph to the overall aesthetic of this Aful Explorer. Rather unassuming in terms of flair, the Explorer seems more function over form-a handsome and utilitarian option to present to the budget-conscious audiophile.

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DESIGN & BUILD QUALITY:

First, let's hear from Aful about how they approached the striking design: ”Inspired by a cosmos themed design symbolizing limitless exploration among the stars, and with strong support from friends for the name “Explorer,” we decided to name this IEM Explorer, reflecting its unique tuning akin to the performer series.” Aful Explorer looks amazing! Shells made of resin are well-constructed and have a shiny sparkle, which gives attention despite their dark blue color. The most striking feature of them is their face plates that remind one of thousands of stars sparkling in the deep blue night sky. It draws my attention with no time, as I just love the night sky and am a passionate astro photographer.

In terms of construction, these IEMs are exceptionally well-made and lightweight due to their resin construction. It demonstrates how Aful continues to produce lightweight, comfortable IEMs with a beautiful appearance and presentation. The nozzles are on the longer side and are capable of holding silicon or foam tips with ease. They also seal effectively. The quality that Aful brings to their stock cable is noticeable. It's silky, untangled, and nicely braided. But the ear tips are very basic and cheap looking. Since the beginning, Aful has been providing their IEMs with far too simple ear tips, they should take this area seriously.

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FIT & COMFORT:

Given the Aful Explorer is made from resin and is very light, it's a super comfortable IEM. You hardly even feel there's anything there. They fit just great inside your ear. These here with your preferredly sized ear tips, they fit just perfect. Choosing proper tips is necessary here to get perfect isolation and the quality of audio. Due to the fact that supplied ear tips are not good enough, you need to utilize some after-market tips and roll them in order to get the best fit. The attached soft, comfy cable doesn't apply pressure to the ear. There is a vent system to avoid interior vacuums. I must say that Explorer is designed to offer ultimate comfort with superb audio experience.

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SOUND IMPRESSIONS:

According to Aful, they make use of MagicOne and P-series IEMs' technologies and drivers in Explorer. That means the 8mm DD is from P5 & the BAs are from MagicOne. Therefore, one may hope that it will sound expensive & high-end. Surprisingly, that is true. The Explorers sound warmer than previous IEMs released by Aful and that’s the target here. I am a warm-head audiophile and expect a warm-tuned IEM from them, and the Explorer is what they gave. Thanks to Aful's inventive acoustic bass tube construction, the 8mm DD performs brilliantly in this case, providing excellent bass in both the sub and mid sections. The mid-bass has weight and thump, while the sub-bass offers the right amount of rumble and "woomph." This IEM can handle any bass heavy track with ease and let you feel the bass with perfect quality & quantity.

Aful’s tailor maid BAs are well known for their smooth and enjoyable mids and treble. The Explorer didn’t fail here. Both male & female vocals shine with rich texture and intensity. You will notice a slight thickness in the vocals for the warm characteristic, but the tone is not muted. Though vocal lovers will miss the sparkle in the upper frequencies, as the treble is very tamed. Talking about treble, my favorite part of the Explorer. I am a treble sensitive guy and don’t like sparkles in upper frequencies; the Explorer's treble sounds amazing to me. They are airy, they are smooth, they are light, and they don’t create any fatigue, even for a marathoner like me.

As Aful claims, "the Explorer compatible with a wide array of music genres, from pop to classic symphonics." I have tried them out with a few genes and listened to them with great joy. Let's dive in and discover the audio quality of each frequency they produce.

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Courtesy: Prime Audio Reviews


SUB-BASS:


Aful Explorer pushes a very strong and punchy sub-bass section. It delivers a satisfying thump to the bass line without overwhelming the mix. But it occasionally rolls off to complement the balanced and detailed sound signature.

One of my favorite bands is Rainbow, and their rock number "Man on the Silver Mountain" happens to be my go-to anthem. The Explorer delivers deep, resonant sub-bass that flourishes the powerful riffs and rhythmic bass lines in the song. In a complex mix of various instruments, the IEM ensures that the bass guitar and drum kick are both prominent and clear. The sub-bass was tastefully thick, and the notes are well pronounced. The low frequency has bold authority without being disturbing or fatiguing.

Keep in mind that, though it’s a set with a warm signature but the sub-bass extension isn’t the deepest. Bass heads who crave bone-cracking, subwoofer-like low-end presentation might find the Aful Explorer a bit lacking in this department.


MID-BASS:

What you will be hearing from the mid-bass of the Aful Explorer is 'thump with definition'. This gives it some nice warmth and body to the overall sound, especially in the genres of rock, pop, and hip-hop. It rendered the bass notes clear and well-defined without sounding too murky, which obscures other instruments.The whole presentation of mid-bas emphasizes accuracy and detail, ensuring the basslines complement the music rather than overpowering it.

Bad wolves’ cover of The Cranberries’ hit number “Zombie” is a statement of their musical talent and effort. The Explorer’s performance on this track is quite noteworthy. This track has a mid-bass with a powerful presence, delivering a punchy and authoritative impact. The IEM presented this true nature and enhanced the dynamic elements of the music. It manages to balance mid-bass well, ensuring that it doesn’t muddy the overall sound presentation.

But you may find it slightly lean if you love super-saturated and boosted mid-bass.
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MALE VOCALS:

It's warm & detailed in the Aful Explorer, which translates well to a clear and engaging performance with male vocals across genres.

I love country music since my childhood, and Alan Jackson is one of my very favorite country singers. The Explorer delivers clear and engaging male vocals. The mix of DD & BA setups work together to create a warm & detailed midrange, and that plays the perfect magic. It renders Alan Jackson’s voice with accuracy and presents it with rich timber. When listening to tracks like “Remember When,” the IEM ensures that the lower midrange captures the depth and resonance of his vocals, giving a full-bodied and authentic sound. The slightly forward presentation in the midrange allows Jackson’s voice to stand out without overshadowing the instruments in the composition.

The Aful Explorer renders a natural and enjoyable presentation of male vocals and controls any sibilance that may occur with certain consonants like “s” or “t” very well.


FEMALE VOCALS:

The bright feature of Aful Explorer is its female vocals, which are rich and engaging to listen to. It portrays female vocals in a natural tone and clarity. The hybrid driver set-up to ensure that female vocals are presented with information in detail.

Listening to "Beautiful Goodbye" by Amanda Marshall is simply magic. From the very beginning of the track, it captures every texture of her breathy voice-even the most subtle note is audible. That clarity is admirable; there isn't any muddiness between the vocals and the piano playing in the background in the same frequency range. As the song becomes emotionally deeper, the intensity of Marshall's vocal delivery increases, and here, the IEM shows its finesse by not distorting it and keeps the natural timber, texture, and airiness of the vocalist.

It’s not the perfect scenario all the time, there are some limitations. As the midrange is smooth, certain female vocals may occasionally exhibit a slight recession, making them feel less forward.

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TREBLE:

The Aful Explorer is a very good treble performer and walks a line between smooth detail and a touch of warmth. It manages to strike a balance between extension and decay. The treble sits forward in the line with the midrange, creating an airy sensation and adding clarity.

While listening to Metallica’s “The Unforgiven ii,” I was amazed by the precise transition of the mix of guitar riffs and delicate acoustic interludes. The treble is well-extended, capturing the tiny details of the cymbal crashes and high-hat patterns without being harsh. The IEM manages to maintain a perfect balance and allows the treble to shine without overpowering the mids or bass.

But listeners who love sparkle in treble or love brighter sound signature will not be satisfied with the treble section of Aful Explorer, as its approach is to deliver a fatigue free and clear treble.


INSTRUMENTS SEPARATION:

The Aful Explorer is a fantastic performer in this section and has a commendable instrument separation, a critical feature for audiophiles. It’s driver configuration contributes to its ability to maintain distinct layers of sound across different frequencies.

One of my very favorite bands is Pink Floyd, and I listen to them almost every day. Their thoughtful lyrical track “Us & Them” is known for its complex layering and rich instrument arrangement. The Aful Explorer manages to distinctly present them all. From the mellow saxophone solo to the delicate synthesized keyboards, they were presented in such a way that you could point each instrument in different position on the stage.When the backing vocals and saxophone interplay in the chorus, they have been dearly delineated in great depth and dimension to this performance.

There are some limitations: on very dense tracks, a few listeners may notice a slight crowding of the lower mids that can give instruments that fall in that range a somewhat indistinct character. And even though the high frequencies are usually very clear, they can sometimes be just a little sharp and stand out enough to take away from the overall sense of smoothness in the presentation.

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SOUNDSTAGE:

While the Aful Explorer presents a more intimate soundstage, its midrange is more forward-projecting and starts to place components closer to the listener. The soundstage isn't small, per se-it's got a respectable breadth and an above-average depth to flesh out and create a more immersive listening experience.

The Explorer shows its capabilities and limitations in soundstage performance while listening to the rocking track "Kashmir" by Led Zeppelin. Dynamic strings, powerful brass, and Page's iconic guitar riffs-the IEM presented all those elements in a very distinctive way and placed them in a manner that gives a good sense of space separation. John Bonham's thunderous drumming feels impactful while Robert Plant's vocals are positioned up front.

For those audiophiles who enjoy an extremely wide soundstage, the Aful Explorer may fall a little short. As great as it is with respect to horizontal separation-clear and distinguishable as right and left-the IEM isn't as strong with regard to depth and vertical presentation.

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CABLE & TIP ROLLING:

To me, these are very important, because I like to hear the sound to its full potential and with comfort, as I’m a marathoner, who loves to enjoy music for 5–6 hours straight. There is nothing to say about cable swapping, as Aful delivered one of the best stock cables with the Explorer. But you can try different cables, if you have them in collection. The stock cable can deliver the original sound signature with ease but to me, the NiceHCK MixPP is the first cable to use & examine after the stock one. I found it works well with most of the IEM I own and also fits & sounds very well with the Explorer. It didn’t make any change in the signature but pushed up a bit to optimize the full potential of the IEM.

Now, ear tips. The Explorer comes with six pairs of totally non usable, cheap-looking, and basic silicon tips, which I didn’t bother to use. Spinfit W1, Omni, CP145, CP100+, Divinus Velvet, Tangzu Tan Sanchi, Dunu S&S, TRN Clarion, and Pinon Liqueur all fit well to the nozzle. After a lot of research with various ear tips, my top picks are Dunu S&S and TRN Clarion. S&S make a good seal and give you the perfect comfort but Clarion makes the mids livelier and adds a bit openness in soundstage while giving you a very good fit & comfort. With clarion, you will find that, the vocals (male & female) are rendered quite lively. So, my obvious choice here is the ‘TRN Clarion.’ If you don’t have this, don’t bother to buy one, they are very cheap and easy to find.

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Who should get the Aful Explorer:

The Aful Explorer is a well-rounded and versatile IEM that is perfect for:

1. Warm sound lovers
2. Detail-Oriented audiophiles
3. Genre hoppers
4. Loves thick vocals
5. Comfort seekers
6. Love aesthetics in IEM design
7. Budget conscious audiophiles.



Maybe look elsewhere if:

Though it is an all-rounder, it has its own cavities. It’s not perfect for:

1. Treble lovers
2. Seeking ultimate energy in vocals (especially female)
3. Loves IEM made of metal
4. Wide soundstage seekers
5. Requires critical listening needs
6. ‘BA timber’ nitpickers.



CONCLUSION:

The Aful Explorer is ideal for any budget-conscious audiophile who values a balanced and engaging, warm sound signature. Although it may lack the largest of soundstages or deepest low-end extension, its midrange is warm and detailed, its mid-bass punchy, and treble smooth yet detailed. This makes for a clean and pleasant listen devoid of listening fatigue, regardless if one's favorite genres range from rock, pop, and metal to country, jazz, and blues. Adding more value to the package is the comfortable shape, secure fit, and stylish aesthetics. If you want a fatigue-free listening experience, focusing on clear vocals and well-defined instruments, then be prepared to receive one of the best sonic experiences on a budget with the Aful Explorer.

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Last edited:
MotherX1
MotherX1
Those pics are lovely. Just like out of the world like the explorer. Also great expectations and writing. 🫠
MD Rohit
domq422
domq422
Truly stunning photography. I am very impressed. Thanks for sharing!

d m41n man

100+ Head-Fier
AFUL Explorer - Setting a New Waypoint
Pros: • Balanced sound with a warm tilt yet never boring
• Ample quality bass with impact and definition
• Smooth transition to the mids with note weight
• Beautiful blue shells and faceplate
• Lightweight comfy build and quality cable
• Resolution is above par for the price
• Technicalities and timbre equal (and may even be better) than the older Performer5
Cons: • Smooth treble could use some more crispness and sparkle
• Intimate imaging and stage
• May sound a bit congested at times
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Introduction
Yes, I know. Countless memes have been written about the brand but there's no denying what AFUL have paced since its introduction to the mass market. Starting off with the Performer5, I can understand its appeal to most people but I myself couldn't get over its apparent BA timbre. The sequel though is a set I am truly fond off. There is yet a set that to topple the detail retrieval, technicalities and the neutral balance of the Performer8 for me at the $300 range. I may have missed its Chinese counterparts with the Band series but they have established their footing with their patented technologies setting them apart from the other brands on the Chifi world. Never afraid to 'explore', they came out with the MagicOne and conducted a clinic on how to properly do a resonator with a single BA setup. The MagicOne remains my neutral staple apart from the Etymotic series. Now, they're back taking risks on their proprietary tech and now we have the Explorer, seemingly their budget take from the now defunct Performer3 name. Let's take a look on how the Explorer sets a new waypoint to AFUL's journey in establishing its name amongst the chi-fi flood.

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Packaging and Inclusions
AFUL comes in with the necessary basics. Upon unveiling of the black box after unsleeving the cover, you are greeted with the nice nubuck zipcase and the beuatiful IEMs themselves along with some documentations like quality check certificate etc. The zipcase contains the very nice quality cable as well as 6 pairs of eartips. Just the right basics though it is recommended to tiproll especially if you're not getting the proper seal. As always, AFUL products seem to get gist in comfort as always since it doesn't stress your ears with its 3D Pressure Balance technology providing long hours of wear without the discomfort.

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Build
The AFUL Explorer just looks gorgeous in its blue starry skylight finish in a resin shell. It features a 1DD+2BA configuration featuring an acoustic bass tube and 3D special-shaped resonator giving the frequencies its natural decay and extension in combination with their patented RLC network frequency distribution. Basically, you get all the tech from the Performer series and MagicOne combined to give you a unique sounding product at an affordable price.

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Sound and Comparisons
The AFUL Explorer provides a balanced and natural sound unlike any other. I wouldn't definitely classify it as neutral but the holistic quantity of each frequency level makes it delight to listen to. From the ample and generous amount of bass (not skimping on quality either) to its smooth transition to the hefty and weighty mids. I wouldn't call it bloated but they do carry a natural note weight to them especially with male vocals. The timbre is also spot on, with very little BA timbre to nitpick on. The treble is smooth with minimal grain but somehow could use just a bit more sparkle to give it more air of you will especially since the presentation of the set is mostly intimate and close. Stage and imaging seem a bit narrow and closed in though I appreciate that despite the low physical count of drivers, the resolution do come through and is more than most sets in its price range. I also prefer the overall naturalness and timbre of the Explorer than its older sibling the Performer5. I can listen to the Explorer for hours for pleasure listening. That's quite something though as you would consider this set a contrast if you ever find the Simgot EA500 not to your liking. This is a definite consideration especially if you find the Simgot sets to bright. If you ever find yourself, looking for a different flavor to the Simgots as well as a more fun, easier-to-drive MagicOne then you might want to check the Explorer. It will not sound redundant and yet it is still tuned very well to avoid any quirkiness.

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Conclusion
The AFUL Explorer is just the IEM you would want for pure pleasure listening and chilling to your library at the same time not find it boring all the while not looking for anything to nitpick. It sounds natural enough for you not to care about it being the affordable sibling of the AFUL stable. Combine that with the awesome looks that shouldn't even be in this price bracket. This is another winner for AFUL and they just continue to churn these rather under-the-radar releases. I would recommend for the majority as it is worth to check it out and have a listen. I brought this in a local meet and they find listening to it enjoying more for longer periods than a certain known set that costs more than double. That says a lot for a set worthy to explore.

Sidenotes:
IEM set has been listened via the Sony ZX-707, AK Kann Alpha, AFUL SnowyNight and Cayin RU7 separately using the Divinus Velvets eartips over the course of multiple genres across FLACs (16bit&24bit) and streaming (Tidal). The AFUL Explorer is available in HiFiGo for $119 - https://hifigo.com/products/aful-explorer


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Argha
Argha
Just wondering how is it sounding congested with good tech ?
d m41n man
d m41n man
@Argha the details are there, there’s pinpoint imaging but the instruments and vocals are closed-in near the middle. Intimate meaning it’s singing/whispering close to you but somehow sounds more natural. Though it actually provides better articulation and information than the Performer5 (for me) which has apparent BA timbre.
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Argha
Argha
Getting accuracy at this Price point is pretty insane. Glad to see Aful Pulled that off this nicely
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jeromeoflaherty

Head-Fier
Pragmatic Excellence - Lets explore the 'Explorer'
Pros: Excellent build quality with lovely looking shell
Excellent bass / sub-bass from the dynamic drivers
Good balanced midrange ( other than one problem area )
Treble is very smooth - very easy to EQ for more 'sparkle' without sibilance
Cons: Female vocals might sound a bit muted
Shell might be a little large (and opinionated) for some

Possible the best hybrid IEM in the $100-$150 price range?​

With the Explorer, AFUL has seamlessly integrated the innovative single BA driver design of the Magic One, known for its resonator chamber technology and exceptional sound fidelity, with the multi-driver hybrid configuration of the Performer series. The promise of this combination should offer both the clarity and precision of best balanced armature drivers and the dynamic range and bass impact of dynamic drivers.

But does the Explorer live up to this promise. Read on to find out.

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Introduction​

I have been enjoying the explorer for a few weeks and I finally feel like I can share some of my findings.

Note: I would like to thank hifigo for providing the Aful Explorer for the purposes of this review. It currently retails for $119 which as you will see is an excellent price for this IEM.
If you are interested in more information about the Aful Explorer check it the details on their website and on hifigo
Let’s start to explore what you get in the box.

Unboxing Experience and Box Contents​

The unboxing experience of the AFUL Explorer is straightforward and elegant.

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Removing the other covering you get a nice understated box:

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Upon opening the box, you are immediately greeted by the beautifully designed Explorer IEMs.
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The case features a combination of hard and soft materials, with a firm structure on the upper and lower sides and a softer texture around the zipper area.

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Inside the case, you’ll find the cable of the AFUL Explorer and two sets of silicone ear tips. One set is white and made of white, soft silicone, while the other set is darker in color and made of harder silicone.
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While the provided ear tips are functional, I highly recommend using your favorite ear tips for a more comfortable and personalized experience. I used the provided eartips (medium size) for some measurements, but I mainly used my favourite Dunu XL eartips for my listening. Though as I will explain in the listening impressions section I did spend a few days experimenting with different eartips.

I really like the build quality and design of shells - you do get that ‘stars’ in the night sky vibe from these IEMs:
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They really are very beautiful shells:
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Build Quality and Comfort​

The earpieces are ergonomically crafted to provide a very comfortable fit, even during prolonged listening sessions.

I brought the Explorer out with me on numerous long walks, I am doing ‘Camino’ walk across northern Spain again this year, and I am on the lookout for the perfect quality IEM for this walk. Bluetooth TWS sets while they are getting better do not sound as good as a wired IEM and I like to listen in comfort for the 4-5 hours of walking each day.

So I have both getting fit for my trip and also auditioning at the same time in the past week or so. So these are very comfortable. To get a feel for the shape I recorded a few short videos.

Firstly just on their own:

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And from a different angle:

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And finally in comparison with a Truthear Zero Red, which is similar in size but actually feels larger in my ears and where the angle of the nozzle is quiet different than the Explorer. The opinated ’lip’ on the Explorer also works well for me to keep the explorer from ‘moving’ around while I was walking.

I would guess that more people will find the explorer more comfortable than the Zero Red. But it is a large IEM, so for the other extreme, I have shown it with the much smaller Moondrop Chu II in this visual comparison:

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One thing you can see in these videos is there is no ‘filter’ covering the nozzle of the Explorer, does this make a difference? Probably not but over time I would recommend make sure to clean the nozzle.

Additionally, the IEM features a vent positioned in the outer corner, strategically placed to prevent contact with the ears and ensure the ears don’t cover the vent.

The resin earpieces’ blue face plates do resemble a galaxy, evoking a stunning visual reminiscent of a starry sky. Here they are again this time with my Dunu XL eartips (with some ‘custom’ foam embeded for added comfort):
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Overall, the AFUL Explorer’s design and construction are not only aesthetically pleasing but also contribute to a comfortable and enjoyable listening experience.

Sound Quality​

So I started my listening tests with my usual ‘audiophile’ playlist, and I was immediately very impressed with the sound, in almost all my sample tracks it provided an excellent tonality. But I did notice with some female vocal tracks, for example, “Summertime” by “The Sundays” I felt the singer’s voice was slightly muted compared with the jangly guitars on that track.

But let’s get into the details:

Bass​

The AFUL Explorer has an impressive bass response, tracks like “Limit of your Love” by James Blake had that deep yet accurate subwoofer bass that can be hard for cheaper IEM’s to produce, on other tracks like Hunter by Bjork at the 13 second mark the bass kick you get from the Explorer really lifts the overall experience of that song.

The mid-bass of the Explorer is punchy, powerful and delivers a strong slam and most importantly does not over power the midrange and provides a nice balance with the treble.

Midrange​

Other than a slight issue with some female vocals I found the midrange to be excellent, in some respects specifically around male vocals and piano and guitars the midrange reminded me of one of my favourite IEM’s from last year the Kiwi Ears Orchestra Lite for that ability to provide slight forwardness which is especially welcome if you listen to lots of pop, rock and acoustic based music.

Treble​

The treble for me was very smooth and accurate but never sibilant, I would guess people might call this a ‘boring’ sound and I can imagine some ‘reviewers’ saying the technicalities were not great but in reality the treble had no obviously flaws ( I even listened to some ‘audio sweeps’ to make sure the treble had no peaks or troughs ) and it was excellent.

What this means is if you really want to do a simple EQ of the Treble from the 7K+ up it will take to simple treble EQ “shelf” or just adjusting the treble in your music player to preference will do a nice job. “Over There” by “Japanese House” has some treble “peaks” which can sound a bit harsh on some incorrectly tuned IEM’s but not on the Explorer - I found that track can be a good way to subjectively get the right level of treble adjustment (if that is your preference), e.g. play it a few times adjusting the treble until you are happy and because of the smooth “non-peaky” treble beyond 7K it will be at that appropriate level throughout your listening experience.

Soundstage and Imaging​

The Explorer soundstage was good, but you cannot expect miracles with IEM’s, it will sound like its inside your head. The stage isn’t too wide, but just right providing a balanced sense of space and depth that enhances the overall listening experience. The details provided by the accurate treble and the excellent left/right channel matching (as you will see in the measurements) meant I got super accurate placement say while listening to “Fleetwood Mac” “Rumours” album (always a great test of the imaging accuracy IMO), you can imagine the band standing in 3D space in front of you during each song.

Overall, the sound out of the box is excellent and while I did do some tweaks ultimately to the sound profile (mainly using alternative ear-tips) you should not feel like you will need to do this.

Specifications and Measurements​

First here at the provided specifications:

  • Model: AFUL Explorer
  • Impedance: 26Ω ±10%
  • Sensitivity: 108dB/mW
  • Frequency Response: 10Hz - 30kHz
  • Cable Length: 1.2m
  • Driver Configuration: 1 Dynamic Driver + 2 Balanced Armatures
  • Cable Connector: 2-Pin (0.78mm)
  • Cable Termination: 4.4mm Balanced or 3.5mm
  • Effective Sound Pressure Level Range: 20 - 108dB
Aful provided a nice diagram of the internal structure of the Explorer:

internals.jpg



Frequency Response​

^Note: All these measurements (unless otherwise stated) where measured on my 711 Clone coupler using REW. And are available on my IEM measurement database here ^

Let us start with the ‘default’ frequency response with the supplied medium ear tips and compared with the Harman Adjust IE target:

graph-21 Medium.jpeg



But let’s get into some ‘Audio nerdy’ analysis.

First thing I noticed was how consistent the left and right channel measurements where. This is something you definitely do not get with sub $100 IEMs. This helps with imaging and overall clarity.

The second thing I noticed was the shortfall between 2K and 8K but this area (more specifically the 2K - 4K region) is where most people now because the 2019 Harman IE target is wrong and the community believe we will revised target soon. The ’new’ idea is mostly we have a preference tilt to show how this works lets compare the Explorer with the ‘Truthear Zero Red’ (which is close to a Harman reference):
graph-19 Medium.jpeg


So you can see the Truthear has less bass and more treble than the Explorer. This is there is now a trend to ’tilt’ the sound signature to be closer to ‘ideal’. This can be very subjective but it’s an interesting trend IMO and from the IEM’s that I have listened to it is a welcome change.

Aful were obviously tuning the Explorer for this ’tilt’ which is relaxed pinna region treble but may have overshot the mark slightly. To get to the bottom of this, I decided to compare my measurement with 2 of the most hyped (for their tuning) recent IEM’s in the Moondrop Dusk (specifically the ‘DSP/ USB’ tuning) and the new Dunu DaVinci. To illustrate this here is a comparison using data from GizAudio’s Squiq.link (with my Explorer measurements uploaded):

graph-22 Medium.jpeg


Note: The ‘Project Red’ is the Truthear Zero Red

So hopefully you can see that both of these highly recommended $300+ IEM’s have very similar bass and midrange to the Aful explorer and a similar (though not as dramatic) ‘relaxed’ 2K-8K compared to the ‘Harman’ and Harman tuned IEM's and in this case the Truthear Zero Red.

At this point, I thought the Aful Explorer was good but maybe some EQ, but then I decided to measure some alternative eartips (since I had subjectively switched to my Dunu XL and some Foam eartips pretty early in my listening tests) I thought I should measure the difference some eartips make in this specific region:

graph-18 Medium.jpeg


So this graph shows a lot of key information IMO, firstly with the 3 different eartips I measured the only area that changes is the treble, the bass and midrange are mostly identical. The triple flange was obviously the most dramatic and not recommended unless you want that ‘Harman’ IE boost in this region. The Foam tips on the other hand nicely boosted the treble in the 2K-5K region.

Also, I highlighted a few other things on this graph for a bit of analysis:

  1. Da Vinci has too much bass - the Aful Explorer has a better bass
  2. This upper midrange boost is very reminisent of one of my favourite IEM’s from last year the Kiwi Ears Orchestra Lite - I will show a comparison graph in a second
  3. In this upper treble region, if you want that ‘sparkly’ treble you would to boost (a simple treble shelf will do as the Treble is very smooth on the Explorer with no annoying peaks and no sibiliance issues - it is sort of perfect to allow a smooth treble boost to taste)
So with that midrange comparison with the Kiwi Ears mentioned in 2 above here is a comparison graph:

graph-23 Medium.jpeg


The Kiwi ears Orchestra Lite has a similar midrange ‘boost’ between 1K - 2K but continues while the Explorer does start to recess the treble extension around 2K to bring in more inline with this ’tilt’ as mentioned above.

Overall in summary, I think the Frequency response of the Explorer is excellent out of the box, but I would recommend exploring some alternative ear tips like the Foam or maybe a double flange, and then it is a simple treble boost (only if it is your preference), with these tweaks you will get very close to the latest ‘hyped’ tuning, but I should repeat this already excellently tuned ’laided back’ sounding IEM.

If you want some slight EQ this is what I would recommend - not I think it is incorrect to EQ this straight to the Harman IE 2019 target - but since it is what we have I have shown what I believe ( without doing ear tip rolling ) which would be the best sounding EQ for this IEM:

EQ recommendation.jpeg


So I am showing the EQ which was applied to the default measurement and not the Foam ear tips. This is 2 simple filters:

Filter 1: ON PK Fc 5000 Hz Gain 3.0 dB Q 1.300 Filter 2: ON HSC Fc 9000 Hz Gain 2.0 dB Q 1.300 And Filter 2 is totally optional and was just a preference of mine.

Finally, let delve into some other measurements which can be important:

Distortion​

Distortion is well controlled even at 94 dbSPL - always below audible limits:
L Aful Explorer Distortion SPL.jpg


Shown as a %, again it shows nothing to worry about you are getting the music as without any colouring:
L Aful Explorer Distortion Percent.jpg

Group Delay​

For those interested here is the Group delay showing no problems with any of the internal crossovers between the DD and the 2 BA’s:

L Aful Explorer GD.jpeg


Rating​

I have given the Explorer a 4.5 star pragmatic rating. It is an obvious step up in quality over the sub $100 IEM’s while offering a tuning which is good without any tweaks but is easily adjusted by those who use their own eartips (like myself).

People more used to an Harman tuning might want to use more EQ but I do not think that is correct for the Aful as the industry is moving in the correct direction now and with the Aful Explorer you can mostly experience that direction and I can’t wait to hear that they doing with future models in the Explorer series.

Conclusion​

The AFUL Explorer is a standout IEM that offers a unique sound signature that will appeal to a wide range of listeners. With its powerful bass, detailed midrange and a smooth treble region which can be manipulated easily, the Explorer delivers a listening experience that is both engaging and immersive. The impressive build quality, comfortable fit, and thoughtful design further enhances its appeal.

While it may not be perfect (no IEM in this price range is perfect), the Explorer’s combination of advanced technologies and sound quality makes it an excellent choice for anyone seeking a high-performance IEM at a reasonable price. It is a signicant step up in quality over sub $100 IEMs. I highly recommended for its value and sonic performance.

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Syan25
Syan25
This review is really great. You have the objective measurements and the subjective impressions. I want to get one now...
J
jmwant
An excellent, detailed review of my favorite IEM.
Syan25
Syan25
What makes it your favourite?

o0genesis0o

Headphoneus Supremus
AFUL Explorer - The AFUL Basshead
Pros: + BASS
+ Stereo imaging, particularly depth and layering
+Well implemented L-shaped sound signature
+ Fit and comfort
+ Price
Cons: - The stock cable has too aggressive ear hooks
- A few dB extra around 3-5kHz could improve the articulation and dynamic
If you have ever talked about IEMs with me, you would likely notice two points: (1) I have a soft spot for the IEM manufacturer AFUL, and (2) I constantly refresh the news to wait for the release of the mythical AFUL flagship IEM - Cantor. So, needless to say, I was a bit disappointed when latest release from AFUL was not Cantor, but a 3-driver hybrid IEM named Explorer. Is it a distraction when the Cantor is getting ready for the limelight or another tour de force like the Magic One last year? Let’s read on to find out, my friends.

Explorer_00013.jpg


Forewords​

  • What I look for in an IEM is immersion. I want to feel the orchestra around my head, track individual instruments, and hear all of their textures and details. I’m not picky about tonality, as long as it is not make the orchestra, violin, cellos, and pianos sound wrong.
  • I rate IEMs within with a consistent scale from 1 (Poor) to 3 (Good) to 5 (Outstanding). An overall ranking of 3/5 or above is considered positive.
  • Ranking list and measurement database are on my IEM review blog.
  • Terms used in my reviews are consistent with the glossary by Headphonesty
  • This review is based on a review sample from Hifigo (Thank you!). I have no affiliation with or financial interest in Hifigo and AFUL.
  • The unit retails for $119 at the time this review was published. Unaffiliated links: Aliexpress, HiFiGo, Amazon US, Amazon JP

General Information​

The AFUL Explorer is a 3-driver hybrid IEM featuring a blend of two balanced armature (BA) drivers and one 8mm dynamic driver (DD). The BA drivers are responsible for mid and high frequencies, while the DD handles the bass. The Explorer employs a sophisticated 3-way electronic and acoustic crossover design, referred to by AFUL as the “RLC Network Frequency Division.” This system divides the incoming electrical signal among the three drivers, each of which directs sound through its own independent sound tube. These BA drivers are custom-designed, making their debut in AFUL’s previous model, the Magic One. The sound tubes themselves are 3D printed, incorporating intricate coils and curves to precisely manage air volume within the tubes. This design aids in sound dampening and utilizes Helmholtz resonance to fine-tune the frequency response of the drivers. Overall, the AFUL Explorer integrates several intriguing technologies. Do they translate to superior sound quality? We will see.

Non-sound Aspects​

Packaging and accessories: The packaging of the AFUL Explorer is unassuming and compact. Within the box, the earpieces and accessories are securely nestled in custom-cut foam. A small, round carrying case is provided, along with six sets of generic silicone ear tips. The included IEM cable features a 2-wire design and terminates with a 4.4mm jack, though a 3.5mm version is also available. One notable downside of the cable is the aggressive ear hooks, which can become uncomfortable after prolonged use.

Explorer_00001.jpg
Explorer_00002.jpg
Explorer_00003.jpg
Explorer_00004.jpg
Explorer_00005.jpg
Explorer_00006.jpg
Explorer_00007.jpg


Earpieces design: The earpieces are crafted using 3D printing technology from a lightweight plastic material, polished to a smooth and shiny finish. Their design mimics the shape of Custom IEMs (CIEM), offering a stable fit. These earpieces are notably smaller than typical CIEM-shaped IEMs, enhancing their comfort and fit. The 2-pin connector on the earpieces sits flush, maintaining a sleek profile. A vent hole at the bottom of the IEM helps release pressure from the dynamic driver, while the narrow, moderately long nozzles are consistent with previous AFUL designs.

Explorer_00008.jpg
Explorer_00009.jpg


Fit, comfort, and isolation: Thanks to their small, lightweight construction and narrower nozzles, the AFUL Explorer earpieces provide a very comfortable fit. Noise isolation is commendable, making these IEMs suitable for use on public transportation or in noisy environments.

Explorer_00010.jpg
Explorer_00011.jpg


Ear tips recommendation: For optimal fit, ear tips that allow for a deeper insertion are recommended, ensuring the earpieces rest securely against the concha of the ears. Personally, I find Tri Clarion ear tips to be an excellent choice.

Sonic Performance​

Testing setup:

  • Sources: iBasso DX300, Luxury & Precision W4, FiiO K7, HiBy R3II
  • Cable: Stock cable with 4.4mm termination
  • Ear tips: Tri Clarion medium
Timbre, tonality, and tonal balance: Figure shows the frequency response of AFUL Explorer against the Harman in-ear target. Measurements were done with an IEC-711-compliant coupler and might only be compared with other measurements from this same coupler. Above 8kHz, the measurement might not be correct. Visit my graph database for more comparisons.

Explorer_graph.png


It is helpful to think of an IEM as a filter that highlights or subdues different parts of the incoming audio signal. This effect can be measured objectively by the squiggly lines above, called Frequency Response (FR) graphs, which measure how loud an IEM is at different frequencies from 20Hz (bass) to 20kHz (upper treble). Subjectivity is how your ears and brain interpret the effect of that filter on your music and decide whether it is “enjoyable.” There are some “rules of thumb” when it comes to tonality, but most interesting IEMs usually bend the rules masterfully.

The sound signature of the AFUL Explorer belongs to the rare breed known as “L-shaped.” This signature is characterized by a pronounced bass response, a neutral-warm midrange, and an evenly extended treble that reaches far into the upper treble region. Bass instruments, such as double basses, lower strings of cellos, and trombones, are distinctly highlighted whenever they appear in the mix. Fortunately, this emphasis does not overpower the rest of the mix or create a “muffled” sensation.

Explorer_00014.jpg


For instance, when listening to Bach’s violin sonatas and partitas performed by Kavakos, the violin’s natural timbre is preserved with perhaps a touch more richness than usual, without any sense of unnaturalness. Similarly, in Vivaldi’s Four Seasons performed by Janine Jansen, the string instruments sound natural while the cellos and basses provide a prominent low-pitch rumble that anchors the performance with a sense of power. On the track “ABC (feat. Sophia Black)” from Polyphia’s album “Remember That You Will Die,” the bass slam is significant, yet the vocals remain clear and separated from the chaotic background instruments.

The treble loudness varies between tracks, with cymbals and hats usually in line with or behind the midrange instruments, resulting in a smooth and detailed treble that avoids being piercing or harsh. However, my only complaint about the tonality of the AFUL Explorer is that the upper midrange feels a few decibels too subdued, leading to a lack of “shine” and edge in female vocals and brass instruments, particularly around the 3kHz and 4kHz regions. Despite this, AFUL has done an excellent job with the L-shaped sound signature of the Explorer, creating a pleasant and natural tonality that works well with a variety of music genres while offering a fresh presentation compared to other IEMs that converge toward a Harman-like tonality. Overall, I rate the tonality of the Explorer as great (4/5).

Bass and perceived dynamic:

The AFUL Explorer’s bass performance can be evaluated through three distinct aspects: the articulation of transients, the weight of the transients, and the texture of the bass note itself. In terms of weight and transient response, the Explorer excels, providing a powerful and physical impact that is particularly evident in tracks like “Playing God” by Polyphia, where each bass drop is accompanied by a satisfying sense of air being pushed against the eardrum. Additionally, the texture of the bass is noteworthy, allowing me to discern the detailed rumble of double basses in orchestral pieces and the intricate low-pitch lines of bass guitars.

Explorer_00015.jpg


While the Explorer’s articulation of transients is acceptable, I personally still prefer even sharper attack and more pronounced bass slams. This could potentially be improved with added energy around the 5kHz region. Overall, the bass performance of the AFUL Explorer stands out, making it a key highlight of this IEM, earning a commendable rating of 4/5 (great).

Resolution: To me, “resolution” can be broken down into three components: (1) Sharpness, incisiveness, or “definition” of note attacks (see the figure above). (2) The separation of instruments and vocals, especially when they overlap on the soundstage. (3) The texture and details in the decay side of the notes. The first two give music clarity and make it easy to track individual elements of a mix. The last provides music details and nuances.

resolution.jpg


At a first listen, the AFUL Explorer might seem less incisive and articulate than it truly is due to its tonal balance. However, upon closer inspection, it becomes clear that note attacks remain well-defined, without being overly smoothed or rounded off. The attack edges of the notes are present, albeit less emphasized. The separation is commendable, although not without flaws. For instance, in more chaotic tracks such as those by Polyphia, it becomes challenging to distinguish and follow individual elements within the mix. This observation of “commendable, although not without flaws” extends to the details and textures of the musical notes in the midrange produced by the Explorer.

Explorer_00016.jpg


One area where Explorer impresses me was the resolution of the treble. When focusing on cymbals and hi-hats in Polyphia tracks, I can discern subtle details in the decay of cymbal hits, rather than just a high-pitched splashy noise. In direct comparison to my benchmark IEMs, the AFUL Explorer matches the resolution of the Moondrop Blessing 2, which I consider my standard for a “Good” rating of 3/5. Consequently, I rate the resolution of the AFUL Explorer as 3/5 (Good).

Stereo imaging and soundstage: Stereo imaging or “soundstage” is a psychoacoustic illusion that different recording elements appear at various locations inside and around your head. Your brain creates based on the cues in the recording, which are enhanced or diminushed by your IEMs, your DAC, and your amplifier. In rare cases, with some specific songs, some IEMs can trick you into thinking that the sound comes from the environment (a.k.a., “holographic”)

soundstage.png


The soundstage of the AFUL Explorer is somewhat confined, with the “sphere of sound” primarily located within my head. Yet, this presentation offers a sense of three-dimensionality. Beyond the typical left-to-right placement of instruments, I can discern a clear sense of near-to-far positioning. Occasionally, instruments and vocals seem to float higher in the stage, almost as if they are above me.

Explorer_00017.jpg


Typically, the bass lines are positioned closer, while the midrange is set further back. Adjusting the volume also affects the perceived distance of the soundstage; at lower volumes, the bass feels more immediate and central whilst the midrange sits further back reminding me of listening to my near-field speakers, while at higher volumes, the midrange becomes more prominent, with the bass pushed forward all the way to the back of my head. Overall, I would rate the soundstage and imaging performance of the AFUL Explorer as good (3/5), with the depth and layering it achieves compensating for the otherwise compressed stage.

Multimedia usage:

When it comes to FPS gaming with the AFUL Explorer, I find the experience quite immersive. The soundstage presents itself in a spherical manner, allowing me to gauge the direction and distance of various in-game sounds fairly accurately. However, I do notice that the positioning could be a bit sharper.

Explorer_00018.jpg


As for multimedia usage, particularly movies and video games, the bass of the AFUL Explorer adds a layer of depth and atmosphere to the audio. It enriches the sound, making cinematic experiences more engaging and interactive.

Pairing​

AFUL Explorer is a rather easy-to-drive IEM. It delivers a decent performance straight out of the Apple dongle. However, its true potential begins to unfold when paired with slightly more capable sources, such as micro digital audio players like the HiBy R3II. Here, the stage of the AFUL Explorer can extend marginally, offering a slightly enhanced listening experience. For those seeking an even further improvement in sound quality, transitioning to high-end DAPs with stronger amplifiers or integrating it into a desktop setup could yield more noticeable enhancements.

Explorer_00019.jpg


Comparisons​

In comparing the AFUL Explorer against AFUL’s entire lineup, I found distinct differences in tonality, bass quality, soundstage, and resolution.

Explorer_P5_graph.png


When pitted against the AFUL Performer 5, the Explorer offers a smoother, L-shaped tuning compared to the Performer 5’s V-shaped signature. Explorer boasts better bass quality while maintaining a compressed yet more interesting soundstage with improved depth and layering. However, Performer 5 edges out slightly in resolution and note articulation.

Explorer_P8_graph.png


Against the AFUL Performer 8, the Explorer stands out with its more balanced tonality, contrasting the Performer 8’s honky midrange and edgier treble. While Performer 8 excels in resolution, Explorer’s bass quality surpasses it. Despite Performer 8’s technical prowess, Explorer presents a viable alternative with its overall tonal balance.

Explorer_MO_graph.png


Finally, compared to the AFUL Magic One, the Explorer delivers a thicker, denser sound with significantly more bass. While Magic One offers a more open soundstage and superior midrange, Explorer’s bass prowess remains unmatched.

Conclusions​

Explorer_00012.jpg


The AFUL Explorer offers a rare “L-shaped” sound signature characterized by pronounced bass, neutral-warm midrange, and extended treble. Its bass performance excels in weight, transient response, and texture, providing a powerful impact while maintaining detailed rumble. Although the upper midrange feels slightly subdued, AFUL has crafted a pleasant and natural tonality that complements a wide range of music styles. The soundstage, though somewhat confined, exhibits depth and layering, compensating for its compressed nature. Overall, Explorer is another compelling entry and the first basshead in AFUL’s line up.

What I like about this IEM:

  • BASS
  • Stereo imaging, particularly depth and layering
  • Well implemented L-shaped sound signature
  • Fit and comfort
  • Price
What could be improved:

  • The stock cable has too aggressive ear hooks
  • A few dB extra around 3-5kHz could improve the articulation and dynamic
Absolute Sonic Quality Rating: 3.5/5 - Very Good

Bias Score: 4/5 - I like this IEM

Explorer_summary.jpg


Updated: June 1, 2024
BokTroy
BokTroy
This one gets a like just for using Playing God and ABC as test tracks. But it was also a very thorough and well done review.
Argha
Argha
The comparisons are very interesting...
atechreviews
atechreviews
Excellent and comprehensive review. I enjoyed reading it.

baskingshark

Headphoneus Supremus
Pros: Decently accessorized
Small profile, comfortable and lightweight
Easy to drive
Balanced (and unique) neutral with sub-bass tuning, different from the usual Harman suspects
Excellent bass texturing and quality
Clear midrange with no shoutiness in vocals
Smooth and non-fatiguing treble
Solid technicalities - in particular imaging and instrument separation
Cons: Compressed soundstage
Slight BA timbre
DISCLAIMER

I would like to thank HIFIGO for providing this review unit.

The AFUL Explorer can be gotten here: https://hifigo.com/products/aful-explorer (no affiliate links).

Explorer 9.jpg



SPECIFICATIONS
  • Driver configuration: 1 x 8 mm bio-cellulose diaphragm dynamic driver + 2 x self-developed balanced armature drivers
  • Frequency response: 10 Hz - 30 kHz
  • Impedance: 26 Ω
  • Sensitivity: 108 dB/mW
  • Cable: 2-pin, 0.78 mm; copper silver-plated cable; 3.5 mm or 4.4 mm termination available
  • Tested at: $119.99 USD

ACCESSORIES

Other than the IEM, these are included:

- 3 pairs of wide-bore silicone eartips (S/M/L)
- 3 pairs of narrow-bore silicone eartips (S/M/L)
- Cable
- Carrying case

For a $100ish USD set, the accessories are decent enough. A modular cable or even a selection of foam tips or other silicone type variants would have been appreciated, but this array of inclusions is definitely serviceable for this price-bracket.


Explorer 7.jpg


We have 2 variants of silicone tips, the white wide-bore ones boost a bit of treble and soundstaging, whereas the blue narrow-bore ones increase bass with some slight staging compression.


Explorer 5.jpg


We have a stock 2-pin copper silver-plated cable, which AFUL markets to be individually hand-braided. Indeed, this is one of the better stock cables I've encountered in my audio journey - it is supple with zero microphonics or tangling. There's a chin cinch for added grip, and one can opt between a 3.5 mm (single-ended) or 4.4 mm (balanced) cable when placing an order.


Explorer 1.jpg


Last but not least, there is a round clam-shell zipper case, which is semi-rigid. The internals are lined with webbing and a velvety material for cushioning the contents.

The rest of this review was done with the stock cable and stock white silicone tips. No aftermarket accessories were used, so as not to add any confounders to the sound.


BUILD/COMFORT

Explorer 6.jpg


The Explorer's housing features a blue and black cosmic motif. The shells are fashioned from 3D-printed resin, and the earpieces are lightweight and ergonomic, incorporating a small bean-shaped profile. There's a conch protrusion for stabilization during usage, and I did not encounter any discomfort despite using it for longer listening sessions.

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Despite being vented, isolation is above average, and I did not encounter any driver flex on my pair.


INTERNALS

The Explorer is a 3 driver hybrid, comprised of a 1 x 8 mm bio-cellulose diaphragm dynamic driver, plus 2 x self-developed balanced armature drivers.

Like other AFUL products - you can read about the MagicOne for example - this IEM incorporates some innovative tech.

Firstly, we have a special 3D-printed acoustic tube with a deliberately-designed resonator, which elongates the rest of the tubing and enhances bass. This is no gimmick, and as we will read below, this micro-resonator system provides quite a copious amount of sub-bass on this set, more so than what a conventional acoustic tubing can provide.

Explorer 10.jpg


AFUL has also installed a high-damping air pressure system, which relieves ear canal pressure, in addition to boosting bass presence. Also, we have a multi-layered electronic crossover plus RLC network frequency division crossover utilized in this IEM.


DRIVABILITY

I tested the Explorer with the following sources:
- Apple dongle
- Cayin RU7
- Chord Mojo 2
- Fiio KA11 dongle
- Fiio KA17 dongle
- Khadas Tone Board -> Schiit Asgard 3 amp
- Questyle M15 DAC/AMP dongle
- Sony Walkman NW A-55 DAP (Walkman One WM1Z Plus v2 Mod)
- Sony Walkman NW A-55 DAP (Walkman One Neutral Mod)
- Sony Walkman NW WM1A DAP (Walkman One WM1Z Plus v2 Mod)
- Smartphone

This IEM is easily driven, and amplification is not truly required.


SOUND & TECHNICALITIES

AFUL Explorer.jpg

Graph of the AFUL Explorer via IEC711 coupler. 8 kHz is a coupler artefact peak.

Tonally, the Explorer can be described as neutral with a sub-bass boost. This is quite distinctive, compared to the dime-a-dozen Harmanish releases we see every week.

The Explorer is a sub-bass focused set, with the aforementioned bass tubing conferring deep sub-bass extension, with sufficient rumble. This is not a basshead IEM by any means though, but the mid-bass is punchy and speedy, with no mid-bass bleed. Texturing is very solid.

The Explorer's lower midrange is clear and transparent, with no mid-bass encroachment. With a mere 4 dB ear gain, the upper midrange is sedate and pulled back, so we do not encounter shouty vocals - the anti-pinna gain gang would be very pleased here!

The treble is smooth and non-fatiguing, with no sibilance noted. Even though it is not steroid-boosted in the treble - which is a common party trick that CHIFI tuners use to garner "fake" resolution - the Explorer is not lacking in resolution. Note edges are somewhat blunted to remove fatigue. Verily, this is one of those rare IEMs that can be pushed up higher in the volume without getting ice-picks in the ear - as per the Fletcher Munson curve.

In technicalities, as detailed above, the Explorer has a fine grasp of micro-detailing and resolution despite not packing a high-strung treble. Imaging is accurate and instrument separation is excellent, even on tracks with competing complex instrumentation. One area that could be improved, would be the soundstage - while width is above average - height and depth are bang average.

The AFUL Explorer has a tinge of BA timbre in the upper frequencies when acoustic instruments come out to play, but this is not the worst offender here.


COMPARISONS

The AFUL Explorer will be compared against other $100ish USD hybrids. Single DDs, multi-BAs, and planars are left out as the different driver types have their pros and cons.

Explorer 4.jpg



Simgot EM6L

The EM6L is a harmanish hybrid, with less sub-bass but more upper mids than the Explorer. Indeed, this IEM's upper midrange may be somewhat sharp for those who are sensitive to pinna-gain.

The EM6L has a wider soundstage, but has weaker imaging, micro-detailing and instrument separation. The EM6L has a more metallic timbre.


Penon Fan 2 (on the regular 50% off coupon it is a $100 ish set)

The Fan 2 is a warm neutral set, with less bass presence than the Explorer. However, the Fan 2 has a thicker note weight in the lower mids, with better timbral accuracy.

In terms of technicalities, other than soundstage, the Fan 2 loses in other departments such as imaging, instrument separation and micro-detailing. Bass is also not as textured on the Fan 2.

Of note, the Fan 2 has super long nozzles, which may potentially pose a fitting issue for some consumers. The Explorer, in contrast, is very well fitting.


CONCLUSIONS

Explorer 2.jpg


In a sea of Harmanish releases, the AFUL Explorer espouses a unique neutral with sub-bass boost tonality, which is quite balanced for a myriad of music genres.

Bass is the highlight - with a cleverly designed micro-resonator furnishing great sub-bass extension. Fast and clean literally describes the bass quality on offer - we hear punchiness and solid texturing with zero bleed - though it has to be said, the Explorer is not a basshead IEM in terms of sheer quantity.

This IEM's midrange is clean, with no piercing upper midrange; pinna-gain detractors will definitely approve of this! Treble is smooth yet retaining good resolution, which is admittedly a very difficult balance to obtain. The Explorer is one of those rare IEMs that allows users to jack up the volume without the eardrums getting pierced by a massive peak in the upper frequencies, so this will be a good option for those that like to blast their music.

In non-tangible assets, the Explorer is decently accessorized, with comfortable fit, above average isolation and easy drivability, making it a suitable everyday carry (EDC). Some nitpicks would be a soundstage on the intimate side and a small whiff of BA timbre for acoustic instrumentation.

By and large, at the low $100 bracket, the AFUL Explorer stands out for the multiple benefits - tuning, technicalities, externals etc - it brings to the table, with few cons. And all this is with a non-Harman inclined frequency response, so it isn't something we see - or rather, hear - every day. For folks who are keen to upgrade from the budget segment, the Explorer would certainly be a great recommendation.
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Argha
Argha
These risk-taking tunings always impress me
MD Rohit
P
PsyckSmurf
Love this set!

Jaytiss

500+ Head-Fier
Darkness Rising - Aful Explorer
Pros: Powerful and impactful bass response
Vocals are impressive and have no issues with them.
Great clarity
Balanced upper air with Bass, so right.
Great overall tech for the price, at least on the level of the Aful 5.
Treble is smooth and inoffensive
Great overall sound quality at its price.
New case with a zipper is nice for on the go.
Shell is cozy and fits me well
Flexible cable with easy swapping as needed for our cable rollers
Cons: More tips could have been included.
Lower pinna gain isn’t for all
Soundstage is a bit initiate
Tech of this iem is very strong, but not beyond the Aful 8 level.
Vocals can be slightly recessed for some, but not shouty or boring.
This can be bought here:

AFUL Explorer
Aliexpress:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005007061750218.html
HiFiGo:
https://hifigo.com/products/aful-explorer
Amazon US:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D5BBK52C/aful+explorer/
Amazon JP:
https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B0D5BCTRMQ/aful+explorer/

This is a sample sent to me from Hifigo. I’m going to try to be as honest as I can, but I do want my biases to come out.
1716078752675.jpeg

Let me share what music that I listen to:

Song Choice: Tidal list here:
I listen to a wide variety of music. I pick the songs because of various reasons. But I picture myself locked away like Andy Dufresne from Shawshank blasting music and shut off from the world. It’s a blissful image.
The Marriage of Figaro -The opera song from Shawshank Redemption, terrible recording but fun and gets me in the mood to listen to music.
O mio Babino caro -This is a modern less operatic version but a song with great female vocals.
Video Rigoletto - “La donna e mobile” Sung by one of the three Tenors, great song for high-performing male vocals. Pavarotti is the greatest classic singer maybe ever. Fight me!
Iron man - The sound at the beginning is hard to make sound great, great drums, and cymbals, and if done right it feels like an old-school band.
I Will Survive (1981 recording, I like her voice, and the old vocals, the drums, and various natural instruments really make this a favorite for me.
There is a light That never goes out - Smiths ( A classic, I just love it. It’s mellow, and I can tell a lot of the tuning if this song is done right.)
Jump (I like how the sound effects are in this!)
Star Child Someone recommended this song to me, and I like how funky it sounds and has nice vocals and a mix of music and things going on.
Dicke Titten Ramstein The beginning is amazing and the bass hits hard. Great song. I love rock and metal. The German language fascinates me
Master of Puppets: Very fast song. Helps me determine if the driver can keep up.


This is a newer version of my 10 favorite songs that also work for audiofile music.

This is a copy of a bunch of good audiofile music. Some are on my favorites, but all are great to test headphone tracks. (70+)

This is my favorite overall music. 300+ songs (needs to be edited a bit)




Bass (20-60 Sub Bass, 60-250 Hz Mid Bass)

The details of the bass is strong and everything sounds right on it. The bass seems well-controlled and fun. The bass is the one of the better basses I’ve heard in the budget space. Very enjoyable. Good sub and mid bass, clean, and is just a delight overall.

Midrange (250 HZ to 800 HZ Low Mids, 600-200 Hz Mids, 2000-5000Hz Upper Mids)

The midrange of this set is fair. I was concerned about it seeing the graph, but in ear and with critical listening I think it’s very good. The Lower mids are very fair and clean, while the upper mids are a little bit lacking and low, it works for this approach as the air is very nice and the bass is exceptional.




Treble (5000- 10000 Trebble/Highs, 10000 ++ HZ Upper Trebble & Air)

The 5-6k region which is still fairly accurate on a 711 coupler is clean, and very clean at that. I really like this iem in that 5-6k region and helps my sense of enjoyment.

The treble isn’t as smooth as other sets, but the increased bass, and the decreased 5-6 region makes this extremely competitive vs other sets from the brand.



The treble is a good part of this set and this iem has great detail and sparkle for me. It has incredible details that come across in the treble. Looking at the frequency response I would think it would sound neutral or boring without the 3k spike, but I enjoyed it. All the music that I listen to sounds great and I feel that it has a wide beautiful soundstage.

Gaming

Gaming is great on this iem, it’s cozy and has a world class feeling of fit to me. Details sparkle for me, but the treble and space aren’t much better than the Hexa, it is fairly similar and on about the same level. It has a beautiful open and clean sound. The stage isn’t too wide, but just right. Detail retrieval during fights is immaculate, and the imaging vertically and horizontally is fantastic. It has great imaging and a good sense of where I am.

Gaming is somewhat of a meme for ranking, but if a friend wanted a cozy iem to game with good bass and treble. This could be an easy win.

Shell -
The shell is pretty, it fits great and I find it an exceptional fit. It’s small and light. It feels pretty great in ear.


Case- The case is perfect, and I love it. It feels great in hand.


Cable- The cable comes in 3.5 or 4.4. This is a fantastic cable and is pretty much the same texture and feeling of the 400 dollar Elysian Pilgrim.


Tip Selection - The tip selection is fair, and I have no issues with it, but I do see how others might.


Comparisons:





VS Aful 5


Similiar tonality in someways. It is much better than the P5 for me. But has some similarities and it is an option that gets you pretty close to the tonality of this iem. Personally I think the Aful 5 is a great set, but the Explorer is an improvement to my preferences.. If you can’t and only have money for a cheaper set, the Aful Performer 5 is my recommendation at the cheaper price point. I think the

Vs Chopin

A great set, but has issues. This gives you what I think is a better case, cable, and better fit at 80 dollars cheaper. I feel Chopin is a bit overpriced despite being a good set. The mids can come across a bit thin, but if you are a female vocal lover, the Chopin is a nice set. Different tunes, different values, and different user needs. But if I personally think the Explorer would be my recommendation over the Chopin due to price, and sonical qualities being about the same.


Vs P8

More dynamic bass, but P8 is still relevant as it has a lot of details. The tuning is very strong. I think most people given the same price would prefere the Explorer over the P8, not knowing the price.

Vs P5
This is a hard one. Part of me wants to say the P5 is now irrelevant, but I think if you have the P5 maybe you can pass on the Explorer. Yet, part of me likes the Explorer more. I think the Aful 5 is more u shaped, while the Explorer is more of a tactful L shape, to which I don’t find many sets like this save the expensive Jupitier, but that set is nice, yet super expensive.

Vs Magic one
Is more U shaped and it is a presentation that I feel was very hot in 2023 like Supernova, like Monarck mk3, and is a nice tune, but is a bit bright to many ears. I like it, as I think it achieves this tuning at a very good price. For an iem at its price I think it does a lot of great things, and I love it. But is it correct to what I want, no. It’s more of a flex as a company and display that they can do something different. The Explorer is definitely something different, to my ears and preference better.


VS EM6L
Less bright to my ears, better fit, easier to cable swap. To me it’s a better iem. Sonically at least on the same level. But comfort, packaging, and overall presentation of the shell is much better to the Aful to me. Again Simgot em6l is a good recommendation, but the fit for me isn’t there, the cable for me isn’t great, and the all metal shell is bothersome for me personally. To me this gets the recommendation for it.

Vs Pula PA02 and CKLVX

In my opinion these have a nice flat sound signature, but aren’t as nice fitting, and a little boring without the right tonality in the bass. This has this just amazing package and is less money. I see no reason to recommend the Pula PA02 or CKLVX at this time, but if you own these sets I wouldn’t sell them to get he Explorer either. They are still highly relevant and good.



Vs Nova
Nova has great bass as well, but lacks the upper details. Fit is better. Better technicalities. I think the cable is better overall, which adds to comfort. Easier to cable swap as my Nova broke and is on life support. I think the Explorer will last longer and has better air and is a better presentation.

VS Hydro

Smaller, different sound profile, also enjoyable. More neutral and better sense of air in the Explorer. The Hydro is more of a better Dusk, not even close to my ears and cheaper, the Explorer is more of a cheap Jupitier tuning, but it isn’t on the same level as the Jupitier, and if you have the cash the Jupitier is the better set by far. Both are solid values, and I would recommend both. Personally I’d give the Edge to the Explorer, but that won’t take away from my clear recommendation of the Hydro as well. You could get two good iems for the cost of many single iems, and for certain users and cases that is better. The detail in the upper air in Hydro might be better, and the customization of the bass is an increased value. Yet long term comfort, or sleeping in is a concern for the Hydro. Ethically it’s hard for me to recommend KZ/CCA but I also love a comeback kid, both chinese companies but with different values and presentations. KZ shoots a lot of products into the market, Aful doesn’t.

VS Celetee Rentless

I like the lower mids and air of the Explorer better. Relentless is a fun set, with great upper air and you will hear more details but might be exceedingly bright for many. I’m excited to hear more impressions of the Relentless, but I think it achieves a fun V-shaped tuning. I sent mine to a friend who is also a reviewer overseas so I may not have in on hand for direct comparisons. Yet as the Aful product is more comfortable shell, I think they get the edge with a cheaper by 50 dollars. But the sound signatures are so different, I could see your preferences going either way for sure.

The Relentless to me was and still is a cautious if you love V sets to try, but the Exlorer is to me and my preferences would get recommendation a go ahead and blind by set. To which I don’t give many to as most sets have caveats. This set only caveats is the price, but to me 120 isn’t that much, yet for others it is a lot of money, so that is very much a case by case scenario to what you are comfortable paying. Yet, I would recommend to buy from a retailer that takes returns or a demo first if you can. For normal people who don’t own multiple sets, this could easily be end game.



Graph:
6DDU45GmCHaIxz8rYY8RxmzGxNqCQU9-TkLZhNwsCbQCSjHQ5ctXUeUMSS93qDrCjBAEhB29SviEkY2hH__tAxHH-LTPFCn11fsB8FxDxOdCfVoFZgzVSc27TXT5S44oRy3QZo_845RrcQlve1su7mU


Sound - Final Impressions

This is a very good budget option. Obviously our opinions are always different, but with many iems I would give hesitant recommendations or weary recommendations. I feel this iem is a solid pick with the few caveats that I’ve mentioned. It has a nice price, and good value proposition.

Recommended EQ: I use Peace APO to EQ on the PC. This EQ is done to my preference. I recently set up a preference curve on My Squig. So for at least iems, I can use my own graphs now. Please feel free to use the measurements as you want.. Jaytiss.squig.link
Overall this is an amazing iem that could easily be a game for most. The goal for me with an iem is to have an that doesn’t need EQ. This iem, does sound better to me with this eq, more neutral and less colored. This iem has very little to eq, save some in the upper trebble, the rest is incredibly close to my target, weirdly so. This iem does’t need EQ, but I could see people wanting some EQ with it.



Preamp: -3.9 dB
Filter 1: ON PK Fc 20 Hz Gain 0.8 dB Q 0.900
Filter 2: ON PK Fc 42 Hz Gain 0.9 dB Q 1.500
Filter 3: ON PK Fc 93 Hz Gain -0.7 dB Q 2.000
Filter 4: ON PK Fc 220 Hz Gain -1.4 dB Q 1.200
Filter 5: ON PK Fc 1300 Hz Gain -1.4 dB Q 1.900
Filter 6: ON PK Fc 2500 Hz Gain 3.6 dB Q 2.000
Filter 7: ON PK Fc 4000 Hz Gain 3.3 dB Q 2.000
Filter 8: ON PK Fc 5100 Hz Gain -2.4 dB Q 2.000
Filter 9: ON PK Fc 15000 Hz Gain 2.9 dB Q 1.900
Filter 10: OFF PK Fc 0 Hz Gain 0.0 dB Q 0.000



Gifting/who is it for: I think this is a nice hifi iem to gift to someone, it’s just a nice package that it well fitting and fits good. It’s a handsome shell, good looking cable, that is easily swappable. The case is nice. It’s just a lovely set, and product. I have almost no issues with it and absolutely love it, especially at it’s price.


Pairing: I used a Quidelix 5k for mobile, my dongle Dac iBasso DC04 for my laptop, and my JDS lab Atom 2 with a SMSL 6d-s for my Desktop PC. I also tried the iem briefly on the Apple dongle as well. This iem had no issues being driven. Typically I only find overears to really have a hard time being driven and maybe some planar iems. (I personally am not a huge mmcx or planar fan.)


Conclusion
So a few things. I love this set, and maybe am biased as I love the fit of the shells, and the brand overall. But this is a great iem to my ears especially for the mainstream tuning. It’s a lot easier to say a 120 dollar set is worth your time than other sets. This has improved bass and other features. You milage may vary and there are a lot of other sets coming up that are interesting, and I get that. But for a value product, this is extremely impressive to me, and is one of my favorite sets. It checks pretty much every box that I could think with bass, low 5-6k, nice cable, case, comfortable, and best of all, the most affordable Aful yet, and debatably the best. Again their other products aren’t bad, but this provides a unique tuning and value that to me is easy to recommend as an iem reviewer.

They just pulled a Simgot, where their newer product is debatably much better than their older products. I don’t just give this a full recommendation, I give this the highest recommendation that I can. It’s a darn near perfect set, and I fully love it. I love it when companies do stuff like this, and I applaud them for listening to feedback. Better case, cable, and sound to my ears.

If I went to a show and tried a ton of iems and someone said this was 120, I’d buy it in a heartbeat. This is the excitement that I want to share with you guys. Not that this is the best iem ever, but just a nice value product that I fully enjoy.

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o0genesis0o
o0genesis0o
I expected nothing from this IEM, and it blew my mind :dt880smile:
ch1525i
ch1525i
your youtube review inspired me to buy the Explorer and here I am today listening to it at work. You are spot on this is a definite winner and the price it is true value.
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PsyckSmurf
I wish it had a bit more rumble, but otherwise, it's a fun little IEM.
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