AFUL MagicOne

DISCLAIMER
The review I'm about to share reflects my personal experience and provides an honest evaluation regarding this set. I am completely unaffiliated from the brands I review. I did not receive (or will receive) any financial or monetary incentives in exchange for writing this review, I wrote this review of my own free will and all of the opinions you'll read are my own.



INTRODUCTION
After using this set for almost a month, I'll be straightforward: the Aful MagicOne is now my favorite set under $100. It's truly surprising what one small balanced armature can achieve. I initially planned to write a review after just one or two weeks of use, but I enjoyed it so much that I took my time to fully absorb the experience. Now, after nearly a month, I’ve finally decided to write this review and share why I love the MagicOne. Here are the gears I used for this review:

DAC/Dongle: Jcally JM7l or Fiio Q3 MQA
Phone/Device: Either my iPhone XR or my laptop
Music player: Spotify and Tidal

PACKAGING
I have to say, the unboxing experience was great. While the package doesn’t include a lot, the items that Aful provided with the MagicOne feel premium, are well-built, and offer excellent quality. The included small plastic hard case has more than enough room for the IEM and cable, and it features a thin padding inside to protect them from scratches. The stock cable is well-built—it doesn’t feel sticky or stiff and doesn’t form any lasting memory. The stock eartips also feel great in terms of texture and softness, pairing perfectly with the IEM that's why I didn’t find any reason to switch to aftermarket eartips for the MagicOne.



BUILD QUALITY, DESIGN, AND COMFORT
The shell is made of transparent resin, allowing you to see the driver inside as well as the acoustic tube design. Both the IEMs and the cable feel very durable. The shell is slightly on the smaller side—understandable, as a single balanced armature doesn’t require much space. Its shape resembles a semi-custom fit with fins, which contribute to the excellent passive noise isolation. The fit is relatively comfortable, though there is some initial pressure build-up when you first wear the MagicOne. However, this sensation gradually subsides after a few minutes, making it much more comfortable over time.



SOUND IMPRESSIONS
The MagicOne's tuning is neutral yet colored and rich, with a hint of warmth and thickness. It never comes across as 'boring' like many other neutral sets. The overall presentation feels very well-rounded. To be honest, I was surprised that a single balanced armature could perform this well and achieve such a refined tuning. If you listen to this set and analyze its graph without knowing it's driven by a single balanced armature, you’d likely never guess it.

Bass
Aful clearly aimed to replicate the performance of large dynamic drivers in the bass region with their acoustic tube design. While the low-end does resemble that of a dynamic driver, the differences are still noticeable. The MagicOne's bass is somewhat prominent, particularly in the sub-bass rumble. Both the sub-bass and mid-bass are linear—neither overshadowed nor overly emphasized by the other one. The mid-bass retains a satisfying punch despite not being forward, but the bass attacks lean towards the softer side. As a result, the bass feels smoother, lacking a tactile and textured quality. The bass attack has a relatively slow decay. While this can make it seem like it smears through finer details, it also contributes to a sense of spaciousness in the sound. Overall, the bass is well-controlled, smooth, and satisfying, with a soft punch that makes it feel relaxing and natural.

Mids
The mid-range has a warm presentation, with a rich, colored sound that still retains a natural tone and impressive detail. Vocals are never drowned out by the instruments and remain tonally accurate, which is what I love most about this set. Many IEMs with a warm tuning tend to over-emphasize the lower mid-range, which can make vocals sound nasal, but that’s not the case with the MagicOne. The mid-range is well-bodied and doesn’t sound thin, thanks to the MagicOne’s tuning, which enhances its musicality.

Treble
The treble region is very clean and well-balanced. It’s not overly sparkly or bright; it feels just right. However, like the bass region, the upper frequencies have a slightly soft and laid-back attack due to their slower decay. As a result, percussion and the plucking of stringed instruments don’t feel particularly snappy or aggressive. Despite this, the treble is well-tuned and complements the mids and bass exceptionally well. There’s also a nice amount of treble air that lingers on every high note, which just sounds fantastic.

Details, Imaging, and Soundstage
The MagicOne’s technical performance is quite surprising, especially considering it’s driven by a single BA driver. However, there are a few weaknesses to note. Imaging and soundstage are only fairly average, but that’s expected given the small size of the driver—a single balanced armature can only do so much. When it comes to detail retrieval, though, the MagicOne holds its own against the competition. It reveals a good amount of microdetails, and the instrument separation is above average, sounding excellent.



CONCLUSION
I would describe the Aful MagicOne as a truly 'elegant' IEM. Beyond its looks and design, this is exactly how I felt when I first heard its sound performance. It was like walking through a garden full of colorful flowers. This is an outstanding set and a definite no-brainer purchase. The Aful MagicOne will likely be one of my favorite IEMs of all time, at least for now.

It’s been a little while since I got the Magic One in, so I think I’m ready to share some more concrete thoughts on them as I really do think these might be one of the most slept-on pairs of IEMs in 2024.

Yes, they’re a single BA set.

Yes, BAs won’t give you the most visceral bass response.

Yes, a single BA set is limited in terms of SQ compared to a hybrid or even a single DD in most cases.

But…
The Aful Magic One is another incredible example of audio engineering that I’ve been lucky enough to experience. I think the name “Magic One”, with the emphasis on the Magic part, is truly fitting for this incredible IEM. I’ve never owned a single BA IEM up to this point, and quite frankly, I used to really shy away from all BA IEMs because of their bass performance when compared to a set with a DD in it. Admittedly, I don’t believe in that anymore, honestly. There are so many all BA sets I’ve experienced that have completely changed my way of thinking when it comes to all balanced armature IEMs. The most important ones are the Symphonium Meteor, U12t, Elysian Diva, and of course, the big Mack daddy of them all, the STORM. All BA sets can be good when they’re done right, for sure. The Hisenior T4 is another good example too, but I owned them for a while, and even though at first they impressed me with their bass performance and their warm sound signature, after comparing them extensively with sets that have DDs in them, there’s really no comparison. I feel like to get an all-BA IEM that performs as well as a hybrid with a DD (bass specifically), you really do have to spend a good amount of money to get that kind of performance.

Enter; The Aful Magic One.

Special thanks to some guys on the Discovery Thread on Head-Fi like @pk500 for totally peer-pressuring me into buying the set…. I blame them

With an original price of $140, I was able to get this set for only 58 bucks. Fifty-eight… Using some coupons on AliX on top of a sale they were having. Now even at the original $140, I’d still be impressed with this set, but for $58 I’m completely blown away…

I tried the Magic Ones using all of my portable sources, but I ultimately landed on the BTR17 with its superb technical performance and slightly forward upper mid-range.



BASS

The bass is tactile, punchy, and snappy with a very fast decay that I personally very much enjoy. The fast decay is balanced out with an excellent amount of warmth in the overall sound sig. It never sounds overly quick like some planar sets, and I feel like the tubing system that Aful has developed for the set really does work when it comes to the mid-bass specifically. Drum kicks, bass guitar lines, and synthetic bass lines all sound very detailed with more than enough body to them to ensure they’re still very enjoyable and not frail. The weakness of this set really comes down to the sub-bass. It doesn’t have that much of a rumble or reverb to it. This also makes the mid-bass a little one-dimensional with not as much depth as I would like or even, that I’m used to, but since most of my music doesn’t have much sub-bass in it, I’ve learned that this isn’t really a dealbreaker. Definitely not as much as I thought… If you had asked me before I got my hands on the Magic Ones, I would have told you to kick rocks. I need my sub-bass to be rumbly and powerful to enjoy my library… interestingly, I was totally wrong, ha. Like a lot of people, I’ve been bumping the new Kendrick album, GNX, pretty much on repeat. My favorite way to listen to it is with the Estrella off the Muse M4, but a close second is with the Magic One with the BTR17. That album is mastered and produced so well, all the different elements and layers they’ve managed to cram into every song are impressive, and the Magic Ones really does this record justice, which surprised the hell out of me. Between the mid-bass punch and the reverb of said mid-bass, it is satisfying to enjoy the album, but it’s far from the best replay I’ve heard.

Simply put, the bass is surprisingly good not only for an all-BA set but also good in general. Yes, it does lack the depth and texture of a good DD, but I would say this would impress most people and keep a lot of people content. For non-rap or EDM-style music where there’s more of a balance between the entire band, the bass is more than sufficient and enjoyable.

Mids

The mids are where this IEM shines and the mid-range performance is exactly why I decided to pull the trigger on my own set. I kept hearing how good they were and I can confirm that the texture and resolution of voices, specifically female voices, is superb. Even more shocking to me is the timbre, these sound very accurate to my ears with absolutely 0 BA timbre anywhere in the mid-range. I’m telling you… these are impressive. The vocals are slightly forward but I think it’s just enough and perfectly placed - the vocalist is front and center ahead of the band but never shouty or harsh in my listening.

The resolution of vocals and other instruments in the mid-range really did impress me and still does to this day. Even after having them for well over a week and a half now, I still find myself reaching for them daily just because of the mid-range performance. The overall sound of the mids is also fairly open too, the Magic Ones never sound congested or boxed in. All of the instrumentation can breathe more than sufficiently and the layering is very good. Overall, the mids are fantastic and definitely the star of the show. If you have any female vocalists with a powerful voice in your library, the Magic Ones will be a great fit. Some may want their vocals to be more forward, more similar to a Harman-style tuning and if that’s you, these might not have enough bite for that person.

Treble.

The treble isn’t anything to write home about if I’m totally honest. While I think the Magic Ones have very good technicalities, layering, and instrument separation, the treble doesn’t seem to have any special properties I can pinpoint… it’s a safe tune that should appeal to most or at least not offend most. I really do love a little extra energy in the later part of the treble, but I can understand the limitations here with a single BA handling the entire frequency range. I think considering the hardware here it’s very impressive. It’s not lacking anything in the slightest besides maybe a little extra bite.





I’d hate to keep rambling on and take up more of your time, so I’ll wrap it up here. As you can tell, the Magic One is a great set that I very much enjoy and have enjoyed on a daily basis. While the bass and treble aren’t going to be winning any awards, I think the overall warmer tuning coupled with lovely vocals and the detailed and emotional mid-range presentation will have most Audio geeks grinning ear to ear.

They are somewhat hard to drive, with the BTR17 getting to 32/60 in low gain out of the 4.4mm, but it doesn’t seem to need a power plant to drive either. Due to circumstances, I haven’t been able to get these on my desktop rig yet, but I’m hoping to do that soon to see if it improves anything at all about the sound, but as of right now, nothing seems to be lacking when playing these out of the BTR17.

With an impressive hardware implementation, a beautiful shell design in my opinion, overall great sound characteristics, and a very open sound, I can safely say that I’m happy I paid my own money for the Aful Magic One.



I know this is a very simplified version of a “review” but I just really wanted to focus on the sound in this one. Thanks so much for reading, regardless!

Cheers!

TL;DR: Clean, balanced, technical, detailed - Aful definitely put some magic in this release

Overview/History
Hi all.

Here again with another review and this time it's the Aful MagicOne. This is an older unit but has always been on the radar to try out especially as it does some unique things. Aful is known for their Performer series, their Explorer and the MagicOne has stuck around despite being a 1 BA driver IEM.



Here's the description straight from Hifigo's website:
After extensive research for over 3 years, AFUL has brought us the all-new MagicOne. They have developed a specially customized full-frequency balanced armature driver with premium materials and a meticulous construction process.

AFUL has also implemented its newly developed technologies including SE-Math Electro-Acoustic Intermodulation, and Nautilius Acoustic Maze. These help the pair to achieve true high-resolution sound performance. Get the correct tone, and experience an exquisite sound with the AFUL MagicOne!!

What this basically means is that they've developed a way to utilize a single BA with an 'acoustic maze' or a resonator that helps with the sound replay.

So, how has it lasted this long in the market? Simple: it brings something unique that isn't just about driver counts or any EQ/DSP element. Let's get into it.

Specifications so you don't need to look yourself:

• >Impedance: 38Ω.
• >Sensitivity: 103dB/mW.
• >Frequency Response: 5Hz-25kHz.
• >Passive Isolation: 26dB.

Disclaimers: This unit is a personal unit of a friend's. I received no guidance or correspondence to say or frame this review in anyway. These are all my own personal takes and impressions.

Build Quality, Comfort and Accessories
Photo dump time!







The MagicOne are a smaller (like the Explorer) IEM with a pretty ear friendly nozzle size (5.5mm). They come with some standard tips, a nice cable and a nice carrying case.







The entire IEM is actually really nice. I enjoy the transparent view into the drivers and their resonance chamber. The shell is simple, understated yet classy looking. I enjoy the look a lot.















Tip Rolling
While the nozzle is smaller, smooth bore usually means that I have to find something with extra grip or I'll end up with an ear-tip in my ear (Final Type E, Dunu S&S, Radius Deep Mount). This did mean I had to go around looking for the best combination.

Stock: Stock tips fit OK but I think they took away too much of the bass for my liking compared to a lot of other tips that I typically use which will provide good balance. Not the biggest fan of them. I wasn't the biggest fan of the Explorer tips either.
Fiio HS20: New tip alert! These are liquid silicon and very grippy. They work very well with the MagicOne - mid-bass is a bit more present (sub-bass is a smidge deeper) but the magic of the mids/treble are still very transparent. Plus, they're extra grippy so they don't slide off the nozzles. Probably my favorite combo.
Radius Deep Mount Zone: Similar to the HS20 but I think the bass isn't as nice as the Fiio tips. Very good to keep the mids/treble still, though, with an extra smidge more sound stage.
Canal Works Gel Tips aka Cat Paw: I love these tips and they work great on the MagicOne. I don't typically recommend these tips are they're harder to come by but they do really well to synergize with the MagicOne and are grippy.

Cable
Cable for the MagicOne is actually really nice for a stock cable.



It's got good weight, no memory prone issues and, overall, paired well with the MagicOne. I actually prefer this cable to the Explorer's cable and I -definitely- don't like the Performer 8 cable.

Sound
So, how do the Aful MagicOne sound?



The MagicOne is a very neutral, clean sounding IEM with very good synergy across the entire sound performance. They don't come across as bright, they don't come across as bassy, they don't come across as mid-heavy yet they do a lot of everything well save for the handicap that is BA bass.

Gear Tested On: Primarily streamed music via either dedicated Streamer, Laptop or Phone
Phone chain: Pixel 8 Pro -> Abigail Pro
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: Getting into the bass, the bass is there. It's got good detail, it is situational punchy with decent sub-bass.

There is some good texture to it as well which was the most surprising thing about the MagicOne as I was anticipating really dinging it for bass performance.

That being said, it's still BA bass where it's quick, detailed but missing a lot of extra weight, thump, boom or general impact. It's not terrible deficient but it's still limited by being a BA (without the technology to offset BA bass that is available in super expensive sets).

Bass Score: 7.25/10 - TL;DR: Detailed, punchy but BA bass is still limiting for note weight and satisfaction of bass. Not bad. Not great. Good enough.

Mids: Mids for the MagicOne is really where they started to impress me. As typical for BA sets, there is a good amount of detail oriented tuning that really works well for instruments like guitars and female vocals.

The upper-mids provide good air and make female vocals shine without ever sounding shouty. Instruments really have a defined playback but it never feels like the MagicOne is going for that analytical tuning. There is still some aspect of warmth in it so there isn't a sense that the music comes off flat or boring.

Male vocals have that small bit of warmth though I don't get that satisfying note weight or full male vocals as I'd typically prefer. This set works with some great rock music and has that bit of soul to the music that I find works. Especially considering this is a single BA set.

Mids Score: 8.5/10 - TL;DR: Very good vocal performance and instruments. Male vocals have good warmth even if note weight isn't as heavy or full as I'd like.

Treble: Treble is smooth with a great amount of air that sounds pleasant. I never felt like I had to turn the volume down while listening to the MagicOne.

Treble sounds very natural with good energy. Treble is very detail oriented but never to the point where I felt like it was unbearable.

In fact, following in line with a lot of other Aful tunings, the MagicOne actually scale very well with higher volume listening (not that you need to crank the volume up with them) so even if you typically prefer to listen to your music on 11, you'll likely be safe from any harshness.



Treble Score: 8.5/10 - TL;DR: Smooth treble extension with good air; scaling on power/volume still remains very smooth without ever getting sibilant or harsh

Detail, Separation, Imaging, Overall Soundstage, Etc.: Very good to great technical performance is also where the MagicOne shines.

There is very good instrument separation and imaging. I'm able to, if I choose to, really pick apart instruments and listen for specifics in tracks even when they're busier rock songs.

Sound stage is pretty good, imaging is pretty good. Nothing is like class leading but it's easy to forgive when you consider the technology going into this IEM and how it handles this performance better than a lot of other sets relying on numerous BAs or other drivers to get to that performance level.

Technicalities Score: 8.5/10 - TL;DR: Good technical performance - good instrument separation, good sound stage, good detail overall. Not class leading but definitely well above average for technical performance

Library Hit List: For the MagicOne, I think the best song library really comes down to more rock oriented or orchestra type of scores. Some of the best tracks I heard:

The Cure - "Friday, I'm in Love"
AC/DC - "Back in Black"
Oasis - "Don't Look Back in Anger"
Red Hot Chili Peppers - "Dani California"
The Black Keys - "Little Black Submarine"
Grizzly Bear - "Mourning Sound"
Death Cab for Cutie - "No Room in Frame"
Foster the People - "Houdini"
Santana - "Feels like Fire (feat. Dido)"
Weezer - "Buddy Holly"

Comparisons: Quick comparison I wanted to make would be the Aful Explorer (which I prefer more).



Aful Explorer: The Explorer is probably my favorite Aful product that I've heard to date (wink wink?) but what works really well is that it's a complimentary listening experience to the MagicOne. Both can, in a way, co-exist in the same library. But, where the MagicOne is more mid/treble/technical in nature, the Explorer is warm and bassy and fun. In a heart beat, I would pick the Explorer > MagicOne any day of the week. But, that's not to say the MagicOne isn't good in it's own ways, it's just not as fun as the Explorer is.

Other Things to be aware of:
Considering it's a 1BA driver IEM, the MagicOne has very good sound and musicality to it. It's a bit harder to drive than most standard IEMs but most dongle dacs will likely suffice.

Other than that, there isn't really much else to be aware of with the MagicOne beyond that the smooth nozzles bug the heck out of me. This is always going to be my mortal enemy.



Volume Listening: The MagicOne works very well at moderate and high volume listening due to it's frequency response. I would probably lean towards more moderate volume listening, however, as nothing is really opened up more on the low end/bass side with bumping up the volume (Explorer is opposite where more volume = more mid/treble performance).

Source Synergy: Source synergy is an interesting one because I did some minor testing on a K11 R2R (testing this set up to see if it would work before fully committing) and a warmer source will actually further sweeten the MagicOne. It doesn't necessarily need the warmer sources like an R2R but it will respond exactly as you expect so there's no weird quirk to playing around with your sources.

Special Sauce/Personal Bias Score: 8.5/10 - TL;DR: Unique and a great IEM release based on a proof of concept that just works. It's hard not to like this IEM. It may not be a permanent staple in my library but it's an easy recommendation for it's good sound performance

Conclusion: The Aful MagicOne has been around for a while now and has stayed a general recommendation/favorite for people due to that special quality to them. There is something unique in having a single BA driver IEM that provides very sweet, detailed mids, great extension on the treble and overall excellent technical performance.

While I may, ultimately, prefer the Aful Explorer to the MagicOne, the magical quality here is undeniable and I completely understand the hype. Very well done by Aful as they continue to release different/fun IEMs that shine through a world full of Harmans and 'meta' tuning.







Final Weighted Score: 8.25/10 - 4.125/5 - not enough to round up further but a solid 4 star rating. The MagicOne is a nice and special set and I can appreciate what it does.

Thanks for reading!

Intro:

First thing first. If you have source with warm neutral or analog type of sound signature, then AFUL MagicOne is truly for you. People with bright or analytical sound sources might find a lots of nail pocking in the ear!

In photo: Someone with bright source




Context:

I was a bit curious to test this IEM since it’s announcement as it is with a single BA, which is not in my comfort zone. But their advertisement and some reviews made me super curious to give it a try. In my first audition, I was blown away by its clarity and detailed sound reproduction. Surfed through my classic country collection and oh man, MagicOne did its magic and I took it home for longer & in-depth listening. After 4 months or so, the BA drivers are burnt well and become smooth like butter.

All of my listening I’ve done with Cowon Planue R2, ifi Hip Dac 2, Moondrop Dawn Pro & Hiby R3 (occasionally) using silver mix copper cable & pure copper cable. I find a very good synergy with Hip DAC 2 as this DAC is well known for its’ warm sound signature with draatic ‘X-Bass’ function. Planue R2 also get the job done so very well. And with Dawn Pro, I find the mids are bit fuller are open wide. Sound stage & instrument separation become precious with the price of a bit less bass warmth (but it’s OK!).

In my listening experience, pure copper cable makes the sound comparatively a bit thicker, so it’s my go-to preference as I personally love warm and thicker sound. I used Spinfit 100+, W1, Omni, Divinus Velvel, Pinon Liqueur Orange with the IEM and find that W1 is a perfect tip to choose from for its seal & comfort.

I will explain a bit more on this later.




Disclaimer:

I bought this IEM with my own money and for my personal interest. This is not a review unit nor any monitory understanding/ transaction between me and the respective company. The whole review is my unbiased experience and honest opinion with the sound I listened to.

[Grab you copy from Geek Mart if you are in Bangladesh.
For international buying, you can grab it from Hifigo]

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Technical Specification:
 Driver: Aful’s self-developed wide frequency response Single BA Driver
 Frequency response: 5Hz – 25kHZ
 Impedance: 32Ω
 Sensitivity: 103dB
 Pin Type: 0.78mm 2-pin
 Cable Length: 1.2m
 Plug Type: 3.5mm/ 4.4mm

What’s in the box:
 Aful Magic One IEMs
 6 pairs of silicon tips (almost non-usable)
 Very nicely braided high purity OF Copper & OF Copper Silver plated cable
 IEM storage box with AFUL branding
 Some official papers
















Unboxing Experience:
Unboxing the MagicOne is a fuss-free affair. Everything you need to get started is neatly packed and easy to find. The braided cable feels sturdy and connects to the IEMs with a satisfying snap. Though my experience is, you should swap cables if you have any pure copper cable with you, which I do have. You will find a selection of ear tips which you may or may not use (I personally don’t think they are usable).







Build Quality:
Crafted from a lightweight resin, these IEMs feel well-built and sturdy without being bulky. They're comfortable to hold and inspire confidence that they can handle everyday wear and tear. The included braided cable feels reassuringly secure with a satisfying snap when connecting to the two-pin connectors. While not the most luxurious materials, the finish is impressive for the price.






Fit & Comfort:
The Aful Magic One shines in terms of fit and comfort. Their lightweight design with the perfect choice of ear tips (to me, it’s Spinfit W1) ensures a secure and comfortable fit for even the longest listening sessions. Though the fit of this IEM seems to be a bit of a double-edged sword in the audiophile community. While some users praise the snug, secure fit (thanks to the protruding wing) and deepish insertion, others find it uncomfortable or even irritating for extended listening sessions. This could be due to ear shape variations, and non-proper selection of ear tips might not offer a perfect seal for everyone.

Another thing is, it creates air pressure due to lack of ‘breath hole’ to prevent any air leak from the acoustic chamber. Some may feel it uncomfortable, but to me, this seal makes me disconnected from outside and let me enjoy my music with ease. And for your kind information, I don’t use any IEM while I walk on a busy road or while driving.




Sound impressions:
Before explaining a single thing about the sound, lets state the official statement about their patented 3D printed acoustic tube structure, which plays the vital role in sonic performance of this IEM. As per AFUL “This technology uses physical frequency division to adjust the sound frequency response of MagicOne. This helps in having a physical crossover on the set. MagicOne has a long and ultra-thin acoustic design in a 77mmX0.91mm compact resonator tube that helps the pair produce a deep-hitting, thick lower-end response.” And they named the invention as “Special-shaped Sound Channel Physical Frequency Division Structure of an Earphone.”


Patented acoustic tube design -



Clear view of AFUL's "ZWX-BA-100" Driver-



Now let’s dive deep into the sound details to see what MAGIC that acoustic chamber can bring throughout the frequency range from low to high.


Sub-Bass:
Sub-bass presence is somewhat of a debated affair on the Aful MagicOne, given that it sports a single BA driver unit. Those who love their bass, having gotten used to eardrum-pummeling lows, may well find it a touch lean. There's some sub-bass there, for certain, but it's a bit more subtle in its approach. Think of this as a tight kick drum foundation rather than booming explosion. On the other hand, genres which rely very heavily on the subbass, such as EDM or hip-hop, may lack that visceral kick when compared directly. In the case of "Bass Canon" by Matoma, the very low frequencies are not as in-your-face as some more bassheavy IEMs can produce. In the genres of, say, rock, where a tight kick drum is desired, such as in "Here I go again" by White Snake or in "Hysteria" by Def Lappered, the MagicOne gives a satisfying kick without bleeding into the guitar work or the vocals. Ultimately, how much sub-bass there is available is a matter of personal preference.


If you're into the deepest of lows, then perhaps the MagicOne isn't for you. For the majority of listeners who like a neutral sound with a decently placed sub-bass presentation, the Aful MagicOne does the business.


Mid-Bass:
The Aful MagicOne really shines in the mid-bass department, delivering a tight and punchy performance that really lifts genres such as rock and pop. It is by no means loose, boomy bass; rather, it's actually a very tight response that adds great kick to drums and bass guitars without muddling up the mix. Just think about the difference between a punchy kick drum and a loose, sluggish one on a track like "Basket Case" by Green Day. The MagicOne does indeed deliver on the former, letting the drums retain much of their attack and energy. Works great with the bass guitar lines, too. On "Under Pressure" from Queen, the most recognizable bassline cuts through with clarity and definition, giving the song a forceful foundation without overpowering the vocals and guitars.


Whereas some audiophiles might wish to have a bit of a warmer mid-bass, the overall response here is rather tight and controlled-and just right for the listener who relishes a clear and dynamic listen.


Male vocal:
The Aful MagicOne performs excellent reproductions of voices, especially male ones, with great clarity and a touch of natural warmth. Every nuance, from the subtle inflections to the power behind the notes, is truthfully presented. During the playback of "Soldier of fortune" by Deep Purple, MagicOne allowed the voice of David Coverdale to sound rich and deep, to resonate with a smooth presence which filled the soundstage and conveyed every ounce of emotion. And the nuanced presentation also goes to more powerful vocals. Take, for instance, the unique voice of David Draiman in Disturbed's "The Sound of Silence." The MagicOne captures both the raw power and the more subtle emotional shifts in his delivery, and that makes listening to it purely captivating. It does not even miss the textures in vocals, such as Mark Knopfler, Bruce Springsteen, or Rod Stewart.


Overall, the handling of male vocals was a strong point of the Aful MagicOne: clear, subtle, and emotionally engaging. It lets you feel the emotional ups and downs of the male artist's voice so well that you clearly feel it, not just hear it.


Female vocal:
Expect to be blown away by female vocals on the Aful MagicOne. It's truly a dream for any singer fan, as their voices shine bright with sparkle and a touch of sweetness in the upper mids. That makes you relish the airiness and subtle detail of a singer's voice without being sharp. Cinéad O Connor's "Nothing compares to you" – The MagicOne does a great job of capturing that breathy quality and delicate inflection in her voice. The upper midrange emphasis imparts a bit of shimmer and makes her vocals sound clear and captivating. This translates well to powerhouse female vocalists as well. Take, for instance, the magical Whitney Houston performance "I will always love you," Laura Branigan's "The power of love," or even Mariah Carey's "Without you." You get to hear the full power and subtlety of their voices. You can feel all the finetuned control and emotion that make each note special.

Generally speaking, female vocals tend to be a pretty easy win with the Aful MagicOne: lending them in great detail, airiness, and an emotionally engaging performance.


Instruments:
The Aful MagicOne comes into its own when reproducing a clear, well-separated soundscape for everything from violins through to heavy synthesized leads. Guitars come across really well, satisfyingly full-bodied with good insight into picking and strumming techniques. Take the opening riff on Dire Straits' "Sultans of Swing"-here the MagicOne reproduces the distinctive twang and bite of the guitar with accuracy. The presentation is just as clear for the violins and cymbals, too. In fact, the violins shimmer with a hint of sparkle on their lines, à la many versatile and sensational violin lines in Mozart's "Violin Concerto No. 3," while the cymbals deliver crisp crashes sans any harshness, such as in the powerfully resonating cymbal work of Hans Zimmer's "Time" in the original soundtrack to Inception. But with live arrangements, including those of Pink Floyd's ground-breaking concert "PULSE", where different instruments are playing in different tunes, this IEM will let you hear everything clearly and soulfully from the deepest bass stroke to soft piano notes.

This clean separation of instruments makes for an engaging, detailed listen; you can easily follow individual musical lines within complex arrangements.


Treble:
Aful MagicOne walks the tightrope with its treble performance, where it has to find a perfect balance between detail and fatigue. It's more well-rounded treble that adds just a bit of detail and sparkle to your music without being overly harsh or sibilant. It lets high notes of instruments such as flutes and piccolos shine through, but never piercing nor artificially bright. While listening to Mozart's "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik," the delicate melody of the flute is reproduced, displaying a crunchy and airy presence. Cymbals retain a natural character, with an appropriate avoidance of the overharsh s-sound. Cymbal crashes are clear and defined while I'm hearing energetic drumming in Rush's "Tom Sawyer" without fatiguing the listener.


Treble is overall well tuned on the Aful MagicOne, adding a touch of brilliance to the sound without sacrificing comfort.


Soundstage & Instruments separation:
With IEM soundstages, expectations need to be managed, and the Aful MagicOne is no different. It is not going to provide an open back level of spaciousness, but for a single BA driver IEM, it surprisingly holds a pretty decent soundstage. Here, the focus is more on clarity and separation over vast width. The instruments are well-defined in their respective space, and it's easily possible to follow individual lines within complex arrangements. A good case is "Comfortably Numb" by Pink Floyd: the immediately apparent placement of Gilmour's guitar on the left and Wright's keyboard on the right enforces the appreciation of the interplay among the instruments.That separation goes right down to the tiny details, too. For example, in Phil Collins' "One more night," the little bits of the backing vocal and percussion are entirely in focus within the general mix.

While the soundstage might not be wide, the Aful MagicOne focuses on precision and separation, hence creating an all-wide different aspect: engaging and detailed in listening.






Cable & Tip:

I’m a huge fan of cable swapping & tip rolling and fortunately, I have good collection of those. This IEM can deliver a good sound with the stock cable, which they clarify as “high purity OF Copper & OF Copper Silver plated cable”. And it is OK to use this. But if you have some copper cables in your collection, you may swap it to experience some thicker note all over the frequency. I always love to swap cables and with AFUL MagicOne, I settled with a hand braided pure copper cable.

Now about tip rolling. As I mention earlier, I tried Spinfit 100+, W1, Omni, Divinus Velvel, Pinon Liqueur Orange with this IEM and find that W1 is perfect. It seals well and give you the ultimate sonic experience of Aful MagicOne. Unfortunately, Pinon didn’t give me the comfort but it boosted the bass a bit extra. Omni is also good in delivering sound, specially it opens up mids a little bit. But the same problem here as Pinon, the comfort was not that good as W1. I’m a marathoner and to me, comfort comes first. So, Spinfit W1 is a clear winner here.




Tracks used:

Offcourse a lodas of Pink Floyed, Deep Purple, Led Zepelin, Queen, Eagles, Iron Maiden, Metallica, Rush, Rainbow, White Snake, Guns N’ Roses, Green Day, BB King, Mark Knopfler, Brian Adams, Richard Marks, Bruce Springsteen, Ros Stewart, Phill Collins, Alan Jackson, John Denver, Randi Travis, George Jones, Whitney Houston, Barbara Streisand, Laura Branigan, Gloria Estefan etc.


Conclusion:

Their focus gives Aful MagicOne room to breathe within the budget IEM market. With a single BA driver, the tunes coming out of it are unexpectedly so well-detailed and lucid, being above expectation with this price point. They are touted to be highly comfortable and ideal for everyday listening. Male and female vocals take center stage with exceptional clarity, while instruments are well-separated and defined within a clear, albeit not expansive, soundstage. Sure, bass lovers like me might crave a stronger low-end presence.


And a good quality source is recommended to unlock their full potential. But for audiophiles seeking a neutral, accurate listening experience with a slight touch of warmth, the Aful MagicOne delivers exceptional value. If you prioritize detail, clarity, and a comfortable fit at a budget-friendly price, the Aful MagicOne is definitely worth an audition.








Who Should Get the Aful MagicOne?

The Aful MagicOne caters to a specific set of audiophiles, making them a great choice for:

1) Budget-Minded Audiophiles
2) Vocal Enthusiasts
3) Comfort Seekers
3) Those with Good Source



Who Might Want to Look Elsewhere?

1) Bass Heads
2) Wide Soundstage Seekers
3) Luxury Material Enthusiasts
4) Bright Sound source Owners

I've had my eyes on this set since around when they first came out after hearing raving reviews and seeing the graph but never had a reason to pick up a pair until recently when they went on sale on Amazon for Prime members for $89.59 USD. I got them as soon as I saw the deal and while I waited for them to arrive I dug deeper into them and what makes them "magical."

These are some of the first single balanced armature IEMs (or at least some of the first good ones) and since it is a single BA, usually not much is expected. One thing that caught my eye was that AFUL made the driver themselves, another thing that caught my eye was how AFUL went about tuning these. Through the use of an RLC electro-acoustic network, AFUL has created technology known as "SE-Math," which enables better extensions at the high-frequency area by compensating for the difference between the driver and the pure sound. The IEM also uses a massive and complex acoustic chamber AFUL is calling the "Acoustic Chamber of Nautilus Structure" which helps the BA push out more and better quality bass.



Build, design, and Comfort


Design + Fit

The MagicOne features a beautiful clear resin shell and a white and silver faceplate. The clear resin shows off the beautiful internals such as the custom BA driver, the Acoustic Chamber of Nautilus Structure, wires, and RLC circuit. I really enjoy the snowy design of the faceplate and how the white looks like snow. These IEMs are some of the most comfortable I've ever used, they are smooth, shaped very naturally and are a good size for my ears.

Sound

Overall, these are warm IEMs with plenty of sparkle, extension and treble clarity you would expect with multi-driver IEMs, they have great bass, while it is not as punchy and deep as a dynamic driver, it covers all bass spectrums and has good sub extension, but lacks sub emphasis. The mids are buttery smooth with natural warmth and timbre. The treble is smooth and does not have any BA "glassiness" or " tinniness", also great extension on the upper treble giving them good air.




And to dig in a bit deeper:

Bass
I've never had a problem with BA bass, but compared to other BA sets these have more dynamic and punchy bass than a lot I've tried. The bass is controlled and has good sub extension and instead of pounding your ears with deep punchy bass, the bass kind of just adds color to the mix with a controlled impact. The sub may have extension, but it lacks emphasis. The midbass is smooth and elevated compared to the sub, the midbass doesn't bleed into the mids.

Mids
The MagicOnes are tuned to be mid-focused, so the mids are pushed forward in the mix, but not intimate, they create a good sense of space and separation. The mids have a bit of warm coloration, but not muddy or letting the bass bleed into the mids. The timbre and clarity produced by these custom drivers by AFUL is really amazing, vocals and instruments sound very natural and rich. Male vocals, cellos, trombones and pianos are warm and smooth due to the boost in the low mids and female vocals, violins, trumpets and guitars are sparkly, sweet and clean.

Treble
These IEMs use a new technology that pretty much just enhances the treble response and gives it some extra shine, sparkle and detail. Just like the mids, the treble has great timbre and sounds natural without being tinny or glassy. The treble is very smooth and clear with the best imaging and detail I've heard in an IEM. These create a great sense of openness and clarity in the treble while still being non-fatiguing and smooth.

Techs
The MagicOne creates a great sense of openness and separation between sounds. I would not say these have the best imaging overall but It's the best I've tried so far. It's easy to pick apart different sounds even in a complex song and hear what direction the sounds are coming from, but not exactly pinpointable. I really enjoy the soundstaging on these, nothing sounds stuffed or narrow.

What's in the box

• AFUL MagicOne
• Braided cable
  • This is by far the best stock cable any IEM I've owned. It's pretty, soft, strong, and clearly high quality
• Pack of 3 sizes of black silicone tips
  • Sizes seem a bit limited but work for me
• Pack of 3 sizes of white silicone tips
  • No apparent acoustic difference from the black tips
• Aluminum puck case
  • My favorite IEM case for daily use, stong, easy to open, pocketable
• Paper stuff
  • (Didn't read)
• Certificate of authenticity

Comparisons:
AFUL MagicOne ($140 USD) VS Audiosense DT200 ($150 USD) (DISCONTINUED)

(THE GRAPH DOES NOT SHOW THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THESE TWO)

These two IEMs are compared a lot due to their similar(ish) tuning and the fact they are all BA setups.
The Audiosense DT200 features a dual Knowles BA driver setup with a warm tuning. The DT200 also has amazing timbre and smoothness, everything sounds clear, though the lower treble can be overpowered by the mids at times. They are very non-fatiguing and I can listen to them for hours without fatigue. The DT200 has a smaller shell also made out of smokey clear-grey 3D printed resin.

The bass on these two IEMs is very comparable but I find the MagicOne to have the superior quality and texture but due to the DT200s having less treble the bass is more emphasized on them

The mids are also comparable but the MagicOne has leaner low mids and more spacious upper mids. The DT200 has slightly superior timbre, it sounds fuller and more natural.

The treble is the biggest difference between these two, the MagicOne definitely has more treble overall, and much better coherency. I find I can analyze high sounds much better on the MagicOnes, but the MagicOnes are much more fatiguing due to the analytical treble. This is another area where the DT200 timbre quality is apparent, the DT200 is more natural sounding, but also duller.

The techs on these two is another much different area, the MagicOne has far wider staging and much more accurate imaging, especially in the treble region. Due to the DT200s more recessed treble, the bass is louder overall and you can feel it more than the MagicOnes, which can make it easier to analyze than the MagicOnes.

Overall comparing these two is much like the Sennheiser HD600 (MagicOne vs the Sennheiser HD 6XX/650 (DT200), one is warmer one is brighter, some prefer one and some might prefer the other. These are two amazing IEMs and are my two daily drivers so if you like one you will most likely like the other.

AFUL MagicOne ($140 USD) VS AFUL Performer 5 ($220 USD)

These two IEMs are compared quite a bit as well because the P5 (Performer 5) is another one of AFUL's cheaper IEMs.
The AFUL P5 uses a 1DD + 4BA driver setup and has a pretty common and pretty safe tuning. Emphasis on sub bass and upper mids with sometimes peaky treble.

I did not enjoy the P5 as much as the MagicOnes due to their sub-par timbre. On EDM tracks the glassy timbre is very obvious and can be too harsh for me at times. Sibilance can also be sharp at times making me have to turn down my volume.

While these are lacking in treble performance, they make up for it with the best bass dynamics out of any of the sets I compared the MagicOne to, it's deep, punchy and clean. I prefer bass tuning closer to the MagicOne so sometimes there was more bass than I'd like, but a basshead would be satisfied with it.

The P5 also has smooth lower mids with far better timbre than the upper mids and treble. Male vocals have a warm body but aren't intimate such as the DT200. The upper mids have worse timbre making female vocals and violins sound digital or synthetic but are more forward in the mix and more intimate than male vocals.

The techs are pretty close on these two sets, but the P5 beats the MagicOne's bass texture and mids imaging, while the MagicOne takes over with it's superior treble detail and imaging.

Overall I much prefer the MagicOne's tuning and sound but the P5 is not a bad IEM by any means. I think most people would prefer the P5s more generic tuning vs the MagicOne's more "niche" tuning, especially if you want something more "analytical" than the MagicOne's colored tuning. These are both great sets from AFUL and I think they are both decent choice, though the P5 is a bit overpriced I feel.


Gear Used + Songs Tested

Gear Used
All gear was tested on an Apple Dongle, M2 MacBook Pro output and an Apogee Duet 2

Songs Tested
White Owl - Josh Garrels
WILDFLOWER - Billie Eilish
i love you - Billie Eilish
THE GREATEST - Billie Eilish
BLUE - Billie Eilish
when the party's over - Billie Eilish
Flight - Hannah Parrot
A Time For Love - Jamie Cullum
Oh Rosy - Milena
Smokeless Fire - Octave Lissner
Long After You Are Gone - Chris Jones
Love is In Love - Geggy Tah
Lovely - Billie Eilish
Ocean Eyes - Billie Eilish
Somebody That I Used To Know - Gotye
From The Start - Laufey
Flow - Bernth
海色 - AKINO from bless4
why my love? - Aja Monet
into your eyes - Alex Tyché
That's What I Like - Bruno Mars
Passing Through - Gabe Dixon
THE DEATH OF PEACE OF MIND - Bad Omens

Intro/Disclaimer​

The AFUL MagicOne has garnered a lot of attention towards the end of 2023 but does this single BA set still compete in 2024? Read on to find out.

I purchased this set of IEMs with my own money and all opinions are my own. My review is solely based on what I hear with my own two ears as this is a very subjective hobby. My ratings are also based on how I think this IEM fares against other IEMs in its price range.

My primary litmus test when it comes to audio gear is whether or not vocals and instruments sound natural/organic. Regardless if the IEM has the biggest bass or the most technical treble. If it doesn’t sound natural to my ears then it’s a red flag. SPOILER: The Aful MagicOne definitely delivers on this front.

Packaging and accessories​

Standard cardboard sleeve packaging that you see with all other IEMs around this price range but it’s what’s inside that matters. Along with the IEMs, you get six pairs of tips and one of the best stock cables I’ve handled around this price range. The cable is made with high-purity oxygen-free copper and oxygen-free copper silver plated in a 32+37 core configuration. It is well braided and has a decent amount of heft.

Build, Comfort and Fit​

I really liked the build of this IEM, from the snowy faceplate to the full translucent resin shell that puts everything on full display. Originally, I had some troubles with the fit in my right ear but once I did some tip swapping I was able to get an excellent seal in both ears (very important with this IEM). Some people have expressed discomfort from a suction effect but I did not experience this phenomenon. This IEM is vented.

Sound​

Sources Used
AFUL MagicOne <- Questyle M15 <- MacMini M1 <- Apple Music Lossless

Songs played

Initial impressions (before brain burn in)
I usually like to jot down my first impressions when it comes to listening to new gear. Because whether you believe it or not, brain burn-in is a real thing.

Upon listening to the first few songs in my library, I was immediately impressed with the lush midrange and impactful bass. You won’t get a rumbling subbass from this set but the mid-bass does hit hard when you have a proper seal. Also, this single BA IEM needs Power to really shine. Once you meet the requirements, you are presented with a wonderful mid range focused set with excellent vocals and instrument clarity. The timbre and tonality AFUL produced from this single custom BA is truly amazing.

Bass

• Clean, controlled and impactful
• Lack of sub bass rumble
• No mid bass bleed

Mids

• Top tier timbre and tonality
• Excellent presentation for both male and female vocals
• Subtle warmth that adds some nice richness to the mids

Treble

• Good clarity and natural sounding
• Smooth and detailed without being sibilant
• High hats sound extremely natural

Technicalities (Soundstage/Separation/Imaging)

• Excellent resolution and imaging
• Good micro-details
• Soundstage is above average in both directions
• Great coherency due to single driver
• Great layering and instrument separation

Comparisons​

Comparisons are a bit tricky as I have not listened to any other one BA sets in this price range. However, compared to other multi-BA sets I’ve listened to like the Dunu SA6, the AFUL MagicOne definitely holds its own. Yes, it doesn’t have quite the same amount of low end grunt but it definitely makes up for it in overall tonality, timbre and resolution.

Conclusion​

The MagicOne is a great example of a proof-of-concept gone right. AFUL did a wonderful job developing this Single-BA IEM and it truly shows when you put it in your ears. The MagicOne is the IEM to reach for when you just want to listen to music without much fanfare or fatigue. You will be extremely happy with this IEM if timbre and tonality are at the top of your requirements list. Just remember that proper amplification is required to get this IEM to perform its best.

Disclaimers

I bought this iem with my own money. This review is completely subjective.




Accessories

Aful Magicone comes with a hard plastic carrying case, a bunch of eartips, cable and iem itself. Ok accessories for the price.

Build

Magicone is fully made out of good quality plastic. Comes with a pretty decent cable. Carrying case is hard and feels durable.

Sound-Tonality and Technicalities

Some says this iem have a dynamic-like bass…. Are your ears have some problem!? No note weight, sounds very thin and sterile. Literally no “Real” bass in this iem. But, i have good news too! If you like analytical sound. this set is for you. Midrange have a excellent clarity for the price and treble range is just beautiful… Unique to listen to in this price range. Instrument separation, soundstage and classic,electro guitar presentation is just awesome! But… It has a major issue. This is a single BA pair of IEM’s and it can’t handle much power. This can be a problem for someone like me…



Conclusion

Honestly, nothing to say. If you don’t like bass, this thing has no rivals for 140 dollars in terms of sound.

Today I bring you the MagicOne, Aful's dramatic release that got many tongues going. This IEM is a science novel put into practice, aiming for a new breakthrough by maxing out a single BA driver's potencial into a full frequency range, whilst shocking the world in the meanwhile.

I don't find it a warm design, rather a neutral tune with some light boosts on bass, upper mids and treble, almost resembling a soft W-shape (in between U and W shape). I find it versatile across music genres but it has its quirks, especially regarding the IEM insertion, which I suspect is what caused the online controversy.

This set was sent to me by Headfi for my honest review, of wish I honor and thank for the opportunity, and I shall be as transparent as I've always thrived to be.

Onwards to what has brought you here.



Fitting and Comfort

This time I'm moving this factor up in priority given how important it is having this IEM set well accommodated in your ear canal.

The MagicOne full experience totally relies on achieving the correct nozzle positioning considering your own ear canal anatomy.

It doesn't rely on deeper insertion but if there is a loss of seal or a nozzle misalignment you start losing access to the full frequency range and it will sound wrong.

The unvented nature of the MagicOne is a challenge to be overcome that adds another level of difficulty, and I reckon this is where people's opinions start diverging. Upon placing the IEMs on you can immediately feel a suction effect that might resemble the pressure build up of a driver flex. For pressure sensitive people this can be quite discomfortable to endure.

To minimize this I always started by decompressing my ears by yawning and thrusting my jaw sideways during it, and then I would insert the set while having my mouth open.
To then correct the nozzle alignment I have to furtherly push the IEM inwards into the ear canal, applying force in the IEM shell's lower third zone (where the shell is pointier, its apex). This final touch proved essential for me to be able to fully grasp the MagicOne's capabilities.

Besides this I'd recommend you on tip rolling, picking ear tips that have a more rugged surface for better traction, so that the IEM stays secure after you find its placement's sweet spot.

The practical end result of all these fitting and comfort hassles is that you may only be able to enjoy this set in a very comfortable non-moving position. For me, laying down with my head slightly tilted back (like at the dentist) yielded the best results. And only then could I finally enjoy and review The MagicOne.

Exercising with this IEM on is not doable, at least for me, performing inconsistently and often having to adjust its positioning inside the ear.



Sub Bass

Lightweight in nature but tidy.

I do miss some more rumble gargling and body on bass lines - on Basses, Double Basses and Synth Basses.
The sub is very short lived, decaying faster than expected, which promotes this feeling of tidiness.

I found myself trying to insert the IEM deeper trying to find a bit more sub, but that's a personal take.

Although lean, it is omnipresent, never shying away when tracks get busier, and you can trust the sub to perform when you expect it to.


Midbass

Impressive given the driver type.

I've never heard a full BA IEM, and ever since the beginning of my ChiFi quest I have been conditioned to DD's being responsible for the sub and midbass.
This subconscious prejudice against BA timbre on Bass lowered my expectations, just then to be blown away by it.

Hear me out, it isn't the most tactile nor snappy midbass, it doesn't even indulge the occasional saturday night basshead, but it sounds natural and just enough intense to become dynamic and lively.

Kickdrum slamming is average and this is where I think it may sound like a "BA".

The sub/midbass ratio is 35/65 I would say, and it sounds timbre correct to me. This means accurate bass response, with some light coloring.

This splash of bass boost brings the MagicOne out of Flathead territory, benefiting dynamics whilst offering a versatile performance across many music genres.



Lower Mids

Moderately dipped, the main setback of this set in my opinion, but I can understand it is a must in order to avoid midbass mudiness and have a tuning cohesion glue at the "middle" of the frequency range. We're talking of a single driver unit here.

Guitars, pianos played around middle C and some synth pads are a bit pushed back, and when they do they become lacking in texture. When the mix benefits these instruments, they are presented at full resolution, appearing a tad more detailed.

Percussion elements (toms, congas) are not shined upon but perform naturally and their dynamics are evident, having their part on the overall musicality factor that is a perk of the MagicOne.

On older recordings that tend to have weaker bass and treble performances when compared to the mids, they sound extra hollow given the dip in this region.



Upper Mids

Balanced, not shouty, comfortable and very well polished.

Higher pitch register pianos, pads, synth and guitar leads come forward in presentation, becoming more evident of its details.

Snares and claps are snappy but not peaky, not making me squint my eyes when very transient rich ones come by, like some rimshots on R&B music are.

This area can sometimes get congested when too many frequency overlapping instruments are at play, but that comes down to a technicality aspect.

It is pinna gain safe (I'm extra sensitive to it).



Treble

Crisp on attacks, a bit slower on decay, but overall sounds natural.

It is non offensive while retaining brightness, so I would say it is safe for treble sensitive people, but it is not by default a tame treble.

Hi-hats are texturized and don't amalgamate into noise. They can sometimes feel intense but I haven't had them distorting. Other metal percussion instruments have that good ringing sound to them.

Trumpets and Violins are textured, intense and they don't pierce, nor distort when played hard.



Soundstage

Wider than taller, spacious and slightly holographic when properly inserted. The soundstage is highly affected by the nozzle alignment with the ear canal. When you get it right, it performs slightly above its price bracket.



Technicalities

Not a technical set, rather musical by prioritizing dynamics.

Not strong in details at the bass and lower mids ranges, but way more revealing at the upper mids and treble.

Instrument separation and layering is acceptable and actually impressive for a single BA, however might be underwhelming when compared to hybrids of the same price range.

Harder to Drive (needs amp power).



Design and Aesthetics

The tubing work really squeezes the driver potencial turning it into a design quality statement. It achieves the intended purpose of a breakthrough/novelty IEM that vigorously stamps the seal of quality engineering all over Aful's name. If a listener can spend the time, money and effort getting to understand and use MagicOne properly, I think they are in for an unique experience.

I personally enjoy the shell and how it looks - the transparent shell allows the driver and tubing visualization which are the main selling point of the MagicOne. The decorative triangles can make it look cheaper than it actually is (girlfriend's opinion).



Cable and Accessories

The circular metal case is very welcomed, being rigid and big enough to store the IEM, cable and even a dongle.

The included cable is of above average quality and looks for its price range.



Final Words

I can understand the divergence of opinion between listeners, considering the non-vented suction effect and nozzle misalignment upon insertion, that may be a deterrent of a full experience.
Overcoming these, the listening experience is unique and paradigm shifting, reassuring Aful's dominance in the IEM's market.

It is still a novelty IEM, somewhat exotic in design but with a more versatile and fresh sound signature.

I think this is a must have for collectors and a sneak peek into future Aful iterations, and I will definitely be revisiting this IEM to check how it sustains the test of time.

I must congratulate Aful for their bold design move and courage.

Thank you for reading this,
Miguel Esteves

AFUL MagicOne
1BA
$99 - $139

Before I begin this review, let me thank HiFiGO for sending the AFUL MagicOne in for review.
Rest assured, my review will always be 100% my own personal opinion.

Just in case you're interested on getting the MagicOne, you can get it on HiFiGO websites.
https://hifigo.com/products/aful-magicone

Not only that, HiFiGO now are currently on a Spring Sale, there are lots of good items that are on a discount check it out for yourself.

Unboxing

Build Quality


The shell made from full resin, not a hollowed one, It is very clear and free of bubbles / imperfection.

The faceplate is also inspired from a snowflakes.

One thing that are very eye catching is the Nautilus Inspired Resonator.

By the way the MagicOne is a vented BA, BUT it still has some kind of vacuum sensation when you wear the MagicOne in you ears.

Cable is very good, It has options to select, a standard 3.5mm or 4.4mm balanced.

Comfort

is very good despite the slight vacuum effects.


Sound

Tested using : FIIO M23, Kiwi Ears Allegro, Stock Cable, Stock Eartips
Music is mostly from Apple Music (J-POP, J-Rock, K-POP, Anisong, EDM, Metal, Rap, Jazz)
Tonality in General : Bass Boosted Neutral

Bass : The MagicOne bass presentation is somewhat mind blowing for a single BA design, probably thanks to its proprietary “Nautilus Resonator” tested on EDM music, the MagicOne has a full bodied bass punch not like your typical BA bass.
If I must describe the bass, it sounds almost like a planar bass rather than BA / DD bass, it is snappy, speedy, but has physicallity and body.


The bass quantity is not that boosted though, definitely won't satisfy bass heads.
The bass itself is boosted from sub bass to near mid bass, but it has a really clean transition to the midrange.

Midrange : Midrange is somewhat presented in a bit leaner manner. Not much but at least for my ears it's noticeable.
The midrange itself is very nice in terms of resolving capabilities and very musical.

Vocal sounds very detailed without getting too intense and shouty. Not only that, vocal is free from sibilance.
While instruments sounds intense and lively.

Overall timbre of the MagicOne is very spectacular for a BA IEM. It does not sound like a BA IEM at all.

Treble : is smooth and extended, it hasdecent micro details and resolving capabilities, again very good fora single BA IEM.

Usually for a single BA IEM, you must compromise either you want to focus on bass, midrange, or treble, but with the MagicOne, you can have it all, good bass, musical midrange, and extended treble.
I'm genuinely impressed by the MagicOne Tonality.

Technicalities
For a $139 USD Single BA IEM, I can say the MagicOne have a “Good” technicalities.


Stage : Medium sized
it has very good layering and object placement.
The shape of the stage is also symmetrical in terms of width and depth.

Imaging : Good
With the M23, the MagicOne has a unique imaging presentation, it sounds like sounds are popping out of void.
With the Kiwi Ears Allegro, theMagicOne sounds 2.5D to my ears.

Detail Retrieval : Good
The MagicOne is a very resolving IEM, it has textures on its bass, midrange, and treble.
Though if I must nitpick, the layering of the treble is just average, not like your more expensive IEMs with multiple driver OR a premium single DD.

Separation and Positioning : Good
It sounds well separated and the positioning is also very good, I have 0 issues using the MagicOne searching an object position both in music and games.

Comparison

Moondrop Starfield 2

More or less same bass boost, but Starfield 2 has more forward and intense and shouty midrange, the Starfield 2 also has that lean-ness to its sound.
Technicality wise, it is comparable or close.
Though I must give the edge to the MagicOne due to its more resolving capabilities.

Build wise, the MagicOne also better IMO compared to the Starfield 2 due to its full resin compared to the Moondrop painted metal (if you know, you know).

Conclusion

Is the AFUL MagicOne recommended?

YES.

I can easily recommends the MagicOne as a single driver options for sub $150 market.

At first to be honest with you, I was skeptical because it only has single BA, and usually single BA is just meh, both tonality and technicalities.
But not with the MagicOne, it just act like your typical standard single driver IEMs probably thanks to its Nautilus Resonator with a good technicalities and very good build quality.

Though one thing I must remind you, the MagicOne has some kind of vacuum effect while you wear it in your ears. Not the most annoying and intense vacuum effect but its still noticeable.


Thanks for reaching this far.

Just in case you're Indonesian or understand Bahasa Indonesia, you can watch the review of MagicOne here


-littlenezt.

Review Of The Aful MagicOne ​

Introduction​

The Performer5, a multi driver IEM from the freshly established AFUL business, made a big impression on the market last year because to its excellent sound quality and tuning, which many audiophiles, including myself, loved. Not to be outdone, this Chinese business also created an IEM called the Performer 8, which was warmly appreciated by audiophiles. I trust their creativity and new ideas because they clearly took their time implementing the real technologies they worked on and eventually succeeded. This is especially true of their recent release, Magic One, a single BA IEM with a comparable price to other IEMs on the market. Because of this, I had the good fortune to be able to evaluate it and determine whether or not they truly added value to an IEM. However, there are a few things I'd want to clarify before continuing.

Disclaimer​

*Since this unit tour was organised by the lovely 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 “One.”
*I am using different Ear-tips for convenience and better versatility.
*Finally, I will only evaluate the One based on their performance, even though I will explain how it feels and seems physically and aesthetically.

Specification​

One full range balancing armature driver, specifically designed by Aful and utilizing cutting edge technology, is housed inside The One. By using a sophisticated acoustic structure and an RLC electro-acoustic network to compensate for the disparity between the driver and pure sound, the driver's SE-Math enables for superior high-frequency extension. Better bass is produced not just by technology but also by the manufacturing process of the shells, which include an acoustic tube that is incredibly thin and lengthy. In terms of how the shell feels and appears, it is entirely composed of medical resin, which has a stronger construction and a more upscale feel than that of its more mature brothers, the Performer 5 and Performer 8. The brand name is on one side and the IEM name is on the other in a polished patterned design on the shell plate. Thanks to the air pressure release port, all of the eartips I tried were able to create a flawless seal, thus the fit and comfort of a BA configuration are happily excellent. However, I have experienced some issues with most BA setups. The high quality OFC copper + copper-silver plated, 32+37 core wire arrangement cable that comes with the IEM is distinguished by its Litz type 4 coaxial shielded construction. A straight 3.5mm plug and two pin connectors are used to terminate the ends. The accessories consist of a metal case, three different size pairs of two different types of eartips, and the cord and hem. Regarding the technical details, the sensitivity is 103dB and the impedance is 38 Ohms. The range of the frequency response is 5 Hz to 35 kHz.

Sound​

A single BA IEM with full spectrum reproducing capability? feels kind of plausible because the idea itself isn't novel, but the manner it's done is. Various businesses like as Moondrop, Etymotic, Kbear, and so on, each have distinct sounds and appeal to different types of audiophiles. Similar reasoning applies to the One, which will appeal to a different subset of audiophiles who could enjoy this tuning but won't offer a distinctive sound or an enhancement over existing IEMs. Whether the price is justified or justifies the continuous hype is a difficult question to answer, but when I witness an IEM that can produce sound above its weight—that is, when the treble extends more than other IEMs and has a smooth texture that is not what I would expect from a BA—it does seem justified. The timbre is affected by the sharp tones produced by the majority of IEMs that I have encountered. For the One, there is no such thing as a variable. Additionally, the bass and mid range have been expertly adjusted to provide a more relaxed and smooth sound, making it easier to listen to. The bass was the first thing I needed to search for since, in my opinion, BA bass is not as authentic or organic as dynamic drivers. However, based on my evaluation, the bass quality is more than it appears. To shed more light on the matter and improve understanding, let me delve deeper into the sound of a single BA IEM that produces sound that is closer to a warm and genuine tone.

Treble​

The One establishes itself with excellent control over the treble range and smoothes the response by delivering rounder, cleaner notes instead of harsh, detailed ones, which aids in creating the impression of space and air. Enough coherence and expressiveness exists in the extension and energy to encourage a safer tuning. In order to keep the high notes active without detracting from the overall response and to eliminate any sibilance or peakiness in the mix, the upper treble sounds very expansive and well-preserved with air. The voices seem to lack depth overall, although they do extend out beautifully and seem bigger. Some find them light and somewhat slender, but generally the experience is superior. The voices are able to provide additional information, albeit not as much as you might anticipate because the reaction is neither forceful or proactive. The lower treble adds more energy that resonates with the upper treble and upper mid range. The smoother and more coherent response that the cleaner notes of the instruments and voices bring to the mix gives the vocals and instruments a feeling of linear approach while yet sounding sufficiently expansive and vibrant. It's comparable, in my opinion, to other IEMs with similar or greater texture and details when set with multiple or a single driver. Although I won't claim that these sound the greatest, I must admit that the driver's ability is impressive given the work it takes to elicit such a response. In my opinion, the planar provides a sound with greater clarity and detail, but it also contributes a peakiness similar to that of the S12 or timeless. In this case, however, the DD or multi-driver, such as the EML6 or ARIA 2, manages the element that sounds much more compelling and transient while settling in the middle. Thus, the treble area is presented generally in a smooth, clear, and expansive sounding manner.

Mid Range​

The mid-range is a mixed bag here, as most IEMs in this price range bring a forward presentation with a lively and open sound, whereas the One allows for the same presentation but the response is not as forward as one might expect, as if the vocals are far too smooth for it to sound as presentable as it should. As someone who likes a neutral sound with a sub bass increase, I would have rather heard a more forward-looking vocal performance. The overall mix of the voices and instruments seems to have no layering between them, with both elements existing in a straightforward yet deliberately separated manner.The upper mid range has a more realistic sound by emphasizing the note weight more than the lower treble, which sounds essentially the same. The vocals are in the middle of the stage, creating a roomy reaction that reverberates with the instruments and aids in distancing. In addition to sounding safe and devoid of any unpleasant undertones, the notes have a more organic, warm character. The depth in the lower notes, which give the impression that the notes are warm but not heavy enough to sound more full, still bothers me even if it sounds warm and communal. While it does contribute to a nice and serene approach in the higher frequencies, the lower mid range sounds hazy and has less definition, which is acceptable. Although the notes have good note weight as predicted, they don't meet the desired level of quality, such as a rich and organic response. In this case, I found that any IEMs that use DD have better control and yield better results. As a result, the mid range sounds dead yet is presented in a warm, roomy, and serene manner overall.

Bass​

I was very careful with the bass since, unless it's utilized to create the bass texture and subtleties, the puffy, arterial-like sounding bass of BA bass worries me the most. But in this instance, I think the bass—particularly the smashes and thumps—sounds more dynamic than in any other BA. Since the One is a full range BA, it provides some great bass that sounds thicker and more natural than any other BA IEM, which is new to me. Generally, IEMs with a BA sound more puffy and distorted, and to some extent this is true with the One as well. Given more time, I didn't find it to have a particularly distinctive sound, nor did I find it to be my favorite, but it performed its function superior to that of any other single BA IEM. The sub bass range, where it stretches smoothly and generates decent punches that feel forceful, is where the emphasis is greater. Around 100–300 Hz is when the bass produces clearer notes, and the mid bass sounds slamming and thundering. Although the notes don't sound as well as those of other BA IEMs, they seem more lively and resonant. Although they sound a little forced or incomplete, the guitar's bottom notes and percussion nonetheless accomplish their intended purpose. To put it simply, I find it remarkable that a single BA was able to get such a reaction, but not to the extent that I would prefer the quality of it. As a result, the bass area is presented in a warm, subtle, and effective manner overall.

Technical Performance​

Regarding the One's technical capabilities, I think it performs averagely and seems less technical than previous BA IEMs or other IEMs in that regard. However, in other areas, such as separation and staging, it sounds superior to all other IEMs. Let's talk more about it.

Soundstage, Sound Imaging & Separation​

The soundstage is vast and broad, allowing for a large sound, and it is more stereo expanded than fully 360 surround. The imaging is crisp and clean, although I had anticipated more distinct and crisper notes. However, the average spacing between the notes makes it easier to distinguish where the music is originating from since it makes it straightforward to identify its source.

Speed & Resolution​

While the resolution is sufficient to bring out nice details, both macro and micro, when compared to other IEMs in the same price range, I find that the details on other BA sets are much more expressive and crisp. The notes' assault and fade are metered fairly, enabling a prompt reaction without rushing or losing your cool.

Sound Impressions ​

Sources​

Sony WM1A - The One never quite lived up to my expectations when paired with the WM1A; instead, it sounded more spacious and had a gentler response in the upper frequencies, creating a more balanced profile that highlighted the warm response. The voices had the biggest impact since they seemed relaxed throughout the entire answer, but when they were meant to be upfront, they were instead, and they sounded convincing enough to come across as authentic. The bass response seemed heavier and more distinct, resonating with that large area.

Tempotec V6 - The One seemed more upfront and clear when paired with the V6, especially in the midrange. The details were better, the bass was more in control and crisp, and the notes had more punch. In contrast to the pairing of WM1A, the response's expansive sound was overall richer and more rounded out.

Tracks​

Luna Haruna - Glory days
Luna Haruna - Overfly
Rokudenashi - The Flame of Love
LMYK - 0 (zero)
ORESKABAND - Jitensya
Marina Horiuchi - Mizukagami no Sekai
RADWIMPS - Suzume
Indila - Love Story
Indila - Tourner dans le vide
Earth, Wind & Fire - September
Tom Petty - Free Fallin'
Fleetwood Mac - Everywhere
Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit
Blue Oyester Cult - (Don't Fear) The Reaper
Guns 'N' Roses - Sweet Child O' Mine
The Police - Every Breath You Take
Gojira - Amazonia
TV on the radio - Wolf Like Me
Bring Me To The Horizon - Can You Feel My Heart
Bring Me To The Horizon - sTraNgeR
Avril Lavigne - Dare To Love Me
Travis - Love Will Come Through
Gotye - Somebody That I Used To Know
DJ Shadows - Six Days (Remix) [feat. Mos Def]
Lady Gaga - Just Dance
Lil Wayne - Lollipop
Flo Rida - Low
Sebastian Lopez & Flug - Electronic Measures
Federico Mecozzi - Blue (Da Ba Dee)
Wayve - Not Enough
Kai Wachi & TeZATalks - Ghost
NGHTMRE, Zeds Dead & Tori Levett - Shady Intentions
Zeds Dead, DNMO & GG Magree - Save My Grave
Skrillex, Noisia, josh pan & Dylan Brady - Supersonic
Skrillex & Nai Barghouti - Xena
Skrillex, Missy Elliott & Mr. Oizo - RATATA
Kaifi Khalil, Eva B & Wahab Bugti - Kana Yaari
A.R. Rahman, Javed Ali & Mohit Chauhan - Kun Faya Kun

Conclusion​

To conclude this review, I would like to draw two conclusions. I understand that paying $150 for a single BA IEM is highly questionable when the sound is not very technically or tonally advanced but still satisfying, but I also understand that the technology used and how it is used is very interesting and respectable, as this could be the first single BA IEM to achieve a unique response. Second, I believe the business published it to see how well it was accepted by audiophiles. To be honest, it is entirely up to you whether or not you want to see technical growth and innovation in electro-acoustic products. However, I would suggest this IEM not just for its nice tone and solid specifications, but also for how intelligently and technically it is constructed.

Thaslaya's star rating system:
☆☆☆☆☆ - Best in class/buy it now
☆☆☆☆ - Highly recommended
☆☆☆ - Sound for thee, not for me
☆☆ - Can't see the appeal
☆ - Product is a failure

Disclaimer:
This product was purchased by me and all opinions are my own.

Gear used:
●LG v30+
●Samsung Galaxy s22 Ultra
●Hiby FC4

Source:
●Listening was done through Amazon Music HD or Ultra HD. Due to the limitations of volume with 3.5mm connection, all listening was done with stock 4.4mm cable through Hiby FC4.

Introduction:
Aful has been doing well with their release of the Performer 5 and Performer 8, both receiving tons of praise. Here we have the MagicOne which sports a single balanced armature driver and a unique acoustic tube design. The MSRP is $139.99 which seems pricey for an iem in 2024 that consists of just a single BA driver. Let's break them down and see if it's worth the price of entry.

Build, fit, ergonomics:
The MagicOne comes with your choice of 3.5mm or 4.4mm termination. After reading other users mentioning these needing power, I opted for 4.4mm. The cable is great quality and the aestetics match very well with the shell design. Just like other Aful products, they come with silicone tips, a nice cable, and the puck style case. I don't personally care for this style of case but to each their own. I did get some occasional pressure build up with deep insertion but it usually resolved itself.

Sound impressions:
The first word that comes to mind when listening to the MagicOne: smooth. Velvety smooth. Actually shocked that Aful was able to create this sound with just a single BA. The technicalities are average to above average for the price range. The soundstage is neither narrow nor wide. I'd say it's positioned well in the middle where instruments can be heard well without competing too much for attention. The tuning is a touch on the warmer side but there is plenty of sparkle in the treble. The highs do roll off a bit early and I wish there was just a little more air up top.

●Lows - BA drivers have a reputation for poorer quality and quantity of bass compared to other drivers and deservedly so. However, I feel the bass is adequate here. Definitely not bass anemic whereas i can actually hear the sub rumble on certain tracks. Other all BA iems I've had were lacking there. The sub and mid bass will satisfy most listeners but not those looking for v-shaped or bassheads.

●Mid - This is where things get magical. The vocals are pushed to the front of the stage but not overly so. Both male and female voices sound so good. They are a bit warmed over which plays right into my personal preference. No shoutiness anywhere in sight. I found the best vocal performance when paired with soft pop like Adele and John Mayor - could listen for hours and hours like a warm blanket.

●Highs - There is plenty to like about the treble. It sparkles and shimmers but never gets sibilant. I would have liked a bit more air in the top end but that's pretty nitpicky.

●Balanced:
As I stated earlier, the MagicOne really need a bit of power to bring out full enjoyment. I was able to get to a respectable volume with the 3.5mm on my LGv30 and S22 Ultra but I do enjoy cranking my music from time to time. I would recommend getting an amp to anyone who plans to purchase these. A dongle DAC should supply enough to let the MagicOne shine.

Summary:
Aful back at it again with an excellent iem. The MagicOne's tuning is very smooth and enjoyable. It may not appeal to those who prefer a brighter and more energetic sound signature. The bass is the best I've heard from an all BA set let alone one with just a single BA. Treble has plenty of sparkle and sounds great but it does roll off just a tad early. The power requirements and price may be the biggest limiting factors especially when there are no shortage of options in the $150 range. For me personally, these sounded best with pop, soft rock, country, and vocal centric genres. The MagicOne is aptly named because Aful pulled a fantastic set out of their proverbial hat!

AFUL and @gadgetgod, thanks for providing me with the unit. No one paid/influenced me to write this review.
This IEM changes drastically with EQ. And without EQ, you will miss a lot of what this IEM have to offer. I can't export all the features I had with DSP, so tweak it as per your preference. The review below is done with my applied EQ and vanilla form.

This review is written ignoring the fact that this is a One BA IEM, with the only thing in mind that it costs $140. I will talk about its configuration at the end.



Pros -

Very Satisfying Bass:

w/ EQ: The subbass and midbass combination is wonderful. There is not even a single time when I complained about its bass performance. The subbass is rumbly enough to give you a wholesome experience, not enough to make mid-bass feel separated. The midbass is full of thump, and enough to a point that one might think there's a separate dynamic driver for bass only. There are zero complaints for me in the bass region, and that says a lot because 8 out of 10 IEMs I review have something to complain about. For example, it demolishes Sennheiser IE200 out of the water.

w/o EQ: There is not enough sub-bass to call it a fulfilling experience, and there is enough quantity if you're a neutral listener. Of course, you can hear the details in the range, but not enough thump/slam is there by default. I know a few people who would like this sub-bass a lot, because it is clean, and the cleanliness it provides with the rest of the range is quite good while giving some definition to the male vocals.

It's somewhat clear why they chose this tuning with bass because there is a certain limit in the BA too, sometimes with EQ/massive bass it feels low-res. Ultimately, you won't be disappointed in any way. It impressed me the most in the bass region.

Dreams - 2004 Remaster by Fleetwood Mac
Nobody Knows by Autograff & WYNNE

Textural Information:

w/ EQ: This IEM can extract textures from primary 3 Instruments easily from the mix. (Vocal/Guitar/Violin everything sounds textured) Which is very good for the price. You won't feel any smoothing, and the vocals will feel detailed enough to give you an organic feel and provide realism to an extent which is very good for the price.

w/o EQ: They lose some textures and sound very relaxed in general.

Stand By Me - Music Travel Love
Wish You Were Here - Pink Floyd (Boyce Avenue acoustic cover)

Treble is just as sweet as honey -

w/o EQ: This was what I was worried about the most and AFUL nailed it out of the park. The treble is just right in quality and quantity. I like a bit more treble, but that's just my preference and the way it produces treble with such ease is commendable. Do I think IE200's treble is better? Yes, but it is better than Aful Performer 5 Treble in terms of quantity. The only problem is that I could tell that the BA was in action, that too sometimes, very few times.

w/ EQ - The treble gets even better, it becomes so polished that it easily increases its value by multiples.

Thriller - Michael Jackson
Cornfield Chase - Hans Zimmer

Imaging and Layering is above average for the price range -

w/o EQ : Not much to talk about, you can trust it for its imaging and layering capabilities. Unless you throw very complex mixes where instruments overlap each other's frequency, like London Symphony Orchestra recordings.
In terms of resolution, I was satisfied. Didn't get the micro details, but I wouldn't reject it based on its revealing nature for the price.

w/ EQ - They lose their spatial abilities but gain very good soundstage.

Bubbles - Yoshi Horikawa
Robots in Motion - Philter

Cons -

The IEM is very power-hungry and shouldn't be played on Apple Dongle/Ultra Budget Dongles. Given proper power, everything improves, from bass to midrange details, from treble refinement to soundstage.

This IEM is very dependent on Insertion depth. If I insert it very deeply, somehow the bass gets fuzzy & and the proportions in lower registers are unbalanced. I have very small earholes for reference (Can't fit Softears RSV or Blessing 2).

Can build up air pressure if not inserted correctly.

Point to be noted for further development

Midrange Timber:

I don't know how, but they are sounding very pleasing to me. I use HD600 as my primary gear, so I can notice off timbers very easily. They sound very close to the instruments. The guitars have a bite I look for in every audio gear. Although the drums sound a bit off, the snare hits are a bit exaggerated at the low end of their spectrum. And trumpets could've used a bit more top-end elevation. But according to the price they are perfect and drums and trumpets are the only instruments where I felt they could've done a better job. (I am nit-picking at this point, but the Violin needs low-end, top-end refinement too).

Caravan - Whiplash
Vivaldi Four Seasons - Avi Avital

Sounstage:

Although the soundstage feels good and spacious enough in most songs, although it is uneven. It is very stretched LR and squeezed in Front and back, giving some congestion in a few mixes, especially complex mixes. So some songs sound great, some songs miss the front positioning. The vocals are very focused and isolated in the head, a larger and more spacious feeling would be better.

With my EQ: The soundstage expanded drastically since I tuned the pinna gain ever so slightly and made it more steep. Now the vocals are fuller in the head and the soundstage is very even, filled and expanded.

Movement - Hozier
Tundra - Amber Ruberth



Tuning Analysis based on my ears -

Lows : Subbass requires an elevation, and it is not enough to satisfy midbass. Midbass is enough in quantity and quality, everything that you can expect from a mid-bass is there. The thumps and slams are real and feel dynamic.

Mids : It is a bit too forward. The upper mids & female vocals are good but the male vocals require a tone down approach to feel connected with the bass. It lacks a bit of openness. Good texturing, mostly good Timbre and tonality, is there through the midrange.

Treble : The treble is very sweet and refined. It is enough for the price. However, I would like to hear some trailing edges in the instruments, which are a bit missing. The air felt real and spaced out.

Tuning Analysis Based on Genre -

Pop - Again, I would've liked more sub-bass. Female singers sound better than male singers. It is very OK with this genre.

Apple Music - POP Hot Tracks

Rock - This IEM is very, very good for the Rock. The mid-bass gave it a very proper feeling of body. Elevated midrange beautifully balanced the recessed vocals on some tracks. The treble is sweet as honey. The LR soundstage expansion fits the recordings like a glove. The resolution is enough to reveal most of the complex tracks.

Spotify - Customized Classic Rock Playlist

Electronic - It was a very OK experience. There were no faults that I could notice but still, it can be improved a lot. The problem I faced mainly lies between both extremes of the FR. The extra upper treble was needed for a sizzling feeling and there was a need for sub-bass elevation too.

Spotify - Customized Classic Electronic/Dance Playlist

Hip-hop - This genre is above average. The mids gave the vocals a stage to shine, where the mid-bass was enough for a powerful impact. Although still missing a bit of sub-bass.

Apple Music/Spotify - Own Playlists (Mostly Desi Hip Hop)

Orchestra (My most listened-to genre) - Very soothing experience, missing a bit of >10Khz treble extension but very articulate. Would've liked a bit of bite too.

My Classical Music Playlist


Thoughts on the technology they used -

I reviewed this product without taking the Single BA configuration into my bias/consideration. How on earth AFUL made this is ? It is still blowing my mind. After EQ how, this thing can produce bass like a DD, and it can still maintain details and mid-tonality. This is out of my mind. They created a monster.

The Engineering Department of AFUL: I salute you. You guys did an outstanding job.

AFUL MagicOne: Finding the magic​

Introduction: -

AFUL’s journey began in 2018 with a dedicated acoustic team that focused on developing cutting-edge acoustic technology. In 2019, a breakthrough was achieved with the first engineering prototypes that featured a novel circuit topology and acoustic structure. This enabled a single BA driver to deliver stunning HiFi performance. Cut to 2023, AFUL has brought us the all-new MagicOne. They have designed a customized balanced armature driver for the MagicOne. AFUL has also implemented its newly developed technologies including SE-Math Electro-Acoustic Intermodulation, and Nautilus Acoustic Maze. These help the pair achieve true high-resolution sound performance. This is not the first time we’ve seen a Single BA IEM. Let’s see how they have tuned their customised BA. The AFUL MagicOne comes with a price tag of US$ 139.99.



Specifications: -

• Driver Configuration: 1 Customized Balanced Armature
• Impedance: 38Ω ± 10%
• Freq Response: 5Hz-35Khz
• Sensitivity: 103dB/mW
• Noise Isolation: -26dB
• Connectors: 2-pin 0.78mm
• Termination: 3.5mm/4.4mm

Disclaimer: -

AFUL and @gadgetgod arranged the review tour for AFUL MagicOne in India. We are thankful to them for the opportunity. However, the review reflects our honest opinion.

Packaging & Accessories: -

The AFUL MagicOne comes in a smaller-sized box with the IEMs and all the accessories. Removing the box reveals the IEMs and a beautiful black Metal Case. Inside the case, there were stock Cable and supplied ear-tips of two types. The cable is high-purity oxygen-free copper and oxygen-free copper silver-plated cable with a 32+37 core wire configuration.





IEM Fit & Design: -

The MagicOne comes in a transparent resin shell with a faceplate decorated with a silver accent. The design looks like falling snowflakes as AFUL also mentioned the same. The inside of the IEMs is fully visible. The design is ergonomic, and we found no problem using it for longer sessions. The balanced armature driver is placed directly on the nozzle. AFUL has equipped the MagicOne with a uniquely designed rear-cavity structure. This structure includes a specially designed long and ultra-thin acoustic tube named 'Nautilus Acoustic Maze Technology'. They’ve claimed that enhances the Bass performance.



Sound Analysis: -

Credit: @aftersound

• Tonality: - The tonality of AFUL MagicOne leans towards the warm neutral and musical. AFUL surprisingly achieved very good tonal balance across the frequency. It’s a musical and foot-tapping sound signature. It seems that it can be used for longer listening sessions not only because of its design but for tonality as well. Vocals and acoustic instruments sound natural but with a cost of technicalities.

• Lows: - The MagicOne offers a well-textured bass. It’s quite surprising for a Single-BA set. It is nowhere near the dynamic driver level of Bass, but it gets the job done. Mid-bass is a bit forward with decent thump while the subbass has less extension making the mids remain clear and detailed. The decay is faster hence the speed of the bass is easily handled by the set. In our cases, pairing with sources like Dethonray DTR1+ or iFi Hip DAC 3 improves the thump and mid-bass extension.

• Mids: - The AFUL MagicOne offers a dynamic and smooth mids across the frequency which is not so forward. Vocals especially female vocals are very nice and have a soul. The male vocals are also not far behind. We feel that the mid-bass played the role where it gave the vocals a bit more weight. However, it’s not the airiest or resolving to be called special. In fact, the micro detail retrievals are not that great hence it made the mids congested with the busy instrumental tracks.

• Highs: - The overall tonal balance made the highs of the MagicOne smooth and not ear-piercing. Cymbals have a nice, natural, decay to them. There is a lack of air felt in every way, but it doesn’t disappoint. This also shows while listening to saxophone-based tracks such as In Your Eyes by the Weekend where the timbre of saxophone is organic and less airy. The single BAs just often can’t manage separation so well, which is particularly evident in the upper ranges.

• Soundstage & Imaging: - The MagicOne manages to deliver an okayish soundstage for the category. It is a compact stage, but it has come with a good layering being formed in this spectrum. Making the stage height increase. But in no way is the most open, and extended imaging. The transient response is surprisingly above average when we consider similar-priced items. We would have loved it if the imaging had been a bit better and there would have been more openness across the frequency.

• Synergy: - After trying it with different sources (Astell and Kern SP1000m, Dethonray DTR1, DTR1+, Pegasus SG1 Gold, iFi Hip DAC 3, Aune M1p and Tanchjim Space and Space lite dongles) we can confidently say that it synergises well with analytical daps like Dethonray DTR1+. Also, we would like to add that Dethonray SG1 Gold and iFi Hip DAC 3 help in making the bass more thumpy and hard-hitting. Surprisingly the IEM needs much more power for a Balanced Armature Driver system. It may sound dull with comparatively weaker sources. For dongles, Tanchjim Space paired well with this.

Conclusion: -

The AFUL MagicOne is a unique offering from AFUL. This is our first interaction with AFUL audio. They surprised us with the tonality they have achieved with a single BA driver. Although it has its flaws, but the best thing about MagicOne lies in its versatile tonality which allows you to enjoy all kinds of music. It is good for longer listening as there is no harshness and can be enjoyed at low volume thus showing the calibre of the IEM. The thing we didn’t like about the is its average staging and less air between the instruments. Although female vocal lovers can easily enjoy the unit very much as it’s the highlight of this IEMs.

Non-Affiliated Link: -
- https://hifigo.com/products/aful-magicone
- https://www.amazon.com/HiFiGo-MagicOne-Earphones-Revolutionary-Technology/dp/B0CM5PMWGY?th=1

AFUL MagicOne :: $139.99 :: 1BA

After the success of AFUL's 'Performer Series', they shifted away from the Hybrid configuration utilizing multiple drivers.

AFUL’s latest IEM features Single BA configuration, which is quite unique these days. As I will discuss later, the 'MagicOne' is a true testament to the company's acoustic engineering skill.

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Driver Configuration : 1 Balanced Armature
Sensitivity : 103dB/mW
Impedence : 38 ohms
Frequency Response Range : 5Hz - 35kHz
Cable Length : 1.2m
Interface : 0.78 2-PIN

Huge thanks to HiFiGo for providing a sample unit for this review.
However, this review fully reflects the my honest opinion without anyone else's interference.

Btw, are you more familiar with Korean?
So am I, and If that's the case, I think you'd be better off reading my review written in Korean here.

This entire review was translated from Korean article using DeepL Translator with some refinement by myself.

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Opening the package, the warranty card and manual are the first things you'll see.

Inside the package, there is an iron case and a MagicOne unit.



With a metal top and bottom lid held together by a silicone structure in the middle, it looks as much like a macaron as it feels like one.

The inside of the case is lined with fabric, so you don't have to worry about scratching or damaging the unit.



Inside the case, there are 0.78 2-pin cable and eartips.



You get a 32+37 core hybrid cable that's made of 'Oxygen-Free Copper' and 'Silver-Plated Oxygen-Free Copper' woven together in a 'Litz Type 4 method'. It's quite flexible, and the quality is decent.

When purchasing the product, you can choose either 3.5mm or 4.4mm connector, depending on your preference.

The cable used in the review is a 3.5mm cable.



You also get two different types of eartip, which are nearly identical in shape and other characteristics - except for the difference in material.

The white ear tips are slightly firmer and the black ear tips are slightly softer, so it's a matter of comfort and preference.



The faceplate is quite attractive, with a silver decoration that repeats a snowflake pattern against a backdrop of fluffy white particles.

This is paired with a transparent resin shell that is fully visible on the inside, creating a design that is reminiscent of cold snowflakes and ice.



Nevertheless, the eye is naturally drawn to the internal structure of the unit.

It contains a single balanced armature driver, which is tiny, measuring less than 5 mm long and 2.5 mm thick, but the sheer complexity of the acoustic engineering that fills the rest of the unit never ceases to amaze the eye.



To ensure the straightness of the sound, the balanced armature driver is placed in a straight line directly to the nozzle.

The eye is natually guided to a maze of winding passages around the driver.

Named the 'Nautilus Acoustic Maze technology', the design utilizes AFUL's high-performance 3D printing technology to create a large resonator box connected to the BA driver, which is then connected to an external hole via a long resonator tube.

The vast resonator box, housed in a space as small as a fingernail, is connected to a series of very thin resonator tubes, as thin as 0.91mm, and the total length of these tubes is a whopping 7.7cm.

This creates an effect similar to a low-pass filter, and goes a long way to improving the bass reproduction, which is one of the weak points of single BA earphones.



Above the resonator structure, which takes up more than half of the unit, is a complex circuit of large capacitors arranged in rows.

Unlike most IEM earphones that use only resistors and capacitors to tune the sound, AFUL has been using crossovers based on its in-house developed RLC circuit since its first product - the Performer 5.

Designed with additional inductors as well as resistors and capacitors, the RLC circuit has more favorable characteristics for controlling the dip and peak of the sound from the driver.

The circuit with this design, is combined with AFUL's core acoustic technology - 'SE-Math', which compensates the difference between the driver's inherent sound and the sound that has gone through a complex acoustic design structure, is said to further improve the sound characteristics of the MagicOne's Treble.

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Measured with IEC 60318-4 (711) while maintaining 94dB@500hz.
The sample used for the measurement does not represent the characteristics of the entire product.

Following Measurements are available at silicagel775.github.io



Measured with included black tip.

Not to be outdone by the Harman in-ear targets, the MagicOne has a nice, smooth tonal balance across the entire frequency from sub-bass to treble despite being a single BA IEM.

the MagicOne's bass - Completed with a resonator design that takes up more than half of the unit's internal space - is hard to believe it's coming from a single BA. With the decent amount of body-ness, the bass still has a slight resemblance of a balanced armature with a fast responsiveness, resulting in a clean and natural sounding bass.

This is followed by a smooth midrange, and a wide bandwidth that stretches all the way to the top end, completing the crisp and clean sound.



Measured with the included white tip.

You won't see much difference from the black tip measurement.



Here's a direct comparison of the two measurements.

We can safely assume that there is no significant difference.

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I remember when AFUL's first product, the 'Performer Series' first landed, it created quite a sensation, not only because of the ‘unique’ company name, but also because of the quality of the product. I hadn't personally had the opportunity to own any AFUL products, but their presence was enough to make an impression on my mind.

So when I came across the news that AFUL was releasing a new pair of single BA earphones, I have to admit I was a little bit intrigued.

Because a Single BA design - As you might already know, is a form factor that's not often explored these days, as hybrid designs that mix new types of drivers to differentiate themselves have become more mainstream.

What's more, the 1BA structure has clear limitations if approached casually, but I was pleasantly surprised to see that AFUL took on the challenge and delivered a very high level of achievement.

The use of a high-performance balanced armature driver, coupled with a clear recognition of its limitations and the acoustic engineering design to overcome them - the ‘MagicOne’ - is a testament to AFUL’s technical understanding and mass production skills.

With ‘MagicOne’, following on from the 'Performer Series', I believe that AFUL has once again demonstrated their acoustic engineering design capabilities.

The design of the unit, showing off the interior, almost makes you wonder if the choice was partly a reflection of its character as a 'technology showpiece’ to demonstrate their skills.

Thank you for reading!

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Non-Affiliated Link (if you're interested)

HiFiGo Official Store:
https://hifigo.com/products/aful-magicone

HiFiGo Aliexpress Store:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006184207746.html

Originally posted at avaliasom.com

Presentation


Hello, friends of AvaliaSom, I'm Marcelo Dosec, and this one I bring you is the Aful MagicOne , a unit that was sold to me by HiFiGo with a 20% discount in exchange for this review. Thank you very much, HiFiGo. As usual, I will only give my personal opinions about the phone, without any obligation to say good or bad.

This headphone costs 140 USD (or around 268 USD with 92% Brazilian taxes in current legislation), and if you are interested in adding it to your collection after reading the review, you can choose to buy directly through HiFiGo (no affiliate links). Thanks in advance.

Aful is a recent brand, which arrived kicking the market with the P5, an IEM that I had and really liked. Then they brought the P8, one that I tested and considered the best up to 400 USD for some time (until I discovered the Yanyin Canon II ). Therefore, considering the quality of previous models, and taking into account the “embedded technology” that Aful planned for the MagicOne, as soon as this guy was announced, I was already looking forward to get it.


Anyone who knows me knows how much I appreciate single BA earphones. I find it very curious how a driver the size of a grain of rice manages to deliver good music to my ears. On my YouTube channel, I tested the Floaudio Lily , the Audiosense DT100 and the Cutbox Kina. Although these full range BAs can do a lot, there are no miracles, and a particularity among earphones with this configuration is a lack of breath at one end, whether in the bass range or the treble range.

And it was precisely based on this limitation that Aful worked its magic on the MagicOne, pardoning the word used by 10 out of 10 reviewers to talk about this earphone. But we will talk about these details later. First, let's mention the unboxing, whose black glove-shaped box features the beautiful rendering of the earphone on the front, as well as the details about its particularities. On the back, the usual technical details about the earphone.


The bottom box is rigid and only bears the brand name. Inside, we have a foam cradle for the earphones and the case, which is the same metal case common to other Aful units (and some SeeAudio too), very spacious and resistant. I can even attest to its resistance, as unfortunately I let my MagicOne fall and roll down some stairs, and the case didn't even open, although I was slightly injured in the process of keeping the earphone intact.


The unit comes with a beautiful silver-plated oxygen-free copper (OFC) cable, with connectors, chin slider and splitter made of metal. On my model, the connections are 0.78 mm 2-pin for the earphone and 3.5 mm for the source, however Aful offers the option of the same cable with a 4.4 mm connector at the time of purchase.


Furthermore, Aful offers two types of silicone tips: a kit of black tips with a blue or red mouthpiece and a kit of white tips. Basically they have the same nozzle diameter, and only differ in firmness, with the white ones being softer. I preferred the black tips with colored mouthpieces, which make it easier to see the earphones on the left or right side.


The IEM itself is gorgeous: entirely made of resin, with a faceplate that has a silver mosaic whose design looks like small flowers, with a white background, as well as the name of the unit on one side and the name of the brand on the other. The shell is completely transparent and allows you to see the unusual interior of the earphone, while its nozzle features a very restrictive metal filter. The two-pin connector is flush with the phone.

And speaking of the most intriguing, the sound of the earphone is generated by a single full range balanced armature (BA) (which covers all frequencies), developed by Aful, and we can see that it delivers its sound through an acoustic tube shaped horn (narrower near the driver), which ends in a damper before meeting the nozzle. But it doesn't end there.


Looking at the IEM closely, just above the BA we see an empty space, with a square window that connects this space to a resonator box. At the bottom of this resonator box comes a 77 mm long tube, which makes eight U-bends before finding an open hole in the phone shell. This system was named by Aful as Nautilus Structure (due to the similarity with the look of the nautilus), and serves to improve the low frequency responses generated by the BA. Remembering that the Aful P8 also uses a very long tube (62.5 mm) for low frequencies.


And in the part opposite to the BA location, we see the complex frequency division system (RLC) patented by Aful, also used in the P5 and P8. But unlike its bigger brothers, where the frequency divider helps to better distribute the sound between the multiple drivers, in the case of the MagicOne it works to improve the treble extension. This was possible due to the use of another technology patented by Aful, called “SE-Math”, which consists of the software analysis of the driver's responses in combination with the acoustic structure of the phone, thus allowing the ideal development of the RLC configuration.

Comfort


The comfort of an IEM is a personal matter, and for me at least the fit of the MagicOne is perfect. Its body is ergonomic and simulates the inner shape of the ear. The nozzle is narrow, 0.5 cm in diameter (0.1 cm less than a Simgot EM6L, for example), and allows a medium to deep fit, which allowed me to use the black tips in size S. And so Being a closed earphone, the seal is excellent and there is also considerable pressure generated in the ear canal.

Musical Sound

I tried the IEM on my sources, which are: iPhone SE (my “DAP”), Dell Laptop, Apple Dongle, Truthear Shio, iFi Uno, Cayin RU6 and Topping DX3 Pro+.

Additionally, I used the Tempotec Sonata BHD and Tempotec V3 sources that I am currently testing.

Note that I always listen to the earphones at low volume levels, around 55 to 65 dB according to the measurement made by the Apple AirPods Pro 2 in the “Health” App on the iPhone, so my impressions may differ from those who listen at higher volumes.

By the way, I invite you to check out my headphone test playlist on Spotify. This is a dynamic playlist, and the songs can change at any time, but they will always follow the purpose of presenting all the points I mention in my musical evaluation of the headphones.

Regarding sources, the Aful MagicOne did not prove to be an easy earphone to play. On a cell phone, the sound is very weak, lifeless, a bit clumsy. On the Sonata BHD or Truthear Shio, it improves a little, but the ideal is to make more power available for the MagicOne to show what it's capable of. Just for reference, I used volume 39 on the Cayin RU6 (low gain) to hear the MagicOne properly.

• Tone

To my ears, the MagicOne's tonality is neutral with a little warmth, proving to be well balanced in frequency delivery.

NOTE: The following notes serve as a comparison parameter only in the price range in which the phone falls.

• Bass: Level 4/5, Extension 3/5, Speed 5/5, Texture 5/5, Depth 3.5/5

I repeat: 10 out of 10 reviews will say that there is magic in the MagicOne, and I won't do any different. In fact, what this little BA delivers here seems magical. The bass is very present, it brings a great texture and a good sense of depth, but even though it has a greater extension than any Single BA I've ever heard in my life, it still doesn't deliver the cavernous subs of a dynamic driver or a BA dedicated to bass.

This means that the more subterranean beats of “Ambitions Az a Ridah” may be insufficient, on the other hand, the bass line of “Como Tudo Deve Se” sounds tasty and very textured. Cellos and double basses are also well presented, and unless you're passionate about subs, the MagicOne will please you a lot.

In terms of speed, I don't even need to mention that the BA can handle the most insane kickdrums of a “Valhalla”, a characteristic inherent to this type of driver.

• Midrange: Level 3.5/5, Presence 5/5, Clarity 5/5, Voices 5/5, Transparency 5/5

A point in common with all the Single BAs I've heard is the good midrange delivery, and the MagicOne is no different. It delivers very prominent midrange in the spectrum, with a lot of presence and clarity, as well as a delicious sound of voices and excellent transparency.

And I'll go further, the MagicOne proved to be my favorite earphone up to 200 USD for listening to female vocals, no matter if they are silkier voices like Andrea Grauzas or more powerful like Adele. And it goes well with male voices, especially in the warmth he brings to Charlez Aznavour 's voice in “La Bohème” .

There is also a beautiful presentation of instruments that use the midrange, with honorable mentions to the body of the lowest guitar notes. The piano in “Hello” is also enchanting, and it is worth mentioning that there is no trace of sibilance in this track.

• Treble: Level 4/5, Brightness 4/5, Airiness 4.5/5, Extension 5/5, Timbre 4/5

Although the bass is impressive for a Single BA, I confess that I was more impressed with the treble. There is a very good level of brightness, with excellent airiness and a timbre that borders on ideal, even comparing the MagicOne to exponents in this price range, such as the Simgot EM6L and the Truthear Nova. There are no noticeable peaks or valleys when listening, and the treble presentation is very cohesive.

Furthermore, the range of cymbals in “The Well” is excellent, and it impresses me how the MagicOne manages to deliver the highest notes of the violins with so much life. I am obliged to give a standing ovation to the Aful engineers who achieved this level of technical excellence with such a limited driver.

Listening to a forró (brazilian genre), like “Frevo Mulher”, it is very pleasant to notice how the triangle stands out among the other sounds. It's a really great set.

• Technicalities: Sound Stage 3/5, Image 5/5, Layering 3.5/5, Separation 2.5/5, Details 4/5, Resolution 5/5

When it comes to technicalities, we begin to understand some of the limitations of simple BA. Still, the MagicOne manages to deliver a good soundstage for the category, because although it is a compact stage, it is very three-dimensional, with an excellent image being formed in this spectrum. With this there is also a good layering, with an interesting and very coherent cut.

Its level of detail is also pleasing, even bringing out some microdetails, and its resolution is excellent, perhaps the most impressive feature of the MagicOne for me. I would venture to say that the perceived quality of the sound delivered by this IEM is comparable even to that of much more expensive headphones, perhaps even comparable to the Aful P5 and P8 .

The only point where the MagicOne leaves something to be desired is in the separation of instruments, as this is a physical limitation of a simple BA. On complex tracks, congestion is very noticeable, and can be annoying on tracks like “Headbangeeeeerrrrr!!!!!!” , for example.

Sound in Games

In battle royale games, such as PUBG, the MagicOne delivers the position of opponents across the spectrum very well, but lacks in terms of distance, as the sound emitters always seem to be closer than they really are. Rating 3.5/5.

In FPS games like CS2 ( without changing the sound settings), the MagicOne has a sublime performance. Its tuning favors the sound of opponents moving around the map very well, and I just don't place it as the best for CS2 under 200 USD due to its need for amplification. Rating 5/5.

In casual games, like Hogwarts Legacy, the feeling of an open world is somewhat compressed, and the immersion ends up being harmed in this detail. However, indoors the immersion is excellent, including the spectacular naturalness of the surrounding sounds. Rating 4/5.

And finally, in simulation games like Asetto Corsa, the bass is not enough to deliver the necessary strength to the sound of the engines, in compensation there is a beautiful sound of everything around. Immersion may suffer, but it's not bad. Rating 3/5.

Sound in Films, Series and Productivity

The MagicOne's sound definitely doesn't suit action films, on the other hand it is excellent for dialogue and musical parts, and watching “La La Land” again was excellent in the company of this Aful.

And for watching podcasts, the MagicOne is very good, but it can sound a bit congested if there are a lot of people talking at the same time. It is valid for work meetings where there are many voices in parallel. On the other hand, the MagicOne is a fantastic study companion, especially due to its excellent passive isolation.

Aful MagicOne (140 USD) vs Audiosense DT100 (109 USD) vs Floaudio Lily (40 USD) vs Cutbox Kina (300 BRL)


I decided to compare the MagicOne to other Single BAs that I have at home, and I must say that it's cowardly, firstly due to the price: the MagicOne is significantly more expensive than all of them. Next, due to the onboard technology, given that the other Single BAs I have here only have the full-range BA and nothing else. Still, let's talk about them:

The Floaudio Lily is the cheapest and simplest of them, including in terms of sound. Although it has a beautiful resin body, its fit is not perfect like the MagicOne, and the occlusion effect ends up being greater. In terms of sound, the Lily lacks bass and treble extension, but its biggest weakness is in the resolution, which seems to be light years away from what the MagicOne delivers.

The Audiosense DT100 has a very similar fit to the MagicOne, being similar even in the sealing and pressure caused in the ears. Something to highlight is that the DT100 uses a Knowles BA with side output, which I've never seen on other earphones. In terms of sound, the DT100 is far superior to the Lily, and even comes close to the MagicOne in terms of resolution and midrange quality, in addition to delivering good technicalities. However, it lacks a lot in the extension and quality of the treble, given that its tuning seems to have been done to try to deliver a good bass and midrange footprint, including a duct and opening in the shell to improve the BA's bass, but nothing compared to the Aful's Nautilus system.

Finally, the Cutbox Kina is a national project inspired by the Kbear F1, which features a BA Knowles full range in a peculiar body. And Fabrício (Cut Box BR channel) did a great job on this headphone, as it achieves a very interesting extension for a Single BA, both in the bass and treble. And in terms of resolution and technicalities, it is closer to the MagicOne than I could imagine, with a very holographic stage, very good image and a beautiful delivery of details. However, the MagicOne sounds much more refined, mainly due to its fantastic resolution. And as good as the Kina's treble extension is, the MagicOne can go much further.

Conclusion

Come on: there's magic in this phone. Ok, in fact the “magic” is just technology, the result of a lot of investment in R&D. Aful impresses with the refinement and innovations in each of its earphones, with the MagicOne being the most incredible of the projects, as good as the P5 and P8 are. The technological excellence of this unit makes me wonder: what will Aful bring in the future?

Being able to extract what Aful extracted from a Single BA is comparable to a car manufacturer being able to extract 300 hp from a 1.0 production engine. It may even raise doubts about durability, but what matters is doing 0-60 in 5 seconds. And drawing the parallel with what we have in MagicOne, this is a headphone capable of playing at the same level as (or above) some of the best hybrids, planar or single DD in this category.

It's not the best buy up to 200 USD. A Truthear Nova and a Simgot EM6L deliver something more, and in the case of the Simgot, it delivers more and costs less. In other words, if you just want an earphone to listen to good music, there are better options. However, this is a product for enthusiasts. It's a headset for those who have already tried various things in their hobby and are curious about an incredible project like this. So, if you are a collector, a geek or an audiophile at the forefront of technology, this IEM needs to be in your collection.

Big hug!

Introduction
AFUL MagicOne, a single balanced armature (BA) in-ear monitor (IEM) priced at $139.99, aiming to redefine audio fidelity with its resonator chamber technology. As part of AFUL's innovative lineup, known for previous successes like the Performer 8 and Performer 5, the MagicOne stands out with its single BA setup.
Special thanks to HiFiGo for graciously providing the MagicOne for review, which can be found here.
Disclaimer: By no means is this review biased or influenced by anyone, the impressions are solely based on person experience.



Build
The MagicOne is a solidly built IEM with a durable resin shell that is both functional and visually appealing. One interesting feature is the integration of resonator technology, aimed at enhancing the sound signature. While this innovation may vary in its impact for individual users, it shows AFUL's willingness to explore unconventional avenues in audio design.
The accompanying cable is also of excellent quality, with a soft and durable texture that adds to the IEM's overall aesthetic appeal. Its flexibility and sturdiness contribute to the user's day-to-day experience, aligning with expectations for a product in this price range. Overall, the MagicOne demonstrates the brand's attention to both form and function in their design philosophy.

Comfort
MagicOne offers a fantastic fit with its compact shell design, making it perfect for users with smaller ears. Compared to similar styles like the Blessing 2, the MagicOne's smaller shell fits like a glove and should accommodate most people easily. The resonator chamber gives off a vented vibe, but some users might find it feels more closed, potentially leading to a sensation of pressure for sensitive individuals. However, the IEM has a very nice small nozzle diameter that enhances overall comfort, making it wearable for a broader audience.

Sound

Overview
The MagicOne offers an analytical taste, that sounds very pleasing and soothing to the ears, it surely will not offend a lot of people and will mostly be liked by most of the people, except the bassheads for sure...
In other words, the MagicOne is like that friend who always brings the perfect amount of snacks to a movie night. It may not have the biggest bag of chips, but it knows how to deliver the right amount of crunch and flavour. So if you're looking for a smooth and controlled audio experience with just the right touch of warmth, the MagicOne might just be your snacking soulmate. Just don't expect it to bring the party-sized bag of bass!

Drivability
So, it turns out the MagicOne are like the divas of in-ear monitors they require ample amount of power to drive, 80% volume on Questyle M15 on single ended cable.They're like, "Oh no, we need high-quality audio sources and powerful amplifiers to really show off our potential." I mean, I get it, everyone wants to feel special, but come on, MagicOne, don't be so demanding! Maybe they just need a little extra love and attention to really shine.

Ratings
Sound Quality:
Low (Bass): 3/5
Mid (Vocals): 4/5
High (Treble): 3/5
Comfort:
Fit and Ergonomics: 5/5 (Sweet and small shell design fits me perfectly)
Prolonged Wear Comfort: 4/5 (Due to the pressure buildup that people experience)
Overall Rating: 4/5

DISCLAIMER:

Hi. This is Practiphile. I was not paid for this review. Thanks to Aful and Hifigo.



WHAT’S IN THE BOX?


Watch my unboxing here:






The box is pretty standard with all the essentials included. Tips, IEM case cable and paper stuff. Nothing much to talk about really.



BUILD and COMFORT


As for the build, the transparent shell kills it. They look stunning with all those intricate tubes and that small full range BA.


You know Aful, I have never had any problems with fit from the brand. In fact, they might even be one of the best when it comes to fit. Feels like a condom, No really haha.




SETUP:

-Shanling M3X using UAPP, Hiby ang stock player and apple music

-stock cable

-divinus velvet eartips



SOUND PROFILE


Watch my final review here:





As I mentioned. These are mildly balanced.


It is quite surprising how they managed to pull off the bassshelf with a single BA. Not only that, the treble seems fairly controlled, albeit not that tonally correct. The treble is a bit glassy for my taste. But hey, a single BA doing that all the work needs a praise rather than a criticism.


Mids sound smooth and almost natural. They actually sound very pleasing with no annoying peaks. Just clean sounding mids that make vocals pop.



Where is the Magic?


I had high hopes before giving them a listen. I saw raving reviews about them on how good they are for a single BA. But I remained skeptical and thought there was no way a single BA could pull this off, but the graph says otherwise.


I was on a Japan trip and scheduled to meet Timmy, yeah the famous youtuber haha. I was actually more excited meeting him again than trying out new stuff. Who wouldnt?


Relationships > hobbies


I guess we can all agree with that yes?haha.. So much for that, when I tried the Magic one. There seems to be no magic at all. They sounded normal. And for a single BA, they actually are quite pricey for the sound it offers.


The next day, I thought about my first impressions and realized that I was listening to more expensive stuff (softears studio 4 and letshuoer cadenza 12) before I heard the magic one. I thought, "for it to sound normal, says a lot for its price."


Normally, I would hear a decline in sound quality when switching from my reference sets, or at least I would find nitpicks.


"That was magical", I thought.


The Magic


After my trip, my review unit had been sent to my PH adrress. Quite untimely. I immediately unboxed them, filmed, and gave my second impressions. They didnt sound that much different, but better because I was using a different eartip.


As days passed, I began to see the magic. They sound so smooth and you actually forget it's only a BA doing everything


and when I was reminded by its specs, I just shook my head and told myself "damn, these are good"



PROS

a good basshelf for a single BA

clean and natural sounding vocals

good strings and percussion timbre

well controlled and extended treble


CONS

bass isnt as dynamic as a DD for obvious reasons

cymbal timbre is a bit glassy for my taste

a bit expensive for the sound and overall package




SCORING

-Please be reminded that my scoring is always based on its price range.


TONALITY - 2.5

BASS - 2

MIDS - 3

TREBLE - 2.5

TECHS - 2


P.P SCORE = 12


Rank: A-


generally better than other sets. Good for the price but the tonality might not match your preferences



Check my scoring here :


https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/15WhgCgiMzWfF3ccgB8SK5-Cg7m87kpIShtxsyg2u-AI/edit?usp=sharing



GRAB SCORE:

This is easy, I just rate the set whether I would grab them for listening. Very subjective.


- I will never touch this again


- I grab if I remember


- Can be part of my rotation


- I break my rotation and grab this one today


- *** rotation, I’ll listen to these for the whole week


- Im selling everything, I will only listen to these haha.



GRAB SCORE: 2


Surprisngly, it can be part of my rotation because of the fit, looks, and the smooth sound signature.




COMPARISONS


Truthears Nova

-The Nova sounds more balanced especially in the treble, relative to its signature. Nova also has better separation, probably because it's a hybrid. However, I do find the Magic One to be more pleasing to listen to. The Magic One also fits better and more premium looking. Go for the Nova if you want a safer sound signature.


Simgot EM6L

- both have different sound signatures. If you want more engagement, maybe the EM6L is for you. If you've been in the hobby for quite some time, I'm pretty sure you can appreciate the Magic of Aful.


Planars

-planars are more resolving in general, but at the cost of the treble being a bit unrefined. Unless you are Micheal Bruce, who controls planar treble like no other, it is best to choose the Magic one for smoothness. If you want more nuance and separation, and can take planar timbre, go pick an S12 pro.


Gizaudio Galileo

- I like the Galileo better because of its overall tonality and timbre. However, for people who chase treble like its the only sound in the frequency, the Magic One would be enough.



Phoenixcall

-the phoenixcall is just tonally wrong on graphs. But hey, Durian doesnt smell right either. Get my point?


I like how the phoenixcall projects a fake stage. So if you want a different experience, you can pick the phoenix. If you want a safer sound, go pick Magic One.



FINAL THOUGHTS


As mentioned in my video, you might be paying for the R&D of this set. The engineering behind is such a feat. I mean I wouldnt be surprised if they only increased the bassshelf, its just a damper away. Or if they smoothened the the treble coz etymotics have done it.


But, for a single BA doing a nice basshelf, clean mids and well extended treble, this might leave some engineers scratching their head.


Not only that, but what Aful is trying to prove is, most of the sound signature is from altering frequency magnitude. These are better sounding than some pricier hybrids.


The true magic is when you realize that you dont always get better sound with more drivers.





==========================

WHERE TO BUY: non affiliate links


HiFiGo：https://hifigo.com/products/aful-magicone

Amazon US:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CM5NCGCD/aful+majicone/

Amazon JP:

https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B0CM5SVX5Y/aful+majicone/

Aliexpress：

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006184207746.html


MY LIBRARY:

I grew up listening to 90’s music. Alternative, punk-rock, screamo, rap, Philippine OPM, Anime songs, JPOP, KPOP, metal, reggae and a lot more.

The artists I regularly listen to are:


Rock-Alternative-Metal

Incubus, 311, BMTH, Matchbox 20, The Goo Goo Dolls, Paramore, Polyphia, The Calling,, Babymetal, Metallica, Slipknot, Bon Jovi, Coheed and Cambria, Deftones, Red Hot, Green day,


OPM(Original Pinoy Music):

E-heads, Slapshock, Parokya, Urbanddub, Up Dharma Down, Bamboo, IV of spade, Kamikazee, Rivermaya


POP:

IU, Yoasobi, Yorushika, Milet, Reona, Maroon 5, Coldplay, Bruno Mars, Ed Sheeran, Taylor, Dua Lipa, Oliva Rodrigo, Billie Eilish


OTHERS:

Carpenters, Micheal Learns to Rock, Celine Dion, Bob Marley, Sitti, Daft Punk, Pink Floyed, Earth wind and fire, Amber rubarth, Sia, Yosi Horikawa


I listen to more, but I can’t just list them all here.haha. Just giving you an idea on what I listen.


Thanks for reaching here. Hope you enjoyed reading.

Disclaimer

• Huge thanks to HiFiGo for providing a discount for me to review the AFUL MagicOne. I really do appreciate it. However, all thoughts and opinions are my own, and are not influenced in any way.
• Please take this review with only a grain of salt, as everyone's hearing, fit, and gears may differ, so our experience may be different.

Price(MSRP)

• $139.99

Source(s)

• One of the hardest to drive IEMs I owned. However, both of my dongles are able to drive it with the 4.4mm output without any issues.
  • FiiO KA13
  • Truthear Shio

Ear tips

• Tangzu Tang Sancai

Packaging

• AFUL MagicOne with M sized wide bore silicone ear tips attached
• Hard metal storage case
• Good selection of ear tips.
  • 2 pairs of generic wide bore silicone ear tips (S, L)
  • 3 pairs of generic narrow bore silicone ear tips (S, M, L)
• Oxygen-free Copper Multi-conductor Cable with 192 Ultra-small Wires
  • Feels quite premium and soft, doesn't tangle often at all.
  • Ear hooks are very comfortable as well.
  • Only the connectors feel a little plasticky but this is just me nitpicking.

Build Quality

• Good build quality, shell is made out of resin.

Fit

• Nozzle length and width are about average.
• One of the most comfortable IEMs I have tried in a while, very lightweight and sits very well in my ear.
• However, pressure does get built up easily due to the ventless design. Personally, I use the Sancai tips to solve this problem for me.

Tonality

• Warm neutral.

Bass

• Mid bass is more prominent than sub bass.
• Bass sounds surprisingly full, with good texture and thump.
• However, it still lacks the physicality, slam and rumble from a DD.
• The bass is also not the most well controlled, and decay is slightly slower.
• Overall, despite the cons, the bass is still impressive to me considering that this is only a single BA IEM, where even multiple BA IEMs tend to not do well in this section.

Midrange

• Midrange is quite warm and rich, and is not really recessed at all.
• Lower midrange sounds full, which makes male vocals sound forward and lush without being bloated or
• Upper midrange on the other hand sounds smooth and laid back. Female vocals barely pop out from the mix, which is perfect if you want a more relaxed presentation but I prefer a little more energy here based on my preference. Female vocals also have a slightly huskiness sometimes from the extra warmth in the lower end but it doesn't affect my overall listening experience too much.
• Timbre is great, everything including vocals and instruments sounded quite natural most of the time.
• Note weight and density is thick and heavy throughout the midrange, which honestly is surprising again for the single BA configuration.

Treble

• Treble is very smooth throughout the low and mid treble, with enough sparkle to shine through without being fatiguing or harsh even after long listening sessions.
• Treble extension is also good, which adds some airiness to it.
• Details can be perceived fine, doesn't sound like the details are presented too "in your face". It sounds just about right, not too boosted and not too hidden.

Technicalities

Resolution

• Resolution and detail retrieval is decent for an IEM in this range, nothing groundbreaking but not bad either. Definitely went above my expectation for a single BA IEM by a little though.

Soundstage

• Soundstage is decent in terms of width and depth but nothing outstanding. At least it doesn't sound narrow and cramped.

Imaging

• Imaging and accuracy is good, I am able to pinpoint positions quite easily and accurately.

Separation

• Separation and layering is overall quite decent, but vocals may sound a little congested at times and not as well separated.
• This may be because of the warmer low end and lack of upper midrange energy for the vocals to pop out sometimes.

Conclusion

• Overall, the AFUL MagicOne exceeded a lot of my expectations for a single BA IEM. However, given the price tag of $140, it doesn't compete too well against other competitors in this price bracket. But again, if you're a fan of new tech and wanted to collect something that has a unique driver configuration, then I would say that this is a worthy IEM to collect, considering that the accessories are very complete and good.
• I am still very impressed by what AFUL has pulled off in the MagicOne, and I am looking forward to how they are able to implement this technology on their future products

Non Affiliated Link

• If you are interested after reading the article, feel free to check out the non affiliated link below.

• • HiFiGo Web:
    • https://hifigo.com/products/aful-magicone
• • Aliexpress:
    • https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006184207746.html
  • Amazon US:
    • https://www.amazon.com/HiFiGo-MagicOne-Earphones-Revolutionary-Technology/dp/B0CM5PMWGY?th=1
  • Amazon JP:
    • https://www.amazon.co.jp/HiFiGo-Mag...、革新的な-SE-Math-音響テクノロジーを備えた/dp/B0CM5Q1T2X?th=1

Thanks for reading!

Besides ”audio boutique”, few keywords command as much respect and prestige as “Research and Development” and its closely related cousin, the four-letter abbreviations of cutting edge IEM technologies. But in a market where everyone from mom-and-pop shops to big players claim that they do cutting edge “R&D” in their new IEMs, it’s perhaps necessary to sit back and ask ourselves: what is IEM R&D, really?

In this context, let’s talk about AFUL Magic One, a daring release carrying only one Balanced Armature (BA) driver.

Forewords​

• What I look for in an IEM is immersion. I want to feel the orchestra around me, track individual instruments, and hear all of their textures and details. I’m not picky about tonality, as long as it does not get in the way of immersion.
• I rate IEMs within with a consistent scale from 1 (poor) to 3 (Adequate) to 5 (outstanding). Ratings are assigned by A/B tests against benchmark IEMs, regardless of the retail price.
• 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 $140 at the time this review was published. Unaffiliated link: https://hifigo.com/products/aful-magicone

Testing setup: Local FLAC files -> iBasso DX300 (stock player app) -> stock cable (4.4mm) -> IEM -> SpinFit W1 (Small)

Unboxing​

What is Magic One?​

AFUL Magic One is a single BA IEM that retails for $140. Yup, just one BA driver. No fancy Beryllium or DLC membrane. No passive radiator. No hidden bone conduction driver. Just one full range BA driver custom-made by AFUL.

Well, that description mostly, but not entirely captures the internals of Magic One. The BA driver is aided by two innovations:

The first one is an complex electronic circuit that shapes the frequency response of the driver.



The second one is a resonance chamber and elongated resonator tubes (which a fellow audio geek compared to a digestive organ) that strengthen the bass response of the BA driver.



Together, these components transform the response of the BA driver from this:

(Credit: AFUL)

To this:

(Credit: AFUL)

At this point, you might be asking: why spending all of that effort to make a single BA IEM? After all, it is well known that full range BA drivers have the short straw when it comes to extensions at both ends of the frequency spectrums, which are crucial for an “audiophile” sound quality. That’s the question that I kept asking myself ever since I saw a post on social media announcing the existence of Magic One.



The official answer from AFUL is as follows:

“many high-end HiFi in-ear monitors at the premium level adopt multiple drivers with precise crossovers to achieve excellent performance in each frequency band. However, this approach comes with certain problems:

1. The different driver units lack accuracy in connecting and blending their sounds.
2. They can cause vibrations and interferences with each other.
3. Each unit can have slight variations in timbre.

These issues often lead to a degradation in sound quality. On the other hand, using a single balanced armature (BA) driver unit can overcome these problems by offering excellent performance in each frequency band without any connection or interference issues.”

Has AFUL been successful with this vision? Let’s read on.

Subjective Experience​

The experience with any IEM starts with fit and comfort. In my experience, the comfort of an IEM relies on three factors: the size of the shells, the shape of the nozzles, and the pressure release mechanism. Magic One does a great job with the first two factors. Thanks to the one-driver design, the shells of Magic One are quite small so it does not stretch or create any hot spot in the concha area of my ears. The nozzles are relatively thin with a medium length, allowing me to wear the IEMs at a proper depth without putting any pressure on the ear canals.



The area where Magic One falters is the pressure release. The superb seal it provides can, over time, lead to a gradual pressure build-up in the ear canals. It reaches a point where I have to give my ears a breather and pull out the IEMs to let the pressure equalize. This hiccup is a common woe with IEMs rocking balanced armature drivers, something you might not have encountered if you’ve stuck to the dynamic driver camp.



Because an IEM does not has a sound of its own, its sound can only be described indirectly through the musics it reproduces. Therefore, in this part of the review, I’m going to paint of a picture of the sonic performance of Magic One by describing how I hear some of my favourite tracks when using Magic One.

Before we move on, let’s have a look at the tuning vision of AFUL with Magic One: “… a touch of warmth, the overall quality of the pair can be compared to that of a 4 BA driver IEM or even a dynamic driver IEM. … a powerful and elastic bass response, similar to what you would expect from a dynamic driver. However, it still maintains the high-density sound quality typically associated with a Balanced Armature (BA) driver … excellent extension in the treble range, reaching up to 18KHz before gradually tapering off. While the treble may be slightly bright, it is not harsh or fatiguing, creating accurate sound reproduction for various instruments”



The first piece I want to discuss is the first movement of the Sibelius violin concerto performed by Heifetz. “Precision” would be the keyword that I use to describe the performance of both Heifetz and the Magic One. The way Magic One presents the music reminds me of a properly focused camera lens. Every instrument has a sharp outline and pin point positioning, accurate to the spatial information embedded in the music. In this violin concerto, Magic One places me right at the conductor’s podium with the orchestra around me. The string section can appear outside, slightly behind my ears. The wood wind section seems to sit in front of me, but at a higher position than the string section at the front. The only difference from a real world orchestra is that the violin of Heifetz seems to come from the front, slightly above my head, rather than behind the conductor from the left, where a soloist usually stands.



Dynamics are conveyed with finesse. Loud segments are appropriately impactful without any uncomfortable brightness. Noteworthy is the tactile richness in lower frequencies, capturing the nuances of string plucks and contrabass notes. There is also a satisfying sense of tactility in the lower frequencies of Magic One, evidenced by the snapping sensation of string plucks by the cello section. The notes played by contrabass also has texture and a rumbling sensation.

The detail, the imaging, and the dynamic together create a sense of magnetism with this recording. I found myself losing track of time in dissecting and following every small things going on the orchestra. When the violin is the star, I focused on the nuances of the violin. When the main violin fades away, the details of the orchestra took over.



Shifting to the “A Way of Life” soundtrack from The Last Samurai, the Magic One showcases a different sonic landscape, emphasizing ambience and spatial diffusion. Different from the the previous violin concerto, this soundtrack is mixed to convey a misty, slightly hazy ambience. The Magic One successfully reproduces that the misty ambience, creating a pleasing, hazy dome of sound. Sounds unfold into the mist at a distance, avoiding an overly forward presentation.



The next sonic aspect of Magic One that I focus on is the bass. Of course, there are many ways to analyse and describe the bass response, but at the end of the day, to me, the only thing that matters is that whether an IEM can make me tap my toes and bob my head. Doing so requires the bass to be just right to convey a sense of energy and rhythm. Too much bass, and the presentation feels muddy and lack the sense of musical pulses. Too little, and there is no energy.



In order to test the bass response of Magic One, I listen to the Gundam 00 The Movie OSTs. I found that Magic One has just enough bass to convey the necessary energy and rhythm of these tracks. It achieves this through precise bass delivery rather than sheer loudness and extension of the bass. The best way to imagine the bass response of Magic One is to think about plucking a tightly stretched string. All of the bass energy of Magic One is focused tightly at the attack end of bass notes, making them stand out. And because they stand out, the beats become emphasised, and thus the music has a strong sense of rhythm. Still, the Magic One still lacks the subbass extension of its siblings carrying DD woofers, thus the amount of energy convey is still day-and-night different.



Let’s wrap up by delving into how the Magic One handles vocal music, with a focus on Pentatonix’s Volume 4.

Firstly, all vocals take the center stage, deliberately placed forward in the soundstage, aligning with the recording’s intent. This distinguishes the Magic One from some of my other preferred IEMs, which tend to artificially downplay certain frequency ranges, creating a more distant overall sound regardless of the intended positioning of a track.

The precision in the Magic One’s presentation continues to stand out. It adeptly weaves Pentatonix’s tight harmonies into a cohesive whole, capturing the resonant ringing when the notes harmonize perfectly. At the same time, it also excels at distinguishing individual voices, from Kirstin’s soaring soprano to Avi’s deep bass line. The clarity and texture of bass line by Avi and Kevin were highlights for me.



Fortunately, the precision of Magic One doesn’t translate into sharpness or unnatural timbre. All voices sound accurate, avoiding the thinness often associated with “well-tuned IEMs.” A subtle warmth permeates the tonal presentation without adding a distinct color to the midrange. For me, the tonality of the Magic One represents an improved version of “neutrality.”

Finally, the Magic One showcases robust detail retrieval. In tracks like the penultimate “Can’t Help Falling In Love,” it captures subtle nuances, like the echo effect in quiet moments between musical phrases.

Frequency Response Analysis​

Frequency response of Magic One 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. Visit my graph database for more comparisons.



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 frequency response of Magic One exhibits characteristics of many new IEMs that I consider “well-tuned”, such as the 7th Acoustics Supernova.

Essentially, Magic One takes the main ideas of the Harman target, such as the need for an upper midrange boost (a.k.a., ”ear gain”), the need for treble to gradually rolls off comparing to the upper midrange to avoid harshness, and the need for a bass boost.

At the same time, it reduces the amount of upper midrange and increases the amount of lower midrange and midbass to create a richer, more pleasing, and arguably more realistic, than the Harman target.



As you can see, Magic One traces the frequency response of Supernova, an IEM whose tonality I absolutely adore, very closely.

Graph’s credit: Super* Review

Interestingly, Magic One also traces the -10dB target, which is essentially a diffuse field measurement with a -10dB tilt (more lower frequencies, less upper frequencies) using the more accurate B&K 5128 system. If all of these sounds like alien language to you, don’t worry. The gist of it is Magic One closely follows an promising new target that sounds more pleasant and arguably more “correct” than the current version of Harman in ear target.

Resolution​

Resolution is a fascinating subject due to the difficulty of pinning down what it really is. 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. Smooth and well extended treble response plays a crucial role.

As you have seen in the subjective impressions, the resolution of Magic One is rather good. The strength of this IEM lies in the way it presents the tack sharp boundary between instruments and and very well defined note attacks across the frequency spectrum. You might have also noticed that I didn‘t provide many positive remarks about the the micro detail retrieval of Magic One, about the nuances and textures.

So, how good is the resolution of Magic One in the grand scheme?



To answer this question, I rely a series of A/B tests against some of my trustworthy benchmarks.

For the first test, I listened to the third movement (Gavotte en Rondeau) of the Violin Partita No. 3 by Bach, performed by Leonidas Kavakos. As you know, violin solos such as the Partita No. 3 are very sparse music with only two “instruments”: the violin itself, and the reverberation of the recording hall. Therefore, these recordings are excellent for dissecting the “true resolution” of IEMs, meaning their ability to distinguish and present the minute, fine-grained details and textures in the music.

Since I have a high expectation of Magic One, I conducted the first test directly against a “heavy weight”, the venerable Andromeda 2020, my “gatekeeper” of the high-end resolution. The first challenge for me in this test was to overcome the “shock” due to the contrasting tonality of these two IEMs. But I digress, so let’s talk about resolution. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on your perspective), the Magic One is still a solid step behind. Whilst Magic One manages to extract all the surface details, I can hear more micro details, such as the sympathetic resonance of the violin or the subtle scratchiness of the bow against the strings, with the Andromeda 2020. Even when I turn up the volume higher than a safe level, I still had a hard time picking those details with Magic One. The refinement of the reverberation sound (a.k.a., the “air”) is also higher with the Andromeda 2020.



For the second test, I lowered my expectation and pitch the Magic One against the Moondrop Blessing 2, my benchmark of “good” resolution. Interestingly, I found the Blessing 2 to be ever-so-slightly harsher in the upper frequencies and thicker in the lower frequencies than Magic One. Ignoring the tonal difference, I found that Magic One presents details with better clarity and definition. For example, when Kavakos plays chords, the notes sound cleaner on Magic One. Still, I don’t find the difference between these two IEMs to be practically significant. Thus, I would rate Magic One’s resolution as “good.”

Soundstage Imaging​

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. Some IEMs present a wide but flat soundstage. Some present a “3D” soundstage with layering, depth, and height. 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”)

As I alluded to in the subjective experience, Magic One has an excellent soundstage imaging capability. It can sit an orchestra with pin point precision in a 3D space. At the same time, it can convey a hazy, misty ambience as a dome of sound around the head should the music is mixed that way.

The key question at this point would be “how good?” Again, we rely on a series of A/B tests.

For the first test, I compare the Sibelius violin concerto between Magic One and the venerable Moondrop Blessing 2. To me, it was not a difficult comparison as the difference was clear from the first music phrase. Magic One puts the violin solo and the string section of the orchestra on two different planes, one closer, one further. The Blessing 2, on the other hand, was never able to create that depth illusion as it puts everything on the same flat plane. On the plus side, Blessing 2 has a wide and more open perception of soundstage, likely thanks to the air vents on the faceplates. Still, I would put Magic One ahead of Blessing 2 in soundstage imaging. It provides a more immersive experience.



The next test was between Magic One and the venerable Campfire Audio Andromeda 2020 was much more difficult for me. Magic One trades blow with Andromeda in terms of the 3D illusion of the soundstage and the positioning of instruments within that stage. That said, these IEMs present the stereo image of the Sibelius violin concerto in very different ways. The soundstage of Magic One is more “logical” and realistic, placing me at the conductor’s podium with the orchestra sitting in an 180 degree arch around me. The soundstage of the Andromeda, on the other hand, is all over the place. The cellos and contrabass seem to come from behind my ears rather than right next to them. Some instruments are right in the middle of my head, some floating slightly front left or front right. It’s entertaining and unique for sure, but not realistic. At the end of the day, I would put both Magic One and Andromeda at the same level, and favour one or another depending on my mood.

Comparisons​

Compare against Performer5 and Performer8

Vs P5 (NiceHck Black Cat cable, FiiO HS18 medium ear tips)

• The midrange of P5 is denser and pushed forward toward my head more. This is likely the result of the hump at 1.5kHz. This presentation reminds me of the Elysian Acoustic DIVA 2023. It is not my favourite sonic presentation.
• When I listen to the Sibelius violin concerto recording by Heifetz, I found P5 do not provide the sharp boundary and precise instrument placement that I heard from Magic One. I would also say the inner details of each instruments are slightly better with Magic One, though the gap is practically negligible.
• Where P5 excels is the bass response. Whilst the bass of P5 does not have the same clean attack as the Magic One, it has better body and physical impact, likely due to better subbass extension. As a result, when I listen to “Final Mission - Quantum Burst” in the Gundam 00 Movie OST, the sense of energy that P5 conveys is simply higher.
• P5 is also more comfortable due to having proper pressure release mechanism.

Vs P8 (Stock cable, SpinFit CP100 Medium ear tips)

• Magic One is significantly more difficult to drive than P8
• The tonality and soundstage presentation of two IEMs are quite different, mostly due to their divergence in the 1kHz to 4kHz region. For example, when I listen to the Sibelius violin concerto by Heifetz, I found both the violin and the orchestra are pushed forward more, with less gaps between instruments. I personally find the violin to be unnaturally forward, yet the briliance “shine” in the upper midrange of the violin is not there with the P8, whilst it is there with the Magic One.
• Both IEMs have similarly precise instrument placements. However, due to the midrange quirks above, I find the soundstage of Magic One more spacious and ultimately more interesting.
• P8 is one step ahead of Magic One in terms of the inner details of each instruments. Simply put, I hear a bit more details, and those details are more sharply defined with P8. However, the gap is not large and might not be practically significant for some listeners.
• The bass of P8 is like a combination of Magic One and P5. It has the tactility and precision of Magic One but with proper subbass extension of P5. It might not be as indulgent as the bass of P5, but more energetic than Magic One.

Rating and ConclusionPermalink​

Let’s go back to the original question at the top of this review: “what is IEM R&D?”

To me, R&D means surpassing the state-of-the-art in a way that benefits the end users. Being the first one to use an exotic driver technology or the first one to jam an insane number of drivers into an IEM means little unless those innovations lead to a new height in sonic quality or make the existing high-end sounds more accessible. In the case of Magic One, the innovations of AFUL push the single BA configuration to the new height, matching or exceeding the previous multi-BA releases one some key aspects. By pursuing the single BA configuration, AFUL also managed to create a smaller, more comfortable, and likely more cost-effective IEM.

So, yeah. To me, Magic One is one of the more impressive R&D outcomes in our little hobby. High recommendation and seal of approval.



What I like about this IEM:

• Precise and 3D stereo imaging
• Excellent instrument definition and separation
• Excellent tonal balance and timbre
• Small and comfortable shells
• Tactile and snappy base response
• Quite difficult to drive (so I can use my powerful DAP and DAC/amp)

What could be improved:

• The subbass extension is predictably not good
• Pressure build up
• Quite difficult to drive (so my go-to portable gears do not drive these to full potential)

Absolute Sonic Quality Rating: 4/5 - Great (Tonality 5 - Bass 3 - Resolution 3 - Staging - 4)

Bias Score: 5/5 - I love this IEM.



Updated: December 9, 2023

I had an opportunity to listen to Aful's previous releases Performer 5 (purchased) and Performer 8 (borrowed from a friend for few days). I was thoroughly impressed with the performance of both of the IEMs. They do truly live up to their name 'performer'. Perhaps, the new entrant into the IEM space, Aful knew that their first releases are going to be bangers and named them accordingly. Performer 8 was definitely an IEM that had everything I need and little extra. I still do think about the detail retrieval prowess of Performer 8 at it's price bracket.

No particular reason why I didn't purchase P8 despite my admiration for it. Just didn't have the time/budget/mindset to add another IEM to the exisiting collection I had. Not that I didn't try.

I did read a few articles here and there that Aful was in the process of developing a single BA IEM and I asked myself,"what's so ground breaking about that?". I thought that their next unnamed at the time single BA IEM was going to be alright and I was midly disappointed that their next IEM was not going to be the one I would want to desperately have in my collection or daily rotation at the least.



Life took over and I forgot all about it until I started seeing posts on the social media about 'Magic One' and I was not excited. I didn't bother to see what it was or what the reviews had to say about it. The hype train started as it usually does frequently in this hobby and I didn't pay much heed to it until folks around started talking about it and insisted that I give it a try. They were all praises about it.

I had an opportunity to audition it as part of the review tour (Thanks to Pulkit and HiFiGo) (You can purchase Magic one at the following link : https://hifigo.com/products/aful-magicone) (I wish this was an affiliate link but it is not) and I said yes because the following weekend was going to be relatively free for me and I thougt I would listen to the 03rd release of Aful.

Some areas of this review might sound like Magic one is not a good IEM but it is when compared to other 01 or even 02 BA IEMs. However, it cannot compete toe to toe in all the areas with DD/multi-BA/hybrid set ups. So it is very important that you look at it from the point of what Aful was trying to achieve from a single BA driver. Magic one tries to do a lot with 01 BA and to a lot of extent it does perform well but it does not compete with multi BA IEMs. But if you compare the Magic one to other 01 BA IEMs, it's huge step up. It does set some precedent to what we can expect with BA designs in future if the remaining manufacturers take notes and put effort. I think Aful just showed that design and implementation counts more than adding multiple drivers.

At the time of writing this Magic one was retailing at $139.99. Would I buy this IEM at this price? No. But is it justified to price it at $139.99? Yes. The cost they're asking I believe is not just for bill of materials but also for the expense in R&D in designing this 01 BA. A normal consumer like me would always go for for what best we can get for as lowest price as possible. Magic one is more of an enthusiast's purchase. Folks who know and appreciate the effort Aful put into making an actually good sounding full range BA driver.

Design, Comfort and quality:

Magic One is absolutely comfortable to wear and it did not bother my ears at all. It does sit slightly flush with my ears. I did however feel a bit of pressure inside my ear due to lack of vents and honestly this bothered me after about 30mins. So I did not use Magic one for more than 40-45mins at a stretch in all of my listening sessions. The cable was really good. Supple to touch and no memory or microphonics and did not tangle. The stock tips are decent and nothing noteworthy. I did however like the snowfall and abstract design on the faceplate.








Let's talk sound :

Leans warm, doesn't steal the show, but nails everything for a single BA. It sounded absolutely musical and enjoyable.

Bass:

The bass was midly adequate and lean but it honestly was not bothersome at all in majority of the tracks that I listened to. I actually was suprised at the quantity and quality of bass (not to sound redundant) for a 01 BA IEM. I expected Magic one to sound tinny but it didn't. It was close full sounding.

Mids :

There was a certain level of thinness in the vocal region but it was not like to listening to the radio in 1990's. Male vocals for the most part had adequate heft (borderline) and the note weight was good.

Female vocals on the other hand definitely sounded better. the peaks were well rounded and sounded richer in my opinion.

Treble :

I'm sensitive to treble and Magic one was an absolute please to listen to. It sounded very natural with no peaks or sibilance and yet it delivered some sense of lightness that I wanted.

Soundstage:

Soundstage was surpisingly (decently) wide and had good sense of depth. It did not sound strictly left and right.

Details:

Decent – strikes a balance between musicality and not drowning in details. Again, I went in to be disappointed and came out with a smile. It had decent detail retrieval and as I was sying before, it sounds absolutely musical with adequate amount of details but nothing too distracting.


Lastly, why does 01 BA driver need so much power? I put the volume of the amp all the way down to about 10% before plugging in Magic One expecting it to blow my ears out at 30-40% and I had to go to 40-50% on medium gain to bring it to decent listening levels.

Magic One vs. other BAs? Holds its own against 01 or 02 BAs but not quite up there with DD/multi-BA/hybrids but it would be an unfair expectation and an insult to the amount of the effort Aful put into developing such a 'Performer' 'Magic One' BA. Still, a solid leap from other 01 BAs. Sets the bar for BAs – design and implementation wise over multiple drivers.


So, in a nutshell, Magic One's a pleasant surprise and at one point, I spent good 10 minutes looking at the shell trying to figure out if there is really only 01 BA driver or if Aful's just pulling a joke on us. I think Aful intentionally kept the shells transparent to show the driver design inside the Magic One. Show off!