Aroma Musical Box Twins

Aroma Audio is quite a young company, founded in 2015 has an independent R & D and design department dedicated to the design and development of portable and desktop audio product.

Talking with Antony, marketing manager of Aroma Audio, I understood their philosophy and the origin of their brand name: “Our philosophy is to make the sound as like as the variations of aroma.

Our team members are experienced in audio products. From the perspective of market demand, we create unique products to meet consumer expectations by our philosophy”.

This company received quite a good response in the audiophile community both for their desktop amp both for their Witch Girl IEM models. Now they released their new Musical Box headphones with these three models:


EARLY, TWINS AND YAO. Today I am going to review TWINS model with 7 armature units.

Time ago, I reviewed their Yao model, this is the link to the article: https://simplyaudiophile.wordpress.com/2017/12/25/review-aroma-audio-musical-box-yao/


Main differences between their Witch Girl IEMs and Musical Box Series: “Witch series has a more pop music style, on the other side, this new Musical Box series is more like England style and so, has a more mature reproduction”.


TWINS unit was sent me for the purpose of this review, I am not affiliated with the company and all observations and opinions will be only my own. Would like to thanks Aroma team for sending me this unit giving me the opportunity to test such a great product.

Aroma Audio is still a small company, but I am really impressed on how their products have such a premium build quality and audiophile sound. They spent a lot of resources in producing this Musical Box series, so will not give a lot of space for reviewers and marketing. From my experience, both their Twins and Yao can easily compete with other premium and more famous companies out there, so really hope they will obtain more visibility worldwide.


LINK TO THE OFFICIAL SHOP: http://www.aromaaudio.shop/

LINK TO THE OFFICIAL FACEBOOK PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/aromaaudio.hongkong/



PACKAGING: Since both their Yao and Twins have the same package and build quality, I will share the same I wrote for my Yao article.

the musical box packaging is really nice and particular: a wooden case that is really cool.

In the wooden case you can find warranty card, instruction manual ( instruction explaining how attach the cable to the earphones in the correct way), Acoustune original silicon tips, hard aluminium case, soft pouch and obviously TWINS IEM with a black standard cable.



Build quality seems very solid: the shell is made up of transparent acrylic and the faceplate of metal material. I have to admit that TWINS model, as you can see in the images I attached to this review, is a really nice looking IEM.

Comfort wise TWINS IEM is very comfortable thanks to its rounded shape and nozzle angle; it’s lightweight considering that mounts 7 drivers and I was able to find a perfect fit with Acoustune silicon eartips out of the box.

Speaking of isolation, it is very good in this department and if you can find the right eartips you will enjoy your playlist without any annoying external noise.



SOUND: Aroma Audio Twins shares the same philosophy at the base of Yao model: sound with great dynamic ,tempo and musicality, but has a totally different sound signature. Twins has overall a good balance of neutral and clean sound, never sounding too thin or harsh. Bass, like for Yao, is not too much strong, but is capable to give good musicality to the scene. Sub bass is very quick and fast with natural decay. Mid bass gives the right amount of body, but is always natural never warming up too much the music. Overall Twins is capable to show a natural and audiophile bass response never resulting exaggerated.

Voices have good body and realism, thanks to the clean nature of this IEM, female voices are rendered with great accuracy and definition. Treble response is excellent: with great extension, gives a natural and airy sound. Twins is capable to give you good amount of sparkles, but never resulting too much harsh and fatiguing. Overall this IEM has a great fun and enjoyable sound, but still refined and detailed.

Soundstage is very wide and you can enjoy an out of the head sound with the right tracks.

On the external faceplates this IEM has a switch that can be used to change the overall sound signature: with the switch up, the IEM has a more reference and correct sound, but if you love musicality can result a bit boring( it is not my case). With the switch down, Twins will give you a more fun signature, with more bass quantity and a wider soundstage and so with increased loudness. I usually want that my IEM should sound more neutral possible, so I really loved the sound with the switch up.

Dynamic is very good and so is instrument separation.

Thanks to its low impedance, Twins is quite easy to drive( I usually set the volume bat at 60 with my ak Kann in low gain).


PAIRINGS:

TWINS WITH OPUS 1S: Opus will give you a more organic sound with a full bodied and punchy bass response. Voices are rendered with more body and warmth. Soundstage is quite good and left/right channel separation is great. Opus 1s can drive quite easy this IEM in low gain.

TWINS WITH AK KANN: Astell and Kern KANN will give you a great musicality and enjoyable sound. Bass is not strong and punchy like Opus 1s, but adds a good mid bass emphasis. Voices are rendered very good with great realism and timbre. AK kann has more liquid voice reproduction, on the other side Opus 1s a more organic. Treble is a bit smooth with this DAP, but still defined and extended. Soundstage is great with a nice holographic space around you, in particular if connected in balanced mode( I truly suggest you to upgrade to a nice aftermarket cable like PW audio Saladin to improve tonality and soundstage).


COMPARISONS:

AROMA AUDIO TWINS VS AROMA AUDIO YAO: Twins has a more clean sound signature, capable to give a more airy reproduction. On the other side Yao, has a touch more warmth, with a more mid-bass presence. Vocals on Yao, have incredible realism, so if you are a vocal lower I truly suggest Yao. Twins has a more fun signature, with better clarity and sparkles( in particular if used with switch down).

For me, Twins is a great IEM for its price, but Yao is capable to give you better emotions and realism, so I consider Yao a special IEM.


TWINS VS INEAR SD5: SD5 has a more thin sound, with great female vocals, but can result a bit fatiguing. On the other side, Twins will give you more musicality and better dynamic. Bass on SD5 has more impact, but can sound a bit artificial, on the other side Twins has a more audiophile tuning with a faster and more articulate bass response. Soundstage on Twins is wider, but SD5 is capable to provide a more holographic space around you.


TWINS VS UNIQUE MELODY MIRACLE V2: UM has a more full bodied sound. Bass is stronger and punchier. On the other side twins shows a more natural and audiophile approach to the music. Vocal are well rendered on both of these IEMs, but Twins is capable to give you a more refined female vocals. Soundstage is wider on Aroma Audio Twins, with a better instrument separation. Overall, Miracle will give you a more full bodied sound, on the other side Twins will give you more treble resolution and airy sound.


TWINS VS HEIR AUDIO 10.0: Twins has more clean sound signature, with better definition. Bass on HEIR 10.0 has more body with more impact and rumble. Voices on heir 10.0 can result a bit nasal, on the other side Twins will give you great clarity and transparency. Soundstage is great on both of these IEM, but Twins has a bit wider stage.



（Twins）Specification

3 ways 4 frequency division

Driver Type：7 * Armatured Units

Switch Up: Sensitiviy：114dB/mW Impedance：24Ω

Switch Down: Sensitiviy：111dB/mW Impedance：32Ω

Frequency Response：20-20000Hz

2) Corss-section

Super High frequency: 2 Driver unit (Knowles composite driver)

High frequency: 2 Driver units (Knowles driver)

Mid frequency: 2 Driver units (Sonion composite driver)

Low frequency: 1 Driver units (Knowles driver)

Introduction

Aroma Audio is a Hong Kong company that produces iems, dac and amps. For iems, they started out with the Witch Girl series which has a line-up that consists of the Witch Girl S, Witch Girl Pro and Witch Girl 12. Recently, they have launched a brand new series which is called Musical Box. In the Musical Box Series, there are the Early, Twins and Yao. In this review, I will be reviewing the Musical Box Twins. I would like to thank Aroma Audio for this review unit. At the moment, you can get it from http://www.aromaaudio.com/ or http://aroma-audio.jp/ .



Specifications

• Driver Configuration: 7 Balanced Armature
• Frequency Response: 20 Hz – 20 kHz
• Sensitivity: 114 dB (Switch up) 111 dB (Switch down)
• Impedance: 24 ohm (Switch up) 32 ohm (Switch down)

Unboxing & Accessories

The Twins comes in a wooden box with a paper wrapper that sports the brand name and model name. On top of the wooden box, the brand name is printed on it. After opening the box, there are the specifications card, warranty card, instruction manual, pack of Acoustune AET07 tips, soft pouch and hard aluminium case that contains the iem and cable.







IEM Build & Design

The Twins shell is made up of transparent clear acrylic and it has a smooth surface. On the left faceplate, there is the model logo while on the right faceplate, there is the brand logo. Each faceplate has a sleek silver finish with 3 screws. There is a switch at the edge of the faceplate to change sound signature. At the back of each iem, there is the model name in Chinese and English on the left and right respectively. Below the model name is the serial number. The nozzle is slightly angled with 2 bores. The fit is good as the iem is able to sit in my ears comfortably. The housing is light weight with good build quality. The Twins is aesthetically pleasing to look at.









Cable Build & Design

The cable is a detachable 4 core cable with 2 pin 0.78mm connectors. On the connectors, there are blue and red dot on the left and right side respectively so users can differentiate. The connectors have a black housing. The cable has a memory wire section that is enclosed in a opaque black heat shrink tube. It is not very flexible due to the metal inside that helps to form the shape. The chin slider is made up of a transparent tube and the y splitter is made of a soft rubber material with strain relief. The jack is 3.5mm gold plated right angled with strain relief.



Sound Analysis

Lows

The Twins is able to extend its sub-bass with a great depth. The sub-bass reproduction is engaging with a moderate quantity to it. There is a clean hit. Bass decay is pacey with agility. The rumble is being expressed with speed and it helps to elevate the dynamics. The punch is nice and each bass note is articulated with accuracy. Bass texture is rather smooth with no grain. The mid-bass has a moderate amount of quantity and it is being delivered with a tight slam. The bass has great definition and it is clear. The Twins showcases a strong command of its bass reproduction with confidence and the bass presentation is very lively. When the switch is up, there is slightly less quantity with more extension. There is less punch.

Mids

The Twins has great transparency to its midrange and it sounds crystal clear with a high standard of definition. The lower mids have a good amount of body and male vocals are being expressed well. There are no signs of dry and nasal feeling. The upper mids is forward with finesse. Female vocals are delivered with crisp and there is an organic vocals performance. There is good body to it. The midrange has an excellent definition and it is able to showcase a high standard of details retrieval. When the switch is up, the lower mids quantity decrease and the upper mids gain slightly more crisp. The transparency in the midrange improves by a fair bit

Highs

The treble has excellent extension to it. There is no sibilance and harshness. Treble is on the brighter side. There is a good crisp in the treble presentation with a clean approach. It is being portrayed in a lively manner and maintains a good engagement. There is a tight control and the treble has no signs of aggression. There is a fantastic balance of musicality and technicality here. With an effective amount of air rendered, it gives an airy feel. The sparkle is moderate with excitement. Treble definition has a high standard. When the switch is up, the treble articulation is more accurate and there is more emphasis on the crisp.

Soundstage

There is a nice natural expansion in its width. The magnitude is great and there is a good depth to it. This prevents the sound from being too close in. There is a very spacious feel and there is no congestion. Positioning of vocals and instruments is accurate. Layering and separation is at a high standard. When the switch is up, there is a greater width with more space rendered.



Comparisons

Aroma Musical Box Twins vs Campfire Audio Andromeda

The Twins has more sub-bass quantity than the Andromeda and the extension on both is similar. The sub-bass reproduction on the Twins has the edge over the Andromeda. It has a more weighted feel to it and the engagement is better. On the other hand, the Andromeda bass presentation is not as musical as the Twins. The bass texture on the Twins is smoother while the bass decay on both does not differ much and there is agility. Twins has a quicker rumble than the Andromeda and the dynamics is better. The mid-bass on the Twins has more quantity with greater slam impact. Each bass note on both is articulated with precision but the Twins is able to showcase it in a cleaner manner. The overall midrange on the Twins has more transparency and definition. The lower mids on both has similar quantity and male vocals are being presented well without sounding thick. The upper mids on the Twins is more forward than the Andromeda. Female vocals are expressed with extra intimacy on the Twins and there is more crisp. Twins is able to deliver an organic performance. The midrange definition on the Twins is slightly superior. For the treble section, the Twins has slightly more extension than the Andromeda and it stretches to a better depth. The amount of air rendered on both is similar but Twins has the extra sparkle to inject excitement. Twins is able to give a nice bite to overall sound. Lastly, the Twins has a more natural expansion in its soundstage with a greater magnitude. The depth on the Twins has slightly more space than the Andromeda.

Aroma Musical Box Twins vs Noble Kaiser Encore

The Twins has more sub-bass quantity and extension than the Encore. It is able to reach a greater depth. There is a more lively sub-bass reproduction than the Encore. The mid-bass on the both has similar body and the slam has a nice punch to it. Bass decay on the Twins has more speed with a quicker rumble presentation. Bass texture on the Encore is slightly smoother. The lower mids on the Encore has slightly more quantity and it is able to tackle male vocals effectively. The upper mids on the Twins has extra forwardness with more crisp. The intimacy expressed is better on the Twins. The midrange definition on the Twins is clearer than the Encore. For the treble section, Twins has slightly more extension with the Encore having more body. There is more crisp and sparkle on the Twins. The amount of air rendered on the Encore has a greater amount and gives an airier feeling. Lastly, for the soundstage, both are expanded naturally but the magnitude on the Twins is greater. The depth has more space on the Encore.

Aroma Musical Box Twins vs UM Miracle V2

The Twins has more sub-bass quantity and extension than the Miracle V2. Twins shows more authority and confidence. There is a greater punch from the Twins. Bass decay on the Twins is quicker with agility and the rumble has more engagement. The mid-bass on the both has similar quantity but the Twins is able to produce an impactful slam which elevates the overall engagement. Bass texture on the Miracle V2 is slightly smoother. The lower mids on both has similar quantity. Miracle V2 presents it with more warmth. The upper mids on the Twins has extra forwardness with additional crisp. Female vocals are expressed with intimacy. The midrange on the Twins has a higher level of transparency and definition. Next, moving on to the treble section, the Twins is more extended than the Miracle V2 and there is sparkle. The amount air rendered on the Twins is slightly more. Lastly, the Twins is superior for its soundstage. Both the width and depth have a greater magnitude. There is a spacious feel on the Twins.

Conclusion

The Aroma Audio Twins is a bright sounding iem with excellent transparency. It is able to provide a detailed sound with crisp and sparkle at the top end for an engaging listening. In addition, it comes with a switch that allows the user to change the sound signature for either extra musicality or technicality. The Twins has solid build quality and strong visual appeal. The Aroma Musical Box Twins is a brilliant versatile in-ear monitor that performs at a top level.



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