Astrotec AM850 MK2 Review!
Good day! After a week of casual and critical listening, here’s my written review for the Astrotec AM850 MK2. One of the unique ones!
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- I won this unit from a raffle conducted by Astrotec recently. Rest assured that this review will be free from any bias/es as much as possible.
- Astrotec did not force me to do a review for this IEM. This review was completely optional, I just want to do a review for this IEM.
- The following remarks and observations shall be made and owned only by me.
- No monetary compensation is/was involved before, during, and after the period of creation of this review.
- Your mileage may (and always, will) vary.
Burn-in time: 5-10 hours per day, 5 days.
Source/s used:
- Hidizs AP80
- VE MEGATRON USB DAC
- Zishan U1 USB DAC (AKM Variant)
- Cyberdrive Feather DAC
- Non-HiFi smartphone (realme 5i, Samsung Galaxy On7)
- Local Files via Foobar and Roon, YouTube Music, Deezer, and Qobuz with UAPP.
IEM/Earbud/Setup configuration: Stock spinfit-like cyan-stemmed medium eartips, stock cable, any form of EQ or MSEB off, 40-60% volume, both high and low gain, with and without extra amplification. All filters were used and evaluated.
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(For this review, I will be using the “neutral” filters as the basis of the overall sound. After that, I will list the differences of the two filters when compared to the neutral filter.)
Sound signature:
- With the “neutral” filter installed, the Astrotec AM850 MK2 presents itself with a u-shaped leaning to a brighter sound signature. Since this IEM is using an LCP Driver, the overall sound is expected to have a speedy decay and very good detail retrieval. This holds true for the AM850 MK2 for the most part (I will call this the MK2 throughout the review).
Lows:
- The lows on the MK2 is slightly elevated on the neutral filter and is sufficient or enough for most tracks listened with it. Its subbass is a bit elevated compared to its midbass, but that doesn’t mean that it is soft - it still packs a decent punch whenever needed. Its decay leans to a faster side as a nature of an LCP driver. As a result, the lows on the MK2 will cater most tracks you listened to with it, but I do see that it may lack bass on bass-heavy tracks. If that is the case, changing the filters to “Tide” filters may help.
Mids:
- The mids are slightly recessed with no instances of drowning or muffle. In fact, the overall presentation of mids is “open and engaging” during my test. There is a tinge of warmth on the lower mids to keep the male vocals and lower-note instruments sound bodied and alive. Transitioning to the upper mids, it is elevated and has a very good amount of clarity, air, and sparkle. However, there are some instances of slight peaks on very sibilant or poorly recorded tracks here on the neutral and tide filters, and there is a sibilance on “air” filter. Despite being bright, it is not as bright as the HZSound Heart Mirror and is not not lean as well. Overall, the mids are engaging, open, and well done for the most part.
Highs:
- The treble on the AM850 MK2 is bright and much more elevated compared to the lows. It is well-extended and airy, especially on the “air filter”. Cymbal crashes and splashes here are well defined and sounds “correct”. Detail retrieval is also excellent for its price as you can hear nuances easily.
Soundstage, Imaging, and separation:
- The soundstage here on the MK2 is average, with average levels of expansion. It isn’t narrow or cramped by any means, but for its asking price it is a bit smaller when compared to IEMs under 200 USD, like BQEYZ Autumn, BQEYZ Summer, Audiosense DT300, and Moondrop KATO as some of the examples. Separation on this IEM is above average and can cater very busy tracks with ease. Imaging is also above average here with good presentation of the vocal position, particularly on live performances.
AM850 MK2 Filter Differences:
- “Tide” Filter: The tide filter makes the MK2 present itself with a V-shaped type of sound. Its lows are much more elevated here and reach deeper. Mids take a step back and the upper mids only has slight peaks with this filter. Treble here is also elevated by a bit, but is also blunt and lacks detail for some reason when compared to the other two filters. Technical performance is just as same as the other two.
- “Air” Filter: The air filter aims for a more neutral-bright presentation. The lows here are now linear but still packs a punch. Mids are sort of linear as well while the upper mids here suffers some sibilance on very sibilant or poorly mastered tracks. The treble takes the center spotlight here and excels its presence, making it more airier and sparkly. However, due to this instance, the separation is slightly degraded and suffers a bit of congestion on very busy tracks. The rest are more or less the same.
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Pros:
- One of those IEMs that has the hot swappable filters/nozzle feature.
- Excellent bass decay and control.
- Above average detail retrieval under 200USD
- Engaging, fairly controlled sound.
- Decent technical performance.
- One of the best “neutral” sounding IEMs I have auditioned.
- Decent neutral-bright tuning.
- Very good amount of accessories. I did not expect an IEM driver pouch but there’s that.
- Decent spinfit-like stock eartips.
- Sturdy, metal driver shells.
- Above average fit and isolation.
- Easy to be driven to its full potential.
Cons:
- Instances of sibilance are present on sibilant and poorly-mastered tracks on the “air” filter. However, it is reduced greatly to slight peaks on the other two filters.
- Separation tends to struggle on the “air” filter.
- Treble is somewhat blunt and lacks detail on the “tide” filter.
- Soundstage is not cramped or narrow by any means, but is less wide than the competition.
- Hot Swappable filter implementation on this IEM is somewhat of a hassle for me (subjective).
- You won’t be able to use both the IEM driving pouch and the leather case at the same time with all the filters and cleaning brush when storing the IEM (my nitpick)
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Verdict
The Astrotec AM850 MK2 combines the trend of utilizing the LCP Driver and the versatility of hot swappable tuning vents to form a unique IEM configuration and implementation under 200 USD. Its controlled, quick decays and very good technical performance enables it to compete with other IEMs within the price range. However, there are still some points that need to be improved such as the presentation of the upper mids and the soundstage for it to stand out in the aggressive competition. Nevertheless, if you can’t save up for 200-300 USD IEM, the Astrotec AM850 MK2 is a very good option if you want a decent, relatively neutral, detailed sound for 169 USD, which is nice!
Pairing recommendation/s:
- Source: The AM850 MK2 is fairly easy to drive. However, pairing it with a usb dongle DAC will improve its dynamics a bit. I recommend pairing a warm source with this one to complement its bright sound.
- Eartips: The stock eartips are more than enough for most of the time and very comfortable. However, you can always use your preferred aftermarket eartips.
Thank you for reading!
Non-affiliated link here!: https://astrotecglobal.com/products...35599&pr_ref_pid=6580770373711&pr_seq=uniform
Additional Photos:
