Astrotec Lyra Mini

Astrotec Lyra Mini Review by Ah Hui Aka Mr Wong .

Hello , I'm Ah Hui aka Mr Wong. I'm a K-pop fan and audiophile from Malaysia.

First of all, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Astrotec for lending me this review unit and AudioMonsta for giving me the opportunity to review the Astrotec Lyra Mini

This is my first time reviewing a Astrotec product .I am very excited as I have always wanted to try out different brands that I have yet to try. It's 14mm Composite material diaphragm configuration . It retails for $100 usd .

Specifications from retail box :
Type : Dynamic driver earbud
Impedance : 32 Ohm
Frequency Response : 20Hz to 35Khz
Rated power : 2 mW
Max power : 8 mW
Sensitivity :103dB/1mw(S.P.L at 1 Khz)

PACKAGING :
Small box . Inside consists of the IEM , accessories include a earphone pouch , operating manual and warranty card. The unboxing experience is below expert I think can giving more accessories better because it's cost $100 buck .

Comfort: it's not good for me even I added earhook .it's not secure .

Design : the back of earbud look like flower faceplate design . substantial .

PRO:
great vocal presentation , treble well extended .solid bass

CONS:
Fitment depends person . Unboxing experience could be better .

BASS: solid bass ,mid - bass punchy and fast response bass .When I listen OH MY GIRL - Remember Me I can feel the sub bass is fast response rumble , mid - bass also punchy on the background . However I think bass can add more it will better .

MIDS : Forward mids with crisp and good present on vocal. When i listen IZ*ONE - Memory . I really enjoyed the crisp and forward vocals here. You can feel the vocal of girls member is sweeter on the songs. However, I think vocals can be a bit more laid back it will better .

HIGH : treble feels well extended with good clarity. When I listened to IZ*ONE - Eyes ,you can hear the well-extended treble and good clarity treble . Overall, I truly enjoyed the treble performance here .

SOUNDSTAGE : it is narrower and deep When I listened to Lovelyz - Rewind I can feel the soundstage is narrower .

IMAGING : it's about average ,I can't pinpoint the instrument as everything is just forward.

Details : detail retrieval here is about average When I listen to some tracks, I can't pick up on the micro-details. However, I think it's because Fitment problem .

Overall I can't recommend this earbud to my friend because I think got better choices in this price range .

# Tested by Realme C11 2021 Version via UAPP

p/s: I've received Lyra Mini for an honest review and sent back to them.

I have a few quirks with this set that I didn't receive the proper foam for it and I decided to use my own. The full foam can be a bit too dark and the donut sometimes can be a bit peaky. Hence, I'm using a fully fledge desktop setup that I have to counter the bright signature that this set has.

Source: SMSL Sanskrit 10th MK2 DAC, Airist Heron 5 Amp
(Purposely using the Sanskrit as it is smoother sounding than my Matrix Audio X Sabre)

Signature: Neutral Bright

Bass: Bass is light with fast transient. Doesn't dig too deep but enough to give the presence. Probably can be something for DF hardcores. It is good that Lyra Mini is a DD set and hence there's DD timbre for the lows even it is not emphasized. Great bass when it is paired with a thick source. This means the Lyra is not easy to find pairing and talking about the price, yes it will cost more to get excellent source. I find it is balance when paired with high end source (warm source) but lackluster when I paired it with apple dongle for example.

Mids:
Great layering in the mids. Great resolution and nothing is congested. Plus, this is an earbuds that has a huge advantage of open sounding due to not fully isolated design. I am a fan of something is open sounding and I would like to give a great rating here. Again, this happens with a high end thicc source.

Vocals:
When it is paired with warm and thick source, this set actually excels. The DD timbre give a full emotion and smooth presentation. With an apple dongle? Or lower end source, nah... So, this is mostly due to pairing and the Lyra Mini is able to deliver an excellent tonality on vocals when it is paired with the right source. If you are non-source believer, you don't have enough experience, period.

Highs:
Nice and smooth. It has a typical DD highs that is a bit crowded when everything is coming at the same time but never annoys me as I have with the source given. Though, with low end source, it is straight up bad and piercing. So, it is up to you now, if you already have a warm and thick high end source, you can consider it but if you aren't, you know the drill.

Staging & Imaging:
Staging is big as it is an earbud obviously. For imaging, I probably will say it is an average for an earbud. Still has advantage than an iem alone and yeah don't talk about headphones/speakers, they are out of the league.

Comparison:

OurArt ACG: ACG is fuller but Lyra Mini probably has an edge for the resolution. However, the bass on Lyra is quick and this gives you advantage if you are gaming. Yes, you need to game with bass light and super quick bass. This is not about immersive-ness but quick response and pinpointing.

Conclusion:
Lyra Mini is not for someone who just started in the audio game. You need an excellent source to make it shine and yes that needs more bucks. The price is probably well placed as if you know what you are doing. Else, you just wasted your $100 for something you can't even drive it properly.

Ever blasted loud music from your phone's speaker before? Yeah. That is how the Astrotec Lyra Mini sounds like to me….

Astrotec Lyra Mini is Astrotec's earbud offering at the sub-$100usd price range. It retails for $98usd and it sports a 14mm dynamic driver. Upon opening the box, I am presented with a carrying pouch, a pair of ear hooks, a few donut foams (which came disintegrated and unusable), a brush, and last but not least, the IEM itself.

Overall, pretty decent unboxing experience nonetheless. Other than the disintegrated foams (which is more of the courier's fault than Astrotec's), I am pretty happy with the unboxing experience here.

With the unboxing out of the way, let's start the review.

*Disclaimer: This review is done using 3rd party donut foams as the stock ones came disintegrated.

PROS :​

• Clean lean bass
• Clean lean mids
• Good detail and resolution.
• Soundstage is pretty big and expansive. It has good width, good depth, good height.
• Imaging is pretty good too. It images pretty wide and decently accurate.

CONS :​

• Ever blasted loud music from your phone's speaker before? Yeah. That is how the Astrotec Lyra Mini sounds like to me….
• The tuning here I would describe as bright, lean, aggressive, shouty.
• The bass here is really bass lite. I would describe the bass here to be limp and almost non-existent.
• The midrange here, although lean sounding, is quite thin, bright, and brittle.
• Vocals are thin and shouty too. Which is really annoying. I find the vocals here to be too bright and aggressive with no body. Not at all enjoyable.
• Treble here is also too bright for me. Although treble here is bright, it lacks definition. The treble here is brittle and is just bright, for the sake of being bright. I don’t like it.
• Overall, Astrotec Lyra Mini is just too bass lite, lean, thin, bright, and too aggressive sounding for me.

ASTROTEC LYRA MINI ($98USD) VS VIDO BLUE ($1USD):​

• Vido blue is overall much warmer / fuller sounding than Lyra Mini. Lyra Mini sounds thinner, leaner, brighter, shoutier.
• Vido Blue has thicker warmer punchier bass, warmer fuller thicker mids, fuller much more organic sounding vocals, and darker smoother treble. Detail and resolution are nowhere near as good as Lyra Mini's though. Soundstage is smaller, imaging is hazier.
• Astrotec Lyra Mini has thinner bass, thinner leaner mids, shoutier more aggressive vocals, brighter harsh treble. Detail and resolution are much better than Vido Blue, Soundstage is bigger, imaging is much better.
• IMO, Vido Blue sounds much better. Although technicality wise, it is nowhere near Lyra Mini's level, everything else about it is much much much much much better.
• Winner: Vido Blue.

ASTROTEC LYRA MINI ($98USD) VS TINGO TC200 ($5USD):​

• Tc200 is overall more balanced and organic sounding than Lyra Mini. Lyra Mini sounds thinner, leaner, harsher, brighter, shoutier.
• Tingo Tc200 has more body to its bass and midrange. Bass has much better punch, warmer and more impactful, midrange sound more organic and fuller, vocals sound more natural and organic, although forward, it is nowhere near as shouty as Lyra Mini, treble is bright, has good sparkle but it is nowhere near as harsh and as aggressive as Lyra Mini's. Detail and resolution are good, just a notch below Lyra Mini. Soundstage and imaging are good too. Just a notch below Lyra Mini.
• Astrotec Lyra Mini has thinner limp bass, thinner shoutier much more aggressive mids and vocals, brighter harsher treble. Detail and resolution are just a tiny bit better than TC200. soundstage and imaging are just a bit better than Tc200.
• IMO, Tingo Tc200 is much better. It might be a notch under Lyra Mini in terms of technicalities, but other than that, it is much better.
• Winner: Tingo Tc200

IN CONCLUSION:​

I gotta admit… detail, resolution, soundstage, and imaging are pretty good with the Astrotec Lyra Mini, but other than that, it is pretty bad.

For $98usd, I can't recommend the Astrotec Lyra Mini to anyone. You can get so much more for $98usd.


This review unit is provided by Astrotec in their Astrotec review tour. Thank you so much AudioMonsta for including me in this tour. I am not at all compensated by them and all thoughts and opinions are my own.


Interested in trying the Astrotec Lyra Mini for yourself? Here's the link (non-affiliated):

• https://astrotecglobal.com/products/lyra-mini

Manufacturer: Astrotec

Price: 98 USD


Technical Specifications:

Driver: Φ14mm dynamic

Impedance: 32 OHM

Cable: High purity OFC silver-plated cable

Rated Power: 2 mW

Max Power: 8 mW

Type: Dynamic driver earbud

Frequency Response: 20 Hz - 35KHz

Sensitivity: 103 dB/1mw (S.P.L at 1KHz)

Plug: Ф3.5mm Stereo gold-plated plug


Disclaimer:
A review sample was provided by HifiGo in exchange for a youtube review. This is not a sponsored review, everything you will read/hear is my honest impressions. I do not consider myself a reviewer I just love to try audio gear and share my opinion.

Video:


A few words about Astrotec’s and why choose earbuds in the first place:
My first experience with Astrotec’s products was a couple of years back when they were kind enough to send me for review the Astrotec Lyra Classic which was one of their Top Of The Line earbuds at the time. To be honest I didn’t know much about the company back then until I did some research to find out that they had a solid line or iems and earbuds that were well known in the Chinese market. I think that it was at that point that they wanted to extend and make themselves known in other big markets and what better way to do it than offering a highly capable but also specialized product. I am saying specialized because unless you are a hardcore earbud lover, a high-end offering that costs over 100$ is not the first earbud that comes to your mind. Most of us started our earbud journey with the so called “5 bucks miracle” (VE Monk vibes anyone?). But why would you prefer an earbud over a popular In-Ear-Monitor in the first place? And why they heck would you want such an expensive one? Two reasons: First, to avoid that daily ear canal penetration which many of us hate and second to get a somewhat wider and airier soundstage that is closer to an open-back headphone without its weight on your head. Of course to get an experience anywhere near to the one of a full sized headphone you need a really good earbud… Enter the Lyra Mini which looks like a smaller and cheaper version of the Lyra Classic. The Mini is not a direct replacement for the discontinued Classic but it is currently the most “affordable” model in the Lyra line having a price tag just below 100$. The question here is: Is it good enough to justify this price tag and how does it compare to the Classic? Let’s find out.

Packaging/Accessories:
The packaging of the Mini is -no pun intended- minimalistic as you get a smaller box than the classic with a simple, nice presentation of the earbuds. Inside the box you will find a nylon fabric pouch, a small cleaning brush, 3 pairs of donut foams (which trust me you want to use) and a couple of ear-hooks in order to have a more secure over ear fit.

Fit/Comfort/Isolation
Speaking about the fit, here is one the biggest changes compared to the Classic. The mini is considerably smaller in diameter and as a result it will probably fit better most of the people. I have medium to large ears and the Classic was a somewhat snug fit for me making long term comfort take a hit. For people with really small ears that would be a problem. Thankfully, the Mini should probably accommodate every ear size with a smaller and lighter shell that contains a slightly smaller (than the Classic) 14 mm dynamic driver. Especially for earbuds, good fit is a necessity for good sound and Mini is one of the safest bets you can make. And yes you can lay down on your pillow with it and enjoy your ASMR stuff. No judgment!

As far as isolation is concerned, yes good seal has some impact but this is no iem and won’t give you any serious isolation from external noises. If you plan to use them for travelling, every day commuting or listening in loud environments in general, then well… don’t! A better use case is for everyday home usage or any time you want to listen to your music while maintaining a good idea of your surroundings.

Build Quality/Design
Build quality seems decent so far with the shell being constructed of some kind of durable plastic with a transparent mat finish at the sides while the back uses what the company calls “high-density copper ball die-casting labyrinth filter”. According to them this implementation is supposed to help with the handling of the sound waves. I can’t comment on that, all I can say is that along with the mesh faceplate, this is a common a characteristic for the whole Lyra line and is the one that gives them this known house look. Along with the champagne gold accents, the design is subjectively pretty nice and far from the common everyday cheap earbuds. These guys don’t know how to design a bad looking product. I mean look at the Lyra Nature Limited Edition… That thing is stunning!

What is not so stunning is the R/L markings on the Mini. The ones on the shell, despite being on the bottom side (or top side if you wear them over the ear) are fine and visible. The problem lies with the markings on the rubber stress reliefs. If you use the foams the markings on the shells are covered so you need to rely on the markings on the stress reliefs and man even for a young guy with fine eyesight distinguishing them under bad lighting is sometimes hard. They are really small without any color differentiation from the black rubber. Strange choice and room for improvement here…

Also the cable is non-removable which is a step-back to the wrong direction compared to their Lyra Nature but I can understand the compromise. The cable itself is a high purity OFC silver-plated copper cable with a length of 1,2m and medium stiffness. It will take some beating but it will also get tangled if you throw it around but I’ve handled much worse.

Amping and Matching
What about amping? Can you just plug them to your smartphone? Imho no. Despite the impedance being low at 32 ohm and the sensitivity being high at 103 mW my experience showed that you are better of a DAP or portable DAC/AMP in order to make the most out of them quality wise but also volume wise. My old beaten up Samsung S6 Edge Plus just didn’t have enough juice to power them with any headroom to spare and at many recordings I had to go full volume. Other smartphones may do better but considering the sound quality and power capabilities of most modern phones then let’s just say we are lucky to even have a 3,5 mm jack any more. If you are spending 100 bucks for earbuds then I assume you have some kind of a decent DAP or portable DAC/AMP and that’s what you need for the whole Lyra line. Try to pair with something neutral to warm sounding. Doesn’t have to be too powerful, but it has to be full bodied and refined.

Onto the sound impressions:

Bass
Starting with the bass, let me preface everything by saying that it can be quite subjective on earbuds depending on fit. One thing is common and that is that you should not expect bottomless extension or heavy hitting drops. The Mini “specs” for 20 Hz but I highly doubt you will ever hear this in real world. Extension is ok for an earbud while mid and upper bass regions are clean, non-exaggerated and decently punchy when the recording calls for it. Just don’t expect big bass impact or extraordinary texture here as even for earbud standards this is not the Mini’s strong suit. Earbuds with bigger drivers do better but at least the Mini can do clean and neutral.

Μids
The midband is probably what the Mini is all about. It is really clean, sufficiently detailed and forward in the upper mids region. As a result you do get the sense that female voices sound really clear and articulate while instruments with strings sound nicely snappy and energetic. What I personally miss is the sense of warmth and body in the lower mids that should make male voices, guitars and piano more lifelike and correct in tonality. Take two examples. Zaz in “Le Passants” sounds like she is singing just for you but Leonard Cohen’s voice in “Travelling light” is missing some of that heavy roughness and grit. Yes mids are a little lean for my liking (at least when using the provided donut foams or no foams).


Treble
Thankfully the accentuation of the upper mids does not lead to an exponential rise in the highs. Treble is not sibilant unless the recording is sibilant and any harshness is mostly non-existent. Cymbals sound have a realistic decay and violins sound sparkly. That being said, if you value absolute treble extension, energy and ruthless detail this may not be your top choice.


Balance and Genre Matching
So you have probably understood that the Mini is a neutral to slightly cold sounding earbud that is not harsh in the top end and manages to convey good clarity and vocal intimacy. That makes it a good choice for acoustic music, female vocals, strings classical etc. It would not be my first choice for things like hip-hop, edm or basically any genre that requires hard hitting bass impact. Of course at the end it comes down to your personal preference so if you prioritize clean sound with a nice sense of air then I would not stop you from enjoying these with any genre. What I would recommend though is to always and I mean ALWAYS use the Mini with the foams and even better use full sized foams instead of the donut foams in order to get some of the warmth back and a achieve an even better balanced sound.

Soundstage/Imaging
Foam or no foam what you will always get is a nice and wide soundstage that sounds more out of your head than most similarly priced iems. The imaging here is portrayed with a decent width and average height with the instruments being well defined and separated while vocals occupy the center stage.


Comparisons:

vs Lyra Classic
"You win some you lose some"
Compared to Lyra Classic which, if I remember correctly, was about 40% more expensive, the story is a matter of trading blows. Amp requirements are about the same, build easily goes to the classic due to its metallic shell but comfort easily goes to the Mini due to its smaller size. In a few words you win some and you lose some.

Sound wise the Classic definitely sounds bigger, warmer (even if it is not a really warm earbud) and more dynamic. It basically has the traits of a bigger driver. However, it is also less comfortable and more importantly harder to get a good fit with which can negate most of its strengths for some people. Mini does sound leaner but is also airier and slightly wider and in some tracks. This can lead to some people initially preferring it. In the long term (and as expected due to the price difference) Classic is the better earbud but Mini is the safer earbud.



vs VE Monk
This is a comparison just for reference since a lot of head-fiers have the Monk but it also a good idea to see what are the improvements if you choose the upgrade to an earbud of this class. Considering that we could trade one Lyra Mini for almost 20 Monks we should expect a significant improvement and it mostly is.

Compared to the Monk the Lyra Mini is better in every way. Wider, more detailed, punchier and more energetic. Having said that the quality difference is by no means equivalent to the price difference and the Monk with the it’s full sized foams can sound slightly warmer. It is still a good vfm. But yeah, the Mini is of course on another class. Basically the more money you spend the closer you get to a full sized headphone experience.


Conclusion
Overall the Mini is a really solid choice and one of the most comfortable high-quality earbuds around. At this level things start to get big and Mini takes a different/safer approach making the entry to the Lyra line an easy one. If you like the idea of a mid-centric, clean (but also lean) sounding earbud with very good soundstage and great comfort and you don’t mind the non-removable cable then Lyra Mini should be on you audition list. Smaller (sometimes) can be better…