AUDIOSENSE Insight AQ7 PRO

Here is my review/impression for the Audiosense AQ7 Pro:

Disclaimers:
• I don't consider myself as an audiophile nor a professional reviewer, I just do this for leisure.
• My impressions will be short, but i will try my best to describe how an iem sounds with simpler terms so even regular consumers/casual listeners can keep up.
• This is a review/tour unit, no rewards of any kind was or will be involved. Rest assured, I will provide my insights based from what i hear.
• Your preference and mileage may and/or will always vary from mine, so take my findings with a grain of salt, but not too much that you'll be salty. It all boils down to your preference anyway. So, trust your ears.
• As this hobby is subjective whether we admit it or not, this is my personal take and review, based on my actual auditioning. Therefore, testing/auditioning a product should always be your deciding factor.

A massive shoutout to my cousin and fellow audio enthusiast, Loo Law for touring his personal unit, check out his page Brionced Reviews on FB and IG.

Box/Package Inclusions:
• Earbuds and MMCX cable enclosed in a very cool and sturdy looking storage case.
• No eartips were provided, so I've used my own pair of Azla Sedna Earfits ™ Xelastec eartips.

Source/setup:
• Sony NW-A55 (MrWalkman's Walkman One FW mod: WM1Z stock tuning on normal mode and direct source on)
• My personal pair of Azla Sedna Earfits ™ Xelastec eartips, which, may cause an altered perception or minimal difference on the output it was intended to with its full stock setup.
• Volume level normal listening level on IEMs ranging at around 40-60/120 (38-50%)

Staple tracks used for testing per my preference (tracks after were all at random/shuffle):
• Leave the door open - Silk Sonic
• Wonderful tonight - Babyface
• Broken heart of gold (acoustic) - One OK Rock
• Gravity - Jason Chen
• Provide - G-eazy ft. Chris Brown
• Talk Shows on Mute - Incubus
• (There's Gotta Be) More To Life - Stacie Orrico

Impressions/comments:
• Packaging - The packaging is somewhat basic consisting of its box, IEM/cable and its carrying case, maybe because this is only a loaned/tour unit, but the carrying case is one of the sturdiest structure I've handled so far.
• Lows/bass - The lows packs a sufficient yet well controlled amount of punch and rumble. It reminds me of how I love my lows with my bravery, mature yet fun, but AQ7 Pro has a more controlled sub and mid bass, which compliments to its balanced sound profile.
• Mids/vocals - AQ7 Pro's mids are lit. This earbud's vocals are really on point and both the male and female vocals really sound good to me, very smooth, detailed and clear. Another time away from my usual warmish/U-shaped/balanced preference. No shoutiness but may reveal flaws from poorly mastered/recorded tracks.
• Highs/treble - The cymbals sounded really natural for me. Other instruments sounded more pronounced and clear as compared to IEM's I've tried and owned. Hard to admit but this easily beat my very own SeeAudio Bravery as the top 1 on my list when it comes to details and overall balance.
• Other details (tonality, staging, etc.) - Overall tonality upon my testing is somewhere between being neutral, midcentric and balanced. Can't really stick to one due to its very versatile sound profile. Soundstage is also, fairly wide, but not too wide.

Pros:
• Durable, well-designed resin shell and case.
• Very detailed yet still has that fun factor.
• Versatile on both the aesthetics and the sound performance.

Cons (not really cons, but nitpicks):
• The shell is too bulky for my preference.
• The mmcx connector sometimes has that angle that causes occasional loose connection

Comparisons:
This is my first time trying Audiosense products and first time to try a 6BA1DD setup, so it might be unfair if I would directly compare it to my See Audio Bravery which houses full 4BA configuration.

Conclusions:
• Overall, this IEM is worth every penny, very detailed, clear and fun. Can be used either for musical enjoyment and monitoring purposes for musicians out there.
• The bulkiness and occasional loss of sound are the main nitpicks I have regarding this set.
• Synergizes very well on my source/setup, and a very versatile IEM which can rock any genre you're into.

Disclaimer:

• This unit is a tour unit by Audiosense, and organized by Sir Law Loo. Rest assured that this review will be free from any bias/es as much as possible.
• I have used my own eartips (Whizzer Easytips) for this review. This may or may not affect the sound quality of the 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: 4-8 hours per day, 3 days.

Source/s used:

• Hiby R3 Pro Saber
• Whizzer DA1
• Tempotec Sonata HD V
• Cyberdrive Feather DAC
• Non-HiFi smartphone (Infinix Note 12 G96 Samsung Galaxy A6 (2018))
• Local Files via Foobar and Roon, YouTube Music, Deezer, and Qobuz with UAPP.

IEM/Earbud/Setup configuration: Small Whizzer Easytips, stock cable, any form of EQ or MSEB off, 40-60% volume, low gain, without extra amplification.

=========================================================Sound signature:

• The Audiosense AQ7 Pro Insight is the latest flagship by Audiosense, and is well deserved in terms of its neutral-reference sound quality. Unlike most Audiosense IEMs that feature a thick, boosted or elevated lower end, this IEM chose to keep things precise and accurate, and will reveal any flaws or variances of tracks transparently.

Lows:

• The lows presented by the AQ7 Pro insight isn’t really elevated the majority of the time - it is only elevated when the track needs it. Despite having a somewhat balanced (or neutral, if you may) Its presence never lacked during my tests, even on bass heavy tracks. The midbass and sub bass seem to have the same amount, controlled, punchy, and are fast in terms of attack and decay.

Mids:

• While not being emphasized, I would say that this is the AQ7 Pro Insight’s highlight along with its technical performance. It is very clean, open, detailed, without any form of bloat and bleed. Lower mids exhibit very good thickness and texture. Sam Smith and Ed Sheeran’s voices here have that good texture and emotion. Upper mids are almost the same in characteristics with the lower mids, but with an additional amount of sparkle and air. It never sounded sibilant, peaky or harsh, but it never tries to “fix” flaws exist in a track either, making things really transparent.

Highs:

• The treble is presented here in a slightly elevated, well-extended, airy manner. Cymbal crashes and hi-hats exhibit very good definition and keep their presence in any track. Detail retrieval here is excellent and will pick up any microdetails present in any track.

Soundstage, Imaging, and separation:

• As a fan of technical performance, I am very impressed by how the AQ7 Pro Insight presented everything in this section. Everything feels “correct” for me albeit being subjective. The soundstage here is immersive and does not try to make things artificial like some IEMs do just to be called “that IEM with a large soundstage”. Separation here is excellent for its price and is somewhat better than the QDC Anole V3 I personally tried before as it handles the busiest of my test tracks with ease. Imaging in return is also top-notch here in its price category as I can determine air between spaces of the vocals and instruments, particularly with live tracks.

Pros:

• One of the best IEM you can get for 400-500 USD in terms of technical performance.
• Neutral-reference sound signature that never lacked in any genre tested.
• Controlled, speedy lows.
• Clear, hyper detailed mids.
• Crisp, non-fatiguing treble.
• Excellent technical performance for its price.
• Very minimal sound coloration without sounding too boring.
• Excellent resolution.
• Above average fit, comfort and isolation.
• Easy to drive.
• Very good and practical amount of accessories, particularly on the Pelican-esque hard case.

Cons:

• This IEM will reveal any flaws or inconsistencies on tracks you played with it (subjective).
• This IEM may sound a bit “bright” for some people.
• Fit may be bulky for medium sized ears since this IEM has a snug fit in my large ear.
• Cable is more than enough, but can be better for its asking price (my nitpick).
• The design could’ve been at least refreshed to minimize the confusion between this version and the older (AQ7 2020) version (also my nitpick).

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

• The Audiosense AQ7 Pro insight proved itself to be a well-deserved brand’s current flagship as it has the technical prowess that every 400-500 IEM should have, in my opinion. Its clean, resolving, relatively neutral sound signature really got me hooked as I really am looking for a very technically competent IEM. I wholeheartedly recommend this to anyone who wants a 400-500USD IEM and wants their listening experience to have the transparency and detail it deserves.

Pairing recommendation/s:

• Source: The Audiosense AQ7 Pro Insight is very easy to drive. However, a decent dongle would be very good for pairing with this IEM. I recommend a neutral or warm sounding source for this one.
• Eartips: It all has the eartips you need included but an aftermarket ear tip of your choice wouldn’t hurt.

Thank you for reading!

Additional Photos here:

INTRODUCTION:

Audiosense is one of the companies I have high regard for at the same level as I adore Seeaudio, Tangzu, BQEYZ, and Kinera. I recently purchased one of their IEMs the DT300. I have not reviewed it yet and I don’t want to spoil what I intend to say on that gear. But what I can say is that Audiosense really knows how to tune and make exquisite gears. Their DT and AQ series received much love from the audio community a few months ago.


And what I have for you today is a mid-range installment of roughly 500$ give or take, the AQ7 Insight. Will this set be worthy of its price tag? Let us get a move on and find out.

DISCLAIMER:​

My opinions here are completely my own. I am NOT in any way influenced by any form of incentive. This is purely my honest, subjective impressions and experience with the gear on hand. I cannot stress more that you should take this as a grain of salt for we have different perception to sound and what we hear. I always try my best to stick with the stock accessories that come with the gear by default. You are free to try other methods such as tip rolling or cable rolling. Below are worth noting before concluding on what I say here:

1. DAP (digital audio player, be it phone, laptop, mobile, or stationary setup)
2. DAC or dongle or any external amp
3. Ear Tips
4. Cables
5. Source of audio file be it offline FLACS or streaming services like Deezer, Apple music, Tidal, Qobuz, Spotify and the likes..
6. Your playlist. It matters and is worth to be considered when reading from a reviewer's perspective. It is apparent that you get to know your favorite reviewer and what they are listening to leisurely and critically.
7. Somewhere in this review, my impressions will be biased against my personal preference. Your mileage will most likely vary.

My reviews are more on how music sounds in my ears. The technical stuff like frequency graphs and the physics behind the tech and drivers used, I leave to other reviewers.

I would like to personally thank a friend Loo Law, for lending his personal unit for me to test and assess. Thank you for your trust! Having something this valuable in my hands is an honor and at the same time, makes me tremble in fear as something like this needs extra caring, or else… it could be the end of a friendship or a marriage. LOL

SPECIFICATIONS:​

Configuration: 1x Dynamic drive, 6x Balanced armature drivers
Impedance: 13ohms
Sensitivity: 110db
Freq response: 20hz - 22khz

PACKAGING:​

I did not receive the full packaging for this review. But if you are familiar with Audiosense’s packaging, they are quite generous when it comes to inclusions. Especially on ear tips. What I received are:

1. a pair of AQ7 Insight IEMs
2. a sturdy pelican case for storing the IEMs
3. the stock cable

and that's it! For the entirety of this review, I used my personal ear tips, my favorite, the JVC Spiral Dots, M in size. I will lay down my setups later and I would like to remind whoever reads this to take it with a grain of salt. The differences in our setups are valid enough that what we hear, will most likely not be the same.

Sound Impressions:​

From the get-go, out of the box, the AQ7 has a very neutral sound signature. It is by far the most neutral set I have heard since Kinera Idun Golden which in many ways sounded very close and similar. Comparisons will be later on. I have stated that I’m in pursuit of neutrality and this set just took that journey a step further.

Tight, fast, and clean are the words if I’m going to describe the lows. Perhaps the cleanest and quickest execution by far in my experience. Sub bass is very quick to decay which makes this set a basshead’s nightmare. Lean is also one word to describe how lows are presented. Even leaner than my beloved Idun. Mid-bass is prominent and the focus of the lows. It gives a well-textured sound reproduction. Bass guitars are snappy and detailed. Drum kicks are well controlled and have a slam that is never overbearing and congested. Jazz tracks are well-rounded on the lows while rock tracks are punchy and beautifully thuddy. Modern tracks are still enjoyable as long as you keep a mindset that this is a neutral tuned IEM. Another one bites the Dust by Queen intro of bass guitar and drum kicks is proof enough to claim that the lows here are 98% flat in presentation.

Vocals and instruments are also on the lean side of things. Not thin sounding but rather details is the name of the game. Again, neutrality is the focus here. Upper mids never felt piercing nor hot to listen to. Male and female vocals have good balance and both genders are favored equally. Guitars are very favored and the same goes for pianos and any instrument with a key bed. Orchestral instruments have a good and engaging character to it despite the mids having less density and weight. I cannot say that the mids are lush and rich in sound though. I think this is neutrality welcome party on my part. It is as faithful and accurate as the lows I described above without sacrificing engagement and emotion. The details on the elements of your music, be it any genre, will be the one mesmerizing you and giving you that engagement to your music.

Here at the top, trebles, are quite on the thin side. But I guess that is a price to pay when we are talking about neutrality. Grit and bite of cymbals are well executed. Brass sections are very energetic and impactful. The transition of upper mids to the trebles is very impressive and entertaining to listen. I would like to set another track from Queen namely Bicycle Race. As the track unfolds, I never heard the dynamics and change in mood this accurate before. There are parts in the song that it will sound thin then boom! Elements will become more bodied which portrays the uneven and inconsistent recording of the track. It is not a bad thing, but recording a song is not made in a day. There are times that a change in venue studios is inevitable and those changes did not escape AQ7. Sibilance is nowhere to be found with AQ7 and even with my sibilance test tracks, the trebles maintained to be warm and never too hot to be piercing. Trebles never became a chore.

Conclusively, this is neutrality at its finest! Playing around being enjoyable and flat is very hard to achieve. And AQ7 just nailed that! Imperfection in recordings is frequently encountered which makes music more realistic. As a musician, there is no perfect recording. AQ7 just reminded and made me realize that those imperfections and irregularities are what give soul to our music reminding me that recording by real musicians, is still the betterment over machine-made tracks that became a trend in this modern times.

Fit & Isolation:​

Fitting is one thing that will be average in this set. I hate to say this too soon, but everything I will say here is above decent. But fitting is not one of those. AQ7 is quite large in build. This might be no problem for big people from the west but for us Asians, this will not be for everyone. Isolation is also average and I find myself bringing up the volume just a bit than my normal listening level to isolate myself from outside noise. This is not a dealbreaker to me and everything is still manageable and highly acceptable.

Technicalities:​

Before we move on, AQ7 is already a very very capable neutral set paired with the best technicalities I’ve heard so far from an IEM! Oh let just get it on!

Sound stage is very huge here. Ok ok.. we are talking about IEM here. There is no natural sound stage as we are putting the speakers as close to our brain. But the huge chamber and vent hole (with filter) of AQ7 gives that amazing headroom hence portraying a decent sense of stage in our heads. Elements from my tracks have that extra space and by no means, a very desirable treat that is commonly achieved only on earbuds and headphones.

Imaging or instrument placement is as good as it gets! This is the most accurate positioning of instruments I’ve heard so far! I only wish to keep this intact in my memory so I could compare it to my future reviews. Instruments are very very easy to follow and individual space that is just too commendable! Separation and layering are stupendously brilliant and just pure awesomeness! As a musician, I just can’t help it to analyze elements in my music as it comes second nature. I can hear with excellent clarity all that is going on in my music, especially those well mastered tracks.

Speed is one of the best I’ve heard by far! Busy and complex tracks never felt sluggish and muddy. Always keeping me on my toes and excited to hear AQ7 keeping up with all instruments and vocals. A track from Russian Circles namely Harper Lewis was executed very well without struggle. So do not fear brethren! If you have a lot of complex tracks on your playlist, just keep them coming! AQ7 will have your back.

Conclusively, AQ7 is by far the most effective implementation of technicalities I’ve tested. So effective that it rivals TOTL level. And yes, I have tested some TOTL IEMs a while back and though I don’t have them with me anymore, I can safely say by memory, that AQ7 is more than capable in terms of technicalities.

COMPARISONS:​

For this review, I have decided to compare AQ7 with my most neutral set in possession, the Kinera Idun Golden. And my oh my, I’m blown and was enlightened in many ways. As always, let us do this in bullet-style format.

• AQ7 is a step more neutral than Idun.
• Both have very similar sound signature.
• AQ7 blows Idun out of the water in technicalities.
• Fitting and comfortability goes to Idun.
• AQ7 at times, is less natural and organic than Idun.
• AQ7 is easier to drive than Idun.
• AQ7 on rare occasions, has more of that BA timbre than Idun.
• Idun is not yet truly neutral. AQ7 is almost there. (yet to be revealed when I get my hands on Etymotics)
• Idun’s lows are just a tad shy more textured than AQ7.
• Speed performance of drivers are both almost the same.
• Separation and imaging goes to AQ7.

And that’s about it! Both are very competitive. The only thing that separates them, is the price. Let move on to the verdict.

SOURCES AND GEARS:​

• LG V30 hifi dac (high impedance mode)
• Hiby Music player
• UAPP app (USB Audio Player Pro)
• Tidal Masters subscription
• offline FLACS
• Hidizs AP80 pro
• Deezer Hifi subscription

Here are some tracks I usually listen to when reviewing:

That’s the way of the World by EWF
Africa by TOTO
The Girl in the Other Room by Diana Kral
Balmorhea album All is wild, All is Silent
Sila by Sud
Smooth Escape by D’Sound
Never too Much by Luther Vandross
P.Y.T by Michael Jackson
Ain’t no Sunshine by Eva Cassidy
Shoot to Thrill by AC/DC
Another one bites the Dust by Queen
Good times bad times by Edie Brickell
Alice in Wonderland by Bill Evans
Ain’t it Fun by Paramore
Redefine by Incubus
Far Away by Nickelback
Lovesong by Adele
Lingus by Snarky Puppy
Harvest for the World by Vanessa Williams
Love Bites by Def Leppard
No Such Thing by John Mayer
As by Stevie Wonder
Whip Appeal by Babyface
Ain’t Nobody by Chaka Khan
Futures by Prep
Landslide by Fleetwood Mac
Every Summertime by NIKI
SADE tracks
AC/DC tracks
Queen tracks


And many more… I always listen to High resolution format, being the least quality 16bit/44khz FLACS be it offline or online.

VERDICT:​

Ok ok… before we proceed to the million-dollar question, below are those who I will recommend this for:

1. To those who loves flat response and neutrality.
2. To those who are willing to overlook tonality and focus more on technicalities.
3. To the analytical and critical listener.
4. To musicians and vocalists alike.
5. For monitoring purposes. Studio or on stage.
6. Definitely not for bassheads.
7. For neutral heads, treble heads, and mid-centrics.
8. Detail freaks like me.

The AQ7 is really something. Being with me for a week, I must say that it fills almost all of my needs as a musician. If I must nitpick, I wish that it had just a hint more of being organic and natural. It is already good as it is and never had I encountered a track or passage of music that is synthetic or unrealistic. But It could have been more organic at some point. Now I’m being purely subjective here. If I have to specify how nitpick I am right now, that little thing I’m looking for is 2% out of 100. All bets placed, I think AQ7 has a spot earned to be a contender at the price bracket of 500$.

Now is it worth the penny? If you want to get a feel of the sound of AQ7, the Kinera Idun Golden is a good cheap alternative. But if you want the real thing, get the AQ7. Again is it worth its price tag? Well, I will leave that decision to your wallet.

That’s a wrap and catch you on the next one!

"The Devil is in the details".

So how does this quote connected to this review article? Well this is how I simply described this product capability as a tool for audio professionals or just for an apparatus for an audio enthusiast either for critical listening or just a simple enjoyment.


As some of you already know, I'm a big fan of Audiosense products as I previously did a lot of product reviews from them many times. I can proudly declare that not a single Audiosense product has really failed my expectations. That's how I undoubtedly adore Audiosense on how they presented their products and make sure it is up to the high quality standard.


What I have here now is their latest flagship model, The Audiosense AQ7 Insight.. It's actually an improved model with some revisions over its predecessor, the original AQ7. Based on the users' feedback of AQ7, Audiosense decided to tweak and modify some supposedly shortcomings of the previous model and AQ7 "Insight" is the result of it.




Audiosense AQ7 Insight is a hybrid driver set-up IEM consists of single dynamic driver and 6 balanced armature drivers. Its 10mm single dynamic driver has a titanium diaphragm which has the most durable and yet light among the current existing type of dynamic driver that will deliver a more resonating, crisper and faster bass response. The balanced armature drivers that complemented it are the ones who handle the lows, mids and highs and it is also noted that Audiosense has a very strong relationship with Knowles and we all know that Knowles is one of the premium BA driver manufacturers out there. All transducers are its own sound tube channels to have better reverberation and separation among its specific frequency range.




The shells of AQ7 Insight are made of high quality medical-grade resin moulded in a 3D printer. Medical-grade resin supposedly has a very skin-friendly attribute and whenever I touch it to feel its texture, it really screams premium. There is a capsule-shaped vent hole on it with some micro holes on its filter. As for fitting and comfort, it really snugs well into my lug holes and I can use it for a long listening without any discomfort and irritation.




Moreover, like all Audiosense products, AQ7 Insight still uses a MMCX connector which is somehow durable and resistant to wear and tear on daily usage given that I have a number of Audiosense IEMs among my collection and I don't encounter any issues on it. But there are some minor inconveniences on this set as I experience some driver flex in every time I lightly tap on the housing. (The right part has it.)




As for packaging and included accessories. Audiosense is one of IEM companies that presented their products very satisfyingly and impressively with some good quality accessories of its inclusions. It has a colour black, rectangular-shaped box that is identical with its DT200-DT600 cousins.



Here are some included accessories inside of the box:

• A pair of AUDIOSENSE AQ7 Insight shells.
• A light copper 8 strands, 19 core OFC cable with an L-shape 3.5mm termination plug in a MMCX connector.
• MMCX removing clip
• Three (3) pairs of AUDIOSENSE S400 eartips of different standard sizes.
• Three (3) pairs of AUDIOSENSE GT40S eartips of different standard sizes.
• Three (3) pairs of AUDIOSENSE AT400 foam tips.
• An instruction manual
• A pelican-like container IEM case
• A cleaning tool with ear wax remover and brush.

Audiosense IEMs are usually easier to drive sets and scales well to all sources due to low impedance rating and a substantial sensitivity mark. Even on decent devices like smartphones, it is already a good volume output and delivers a very good dynamic sound quality.




In regards to its tonality, Audiosense AQ7 Insight manifests a distinct "reference-neutral" sound signature in my ears as it has a tight bass response with more emphasis on the midrange and treble. Others will find this set as a bright mid-centric IEM.




Here are some of my observations on its characteristics of each part of the frequency range spectrum.



LOWS/BASS:

Tight, precise and articulate are the characteristics that instantly exhibit to my auditory perception. This is my preferred bass quality in my tonal preference as It perfectly fits well with midcentric tuning in my opinion. Sub bass is definitely present on this one as I discerningly hear those rumbling and reverberating sounds.


Midbass is more prominent on this one for it has a decent texture to deliver an ample note weight on the lows. It is a decent growl on ass guitars to sound broad and more resonant, a sustaining and thudding characteristic in bass kicks and bass- baritones has very enough heft and deep not to make the vocals sound hollow and less appealing.


Due to its tighter sound nature, the bass bleed on this one is practically absent as it delivers a cleaner, accurate and segregates itself from other frequency ranges. This is not definitely a bass preference for a basshead listener.




MIDRANGE:

This is the strongest asset of this set as I mentioned that its midrange is more prominent and projecting. I am a sort of midcentric listener and I want mids presented more forward and detailed and AQ7 insight doesn't fail my expectations. The mids are presented very sterile, well-detailed, translucent and neutral.


Female vocals seem to have more benefited on this one as it has sufficient texture and yet is transparent. It is very versatile to all female vocal types and registers from a denser contralto (which is quite uncommon) to a well-extended and powerful sopranos. The quality of female vocals on AQ7 Insight are mesmerising, ethereal and captivating in my ears. While male vocals have enough gruff, guttural and rounded to have sufficient thorough quality.


As for instruments, strings are plainly more prominent on this one as it adds a crisper and brighter sound on an acoustic guitar (sometimes, a tad dry) and a vibrant and metallic sound on a violin. Percussives like snare drums have this sharp and shrill sound in every strike to beat. Brass like trumpets has a more strident and sharper tone and horns have a ponderous and robust sound on which AQ7 Insight accurately reproduces them. Piano has a brighter tone that it sounds brilliant and clear but sometimes a tad brassy.


For sure that this midrange boost, it will absolutely be likeable to most midcentrists like me but the transition on elevation between mid to upper mids might give some issues to listeners who were sensitives on this particular part of frequency spectrum and they might be too honky or nasally sounding.




HIGHS/TREBLE:

It is secondly the most prominent in the overall frequency range of this set. Treble seems to have a clear, clean, detailed and airy one. I like this kind of treble as it adds some clarity and fidelity.


Upper mids to presence treble treble are noticeably peaky but good thing that it doesn't have that harshness and gritty that I usually hear on unrefined upper mids boost. Occurrences of sibilance is minimal to none which I enjoy some tracks that tend to be sibilant-laden without hindrance. Cymbals sounds have a good shimmer and gleam that extends well. Hi-hats have a distinctively shorted and "chicky" sound that AQ7 insight conveys to the listener correctly.


Moreover, It definitely has a very airy and sparkling sound that it is well-extended across brilliance treble without some roll-offs that might have dampened the harmonics.


This is one of the best treble qualities that I've encountered recently in an entry-level to midrange category.



SOUNDSTAGE, IMAGING & OTHER TECHNICALITIES:

"Goddamn! what a spacious and expansive head room that this set has" This is actually my initial utterance on how the soundstage was presented on the AQ7 Insight. It is well-proportioned in my opinion, has a wide sound field that is quite spacious in my headroom, has a good height ceiling and the depth is well-defined on how the front and rear are presented on this one.


Imaging is absolutely impressive on this set on how it pinpoints the placement of instruments and vocals very accurately in a perceived spatial field. Separation has indeed a sufficient gap and spacing on each element that you will hear on the track. Layering is even more impressive on this one on how frequencies and distinct dynamic characters of each tone of instruments and vocals are arranged very orderly that a complex, multi-instrumental tracks will be played effortless.


Coherency of the drivers delivers a very cohesive and homogenous sound on how dynamic drivers and multi balanced armature drivers complement well that decay, sustain and attack on the performance of each driver are harmoniously well-executed. Tonal colour tends to be more brighter, north of being sounds organic.


As for resolution and resolving capability, macro-dynamics is presented solidly and micro-detail retrieval is even more impressive on how it capture a lot of data and infos from the track in a very sharp definition.



PEER COMPARISONS:


Fearless Audio Roland (2019, around £576/US$615)

• While both IEMs are of hybrid driver setup, Roland has another type of driver inside which is a Sonion EST. To sum it up, Roland has a single DD, dual BA drivers and dual Sonion ESTs. These IEMs are also comparable when it comes to aesthetics as their resin shells are even moulded via 3D printing. Roland uses a more proven and durable connector which is a 2-pin connector. Presentation of their respective product and inclusions of quality accessories are evenly matched on both items.
• As for tonality, Roland is more of a mild-U shape sound signature. It has a more warmer and natural sounding due to a more textured compare the transparent and more neutral AQ7 Insight. Bass is more punchy, mids is a bit recessed but has more lusher and thicker while AQ7 Insight focuses more on transparency, clarity and resolution but still has a decent texture not to sound lean. Another noticeable difference in this comparison is the treble register, despite Roland having an EST driver, it has less airy extension and less shimmering compared to AQ7 Insight but it is smoother. For an all-rounder tonality, Roland is a more of a safer bet.
• Technicalities are definitely better on AQ7 Insight, Roland has above average technical capabilities as it has less expansive soundstage but still in a more natural headroom proportion, separation and imaging is good and satisfactory. But overall aspects on resolution capabilities like clarity, detail retrieval and transparency, AQ7 Insight is way better in my opinion.

DUNU SA6 (2021, around £515/US$550)

• Dunu SA6 is also a multi-driver set-up just like AQ7 Insight but the difference is that it has all balanced armature drivers from premium brands like Knowles and Sonion. Dunu SA6 has a bass vent hole switch to add more bass quantity (I didn't even switch on this one, when I tested one before). It uses a 2-pin connector which in my opinion is a better implementation. As for shell aesthetics, they are equally a looker.
• The sound signature of Dunu SA6 is more of a balanced-neutral tuning, and it has a substantial note weight and enough warmth to have more balanced sounding without any compromises of clarity, detail and texture. AQ7 Insight focuses on transparency, more detail and cleanliness. Treble on Dunu SA6 is less airy and yet it is way more smoother. Both have superb mid range quality, between texture and transparency, which do you prefer? In an all-rounder tonality, Dunu SA6 will be more pleasing and compelling to listeners who want to have a transition between fun sounding to analytical while AQ7 Insight is more of a tool for experienced hi-fi enthusiasts as it is for more analytical listening or a professional tool for audio engineers.
• Dunu's SA6 technical capabilities are just above average while AQ7 Insight has an excellent mark in that category, Soundstage and resolution capability are where AQ7 Insight dominates over SA6.

To think that this is currently the most expensive set that I have been reviewing for now and it really amazes me on how it performs almost flawlessly that it really hit my tuning preference. Superb tonality and unmatched technical performances is what AQ7 Insight has to offer.


Another to be noted that AQ7 Insight isn't an all-rounder set in my opinion as it caters only to specific listeners which are neutral heads and midcentrics. Bass heads and fun sounding fanatics will having a second thoughts if it will fit on their preferences.


Would I still recommend AQ7 Insight to everyone? For me, it's a big yes if you want to try another flavour of a new listening experience then it's definitely worthy to try it out.


Audiosense AQ7 Insight is available to purchase and you can check the link here if you are indeed interested.


Check out my other reviews on Audiosense products:

• AUDIOSENSE DT100

• AUDIOSENSE DT200

• AUDIOSENSE DT300

• AUDIOSENSE DT600

• AUDIOSENSE AQ0

• AUDIOSENSE T800

• AUDIOSENSE AQ4

SPECIFICATION:

MODEL: AUDIOSENSE AQ7 INSIGHT

IMPEDANCE: 13Ω

SENSITIVITY: 110dB

FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 20Hz – 22KHz

CABLE LENGTH: 1.25M

PIN TYPE: MMCX CONNECTOR

PLUG TYPE: 3.5mm

DRIVER UNIT(S): (1) DYNAMIC DRIVER + (6) BALANCED ARMATURE DRIVERS





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


Alison Krauss -When You Say Nothing At All *

Jade Wiedlin - Blue Kiss**

Led Zeppelin - When The Levee Breaks **

Mountain - Mississippi Queen *

Queen - Killer Queen **

Guns N' Roses - Patience *'*

Eric Clapton - Tears in Heaven '*'

Sergio Mendes- Never Gonna Let You Go '*'

Pearl Jam - Daughter **

Roselia - Hidamari Rhodonite *

Assassin - Fight (To Stop The Tyranny)*

Celtic Frost- Visual Aggression *

New Order - Blue Monday *

The Corrs- What Can I do (unplugged version) *

Jimi Hendrix Experience - Voodoo Child *

The Madness- Buggy Trousers *

Metallica - Motorbreath **

Mariah Carey- Always Be My Baby *

Destiny's Child - Say My Name *

Malice Mizer- Au Revoir *

Mozart - Lacrimosa *

New York Philharmonic Orchestra - Dvorak- Symphony 9 " From the New World." *

Eva Cassidy - Fields of Gold (Sting cover)*

Michael Jackson - Give In To Me *

Exciter - Violence and Force *

Diana Krall - Stop This World **

Debbie Gibson - Foolish Beat *'*

The Sisters of Mercy – Lucretia My Reflection**

Suzanne Vega – Luka **

Lauren Christy – Steep *


P.S.

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


Once again, I would like to thank Bradley Loo and Elaine Wong for providing and facilitating this review unit, I truly appreciate their generosity towards me and other reviewers.

AQ7 PRO is the successor of the AQ7, released last 2020 by Audiosense. As with the first release, it has 6 Knowles Balance armatures and a 10mm dynamic driver per side. The AQ7 Pro is a flagship model from the company.

What i use for listening to: Shanling M6Pro 2021

What i listen to: Rock, alternative, classical, punk

Specification:
Impedance: 13ohms /1KHz
Sensitivity: 110dB/mW
Frequency response: 20Hz-22kHz
Plug Type: L shaped
Plugs: 3.5mm connector
Pin Type: Copper MMCX Connections
Cord Length: 50“ /125cm
Cable type: Detachable cable- 8 Strands 19core 6N single crystal copper cable



I've always admired how Audiosense crafts their products. Always an eye and ear candy. Their designs for the resins are very superb, and thus make you want to collect each of their masterpieces.



Lets make this quick and direct to the point:

Audiosense AQ7 pro

Bass
Fast accurate sounding, has good texture but has lessened body, thus i won't recommend this to bass heads or those who were used to harman turning. Don't get me wrong, there is bass, a tight bass, just don't expect rumble or thumps.

Mids
forward-sounding; the male vocals are more bodied than the female vocals. It has great full body for the mids, providing a good vocal experience in all genres, especially acoustic and pop genres.

Trebles
Fast and clean, with a sparkle. At times, it may feel a bit hot, but it is still within its limits and non-sibilant. Clean cymbal flashes as well as vibrance will be evident.

The imaging is wide and has a hall-like sound. The detailed separation of instruments is above average for me.

Overall i really love the sound and design the AQ7 Pro has. I got this for 500 dollars, for me it's a great buy, and will provide you with a relaxing listening experience.