Disclaimer

Tangzu provided me with this IEM for an audio tour, organized by Indranil Mitra. I will be borrowing this IEM for a week and passing it on to the next person. Just to clarify, I am not being compensated to share my thoughts on this product - all opinions are my own.


Price Competition

The current price on Linsoul is $597, while HiFiGO is selling them for $649. Today is 08/05/2014, and at this moment, it is competing very competitively in terms of price. It's important to note that the IE600 is still relevant even to this day. If you're interested, you can check out my review of the IE600 on the Mobile Audiophile website.

The philosophy behind the tuning

The tuning approach of this IEM is a balanced and vibrant sound with a touch of richness in the midrange. The review will reveal how they achieved this, but I must say that this IEM captures the signature Sennheiser sound that I have cherished for many years. Needless to say, I am quite fond of its tuning. To my ears, this IEM resembles the sound of an HD600 paired with a high-quality solid-state amplifier and a lively audio source. Ultimately, this IEM excels in delivering exceptional performance for male vocals and blends beautifully with Indian music genres such as Folk and Contemporary. It's worth noting that this unique tuning sets it apart from other IEMs, making it a must-try for me.


Design

I'm not a fan of the design of this IEM. Firstly, the ear shell is just too big for my ears. Maybe it won't bother you as much if you have average-sized ears. Secondly, these IEMs are quite heavy, making them more prone to breaking if they accidentally fall. I've seen it happen before, so I don't trust them in that regard. Lastly, I'm not a fan of the concave shape of the IEM plate. It makes inserting them feel unnatural and awkward, especially because of their large size. I understand that fitting 1DD 2BA 2EST in a single shell is challenging, but I would have preferred a design that prioritizes depth over width. So, yeah, the design is definitely my least favourite thing about this IEM.

Build Quality

The design of this IEM in the other part is absolutely stunning. The copper colour is truly mesmerizing. However, it definitely stands out in a crowd and demands attention. The wire is noticeably thick and heavy, but the splitters and connectors are top-notch in terms of quality. Personally, this IEM is quite large for me and the ear hook has been a persistent issue. On the bright side, the resin and metal faceplate exude a sense of luxury. Rest assured, this IEM is a true symbol of opulence.

Initial Sound Impression

When I first tried the IEM, it had a nice balance and a bit of brightness. Being someone who loves treble, the brightness was perfect for me but might be too much for others. However, after adjusting the insertion depth, I realized that it can drastically change the treble. The sound will be greatly affected by how well it fits in your ears.

Cable Rolling with Effect Audio Eros S

When I decided to experiment a bit, I decided to connect the Effect Audio Eros S cables to my setup. To my astonishment, it had a significant impact on the soundstage and high frequencies. The previously present sharpness and inconsistencies were eliminated, resulting in a pleasing and refined treble. Additionally, the soundstage expanded in terms of stereo width, creating a more immersive experience. It's safe to say that using the Eros S Cable took my current IEM setup to the next level compared to the default cable.

Objective Sound Impression

Bass

The Bass is powerful and punchy. Some IEMs may have good bass extension, but lack the midbass authority to truly make an impact on the sound. As a result, even if the bass is technically present on the Frequency Amplitude graph, it may not be very audible. Luckily, this IEM doesn't suffer from that issue at all.

The sub-bass is nicely pronounced, without being too overpowering to cause any discomfort. This is especially beneficial for me since my ears are sensitive to lower frequencies. The midbass smoothly transitions from the sub-bass, maintaining its own distinct presence. There is no muddiness or interference from the sub-bass. The gradual and steady increase in mid-bass adds the punch I crave when listening to bass-heavy songs.

Overall, the bass on these IEMs is truly impressive. It strikes a perfect balance - not too overpowering, yet not lacking in presence either. What sets it apart is how it doesn't overshadow every song with bass, only enhancing tracks that call for it. When a song lacks lower frequencies, the bass remains neutral and full, but when needed, it confidently delivers a solid low-end performance.

Midrange

The main emphasis of this IEM lies in its midrange. The mid frequencies are far from being neutral or clinical. Instead, they provide a luxurious and exaggerated sensation. Every sound will be enriched with additional textures, vibrancy, and a radiant quality, all without causing any discomfort when the volume is appropriately adjusted.

The male vocals are the highlight in this range especially. The heft it offers and the grunt it has in the male vocal region is simply unparalleled at this price point. It is not forward or recessed by any means, it sits beautifully in the Amplitude graph as well as my ears. There is a grand feeling in the earthy tones of the male voices. Chest voice sounds wonderful although head voices are portrayed very well but not at the same level as chest voices. Nasally singers don't sound on these.

The male counterparts outshine the female vocals in terms of quality. The main issue lies in the extension of the upper mids and lower treble. As a result, some female singers lack the ethereal and sparkling sensation that I adore. Additionally, while the voices are not of reference grade, they also possess a touch of colouration.

Treble

This IEM has a slightly subdued lower treble, which makes it perfect for fatigue-free listening. However, there are some drawbacks to this. The female vocals and treble-focused instruments are the ones that are most affected by this deviation. Despite that, everything sounds smooth and there are no overwhelming peaks to be found.

This IEM has a slightly subdued lower treble, which makes it perfect for fatigue-free listening. However, there are some drawbacks to this. The female vocals and treble-focused instruments are the ones that are most affected by this deviation. Despite that, everything sounds smooth and there are no overwhelming peaks to be found.

The upper frequencies are skillfully managed, with the EST drivers leading the way. They truly expand the air quality of the sound. Every sound is filled with plenty of air. The speed and crispness are remarkable, with excellent transience. The peak at 11K (or 15K on B&K 5128 Coupler for in-ear) greatly contributes to the IEM's capacity to effortlessly display microcontrasts.

Timber

The quality of the timber is exceptional considering its price. However, there may be some inconsistencies in the lower treble range. The violin produces a pleasing sound with the desired transient nature and low end. The guitars have a textured and snappy tone. Wind instruments also perform above average, thanks to the EST drivers in the IEM. As mentioned earlier, the male vocals have an earthy and grunty tone, which adds character but may not be neutral. On the other hand, the female vocals, while not as good as the male vocals, do not sound unnatural and never become shrill or fatiguing.

The timber reproduction of this IEM is far from natural, so it's not recommended for critical listening. However, if you're looking for an IEM that enhances the sound of music and does a great job at it, this is a very tasteful option to consider.

Subjective Sound Impression

Resolution

You won't be left wanting more resolution with this IEM. It resolves just as well as Studio 4 (A/B Tested). The subtle nuances and micro details, largely due to psychoacoustics, contribute to an overall very resolving sound with this IEM. (My friend even mentioned a slight resemblance to Performer 8, hinting at its quality).

Imaging

The stereo imaging is impressive, although it lacks pinpoint accuracy. Occasionally, it can sound holographic when the albums require stereo imaging rather than full positional cues.

Soundstage

The soundstage with the stock cable is quite average. However, the soundstage usage is quite impressive. The vocals are centred in the head, while the instruments create a nice ambient effect.

Drivability

Driving it is quite manageable, although it does demand a bit more power to really bring out its best sound. It operates well with a volume level similar to my HD600, only with a slight difference of +4/5db in amplitude. It works smoothly with 4V and 200mw Dongle Dacs.

Comfort & Fit

The comfort and fit of these IEMs are not up to par. The Cable is quite weighty and bulky, and the ear hooks on the cable are not well-designed for my ears. Since my ears are on the smaller side, it could be just my problem, but the ear hooks kept slipping off. It would be wise to consult someone with medium-sized ears for a second opinion.

The shell size is quite large for my ears, and I struggled to achieve the correct insertion depth with the stock cable. Believe me, GATE needs a proper insertion depth. If not inserted correctly, this IEM can sound sharp and harsh occasionally.

Comparison

IE600 - The only contender at this pricepoint worth comparing to, in my experience.

• IE600 has better sub-bass
• GATE is more thumpy in mid-bass
• Mids are better on GATE
• Lower Treble is better on IE600
• Upper treble (>12Khz) is better on GATE
• Resolution is better on IE600 by a slight margin
• Soundstage and Imaging is also better on IE600
• The mids tonality and timber are better on GATE
• GATE is more musical and suited for most genres I listen to.
• IE600 is leagues ahead in comfort and fit.

Given a choice, I would have chosen GATE 7 out of 10 times over IE600 in a day because of its unique and personally preferred tuning philosophy. But fit would get me worried every time.

Conclusion

To sum up, this IEM has been an incredible find for me, mainly due to my extensive music collection. I've never experienced anything quite like it before. Whether it's the distinctive design or the way the drivers are set up, every time I listen to this IEM, I'm blown away by the exceptional quality of the lower mids and treble tuning.

Brand’s house sound​

Studio 4 might be one of the top rising stars of Softears till date. Softears is a very well-known brand for it’s philosophy towards neutrality. They always provided music with out most honesty in their IEMs. Not only that but they managed to make this tuning very enjoyable throughout the years they are in the business. They discarded the thought that “Neutrality is boring”.

What I like about the brand​

The best thing I like about this brand is its commitment to the research and development of each of their products. They don’t release products left and right saturating the market even more. Each of their product be it Softears Twilight or RSV is beautifully crafted and well-researched. This continues with Studio 4 also.

Disclaimer​

Studio 4 was provided to me by ConceptKart. They always provide me equipment for review. They haven’t influenced me anyhow to say anything good or bad about this product. All thoughts and opinions are mine alone. Take a look at this product on their website.

Softears Studio 4​

Price Competition​

It retails for about $449 worldwide. At this price point, there is a huge number of IEMs to challenge it. I think it competes extremely well in the market right now, making it a glowing option to consider while purchasing an IEM even after 1 year of its release. In this price point, AFUL Performer 8 is another contender to consider & I will compare it at the end of the review.

Philosophy of the IEM​

The philosophy behind this IEM is pretty straightforward. It is neutral as its name suggests. But neutrality can be unforgiving where this IEM stands out in the crowd. Even though it is neutral, there is nothing about this IEM which is boring and non-captivating. Bear in mind that I always write reviews after I am well passed my honeymoon phase.

Tech Specs​

This IEM consists of four BA drivers made by Softears itself accompanied by a three-way crossover. But I dare you to judge this IEM based on the driver setup it has. Housed in a very stealthy resin 3D-printed shell. The cable along with this IEM is pretty sturdy and easy to manage without having too much memory as such.

Package​

Softears Studio 4 comes with a very strong and sturdy pelican case which is waterproof. IEMs are covered in mini pouches to keep them scratch-free, which is a great addition to the packaging. Although ear-tips are provided but I reviewed them with Divinus Velvet tips for the comfort it offers.

Design​

The IEM shell is one black pebble with lettering of “Softears” & “Studio4” on each of them. I very much like the stealthy look of the IEM. It blends perfectly in crowded places and doesn’t seek attention from people around. The shell is small enough in-depth, unlike RSV.

Build Quality​

The build quality seems pretty solid. The sets are neither heavy nor light. They provide confidence as such that a few drops might seem fine. Although I haven't drop-tested it myself overall they seem very sturdy.

Initial Sound Impression​

Studio 4 welcomes you with a very lifelike sound with a very accurate soundstage. The first thing when you put them in your ear, you will notice how accurate they sound. Remember I told you that it doesn’t sound boring? I will give you the bass so much so that is beyond what I expected from a neutral set. The midrange is extremely good and natural. Each and every part of the midrange is very tasteful. The treble is very neutral too. You won’t find any sharpness, not it will sound dark anyhow.

Comfort & Fit​

So far Studio 4 is not comfortable for me due to only one reason. Pressure build-up due to no ventilation. Being an All-BA set it doesn’t need ventilation and ventilation might screw up its SPL. Although a careful insertion is always preferred with a good enough tip selection. If inserted with jaws open it eliminates most of the pressure build-up.

Tip Rolling​

It does change its sound due to different tips but it is not as evident. The nozzle is big enough to send vibrations directly to your eardrums without interfering with the tips in most cases. However, note that the pressure buildup avoidance is a big reason to tip roll.

Objective Sound Impression​

Bass​

There is a very subtle 4db sub-bass extension in the 20hz. And it makes an arch through the midrange. Typically I don’t like this midbass elevation but in this IEM this works beautifully. There is a contrast between subbass and midbass but it is not enough to make it sound separated of any sort. It might seem that the decline from 100hz would contribute to the thinness of the midrange or it could lack any warmth in the lowermids, but this is not the case fortunately. The warmth is there and it doesn’t sound thin anywhere.


Bass overall is better than I expected to be honest. First of all the drivers might sound like not much but trust me on this, it feels like a cohesive DD nonetheless. It is enough snappy to maintain the speed of the attacks and the falloff is slow enough so it doesn’t feels like it is rushing to deliver bass. The gradual falloff is very analogue like and won’t feel like there is anything jumps out to you. In one word it is very cohesive and well-controlled while reaching deep.

Midrange​

At 200hz there is a dip noticeable in the frequency response which is not noticeable at all. This might’ve contributed to the overall thinness of the IEM which is not at all present. It is extremely neutral and the vocals shine in their separate places. There is also a hump starting at the 1khz and a sudden drop-off. Which is a very wise thing to do to increase the soundstage while maintaining the warmth. The Eargain peak is also fully extended with a very nice touch after 2.5khz, making the overall sound smooth.


Overall the mids are the crux of this IEM. It is so well-tuned that it can easily compete with higher-end products in the market if mids are the only thing you are considering. The timber of this IEM is excellent for the price to say the least. Every instrument sounds good with this IEM, every instrument sounds life-like. No hint of nasalyness and hunkiness can be spotted anywhere. The vocals are beautiful for both males and females. Full of texture and warmth as well as airiness when needed.

Treble​

After 4khz the treble is very inoffensive. There are dips here and there and there are no peaks that could feel unpleasant. The dip in 6k is a brave choice since it consists of some harshness in most of the genres. Although the dip after 9khz can be fixed to give it a more shimmering feeling that could really benefit the sound overall for a treble head like me. Rest the extension is there and air can be felt but it is not overloaded. In short, the treble is very safely tuned and well-refined.


For me, the treble felt a little less. As a neutral-tuned IEM I would’ve liked a more revealing nature of the treble. On the opposite side it handled poorly recorded songs very well and with ease. The poorly mastered tracks are nowhere sounded harsh and peaky, not tracks with great mastering sounded jaw-dropping due to the safe tuning.This kind of treble would be very good for someone who is treble-sensitive.

Subjective Sound Impression​

Resolution​

The resolution of this IEM is above average. The surprising thing about this IEM is that even though the treble is not elevated too much it is still producing contrasty details. From certain cues to trailing edges everything is prominent.

Soundstage​

The sound stage is not very big but it is very well executed. It revolves around your head in a sphere and no claustrophobic nature I felt there. This created an overall personal feeling while listening to any song, The voices do come from the front and are well positioned. It adapts to the song very well, if the number requires a big sound stage it will get big if it requires a personal sound stage it will also provide that.

Imaging​

Imaging is above average too. The separation is there between the instruments but they are not pinpointed although easily localized.

Drivability​

The drivability is moderate. It can run through sub $30 dongle DACs easily but upgrading sources would result in a more weighty, textured and well-defined sound throughout the frequency range, especially the mids and lower end of the spectrum.

Conclusion​

Few IEMs in this hobby can do everything. Neutrality, which provides true to the mastering. Forgiving enough to make everything sound good. Low end enough to satisfy EDM/Hip-Hop. Mids that could make the timber extremely pleasant to listen to. Treble to satisfy both sensitive and treble head. This IEM covers everything. I couldn’t recommend this enough.

Comparison​

AFUL Performer 8​

Resolution is slightly better in P8 (Mainly because of Psychoacoustics). The bass sounds better in Studio 4. The midrange is a bit more weighty on Studio 4 too. Treble is the main factor to consider while choosing any one of these. P8 is snappy and full of treble, be it air or extension, where Studio 4 is very controlled and subdued than the P8.


You can’t go wrong with any one of these. If you prefer extended and elevated treble then go with P8 if you want a reference grade treble go with Studio 4.

RSV​

RSV is more mid-forward, more rolled off in the treble. Details and resolution are better in Studio 4. Timber is a hint better in RSV. Both suffer from air-pressure build-up and fit and comfort is better in studio 4. They inherit the same DNA so nothing much else to dissect about.

Pros​

• Midrange
• Timber
• Resolution

Cons​

• Air Pressure Build-up

NON AFFILIATED LINKS​

Buy Softears Studio 4 - in India


Buy Softears Studio 4 - Outside India

Literally Hype Train with 3 Coaches​

The ThieAudio Hype series is the newest and mid-budget-centric IEM series that is mainly focused on producing the fun signature. Their new Impact 2 technology is in the use with each contender of the hype line. Right now there are three IEMs in the line, Hype 2 which comes at $299, Hype 4 which comes at $399 and the top end variant Hype 10 which comes at $799.

History Class​

When it comes to ThieAudio, the first thing that comes to my mind is “Mature Tuning”. Be it Monarch MKII or Oracle, most of the ThieAudio IEMs are known to be very audiophile-pleasing rather than mass-appealing. The ThieAudio we knew was always about refinement in tuning and producing music as perfectly as it could. But it seems that ThieAudio is venturing into the fun side of the hobby. The Monarch MKII is the symbol of this change.

You might also like​

Thieaudio Hype 4 Review – Worth the Hype​

Simgot EA500LM Review: Pietro’s Take​

Penon Quattro Review – Magic of Vocals​

Technical Specifications​

Hype 2 follows the same philosophy while producing the sound. Hype means Hybrid+Performance. It consists of a subwoofer which produces the bass range, slams and attacks are the result of this inclusion. Impact 2 is made out of 2 10mm dynamic drivers in isobaric configuration. Other than that there are Sonion 2356 BA drivers for the rest of the extensions & Sonion E25ST for upper treble refinement.

Power Requirement​

ThieAudio Hype 2 is a very power-hungry set. It requires more than 120mw of current and 4Vrms of output to sound good. Underpowering them would result in gloomy and unrefined technical abilities. Make sure to power it with juicy amps. Dacs although doesn’t seem to make that big of a difference.

Disclaimer​

This unit is provided to me by TheAudioStore. They haven’t influenced or asked me to write anything good or bad about the review. Take a look at ThieAudio Hype 2 on their website.

I reviewd this IEM with Divinus Velvet Tips, and I don’t think it changes the sound drasticlly from sillicone tip rolling. Although lower bores might help treble sensitive people out there. But Divinus fits amazingly in my ears with this IEM.

THE WOW FACTOR​

The wow factor of this IEM is the soundstage. The soundstage is very expansive and covers almost 360 degree of your head with not much of a squeeze between left and right. There is space between you and the instruments, so much so that everything including vocals sound out of the head.

THE DESIRE​

The most desiring thing about this IEM was its midrange tonality. Not that is very overshadowed or lack in textural detail but it sure doesn’t have the thickness and fullness I search in all of my audio products. Although it is understandable if you focus on bass and treble the mids will likely take a backseat.

Graph Analysis (Reference IEF2023 Adjusted)​

20hz – 150hz​

This range is elevated very generously giving the whole bass region a huge boost. At the 20hz it is a >10db elevation whereas in the 40-50hz range, it is ever so slightly elevated even more. It contributes to the whole analogue nature of the bass region. The fall of the bass is very beautiful and gradual. It does actually feel like a separate subwoofer playing on your ears. After the 80Khz it normalizes and at 150hz it takes a slight dip in the lower mids.

Of course, ThieAudio is targeting Harman tuning here. And it is just up to you if you like this or not. Personally, I feel it is very generous and at the same time, it doesn’t overdo the bass making it a head-hurting machine.

150khz – 1khz​

There is a dip in the range of 150-500hz. This contributes to a lean vocal. Not that the vocals feel subdued but it lacks the lower end connection that I like. Male vocals suffer from this, especially those who have lean vocals, to begin with. Other than this range 500-1000khz is very adequate to fit my taste, and it contributes to constructing missing thickness in female vocals since they occupy a higher register.

This range could’ve been EQed and the problem would have been solved to a great extent but out of the box, this recession in the lower half is very noticeable and felt to be desired. And coming from that humongous bass elevation, it feels more so.

Ear-gain Region​

The most interesting part of this region is 1khz – 3khz. The sudden elevation and then rapid recession is the reason for making soundstages bigger than they actually are, more like an illusion. And I am glad to say they have done their job pretty good. Then the plateau at 3khz-5khz is pretty flat and this flatness gives it a rich tone that doesn’t feel honky. I am a fan of this plateau, and I have no complaints whatsoever with this region.

6khz-10Khz​

In this range, the only peak that I can see is in the 8K range. I would’ve ignored this peak due to the resonance frequency of the coupler but this test has been done on the 5128 Coupler so there is very little doubt to have. What it contributes is nothing much but you can get an elevated feeling in a few “S” Sounds.

Overall this range is very good, but to nitpick, I would’ve liked a more even graph here. There is an expected 9khz dip and the rest of the frequency range is very well extended. Keep in mind that this range is the most altered/varied from person to person.

>10khz​

This range is superbly extended and there is loads and loads of air to give the listener. The electrostatic driver made its presence noticeable very confidently.

There is a sudden peak at the 16khz area, companies are often likely to boost this range because of the psychoacoustics of the sound and it helps nonetheless. So if you know what ThieAudio is doing, you could feel that extra emphasis on the psychoacoustics of the resolution.

Overall the treble on this IEM is great and there is nothing to complain about at this price point and the dip in the 10khz-16khz is a great way to present an inoffensive sound.

Objective Tuning Analysis​

Bass​

The Bass of this IEM is very deep and authoritative. It feels like there is a separate subwoofer for this section only (which is true in a sense but so does Blessing 3). The Subbass region is elevated and it gives loads of power to offer to the sound. Subbass has physicality and authority if tracks are asking for it.

The transition from the sub-bass to mid-bass is flawless, there is a gradual roll of the bass into the mids. but there is a little bit of dip which doesn’t let any warmth enter the midrange.

The bass is very analogue-like, where the fall-off and attack is very organic doesn’t feel rushed. The decay is very organic too, which gives a lot of time to retain authority.

Mids​

The mids are as you can expect from a Harman-inspired tuning. They are not neutral so naturally, it take a backseat giving bass and treble priority. It starts thin in the male vocals but picks up the pace in the female counterparts.

Although the mids are recessed but they are well extended due to the treble region, Texture might not be up to the mark but resolution is good.

Treble​

Disclaimer – I love treble, so much so that I find treble smooth where others feel sibilant. For me, treble of this IEM is again good. The lower treble is not peaky anywhere and the upper treble is extended with a hint of resolution enhancement elevation in the 8khz range.

There are loads and loads of air to offer at the end of the spectrum. Making is superbly spacious and extended.

The treble didn’t feel a bit uneven or peaky. The tuning here is very well done and brings joy to listen to instruments that require higher registers.

Subjective Review​

Soundstage​

The soundstage of this IEM is very good. It is not very good at layering or pinpointing instruments at every depth of the stage but the expansion of the stage is very enormous.

It scratches 360 degrees in both axes giving a very equal soundstage around your head. You can feel a little bit of stretching left to right but that might be just the recording itself.

I can confidently say that this is one of the most spacious-sounding IEM I ever used. Along with Yanin Alladin. So much so, that it pushes intimate sounds further than the skull. It might not be optimal for emotional sessions but it sure is hell lot of fun.

Imaging​

The imaging capabilities of this IEM is above average. From panning to localization can be done effortlessly, although pin-point accuracy is still not possible.

The stereo imaging/separation is very well done too. The switching is fast and accurate.

Resolution​

The resolution of this IEM is satisfactory for this price point. It won’t blow you off with it’s resolution capabilities nor it will feel low res.

I noticed that this IEM produces resolution according to the frequency range. Mids are not as resolving as treble. And bass too is not as resolving.

Details are there in the audio, nuances can be heard but it is not effortless. Micro details and micro-contrasts won’t jump out to you to give you a hyper-detailed feeling.

Genre Compatibility ​

Few genres match with this IEM a lot

HipHop​

The sub-bass takes care of every track. The recessed mids are not a problem in this genre. The treble is extended enough to make every track exciting as well as detailed. Although, the main highlight is the bass itself. It’s so authoritative and huge that it makes my head bang. The proportion between sub-bass and midbass is so good that it takes tracks to a new level.

ALBUMS

Ek tha Raja – Baadsah

KARAM – KSHMR

Lunch Break – Seedhe Maut

Rock/Alternative​

The Guitar tonality especially in this genre shines. The bass region is grunty enough to give it the heft. You can always feel the presence of sub-bass if there is any in the track. Mids are not getting in the way of stealing any enjoyment. Treble is very good in extension to give tracks airiness which I always look for in an IEM. The resolution is on point. Imaging is again on point.

ALBUMS

Remember That You Will Die – Polyphia

Currents – Tame Impala

Prottasha – Miles

Pop​

This Genre matches with this set a lot. The bass is as always the main focus here. It steals the show and takes the limelight. The mids are adequate and the treble is resolving too. I find this genre a great fit with this IEM. And it makes me enjoy this genre which I don’t listen too much. I am confident to say that, all thanks go to the isobaric configuration of the dynamic drivers.

ALBUMS

Voice Notes – Charlie Puth

Sub Rock – John Mayer

The Mathematics – Ed Sheeran

Besides these few, artists like D Punk who create digital music sound excellent. (Yes I know D Punk does everything in analogue, I am referring to this genre in general and albums like “Random Access Memories”).

Conclusion​

This IEM is made for fun and you shouldn’t try to make it work like a tool. This sound is for pure enjoyment purposes, thus I haven’t discussed the timber characteristics of this IEM. I can only recommend this IEM to people who prefer Soundstage, Imaging, Bass and Treble in exchange for Neutrality, Timber and texture. This is also a great IEM for watching films.

Pros​

• Bass
• Soundstage
• Imaging
• Treble Extension

Cons​

• Midrange Tonality
• Textural Information

Comparison with AFUL Performer 8​

• Bass is leaps and bounds better in HYPE 2
• Midrange overall is a bit better on Performer 8
• The treble extension is similar
• The soundstage is way bigger than Performer 8
• Imaging Capabilities are equal if not better than Performer 8
• Resolution is better in Performer 8
• Hype 2 is a much more fun IEM
• Performer 8 is a very reference grade IEM

Cable​

The cable is very good both aesthetically and in hand. There is a bit of memory although it helps sometimes, but no microphonics whatsoever. The cable looks beautiful and it is well-made. Splitters and connectors feel premium to touch and handle.

NON AFFILIATED LINK​

Buy ThieAudio Hype 2 in India – TheAudioStore

​

Disclaimer​

I received INTUAURA SPLENDOR 2 from ConceptKart. But they didn't pay or influence me to write anything good or bad about this IEM. All thoughts and opinions are mine. I am not using affiliated links to stay away from any bias.

About Intuaura ​

Intuaura is a relatively unknown brand in the audiophile world. I was surprised to learn about the brand before it came to my doorstep. By talking to a few of my friends I get to know that these are selling well in local markets (China) but somehow they stayed an underdog in the rest of the world.


I feel they need recognition in the mainstream market because the quality they provide in their products is simply excellent and class-leading. I hope the awareness of this brand populates the market, creating very strong competition to other chi-fi brands. And you know what they say “Competetetion is always best for the customers.”. I genuinely feel this company provides value like AFUL with almost neck-on-neck competition-wise.

A few Information about this IEM​

HeyGears worked with Mr. Xie Yu, a leading supplier, to develop a premium dynamic coil unit for the Splendor IEM. The same shell sound cavity is used in the Splendor in-ear monitor. Elevated by Mr. Tang's radical tuning approach, Splendor delivers fast and powerful bass for clear instruments and vocals. The balanced, slightly pop-oriented sound adjustment ensures a dynamic sound experience without loss of clarity or muddiness. Splendor uses A. W.C.T. Acoustic Tuning technology with a unique sound cavity absorption system that absorbs harmonic peaks for precise tuning strategies that provide a textured, comfortable sound experience. This results in realistic, detailed sound reproduction that improves overall audio quality.


DC impedance: 18.5Ω(土5%)


Sensitivity: 125dB/Vrms @ 1kHz(3dB)


Total harmonic distortion: <0.05% @1kHz

Pairing​

This IEM is very easy to power. (Needs 14/100 volume in Dawn Pro to produce music around 75db.).


It is not that source-dependent. Of course, you can tell the difference if you upgrade to a better source but it is not that massive. It sounds good with every source I have, it changes the tonality ever so slightly with the sources.


I found out this IEM can work with anything over 2Vrms, and flat sources are preferable since warm sources tend to recess the mids, which certainly changes the character of the sound.

General Tonality of this IEM​

I hardly praise the tonality of any IEM I get. Also, I criticised respected IEMs in the hobby just because they didn’t sound good to me. I always feel the need to EQ every IEM I review to get to my sweet spot. There are only three IEMs where I didn’t feel the need to do an EQ after listening to it for the first 30 minutes. (Those IEMs are ThieAudio Monarch MKII, Moded Tripowin Olina & this IEM ).

Subjective Review​

The General tonality of this IEM is bass-boosted neutral. It’s unlike something like Blessing 2 Dusk where there is a bass shelf but doesn’t pronounce itself because of the absence of Slam and Punch. It pushes air and packs slam in the bass region.

Bass​

The sub-bass goes deep and there were no points where I felt the subbass was lower in quality or quantity. It was full and extended way down to 20hz. The feeling of getting a good sub-bass with an ample amount of air and extension is very rare for me in this hobby due to the ear anatomy I have.


The midbass is very linearly laid after the subbass shelf. It doesn’t jump out of the frequency range. What it means is, the attack is not sudden and it takes time to extract the low end of the song and the fallout of the beats is perfect too. Why I like the low-end attack and fall-off like this in all of my audio devices is simple, it just makes recording more organic and analogue. Superfast attacks might be good for electronic dance music but from Rock to Pop the fast nature kills the authority of the stage.

Midrange​

Mids are perfect too. It might sound a little recessed if you’re coming from vocal-centric IEMs but generally, the mids on most tracks are very neutral tonally. I enjoyed all of my vocal-centric tracks with it. The male voices are not forward to the point that only vocal lovers can love it. But they are full of details and weight. I wouldn’t say it is very lush but it is nowhere thin.


Female voices are handled amazingly too. It's like they knew where to give certain peaks to give it a shimmering feeling without being shouty even a single bit. Full of resolution and easy to listen to. The voices flow like water under sunlight, hints of shine and sparkle and fluid with dynamics.

Treble​

The treble is the most attractive thing about INTUAURA SPLENDOR 2. So beautifully done, that it feels like a very expensive IEM. I know this comment is a bit problematic since many audiophiles believe there is not anything sonically that would dictate the price of equipment. I am not one of them, I always feel there are certain deltas in the higher-priced audio products that are always differentiable between higher-end and lower-end products. And this IEM screams expensive in the treble region.


The details and micro-contrasts are excellent even though there is no sibilance in the frequency response. Certain peaks in the FR keep the treble from getting boring and tasteless & dark. From lower registers to upper registers everything sounds cohesive and well put out.

The special thing ​

There is a dip in the treble from 4khz to 6/6.5khz. This dip does a lot of things to the overall sound. It takes away the forwardness of the ringing frequencies from the sound. It smooths out the sharp & shrill aspects of the songs that are full of bad treble.


But the best thing it does can be listened to after 8K. The SPL feels so smooth and gentle with amazing extension that it is impossible to guess that this could be done with a single DD.

Now as usual let's talk about the timber of this Set​

Timber​

I am satisfied with the timber reproduction of INTUAURA SPLENDOR 2. Due to pretty brave choices in tuning the IEM, it provides better timber than I expected.

Drums​

They sound fine. The low-end is there with its authority projecting the confidence to show off the drum hits. The drum body is very present. The upper registers are present too. The only gripe I had with this instrument was lower treble recession. This recession makes the drums super smooth so they sound good but not extremely original. I know some people will like this tuning very well because, for long listening sessions, this is perfect. But I am sure the lower treble extension can greatly help to portray drums better.


On the other hand, Cymbals & High Hats felt wonderful. Full of air and details with plenty of extension. I can listen to solos for hours at a stretch.


Song 1: Caravan - John Wasson


Song 2: Bohemian Rhapsody

Violin ​

The violin sounds mellow in this IEM. It lacks the upper registers of the instrument which gives it a sharp bite. On the other hand, it makes violin so smooth that I can listen to it for hours and hours without fatigue which is very important to me since I listen to music almost 10-12 hours a day. The violin might feel low in resolution but it’s just the perception of the treble that makes the sound soft. I would’ve liked a bit more lower treble to enjoy the violin to the fullest.


Song 1 : 1982 Festival Overture, Op.49


Song 2: Four Seasons “The Summer ” by Avi Avital

Guitars​

Acoustic guitar sounds very good. The strings from E to E produce very pleasing timber. It's a bit smoother than the original timber but the tonality is more full and I can enjoy the guitar for a long time. It surely lacks a bit of bite and attack/incisiveness if you look for that in acoustic guitar recording.


Classical Guitars sound astonishing. The timber is super realistic and there is a hint of analogue nature in the sound. From the lower registers to the upper registers, everything sounded super clean and realistic.


Electric guitars sound very pleasing. I have one thing about rock guitars they should sound smooth. Since they don’t have fixed timber & it is mostly impossible to get the tone that the artist intended, I just enjoy electric guitars without having criticism in mind. Super smooth and detailed, so much so that I listened to a few albums back to back without having any breaks.


1st Song: Layla (Acoustic Live)


2nd Song: Ghiribizzi, MS 43: No. 41 in C Major


3rd Song: Hotel California

Wind Instruments ​

Wind instruments sound exceptional for the price. Remember I mentioned the certain peaks in the treble, this tuning works like magic to wind instruments. Enormous amount of air to offer, rich in details, and Absolutely Zero Fatigue. Listening to wind instruments is bliss with this IEM. Your eyes might get wet in a few songs, it feels that emotional and soul-touching.


Song 1: Kal Ho Na Ho - Flute Cover by Varum Kumar


Song 2: Feeling Good (Harmonica Cover) - Amanda Ventura

The cello/Bass ​

Nothing to write home about here. They sound OK, nothing is there to complain. I would’ve liked a bit of separation from the rest of the FR (A slight elevation could’ve helped a lot) range but since it is the nature of the tuning there is nothing that could’ve been done here.


Song 1: 2 Cellos - Game of Thrones


Song 2: The phantom of opera - Prague Cello Quartet

The vocals ​

Male vocals sound good on this IEM. Doesn’t sound nasal, occupies meatiness and sounds wet to a certain degree. I enjoyed listening to male vocals with them but here too, I would’ve liked a bit of forwardness since most IEMs I use have forward vocals so my brain is burnt in that way.


Female vocals sound phenomenal with this set. The upper registers are pronounced but never got hot ever so slightly. The air and details are there. It is a bliss to listen to female vocals with this set. With the right songs, you can just close your eyes and levitate to another dimension, which was not possible earlier in this price point.


Song 1: Famous Blue Raincoat - Leonard Cohen


Song 2: Suzume (This song sounded so good with this set I listened to it on repeat at least 10 times)

Piano ​

The piano sounds good. The treble extension is there. Trailing edges are well preserved. The lower treble recession helped to cut down harshness. Overall it was a very pleasing and detailed experience.


Songs 1 : Intersteller Sountracks


Songs 2: SUCCESSION Soundtracks


So one thing you might’ve noticed is that this IEM provides a very soothing and inoffensive signature to begin with. With a generous bass boost, it also makes the low-quality recording sound palatable. I am thoroughly impressed by this IEM’s timber and wholeheartedly recommend this.

Genre Specific Synergy​

Hip Hop​

INTUAURA SPLENDOR 2 is very good with Hip-Hop. The low end of this IEM really brings out the fun and engaging element of the genre. The sub-bass makes thi genre sound large (not sounding like audio coming from tiny drivers). The soundstage and resolution are just the added sauce to the whole experience.


Song 1 : Secrets - Talha Anjum


This song sounds lush. The low-end hits hard and sounded analogue. The vocals are full and warm. Treble is well extended with loads of detail to offer.


Song 2: Tadipar - MC Stan


INTUAURA SPLENDOR 2 sounds detailed. The treble is full of details. Imaging is very good too. The vocals are full and textured. Subbass feels full, the attack goes deep.

Modern Pop​

INTUAURA SPLENDOR 2 fits perfectly for the Modern Pop genre. The bass has greatly accepted the genre and makes it enjoyable. On the other hand the treble compliments the songs too, since audio engineers by choice make the treble of modern songs peaky to handle dark mainstream IEMs.


Song 1: As it was


The low-end hits hard. The drums sound pretty nice. The stage feels big. The vocals are a bit recessed to my liking, Treble sparkliness is there and resolution is up to the mark.


Song 2: Die for you


The spacious presentation of INTUAURA SPLENDOR 2 greatly suits the song. Vocals sound ever so slightly recessed and the treble is full of details.

Rock ​

For rock, this IEM is very good too. The lower treble of this genre is famous for being sharp for most artists. I am happy to admit that, I listened to this genre for more than 5 hours a day for the last 7 days and there is not even a single time I complained about its synergy with the genre.


I would highly recommend INTUAURA SPLENDOR 2 for the rock genre.

Blues ​

The blues sound very good with this too. The main advantage is the lower treble recession which makes the elevated treble in some genres palatable. The bass it had made the genre feel analog and real. Mids are perfectly suited too. The upper treble extension fills the sound with air and inciveness. And everything sounded inoffensive to the fullest.

Orchestra/Western Classical​

Although the soundstage & timber suits the IEM for orchestra and Western Classical music the lower treble kept me wanting a bit more. Not that it is lacking in any sense, just that if feels incomplete in the slightest. The details are good and the resolution is up to the mark. Trailing edges and air is present with immaculate quality.

Technicalities​

Soundstage​

The soundstage of this IEM is above average. IEMs generally are not very good at producing soundstage since the ear anatomy and HRTF is a bit tricky to handle. But I never felt that I could use a bit more soundstage.


It is large enough to feel spacious and not large to the extent that if won’t feel distant from you. The way it handles the soundstage is above average for the price point it offers.


The best thing about the soundstage is that it doesn’t squeeze the sphere. It wraps around the head in a circle.


Song 1: Cornfield Chase - Hans Zimmer


Song 2: Can You Hear The Music - Ludwig

Imaging ​

The imaging is pretty average. It localizes the instruments precisely enough. It might not feel snappy enough for everyone out there. Pans and swipes are palatable to the point that it doesn't feel two-dimensional.


I wouldn’t call the imaging to be holographically accurate.


Song 1 : Letter - Yoshi Horikawa


Song 2: Bubbles - Yoshi Horikawa

Conclusion ​

In one word, this INTUAURA SPLENDOR 2 screams “LUXURY”. From tonality to aesthetics, from technicality to the wire, everything feels luxurious. This IEM is very capable and worth every penny you spend on it. Just have one thing in mind if you have a very dark-sounding library, this IEM might not be the jam for you.


Sometimes few companies amaze you so much that you question the hypemans in the community. Why it is so underrated is still beyond my imagination. I hope this company and IEM get the recognition they deserve. It's a very huge recommendation from my side.

Ratings​

Value = 5/5
Tonality = A
Technicality = A-

Comparison with Aful Performer 5​

It is better than P5 in almost every way. Bass is more punchier and slam is better in Performer 5. Rest the quantity is better in Splendor 2, the mids are better, treble is better. P5’s soundstage is a lot more squeezed and 2D than Splendor 2. The resolution is one step better in this IEM. The imaging is on par if not worse than P5.


I would choose INTUAURA SPLENDOR 2 any day over Performer 5.

Comparison with EA1000 Fermat​

Technically they both are comparable. The bass is more rumbly on the fermat at the same time it is more textured. The only problem I faced with Fermat is the lower treble, sometimes it gets so hot, that I just stop listening to them. Although it might be up to your taste I don’t like the Fermat to be something extraordinary at that price point.


I would choose INTUAURA SPLENDOR 2 over Fermat blindly, mostly because of my library.

Non-Affiliated Links​

Click to buy INTUAURA SPLENDOR 2 in India


Click to buy INTUAURA SPLENDOR 2 GLOBALLY

​

I bought Simgot EA500LM with my own money, so all thoughts and opinions are mine and no one influenced me to write anything good or bad about the product.​

Disclaimer​

• This IEM is reviewed with no-foam nozzles since they sounded the best to me.
• This IEM is reviewed with Flat Sources. So expect no colouration.

Tip Rolling​

Before beginning the review, I must warn you about the tip sensitivity of Simgot EA500LM. This IEM is extremely sensitive to tips and wrong tips might break its tuning for you. This is one of the most tip-sensitive IEMs I encountered, along with Tripowin Olina.


Stock: With stock tips, the treble sounds unrefined. The bass and mids are well balanced but the range above 4khz gets very bumpy and uneven.


Final E: With final E the bass gets a boost and the the mids take a veil turn. This is my least favorite tips to use with the set. The treble gets refined but everything else falls apart. Resolution(Perception of micro details reduced a lot ).


Spring Tips: Treble gets uneven but other things are OK with this tip.


Divinus Velvet: This tip made the LM a lot better. The Treble got fixed and micro details perception wasn’t reduced. The balance between the sub-bass and mid-bass stayed the same. The mids became a lot better.

Source Rolling​

Simgot EA500LM is very transparent towards the source too. It will adapt the nature of your source to a great extent so use your sources to your taste.


With Aful Snowy Night it becomes warm and mid-focused losing all the treble sparkles. With M1P DAP it becomes liquid smooth with richness end to end. Moondrop Dawn Pro, makes it as true to itself as it can.


So choose your sources very wisely. It does get more thump & more authority with more power, but you won’t need anything over 4vrms.

Hype Talk​

Now before going any further let’s discuss the hype it is getting and does it is worth the hype that it is getting. In one word, no. It won’t throw out every IEM under $200. Not technically and surely not tonally.


There is a lot of debate about Simgot EA500LM 's comparison with EM6L and EA1000 (check out the reviews of these two). To my finding, both of them sounded better to me than Simgot EA500LM. EM6L is overall a better set for me and EA1000 without its upper treble harshness is a lot better sounding IEM too.


But is it a bad IEM under $100? Absolutely not. Simgot EA500LM 's technical ability this IEM provides is simply excellent.

Now, after setting up the ground for the review, let's start dissecting its timber before analyzing the frequency response.​

Timber​

I am not a fan of its timber. Nor that it provides unforgiving timber for the price it occupies, but it could've been better for sure.

Drums​

They sound fine. The low-end and the pinna accept the drum hits very well. Snare drums can project the attack of the mid-bass of this IEM properly. Although cymbals sound a bit too much it paired with a flat source. It helps to pronounce the trailing edges though.

Violin​

They sound very average too. The metallic nature of the driver gives it an essence of inorganic feel. The low end is elevated too. The higher registers sound good though, full of air and details.

Guitars​

They sound above average. Its straight-up not made for something like Classical Guitars. But acoustic guitar sounds very fun. Full of details, bite and crunchiness to offer. Electric Guitars might get a little bit hot with this IEM, they retain a lot of details and are transient but you might have to lower the volume to enjoy them for a long period.

Wind Instruments​

They sound full of air and speedy. Prolonged listening is still not possible with them. But they are enjoyable none the less.

The cello/Bass​

They sound a bit exaggerated but they also project their authority on the bass shelf. They don’t sound either lifelike or organic. Furthermore, they are a hell of a lot more enjoyable though, if the music fits well.

The vocals​

The worst part of the IEM is the vocals. With the aforementioned divinus velvet, they are somewhat palatable but with its stock tips, it could sound veiled in some songs. Not only that sometimes it can feel a bit too metallic to fully enjoy the textural information of the vocalist.

So one thing you might’ve noticed is that instruments sound metallic to me, and that is the biggest concern I have for this IEM. This is not the IEM I would recommend if you are chasing absolute realism through your gears.​

Tonality​

This is a V-shaped IEM. The midbass is more pronounced than the subbass. Not that the subbass is less in any way or form. The bass is very full and the attack is very fast too. What bothers me is the decay, it’s too fast to give the sound a natural feel.


The mids are recessed and lack warmth. Although it is full of textures. The female vocals are very prominent contrary to the male.


The lower treble is forward to a point that some might feel that it is sibilant (I am not treble sensitive). The upper treble is beautiful and airy. Trailing edges are well preserved and airy with a lot of details.


So keeping the timber in mind let’s discuss the different genres of music and how it can play them.

Genre Compatibility​

Hip-Hop​

This IEM is exceptional for this genre under $100. The bass feels so good. Subbass it present to give songs a platform throughout. Midbass slams hard and it makes sure that you feel every drop and every beat. The treble is full of details which effortlessly pronounce micro details revealing the nuances of the track.


I whole heartedly recommend this IEM to a Hip-Hop fan and it could save them hundreds of dollars. It is that good.

Modern Pop​

This IEM is very good in this genre too. The bass is excellent and matches the mastering of newer pop songs. (Since modern pop songs are mastered keeping consumer-centric earphones and headphones in mind, which are typically bass-boosted). The mids are spot on and the treble is sparkly enough.


If you listen to a lot of Pop/Modern Songs I can recommend this IEM blindly too.

Rock​

For rock, this IEM is above average. The bass might get a bit too much here and there as well as the treble, but if you keep the volume in control this can play rock music very well. The imaging capabilities of this IEM make me enjoy the genre even more. With little nuances to micro-details, everything will sound well preserved.


I won’t recommend this IEM if you only listen to Rock. But if you’re like me who covers 30-35% of listening sessions with just rock music this IEM will work out for you.

Blues​

They are very average for blues. Since they don’t project the organic nature of the instruments and atmosphere. The treble is great to produce fast attack and bite but it fails to provide the warmth of analogue at the same time.

Orchestra/Western Classical​

The technical abilities of this IEM make this genre a joy to listen to but at the same time, the difficulties while producing timber kept me from having a great time. The details are excellent and the imaging is phenomenal for even 2X of it’s price tag.

Technicalities​

Soundstage​

The space is large enough for an IEM at any price point. And the most important thing about the sound stage is you can hear the blackness between the instruments. Due to its very high detail retrieval, it can produce a sound stage with such blank spaces. It is nowhere intimate, and the shape of the sound stage is round enough and covers the head on both axis almost equally.

Imaging​

The imaging of this IEM is very good. Even expectations at twice/thrice it’s price point. You can pinpoint instruments with precision. The pan and swap of the instruments are borderline mind-blowing. Even up to the point that it can compete with IE600 for its positional cues.

Details & Resolution​

The resolution of this Simgot EA500LM is above average as well as detail retrieval. It surpasses IEMs like Olina/IE200 and can compete with something like Performer 5. Especially details of this IEM are one of the wow factors of the IEM.

Conclusion​

At the end of the day, Simgot EA500LM is great IEM if you are a newcomer to this hobby and trying to not sacrifice anything over another aspects of the audio. I think this IEM covers the newer genres of music more than the music created before 1990.


But if you’re a seasoned audiophile trying to buy a budget IEM for daily use, I would like to recommend you look at other options. The tuning is not really up to the mark as well as the timber of the instruments.

Ratings​

Sub Bass – 5.5/10
Bass – 5.75/10
Lower Mid – 4.5/10
Upper Mid – 6/10
Lower Treble – 5.5/10
Upper Treble – 6.5/10
Timber – 4.75/10
Resolution – 6/10
Imaging – 6.25/10
Soundstage – 6.5/10

Overall Rating – 5.72/10


Tonality = B-


Technicality = B+/A-

Non-Affiliated Purchase Link​

ConceptKart - https://conceptkart.com/products/simgot-ea500-lm-iem

ACCESSORIES ​

The Box Consists of

1. IEM
2. Very average 3 sets of Ear tips
3. Above Average Quality Cable
4. Three Sets of Tuning Nozzle (No Foam, Half Foam, Full Foam)
5. Rubber Gaskets

The Wire​

The wire is pretty solid

• Pretty good in-hand feeling
• The construction is nice
• Doesn't have memory too much
• Microphonics are not present
• Thick enough

Sennheiser IE600 was a groundbreaking release for Sennheiser. They restored their position in the IEM market which Chi-Fi saturated. In 2024, do they still hold the place to challenge other IEMs with a heavy year-long discount? Let’s see

Sennheiser as an IEM Company​

Sennheiser is the most reputed audio brand in the world. But they always struggled with their IEMs. Their mid-tier IE300 was good enough for its time but struggled in the Chi-Fi-dominated market. Their flagship IE900 recently became popular among audiophiles worldwide for its technical capabilities and resolution but was neglected due to the tuning choice they followed.
They always established themselves as the pioneer of Research and Development. Two years ago they introduced the world with their latest 7mm DD-equipped masterstroke named IE600. The market flooded with praises and compliments. But do they hold up in 2024? Let’s see.

Pros​

• It is the most comfortable IEM I have ever tried
• The resolution is excellent
• Technicalities are well-implemented
• The Sub-bass is addictive
• The construction of the shell is very well done

Cons​

• MMCX Connection
• Timber could be a hit-or-miss
• Treble might be too much for some

Burn In is real​

First Audition​

A little story I must tell before starting the review. This is my second review of the IE600, first time I listened to it in 2023-Nov and disliked this IEM tonally, in almost every way. Everything with this IEM felt wrong. I thought it was my psychoacoustics but I listened to it for more than 95 hours and tested it with another reviewer too (Shabtab Quaiser). OnFacebook published a full review from my personal FB account and got backslashed a lot. I always had second thoughts since then.​

Second Audition​

In March 2024 I got to try this IEM once again and my god – it has changed. It jumped from my B- Tier to A+ tier straight. So what happened in the meantime, keeping the source, tips & wire unchanged? Burn In. I get some of you might disagree with the term like me (before the incident).​

So this is the review of Sennheiser IE600 from my perspective​

Dig a little deeper into the tuning methodologies​

IE600 is a very fun IEM to start with. It is tuned having a different tuning philosophy in mind than the Sennheiser IE900. You can watch the interview of Jermo with Doug on the YouTube channel DMS. The first time you put this IEM in your ears, everything would sound very fun, from bass to treble. So throw neutrality out of the window and spectate this IEM as if you are in for fun.


Let’s start the discussion with its timber characteristics. (It is the worst part of this IEM still I would suggest you to not judge it with its timber only).

Timber​

Violin – Sounds transient and very fast. They do miss a little bit of low-end that gives them a fuller body. The upper registers are clear as glass and vividly detailed.

Acoustic Guitar – They sound more digitized than the neutral. They hold the sub-bass in great quantity and the details are excellent but they lack the lifelike feel and you might imagine it as a Contrasting image than a natural one.

Drums – Decay and attack of drums are exceptional. They feel organic and very satisfying in general. They also do not sound very original. Although you will enjoy drums on this IEM a lot just to give it a reference, it sounds less realistic than Softears RSV. Cymbals are very airy and full of details. Trailing edges are exceptionally expressed in this IEM.

Classical Guitar – Classical guitar is not optimal for this IEM, it makes the classical guitar sound body-less and note weights are not well presented.

Cello/Bass – The bass on this IEM sounds very average too. The midrange recession is to blame here. They are full of details but they lack the natural feel too.

Wind Instruments – Wind instruments sound amazing in this IEM. Everything is full of air, full of details and the transient nature is extremely satisfying.

Getting straight to the tonality of this IEM​

Don’t trust graphs alone, without listening first.
Duggu

Click to expand...

Tuning Analysis​

Sub-bass​

The sub-bass of this IEM is extremely good. I am astonished at how they could pull out this performance from a 7mm driver. The attack is full of air, thump is real and authoritative. Attacks are full-bodied and won’t miss a spot in your ambience. In one word the subbass is addictive. I do sometimes EQ the sub-bass 2 / 2.5 db just for extra fun and even then they don’t sweat a bit.

Mid-bass​

The midbass is not as authoritative as the sub-bass but it holds a great body and the fall of the sub-bass never feels unnatural. It was there when needed, and provided the entire spectrum to have a very happy base to play.

Lower Mids ( & Male Voice)​

Lower mids are recessed but they hold the resolution in return. Of course, this is not a mid-focused IEM and you should not expect very much at this price point but even then they do not fail to provide. I am a very mid-centric listener and even then it was not bothersome to me.

Upper Mids ( & Female Vocals)​

Upper mids are very forward in a good way. Anything that occupies the range produced the instrument with excellent resolvability and forwardness. Upper mids flowed like a liquid without giving any harshness to my ears.

Treble​

The treble of this IEM is the showstopper again. Full with resolution and details. Airy as an open field. The extension is excellent for the price. Not only did it give a shining and glittering effect to sound but it held the trailing edges of instruments for decades. Everything was fluid like liquid and effortless handling of the post 10Khz range kept me in awe.

Cable Rolling​

Effect Audio Eros S Cable​

With this cable, Midbass got a boost, which made the mid-range more recessed. But the overall low-end got fuller and more authority is there. Midrange texture improved but they became somewhat pushed back a bit.

The metallic and sizzling feeling that came with this IEM somewhat vanished. It became more organic. The soundstage although got a massive ~15-20% increment.

Everything sounds so cohesive. But mid-range took a backseat tonally.


Now let’s discuss its compatibility with different genres of music.

POP​

This IEM is well suited for Western pop music. The shimmer and shine might be more than enough in some songs but the overall fun element of the genre can be felt in great proportion. This is mainly achievable because of its low-end performance.

Music 1: Loving on Me

Voices are dry and feel over-recessed. Subbass is pure fun. Midbass is very tasteful in proportion. Attack and Slam are on point that it doesn’t bleed into basshead territory. Treble is a bit much for treble-sensitive people.

Music 2: Paint the town red

Highly detailed. Upper registers are sculpted tonally to perfection in this price range. The vocals are very well done & sit perfectly on the mix. Treble is spacious and airy and won’t give you a chance to complain.

Music 3: Death of a Bachelor

Vocals are textured. The upper registers of vocals are very nicely done. Although mids sound a bit recessed. Sizzles and Shines in the whole album is inoffensive and doesn’t overpower the upper mids.

BLUES​

I find this IEM to be extremely good in this genre. The midbass and treble perfectly match the genre. Crispiness is very well provided and the transient nature is a match made in heaven.

Music 1: Do I Move You

Feels spacious enough but not extremely, balanced enough to not feel intimate or huge. I like this Spatial presentation which is a jack of all trades. The treble and resolution are excellent. The vocals lack a bit of texture but feel very natural in the mix.

Music 2: Hummingbird

Feels highly detailed. The bass is just perfect in ambience. Voices are placed beautifully in the mix. Everything in this song feels amazing with this IEM. The treble crispiness showed its ability in a great sense. Everything just snapped, from little cymbal hots to snare drums.

Music 3: Layla Acoustic Live

The same as above. Great attacks and decay, feels tactile and fast. Clean yet it is clinical or inorganic. Treble on this IEM is addictive, to say the least.

ROCK​

This genre might be a hit or miss according to your library. For my library it was average. Never felt that I was missing something but never got the full-bodied feeling that I often look for from this genre.

Music 1: Dreams

The bass is very satisfying, full and thumpy. Voices are very natural in the mix. Spatial elements are very well placed. The acoustic guitar on the left sounds a bit sizzling with a bit of metallic timbre. Again very detailed sounding.

Music 2: Hotel California

Very detailed again. The vocals are slightly recessed but fit well with the mix. Electric guitar misses the time to shine here as the timber is kind of not accurate. Too much treble and less body is there in the guitar. Cymbals are a bit spicy too.

Music 3: Comfortably Numb

Feels spacious enough to enjoy but not too much to lose intimacy. Again very detailed, the nuances are present everywhere. Drums are very well dictated in this song. Midrange texturing is well done too. The guitar solo was excellent too. Atmospheric, had a body, full of details.

HIP-HOP​

For Hip-Hop this IEM is excellent, the sub-bass in this IEM makes the genre so much more enjoyable that 70% of the time after review, I only listen to this genre. The details and resolution capabilities of this IEM greatly go hand in hand with this genre too. Vocals are a very nicely placed mix.

WESTERN ORCHESTRA​

This IEM fits this genre very nicely too. The halls feel spacious and large-sounding. The position of the instruments is very accurately done, and air frequencies are present in a great margin. The resolution of this IEM matches with the textural information in the tracks very well. Every instrument is well-defined and can be isolated from the other ones. For the discounted price of $534 in India, it is hard to find anything that competes with this regarding this genre.

Technicalities​

Soundstage​

Soundtaging on Sennheiser IE600 is a pretty tricky thing to achieve. I am glad to say that this IEM did a very good job of providing a large enough stage and not too large to feel disconnected from the emotion of the songs like the IEM Yanin Aladdin. It is round and projects instruments on the stage very precisely. It is slightly less than or on par with Aful Performer 8 depending on HRTF.

Imaging​

Imaging is very natural for its price. It does not project fake imaging nor it is very precise to a point. The localisation is good enough for the price and will feel very natural and not microscopic. Artists like Amber Rubarth are a joy to listen to on this IEM.

Resolution​

The resolution of this IEM is excellent. It eliminates IEM far beyond its discounted price point in terms of sheer resolution. It is more resolving than something like Aful Performer 8 and on par with something like Monarch MKII.

Drivability​

This IEM scales. And it requires a clean and powerful source to show its potential. It wouldn’t run properly on something like the Abigail Pro dongle. The bare minimum of this IEM is Moondrop Dawn Pro or AFUL Snowy Night. DAPs like Aune M1P matched great with this IEM and Hiby R6 Pro II matched well too.

Conclusion​

I thoroughly enjoyed this IEM even in 2024. And I can recommend this IEM left and right for its discounted price of $530. The sheer amount of fun I had with this Sennheiser IE600 is not something I am ignoring and I am optimistic about the next releases from Sennheiser’s IEM lineup. If you are a neutral listener and trying to break into the fun side of audio, I think it is a perfect entry point for that.


Ratings

Sub Bass – 7.5/10
Bass – 6/10
Lower Mid – 5/10
Upper Mid – 6.5/10
Lower Treble – 6.5/10
Upper Treble – 7.5/10
Timber – 5.5/10
Resolution – 7/10
Imaging – 6.25/10
Soundstage – 6.5/10
Overall Rating – 7.05/10

Tonality = A-

Technicality = A/A+

AFUL as an Audio Company​

AFUL is a relatively new Audio Brand that placed itself as the new block in the kid by releasing exceptional releases like Performer 5/8 and the mysterious MagicOne which is truly a work of Magic. Basically, they pioneered the engineering aspect of acoustics very promisingly. Certainly, I always look forward to this company and what it offers next.

As they dipped their toe for the first time in the DAC-AMP market, they must go right otherwise there is a lot of competition in this section that would demolish the product’s existence. And I am happy to say that they did a good job.

Sound Characteristics​

General Tonality​

The tonality of this product overall is not neutral to me. I always feel neutral is the tonality that resembles how I hear the world around me. For me, it sounds slightly warm and at the same time dark too. Not that I dislike this tonality in any way or form. I adore matching this with a few of my IEMs and headphones.

Low-End​

This source is not shy of showing off its low end. It is warm and thick. The note weights are full of heft and have distinct time before falling off. It sounds like it have no rush to do something, everything comes off very naturally and in an organic way. It doesn’t make the bass artificially elevated, just everything gets a hint of warmth. Likewise, the vocals sound richer and more forward.

• Runaway – Half Alive
• Opr – Geafallestine

Mids​

Mids are rich. Not just rich, it’s full of heft and low-end elevation gave it a tremendous advantage to show it off. It is loaded with textures that come out very organically. There is not even a hint of nasal ness that you can get from low-distortion amplifiers. Mids are the best thing about this source. Mids don’t mean only vocals but they dictate the whole spectrum. Soundstage to Timber everything depends on the mids of the spectrum. And Aful did a fantastic job of reproducing that. The timbre of every instrument came out very natural and organic.

• Personal – Emotional Oranges
• Nobody Knows – Autograff

Treble​

The treble of this product is recessed in a very tasteful way. The lower treble is very inoffensive basically, such that in a few IEMs I don’t feel the need to EQ, which is a very good way to showcase source since it is very easy to mess up this range due to factors that are very sensitive to handle. Therefore, it is also an indicator that AFUL used high-quality internals to make this product. The treble is not airy to my ears and won’t satisfy trebleheads. Nor it will pierce your ears if you play something very sharp.

• Caravan – Whiplash
• Mountains – Interstellar

Technicalities​

Soundstaging​

The soundstage of this IEM is not very open. It will give you more of an intimate feeling than a spacious one. It is very good for a few genres like POP and HipHop but it is not optimal for something like Orchestra or Jazz since they feel more in your face. But it is not too intimate where you feel claustrophobic, you just won’t be experiencing Albums like Interstellar – in it’s full potential. Although for small-sound staging headphones and IEMs, it doesn’t feel too claustrophobic.

• Bubbles – Yoshi Horikawa
• Opera House – Ciggerate After Sex

Localization/Imaging​

Although the soundstage is not that bit, the way it uses the soundstage is pretty good. There is not a lot of space to play with its imaging but it can position instruments in the mix effortlessly. The channel separation seemed pretty good too, fast and snappy.

• Thriller – Michael Jackson
• Hideaway – Jacob Collier

Resolution​

Details and resolution are not good on this device for my ears. Not that it will feel underdetailed but definitely can’t resolve enough at its price point. Not only it does not hold the trailing edges of the notes but resolution-wise it sounds busy here and there. I would not prefer it for genres like Orchestra/Western Classical. Often people dictate crispiness as resolution or detail, I am referring to detail/resolution as “How many instruments I can focus on in a mix / how transparent the overall music is”.

• Contact – Draft Punk
• Western Classicals

We studied a lot of different portable and desktop audio setups, and we realised we needed to work on the source signal transmission to enhance the acoustic performance of SnowyNight. We noticed USB transmission is not the cleanest, and digital inputs such as Coaxial, Optical provided cleaner and better transmission in most cases. But in the case of portable USB DAC/AMPs, we get limited to only USB transmissions. So, to enhance the acoustic performance in such a scenario, we bundled the SnowyNight with an enhanced cable that brings noticeable improvements by stable signal transmission, USB Lossless transmission, and also protects the sound signal from external interferences. The cable has high-purity 6N monocrystalline copper wire cores. It effectively improves the overall performance of the SnowyNight and makes it comparable to Coaxial and Optical input options in other devices.
AFUL

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The Wire​

Sadly I was sent the product with a Lightning Port to USB C Connection so, I haven’t tested the wire included with this DAC. Although it looks and feels very premium.

So this review is done completely with Moondrop Dawn Pro cable.


Now before jumping further let’s see the specifications of this dongle.

Specifications​

DAC Chips: 2xCS43198.

Although off-the-shelf DAC chips are very good these days, their implementation matters a lot. This could differentiate a lot regarding price. What I liked most about this chip is the Clocking System, they use 22.5792 or 24.576 MHz clocks. Which means the PLL Ratio is lower. Now let me talk about the advantages of higher frequency clocks.

The advantages of lower multiplication are​

• Lower Jitter
• Lower Phase Noise
• Simplified Implementation
• Power Efficiency

But it can also cause problems such as​

• Not Generating a Wide Range of Frequency
• Depends on External Clocks

Birtate: 32-Bit/786kHz PCM, DSD256, DoP256.

Let’s not discuss them, because most of the Audio Files we have don’t have the quality to bottleneck them.

Output Ports: 3.5mm+4.4mm.

This is an excellent decision not to go with 2.5mm since they are thin and break easily.


Output Frequency Range: 20Hz-20kHz.

SNR: 125dB(3.5mm), 130dB(4.4mm)

Noise Floor: 1uV(3.5mm), 1.5uV(4.4mm).

DNR: 125dB(3.5mm), 130dB(4.4mm).

Operating Voltage Range: 4.2V~5.3V.

Output Level: 1Vrms(3.5mm, Low-Gain), 2Vrms(3.5mm, High-Gain), 2Vrms(4.4mm, Low-Gain), 4Vrms(4.4mm, High-Gain).

This is excellent too at this price. The 4Vrms helps greatly to drive high impedance dynamic drivers (Since they require more Voltage Swing than Current).

THD+N: ≤0.00037%.

Now this is where AFUL impressed me the most. Don’t get me wrong, our transducers have much higher distortion than this, so we won’t be able to get anywhere near the THD.

The reason why it impressed me is, occasionally companies use cheap techniques to boost the THD just to look good on paper(Overcorrection Using Feedback Loop). On the other hand by doing that they destroy the tonality of the source. This Dongle sounds nowhere near that. It doesn’t sound sterile, it doesn’t have digital essence, and it doesn’t lose note weight.

Output Power: 140mW-300mW.

It is very average nowadays to have this kind of power at the price range. It handled every IEM in my arsenal very efficiently. From Thie Audio Monarch MKII to Tripowin Olina, From IE600 to Softears RSV. Nothing felt underpowered.

Now comes the most important part of any DAC review, pairing​

Neutral Tuning​

This DAC is extremely tasteful for Neutrally Tuned transducers. It gave those transducers a subtle flavour, that increased the musicality.

Moondrop Blessing 2 became more fun, the treble took a backseat but the bass and vocals sounded very good.

Sotears RSV became very neutral. Surprisingly it didn’t get darker that much and the timber came out very good.

V-Shape Tuning​

This DAC is best with V-shaped transducers. It elevated the low end very organically alongside it controlled the treble. This source fits V Shape Tuning Very Much

IE 600 – This not only gave the mid-bass a meaty quantity. The mids became more organic, that’s why the timber became more correct. The spiciness was reduced although it decreased the soundstage.

EA500LM – This greatly helped reduce the unrefined treble of the IEM. Alongside it also increased the midrange recession.

Compatibility with other tuning​

• “Dark Tuned” – I won’t recommend this DAC for dark transducers, since it will make it darker. And the treble became veiled.
• “Brightly Tuned” – This dongle will help a lot to reduce the sharpness.
• “Mid-Focused” – This will be a great match for the transducers since it will give it a very natural and realistic timber.

Driving HD600​

From 2023, the Sennheiser HD600 became my reference headphone to test every audio source. Not only it is very neutral, but it is also extremely transparent towards every single device in the audio chain. So it is very easy to judge DACs and AMPs with this headphone.

And I am happy to say that this Dongle alone, can drive HD600. Driving a headphone doesn’t mean loudness, it means how well they can retain the frequency range from 20hz – 20Khz while maintaining crest factor.

Being said that HD600 is a very hard-to-drive headphone. (I will explain about powering dynamic drivers and operation of amplifiers in future ). On a short note, it needs a very good Voltage Swing to operate fully. And AFUL SnowyNight did a very good job of bringing out the bass, the vocals didn’t feel thin. The treble became softer (Sometimes HD600’s treble might get hot). I had no problem driving them on the go.

Battery Draining​

A new 4500mah battery phone with a modern 4-5nm Chipset can last easily 7 (with normal usage) hours for 3.5mm with IEMs like IE600, and EA500LM.

Pros​

• Output Voltage
• Energy Consumption
• Volume Button (Steps & Construction)
• Midrange Tonality and note weight
• Well-controlled treble

Cons​

• LED Light (Too bright)
• No Phone Application
• Bass Elevation is too much
• The soundstage is on the narrower side
• Micro Details and Resolution

The final and most important question​

Should you buy this?​

Do you want an organic and natural sound that primarily is musical and pleases your auditory senses?

Yes, you can buy this dongle.

Do you want a very high resolution and sterile sound that will sound digital and that comes with a big soundstage?

No, there are other options at this price-point.

AFUL SnowyNight is a great substitute to Moondrop Dawn Pro, combine they can tackle every kind of IEMs.
Duggu

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Conclusion​

I do think that at the pricepoint it stands it’s ground. Nothing groundbreaking as we expect from AFUL every time. Although as their first step towards source products. They did an outstanding job.

As an audiophile, I have come across some in-ear monitors (IEMs) that make me question my listening abilities. The RSV is one of those IEMs. Not only is it difficult to review, but it is also hard to recommend at its current price without knowing the listener's taste in detail. I don't believe this IEM is a "blind buy" worthy purchase, yet you should take the opportunity to audition if possible. However, I will provide you with a framework to decide for yourself. Instead of listing the pros and cons, I will explain my experience. So please take the time to read this article thoroughly.

Softears is a company that I find quite intriguing. With products like the remarkable Twilight or the exceptional Studio 4, this company has made a name for itself in the audiophile world. Their reputation mainly stems from their high-quality balanced armature (BA) drivers.

This is a 5BA IEM and comes with a moderately sized shell which looks beautiful. Fun Fact - I got the same review unit as Timmy from Gizaudio & I haven’t encountered any unit variation story till now.



Timber

I have to talk about its timber characteristics first otherwise it would be very hard for me to paint the picture of its tonality accurately.

Timber makes or breaks an audio experience for me. I am a huge fan of HD600 mainly because of its timber. Similarly, I don’t like headphones/IEMs that can’t project exact timber (many planars). And I am glad to say this IEM is very pleasing in terms of timber reproduction.

The violin sounds velvety, it contains the body in great tonality. Lower registers are very lifelike as well as upper registers. If you are sensitive to treble, you are covered since they produce upper registers with zero sibilance, and no peaks whatsoever. I can listen to Vivaldi for hours in this IEM.

The guitars sound smooth. Classical guitars sound exceptional too, Tarrega/Segovia covers sound delightful and chocolatey. Acoustic guitars miss the upper registers a bit. Eric Clapton Live Concerts/Robert Johnson Covers missout on the crunchiness, but still holds the timber very well. Electric Guitars sound beautiful for almost every tone. The tamed-down upper frequencies help a lot.

The Drums sound very realistic too. Drums are the hardest instrument to reproduce due to their complex heterodyning characteristics. Some IEM overuses the bass, and some underuse the tactility. I am happy to say this IEM is close enough to replicate the sound of drums. Where it falls behind is the Cymbals. The transient nature is not there in the timber, it just feels lacking in the air. Trailing edges are very missing from the range.

Wind Instruments also are done very nicely, with good body and texture but also lack in sizzle and shine. But it can be a very good way to handle these instruments for treble-sensitive people. I do miss the brightness and it feels a little dark to me.

The Cello/Bass feels very lifelike. It will provide you with a feeling that the bass is playing in a club, due to its subtle bass elevation it doesn’t overpower the real feel of the bass in the mix.

The timber of the vocals is the highlight here. They are simply outstanding and very balanced in textural information. Nothing is over or underused. From male to female, deep voices like Paul Anka & Frank Sinatra to thin voices like Ariana Grande & Zayn Malik sound super good. You will be immersed in the vocal tonality of this IEM.

All of the instruments I mentioned above acquire a similar base to portray themselves. They sound very analogue-like. In 2024 there are very few audio products that can give the vintage & rich sound tonality. I am not into this type of signature because they sacrifice on few fields of the spectrum. But if you chase this vintage CD-like tonality, this IEM won’t disappoint you.

The reason I explained it timber is so that I can accurately describe its tonality.

BASS

You can’t expect bass from this set. Not that it produces BA Bass with a low-quality attack and decay, but it is very tasteful. We all know that subdued bass is very much needed for mid-centric IEMs. The thing that bothered me the most was the sub-bass. It is understandable to have more midbass for thump and slam but Softears could’ve improved its subbass quantity. In some genres, it feels disconnected from the midbass which is also very low in quantity.
So when does the bass become a problem? Whenever you would expect a slam, it will sound underpowered. Daft Punk is a no-go for this IEM. Changing tips also doesn’t help that much.
Although the attack and decay are very analogue-like. Fast enough to make the whole FR sound clean and the decay is slow enough to maintain a natural feel while giving it a transient response at the end/roll off.

In the end, this set is not made for bass heads & that should be clear by now. Nor it will satisfy the majority of the Hi-Fi Audience. If we compare it with something like Aful Performer 8, it will fall behind. I would’ve liked a more elevated sub-bass (+3dB @20Hz) just to maintain the uniformity of the midbass with it.

The resolution is not also that good in the bass region. The craving for a DD in this IEM stayed with me for the entirety of the audition.



Midrange

The midrange in this IEM is what makes it so special. As I told earlier with its timber characteristics, I very much like this IEM. Everything sounds very natural and vivid. The realism is present in great quantity. Textural information is there, not as much as Performer 8 but not also as low as IE600. You will certainly feel that the elements are very natural in presentation not too in your face and not too laid back at the same time.

The head voice in this IEM is a bit much for me to handle. Not that it is sharp or sibilant, but it separates the head voices in the mix way too much to a point where everything else falls apart and you might start feeling unattached with the song. Most of the songs I listen to daily consist of head voices.

The chest voice as well as nasal vocals came out very natural. But still, I missed the implementation of a DD. You will miss the authority in some places where it might lack a bit of confidence.


Treble

Treble in this IEM nothing to write home about. It is very inoffensive but not up to a point where it might sound dark. The air frequencies are present but not enough to make the soundstage feel spacious (This is a complete discussion since many tuning methodologies can be used in the ear gain region to make the soundstage larger ).

But what this treble does to the sound is very sweet and inoffensive. Although I will talk about its resolution later on, the treble is tuned in such a way that details come to your notice in a very subtle way. Without being sharp/sibillant. In one word it feels chocolatey. Fluid, enriched with note weight, sweet.


Resolution

Details and Resolution are perceived in the audio community very differently. I think of the resolution to be the ability to bring out every element in the mix and for details, I mean how nuances it can project to our ears, be that the micro contrast or textural information.

I am not very happy to say that the RSV is very average in its resolution capability. Normal tracks won’t be a problem but complex mixes will not be resolved. Although it won’t feel congested or claustrophobic, it will just deny the presence of certain instruments in mixes.

For details, they are also very average. On one hand, they can produce textures well but on the other hand, due to recessed treble, certain elements of the instruments are very hard to notice. For example - Long lasting tone in pianos/any other acoustic string instruments. The time of holding a note is less than the price point so, you might crave some details in this area.

Soundstage

This IEM is not a soundstage monster. RSV will give you a proper soundstage that won’t feel claustrophobic or expansive. It will be big enough to place instruments outside your head but small enough to make vocalists very personal and engaging. The soundstage in IEMs is pretty tricky since they rely on your HRTF and Pinna Compensation, so I can only give you my experience with it, which is very average.

Drivability

The drivability of this IEM is very good. It runs very fluently on almost all dongle DACs. From very cheap Dongle DACs like Abigail Pro/Apple Dongle to Moondrop Dawn Pro. The FR range does not change as such but the features like Separation and Treble Refinement increase ever so slightly with more expensive Dongles.

Conclusion

Although I do recommend this IEM not with a smiling face. This price point holds contenders like Twilight / Hype 10 / Supernova. So, I recommend everyone to try this at least once before spending the MSRP. If you get this anywhere around USD 300, it is a steal. Especially if you're a mid-range enthusiast.

Pros -

1. Vocals
2. Timber
3. Inoffensive tuning
4. A very accurate sense of Neutrality
5. Note weight
6. Cohesion of BA drivers

Cons -

1. Air Pressure due to no ventilation
2. The depth of the shell is a bit much
3. Shell quality feels cheap
4. Sometimes sound dark
5. Low resolution in this price range
6. The nozzle is big & slippery

Aful Performer 8 (Chinese Edition) - Review

First of all, I will give you a warning. I always review stuff according to my preference and my target is similar to "Tanchjhim Oxygen". Transparency is the key to my reviews and I always feel I should review something according to my taste. If I try to generalise stuff it will do more harm than good. Audio is subjective and everyone should give their subjective impressions while reviewing stuff, it's up to the viewer to filter out his preferred reviewers. Again I am very transparent about my opinion and I don't like to care about anything else. This review is very subjective and I am not paid or influenced to say anything about any product.

Having said that, I don't want to keep any suspense. I freaking love this IEM. For everyone, I will compare it with IE600, Blessings 2, Performer 5 and RSV as a reference point being the popularity these three IEMs achieved in the hobby.

Let's start with the things that impressed me the most.

This IEM is very clean sounding IEM and very very correct to my ears. What do I mean by correct? For me correct means I don't feel the need to change the sound to any extent using EQ and stuff. The totality of this IEM is extremely neutral to my ears and it is very very natural.

The drivability of this IEM is insane. It is easier to drive than 7hz Zero. Don't get me wrong of course you will benefit from better DAC for separation and spatial representation but this IEM is super easy to drive.

The pinna compensation of this IEM is very good for my ear gain and HRTF.

The plateau in the upper midrange gives the vocals a special treatment in which they sound phenomenal to me.

Before Going to the cons I would like to discuss its tonality in detail.

Bass - There is no wow factor in this region. The sub-bass sounds clean and not exaggerated or elevated. Having said that, this is a problem with a few of my friends in the hobby. In their words "This feels like a BA Bass" & it is very low in quantity. For me, I don't think this is the case by any means. This IEM can't exaggerate the Subbass and Bass Region to give it a boost, but they do a good job if you give them a track with ample bass. You just can't expect it to give bass like Performer 5.

Now all the stuff like Attack and Decay is very moderate and will not satisfy a basshead by miles. The authority is very toned down too. To be exact the bass is the least exciting thing for me in this IEM but it didn't bother me. The textural information of the bass in this IEM is very light not in your face.

You won't get the huge air push in the sub-bass like IE600 but it is way more than the Blessings 2. The details in the Bass are also not as detailed as in IE600. The punch is more than RSV but decay is more natural in RSV.

Mids - Mids are sculpted as per my liking. There is a lot to talk about this certain range in this IEM.

Timber - The timber is not accurate but it is very close. For me, Timber is not a subjective thing and in the same way, it does not dictate how I enjoy the music. I can enjoy instruments even if I can't get accurate timber, but the reproduction has to be agile. This IEM provided me with that. I don't always want the guitar to sound real-life-like, I like guitars to have a smoothed metallic shrill and this IEM gave me that. So even if they can't reproduce the exact timbers of certain instruments, I enjoy them. Blessing 2 is better for me in Timber as well as RSV. It is miles better than Performer 5 and IE600.

The problem I faced with them was regarding the Drums, no matter how hard I tried to not care, Snare Drums are very artificial. They have the low end but need to catch up on the upper mids attack. Timberwise drums are the worst.

Vocals - Vocals are absolutely beautiful for me in this IEM. They are neither recessed nor elevated and sit right in the comfort zone of my target. I prefer B2 over P8 purely for vocals and I would say B2 Performs extremely well if the source is right. Textural information is average too.

Treble - The treble is wonderful to my ears, not too dark and or too bright. Crisp and detailed for the price bracket it acquires. The 10K - 15K dip is somewhat noticeable and it adds to the "In your face" feeling a lot. And sometimes it feels disconnected for sizzles in the songs, making it somewhat peaky for some people, also contributing to the missing trailing edges in the same instruments.
Overall, it is better than RSV and P5 by a huge margin (Obviously). I also prefer it over B2 but IE600 still takes the cake for the treble. I find IE600 treble to be ludicrous under the $500 bracket.

Now the cons

This IEM doesn't fit me well.

Eartips easily get dislocated.

The 2-pin Connector feels cheap.

Talking about the technicalities

The soundstage is somewhat round and not extremely yolk-like. It is slightly bigger than Blessings 2 and RSV. IE600 is a step above in spatial representation.

The detail retrieval is very good for the price but it still can't touch IE600 (Which is 2X the price). But it can hold its ground very very well in its price range.

Imaging is moderately good for the price.

Separation is excellent I would say. No matter how complex the mix is I could easily separate and focus on different instruments. Better than B2 and RSV and almost on par with IE600.

Dongles are very easy to review. They are not as complex as something like DCS Vivaldi or Holo May. So here is my short take on Moondrop Dawn Pro after using it for 2 months.



Positives -

Very Big Soundstage - If you compare the soundstage to even Questyle M15 it is fairly big if not more than that. It's way more than its competition like Tanchjim - SPACE or Ibasso DC03 Pro. I used RU6 and it is bigger than that one too.

It does not stretch the songs to fake the stage but will provide you with a very good 3D representation of the music.

Detail Retrieval is very good - If you are using something below $1000, don't worry about the bottlenecking. It retrieves details like a beast. There is no need to spend more just to get more resolution if you are not using something like Fourte/U12T/Anole VX.

Can Drive HD600/650 - Due to very high voltage swing they can comfortably run these cans and accept EQ to a great extent. It was impossible to run these cans in a portable source even in 2022.

The low end is there, reflecting the true essence of these headphones. Mids are excellent, treble is very vivid too. The only problem is you have to use High Gain and 4.4 to run them well. In 3.5 they sound thin and low res.

Small and Air Light - Sometimes it feels lighter than air. Just kidding, but on a serious note, it hardly feels any heavier than my other cable dongles. And it is very small, I regularly use it for my morning jog.

Doesn't Over Heat - It stays very cool, no matter how much load you give them or how long you run them in a stretch.

Timber is spot on and can't get any better in this form factor.

100 Step Volume Adjustment is just a lifesaver, I often use only 2-3 Steps to correct my volume.



Negatives -

Moondrop Link V2 App is just pure garbage - UI Elements are non-responsive, and the app is buggy and doesn't open on every device. However, it plays a very crucial role in selecting filters and adjusting power settings.

The tonality is warm - I don't think DAC should have tonality-altering capabilities at all. There are 100 things that a DAC can do without changing its FR. That's why I hate most R2R. (Not talking about filtering capabilities as such, I love filters.)

Dawn Pro won't give you a richer midrange or naturally boosted lower extension, it feels like an EQ. Very miniature warm signature but still it's noticeable.

The note weight is missing - If you are coming from Questyle M15 or DC04 Pro, the most noticeable difference is its note weight. Although everything will sound right, however, you will lose the feel of the analogue nature of the instruments.

What I meant by that is, everything sounds very hi-fi. Digitally correct and over-corrected.

Lack of play-pause-next / Gain button.

Conclusion -

You can buy this little monster eyes closed. Nothing right now can beat it in the SQ. (Because I heard a lot more expensive DAC than them and even then this is giving them a second thought). Your money will be well spent.

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.