Fun, Fun, Fun!
A Review On: Oriolus Finschi
Review Topics:
About Me
About the product/expectations
Build/Design
Comfort/Fit
Sound
Isolation
Value
Provided for unbiased review by manufacturer
Normal Retail Price: $169-189
Pros: Outstanding resolution, great soundstage, lots of perceived energy
Cons: Mids are slightly recessed, may be a little too bright for some

About Me
To get started, let me tell you a little about myself.
I’m a gigging musician (lead guitar/backup vocals), an audio forensic analyst, a novice sound engineer, and an avid music lover with a wide taste in music. Being an audio forensic analyst is a plus I find when reviewing audio products simple because I know what bad audio sounds like and usually know how to correct it. My experience allows me to be familiar with the limitations of my own ears and the equipment I’m using.
For the consumers, my perspective for all my IEM reviews will be based on these things. I won’t sugar coat things or make things sound better than they are. I’m just like you and I want good value for the money I pay for any product.

To the manufacturers, I’ll always give you an option to respond to any concerns such as quality that I have during my review. I’ll contact you directly and will do so before my review is published. I want to provide an honest and tangible review for your prospective customers without being unfair to you as a manufacturer.
I’ll always be fair and my review will be based on my perspective and my experience.
Now on to the important stuff.

About the product/expectations
I received the Oriolus Finschi free of charge for my unbiased review. I had never used Oriolus IEM's but had heard good things and read a lot of good reviews so I expected the Finschi to perform quite well.

Build/Design
The build quality of the Finschi is very good, very much what I would expect from a company with such good reviews of their products. The stock cable was very nice to touch and felt more like an upgrade cable versus a typical stock IEM cable.

Comfort/Fit
I found the form factor and size of the Oriolus to be very good. I had absolutely no issues with wearing them, no wear fatigue. They did stick out of my ears just a little but it was negligible, it may be an issue with people with narrow ear canals or very small ears, but

Sound
The Finschi sound signature was a U shaped signature to me, with the bass and the treble both overshadowing the mids. The Mids were present but they were definitely set behind. The treble was very much the front runner though. These may be a bit bright for some people, but there was no detected sibilance. So the highs were pronounced but then when they hit the mark, they stayed.

The staging was where the Finschi really shined, it was near perfect in my opinion, not too wide, not too narrow, and didn't suffer from any odd placements of instruments. Everything seemed to fit exactly where it was supposed to.

Isolation
Isolation was very good. Not as good as a custom but definitely on par with most mid to high end universal IEM's.

Value
I think in the price point area, for the Finschi it sits very well against the competition. There were no real shortcomings. Again they may be a bit bright for some, but over time, I found that I was liking the extra sparkle.

Outstanding Headphone Amp
A Review On: Burson Fun
Review by Mike Brunner (Lead Guitarist for Rivul)
Review Topics:
About Me
About the product/expectations
Build/Design
Sound
Value
Provided for review by manufacturer
Normal Retail Price: $299
Pros: Outstanding musicality, rich harmonics, flat response from 20Hz-20kHz
Cons: None!

About Me
To get started, let me tell you a little about myself.
I’m a gigging musician (lead guitar/backup vocals), an audio forensic analyst, a novice sound engineer, and an avid music lover with a wide taste in music. Being an audio forensic analyst is a plus I find when reviewing audio products simple because I know what bad audio sounds like and usually know how to correct it. My experience allows me to be familiar with the limitations of my own ears and the equipment I’m using.
For the consumers, my perspective for all my IEM reviews will be based on these things. I won’t sugar coat things or make things sound better than they are. I’m just like you and I want good value for the money I pay for any product.

To the manufacturers, I’ll always give you an option to respond to any concerns such as quality that I have during my review. I’ll contact you directly and will do so before my review is published. I want to provide an honest and tangible review for your prospective customers without being unfair to you as a manufacturer.
I’ll always be fair and my review will be based on my perspective and my experience.
Now on to the important stuff.

About the product/expectations
I was provided a review sample for my unbiased review. Having tried the Burson Play, and really enjoying it, I was expecting the Burson Fun to be on par.

Build/Design
The Burson Fun design is very professional looking. The metal enclosure and sturdy input/output jacks feel like they will last for years. I have no complaints about the build quality at all. The only thing that I would say is that for my setup, I would like to have seen perhaps a digital input. Having reviewed the Burson Play though which is the same price, I really felt that the Burson Fun missed the mark slightly. I didn't quite understand why Burson would offer the amp only section of the Burson Play, without the USB DAC.

I suppose each product has it's fit, especially if you already have a top notch desktop DAC and are just looking for a top notch desktop headphone amp.

Sound
The good stuff! This is what all of us audio geeks/audiophiles want to hear about. So when I first started this I decided to give myself a baseline using my pro audio gear. I first listened to my desktop DAW interface (Sapphire 2i4) and Midas M32. Both are designed to give pristine audio with no coloration at all. My monitors of choice this time were my 64Audio A18t, Fiio FH5, InEarz Euphoria. The 64Audio pairing is for technical listening with musicality, the Fiio FH5 for everyday use, whereas the InEarz is for ease of listening.

After setting up the baseline through listening to each interface for about an hour the break down was the Burson Fun is a very clean Amp. There was little to no noticeable difference to my ears. After listening to the Burson Fun the transition back to my pro audio sources were nearly transparent. There was a just a slight musical warmth from the Burson Fun that I detected and I found myself missing after a short play back on my normal desktop gear.

Across the entire audio spectrum the Burson Fen seemed very flat. I actually hooked both the headphone out and the RCA outputs to my DAW to analyze the frequency response. In the lowest frequencies, the Burson Play showed a slight dip below 20Hz, and a slight dip above 20KHz. This simply put, in the audio range, the Burson Play showed a perfectly flat frequency response. Whatever you put in you get out. Near perfection for $299? Wow! Long term usage of the Burson Fun, left me wanting to return to this setup for that just slight warmth/musicality for my listening.

Value
Each of us wants value for our money. The value of the Burson products that I've tried are well above their price point and the Burson Fun is no exception. This is an outstanding value for a professional quality desktop headphone amp. Great job Burson!

Review Of Burson Play
Reviewed by Mike Brunner – Lead Guitarist of RĪvul

Purpose of this review

I’m a gigging musician (lead guitar/backup vocals), a forensic audio analyst, a wireless communications technician, a novice sound engineer, and an avid music lover with a wide taste in music. Being a forensic audio analyst is a plus when reviewing audio products simply because I know what bad audio sounds like and usually know how to correct it. My experience allows me to be familiar with the limitations of my own ears and the equipment I’m using.

My perspective for all my reviews is based on these things. I don’t try to sugar coat things or bloat things to be better than they are. I’m just like everyone else and I want good value for the money in any product.

I’m fair to the manufacturers as well. I always give them an option to respond to any concerns such as quality that I have during my review. I contact them directly and do so before my review is published to allow them to address any issues. I want to provide an honest and tangible review for prospective customers without being unfair.

The Burson Play was provided to me free of charge for the purpose of this review by @Barra and Burson and will be returned upon completing my review.

Now on to the good stuff.

Build/Design
The Burson Play is a very sturdy build, with a metal casing. The versatility of the design is that it can be mounted either on the desktop or mounted in the case in any PC computer case with front mount openings. This versatility allows for a wide range of usage scenarios. The LED level indicator is bright and fully visible on the front of the unit. The digital volume knob large and very responsive.

The overall build and design of the unit is well above average. Simple and effective.

Sound
The real good stuff! This is what all of us audio geeks/audiophiles want to hear about. So when I first started this I decided to give myself a baseline using my pro audio gear. I first listened to my desktop DAW interface (Sapphire 2i4) and Midas M32. Both are designed to give pristine audio with no coloration at all. My monitors of choice this time were my 64Audio A18t and InEarz Euphoria. The 64Audio pairing is for technical listening with musicality, whereas the InEarz is for ease of listening.

After setting up the baseline through listening to each interface for an hour the break down was the Burson Play is a very clean DAC/Amp. There was little to no noticeable difference to my ears. After listening to the Burson Play the transition back to my pro audio sources were nearly transparent.

Across the entire audio spectrum the Burson Play seemed very flat. I actually hooked both the headphone out and the RCA outputs to my DAW to analyze the frequency response. In the lowest frequencies, the Burson Play showed a slight dip below 20Hz, and a slight dip above 20KHz. This simply put, in the audio range, the Burson Play showed a perfectly flat frequency response. Whatever you put in you get out. Near perfection for $299? Wow! Comparable to the output of a $4000 pro audio mixer? I was very surprised at this. Even though on the frequency analyzer I saw no issues, I did notice that the soundstage didn't seem quite as wide as my pro audio interfaces. There was no cross talk between the channels and after about 10 minutes of switching to the Burson it wasn't noticeable, after a quick switch, the staging was just slightly narrower.

Real world application/Features
I used the Burson Play for approximately 2 weeks as a DAC using the RCA output into my Midas mixer for playing music, practicing guitar and for playback. It never once had any issues and the audio remained crystal clear. Although for my usage I would like to have seen an input for my guitar, I see no issues for the average audio enthusiast.

Value
When trying to gauge value in any product I look at many areas, build quality, performance in real world situations and any shortcomings. As for shortcomings I saw no issues other than I would have liked the sound stage stereo width to be a little wider and an analog input for my usage would've been nice.

All together the Burson Play was great DAC/Amp. It had no problems powering and I noticed no coloration to my IEM's. Outstanding product and value, a definite upgrade to normal computer audio and near perfect audio frequency reproduction.

Good job Burson.

Blissful Quad BA Universal
A Review On: InEarz Zen-4
Review Topics:
About Me
About the product/expectations
Build/Design
Comfort/Fit
Sound
Isolation
Value
Provided free of charge during Head-Fi.org Tour
Normal Retail Price: $599.00
Pros: Outstanding warm but somewhat neutral sound with a wide sound stage.
Cons: None

About Me
To get started, let me tell you a little about myself.
I’m a gigging musician (lead guitar/backup vocals), an audio forensic analyst, a novice sound engineer, and an avid music lover with a wide taste in music. Being an audio forensic analyst is a plus I find when reviewing audio products simple because I know what bad audio sounds like and usually know how to correct it. My experience allows me to be familiar with the limitations of my own ears and the equipment I’m using.
For the consumers, my perspective for all my IEM reviews will be based on these things. I won’t sugar coat things or make things sound better than they are. I’m just like you and I want good value for the money I pay for any product.

To the manufacturers, I’ll always give you an option to respond to any concerns such as quality that I have during my review. I’ll contact you directly and will do so before my review is published. I want to provide an honest and tangible review for your prospective customers without being unfair to you as a manufacturer.
I’ll always be fair and my review will be based on my perspective and my experience.
Now on to the important stuff.

About the product/expectations
I received the Zen-4 on a tour here at Head-Fi.org. The tour was courtesy of InEarz and was organized by yours truly.

I am a founding member and the lead guitarist for the hard rock band Rīvul. I'm an endorsed artist for InEarz and currently my on stage performance and practice IEM's are a custom Euphoria. However I'm not being compensated for this review in any way and all impressions are unbiased and are my own.

Build/Design
The build quality of the Zen-4 is very good, very much the norm that I've come to expect from InEarz. The fit of these is better than almost any universal IEM I've ever used. Just like with the Zen-2 after a short time, I forgot I was wearing them.

The stock cable is a standard IEM cable. I compared the sound from the stock cable to several premium cables from HAN Audio that I had in my possession, including the Venom and the sound difference was negligible. I'm not sure what InEarz did with the Zen series, but they are definitely not cable or source dependent.

Comfort/Fit
I found the form factor and size of the Zen-4 to be outstanding. I had absolutely no issues with wearing them for hours with little to no wearing fatigue. The Zen-4 felt just as good as the Zen-2. No issues and very comfortable to wear.

Sound
The Zen-4 come with the ADEL B1 module stock which is perfect for their sound. The sound signature was near perfect for my tastes. The sub bass extended well, the bass was prominent with good separation into the low mids, no discernible bleed. The mids were good all the way through with vocals sounding very naturals and guitars were killer. The highs had just the right amount of sparkle and good enough extension. Sound stage was very natural sounding with awesome separation between instruments.

Source didn't matter at all to the sound signature, but when using 24bit 96Khz Flac source from my pro audio setup, i noticed they were able to resolve with more clarity. The entire Zen series responds to source scaling very well, but even with lower end audio straight from my Note-8, they were very good there as well.

Compared to my UE900s, another 4 driver, the sound signature of the Zen was more neutral with no real hot spots unlike the UE900s which on some songs can be bass heavy and other songs can sound to hot in the treble regions. The Zen-4 handled all of my music much better. The resolution was better all the way around with the Zen-4 out performing the UE900s.

The Zen-4 sound signature was very similar to my custom Euphoria. With plenty of low end, a warm neutral sound with enough sparkly stuff up top to keep the sound exciting.

The Zen-4 is warmer and even fuller sounding when compared to the Zen-2. The Zen-2 was no slouch but the Zen-4 is definitely worth the upgrade if you can afford it.

Isolation
Isolation was very good. Not as good as a custom but definitely on par with most mid to high end universal IEM's.

Value
I think the Zen series is an outstanding value. At $599, the sound of the Zen-4 is definitely worth the money over the Zen-2. But the Zen-2 is no slouch. I genuinely believe that InEarz is on to something with the Zen series, great job guys!

Dual Driver Excellence
A Review On: InEarz Zen-2
Review Topics:
About Me
About the product/expectations
Build/Design
Comfort/Fit
Sound
Isolation
Value
Provided free of charge during Head-Fi.org Tour
Normal Retail Price: $369.00
Pros: Awesome neutral but full sound signature, wide sound stage.
Cons: Could use a little more sub-bass.

About Me
To get started, let me tell you a little about myself.
I’m a gigging musician (lead guitar/backup vocals), an audio forensic analyst, a novice sound engineer, and an avid music lover with a wide taste in music. Being an audio forensic analyst is a plus I find when reviewing audio products simple because I know what bad audio sounds like and usually know how to correct it. My experience allows me to be familiar with the limitations of my own ears and the equipment I’m using.
For the consumers, my perspective for all my IEM reviews will be based on these things. I won’t sugar coat things or make things sound better than they are. I’m just like you and I want good value for the money I pay for any product.

To the manufacturers, I’ll always give you an option to respond to any concerns such as quality that I have during my review. I’ll contact you directly and will do so before my review is published. I want to provide an honest and tangible review for your prospective customers without being unfair to you as a manufacturer.
I’ll always be fair and my review will be based on my perspective and my experience.
Now on to the important stuff.

About the product/expectations
I received the Zen-2 on a tour here at Head-Fi.org. The tour was courtesy of InEarz and was organized by yours truly.

I am a founding member and the lead guitarist for the hard rock band Rīvul. I'm an endorsed artist for InEarz and currently my on stage performance and practice IEM's are a custom Euphoria. However I'm not being compensated for this review in any way and all impressions are unbiased and are my own.

Build/Design
The build quality of the Zen2 is very good, very much the norm that I've come to expect from InEarz. The fit of these is better than almost any universal IEM I've ever used. After a short time, I forgot I was wearing them.

The stock cable is a standard IEM cable. I compared the sound from the stock cable to several premium cables from HAN Audio that I had in my possession, including the Venom and the sound difference was negligible. A good premium cable will widen the sound stage just a bit, but because of the 60 ohm impedance of the Zen-2 there was no difference in frequency response regardless of the source used.

Comfort/Fit
I found the form factor and size of the Zen-2 to be outstanding. I had absolutely no issues with wearing them for hours with little to no wearing fatigue.

Sound
The sound of these are top notch. They come with the ADEL B1 module stock and I personally would probably opt for the G1 in order to give them a slight bass boost. With that said, they handled EQ very well, and a little 2 to 3 dB boost in the sub-bass and bass region (below 100 Hz) was all that was needed.

The clarity was really good. The low end was tight with a very flat response and a natural decay. The mids were prominent but not overdone. The high end was very nice with just the right amount of extension and sparkle. No ear/sound fatigue even after listening for hours.

Source didn't matter at all to the sound signature, but when using 24bit 96Khz Flac source from my pro audio setup, i noticed they were able to resolve with more clarity. So the Zen-2 responds to source scaling very well, but even with lower end audio straight from my Note-8, they were very good there as well.

Compared to UE900s the sound from the Zen-2 was very much ahead of the UE's. They had more clarity, more separation, and a wider soundstage. The UE900s had more sub bass but the Zen-2 lows were tighter. The mids were very comparable. The highs also were very close. The difference here was the sound stage and the clarity, the Zen-2 outperformed the UE's without a doubt.

For grins, I decided to compare the Zen-2 to the KZ ZS-6. How did they do against a cheap $40 4 driver IEM? Simple they blew them away. There was no comparison in sound quality the Zen-2 was light years ahead in everything.

I would rank the Zen-2 near the top of my list of must have IEM's. Near perfection. But understand what you're going to use them for.

Isolation
Isolation was very good. Not as good as a custom but definitely on par with most mid to high end universal IEM's.

Value
Simply put, if you can get past the more drivers is better hang up, then InEarz could double the price of these and they would still out perform or be on par with that price point. I think at the price point of $349, the Zen-2 is an outstanding value and would do well for an everyday wear IEM or for someone just starting out in the HiFi audiophile realm.

On of the best IEM's I've ever used
A Review On: 64Audio U12t
Review Topics:
About Me
About the product/expectations
Build/Design
Comfort/Fit
Sound
Isolation
Value
Provided free of charge during Head-Fi.org Tour
Normal Retail Price: $1999.00
Pros: Excellent bass response, fantastic mid-range detail, sparkling and extended highs
Cons: A bit heavy.

About Me
To get started, let me tell you a little about myself.
I’m a gigging musician (lead guitar/backup vocals), an audio forensic analyst, a novice sound engineer, and an avid music lover with a wide taste in music. Being an audio forensic analyst is a plus I find when reviewing audio products simple because I know what bad audio sounds like and usually know how to correct it. My experience allows me to be familiar with the limitations of my own ears and the equipment I’m using.
For the consumers, my perspective for all my IEM reviews will be based on these things. I won’t sugar coat things or make things sound better than they are. I’m just like you and I want good value for the money I pay for any product.

To the manufacturers, I’ll always give you an option to respond to any concerns such as quality that I have during my review. I’ll contact you directly and will do so before my review is published. I want to provide an honest and tangible review for your prospective customers without being unfair to you as a manufacturer.
I’ll always be fair and my review will be based on my perspective and my experience.
Now on to the important stuff.

About the product/expectations
I received the U12t on a tour here at Head-Fi.org. The tour was courtesy of 64Audio and organized by Barra.

I am a founding member and the lead guitarist for the hard rock band Rīvul. I'm an endorsed artist for InEarz and currently my on stage performance and practice IEM's are a custom Euphoria.

My trial of these wasn't to replace or eliminate any of my current lineup of IEM's, but possibly to complement my collection.

Build/Design
The build quality of the U12t is outstanding, very much in the TOTL realm. The metal casing of these makes the monitors feel very sturdy, but just a bit heavy in my ear.

The 64Audio stock cable is really good. I compared the current stock cable to an older 64Audio stock cable that I have and the newer ones are actually much better. So there has definitely been some improvements. Since I also had the Trio in my tour kit, I swapped with the premium cable provided with the Trio for this review because I found the sound stage to be better with slightly better clarity. I definitely recommend using the stock cable for a while and then upgrading to a more premium cable.

Comfort/Fit
I found the form factor and size of the U12t to be a very good fit for my ears. But I recently purchased a 64Audio U10 and found the design to fit my ear better than the new design. However, I had absolutely no issues with wearing them for hours with little to no wearing fatigue.

Sound
The sound of these are definitely in the TOTL realm and probably in the end game realm for a lot of people. I found I preferred the m20 module versus the m15 modules and so my review is from this perspective.

The clarity was amazing to say the least. The low end was tight with a very natural if not sometimes quick decay. The mids felt rich, but also sounded like they sat just slightly behind the lows and highs. Not a V shape signature but just a very slight U shape. Compared to the Trio, the U12t is definitely more neutral sounding.

Source didn't matter much to the U12t, in contrast to the Trio, which seemed almost finicky and starving for a better source. So the U12t should work for a wide range of people and a wide range of sources. Up to this review, I've never used Apex or Adel tech in an IEM so this was new to me. I did however find that it works well, I found myself listening at much lower volumes with the same fullness in sound. But I suppose I'm too used to a specific volume, because I typically listened during this trial at just a hair under my usual volumes.

Compared to UE900s there was no doubt that the U12t had more clarity, more separation, and better soundstage. The U12t lows were tighter, and extended slightly lower into the sub-bass region. The mids were very comparable with the U12t just edging out the UE900s in clarity. The highs of course though is where the U12t basically put the UE900s down for the count. The TIA high/high-mid drivers in the U12t are really something. Never sibilant, never harsh, pretty much perfectly tuned to provide the needed sparkle and perfectly complement the lows and mids.

In comparison with the Trio, the U12t is definitely more neutral, but not as neutral sounding as the U10. For critical listening with a bit of excitement, the U12t wins in these 3.

In comparison with U10, the U12t is a richer sounding IEM. The U10 is very good and to my ears very neutral sounding across the board. The U10 is far from boring, but the U12t is much more exciting. The the lows of the U12t are deeper, fuller and there's more attack. The mids are just a bit richer, but again it's the high's that really make the U12t shine. There's something to be said for these TIA drivers.

I used the U12t as a stage monitor during part of a practice session with my band and found there was too much clarity, LOL. I realized my playing technique as well as our other guitarist's technique and both of our tones needed improvement. Simply put, I heard some things that had to be corrected. I switched back to my InEarz Euphoria after the changes and was amazed at the difference the changes made. For critical listening, even on stage or studio, the U12t would work well, but the overall brightness in the high end, for me didn't do it. In a 4 hour show, clarity is very important but so is ear fatigue, with that being said... In my setup I'm not sure I could use the U12t for stage monitors without EQing them. However one could argue that it's better to have those highs and pull them back than not have them at all and try to boost.

I would describe the U12t sound quality to be one of the best IEM's I've ever used. Near perfection. But understand what you're going to use them for.

Isolation
Isolation and fit was very good, not as good as a custom but definitely on par with most mid to high end universal IEM's. I would have liked to try these with a MAM if it's compatible or a full plug just to see the difference in the isolation and overall sound.

Value
I think at the price point of $2000, the U12t would be out of reach for a lot of the people that I know. But for those that take their music or craft serious, it's probably a very worthwhile investment. I think for me that a custom A12t would be more to my liking due to the weight of the U12t. So bottom line are they worth the current asking price... yes. If you can afford them, then you won't be dissatisfied with your purchase. But it amazes me that these TOTL IEM's keep pushing the envelope of what the best really is.

Good job 64Audio.

Great on stage performance IEM
A Review On: InEarz Euphoria
Review by Mike Brunner
Review Topics:
About Me
About the product/expectations
Build/Design
Comfort/Fit
Sound
Isolation
Value
Purchased on: April 28, 2017
Price paid: $820 with custom graphics/rush processing
Normal Retail Price: $675.00
Pros: Excellent tight bass response, outstanding mid-range detail, slightly rolled off highs
Cons: Needs just a small bump in the highs to be perfect

About Me
To get started, let me tell you a little about myself.
I’m a gigging musician (lead guitar/backup vocals), an audio forensic analyst, a novice sound engineer, and an avid music lover with a wide taste in music. Being an audio forensic analyst is a plus I find when reviewing audio products simple because I know what bad audio sounds like and usually know how to correct it. My experience allows me to be familiar with the limitations of my own ears and the equipment I’m using.
For the consumers, my perspective for all my IEM reviews will be based on these things. I won’t sugar coat things or make things sound better than they are. I’m just like you and I want good value for the money I pay for any product.

To the manufacturers, I’ll always give you an option to respond to any concerns such as quality that I have during my review. I’ll contact you directly and will do so before my review is published. I want to provide an honest and tangible review for your prospective customers without being unfair to you as a manufacturer.
I’ll always be fair and my review will be based on my perspective and my experience.
Now on to the important stuff.

About the product/expectations
I purchased these IEM’s for my personal use and got a slight discount on the price, I then added custom graphics and rush processing.

These were purchased as my go to custom IEM's for live stage use/practice. I requested a neutral sounding IEM with the EQ balance allowing for long period use with very little ear fatigue. In Earz recommended the Euphoria as my best fit for use.

Build/Design
The Euphoria is a custom product. The sturdiness of the design appears to be on par with top end products that I’ve owned or used in the past. The cable that was included is a twisted/braided type with an L 3.5mm connector. It has stress relief in the key points including the Y of the cable and has a slider to cinch up the cable to the back of your head/neck like I would expect from a mid to high end cable.

Comfort/Fit
After using them for almost a month, I realized I needed a slight adjustment on the fit for the left monitor. Kaysen with InEarz accomodated me and got my monitors back to me fast. When I received them, it was a perfect fit. They had addressed all of my concerns and I've had no problems since.

Sound
The sound on these is outstanding, the soundstage is what I expected them to be, wide and natural sounding. The sub lows are present but not overpowering, the lows are tight and resonant, the mids are beautifully sculpted and make guitars and vocals pop, the highs are clear and nowhere near harsh. These were a perfect fit for what I was looking for, although personally I would have liked a little more high end.

I found that compared to the AKG K701’s the Euphoria was very comparable to the flat response the K701’s are known for. The Euphoria's had a bit more low end and the highs were rolled off just slightly. The mids were on par with K701’s for details and overall the very close to the same sound signature of the K701's. To put it simply, they were a very neutral, pleasing sound with a bit of kick in the low end. I could definitely see using them for mixing monitor due neutral response and the details they provided would give a good starting point for any mix.

Compared to Shure SE215’s, which I like for the V-shaped sound, I found the Euphoria to have a more neutral response. Instrument separation was much better with the Euphoria's. For most of my guitar playing I like a bit of thump in the low end and I need my high’s to sing, both without compromising the mids. I found compare to the SE215's, the Euphoria's do an even better job for what I’m looking for but they are far from V-shaped in sound.

My Westone UM Pro 10’s are my normal listening IEM’s because they give somewhat of a neutral sound in my opinion while being extremely comfortable. I usually forget that I’m even wearing them. Since the Euphoria's are a custom fit product they are much more comfortable for long term use, although of course they do weigh a bit more. Compared to the sound of the Westone’s the Euphoria was on par as far as ear fatigue goes, I never feel like my ears are tired. The Euphoria's provided more bass, slightly rolled off highs compared to the Westone’s.

Compared to UE900s I felt the sound signature was very close, however the Euphoria has wider soundstage and more low end, which is where I think the UE900s could be improved.

Based on my findings, I found the Euphoria's to be a very good choice for all of my music and would recommend them for anyone looking for more details in their sound. They excelled at providing details. If you’re looking for a IEM with slight emphasis in the low end, these would be an excellent choice, the bass is deep and tight with natural decay. The mids are spot on where I think they should be with great detail in the vocal/guitar range. The highs are slightly rolled off, but still provide shimmer and sparkle where it belongs. I didn’t find the highs to be at all shrill or unpleasant. I would describe the Euphoria sound signature as a warm neutral with just slightly rolled off highs. Outstanding job from InEarz on the sound quality.

Isolation
Of course since these were a custom fit product, isolation was outstanding. Don't expect to hear someone on stage with these in without an ambient mic or without removing them.

Value
I hesitate when trying to gauge value in any product unless there are issues with build quality or the product is just an outstanding value. Based on what I got for the price I paid though, I think the InEarz Euphoria's are an outstanding value. Nearly 1/2 the price of any other custom IEM with a 6 driver configuration. I would recommend these for anyone getting into custom fit IEM's. If you're looking for a good custom IEM period, these are a great value.

Review Of MIPRO MI-909 In Ear Wireless System
Reviewed by Mike Brunner – Lead Guitarist of RĪvul

Purpose of this review

I set out to review several different in ear wireless systems and give a real world test for musicians out there looking to transition from floor monitors to wireless IEM’s. It seems like every band and musician that performs live these days is using in ear wireless or wanting to make the move to in ear wireless.

One of the reasons for this is for lower stage volumes. Taking the floor monitors out of the picture and moving them to a customized in ear mix, is flat out one of the best things that a musician or band can do. When my band first made the switch we noticed a positive difference in our performance immediately.

Most of my band members were already using wireless instrument systems for our live shows. We were also using in ear monitors for individual practicing. There’s really something to be said about learning a guitar solo from your favorite artist then playing along with the album version of a song or double tracking a guitar part and not struggling to hear either the original or your current output. To actually put this to use in a live setting, makes the music so much tighter, and the band members just simply play better when they can hear everything they need to hear. You not only feel the music, but you can hear every detail of it when using good in ear monitors and your own custom monitor mix. There’s no unwanted bleed through of the other instruments. You simply hear what you need to hear to make you play your best.

Even though I tested several wireless in ear monitoring systems over the last several months, one system stood out above the rest. The MIPRO MI-909 system. Before we get into that, let’s move into some other things like my background.

I’m a gigging musician (lead guitar/backup vocals), a forensic audio analyst, a wireless communications technician, a novice sound engineer, and an avid music lover with a wide taste in music. Being a forensic audio analyst is a plus when reviewing audio products simply because I know what bad audio sounds like and usually know how to correct it. My experience allows me to be familiar with the limitations of my own ears and the equipment I’m using.

My perspective for all my reviews is based on these things. I don’t try to sugar coat things or bloat things to be better than they are. I’m just like everyone else and I want good value for the money in any product.

I’m fair to the manufacturers as well. I always give them an option to respond to any concerns such as quality that I have during my review. I contact them directly and do so before my review is published to allow them to address any issues. I want to provide an honest and tangible review for prospective customers without being unfair.

The MIPRO MI-909 system was provided to me free of charge for the purpose of this review by MIPRO’s US distributor, Avlex. This was done through one of Avlex’s retail clients, C&M Music of Metarie, LA. I wouldn’t normally do this, but I’m throwing a shameless plug for both of these companies because they made this review possible and they have been outstanding in response throughout the entire review. If their customer service is this good, then both of these companies are already a cut above the rest.

Pricing of the MIPRO MI-909 at the time of this review was MSRP $900 with a MAP of $659.

Now on to the good stuff.

Manufacturer’s Synopsis
MI-909T Digital Stereo Transmitter
The MI-909T is a rugged digitally-encrypted rack transmitter. It operates in a 64 MHz wide bandwidth and allows multiple preset compatible channels operation. Delivering up to 50mW output power, it has high dynamic range stereo audio inputs and is able to withstand professional audio mixers' maximum output levels. Menu settings allow input sensitivity, encryption, EQ DSP processors to be set-up via a rotary control knob. A built-in Scan function enables auto-scanning for an open, interference-free frequency and, once selected, that frequency can sync with the bodypack receiver with a simple push of the ACT button. The MI-909T is ideal for both live applications and professional installations such as language interpretation.

MI-909R Digital Stereo Bodypack Receiver
The MI-909R operates in a wide 64 MHz bandwidth and it has easy to use controls and indicators with a backlit LCD screen. Advanced dual-antenna diversity design eliminates signal dropouts and enhances signal stability. Featuring a lightweight, exceptionally durable magnesium alloy bodypack case, the MI-909R is ideal for professional installations and live applications. Proprietary digital encryption provides secure audio transmission, preventing unauthorized listening in conferences, meetings and language interpretation applications.

Build/Design
The overall build and design of the MI-909 was very good. The transmitter was rugged and should provide years of use, especially when mounted in a road worthy rack mount. The body pack receiver was made with a magnesium alloy back and a magnesium impregnated plastic front which actually felt very rugged as well. It compared well with upgraded metal body packs from other manufacturers.

I initially didn’t like the placement of the antennas on the body pack because they came out of the bottom of the body pack. After using it for some time though I realized this was actually pretty well designed. I realized the antennas were never in the way while at the same time it allowed unrestricted reception from the transmitter.

Navigation of the menus on both the transmitter and receiver was straight forward and it was easy to find the settings needed without referring to the manual.

Sound
I had been told when using this system that it was fully digital and that it had been specifically designed for a frequency response of 20Hz-15kHz. This actually makes sense for the intended purpose of the system, live musician monitoring. I often wondered why most in ear wireless systems did not extend to the full 20Hz-20kHz frequency range of human hearing but I learned that it all comes down to one thing, ear fatigue. Ear fatigue is a real thing that can affect musicians or anyone for that matter. Rolling off the highest end of the audio spectrum helps to prevent ear fatigue and allows the musician to keep hearing what they need to hear, the music and their instrument. These systems aren’t designed for audio analysis or for audiophiles that can hear beyond the 15kHz ceiling.

I measured and compared the frequency response of the MI-909 and using a DAW interface and a tone match EQ plugin. This was done by comparing the averaged frequency response from an original uncompressed piece of music and comparing this to the output from the receiver of the MI-909.

The results… whatever was put into the MI-909 came out. There was no added static, harmonics and no loss in frequency up to the advertised 15kHz ceiling of the MI-909. I want to point out that this same test was done with 5 other brands of wireless IEM systems and only one other system had the same performance. Each of the other remaining 4 systems introduced some audio anomaly, reduced frequency response or noise introduced in the output. This was something that wasn’t expected from the other manufacturers. No musician wants any extra noise introduced into the signal chain and we want to hear exactly what we put into it.

The one system that performed on the same level in sound quality had issues such as dropout, range and static in the real world environment. So due to these reasons, it still wasn’t able match the performance of MI-909.

The included in ear monitors were surprisingly good and performed beyond what I expected. It seems these are a single full range balanced armature monitors. They’re not pretty but the sound quality is comparable to most $100-$200 universal fit in ear monitors. If you don’t already own a set of good in ear monitors, these will perform well.

Just to disclose the equipment I used for this review, I used my own custom fit IEM’s from InEarz.

Real world application

After mounting the transmitter into a rack case, I took the system on the road. I played 20-30 shows with the system and not only was I impressed with the system, I noted it out performed every other in ear wireless system used by my band not only in sound quality but in all areas of performance.

In each of the 20-30 shows at some point each of the other systems had a drop out. Even if just for a split second, a drop out is a drop out, and this is something that no musician wants when performing a live show. This was all with the MI-909 only being on its low power setting. All other systems were placed on higher power settings when available and needed to minimize dropouts.

After I used the MI-909 system for a few shows, I passed it off to the other guitarist in the band and our bass player to use for a full show while I used one of the other wireless systems. Immediately, I missed the performance of the MI-909. However, I had to get their input for this review and to also make my own comparisons with the other systems at our disposal.

Their thoughts on the MI-909 were identical to my own, it outperformed each of the other IEM wireless systems, not only in sound quality, but in range and reliability.

The real world range of the MI-909 at low power setting was such that in order to beat this system I believe you would have to step into the Top of the Line for other manufacturers. At the high power setting, the MI-909 would compete with even the most expensive TOTL wireless IEM systems.

To review a product that at this price range though, that performed this well secured the top spot for the MI-909.

Features
This isn’t meant to be a tutorial for the MI-909 so I’ll summarize the feature list that were most important to me. came to features. The rack mountable transmitter had a customizable EQ, stereo or mono selection, the ability to lock the settings, open frequency scanning, factory preset frequencies, manual frequency settings and the ability to store those manual frequencies, effortless syncing between transmitter/receiver, and finally ample power from the receiver to power even the most power hungry in ear monitors, and customizable EQ on the belt pack receiver.

Features that stood out to me were the customizable EQ on both the transmitter and the body pack receiver. This allowed me to switch IEM’s and maintain a similar sound signature. My custom IEM’s actually became plugged during one show causing me to lose sound in one ear. I pulled out my backup IEM and quickly tweaked the body pack EQ and voile, no need to adjust my monitor mix at the mixer board.

The other feature that stood out was the ability to manually store my own frequencies. Since I’m usually helping to set up the sound for my band’s live shows, I was able to use my own wireless frequency scanner and plan out my wireless frequency for each venue. I then saved that frequency for each venue my band played at and was able to recall that frequency for the next show. But honestly, that’s me and most bands probably won’t go to that level unless they have a live sound engineer or a wireless engineer setting up their gear. So the built-in open frequency scan was also tested and it performed very well in every venue.

Simply put, the MIPRO MI-909 has enough customizable features to make most other systems in this price range pale in comparison.

Value
When trying to gauge value in any product I look at many areas, build quality, performance in real world situations and any shortcomings. Based on what I found, the MIPRO MI-909 is worth every penny. It outperformed every wireless IEM system I compared it to. To get into the same performance/reliability area of the MI-909, you’d have to spend 2 to three times the amount you’d spend on the MI-909. Even when looking at good quality floor monitors, for the price of two monitors, you could purchase the MI-909 and never have to lug a floor monitor around again or worry about smaller venues and placement of your monitors.

Simply put in my opinion, there’s nothing currently on the market that can touch the MI-909 system. It is absolutely my opinion that the MIPRO MI-909 is the best bang for the buck in the field of wireless IEM systems.

Awesome product from MIPRO/Avlex.

About Me
To get started, let me tell you a little about myself.
I’m a gigging musician (lead guitar/backup vocals), an audio forensic analyst, a novice sound engineer, and an avid music lover with a wide taste in music. Being an audio forensic analyst is a plus I find when reviewing audio products simple because I know what bad audio sounds like and usually know how to correct it. My experience allows me to be familiar with the limitations of my own ears and the equipment I’m using.
For the consumers, my perspective for all my IEM reviews will be based on these things. I won’t sugar coat things or make things sound better than they are. I’m just like you and I want good value for the money I pay for any product.

To the manufacturers, I’ll always give you an option to respond to any concerns such as quality that I have during my review. I’ll contact you directly and will do so before my review is published. I want to provide an honest and tangible review for your prospective customers without being unfair to you as a manufacturer.
I’ll always be fair and my review will be based on my perspective and my experience.
Now on to the important stuff.

About the product/expectations
I received these on loan during a Fiio Review Tour. I really had no expectations going into this except that I believed the F9 Pro would be a competitor in the $150 price range.

Build/Design
The F9 Pro is built like a tank, metal housing is plus. The cables seem to be good quality, but there was no non-mic 3.5mm cable available.

Comfort/Fit
After using them for a few days the comfort is very good. The shape of them seems very similar to the Shure SE IEM's and they seat in my ears very similar. Because the housing is metal, they are a bit heavy and when used as a stage monitor, you may have to reseat them after a few songs. Overall they're a good fit.

Sound
The sound on these is outstanding. For the price point that these come in at, most manufacturers are going to have a hard time beating the F9 Pro.

The lows are clear and tight with a very natural decay. I didn't find any inbalances here and the low end extension resolves well below 20hz. The bottom end never gets in the way of the mids and has enough punch that even bass heads will like these. However the low end seems very balanced and not overly emphasized.

The mids are are very good with a natural feel. Vocals shine through very well and the mids contribute to a beautifully balanced sound stage. Great separation and ability to resolve different instruments. The mids may sit just a hair behind the high's depending on the source but are still very present and balanced.

The highs are clear and detailed. No harshness or sibilance that I could detect, very natural sounding with a bit of extension that contributes to the overall clarity of the sound and helps to widen the sound stage. very balanced sounding.

Compared to UE900s, I found the F9 Pro to have a very similar soundstage, but with more clarity and less low end emphasis. The low end of the F9 Pro seemed to be almost as abundant as the UE900s but with more resolution. The mids and high end was very similar but the F9 Pro had a bit more high end extension which helped to put the F9 Pro just a slight edge on the UE900's for clarity.

I compared these to the Primo8 and found that the F9 Pro had a more balanced sound, but like the Primo8 depended on the source. The Primo8 sounds very good when using my Samsung Note 8 straight, but the F9 Pro needed a bit more power than my phone could provide I believe. I coupled the Fiio A3 with my phone and the F9 Pro blossomed into one of the best sounding IEM's that I've had the pleasure of using and easily outperformed the Primo8 in everything except mids which is where the Primo8 really shines.

Based on my findings, I felt these were possibly a top choice IEM for anyone looking for a balanced sound.

Isolation
Isolation was good but could have been a little better. I used the provided tips and all of them seemed to seal very good for me. I then used a cheaper "Kinden" foam tip for the majority of my testing due to being able to get a great seal for me.

Value
I hesitate when trying to gauge value in any product unless there are issues with build quality or the product is just an outstanding value. Based on the $139 price tag as of the time of this review, I would rank the F9 Pro at the top in this price range. I haven't heard anything that will beat them as of yet.

Conclusion
The Fiio F9 Pro is an outstanding IEM and you would be hard pressed to find another IEM that does as well in this price range. The overall balanced sound, the soundstage and resolution of the F9 Pro is outstanding and I truly believe that is an understatement. The fact that they give you a very well made hard case a decent soft case along with 2 cables (1 3.5mm mic cable, 1 2.5mm balanced cable) and a host of 4 different types of ear tips make these an exceptional value but all of that is overshadowed by the sound quality. Fiio hit a home run with the F9 Pro.

About Me
To get started, let me tell you a little about myself.
I’m a gigging musician (lead guitar/backup vocals), an audio forensic analyst, a novice sound engineer, and an avid music lover with a wide taste in music. Being an audio forensic analyst is a plus I find when reviewing audio products simple because I know what bad audio sounds like and usually know how to correct it. My experience allows me to be familiar with the limitations of my own ears and the equipment I’m using.
For the consumers, my perspective for all my IEM reviews will be based on these things. I won’t sugar coat things or make things sound better than they are. I’m just like you and I want good value for the money I pay for any product.

To the manufacturers, I’ll always give you an option to respond to any concerns such as quality that I have during my review. I’ll contact you directly and will do so before my review is published. I want to provide an honest and tangible review for your prospective customers without being unfair to you as a manufacturer.
I’ll always be fair and my review will be based on my perspective and my experience.
Now on to the important stuff.

About the product/expectations
I purchased these IEM’s for the purpose of reviewing and using these as a backup.


Build/Design
The Primo 8 seems to have a decent build but lacks a bit of firmness. It just seems to light to me and the plastic housing seems thin.


Comfort/Fit
After using them for a few days these are comparable to the Shure SE series in comfort. The shape of them seems very similar and they seat in my ears very similar.

Sound
The sound on these is very good, the soundstage is decent, and seems a little too centered. The lows are present but not overpowering, it seems to be a very neutral bass response and the sub-lows are there just pulled back a little from the rest of the lower end.

The mids are outstanding and in my opinion is where these really shine. Listening to a song like Lorde - Royals makes you feel like she's right in front of you.

The highs are clear and detailed. No harshness or sibilance that I could detect, very natural sounding.

Compared to Shure SE215’s, I found the Primo 8 to have a more neutral response. Instrument separation was much better and light nuances in the sounds could be heard. In AC/DC's Hells Bells the bells in the beginning were so real sounding you could hear the decay of the sound so clearly.

My Westone UM Pro 10’s are my normal listening IEM’s because they give somewhat of a neutral sound in my opinion while being extremely comfortable. I usually forget that I’m even wearing them. Compared to the Westone's the Primo 8 had a better overall presentation and may replace the UM Pro 10's as my everyday listening IEM.

Compared to UE900s I felt the sound signature was very close, however the Primo8 had a narrower soundstage and less sub-lows. I've typically felt the UE900s could stand to have a slight boost in the lows but after comparing them to several "Neutral" sounding IEM's I realize the UE900s actually could just use a little more clarity and resolution in the lows versus a boost. That was clear in this comparison as the Primo8 just did a better job in resolving the low end.

Based on my findings, I felt these were a very good choice for anyone looking for a neutral sounding IEM, especially if comfort is an issue for you. I did compare them briefly to some Shure SE535 and felt the Primo 8 just barely slipped by the SE535 in its ability to resolve across the sound spectrum.

Isolation
Isolation was very good. I used the provided foam tips but felt there was a little less bass. I then used a cheaper "Kinden" foam tip with a larger bore that was modified to fit using the Spinfit nozzle adapters provided with the
SpinFit CP240.

Value
I hesitate when trying to gauge value in any product unless there are issues with build quality or the product is just an outstanding value. Based on what I got for the price I paid though I think these are a really good buy. Probably some of the best in the $150 range.

Conclusion
The NuForce Primo 8 although a few years on the market are a really good purchase. The phase coherence crossover apparently really makes a difference in the sound presentation and overall clarity.

Outstanding value for these 4 driver hybrid IEM's. I bought these to try out and I was completely taken off guard. The sound on them was really good almost as good as my UE900s.

These don't have the UE900s neutral sound signature but they do have a sound stage that is relatively wide and the ZS6 is able to pull out details nearly as good as the UE900s.

$40 and they're able to compete with the UE900s? Well not quite. They do have a bit of an issue with a treble spike somewhere in the 7k region, but a quick EQ will solve that. Oh and the mids are a bit recessed and could be better.

Overall a great value.

So after getting these in to see what a cheap double driver hybrid could really do, I was shocked.

The sound on these are really good, they're not gonna compete with any TOTL or my InEarz Euphoria's but for the price, I'm not sure there's anything out there with this kind of sound.

The lows can be felt, their natural sounding and deep. The high's sparkle and with almost no sibilance that I can detect. The mids were recessed a bit so for me in a live band situation they wouldn't do for vocals or guitars, but for live monitors for a drummer or bass player these are probably perfect. Definitely a V shaped sound signature.

The rubberized cable is not very good, but for $20 these are a great buy.

I'd love to say that I like these but they broke within a day of having them. From what I could hear, they were decent sounding, but while trying to find the right ear tip for a good seal and fit, the nozzle on the right monitor broke.

I suppose I could contact the seller on Amazon for a replacement, but the shipping back and forth would cost me more than an new pair. Did I mention the price on these is outstanding for a 4 driver IEM?

I just got these in to play around with and to use for some monitoring while I send my customs in for a tuneup and I figured why the heck not $20.00 for dual driver? I own a set of UE900s and find that although the clarity of them is outstanding, they lack in the low end. So the reviews I read on the ZST's said the low end on these was really good and overall they have good clarity. I agree, good lows, good overall clarity.

I'm satisfied with them for the price I paid. The sound signature is a big V. The mids are recessed with the stock cable, which the stock cable is way below par, I'm going to try them with a decent cable and I'll update my review accordingly.

The sound signature is very similar to a set of Shure SE215's if you were to bump the low end and high end up about 3 dB and then pull the mids back about 3 dB. In other words the ZST has an even more V shaped sound signature than the SE215's.

Overall I find them to be pretty fun, but the high end can be a bit overpowering at times with just a touch of sibilance.

Are they worth $20, yes, I think they sound better than just about any other $20 IEMS. Are they comparable with $99 SE215, or a $299 SE425, yes. Are they better than the SE's? NO. How do they compare with a UE900s, not even in the same ball park, the UE900s has more clarity, musicality and separation by far. How are they compared to good set of custom IEM's, not even on the same planet.

Update: After receiving the upgrade KZ ZST cable, I found that it rolled the highs off just slightly which allowed the mids to come through a bit more. So this was a definite improvement for these. I tested the stock cable and the upgrade cable and based on what I found, the stock cable is actually a very low resistance cable. .5 ohm vs the upgrade cable at .8 ohm. On other stock 2 pin cables that I have one that is a 2 ohm cable and one that is a 1.5 ohm. I did try these cables on the ZST and found that they both narrowed the sound stage but the KZ ZST upgrade cable did not. The other cables did bring the highs under better control but the bass started to lose some of it's tightness. Because of this I definitely recommend the KZ ZST upgrade cable which appears to be a very well put together cable by the way and relatively inexpensive. I believe a Linum Super BAX would achieve similar results to the KZ ZST cable but a $200 cable on a $20 IEM?

Review Topics:
About Me
About the product
Expectations
Comfort/Fit
Build/Design
Isolation
Value
Overall/Summary
Purchased on: 12-1-16
Price paid: $380.00
Normal Retail Price: $499.00
Pros: Excellent tight and deep bass response, outstanding detail
Cons: A little bass heavy for my tastes,  could use a slight mid-range boost

About Me

To get started, let me tell you a little about myself.
I’m a gigging musician (lead guitar/backup vocals), an audio forensic analyst, a novice sound engineer, and an avid music lover with a wide taste in music. Being an audio forensic analyst is a plus I find when reviewing audio products simple because I know what bad audio sounds like and usually know how to correct it. My experience allows me to be familiar with the limitations of my own ears and the equipment I’m using.

For the consumers, my perspective for all my IEM reviews will be based on these things. I won’t sugar coat things or make things sound better than they are. I’m just like you and I want good value for the money I pay for any product.

To the manufacturers, I’ll always give you an option to respond to any concerns such as quality that I have during my review. I’ll contact you directly and will do so before my review is published. I want to provide an honest and tangible review for your prospective customers without being unfair to you as a manufacturer.
I’ll always be fair and my review will be based on my perspective and my experience.
Now on to the important stuff.
 
About the product/expectations

I purchased these IEM’s for my personal use and although discounted, I paid retail.
My review is actually of an Aurisonics branded Harmony IEM. I’ve been told that they are nearly identical to the FXA7 with only a few minor modifications in the design of the Fender branded FXA7, but nothing that has changed the sound signature. I’ll consider both the Aurisonic and the Fender branded product to be identical product unless someone, can show me otherwise.

The Aurisonics Harmony/Fender FXA7 is the flagship of Fender’s new line of IEM’s. Although Fender is new to the IEM market, Aurisonics is not. Most readers at Head-Fi.org are familiar with their lineup but to those that aren’t, Aurisonics has been around for a while. They’ve developed their customer base by catering to the bass head, IMHO. Their signature sound has detailed mid’s, just slightly rolled off highs and deep sub bass with prominent lows and low mids. Overall, most Aurisonics/Fender offerings should have a balanced sound that is a very good match up for listening to most music. The EQ balance of their offerings should allow for long period use with very little ear fatigue.

Build/Design

The Harmony/FXA7 is according to the manufacturer a 3D printed shell. The sturdiness of the design appears to be on par with top end products that I’ve owned or used in the past. The shells look well made and the connections are all gold plated. It’s what I would expect in this price range. The cable that was included is a twisted/braided type with an L 3.5mm connector. It has stress relief in the key points including the Y of the cable and has a slider to cinch up the cable to the back of your head/neck like I would expect from a mid to high end cable.
Although I’ve heard stories of the MMCX connectors coming loose or audio cut outs because of the loose connection, I experience nothing of the sort. The connections are very tight in my opinion and some of the tightest MMCX connections I’ve ever seen. It looks like Aurisonics listened to their customers and fixed the issues. I would expect the Fender branded IEM’s to be very similar to my late model Harmony’s.

Comfort/Fit

The Harmony/FXA7 is according to the manufacturer a 3D printed shell which should fit most people well. Aurisonics claims to have measured thousands of people’s ears and come up with a fit that will seat comfortably on over 90% of all people. I can say that for my ears I found them to fit well. They were easy to seat in my ear and I had no problems with getting a good seal with any of the provided ear tips. They were a bit larger in width than most IEM’s I’ve used and they stuck out slightly on my ear. It wasn’t a flush fit, but they didn’t feel bulky. Overall the fit was a near perfect fit for my ears and I believe to get anything better I would have to venture into custom IEM’s.

I first used the provided sure seal tips. I found the large and the tapered tips to give me the best seal. I like the design of the tapered tips and I think for most people this would be the go to tip that was provided. It should accommodate people with small ear canals all the way up to people with large canals. What I didn’t care for though is the material the tips were made from. The material wasn’t soft silicon nor was it hard plastic. It did conform to my ear well, but it felt sticky to touch. This may be by design and actually be beneficial to some people as the tips did tend to hold the IEM’s in place well.
Personally I like Comply foam tips or the Shure Olive tips for most things, but recently I’ve began to use the Spinfit tips and I’m really enjoying them. I find the Spinfit medium tips give me a seal comparable to Comply foam tips without me having to worry about replacing them very often. The other plus is that I don’t have to worry about compressing them before inserting them into my ears. Overall these are very good in terms of quality and build. Good job from Aurisonics and Fender.

Sound

I found that for me both the provided sure seal tips and the Spinfit tips provided very similar results. However I like the feel of the Spinfit tips better and my review of the sound is based off of using these tips.
I compared sound using two well known IEM’s and an industry standard over the ear cans. The IEM’s that I use are the Shure SE215, Westone UM Pro10 while the over the ear cans are the AKG K701 with a custom cable. These are used for comparison purposes so that people can understand what I’m talking about when I describe the sound. For me I prefer a neutral EQ from my monitors when mixing and adjusting my sound, but when playing guitar in my band I like a little more tight bass response. My go to choices, give me just that.

Overall I found the soundstage of the Harmony/FXA7 to be very good. It provided what I believe to be an accurate spread without being to airy. The overall sound was very pleasing for all the music I listen to. It gave me a since of being in the studio which is a good thing.

I found that compared to the AKG K701’s the Harmony/FXA7 was far from a flat response the K701’s are known for. The Harmony/FXA7’s provided much more on the low end and the highs were rolled off just slightly. The mids were on par with K701’s for details and overall the Harmony/FXA7’s provided a lot of details that I didn’t expect. To put it simply, they were very good in this area. I wouldn’t use them for my only mixing monitor due to the emphasis in the low end, but the details they provided would give a good starting point.

I like the SE215’s for their V-shaped sound. For most of my guitar playing I like a bit of thump in the low end and I need my high’s to sing, both without compromising the mids. I find that for the price point of the SE215’s they do exactly what I’m looking for. The Harmony/FXA7’s do an even better job for what I’m looking for but they are far from V-shaped in sound. I would describe them as an L shape with the low end being higher than the treble side. The Harmony/FXA7 would likely become my go to set when gigging because of the increased details
that were available and they provide a great deal of instrument separation. Outstanding job from Aurisonics/Fender on this point.

My Westone UM Pro 10’s are my normal listening IEM’s because they give somewhat of a neutral sound in my opinion while being extremely comfortable. I usually forget that I’m even wearing them. So on this point, for normal listening, I didn’t care for the Harmony/FXA7 as much. As I stated earlier they felt good in my ears, but they are heavier than I would like for normal everyday usage. Compared to the sound of the Westone’s the Harmony/FXA7 was on par as far as ear fatigue goes. Although they weren’t neutral, I found that I got little to no ear fatigue from them. The Harmony/FXA7 provided more bass, slightly rolled off highs compared to the Westone’s.

Based on my findings, I found the Harmony/FXA7 do be a very good choice for most music and would recommend them for anyone looking for more details in their sound. They excelled at providing details. If you’re looking for a IEM with emphasis in the low end, these would be an excellent choice, the bass is deep and tight with natural decay. The mids are spot on where I think they should be with great detail in the vocal/guitar range. The highs are slightly rolled off, but still provide shimmer and sparkle where it belongs. I didn’t find the highs to be at all shrill or unpleasant. Outstanding job from Aurisonics/Fender on the sound quality.

Isolation

The sound isolation of the Harmony/FXA7 is very good with the provided sure seal tips, but of course when used with a Comply foam tip or the Spinfit tip, isolation is slightly better. I feel like the build larger earpiece sitting in the ear provided an increase in isolation probably due to having more surface area to block sound. Very good isolation.
Value
I hesitate when trying to gauge value in any product unless there are issues with build quality or the product is just an outstanding value. Based on what I paid for these IEM’s at $380, I think they are a very good value. But when looking at the retail price point of $499, I’m a little hesitant to give them good marks, but nonetheless, I believe the Aursonic/Fender Harmony/FXA7 is a good value. When compared to a Shure SE535 which is also a triple driver design I think they are probably a step up. This isn’t to say that the Shure’s aren’t a good IEM, but I think the Harmony/FXA7 is a step closer to being in the range of a custom IEM.

Overall/Summary

Based on my experience, I highly recommend these IEM’s for anyone looking for a step up in details and instrument separation. The soundstage is very good with a good spread. The highs are slightly rolled off, but detailed and provide shimmer and sparkle where it needs to be. The mid’s are very good with exceptional clarity in the vocal/guitar range. The lows, well… This is where these IEM’s really step up the game. The lows are deep an tight with a natural decay.

In baseball terms, I wouldn’t say these are a grand slam, or even a homerun, but they are definitely a stand up triple.
Very good job from Aurisonics/Fender with the Harmony/FXA7.