Reviews by Jackpot77

 
Vibro Labs Maya (universal) – initial impressions
 
In my travels on Head-Fi over the last year or so, Vibro Labs is a name I had heard bandied around in various forums, mainly as makers of the Vibro Veritas IEM measuring system, or due to their work with Zach Meyerbach and his ZMF brand on the highly rated ZMF x Vibro line of modded Fostex planar headphones. On looking a little deeper, it turns out that Vibro Labs is actually the brainchild of Luke Pighetti, who to all intents IS Vibro. Reading more about the firm on their excellent website led me to a few threads and reviews regarding their first ever IEM (the Aria), with people praising the unusual tuning and CIEM-style build, among other things. About the same time I started hearing about the first model, an opportunity came up to participate in a European tour of Vibro’s sophomore offering, the Maya. I have already written up my review of the Aria, and this is my impression of the “big brother” of the Vibro lineup. For those who have read the previous effort, there will be some similarities as the IEMs are essentially the same from a design and ergonomic standpoint, so you might want to just jump ahead to the sound descriptions. This review is based on the two week period I got to spend with the Maya as part of the UK tour before sending them on to the next lucky recipient.
 
About me: newly minted audiophile, late 30s, long time music fan and aspiring to be a reasonably inept drummer. Listen to at least 2 hours of music a day on my commute to work – prefer IEMs for out and about, and a large pair of headphones when I have the house to myself and a glass in my hand. Recently started converting my library to FLAC and 320kbps MP3, and do most of my other listening through Spotify or Tidal HiFi. I am a fan of rock, acoustic (apart from folk) and sarcasm. Oh yeah, and a small amount of electronica. Not a basshead, but I do love a sound with some body to it. Please take all views expressed below with a pinch of salt – all my reviews are a work in progress based on my own perceptions and personal preferences, and your own ears may tell you a different story.
 

 
Tech specs (from the Vibro website)
 
Faceplate – California Buckeye
Shells – Smoke SLA
Frequency range – 20Hz to 20kHz+ *
Impedance – 12 Ohms
Sensitivity – 114 dB/mw
*the tweeters in use on the Maya have been confirmed by Luke @ Vibro as technically going up to to 40kHz, but as no-one but Knowles (who build them) can verify measurements that high, Vibro has stuck to thr “20+” designation
 

 
Unboxing
 
Like the other model in theoir IEM lineup (the Aria), the unboxing for the Vibro is pretty simple – the IEMs arrive in an  “exhibition” Peli case sporting the Vibro Labs logo, with an additional pocket friendly semi-hard case for day to day use (not included in the tour package). As the tour gear arrived in a cardboard box, I am not aware if there is an official Vibro “box”, but given the minimalist packaging aesthetic of the Aria, I imagine the Maya follows in the same vein. The Peli case is clear, coming in a standard 1010 size, with the only visible adornment being a black Vibro labs sticker on the lid. The usual Peli zigzag hard foam cushioning is present inside, with the IEMs, cable and cleaning tool all held firmly in place in a laser-cut velour insert which is custom cut to completely fill out the inside of the case. The insert is perfect for transporting the IEMs in safety (if you don’t mind disassembling them first, but doesn’t actually allow for any more accessories to be lugged around in the case as well unless you want to take a scalpel to the foam to carve out some extra space. Like the Aria model, the warranty card is actually hand written on the inside of the case itself (facing out of the bottom panel) – this lists the model name, serial number and who it was made for, and allows you to keep the important warranty detail for their impressive 2 year warranty handy in case of emergency. In terms of accessories, the Maya comes with two sets of Comply foam tip triple packs (T-600 size, both the normal fit and the more spherical “comfort” tip), a cleaning tool and a braided CIEM style 2 pin braided cable. The accessory loadout isn’t particularly huge, but two working cases (one for day to day carry, one if you need your gear to survive a nuclear war), six sets of tips and a decent braided cable are certainly nothing to balk at.
 

 
Build quality and ergonomics
 
** As the Maya and the Aria are based on the same outer shell, the below section is copied from my previous Aria review with a few minor adjustments – please skip on if you have already read the previous review **
 
There is plenty of information on the Vibro Labs website (www.vibrolabs.com) on the manufacturing process and materials used in these IEMs, so I won’t go into massive detail here – the body of the IEM is made out of a transparent acrylic, with an exotic hardwood faceplate on the outer face. The faceplate is devoid of any branding, and currently comes in Buckeye wood, with the option of selecting a “masterwork” for additional outlay, which will be something slightly more unique. The main body of the IEM is 3D printed, and holds a similar ergonomic shape to many high-driver count universal IEMs like the current Noble series. As the shells are see-through, the internal wiring and driver mechanism can be seen clearly – there is plenty of space left in the bottom half of the shell, so I suspect that Vibro could release a higher driver count IEM at some stage without too much major rework on the housing (if they were so inclined).
 
The quality of the build is excellent, with the 3D printed shells feeling smooth and blemish free, with a slightly mottled look when held directly to the light due to the peculiarities of the manufacturing process. They are very smooth and well finished, with the inner face containing the only conspicuous attempt at branding, with an engraved “Vibro” logo in white across the top part of the shell. In comparison to the smoky shells of the Aria, the shells on the tour version of the Maya are more or less clear – after a messaging exchange with Luke @ Vibro, he has confirmed that the Maya shells will indeed be “smokier” in the production versions, as the demo model came from a lighter production run. The wooden faceplate also deserves special mention, blending seamlessly into the main body of the IEM and providing a fantastic and unusual look when worn. The wood itself is beautifully worked and polished to a high shine.
 
In terms of fit and ergonomics, the Maya fit very well in my larger-than-average ear canals – this is quite fortunate, as the sound bore of the IEM is one of the wider I have used, taking a set of Comply T-600s quite easily. That being said, I was easily able to get a very good seal with both ears, and once in, the shape of the shells kept the outer of the IEM around level with the outer part of my ear, so still felt pretty comfortable to wear for extended periods. For those with smaller ears, it may be more of a challenge to get a perfect fit, but Comply tips should help all but the most unspacious of eardrums get a good seal. I would venture a guess that these won’t be the best IEMs to try sleeping in, but at the pricetag involved, I wouldn’t imagine most people would risk wearing them to bed anyway. It is worth noting that my girlfriend has exceptionally small and shallow ear canals, and she wasn’t able to achieve a comfortable fit, but she also struggles with a few of my other IEMs, so not a major concern,
 

 
Sound quality
 
Test gear:
LG G5 (with HiFi Plus 32-bit Sabre DAC add-on)
Hifiman Supermini
Cowon Plenue D
Microsoft Surface Pro 2 (straight from the output jack)
 
Test tracks (mainly 320kbps MP3 or FLAC/Tidal HiFi):
Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats – S.O.B. / Wasting Time
Blackberry Smoke – The Whipporwill (album)
Slash – Shadow Life / Bad Rain (my reference tracks for bass impact and attack, guitar “crunch”)
Otis Redding – Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay (vocal tone)
Sister Hazel – Hello, It’s Me (bass tone)
Chris Stapleton – Whiskey And You
Elvis – various
Leon Bridges – Coming Home (album)
Foy Vance – The Wild Swan
Daft Punk – Random Access Memories (album)
Rodrigo y Gabriela
Mavis Staples – Livin’ On A High Note
Twin Atlantic – The Great Divide / GLA
The Darkness – Permission To Land
Led Zeppelin - Mothership
 

 
General impressions on the sound signature
 
When I initially heard the Vibro Labs “sound” on the previous model (the Aria), I will admit I took a while to fully wrap my head around it in terms of getting the most enjoyment out of the music. With the benefit of a little brain burn-in under my belt already, the Maya was a much easier IEM to “slip into”, with a far more neutral overall tuning, without any major music emphasis. Luke @ Vibro has stated previous he isn’t a fan of ruler-flat reference tunings, and while the Maya definitely doesn’t have a particular emphasis in any of the sound ranges, the sound is still definitely more on the musical than analytical side of the fence. The Maya sport the sort of tuning that the Focal Spirit Pro has become famed for, with a nice balance across the full range, great extension in both directions but still a dash of music and sparkle in the sound to stop it becoming too “reference” and dull. One of the main talking points for people who didn’t like the previous Vibro labs model (the Aria) was the relative recession of the midrange compared to the bass and treble. This is certainly not the case with the Maya, with the mids being lifted in line with the rest of the sound frequencies to provide a more upfront and engaging vocal presence. Another tweak made by Vibro Labs is to boost the output of the quad-armature setup around the 16kHz – this doesn’t give an audible treble “spike” as this is already higher than most people without perfect ears can hear with any degree of distinction, but it does give a greater feel of “room acoustics” as a result as that is apparently where the brain picks up a lot of locational information from when processing sound. Overall, these IEMs are balanced, highly detailed and sport an air of refinement and excellent imaging that confirms their position as a genuine mid-fi flagship contender.
 

 
Highs
 
The highs are clear and concise, with great extension and a very good sense of space. The tuning has been smoothed out slightly from the previous model, and presents a clean and decently weighted treble all the way up through the range without any obvious spikes or hotspots. The clarity of the notes is very good, with a good feeling of solidity and precision that plants the notes firmly on the soundscape, ringing out with authority and no little energy. There is a slightly airier feel to the stage than the Aria, but it still doesn’t drift too far into ethereal, with good room for the notes to expand but not so much that they get lost in the space.
 
Starting out with my normal test track for high frequencies, “Starlight” by Slash and Myles Kennedy sails through with flying colours, Kennedy’s soaring vocals pulsating with energy in the higher registers without crossing over into sibilance or cutting too sharply into the audio landscape. The Jimmy Page-esque dissonance of some of the guitar work also passes my listening comfort test, with the notes being clearly defined and sharp but still listenable. Listening to the high notes, you start to hear some of the “room sounds” that the Maya was tuned to bring out in the sound. There seems to be a greater than usual sense of the space around the artist and the instrument being played, furnishing the backdrop with all the usual micro-details like fret-sounds on guitar neck and breath sounds into microphones. In itself, this isn’t unusual for an IEM in this sort of price range, but the difference with the Maya’s presentation is the feeling that you can place each of the sounds in the correct part of the 3D landscape, adding to the feeling that the music is actually being played “in the room” rather than in between your ears.
 
Going on my usual search for sibilance, Chris Stapleton is next up on the playlist, “Whiskey and You” playing its familiar refrains into my ears with a nice mix of smoothness and emotion, all the while avoiding the fingernails-on-the-chalkboard screech that some gear can turn some of the more “raw” parts of the chorus into with Stapleton’s gravel and bourbon soaked vocals. Switching across to cymbals, the Maya has a nice clear splash to the sound, with a reasonably natural decay and nice emphasis. Nothing too hot or excessive, but it definitely has a presence in the track.
In terms of extension, Luke @ Vibro has confirmed these tweeters can fire way in excess of the human hearing threshold of 20kHz, and I don’t appear to have any music that has pushed these even close to the limit in terms of extension, so I am inclined to listen on that front. Overall, a mature and clear sounding treble tuning, with limitless extension and a great grasp of air and the in-room sound – very well done.
 

 
Mids
 
The mids are the most obvious departure from the previous Vibro Labs IEM “sound”, with the Maya’s neutral tuning brining the vocals and other mid-based instruments into line with the bass and treble, providing a slightly more energetic and crisp sound as a result. The detail presented by the combined bass and treble crossover is excellent, bringing a great sense of realism to vocal performances as you almost hear the reeds moving in the singer’s throat on certain tracks. The detail is well controlled, however, and doesn’t detract from the musical slant on neutrality that the IEM portrays.
 
Guitar-based music plays very well on the Maya, with heavy riffs coming across with a good sense of energy and speed in driving rock tracks, and singing sweetly in the background on more acoustic numbers. Playing some Led Zeppelin through the Mayas, Jimmy Page’s guitar work on “Nobody’s Fault But Mine” is crisp, energetic and driving, feeling as fresh as the day it was recorded. Other guitar heavy tracks like “Shadow Life” by Slash pour out of the sound bores with a great sense of crunch and definition, chopping the track into small sharp pieces of pure rock vitriol for the listener to digest. As you can probably gather, the Maya has quite an energetic presentation for an ostensibly “neutral” headphone, and this does help most types or rock and metal music to sound really good, bringing my feet to life to tap along to the track I was listening to on more than one occasion. The reasonably solid weight from the treble is also felt in the mids – the sound isn’t thick, but it hits with presence and solidity, pinning the music down nicely around it.
 
Male and female vocals are portrayed equally, the drivers not playing any favourites, leaving both sounding smooth and emotional at the same time. Keyboard based instruments are portrayed well too, with a realistic timbre and natural sound to the piano notes on both electronica and more laid back acoustic styles of music. In terms of overall tonality, the Maya has a crisp and musically neutral sound – nothing feels overly warm or analytical either, with a punchy emphasis that reminds me slightly of the Focal Spirit Pro in terms of musical neutrality.
 

 
Bass
 
As this is a neutral tuning, the bass isn’t as heavy as its younger sibling the Aria, with a decent weight and presence but nothing excessive. This definitely isn’t a bass-head’s headphone, with the bass sounding punchy and authoritative but remaining firmly in the “just enough” category rather than the “my fillings have just melted due to the vibrations in my head” section. For tracks with a deep and driving bassline, the Maya copes well enough, playing “Hello, It’s Me” by Sister Hazel with a good amount of warmth and substance to the liquid bassline that permeates the song, without raising it above the rest of the soundscape. Switching across to “Bad Rain” by Slash, the texture and growl of the bassline is there in all its glory, but slightly further back and more restrained than usually presented on a more bass-heavy tuning.
 
Switching over to electronica, and Emile Sande comes through the IEMs with a decent sense of bass rumble, but not quite the presence in the super-low registers that its sibling commands. Kick drums and percussion is snappy and precise, with a wonderful sense of placement to drum head impacts that fleshes out the rhythm section in your head and sits you just in front of the drum stool. Impact is decent for an all-BA setup, but nothing spectacular, and certainly nowhere near as visceral as the bass you can get from a decent dynamic driver. The tradeoff to this lightness of touch is the excellent speed the BA bass exhibits, tunring on a sixpence as the song demands it and making the most convoluted of basslines (think Primus) stand clearly defined in the listener’s ears.
 
Overall, a satisfying and musical lower end, which retains its place in the soundscape well, doesn’t bleed or colour the sound in the midrange and does what is expected of a neutral tuning. The only area that really stands out is the detail, with the dual woofer setup being able to drag real texture and richness of sound from the lightest of bass notes, the lowered emphasis making the detail stand in prouder relief rather than being drowned out by the pumping mid-bass. Like I mentioned, bass-heads won’t be jumping for joy, but for people who like the bass just how the artist recorded it, the Maya can quite happily oblige.
 

 
Soundstage/separation
 
Much like the Aria, the soundstage is good but not excessive, providing a feeling of playing a little way outside your head (mainly in the horizontal axis). Where it differs from the Aria is in the sense of 3D placement and realism the Maya can portray, with a palpable sense of being in the studio or the room with the musician with some better recorded Hi-Res tracks, with the locational cues ringing out loud and clear in the listener’s mind and providing a very “holographic” style of presentation. Separation and placement is very good, with the quad-BA drivers making light work of keeping the duelling guitars of Rodrigo y Gabriela or the twin guitar attack of Metallica blended together so they sound musical, but separate enough to have served divorce papers on each other when you need to follow one of the individual strands. The detail level the drivers are capable of also help here, with everything feeling crisp and properly defined, occupying its own space in the sonic landscape. This is a very good example of an IEM that just sounds “right” to me in terms of presentation, keeping a musical rather than analytical outlook, but furnishing the listener with enough audio detail to build up a pretty comprehensive picture in their heads at the same time.
 

 
Power requirements
 
At 12 Ohms with 114db sensitivity, the Maya are definitely not a difficult IEM to drive, playing pretty nicely with my LG G5. I have been reviewing a few DAPs while I have been listening to these, and just like their little brother the Aria, I find that cranking the output to high gain where the DAP used has that option (or in the case of the Hifiman Supermini, just plugging it in to the minute powerhouse) gives the sound a little boost in terms of dynamics. I have no scientific basis to prove this theory, but for me, a little more juice renders much nicer overall results with this IEM.
 

 
Comparisons
 
Vibro Labs Aria – This is the first IEM model that was produced by Vibro Labs, and now sits behind the Maya in their “pecking order”, with a $200 price differential. In terms of build, the IEMs look almost identical, with the Maya having a different wood faceplate and a transparent rather than smoky 3D printed shell. The ergonomics, fit and build are otherwise identical. The main differences in the Aria when comparing them to the Maya is the tuning, with the Aria having a more “U-shaped” sound, with more emphasis on the low bass frequencies and high treble, leaving the mids sitting further back in the soundscape compared to the flatness and more forward mids of the Maya. The Maya sound a little more energetic than the Aria, with similar punch in the bass but lower quantity and a greater vocal presence, with the Aria producing a slightly more laid back sound. In terms of treble, the Maya is actually capable of greater extension than the Aria, but carries less emphasis overall. In terms of detail, soundstage and “room sound”, the Maya is the more proficient of the two, with the more neutral tuning and more sophisticated acoustic and electronic crossovers being used to mesh the dual woofer and dual tweeter drivers together produceing a more technically adept sound. As I stated in my previous Aria review, these two IEMs are far more similar than they are different – I lean towards the Aria for my own preferences as I prefer a slightly more laid back and “musical” tuning, but in terms of technical ability and sheer capability, the Maya is probably the better IEM. I think they make an excellent pairing, with the more neutral tuning of the Maya pushing the Vibro “house sound” out to a wider audience who may not necessarily fall for the more laid back charms of the Aria. Neither would be a poor choice, so if you get the chance, try them out to see which version of the tuning you prefer.
 
Nuforce HEM8 – this is an impression from recent memory rather than a direct A/B comparison, as I recently sold on the HEM as I was so impressed with the Aria, but thought it was worth including just for context as the only other quad BA IEM I have heard in this price bracket. The sonic signature of the HEM8 is a darker and more rich take on things, with a heavy note weight and a more closed in treble. It is also slightly less extended in the bass frequency range, with a heavier bass emphasis and a slightly warmer sound than the clearer and more neutral Maya. The Maya clearly wins on extension at both ends of the frequency range, and sounds airier and more detailed as a result, with a better presentation of micro-detail. For me, the HEM8 are a very good IEM with a warm and slightly dark tuning that is very good in its own right, but the additional clarity and detail the Maya can provide, along with the more “in the room” presentation make it a clear winner from a sonic standpoint for my personal requirements.
 

 
Overall conclusion
 
The definition of progress is forward movement in the desired direction of travel, and I think that term applies pretty well to these IEMs. After launching a pretty well reviewed set of IEMs in the Aria, Vibro Labs could have sat back and created a “new” version of the existing tuning – instead, they took the sound signature and looked to see how it could be improved to bring more technicality to the table and appeal to a wider audience without losing the overall “flavour” that made the Aria so unique. I think they did a pretty good job here, as the Maya is a technically excellent IEM, with great ergonomics and finish and a much more “mainstream” tuning in the midrange to appeal to a more analytical and wider set of listeners. The sense of realism and physical location in the soundstage of various sounds is superb, and adds a great “in the room” feel to the sound. Coupled with the lively take on a neutral tuning and the smooth and fatigue free listening experience, if you are in the market for a technically accomplished and detailed IEM with great grasp of sound spacing and engaging but still reasonably flat signature, these are an excellent option.  In terms of rating, I actually prefer the Aria for my musical preferences, but can comfortably admit these are the “better” IEM of the two Vibro Labs in terms of imaging prowess, detail retrieval and overall capability, so have no problem rating these at 5 stars. They might not be 100% perfect for me, but I imagine they will certainly be a much better fit for quite a few other people out there.

 
Vibro Labs Aria (universal) – initial impressions
 
In my travels on Head-Fi over the last year or so, Vibro Labs is a name I had heard bandied around in various forums, mainly as makers of the Vibro Veritas IEM measuring system, or due to their work with Zach Meyerbach and his ZMF brand on the highly rated ZMF x Vibro line of modded Fostex planar headphones. On looking a little deeper, it turns out that Vibro Labs is actually the brainchild of Luke Pighetti, who to all intents IS Vibro. Reading more about the firm on their excellent website led me to a few threads and reviews regarding their first ever IEM (the Aria), with people praising the unusual tuning and CIEM-style build, among other things. About the same time I started hearing about the first model, an opportunity came up to participate in a European tour of Vibro’s sophomore offering, the Maya. Wanting to hear the two IEMs side by side, I was lucky to find an Aria on the FS boards going for a very reasonable price, so picked them up to compare side by side with the new offering. This review is unrelated to the tour of the Maya model, and is not linked to Vibro Labs in any way as the gear was purchased by me.
 
About me: newly minted audiophile, late 30s, long time music fan and aspiring to be a reasonably inept drummer. Listen to at least 2 hours of music a day on my commute to work – prefer IEMs for out and about, and a large pair of headphones when I have the house to myself and a glass in my hand. Recently started converting my library to FLAC and 320kbps MP3, and do most of my other listening through Spotify or Tidal HiFi. I am a fan of rock, acoustic (apart from folk) and sarcasm. Oh yeah, and a small amount of electronica. Not a basshead, but I do love a sound with some body to it. Please take all views expressed below with a pinch of salt – all my reviews are a work in progress based on my own perceptions and personal preferences, and your own ears may tell you a different story.
 
Tech specs (from the Vibro website)
 
Faceplate – Amboyna Wood (now replaced by Circassian Walnut on new models)
Smoked CLA shells (3D printed)
Frequency response – 20Hz to 20kHz
Impedance – 15 Ohms
Sensitivity – 110 dB/me
 

 
Unboxing
 
The unboxing for the Vibro is quite a lean affair – in line with some of the more “boutique” custom IEM manufacturers, the Vibro ships in a branded Peli case, without any fancy external packaging. The Peli case is one of the clear case variants in a standard size, with a nice black Vibro labs sticker on the lid to denote what is inside. The innards are sat in some hard foam padding (standard Peli case fare), and the IEMs, cable and cleaning tool are all held firmly in place in a laser-cut velour insert which fills up the available space in the case. The insert is nicely finished, and allows for the IEMs to be inserted snugly for transport. On the down side, the insert takes up pretty much all the available room inside the case, so you won’t be able to transport reams of accessories along with the Aria unless you take it out, but as a secure and good looking transit solution for the essentials (IEM, cable and de-gunking tool), then this is fine. The case itself is in standard Peli 1010 size (as used by various other major CIEM manufacturers) – it is not exactly pocket-friendly, but does provide a practically bomb-proof shelter for transporting your IEMs in safety. One nice touch is the addition of the warranty card on the inside of the case itself (facing out of the bottom panel) – this lists the model name, serial number and who it was made for, and allows you to keep the important warranty detail handy without having to keep track of a small slip of paper. In terms of accessories, the Aria comes with some Comply foam tips (T-600 size in my case), a standard cleaning tool and a run of the mill CIEM style 2 pin braided cable. There aren’t masses of tips or additional goodies to savour, but I personally like this stripped down approach sometimes, as it implies that the majority of the pricetag has been put into the earphones, rather than the niceties that surround them.
 

 
Build quality and ergonomics
There is plenty of information on the Vibro Labs website (www.vibrolabs.com) on the manufacturing process and materials used in these IEMs, so I won’t go into massive detail here – the body of the IEM is made out of a smoky translucent acrylic, with a real hardwood faceplate on the outer face. The faceplate is devoid of any branding, and currently comes in three different varieties of hardwood. The main body of the IEM is 3D printed, and holds a similar ergonomic shape to many high-driver count universal IEMs like the current Noble series. As the shells are see-through, the internal wiring and driver mechanism can be seen clearly – there is plenty of space left in the bottom half of the shell, so I suspect that Vibro could release a higher driver count IEM at some stage without too much major rework on the housing (if they were so inclined).
 
The quality of the build is excellent, with the 3D printed shells feeling smooth and blemish free, with a slightly mottled look when held directly to the light due to the peculiarities of the manufacturing process. They are very smooth and well finished, with the inner face containing the only conspicuous attempt at branding, with an engraved “Vibro” logo in white across the top part of the shell. The wooden faceplate also deserves special mention, blending seamlessly into the main body of the IEM and providing a fantastic and unusual look when worn. The wood itself is beautifully worked and polished to a high shine.
 
In terms of fit and ergonomics, the Aria fit very well in my larger-than-average ear canals – this is quite fortunate, as the sound bore of the IEM is one of the wider I have used, taking a set of Comply T-600s quite easily. That being said, I was easily able to get a very good seal with both ears, and once in, the shape of the shells kept the outer of the IEM around level with the outer part of my ear, so still felt pretty comfortable to wear for extended periods. For those with smaller ears, it may be more of a challenge to get a perfect fit, but Comply tips should help all but the most unspacious of eardrums get a good seal. I would venture a guess that these won’t be the best IEMs to try sleeping in, but at the pricetag involved, I wouldn’t imagine most people would risk wearing them to bed anyway. It is worth noting that my girlfriend has exceptionally small and shallow ear canals, and she wasn’t able to achieve a comfortable fit, but she also struggles with a few of my other IEMs, so not a major concern,
 

 
Sound quality
 
Test gear:
LG G5 (with HiFi Plus 32-bit Sabre DAC add-on)
Shanling M5 DAP
Soundaware M1 Pro DAP (on loan)
Hifiman Supermini
Cowon Plenue D
Microsoft Surface Pro 2 (straight from the output jack)
Cayin C5 (amp only)
 
Test tracks (mainly 320kbps MP3 or FLAC/Tidal HiFi):
Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats – S.O.B. / Wasting Time
Blackberry Smoke – The Whipporwill (album)
Slash – Shadow Life / Bad Rain (my reference tracks for bass impact and attack, guitar “crunch”)
Slash & Beth Hart – Mother Maria (vocal tone)
Sister Hazel – Hello, It’s Me (bass tone)
Chris Stapleton – Whiskey And You
Elvis – various
Leon Bridges – Coming Home (album)
Foy Vance – The Wild Swan
Daft Punk – Random Access Memories (album)
The Chemical Brothers - Go
Rodrigo y Gabriela – various
Mavis Staples – Livin’ On A High Note
Twin Atlantic – The Great Divide
The Darkness – Permission To Land
 

 
General impressions on the sound signature
 
On first listen, the Aria had a sound signature that I very much struggled to process, with my brain trying to identify some common reference points in other IEMs I had heard. The Aria has excellent extension on both ends of the frequency spectrum, with a great depth of bass and sub-bass and clear and sparkling high frequencies. The midrange is textured with a slight dash of warmth and great detail, but sits a little further back in emphasis than the bass or treble. The official description from Vibro is a relaxed “V” shape sound, but to my ears this feels more like a “U” shaped IEM. That being said, to label the tuning as a simple bass and treble boost would be doing it a great disservice. The mids are actually very nicely rendered and don’t feel recessed or lacking if you concentrate on them in isolation. It is almost as if you are dropping down into a canyon with vertical walls, with Bass territory on one side, Trebleville on the other and the river Mid flowing down the canyon riverbed with speed and sparkle. I think the emphasis on both sub-bass and high treble rather than midbass or lower treble helps the tuning in this regard. Once you get accustomed to the signature, the sound is very easy to listen to for prolonged periods, with a sharply defined and textured presentation that still manages to remain non-fatiguing. The detail in the sub-bass specifically merits a mention, with the Aria managing to dig out some new sounds in test tracks I know well that some of my more bassy Aurisonics gear (my previous “gold standard” for bass) has missed in the past. This is an engaging tuning, providing plenty of detail at both ends of the spectrum to catch the ear, and a “just warm enough” tonality to keep the sound from totally drying out as a result.
 

 
Highs
 
The high range of the Aria is extended and detailed, but never feels too sharp. It packs a lot of micro-detail (in common with the rest of the frequency range), with the dual tweeter array being used giving a nice but not excessive sense of air. Despite the extension that is evident, there is a definite smoothing of any particularly rough edges in the spectrum, which contributes to a clear and sharp sound that doesn’t lead to fatigue – a very good blend. Feeding some Slash and Myles Kennedy into the mix, “Starlight” soars in all the right places, with a smoothness and weight to Kennedy’s falsetto which really brings a layer of sweetness to the sound that complements the chugging guitar and pumping basslines very well. Some of the guitar work on this track is quite dissonant, and can be borderline unpleasant on more “etched”, IEMs, but like the vocals, the Aria smooths just enough of the rawness off the jagged edges while retaining the detail. In terms of airiness, the Aria has a great sense of extension and space, without feeling “limitless” – think more mid-sized gig venue than an 80,000 seater stadium. The slightly closed off “roof” to the sound does have the added benefit of emphasising locational cues and “room sounds” quite well (a trait that is taken even further by the next model up in the series, the Maya, but that’s another review!).
 
Cymbals and percussion splash nicely, but don’t sound overemphasised or tizzy, and follow the more laid back and clear tone of the rest of the treble, sitting just above the main sound and providing accents rather than fizzing walls of percussive noise. In terms of sibilance, I have jammed my screechiest tracks through a multitude of DAPs, but I haven’t been able to find anything that has overstepped my personal tolerance limits yet, with the Aria handling the lower level grating on “Whiskey And You” by Chris Stapleton with the same sense of refinement it gives to the Slash track above, smoothing things off just enough to make them listenable without fogging over any fine detail in the process. Like the bass, the smooth but extended tuning is different to a lot of the treble “offerings” out there, but once you have adjusted to it, it just makes sense for this particular IEM, and is very well executed.
 

 
Mids
 
I think the midrange will be the most contentious area of the sound for the average listener (if there is such a thing on HeadFi), with a laid back and almost recessed presentation compared to the bass and treble. I say almost, as once you adjust (“brain burn in”) to the sound, the midrange is slightly warm, detailed and musical, with a lovely smokiness to male vocals and texture borne out of the detail the crossed-over drivers are capable of producing that makes the music feel very welcoming. The driver set up used to achieve this is quite unusual for a 4 BA configuration, with two drivers being allocated to bass and two to treble, with the midrange being derived from the “outer ranges” of both, without its own dedicated driver. I think this actually works very well, with a laid back but detailed vibe and detail enough to keep all but the most analytical listeners satisfied. In reality, I think the mids are reasonably neutral in positioning, with the far edges of both the bass and the treble pushing further forward in the soundscape to give the impression of a pushed back midrange, without the actual volume levels to back that up. Like the treble, there is plenty of detail present when called for, with finger movements on guitar strings (“Coco” by Foy Vance) and other such studio artefacts floating around underneath the sound. The detail and clarity makes guitars sound very good with this tuning, with both the acoustic and electric variants coming to life nicely. Despite the laid back nature of the sound, heavier guitar riffs can still chug nicely thanks to the detail and speed of the drivers, with “One by One” by the Foo Fighters smashing through the musical foreground with its customary energy and crunching through the chorus with ease.
 
Male vocals sound a little thinner than female vocals to me, but not in any particularly bad way. Both male and female vocals are able to impart a good sense of emotion due to the detail and timbre of the sound produced, with Chris Stapleton making the hairs on the back of my arms stand up with “Whiskey and You”, the raw emotion in the singer’s voice translating nicely through the Aria into something truly absorbing. I have read other people on HeadFi mentioning “scooped-out” mids, but while I will be the first to admit my ears are far from “Golden” (I’d guess at copper at absolute best), I just don’t hear the hole some people have mentioned. As always, sound is 100% subjective, but for me, the mid range tuning is the right side of warm, bringing plenty of detail and emotion with it while still retaining the smoothness and non-fatiguing nature of the rest of the frequency ranges.
 

 
Bass
 
Bass on the Aria is a more unusual tuning than most, with an equal emphasis on sub-bass and without the classic mid-bass “thumb” that usually accompanies a more commercial V shaped tuning. That isn’t to say that the mid-bass is lacking on these, in fact far from it, but the balance and additional presence of the sub-bass frequencies adds a good sense of rumble and extension down low that works brilliantly with most electronic music and particularly bassy rock music, allowing the detail and texture of the bass to permeate the song without smearing or drowning out the mid-range.
Switching through my usual test tracks, “Hello, It’s Me” by Sister Hazel kicks off with the rolling chocolate of the bass line filling the track out nicely, with a slightly more balanced feel than on some IEMs due to the balance of the bass frequencies. The impact of the kick drums drives a decent impact into your eardrums for an IEM without any dynamic drivers, feeling punchy and substantial, as well as nicely textured. My other “go-to” for bass is another Slash track (“Bad Rain”) – this doesn’t disappoint, with the rasping texture of the bassline feeling so raw and sandpapered it wouldn’t look out of place on Clint Eastwood’s chin. The pace of the armatures providing the bass (a ported double woofer unit from Knowles, I believe) is evident here, with the riff stopping and starting on a sixpence as the staccato rhythm of the song builds, never sounding sloppy or loose.
 
Moving into more electronic territory, “Nobody To Love” by Sigma pulse nicely, the sub-bass kicking in with a nice sense of fullness and detail as the track gets going, the drums thumping along on top of it and propelling the song forwards. Overall, the bass is full, with a substantial foundation due to the excellent sub-frequency emphasis, managing to sound full and slightly warm without flooding tracks with excessive mid-bass, and generating more impact than you would expect from an all-BA setup. The bass here is an unusual but very appealing tuning, and has altered my perceptions slightly on what I consider truly “great” bass in an IEM – while this doesn’t tick every box I thought I was after in an ideal endgame product wishlist, the masterful tuning and slight tilt down into the mids make for a compelling sound, with bags of detail and a surprising punch to go along with the smoothness.
 

 
Soundstage/separation
 
The soundstage on the Aria is good but not phenomenally wide, stopping just outside the confines of your own head and taking the occasional walk a little further afield just to see what’s going on from time to time. The decent sense of airiness and location cues gives a good sense of depth and separation, with the drivers handling fast and complex passages of music like the duelling Spanish guitars of Rodrigo and Gabriela on their C.U.B.A. collaboration without ever feeling too taxed. The excellent detailing of the sound comes into play here – with the Soundaware M1 Pro DAP, I could hear myself picking out the two different guitars playing the same riff on “Growing On You” by The Darkness, which I haven’t managed to notice on any of my other gear to date. This may be due to the higher impedance output of the M1Pro making the sound a little bit leaner, but after a quick message exchange with Luke @ Vibro, he confirmed that he can’t measure any difference in sound on the Aria with different impedance output (although Sonion do mention it is possible in their technical literature, apparently), so I am happy to chalk that one up as a combination of DAP synergy and good old fashioned user bias/poor volume matching on my part. Overall, the stage sounds and feels quite lifelike, with good micro-detail and a decent spread of instruments, allowing the crisply defined notes to keep everything clearly defined and layered.
 

 
Power requirements
 
The Aria are a low-impedance IEM, and are certainly capable of being fed by things like mobile phones without too much grief. I have been lucky enough to work my way through a few DAPs while I have been listening to these, and for my own preferences, I find that putting a bit of extra gas in the tank on high gain modes with DAPs like the Shanling M5, or playing through the new Hifiman Supermini with its outrageous driving power for something smaller than a dead person’s to-do list does give the Aria an extra bump in the terms of dynamics. Again, this could be down to the phenomenon of volume bias (where people perceive louder sounds as “better”) through poor volume matching on my part, but for me, these IEMs sing when given a little more power to do so.
 

 
 
Comparisons
 
Aurisonics Harmony – this was a two week loaner from a fellow Head-Fi’er, and my “loan” period overlapped nicely with the arrival of the Aria. Compared to the Aria, the Harmony is a triple hybrid setup, with one ported 9.25mm dynamic driver handling the bass and midrange and a patented dual-tweeter array that Aurisonics call HDBA handling the high frequencies. This model has now been discontinued after the Aurisonics buyout by Fender, and has been replaced with a similar triple hybrid called the FXA7 – both models retail at an RRP of $499, which puts it squarely in the same price bracket as the Aria. In term of bass, despite the excellent extension and sub-bass, the all-BA Aria loses out somewhat in terms of viscerality and impact to the bass prowess of the Harmony, but feels slightly faster and more detailed in comparison to the slightly slower and thicker bass produced by the Aurisonics model. For electronica, the larger sub-bass emphasis of the Aria actually works a little better than the more even bass quantity produced by the Harmony across the board, with the Harmony feeling slightly less crisp and detailed as a result. Mids are further back (in the “U”) on the Aria, but have a nice texture and weight nevertheless. They feel a little more detailed than the smoother sound of the Harmony, which produces a more forward and warmer tone overall in this frequency range compared to the more defined and crispy sound of the Aria. Treble is notably more pronounced on the Aria without being overbearing or prone to cause listening fatigue. Technically, the Aria sounds very accomplished in comparison, and the retrieval of audible “micro-detail” feels a notch up on the smooth and musical sound of the Harmony. Soundstage is won by the Harmony (not many IEMs can beat Aurisonics in this facet), but the difference isn’t massive. Separation is edged by the Aria, with the higher detail levels helping to keep the sounds distinct and defined. Build and ergonomics is a draw, with both using 3D printed shells and an ergonomic fit to provide excellent isolation and a great “semi-custom” style fit. Aesthetically, the Aria provide a more classic pseudo-CIEM look with the wooden faceplates, compared to the more industrial plastic shells of the Harmony. This is a difficult call to separate the two – overall, the Aria is a more technically proficient and detailed IEM with a unique tuning, so just edges ahead of the Harmony for me (which was a big surprise as I am a huge fan of the classic Aurisonics “house sound”) unless I am in the mood for something with serious bass impact and presence.
 
Fidue A83 –  The A83 is a recently discovered favourite of mine, and has a fresh “V” shaped sound that manages to emphasis emotion and texture in the vocals as well as the standard bass and treble facets. The A83 was the former flagship of the Fidue line until the launch of the Sirius, and is another triple driver hybrid, with one dynamic handling bass and two balanced armatures handling the mid and treble frequencies. The current pricing of the A83 seems to hover between $300 and $350, so it is in a slightly lower price bracket than the Aria. In direct comparison, the sound of the A83 is slightly warmer and thicker overall than the Aria, with a more pronounced mid-bass “thumb” and a less crisp overall sound as a result. Overall, the extension on the two is still similar, with the dynamic in the A83 providing excellent sub-bass extension and a little more physical impact, at the cost of some speed and a more even bass tuning from the all-BA Aria. The midrange is slightly more forward on the A83, with a textured sound that highlights the “grit” in the singers voice compared to the more refined and smoother Aria, which still manages to hold its own on the emotion front. In terms of detail retrieval, the Aria gives the impression of having more clarity and resolution than the Fidue, with sounds feeling a little clearer and more defined as a result. In terms of treble, the A83 gives a more emphasised and zesty sound to the treble, tailing off a little sooner than the stratospheric extension the Aria is capable of. Again, the perception of clarity favours the Aria here, with a slightly thinner but more defined treble as compared to the weightier but more energetic and raw sounding A83. Soundstage is similar on both, with neither IEM being concert-hall huge, but both allowing for plenty of separation and placement of audio cues just outside the periphery of the listener’s head. Separation is probably edged by the Aria due to the enhanced crispness of the presentation, although it is close. Ergonomics are similar, with the Aria being slightly more comfortable for long term use. Build quality is definitely won by the Aria for the main body, with the beautiful wooden faceplate and quality 3D printed shells edging out the aluminium and plastic construction of the A83. The cable is a notable exception to the build quality verdict, with the “audiophile” silver-plated copper MMCX cable provided with the A83 feeling more premium than the standard Westone-style CIEM cable that comes with the basic Aria. Overall, the A83 is a great example of an audiophile “V” shaped tuning, providing a warmer and slightly thicker sound, losing a little perception of detail and a tiny amount of stage size and separation compared to the Aria in the process. If you prefer a more sophisticated tuning with higher detail retrieval and a non-fatiguing sound than can deal with extreme bass and treble without breaking sweat, the Aria will win quite comfortably here.
 
Vibro Labs Maya – I am very lucky to be in possession of the Maya from Vibro Labs at the moment as well, being the first recipient on the UK tour being organised by Luke @ Vibro. In terms of build, the IEMs look almost identical, with the Maya having a different wood faceplate and a transaparent rather than smoky 3D printed shell. The ergonomics, fit and build are otherwise identical. While it is also a 4-BA setup, the Maya retails for $200 more, and has assumed the position as the current “flagship” of the Vibro Labs range. The main differences in the Maya compared to the Aria is in the tuning, with the Maya tuned to bring forward the midrange into a more traditionally neutral sound. In real terms, the boost in the mids and flattening of the “U” in the bass and treble makes the Maya sound a little more energetic than the Aria, with similar punch in the bass but lower quantity and a greater vocal presence due to the boosted mids. The treble is less emphasised but actually slightly more extended on the Maya to my ears – Luke @ Vibro has confirmed he has boosted the frequency response about 16kHz to pull more “room sound” and locational cues in to the music, and even though the Aria is no slouch in that department, the Maya feels like a definite step up in that regard, presenting an almost “in the studio” feel to some tracks. Overall, these two IEMs are far more similar than they are different – for me personally, I lean towards the Aria for my own preferences as I prefer a slightly more laid back and “musical” tuning, but in terms of technical ability and sheer capability, the Maya is a little way ahead on that front. I think they make an excellent pairing, with the more neutral tuning of the Maya pushing the Vibro “house sound” out to a wider audience who may not neccesarily fall for the more laid back charms of the Aria. Neither would be a poor choice, so if you get the chance, try them out to see which version of the tuning you prefer.
 
Nuforce HEM8 – this is another quad armature IEM in the same price bracket as the aria, with a more conventional driver setup and a very different take on the sound. Where the Aria is broad and pronounced in the lows and highs, the HEM8 is more compact and spherical, with a thicker and meatier note presentation and sense of “substance” than the crisper and more detailed Aria. The bass doesn’t hit as low as the Aria, with notably less thump and a more warm presentation. The treble is also less extended, with a more closed in and clear feel in comparison to the Aria’s endless extension and nice dash of air in the higher registers. The mids are more prominent and chunky on the HEM8 compared to the Aria, but suffer in comparison to the detail. In terms of ergonomics, the HEM8 is a smaller and more comfortable fit, with the Lexan polycarbonate shells looking like a designer coffeebean in comparison to the bigger and more conventional Aria. In terms of accessory package, the HEM8 carries more goodies (including two detachable cables and a variety of tips), but the overall build quality of the IEMs is still similar, with the 3D printed shell and custom looking wooden faceplate of the Aria stacking up very well in comparison. Overall, if you are looking for a richer, less extended sound, then the HEM8 will tick more boxes. If you are after a wider, more detailed and less congested overall presentation with more capable sub-bass and treble, the Aria will win every time, and I feel overall it is the better IEM.
 

 
Overall conclusion
 
This was a difficult review to write, as by my own definitions of what Io enjoy, I shouldn’t like the Aria as much as I do. In actual fact, the unusual tuning and detail and texture on offer have actually slid this into my list of “keeper” IEMs very definitely, causing me to sell on my Fidue A83 and a pair of Nuforce HEM8 (another quad driver IEM) without any regrets. The excellent sound, allied to a beautiful wood finish and 3D printed ergonomics make this an exceptional IEM for me in its “mid-fi” price range. It may not suit everyone, with the bias on sub-bass and higher treble possibly putting off the “No EQ/neutral is everything” tuning crowd, but if you are looking for something smooth but detailed as hell, non fatiguing but energetic enough to get your toes tapping and just plain well-tuned and enjoyable then this IEM (and firm) should certainly be on your radar. In terms of rating, while there might be certain things in terms of tuning and technicalities that won't appeal to everyone, the sheer enjoyment and tuning prowess I feel the Aria exhibit to make such and unusual but addictive sound make them a straight 5 for me. An excellent first effort.

 

 
Soundaware M1 Pro / “Esther”  – initial impressions
 
I had the opportunity to listen to the Soundaware M1 Pro as part of the recent UK and North American tours that the company have been running via Head-Fi. I got to spend two weeks with the player in exchange for writing up my honest opinions in the forums here – before the thread popped up on Head-Fi, I will be honest and admit that Soundaware weren’t a company on my radar, and this is my first experience with their gear.
 
About me: newly minted audiophile, late 30s, long time music fan and aspiring to be a reasonably inept drummer. Listen to at least 2 hours of music a day on my commute to work – prefer IEMs for out and about, and a large pair of headphones when I have the house to myself and a glass in my hand. Recently started converting my library to FLAC and 320kbps MP3, and do most of my other listening through Spotify or Tidal HiFi. I am a fan of rock, acoustic (apart from folk) and sarcasm. Oh yeah, and a small amount of electronica. Not a basshead, but I do love a sound with some body to it. My ideal tuning for most IEMs and headphones tends towards a musical and slightly dark presentation, although I am not treble sensitive in general. Please take all views expressed below with a pinch of salt – all my reviews are a work in progress based on my own perceptions and personal preferences, and your own ears may tell you a different story.
 
Tech specs
(from website)
 

Unboxing / package contents
 
The M1 Pro arrives in a dark maroon cardboard box with a square shape and a thick vinyl covered cardboard surface, with the model name (“Esther”) emblazoned on the front in gold print and the model name written on the side. The look of the box is unashamedly retro, looking like it might just as easily contain a bottle of men’s aftershave as a high-end dual femtosecond clock DAP. Opening up the box, the theme continues – the DAP is sat in a moulded plastic insert, with a “skin” style DAP cover, the instruction manual and a standard micro USB cable and USB card reader sitting in a separate cubbyhole nearby. A small “reset” pin like come with quite a few modern mobile phones completes the accessory layout – for the purposes of the review, Soundaware provided me with a sturdy 3.5mm interconnect and a coax cable, but I presume they won’t come as part of the standard accessory package. The overall vibe isn’t massively high end, but more functional – this certainly isn’t an “Apple standard” unboxing experience, but then again, who listens to cardboard after they get to the age of 6 anyway?
 

 
Build quality and ergonomics
 
The retro styling of the packaging continues with the DAP itself, with the M1 Pro sporting a boxy aluminium shape with a raised screen area and button controls on the front that remind me very much of my old Nintendo Gameboy (the original grey version). The model name is written in script on the front of the DAP, which is a nice touch. The DAP is reasonably light considering its all-metal build, without the feeling of solidity that some other DAPS I have tried in this bracket seem to exude. There are vent holes down each side, which adds to the feeling of airiness, as this is definitely a player that needs plenty of space for its internals, as under reasonable load with FLAC or 320kbps MP3, it tends to run HOT. There are a few stylistic touches to note, like the bevelled edges along all the sides and the three small grooves that add a bit of texture and grip to the front chassis, but overall, this feels like something that was designed by committee in the Eastern Europe of the late 90s, with a functional and “built to endure” design. In terms of actual use, the button placement along the front is logical and easy to use, with the standard power button and volume controls on the top right side, a screen lock tab on the left hand side and micro-USB and micro-SD slots along the bottom edge. One area that lets down the otherwise industrial design is the flimsy rubber cover for the dual micro-SD card slots. This feels fragile and can come loose of its own accord when the player is in your pocket, so would be a long time durability concern for me. Not that it will be a catastrophe for your micro-SD cards to be exposed to the environment, but in a player that is otherwise rock-solid, this seems like a strange solution. The top edge of the player is taken up with three 3.5mm ports – a normal headphone out, a line-out socket and a coax out for further compatibility. All three ports are practically flush with the side apart from a nice and solid looking gold trim on the edge of the socket, so these look like they will stand the test of time a lot better than the micro-SD flap.
 

 
Interface and usability
 
The M1 Pro runs on a pretty basic proprietary UI, driven by the navigation buttons on the front panel. After the initial boot up animation, the player drops into the menu system, starting by default on the “Playing” option. You can scroll left or right to move through the various other functions (Storage, Music Library, Settings etc.), and a press of the central Play/Pause button takes you down a level. There are also physical buttons to one side of the main cluster to go back up a level in the menu structure (the looped arrow) and to go straight to the top of the menu tree (a small “M”). Once at the “bottom level” of any menu, the options are presented as a series of lists. No fancy icons or other graphics, just On and Off options for the various configurables like Coax out and other written options for the selectable gain and DAC roll-off options to give two notable examples.
 
While functional and easy to navigate, this is a UI built to listen to, not to look at, and does leave the product feeling a little bit rough around the edges considering the pricetag. Other DAPs in a similar bracket like the Shanling M5 have UI systems quite similar in approach, but with enough smoothness and graphical “sparkle” to better fit the sound they produce.
In terms of stability, the Esther was reasonably reliable in my fortnight with the DAP, although it did crash and reboot a handful of times, and fully locked up once requiring a proper hardware reset. In day to day use the DAP will do what you ask, and one of the benefits of the spartan user interface is that what it lacks in prettiness it definitely makes up for in speed, rolling through the various options with no lag or stutter.
 
Indexing your micro SD cards (the M1 takes two) isn’t the fastest, and can occasionally throw a hissy fit with poorly tagged files. Being honest, it isn’t the slowest I’ve ever seen either, so shouldn’t be too much of an issue for all but the most impatient of users. Personally I tend to use DAPs with folder browsing, and as this is well supported on the M1 Pro, I rarely had to resort to my indexed or tagged menu options.
 
In terms of stamina, the M1 Pro ekes out around 9-10 hours, which is pretty standard for a DAP in this class with a decent amp section. The amp does seem to suck current even when there is no music playing, however, so the DAP will lose charge pretty quickly in standby mode (and also run a little hot), so it is best to fully shut down each time you stop using the player otherwise you will quickly run out of juice in daily operation.
 
Overall, a simple and usable UI which works quickly and does the basics well, but won’t win any design or innovation awards.
 

 
Suggested improvements for the UI
 
Considering the sound quality the M1 Pro is capable of, here are my suggestions for bringing the overall user experience more into line:
·       Improve stability – DAPs at this price bracket shouldn’t crash doing day to day admin tasks.
·       Allow onboard playlist generation – I can’t find a way to do it, and can’t see that the player actually supports pre-generated playlists either.
·       Implement a search function or alphabetised skipping in the main “Folder Menu” or “Artist / Album” screens. You can skip to the next “page” of artists or albums by using the right and left navigation buttons, but if you are looking for something in the middle of the alphabet on a particularly large card, this can certainly take more time than it needs to given that the display is only 5 lines deep.
·       Allow some form of EQ function – I know some higher end DAPs don’t offer this, but the option to have even a rudimentary ability to tune the sound more to your preferences if you wish seems to be a no brainer.
·       Implement gapless playback – this has become a mainstay of most modern user experiences with audio players, so the notable absence can be a little jarring.
 

 
Sound quality
 
Test gear:
IEMs – Vibro Labs Aria, Fidue A83, Trinity Vyrus
Headphones - Audioquest Nighthawks, Soundmagic P55 Vento (2^nd Gen), Focal Spirit Professional
 
Main test tracks (mainly 320kbps MP3 or FLAC)
Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats – S.O.B. / Wasting Time
Blackberry Smoke – The Whipporwill (album)
Slash – Shadow Life / Bad Rain (my reference tracks for bass impact and attack, guitar “crunch”)
Slash & Beth Hart – Mother Maria (vocal tone)
Sister Hazel – Hello, It’s Me (bass quantity and quality)
Richie Kotzen – Come On Free (bass tone)
Elvis – various
Leon Bridges – Coming Home (album)
Daft Punk – Random Access Memories (album) / Tron (various versions)
Rodrigo y Gabriela – various
Mavis Staples – Livin’ On A High Note
Don Broco – Automatic
Foy Vance – The Wild Swan
 

 
General impressions on the sound signature
 
The M1 Pro runs on Field Programmable Gate Array technology (FPGA for short), which is the same sort of configurable hardware setup that underpins the excellent Chord Mojo. I haven’t actually heard the Mojo, so I can’t say if the M1 Pro is anywhere near the level of accomplishment that the Mojo is reknowned for, but the setup does certainly provide the basis for an excellent sounding and musical player.
 
The overall sound is quite spacious, with a dash of warmth and excellent imaging and separation, leading to an almost 3D presentation with my more capable IEMs. Soundstage is presented well, with good width and height. As with all DAPs, the M1 Pro won’t add too much extra to the IEM or headphone you are using to listen to it through if it isn’t in the mix somewhere already, so think of it more as a small addition to the signature of your cans rather than a radical redefining.
 
Detail level is high, and more noticeable than the other DAP I have been listening to in this price bracket recently (the Shanling M5). Guitars and acoustic instruments are particularly well represented, with the warm but not overly thick or lush midrange accentuating the detail in this frequency band, allowing you to pick out individual guitar licks and chords from the soundscape with ease on the right gear. Paired with a detail monster IEM like the Vibro Labs Aria, this DAP shines an excellent spotlight on the inner working of the music without losing too much musicality, and staying on the side of the more “live” or musical presentation rather than taking a more analytical approach. Part of the “live” presentation relates to the spacing between the instruments – they feel well separated, with minimal background noise between them, which gives a great sense of spatial cues and a roundness to drum sounds that brings the music to life.
 
Despite the high level of detail retrieval and accomplished imaging, this is still quite a laid back sounding DAP, with a slight smoothness to the end of notes (the decay) that stops the sound becoming too energetic. In terms of pairings, this pairs well with the sharper sounding items in my collection, sounding particularly good with the energetic and fizzy Trinity Vyrus on some of its more aggressive filters. The mixture of detail and smoothness also does very well extracting the emotion from vocals – playing “Whiskey and You” by Chris Stapleton from my usual test tracks, the extra “room sounds” and the realistic timbre of the singer’s voice really brings home just how accomplished the sound is, with the raw emotion and gravel in Stapleton’s voice really grabbing centre stage.
 
My overall impression is of a detailed but musical soundscape, with good space between instruments and layers and a fluid and impressive sound signature that gets the most out of the equipment it is driving without too much unnecessary fuss or harshness. It’s a very good implementation by Soundaware, and while the looks and UI of the player can be queried at this price, the sound output quite simply cannot.
 

 
Background noise / output power
 
Using my Vibro Labs Aria as a guinea pig, any hiss produced is low to inaudible in general use. This isn’t quite as black a background as the Shanling M5 I have been listening to recently, but this should be quiet enough for all but the most sensitive of ears and IEMs. As for driving power, there are three user selectable gain settings (low, mid and high), and at high gain the M1 Pro puts out a reasonable if not awe-inspiring amount of juice. It drives my Audioquest Nighthawks and Focal Spirit Pros well, taking maximum advantage of the scalability of both to produce a strong and dynamic sound. I don’t have any really high impedance items in my current collection so I can’t test directly, but initial impressions and the listed maximum output of 2.8V seem to indicate the M1 Pro might struggle a little to drive something more difficult like the HD650 to its maximum headroom without a little bit of external help. This isn’t a major issue, however, as the line out is remarkably clean in terms of signal, playing very nicely with my Cayin C5 to produce a clean and strong output that should be able to power most things without too much effort.
 
Overall, the player is well suited to drive low and mid impedance IEMs, leaving a good amount of headroom behind on my Vibro Aria and the A83, and doing a similar job as slightly higher output volume on the Nighthawks. Due to the fact my home computer setup is currently strewn all over the place, I wasn’t able to find time to put it all back together to test the coax or standalone DAC output unfortunately.
 

 
Storage and format support
 
The M1 Pro is another in a line of recent players that don’t offer any internal storage, but it does make up for this by offering two micro-SD card slots, allowing for a maximum supported storage of 256Gb. I haven’t had any issues in practice using a 200Gb card, so it may be that the “official” capacity is revised at some point. Soundaware provide the usual array of low and high resolution filetype support, with no notable absentees.
 

 
Comparisons
 
Sony Xperia Z3 Compact (using Neutron Player) – this has been my “daily driver” for music playback until very recently. As stated in my comparison with the Opus #1 DAP on another recent review, I have been very happy with the sound output through my current gear, as it has a capable dual-DAC setup and half decent volume capabilities if you can get the non-European version. It also comes extremely close to my old Sony NWZ-A15 walkman in terms of baseline sound quality, with only the additional digital sound processing tweaks on the Walkman differentiating between them, so is a pretty good performer in the mobile bracket. Comparing it to the M1 Pro, the Soundaware is an audible notch or two higher in terms of quality, with a more realistic sense of timbre and space, and a crisper and more detailed presentation. The sound feels more rounded overall compared to the more flat and two dimensional sound the Z3C when compared directly – the Z3C has a perfectly adequate presentation using the Neutron Player software, so this difference is only apparent when pitting the two directly up against each other. The Sony crushes the M1 Pro in terms of battery life, with the M1 Pro being able to manage around 9 hours when not chewing through 24/192 files, compared to the runtime of 20-25 hours plus with the Z3C – whatever Sony put in the water over at their battery technology division is obviously showing no signs of wearing off just yet. The Z3C also scores highly on the UI in comparison to the M1 Pro – full Android OS and the ability to use multiple different players and streaming software make it another unfair fight in that category. Overall, the FPGA-driven sound of the M1 Pro is noticeably more refined and just plain better than the Z3C, but as with most things at this sort of level, the difference is not huge.
 
Shanling M5 – I purchased the M5 as an “interim” DAP not long prior to the arrival of the M1 Pro on tour, so the impressions below are based on a few days comparative listening between the two devices, rather than a real in depth analysis due to the timeframes involved. In terms of build, the M5 is a solid metal build like the Soundaware, but exhibits a much more aesthetically pleasing build, with the solidity of the metal construction, the larger screen (still non-touch) and overall finish evoking a much higher price bracket product. The pricing between the two models is similar, with the Soundaware going for between $50 and $100 more on the stores I have checked at the moment. With regards to sound, both DAPs are reasonably evenly matched, with the Soundaware providing a slightly leaner overall sound, with more emphasis on the separation between instruments and overall detail. Neither player sounds overly dry or analytical, but the Soundaware gives a little more edge to my Multi-BA and hybrid IEMs, at the expense of a little bass in the lower end. At this level, both players are technically excellent, with the leanness I experienced in the sound comparing the Soundaware to the Shanling contributing to a perception of increased detail retrieval, even if that wasn’t actually the case. On the flip side, the Shanling provides a warmer and more intimate sound, suiting acoustic and live music slightly better to my ears. With regards to driving power, the internal amp in the M5 seems to be able to generate a fair bit more power output than the M1 Pro, being able to run most of my inventory at half power on low gain, compared to the Soundaware, which has had to be kicked into High Gain and pushed up to about 80% to get a full sound out of at least one of the over-ear headphones I tried it with. Another area where the Shanling clearly pulls ahead is UI – while the Soundaware shares most of the same tricks (different gain settings, USB DAC functionality etc), the Linux-based GUI on the Shanling feels more functional and responsive, and is more stable than the Soundaware, which has crashed a few times since I have had it, compared to the M5’s blemish free record so far. One final differentiator in favour of the M5 is the inclusion of a 10 band EQ, which the Soundaware model lacks. For the price, both are accomplished players, so if the UI and looks aren’t a consideration, then the choice will come down to whether you own a lot of low-OI headphones and are a fan of a leaner and more spacious presentation compared to the more intimate warmth of the M5.
 
Cowon Plenue D​ - this arrived just as the M1 Pro was leaving, so this is more of an impression than an A/B comparison. The Plenue D is a much smaller and more ergonomic DAP, with a smaller footprint, approximately 8 to 10 times as much bettery power and a much slicker touch screen based UI. General impressions of the sound favour the M1 Pro as a step up in terms of overall clarity and finesse, with the Plenue D offering an engaging and fun sound with a decent level of detail but not quite as much refinement or mastery of space and soundstage as the M1 Pro on first listen. The Plenue D does have the benefit of an almost limitless amount of EQ options compared to the lack of any EQ on the M1Pro, and is far cheaper. Overall, two DAPs for differing purposes, with the Plenue winning on portability, battery power and ease of use/EQ tinkering without being too far away on the sound output, but the M1 Pro still having a noticeable edge on out and out sound quality.
 

 
Overall conclusion
 
If ever there was an example of not judging a book by its cover, the Soundaware M1 Pro could write said book, the cover and the sleeve notes on it. Boxy and uninspiring industrial design and basic UI may give the initial impression of a low end player, but as soon as you plug in a decent set of cans and fire it up, the music that comes out of it is quite simply beautiful. This DAP reminds me of an old American muscle car in the modern era of Bugatti Veyrons and McLaren F1s – all angles, solid metal and simple clean power compared to the sleek lines and slick finish of the modern roadsters. There is something satisfying about the sound it produces that makes this a very enjoyable listen, and allows you to become absorbed in the music and the detail, without falling too far into analytica in the process. I have given it a four star rating overall – purely for sound, I would give this a 5, as in this price bracket I think this is a very impressive experience. If I was judging this on looks and usability (as well as power management), this would only rate a three, as while simple and intuitive, there is just a little too much polishing to be done for a product in this price range for me. As mentioned, I didn’t get the chance to use the pass-through DAC option, so the review and ratings are based without assessing that element of the player, just to be clear. Overall, if you have the money and are concentrating on pure sonics rather than the complete package, the M1 Pro definitely deserves to be considered against the other major names in its price bracket as a serious contender with a great sound.

 
Shanling M5 – initial impressions
 
I first heard the Shanling M5 at Canjam London (2016), where the Shanling team had a stand showing their current product lineup. After a brief chat with one of their team (who I later found out was the designer!) and some listening time through a pair of Beyerdynamic T5P and my own set of Fidue A83s, I was impressed enough to buy one of the demo units off the team at the end of the day. I had not heard much about Shanling up until that point, but the quality of the goods and the enthusiasm of the team convinced me it was a gamble worth taking.
 
About me: newly minted audiophile, late 30s, long time music fan and aspiring to be a reasonably inept drummer. Listen to at least 2 hours of music a day on my commute to work – prefer IEMs for out and about, and a large pair of headphones when I have the house to myself and a glass in my hand. Recently started converting my library to FLAC and 320kbps MP3, and do most of my other listening through Spotify or Tidal HiFi. I am a fan of rock, acoustic (apart from folk) and sarcasm. Oh yeah, and a small amount of electronica. Not a basshead, but I do love a sound with some body to it. My ideal tuning for most IEMs and headphones tends towards a musical and slightly dark presentation, although I am not treble sensitive in general. Please take all views expressed below with a pinch of salt – all my reviews are a work in progress based on my own perceptions and personal preferences, and your own ears may tell you a different story.
 

 
Tech specs

1. Screen: 3 inch IPS HD resolution display (480X800)
2. Audio format: DSF, DFF, ISO, APE, FLAC, ALAC, WMA, AAC, OGG, MP3, WAV, AIFF
3. Sampling rate: 44.1kHZ-192kHZ
4. Output Level: 1.3VrmS
5. D / A converter chip: AK4490
6. Amp chip: a voltage amplifier chip AO86lO, current amplifier chip BUF634
7. Low-pass filter chip: JRC MUSES8920
8. Decoding: maximum support 384 kHz / 32bit
9. USB: USB Micro-B [data transfer and charging (MAC and PC)]
10. Output ports: headphone output (3.5mm), Line / coaxial output (3.5mm)
11. Output Power: 300mw @ 32ohm / 20mw @ 300ohm
12. Dynamic range: 110-20kHz (-0.2dB)
13. Distortion: <0.003%
14. SNR:> 105dB
15. Clock Jitter: 30ps (Typ)
16. Reference clock jitter: 200fs
17. External Storage: Maximum support 128G TF card
18. Battery: 3400mAH lithium battery
19. Life time: 9-10 hours
20. Support System: Windows XP, Windows7, 8, 10 (32 / 64bit), MAC OS X 10.7 upwards
21. Dimensions: 57 X 13.8X120mm
22. Weight: 135g

 

 
Unboxing / package contents
 
The M5 is currently priced at $499, so sits firmly in the “middle tier” of current DAP technology cost-wise. The packaging reflects this, with a simple yet sophisticated cardboard package with a picture of the player on the front along with some discreet product branding, along with a few product specs along the sides in both Chinese and English, and another picture of the back of the player on the rear. Opening the box, you are presented with a jet black presentation box in thicker cardboard, with a solitary Shanling logo in embossed silver in the middle of the lid. Opening the box, the player is sat in a black surround inside, with a removable partition underneath containing the remainder of the accessories (co-axial cable, standard USB charging cable, USB card reader and the product warranty and manuals. Not an excessive load-out, but the included accessories look high class, and are well made and finished, adding to the premium feel of the product nicely. It is worth noting that when purchased online from some stores, the $30 official Shanling fitted leather case will also be included. Overall, a simple and elegant presentation which places the M5 nicely in the mind as a higher class piece of gear.
 

 
Build quality and ergonomics
 
The M5 is on the smaller size for current DAPs (thing like the Sony A25 and the Sansa Clip notwithstanding), with a form factor reminiscent in size to an old iPhone 4, just double the thickness. It fits nicely in the hand and the pocket, and feels suitably heavy, conveying a good sense of solidity through the brushed aluminium body and nicely bevelled edges. About 75% of the front of the player is taken up with a 310ppi “retina class” IPS screen – it is sadly not a touchscreen, but does provide plenty of space for album art and track listings when using the proprietary Shanling UI. Breaking up the all-metal theme, the back of the player is covered with a carbon-fibre effect panel, with the Shanling logo and various certifications and product specs overlaid in dark grey on top. The overall impression is one of understated elegance – less in your face and “designer” than the Opus#1, but still a well designed and industrial piece of tech that sits nicely in the hand or pocket.
 
Another unusual design aspect is the rounded top right hand corner – apart from breaking up the brick-like lines of the player, it also follows the shape of the main control wheel that drives all interaction with the player. The wheel is derived from a Japanese ALPS camera control wheel, and looks like a futuristic replacement to the original iPod control wheel, just on a much smaller scale. The usual player controls (forward, backwards, play/pause and menu/back up) are all there in the places you would expect, and the wheel itself has a nice textured ring around the outer which is used for scrolling through the on screen options and lists. In use, the position of the wheel rests naturally under my thumb when I am holding the player in my right hand, so feels very ergonomic in use, and does allow for easy navigation of the player and control menus one-handed, which can be more tricky on larger DAPs or touchscreen interfaces. The wheel itself feels smooth in motion, and seems pretty durable. In terms of other buttons, there is a silver power button along the left hand side of the frame, and a slot at the bottom of the left hand side for a micro-SD card (maximum “official” supported card size is 128Gb, but I have been using a full 200Gb card with no problems). The top of the player has a 3.5mm headphone out port, and a line-out/coax out port sat alongside it. One nice touch is the inclusion of a rubber “bung” to block whichever port is not currently in use, to avoid the build up of dust and debris in the unused socket. It’s a small thing, but shows the attention to detail that has obviously been lavished on this player, and is definitely a nice touch other manufacturers should consider.
 


 
Interface and usability
 
The M5 runs on a proprietary UI, with a simplistic but reasonably fully featured interface which makes the DAP one of the easier I have used to operate. On bootup (which takes about 4-5 seconds from cold), the player launches into the main menu screen, which has a series of options in a hemispherical arc down the right hand side of the screen. Scrolling on the wheel moves between the options, and clicking the central button on the control wheel allows you to drop down a level in to the menu. The “back up” button on the wheel will allow you to pull back up a menu stage at any point as well, so all in all, a reasonably simple control method.
 
The actual functionality of the DAP is reasonably well developed, with options to control whether the line-out port outputs LO or Co-ax output, if the buttons work when the screen is powered down, if a USB connection automatically fires up the onboard DAC (the M5 can be used as a standalone DAC with a PC or USB-OTG enabled device) alongside the usual screen timeout options and other related items.
There is also a sub-menu for Audio settings, which allows you to toggle gapless playback, the gain setting (low or high), the inbuilt 10-band EQ or channel balance. Overall, most aspects of the interface can be tweaked, and it is a very stable and mature implementation of a basic UI (my unit was running v 1.2). There is room for some improvement as detailed below, but overall, this is a very easy to use DAP that allows even the most technophobic user to navigate around with relative ease.
 
On-screen navigation on the “Now Playing” screen is also reasonably simple using the wheel – scrolling the wheel turns the volume up or down, the directional arrows move you back and forward between tracks and a long press on the central button pops up a context-sensitive menu offering the option to add the track to the playlist or browse via Artist/Album etc., as well as delete the track in question. Again, nothing too flashy, but a simple and effective way of shoehorning extra functionality into the main interface is a useful manner.
 
One point to note about the Linux-based UI is the absolute rock-solid stability of the player – in multiple weeks of use, the player hasn’t crashed or stuttered once, no matter what has been going on inside. This is a good example of a UI that has been properly tested, and feels very “premium” in that respect compared to the buggy and crash-prone UI on other DAPs I have used.
 


 
Suggested improvements for the UI
 
While is it a quick and seamless user experience, there are certainly a few suggestions I would make to the M5 team for future upgrades:
·       Increase the time-out window before the screen “snaps back” to the “Now Playing” window (which it will do if left alone for more than a few seconds). When scrolling between options in the Play or System Settings menus, it can be frustrating to take your eyes off the screen for a second and find yourself back on the track screen, having to navigate your way back through various submenus to get back to where you were. Nothing drastic is required, just maybe boosting the delay to around the 30 second mark from the current 10 second setting.
·       Allow onboard playlist generation – the only way I can find top do this is via the Now Playing screen “pop up” menu.
·       Implement a search function or alphabetised skipping in the main “Folder Menu” or “Artist / Album” screens. If you have a large SD card full of music (about 170Gb in my case), scrolling all the way through from A each time can get a bit tiring when you are looking for an artist in the middle of the alphabet. In fairness, scrolling the wheel at a medium pace does seem to fire the cursor through the list pretty quickly, but it can quickly become frustrating when you shoot past the artist or album you want for the 100^th time.
·       Improve indexing speed for large SD cards – like most DAPs, the player seems to take a while to consume large amounts of library data for the first time, and struggled a little when I initially popped in a fully loaded 200Gb SD card. On my smaller 64Gb cards, the indexing was about on par with other players I have used, but if some manufacturers can get this task done in a minute or two, why can’t all of them (just my opinion)? It isn't a major issue if you mainly use folder browsing (like I generally do), but is definitely a nice to have.
 

 
Sound quality
 
Test gear:
IEMs – Vibro Labs Aria, Fidue A83, Trinity Vyrus
Headphones - Audioquest Nighthawks, Soundmagic P55 Vento (2^nd Gen), Focal Spirit Professional
Main test tracks (mainly 320kbps MP3 or FLAC)
Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats – S.O.B. / Wasting Time
Blackberry Smoke – The Whipporwill (album)
Slash – Shadow Life / Bad Rain (my reference tracks for bass impact and attack, guitar “crunch”)
Slash & Beth Hart – Mother Maria (vocal tone)
Sister Hazel – Hello, It’s Me (bass quantity and quality)
Richie Kotzen – Come On Free (bass tone)
Elvis – various
Leon Bridges – Coming Home (album)
Daft Punk – Random Access Memories (album) / Tron (various versions)
Rodrigo y Gabriela – various
Mavis Staples – Livin’ On A High Note
Don Broco – Automatic
Foy Vance – The Wild Swan
 

 
 
General impressions on the sound signature
 
On initial listen to the Shanling player, there is nothing that immediately jumps out and grabs you. Soundstage? Yeah, nice and wide, but not “plains of the Sahara” huge. Detail? Pretty impressive when called for, but the player doesn’t force every wheeze of the backing singer’s head cold down your earholes on each song. Tonality? Warm and smooth, like some softly melting butter. What really grabs you (when you realise), is how well these all mix together to give a musical presentation that is very easy to get lost in, like an old comfy chair. On more than one occasion I have found myself losing hours listening to albums I know inside out, just because the sound is so rich and inviting, like a bath full of liquid chocolate. There is a clean musicality to the sound that stays just on the right side of warm without getting too thick, keeping the detail in the mix nicely without making anything too emphasised or harsh, and playing very nicely with less well-mastered/recorded tracks.
 
In terms of overall tonality, the player itself is very mildy coloured to my ears, with a slightly north of neutral sound which has just a dash more emphasis than flat in the mid to low bass region. This slight lift gives a nice tinge of warmth to the overall sound without forcing anything too drastic into the mix, playing very nicely with dynamic driver and hybrid IEMs to produce a full but still speedy bass foundation. The rest of the soundscape is reasonably neutral sounding, with a slight emphasis on the area containing vocals (more female than male to my ears), which brings them ever so slightly more forwarding the mix than my other players at a similar volume level. As with all things at this sort of level, the differences are small rather than glaring, but the overall sound does seem to suit vocals pretty nicely.  Treble is smooth and detailed (a difficult blend to get right, but Shanling have done well here), with a good mix between detail and sharpness and a silky smooth overall tone. This is a DAP that plays well with treble-heavy gear (I tested it out using some of the treble razor filters on my Trinity in-ears and the Soundmagic P55 Vento I am currently demo-ing), keeping the presentation from getting too thin and screamy while still keeping the detail levels high.
 
Soundstage is good but not great, with the slight tint of warmth pulling the further extremes of the sound back towards the listener. Given the resolution and clarity it can provide, it never “closes in” the sound too much on anything I have tried with it, but would certainly not be described by me as a massively spacious sound (with my gear, at least). As with anything, the DAP or source merely provides the fuel for the IEMs or headphones you hook up to them to play the music, so this DAP won’t magically smooth out some of the rougher “gems” in your collection or push music outside your head where the IEM you are using is firmly anchored between your eyeballs, but with reasonably transparent gear, it will provide a smooth and enjoyable sound and make the most of your electronic music collection without too much fuss.
 

 
Background noise / output power
 
Hooking the M5 up to my Vibro Labs Aria (currently the most “hiss-prone” IEM I currently own), the blackness of the output is apparent. Unless my hearing is finally going completely south after one too many loud rock concerts, I can hear no discernible hiss when the player is idling, or when music is being played. In terms of power, the amp section of the M5 was able to comfortably drive my IEMs with maximum headroom on the low-gain setting, and take the Nighthawks and Focal Spirit Pros for a similar ride on the High Gain setting – the NH are actually pretty easy to drive, but take advantage of the extra juice pretty well in terms of dynamics and overall sound “depth”. The 300mW output power on the specs seems to be pretty accurate – I don’t have any specifically hard to drive gear or super high-end over ears, but with these, I was able to drive everything I own louder than I could listen to, with a good sense of punch and dynamics in the process. In fact, I found the Aria actually responded well to the High Gain setting, with the M5 still having plenty of fine control in terms of actual volume. For those of you with “black hole” cans that need a small nuclear battery to power them like the HD600/650 or a high end planar, an external amp may still be useful, but for any low to mid impedance setups, the M5 has more than enough power to drive them well in my opinion.
 
The actual volume allows for quite fine control, with 120 digital steps from absolute silence to head-meltingly loud – most of my listening has been done between 50 and 65 on low gain, and 45 – 65 on high gain. As I listen to my music reasonably loud, this is a pretty impressive outing for something so compact, and highlights what can be done in terms of DAP output power without terminally compromising the battery life (Sony, take note – the A25 has stellar battery life, but the European version struggles to drive Miss Daisy without a beefy amp attached).
 

 
Storage and format support
 
The M5 does not come with any internal storage, but does allow micro-SD cards up to 200Gb (confirmed by Shanling in the M5 thread). There is only one card slot, but this should provide reasonable capacity for most portable music collections unless they are 100% DSD. The Shanling is well served on the main music filetypes currently on market, able to play all the usual lossy and lossless suspects, including DSD. The firmware is upgradeable, so there is hopefully scope to add things like MQA in the future if needed as well, although this has not been indicated officially by Shanling.
 
Comparisons
 
Sony Xperia Z3 Compact (using Neutron Player) – this has been my “daily driver” for music playback up until the other week, when it was unceremoniously replaced by the LG G5 with HiFi Plus add-on. As stated in my comparison with the Opus #1 DAP on another recent review, I have been very happy with the sound output through my current gear, as it has a capable dual-DAC setup and half decent volume capabilities if you can get the non-European version. It also comes extremely close to my old Sony NWZ-A15 walkman in terms of baseline sound quality, with only the additional digital sound processing tweaks on the Walkman differentiating between them, so is a pretty good performer in the mobile bracket. That being said, in direct comparison, the M5 gives a warmer but more detailed sound overall, with a greater feeling of depth and substance to the music and a slightly more organic feel. The difference isn’t drastic, but noticeable nonetheless. There is a fullness and definition to the sound that brings it a little more into three dimensions than the more sterile and flat sound of the Z3C when compared side by side – as mentioned, the Sony handset has been more than capable for me running the Neutron Player software, so this is only something that is noticeable when comparing against a slightly higher performing DAP like the M5. Battery life goes to the Sony hands down – there aren’t many DAPs that aren’t manufactured by the battery genies over at the Sony factory that can compete against a device that can run 25 hours straight on HiRes tracks without falling over. Another area where the Z3C scores a win is on the interface – the benefits of sporting a full Android OS and the customisable players and front end make it a far more flexible and intuitive player to use, compared to the functional but more specific UI on the Shanling. Overall, for sound, the beautifully rounded yet detailed sound of the M5 is a clear (if small) step up the audio food chain, but if you aren’t looking for the last word in clarity or musicality and favour battery life and UI over pure sound and driving capability, the Z3C may still have something to offer.
 
Soundaware M1 Pro – I have currently got this DAP as part of a UK tour by Soundaware, so have not had much chance to pit it directly against the M5. The impressions below are based on a few days comparative listening between the two devices, so should be treated as more of an overall perception rather than a hard and fast statement of fact. In terms of build, the Soundaware is a solid metal build like the M5, but lags behind the clean lines and solid feeling build, presenting itself as more of an “early 90s” styled device, with a smaller screen (also non-touch) and a layout of button which is vaguely reminiscent of an old-school Nintendo Gameboy. The pricing between the two models is similar, with the Soundaware going for between $50 and $100 more on the stores I have checked at the moment. With regards to sound, both DAPs are reasonably evenly matched, with the Soundaware providing a slightly leaner overall sound, with more emphasis on the separation between instruments and overall detail. Neither player sounds overly dry or analytical, but the Soundaware gives a little more edge to my Multi-BA and hybrid IEMs, at the expense of a little bass in the lower end. Discussing this with another head-fi’er recently, he mentioned that the output impedance of the Soundaware player is quite high, which will most likely explain the drying out of the sound with the Aria (a 4-BA setup with fairly low impedance). At this level, both players are technically excellent, with the leanness I experienced in the sound comparing the Soundaware to the Shanling contributing to a perception of increased detail retrieval, even if that wasn’t actually the case. On the flip side, the Shanling provides a warmer and more intimate sound, suiting acoustic and live music slightly better to my ears. With regards to driving power, the internal amp in the M5 seems to be able to handle far more power output than the M1 Pro, being able to run most of my inventory at half power on low gain, compared to the Soundaware, which has had to be kicked into High Gain and pushed up to about 80% to get a full sound out of at least one of the over-ear headphones I tried it with. Another area where the Shanling clearly pulls ahead is UI – while the Soundaware shares most of the same tricks (different gain settings, USB DAC functionality etc), the interface they use is very much in line with the external appearance of the player: robust, clunky and developed in the late 90s. In contrast, the Linux-based GUI on the Shanling feels more functional and responsive, and is more stable than the Soundaware, which has crashed a few times since I have had it, compared to the M5’s blemish free record so far. One final differentiator in favour of the M5 is the inclusion of a 10 band EQ, which the Soundaware player lacks. For the price, both are accomplished players, so if the UI and looks aren’t a consideration, then the choice will come down to whether you own a lot of low-OI headphones and are a fan of a leaner and more spacious presentation compared to the more intimate warmth of the M5.
 

 
Overall conclusion
 
Not being blessed with a huge library of comparison gear or the “golden ears” to appreciate it, trying to be objective about DAPs in this sort of price bracket is difficult. It can be like trying to pick your favourite steak in a restaurant – every now and again, a fillet comes along that is clearly a slice above the rest, but for everything else, it is as much about how the food is seasoned and presented as the actual cut of meat underneath which determines how much you will enjoy it. That is as appropriate an analogy as I can think of to describe the M5 – the underlying DAC chip is a well-respected performer (the AK4490) in this price bracket, and the chassis, amp power and usable UI all contribute to an overall sound that is musical, detailed and enjoyable. This isn’t a revelation in terms of sound in the same way that a $1000 IEM can sound compared to a set of $100 buds, but when listened to side by side with today’s generation of phone player and first-tier audiophile DAPs, there is a small but noticeable uptick in resolution, driving power and musicality that allows you to sink just a little further into the music. In the long term, I would wonder how the non-touch based UI will fare as most mid-fi manufacturers seem to be adopting touch screen android based interfaces, but on a purely sound based level, this is a very good performer for the price, and with the added bonus of not having to carry an amp stack around for most cans and the ability to use it as a USB DAC (sadly, not tested due to my current computer set up), this is a very capable and good sounding player for the current price. I can’t award it the full complement of 5 stars as there are a few things that would help (search functionality in the selection screens, less time before the menus time out etc), but for the price, this is certainly a DAP worth considering if you get the chance.

 
Aurisonics Harmony – initial impressions
 
As a fan of the Aurisonics house sound, I have spent the last year or so trying to work my way through the models in their range that I haven’t yet listened to – I have previously owned the ASG 2.5, Rockets, Forte, Eva and ASG 1Plus (which were my first foray into proper mid-tier IEMs), but the Harmony and Kicker from the Bravo range have up to now managed to elude me. Another very kind Head-Fi’er (@TheUKMrT) took pity on my plight and offered to send me his pair of Harmony (now known as the FXA7 in the new Fender series) for a couple of weeks so I could listen and write up my thoughts, for which I am extremely grateful. As stated in one of my previous reviews, I find their IEMS generally sit quite well with my musical preferences due to their tuning for their main target audience (stage musicians).
 
About me: newly minted audiophile and aspiring reviewer, late 30s, long time music fan and a reasonably inept drummer. Listen to at least 2 hours of music a day on my commute to work – prefer IEMs for out and about, and a large pair of headphones when I have the house to myself and a glass in my hand. Recently started converting my library to FLAC and 320kbps MP3, and do most of my other listening through Spotify or Tidal HiFi. I am a fan of rock, acoustic (apart from folk) and sarcasm. Oh yeah, and a small amount of electronica. Not a basshead, but I do love a sound with some body to it. Please take all views expressed below with a pinch of salt – all my reviews are a work in progress based on my own perceptions and personal preferences, and your own ears may tell you a different story.
 
Tech specs
 

1. Driver: Custom 9.25mm precision rare-earth dynamic + dual HDBA tweeter
2. Frequency response: 8Hz - 24kHz
3. Impedance: 18 ohm +/- 10% @ 1kHz
4. Sensitivity: 123dB @ 1mW
5. Passive noise attenuation: NRR 22db
6. Construction: Digital Hybrid Technology (DHT)™ shell fits 95% of ears like a custom (Hybrid custom/universal fit derived from thousands of ears scanned).
7. Cable: Detachable MMCXi™ silver-plated low oxygen copper cable
8. Colour: Gold 

 

 
Unboxing
 
As this was a “loaner” pair, I wasn’t sent the full package, but the Harmony shares the same packaging load-out as the rest of the Bravo series. The box is a simple oval shape and made from hard plastic, showing the usual product branding and specs and topped off by a transparent top section where the IEM shells are displayed as if they were in a store presentation case. The box itself contains a clamshell case (nice and small, so works very well as a “pocketable” case, a standard CIEM style 2-pin cable, a wax cleaning tool and four sets of the ubiquitous Aurisonics in-house SureSeal tips. As a “top of the line” model at the time, the packaging is quite lean on extras, but well done nonetheless.
 

 
Build quality and ergonomics
 
the Harmony is built using a 3D printing process Aurisonics call “Digital Hybrid Technology” to ensure a semi-custom fit. The 3D printed shell shape is based on scans of the outer-ear geometry of thousands of people, which Aurisonics claim will provide an almost perfect fit for 95% of the population. In reality, the shells are reasonably large but do fit very comfortably into my ears without any discomfort, “locking” into place in the bowl of the ear with little effort. For users of the previous ASG series, you will notice that the stem of the earphones has been made slightly longer and thinner, moving down one size when using Comply foam tips from T500s to T400s, which will be good news for those with smaller ear canals. Noise reduction is quoted as being around 22db, which is definitely in the CIEM bracket. In real terms, this won’t allow you to take a nap next to a working jackhammer, but it will do pretty well for the usual plane, train and automobile commuting type of wear. The shells themselves have a nice feeling of solidity and weight to them without being uncomfortably heavy, feeling like they are made to be used, rather than pampered.
 
The overall size of the shells is probably in line with a low-profile CIEM, so it will be obvious that you are wearing them as they protrude slightly from the bowl of the ear. This also precludes sleeping with them in, as while they are certainly comfortable to nod off with, rolling over on your pillow will probably result in some form of trip to the A&E to undo tip-related brain surgery. The included cable is a standard (and thin) Westone-style braided MMCX cable – Aurisonics have made a small adjustment to the MMCX connection itself (which they call MMCXi) , and the actual MMCX jack is now square, which apparently helps musicians (their target audience) detach the cables more easily in a sweaty live environment. In practice, it is still as fiddly as usual when you are trying to put the IEMs in one handed due to the free rotating nature of the MMCX connector and the included memory wire ear guides, but once fitted, is a comfortably and secure cable solution.
 

 
Sound quality
 
Test gear:
 
Sony Xperia Z3 Compact (with Neutron Player)
Shanling M5 DAP
Sansa Clip+ (Rockboxed)
Microsoft Surface Pro 2 (straight from the output jack)
Cayin C5 (amp only)
 
Test tracks (mainly 320kbps MP3 or FLAC/Tidal HiFi):
 
Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats – S.O.B. / Wasting Time
Blackberry Smoke – The Whipporwill (album)
Slash – Shadow Life / Bad Rain (my reference tracks for bass impact and attack, guitar “crunch”)
Slash & Beth Hart – Mother Maria (vocal tone)
Sister Hazel – Hello, It’s Me (bass tone)
Chris Stapleton – Whiskey And You
Elvis – various
Leon Bridges – Coming Home (album)
Foy Vance – The Wild Swan
Daft Punk – Random Access Memories (album)
The Chemical Brothers - Go
Rodrigo y Gabriela – various
Mavis Staples – Livin’ On A High Note
Twin Atlantic – The Great Divide
 

 
General impressions on the sound signature
 
The Harmony is a hybrid design, with a ported 9.25mm dynamic driver covering the bass and mid-range, and a zero-crossover dual balanced armature array providing the treble. The overall tuning is somewhat W shaped, with an impressively punchy lower end, smooth and textured mids and a nice element of heat and sparkle in the upper frequencies. Like the other models in the Bravo range, the dynamic driver portion of the hybrid has been reduced from the 14.2mm and 15mm beasts of the ASG series to a positively anorexic 9.25mm. Despite the weight loss, the bass has lost none of its punch, providing more than enough bass slam and quantity to keep most bassheads tapping their toes, without ever encroaching into the rest of the frequency range. The mids are slightly less prominent but certainly not recessed, showcasing the trademark Aurisonics capability in the vocal ranges and a nice weight to the sound. The treble is a bit of a departure from previous ASG and Bravo series models, with a pronounced high end which can occasionally veer into harshness with some poorly recorded tracks. Despite that, this is probably the most “balanced” Aurisonics IEM I have heard after the ASG-1 Plus, but not balanced in the traditional sense of everything nicely in proportion and stable, more in the sense of a juggler trying to keep three flaming chainsaws aloft, with each one moving up, down and around at will while still remaining in sync with the other two. In terms of tonality, due to the sheer volume of the bass presence and thickness of the note presentation, I would say these are on the warmer side, but not cloyingly so.
 

 
Highs
 
Unlike the previous ASG series, the treble on the Bravo line is somewhat more “present” in most of the higher end models, with varying degrees of emphasis. With the Harmony, the treble is mostly in the smooth and musical bracket, but still heavier in quantity than the airier ASG 2.5 or the more jagged Forte. The dual balanced armature array used in the Harmony pumps out some seriously good detail and resolution in the higher registers, adding some nice background harmonics to the midrange guitar instruments that helps to “round off” the overall sound nicely. Cymbals have a real if not over-splashy sound, sitting nicely at the top of the drum beats on most tracks and providing a good counterpoint to the more bombastic bass and snare drum impacts, decaying with a natural half-life rather than disappearing in a puff of drummer’s chalk or hanging around like an unwanted guest at a New Year’s Eve house party. Compared to the Forte, the treble is a more extended and smoother affair, but still has a slight tendency to sibilance and harshness in the overlap between the midrange and the treble. Feeding “Starlight” by Slash and Myles Kennedy through the Harmony, the weight of the treble makes the singer’s voice sound spectacular, with the soaring chorus really taking on a fleshed-out substance that makes it feel less helium filled than some of my other gear like the Fidue A83. In the high-high vocal registers, the treble smoothness is obvious – rolling down an octave or so to something like Chris Stapleton (my other tester for screechiness/sibilance), however, and the hot spot in the frequency response kicks in – the roughness of the vocal recording on “Whiskey and You” in the main sounds great, but can sound a little harsh as Stapleton really pushes his throat on the chorus. These IEMs will handle most types of music quite easily, providing tone and clarity along with great extension, which isn’t always something the Aurisonics brand has been associated with. As mentioned in my Forte review, I listen predominantly to rock music, and the tuning of the Harmony works particularly well with that genre, adding substance and definition to the guitar licks while still keeping plenty of body to the sound. If the Forte was tuned more to resemble a gig in a local dive bar, think of the older brother in the lineup as the same band five years and two hit albums later, rocking out the same raucous music in packed arenas instead of a pub stage. In terms of fatigue, the thickness and clarity of the note presentation should avoid any major ear fatigue, unless you listen solely to music in the transition zone between mid and highs.
 

 
Mids
 
As with every Aurisonics IEM I have heard, the mids in the Harmony are where the real magic happens (ignore the bass, the midrange is definitely the defining aspect of their house sound for me). From a purely analytical view, you could almost call the Harmony a V or U shaped IEM, as the mids do sit behind both extremes of the frequency range in weight and quantity to my ears. In reality, the midrange never feels recessed, and still comes across with plenty of authority in the overall soundscape. Vocals sound particularly good (as always), with both male and female vocals being portrayed equally well by the drivers without either having dominance over the other in terms of substance or quantity. The three T’s (tonality, timbre and texture) are all well represented here, with a feel to the sound that melds detail and tone together to create something that conveys both emotion and detail at the same time. Like the treble, the midrange also carries a nice weight (sometimes referred to as lushness), with guitar riffs sounding thick and crunchy and synths and piano sounding full and euphoric. Guitar based tracks benefit from the solidity of both the bass and treble areas, the edges of the guitar sound being reinforced by the harmonics dripping down from the treble and the body of the notes being bolstered by the ultra-solid mid and sub bass foundation it sits on. Playing “Shadow Life” by Slash, the main guitar riff rolls through the song at pace, the thick slabs of sound rolling in one after each other without ever blending together. In terms of technical prowess, the tuning of these ‘phones will never be described as anything other than musical, but the detail contained in the tracks is still worthy of a multi-driver IEM in the $500 price bracket, with plenty of audible micro-detail floating in between the slabs of music that the triple hybrid throws around the soundscape like a farmer baling hay.
 
Playing “One Horse Town” by Blackberry Smoke, the tuning of the midrange really shines through, the track starting with some beautifully rendered low-key accordion and layering up nicely with airy sounding acoustic guitars and Charlie Starr’s booze-soaked vocals to become a rolling country rock anthem by the mid-point, without losing focus on any of the three principal sounds as it goes. Acoustic instruments do benefit from the Aurisonics midrange, with the massive soundstaging capability of the IEMs and the textured sound giving them a very true to life feel. In counterpoint, the vocals have enough gravel and emotion to be engaging, without too much “grain” to make them irritating. Switching to “Mother Maria” by Slash, the breathing patterns of Beth Hart and the echoes in her microphone can be heard in between vocal lines, with the dual acoustic and electric guitars that wind round her into both playing separately, the acoustic sounding full and open and the electric licks sitting on the opposite side of the stage, balancing everything out nicely.
 
Vocal harmonies are also represented well by the triple-driver setup, with the blended choral style sounds of “The Ones That I Love” by Twin Atlantic and “Don’t Cry” by Mavis Staples coming together to create a great wall of sound of overlapping individual voices. Other IEMs I have heard can pull the voices far enough apart to be distinct without losing the overall cohesion, but the thickness of the Harmony sound manages to give each voice its own character while overlapping the sounds, leaving a nice melting pot of sound for the listener to enjoy. Listening to Mavis Staples was actually one of my highlights when working through this review, with the syrupy richness of her voice being done true justice by the tuning on display to allow me to drift through the whole album without actually making any notes, which is always a good sign.
 

 
Bass
 
Like the rest of the Bravo range apart from the Eva, the Harmony uses a 9.25mm dynamic driver to provide the low frequencies, with a port in the outer shell which feeds air into the driver enclosure to aid bass response. Taking a few tricks from the 1980s Japanese miniaturisation drive, the technical gurus in Nashville have managed to produce something which kicks out the same level of bass thwack as their previous 14.2mm effort yet takes up about 2/3 of the space. While not reaching the eardrum-bursting levels of sound pressure that the previous flagship the ASG-2.5 was capable of, the Harmony is certainly no shrinking violet when it comes to bringing the boom. If the 2.5 was the gorilla-like bouncer who used to work the door on your favourite shady nightspot, all beef and brawn, the Harmony is his little ninja-like door colleague, standing in the background until needed and then jumping into action and laying the smack down in true Dwayne Johnson style when called upon.
 
Trying out some of my standards, “Come On Free” by Richie Kotzen gets the mid-bass rumbling along nicely, a big fat sound underpinning the jangling guitar and his high-pitched vocals, giving the song a nice heft. Drums on this track also kick nicely, with the bass drum impacts giving the faintest hint of real physical impact to your inner ear. Switching to “Get Lucky” by Daft Punk, the liquid bassline has plenty of volume and texture, with excellent definition despite the thickness and extension right down into sub-bass territory, giving the bass riff the full range of expression some IEMs can miss. Despite being thick and meaty, the bass never feels overdone or bloated. To be clear, it isn’t as quick and detailed as the sort of bass an all-BA driver setup in the same price bracket can produce, but there is sufficient control and musicality for that small loss of dynamism to be more than compensated for by the visceral bang that goes off in your ear every time a drum gets hit or a bassline drops. This is bass you can feel as well as hear, with a real sense of solidity and presence that acts as an anchor to keep the music feeling raw and physical rather than floaty and ethereal.
 
“S.O.B.” by Nathaniel Rateliff is a great example of that solidity in action. The foot stomp drum beat that keeps the song rolling between choruses starts out with a shudder and rumble, with a vivid image in my mid of the floor of the studio actually moving up and down in time to the footfalls. All this impact is achieved with the customary Aurisonics compartmentalisation, so despite the plentiful levels of noise, everything stays within the lines in terms of bass bleed and overlap, the mids still ringing out clearly and distinctly in spite of whatever the dynamic driver throws at it from the lower end of the scale. Firing up my classic test track for texture and bass bite, “Bad Rain” by Slash produced the sort of growling roar that wouldn’t be out of place in a WWE promo video, the rasping bass pushing into the forefront of the song with a great chunky texture and sense of menace that only a few IEMs I have heard so far have bettered. Chucking a little more sub-frequencies into the mix, “Heaven” by Emeli Sande was no problem for the drivers, the thick wall of sub-bass and electronic breakbeat style drums filling the soundscape and leaving my ears humming nicely while Sande’s vocals floated around in the higher registers.
 
Overall, this is a very capable and impactful bass tuning – it won’t introduce hitherto unheard of levels of low frequency into tracks that don’t have any, but if there is any bass in the original recording, the Harmony is the sort of IEM that will take it home, feed it up on hearty food like a caring grandmother and send it back out in to the world a little fatter and prouder than when it came in. Anyone who likes a flatter or more neutral sound may find this a little overbearing, but for me, if you are looking for a great textured dynamic driver style bass sound, this is bass done right.
 

 
Soundstage/separation
 
The soundstaging of the Harmony is one of its true strong points, with the very over-used phrase “holographic” springing to mind when I think about the comparative width and depth on offer. The stage is large and deep, with plenty of positional cues for albums like Leon Bridges’ debut that “flatter” IEMs can miss. Separation is also excellent considering the thickness of the note presentation, with the triple driver hybrid doing its best to underline the borders of each piece of instrumentation being played in the soundscape, guitars rolling in from right and far left and the drums occupying the central space just behind your ears, with the singer normally feeling like they are coming down from stage level just in front of you.  Playing some Metallica or Temperance Movement, the duelling guitar setups in most of their tracks play particularly well, emphasising the 3-dimensional nature of the sound.
 
Tip choice
 
I found that my preferred tips for use with the Harmony were some large-bore Spinfit (I never got on with the Sureseal tips on my previous Aurisonics models). The design of the Spinfit helped accentuate bass and treble extension for me at the expense of a little “slam” and impact down low. For those wanting maximum physicality, Comply T400 or TS400 add some extra bass weight at the cost of a little treble extension and airiness.
 
Amping
 
These are slightly more power hungry than the Forte, needing a little more juice to really hit my top comfortable listening volume. They can be powered adequately from a mobile phone or low powered source, but adding a bit of extra output juice to the source via external amping or a more powerful DAP/ signal chain does bring out the full capability and dynamics of the drivers for me. My ideal setup was a volume level of around 60 steps on the High Gain setting of my Shanling M5, for instance – High Gain wasn’t strictly necessary, but did seem to bring a marginal improvement in the usual areas that was audible (to me, at least – it could have just been a side effe3ct of not volume matching correctly).
 

 
Comparisons
 
Aurisonics ASG-2.5 – these were my “at home” listening pair until a day or two before I received the Harmony to review, so this comparison is done from memory rather than as a direct A/B, hence being a little briefer and more subjective than the other comparisons. In terms of bass, the 2.5s on a ¼ opening of the bass port have a similar bass quantity and overall presentation, with the 9.25mm driver tuning holding its own pretty well against the big guns of the 14.2mm 2.5 series. As with the comparison between the Forte and the 2.5s, mids are more forward on the 2.5 than the Harmony, bringing the singer slightly closer and giving an impression of a “bigger” voice for most tracks. Highs are similar on both models, with the dual-BA of the Harmony actually giving a sharper and “hotter” overall impression than the clear and airy but slightly smoother treble of the 2.5s. Build quality and ergonomics on both models is identical, with the only major difference being the ability to tune the bass via the adjustable dial on the 2.5 compared to the fixed setting of the Harmony. Overall, as the flagship models in their respective series, the pair are pretty evenly matched, with the Harmony providing a more traditionally V-shaped sound in direct comparison. For me, the extra mid-range emphasis and added bass ability of the 2.5 push them above the Harmony in my overall all-time rankings, but the Harmony are certainly close.
 
Fidue A83 – these are my current “go to” home listening set, and are also a triple-driver hybrid setup which retails around $300+ at the moment, compared to the original $499 price tag that came with the Harmony. In terms of the bass, the Harmony provides a slightly fuller and warmer overall bass sound, with a more even balance between mid and sub-bass than the slightly more tilted A83, but a fair bit more presence as a result, so definitely comes across as a more “basshead” tuning than the Fidue. The midrange on the A83 sounds slightly more textured than the Harmony, accenting the rasp in male singer’s voices more than the smoother and more forward sound of the Harmony. This can seem a little raw on occasion, but does help with conveying the emotion in a track slightly better than the Harmony, and actual detail levels are similar on both. Treble is slightly sharper on the A83, with a more pronounced upper end with a sharper and fresher feel compared to the more laid back but similarly extended treble of the Harmony. Soundstage is won by the Harmony, with separation and detail feeling roughly similar. In terms of ergonomics, this is just shaded by the Harmony due to the more ergonomic inner face of the shell, but in other aspects the design is very similar in terms of comfort. Isolation is won by the Harmony due to superior fit, but the A83’s “fixed” MMCX connectors and quality of included accessories and audiophile grade cable score an easy win over the less practical and impressive Aurisonics load-out. In terms of amping and power requirements, the A83 is easier to drive. Overall, both of these IEMs tick different boxes for me, but the honours are pretty even between them, with the A83 pulling clear if you prefer a lighter and crisper “audiophile V” style tuning, and the Harmony providing a warmer and bassier soundscape with a bigger stage and a smoother but less emotive tuning.
 
Vibro Labs Aria – this is my latest IEM addition, and arrived shortly before my time with the Harmony was over. The Aria is an all-BA setup in an unusual two woofer/two tweeter configuration and no dedicated mid-range driver, and retails in a similar price bracket ($599 at time of writing) to the price of the Harmony ($499) when it was first released. In terms of bass, the Aria has excellent sub-bass extension and presence, with an unusual U shaped tuning that throws great emphasis on the lower end of the audio spectrum. Being an all-BA setup, it loses out somewhat in terms of viscerality and impact to the bass prowess of the Harmony, but feels slightly faster and more detailed in comparison to the slightly slower and thicker bass produced by the Aurisonics model. For electronica, the larger sub-bass emphasis of the Aria actually works a little better than the more even bass quantity produced by the Harmony across the board, with the Harmony feeling slightly less crisp and detailed as a result. Mids are further back (in the “U”) on the Aria, but have a nice texture and weight nevertheless. They feel a little more detailed than the smoother sound of the Harmony, which produces a more forward and warmer tone overall in this frequency range compared to the more defined and crispy sound of the Aria. Treble is notably more pronounced on the Aria without being overbearing or prone to cause listening fatigue. Technically, the Aria sounds very accomplished, and the retrieval of audible “micro-detail” feels a notch up on the smooth and musical sound of the Harmony. Soundstage is won by the Harmony (not many IEMs can beat Aurisonics in this facet), but the difference isn’t massive. Separation is edged by the Aria, with the higher detail levels helping to keep the sounds distinct and defined. Build and ergonomics is a draw, with both using 3D printed shells and an ergonomic fit to provide excellent isolation and a great “semi-custom” style fit. Aesthetically, the Aria provide a more classic pseudo-CIEM look with the wooden faceplates, compared to the more industrial plastic shells of the Harmony. This is a difficult call to separate the two – overall, the Aria is a more technically proficient and detailed IEM with a unique tuning, so just edges ahead of the Harmony for me (which was a big surprise) unless I am in the mood for something with serious bass impact and presence.
 

 
Overall conclusion
 
Having been a huge fan of the Aurisonics range since my initial experience with the ASG-1Plus some time ago, I was very much looking forward to spending some time with the Harmony. In a lot of ways, it lived up to my expectations, but in others it fell just a little short. It has the classic Aurisonics bass capability, and the smooth as butter vocal tuning that can make even a member of No Direction sound like Pavarotti dipped in honey, but for me it has edged more towards a more mature “mainstream” tuning that a lot of brands cater for compared to the more in your face style of the ASG 2.5, which is a shame. To be clear, this is still an excellent IEM, and one that sits quite justifiably in its upper middle-class price bracket, producing a musical and enjoyable listen with some unique features. There are a few shortcomings (like the slightly sharpness in the mid/treble transition that I hear on some tracks), but overall, this is a high quality IEM which just suffers in comparison for me against the previous flagship. In my head, comparing the TOTL “Bravo series” sound against the TOTL “ASG series” tunings is a little like revisiting an old college romance – the spark is still there, but the craziness that went hand in hand with the surroundings of the time has been replaced by a bit more of a sensible and grown up approach. That is perfect for building a mature and long-lasting relationship, but occasionally you can’t help but pine for some of the spontaneity and carefree lunacy of youth that you remember so well. I have rated these a 4 as, while very good, there are a few areas that could be improved in comparison to the competition in this price bracket, and it just doesn’t quite have enough to pull level with the ASG 2.5 (which I only gave a 4.5 as it has its own flaws) in my own internal scoring chart. I don’t think many would be disappointed with this IEM as a long-term keeper, and I am looking forward to hearing whether the latest tuning revisions bring the FXA series back towards the original Aurisonics tunings, or advance further down the road to a more mature and less crazy sound. I know which one I’m hoping for.

 
Trinity Vyrus – initial impressions
 
Trinity Audio are a firm that have been making some serious waves on Head-Fi over the last 12 months with a range of Kickstarter-funded in ear monitors (the Hyperion, Techne, Delta and Atlas models), subsequently moving on to directly sold variants like the Delta V2, and the first in the new Phantom line, the Phantom Sabre. The buzz around this company on the forums here is such that when the first two models in their new range (the Vyrus and the Sabre) were both available for pre-order some time ago, I decided to pick up a pair of both to see what Bob and his team could do with some new drivers and a new design. From my recent review, you will be able to tell the I very much enjoyed my time listening to the Sabres, so when the single DD “baby brother” turned up in my letterbox I was wondering how the quite frankly tiny “budget” IEM in Trinity’s range would stack up. Despite being the same size as the cable end it is attached to, the 7mm micro-driver set-up certainly doesn’t suffer from little man syndrome – the sound, while different, was certainly impressive, as you will read below.
 
About me: newly minted audiophile, late 30s, long time music fan and aspiring to be a reasonably inept drummer. Listen to at least 2 hours of music a day – prefer IEMs for out and about, and a large pair of headphones when I have the house to myself and a glass in my hand. Recently started converting my library to FLAC and 320kbps MP3, and do most of my other listening through Spotify or Tidal HiFi. I am a fan of rock, acoustic (apart from folk) and sarcasm. Oh yeah, and a small amount of electronica. Not a basshead, but I do love a sound with some body to it. My ideal tuning for most IEMs and headphones tends towards a musical and slightly dark presentation, although I am not treble sensitive in general. Please take all views expressed below with a pinch of salt – all my reviews are a work in progress based on my own perceptions and personal preferences, and your own ears may tell you a different story.
 

 
Tech specs (from the Trinity website)
 

1. 7mm Neodymium Titanium diaphragm Drivers
2. Impedance: 16Ohm
3. Sensitivity: 108 +/- 3DB
4. Frequency response: 20 - 20000Hz
5. 24ct Gold plated 3.5mm Jack
6. 1.4M length cable x2 (memory wire and non memory wire)

 

 
Unboxing
 
Despite ostensibly being the “budget” model in the current Trinity series, the Vyrus still comes with what has now become the standard Trinity presentation box – a nicely designed fold-out cardboard package with a viewing window to see the IEMs sat in their foam cutout beds and product logo and specs along the front and back. The total accessory loadout is slightly less plentiful than the hiogher models in their range, but is still nowhere near sparse, with multiple tips ni single and double flange, along with some Trinity foam tips to round things out. The Vyrus also comes with two of the standard issue (and high quality) Trinity braided OFC detachable cables, one with memory wire, one without. There are also two small metal tubes containing the 7 different tuning filters used for tweaking the sound, a triangular Trinity carry case, a shirt clip and a 6.3mm stereo adapter and 3.5mm right-angled cable adapter as well. At this price bracket, the packaging screams both class and value for money, with enough tips to ensure a solid fit in the ear and different cable options to ensure that the Vyrus should be suitable for however you choose to wear them.
 

 
Build quality and ergonomics
 
Looking at pictures on the Trinity website, the Vyrus looks like a standard “disc shaped” IEM in the same vein as the Dita Answer and its older brother the Sabre. It’s only when you see the IEMs connected to their cables or up against something else that you get an idea of how tremendously small these things actually are. I can actually fit the whole body of the Vyrus (without filters) into the outline of my little fingernail, which is quite phenomenal for a detachable cable design. Add in the fact that you can also change the tuning filters via means of unscrewing the IEM nozzle and replacing it, and you get an idea of just how little space is utilised around the 7mm driver itself, with the IEM body being more or less spray painted on to the surface of the driver in sturdy anodised aluminium.
 
In terms of fit, the tiny size allows for a very comfortable fit for me, with the shells of the IEM pretty much disappearing into my inner ear, giving excellent isolation and a comfortable and secure fit for long term listening sessions. The Vyrus are designed for over-ear wear (and work best that way), but can be worn cable down if you are happy with a shallower fit. I find that I actually use a smaller tip size than I would otherwise utilise in order to get the best fit from these, with the size actually allowing a good seal with a smaller diameter silicon tip due to the insertion depth. In fact, using SpinFit (my preference, along with the included Trinity single flange tip that comes fitted out of the box), it can almost feel like the tip of the earbud is tickling the inside of your brain if you use one of the longer/larger SpinFit variants (a mistake I won’t be making twice). Allied to the supple and memory-free 2 pin cable, this is a supremely comfortable IEM for on the go listening, affording a higher than expected level of noise blockage and a very easy to seal fit allowing you to pop these in and out at a moment’s notice without the usual fiddling when putting them back into place.
 

 
Sound quality
 
Test gear:
Xperia Z3 Compact (via Neutron Player) / Sony NWZ-A25 / Sansa Clip+ (Rockboxed)
Cayin C5 amp
Microsoft Surface Pro 2 w/ iFi iCan Micro SE
 
Main test tracks (mainly 320kbps MP3 or FLAC/Tidal HiFi):
Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats – S.O.B. / Wasting Time
Blackberry Smoke – The Whipporwill (album)
Slash – Shadow Life / Bad Rain (my reference tracks for bass impact and attack, guitar “crunch”)
Slash & Beth Hart – Mother Maria (vocal tone)
Richie Kotzen – Come On Free (bass tone)
Elvis – various
Leon Bridges – Coming Home (album)
The Chemical Brothers – Go (EDM tester)
Emile Sande – Our Version Of Events
Rodrigo y Gabriela – various
Mavis Staples – Livin’ On A High Note
Foy Vance – The Wild Swan
ZZ Top – La Futura
Chris Stapleton – Chris Stapleton
Tom Jones – Praise & Blame
The Winery Dogs – The Winery Dogs
 

 
General impressions on the sound signature
 
Describing the “base” tuning of an IEM with 7 different sound filters is always a little tricky. After playing with the various filter options, it seems that the Vyrus shares a similar philosophy to the Sabre in terms of baseline, with a signature somewhere between a shallow V and a W with the undamped gold filters (my current “go to”). One thing that strikes you immediately is how “big” the sound feels coming out of such a small housing – it is diffuicult to explain exactly why it feels so large, but the impression is there nonetheless. The bass is controlled, textured and reasonably generous in terms of amount and impact for something that is smaller than one of the buttons on my dress watch, with a midrange that is somewhere between neutral and slightly raised in terms of presence and a top end that is definitely a little north of neutral with the undamped filters (that famous Trinity “sparkle”). The detail and texture level is excellent for something at this price point, with a “big” sound and nicely portioned soundstage that belies its small size. The natural tonality is quite vivid, although this can be changed to warm and slightly fuzzy if you pick the bass blaster with damping filters out of the included pile. Overall, this is quite a flexible IEM for the price, and definitely capable of mixing it with IEMs in the higher price ranges when using the undamped filters to sharpen up the treble response.
 

 
Effect of the included tuning filters
 
The Vyrus comes with 7 tuning filters, based on the series of filters available for the Trinity Delta V2. The filters are ported to allow variable bass response depending on the size of the port (located at the base of the filter stem, about the same size as a pinhead for most of them), and also come in damped and undamped variants, with some of the filters having acoustic damping foam inside the barrel to attenuate the treble. This allows for a fairly wide level of flexibility, both with altering the “natural” sound of the IEM from bass bazooka to treble rapier, but also with changing the “feel” of the IEM from a clear and sharp sound to a warmer and bassier overall tone when mixing the bass adjustment of the filters with the additional treble damping. The filters are colour coded, using the following scheme:

1. SILVER – this is the bassiest of the filters provided, with the most pronounced V-shape to the sound.  This sits somewhere between the red and orange filter of the Phantom Sabre, and produces an impressive level of bass from the driver, at the expense of occasionally making it a little too omni-present and boomy on some tracks for all but the most die hard bassheads.
2. GUNMETAL – this is the second bassiest filter, with a more neutral but still warmish tuning and a shallower V-shape.
3. GOLD – this is my personal favourite, and also the most neutral of the filters for me, with a nice balance between airiness and definition in the treble while still retaining a solid and impactful bass that gives tracks some life without overpowering the lower end. Sound is close to neutral, with a little warmth from the bass presence and a little bite from the treble.
4. PURPLE  - this is the treble razor, with the least audible bass presence and a corresponding feeling of emphasis on the higher ranges. I am not a massive treble-head, so for me these filters thin out the sound too much to be enjoyable. This is the filter with the most audible detail and texture in the mid and high ranges.
5. SILVER (with damper) – bass cannon with added smoothness and lower emphasis on the treble. This takes the bass emphasis of the undamped silver filter and blunts the treble portion of the V, accentuating the warmness of the sound. Detail feels lowest on these filters due to the combination of teeth rattling bass boom and rounded off treble. One of my least favourite filters.
6. PURPLE (With damper) – this is the treble razor, with a more blunted edge due to the smoothing of the sharpest spikes in the high ranges. This makes the sound a little more palatable to me, but still too little bass overall for me to truly enjoy the sound.
7. GOLD (With damper) – this is for people who love the signature of the undamped gold filter but just want a little less heat in the treble. Can feel a little less airy and detailed than the undamped gold depending on the track, but will be good for those who like the just north of neutral tuning of the gold but dislike the crispness of the treble and want a bit more warmth.

 
For clarity (and to avoid having to write up 21 different sound sections!), after various filter swapping I have decided that the undamped gold filters give my favourite sound “setting” for the Vyrus, so all observations on the sound given below will be based on using that filter unless stated otherwise.
 

 
Highs
 
Anyone who has read my other reviews will know that I prefer a smooth and silky treble tuning over a more traditional emphasised or aggressive high range. Using the undamped gold filters, the Vyrus has good energy and sharpness in the treble without drifting too far into aggressive or sibilant territory. My initial thoughts on this filter were that I would find the treble just a tad too hot to be the final tuning choice I settled on, but after extended listening over a solid working week, I find that I miss the detail and sparkle when switching out to one of the damped or bassier filters. The treble has a good blend of energy and definition, cutting through the top layer of the frequency spectrum with a nice sense of bite. It is not the weightiest of treble presentations, but fizzes along nicely, cymbals crashing with good emphasis without sounding too splashy. Playing “Starlight” by Slash, the opening harmonics in the guitar line are crisply defined, skirting with becoming unpleasantly screechy for me but just managing to keep it under control, leaving the song sounding more potent as a result. The falsetto vocals in this track are handled with similar aplomb, with the lightness of the treble allowing the texture in Myles Kennedy’s voice to really shine, while still retaining the overall sense of liveliness. Comparing the Vyrus to the other two Trinity IEMs I have heard, it manages to harness some of the rawness and aggression of the Atlas’ higher end tuning and avoid any obvious hotspots while still feeling notably more etched than the superbly detailed but butter smooth high range of the Sabres. Switching to some EDM, “Go” by The Chemical Brothers plays superbly on these, the energetic treble accentuating the synth runs and euphoric chorus and making you want to tap your feet.
 
In terms of resolution, the miniature 7mm Trinity driver is capable of producing a surprisingly good level of micro detail for something in this price bracket, easily picking out the more “surface” detailing in the background of most tracks. To be clear, this won’t be as resolving or hyper-detailed as a $1000 set of TOTL in-ear solutions (or even the next model up in the line, the Sabre), but unless you are a fan of hearing every breath taken by the spider sitting in the corner of the recording studio on a vocal track, there will be plenty in the presentation to keep most people more than satisfied.
 
Overall, the treble feels sharp and enjoyable, adding a good sense of fun and vigour to rock tracks and a delicacy to acoustic presentations that is very moreish. In terms of things like “air”, the Vyrus never feels too open or aired out – the more etched nature of the treble doesn’t leave an enormous sense of space in the higher end of the frequency range, the very act of defining everything so sharply seeming to pull the borders of the treble slightly closer to the listener rather than letting it drift away into the ether.
 

 
Mids
 
Reading reviews of the Vyrus’ spiritual forefather the Hyperion, I was expecting the mids to feel slightly recessed in favour of the more “fun” V-shaped tuning the Trinity team were aiming for. Happily, the mids appear to have been lifted a little since the days of the greek naming conventions, and come across with a nice presence, somewhere between neutral and slightly forward depending on the track. Guitars and vocals are the stars of the show in this particular frequency band, with the crisp treble extending down to the edges of the guitar chords in most rock tracks and adding a dash of crunch that most generic cereal companies would be happy with. Using my go-to rock tracks, the bite and good (for a dynamic driver) pace of the driver keep the energy imparted in the treble going into the mid-range, with most heavy rock sounding very listenable.
 
Male vocals seem to play very well on the Vyrus as well, with an old favourite “What Good Am I?” and “Lord Help” by Tom Jones sounding as if the legendary Welsh crooner was singing directly into my ear, the timbre and soulfulness of his voice being very well portrayed with a nice thickness and body to the sound. Moving across to tracks by Emile Sande, the presentation thins out a little as it approaches the treble, leaving them sounding a little further back and less full-bodied in direct comparison between male and female voices. Detail levels in the mids are good, with a similar grasp of the surface sonic artifacts, but lacking just a touch in “final” levels of detail compared to more insightful (and far more expensive) IEMs in my collection. Stringed instruments and piano tones also come across well on the Vyrus, with the crispness of the highs polishing the harmonics on the acoustic guitar nicely, and pianos sounding very musical (if not 100% “real” in terms of accuracy – very few IEMs can manage that trick, to be fair). Orchestral music is also represented well with this particular filter, keeping a nice bite and texture to violins and cello notes all the way down the range. “Burning Love” by Elvis with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra is a great example, with the violin accents coming across well throughout the song, and the relative lack of “weight” allowing the strings a good amount of room to breathe and bring some real freshness to the audio landscape.
 

 
Bass
 
Moving into the audio basement, the bass is by far the hardest element of the Trinity sound to evaluate, given the fact that pretty much every filter affects the bass response in different ways. This can lead to a signature that is full and warm (even a tad boomy on the bass bludgeon filter) through to something that it thinner than a supermodel’s takeaway menu collection. The undamped gold provide a nice balance between quality and quantity, with the overall presence still definitely north of neutral, the left hand edge of the “shallow V” giving a good amount of sub-bass and a surprising level of impact and viscerality for such a small driver and housing. These won’t replace the Sony and Aurisonics range of in-ear subwoofers in a basshead’s IEM collection, but for someone who just want bass with a bit of quantity and a good level of detail and extension, these are just right. The bass on this filter is titled more towards mid bass rather than sub-bass, with the sub frequencies being present but a little less prominent in the soundscape as you extend further down and starting to roll off at the deepest end of the spectrum with some of the EDM in my collection like Emile Sande and The Chemical Brothers, but still having enough gas in the tank to handle something like “Arrival” from the Daft Punk “Tron” soundtrack with enough rumble to be enjoyable.
 
Running the gauntlet of other bass testers in my collection, “Hello, It’s Me” by Sister Hazel is first up on the sonic assault course. The smooth and rolling bass is presented well here, with a good level of “fill” to the sound and nice definition and texture to each note, the rasp of the bass strings being plucked sliding nicely into the mix as the song gets going. It isn’t as liquid or all encompassing as some IEMs I have used, but there is just enough to make the most of the wonderful bassline underscoring the rest of the track without reaching for the EQ, and the surprising level of impact form the bass drum hits moves enough air in the eardrum to add a good level of physicality to the song that is the hallmark of a good dynamic driver sound. Moving on to mid-bass and texture, “Bad Rain” by Slash also fares well, with the textured rasp of the bass providing a good blend of presence and texture to the track. Again, the texture is the thing that stands out, with the detail level definitely feeling higher than average in the lower registers. The final challenge for the bass is “Get Lucky” by Daft Punk, which comes across very well, only losing a small bit of presence at the absolute lowest notes of the bassline as it drops right down the octaves as the song gets going.
 
Like I mentioned in the filter section, if bass is your main point of interest, one of the silver or gunmetal filters will most likely allow you to find something suited to your preferences, but for those who like their low-end with a bit of impact and quantity but not to fill the whole soundscape, the gold filters should provide an excellent balance of the two. Overall impression is of a quality dynamic driver bass sound, with good impact on drumhead hits, nice texture and rasp to plucked bass notes and a more than capable technical ability.
 

 
Soundstage/separation
 
For a housing that is barely larger than the 7mm driver it is wrapped around, the soundstage is surprisingly spacious, with a good (if not overwhelming) sense that the music is being played outside the confines of your ears as well as inside. This applies mainly to the more treble-based sounds for me, with the width of the stage being more than adequate to make most songs sound uncongested. Layering is also very good for a single dynamic driver, with multiple guitar lines pulling themselves apart to be individually audible without too much strain from the listener. The overall stage isn’t earth-shattering in terms of size or 3D spacing compared to other IEMs in the Trinity line, but certainly presents a coherent and reasonably wide audio canvas for the listener to enjoy.
 

 
Isolation
 
Another surprise on inserting the Vyrus is the excellent level of isolation they offer for a very small and vented housing. The miniscule size of the shell and over-ear fit allow for a far deeper insertion than other IEMs in the Trinity range, allowing the solid metal casing to effectively block the entrance to the inner ear without ever feeling too intrusive (unless you make the same mistake I made with a large SpinFit tips, and accidentally give yourself minor brain surgery with the end of the tip after jamming them in a tad too far – I still can’t remember what chicken is supposed to taste like). With the right tips, these offer a great level of sound blocking with an easy and quick insertion and plenty of comfort.
 

 
Amping
 
Much like the other IEMs in the Trinity range I have tried so far, I have found only minimal (and probably placebo-related) improvements on the overall sound with amping. These are easily sensitive enough to be driven loud by most DAPs or mobile phones, so portable amping isn’t a necessity.
 

 
Comparisons
 
Fidue A65 – these are a single dynamic driver in the A6x series from Fidue, with a similar sized (8mm) titanium coated driver and small form factor. The A65 currently retail for slightly less than the Vyrus , but not by a drastic amount. The default tuning of the A65 is somewhere between an L and a V, with a decent amount of bass impact and extension and good definition on the treble. For simplicity, I have compared the sound signatures mainly using my preferred filter on the Vyrus (the undamped gold filter). Overall, the A65 is a little lower in overall resolution, separation and detail retrieval than the Vyrus, with a very slight fuzziness and lack of clarity through the higher registers in comparison. In terms of bass, the A65 has more in quantity than the gold filters and anything further up the spectrum, with only the “fun” filters giving a similar or larger bass hit. Mids are similar in presence, with the A65 producing the trademark Fidue emotion, compared to the more detailed and lively Trinity model midrange. Treble is similar on both, with the Vyrus having more of an edge in clarity and extension than the warmer A65. Build quality is pretty equal, with the sleek copper and aluminium housings of the A65 and its unusual triangular shape fronting up well to the tiny all-metal Vyrus. The only area where the Vyrus has a clear advantage in build is the cabling, with the detachable and top notch Trinity cable being a better long term choice than the nice but fixed Fidue effort. The A65 are certainly not a bad IEM, and punch above their price bracket themselves in terms of SQ, but compared to the Vyrus, even when switching to the most bassy and warm filters, there is just a little more in terms of detail and refinement that make it a clear win for the Trinity IEM.
 
Trinity Phantom Sabre – the Sabre is the next model up price-wise from the Vyrus in Trinity’s current range, running at approximately twice the price (£125 vs £60). While there is an audible bump in quality between the two IEMs, it is not as stark as you might expect given the price difference, with the main difference being the crystal clarity offered by the push/pull setup of the Sabre compared to the single 7mm driver in the Vyrus. There is also slightly more “blackness” to the background of the Sabre, which I presume is due to the lower distortion levels produced by the twin-DD. In terms of signature, the Vyrus and Sabre share a similar “base” tuning philosophy, with the Vyrus having the edge on tweakable sounds due to the use of the larger filters from the Trinity Delta series (7 filters, including the option to dampen the treble as well as adjust bass amount) compared to the 5 filters on the Sabre that mainly allow for adjusting the overall bass presence. Running the gold filters through both to allow the most “like for like” comparison, the Vyrus has similar bass levels, a slightly less flowing midrange (nut still good) and a slightly sharper and more etched treble compared to the beautifully smooth Sabre drivers. In terms of isolation and fit, the Vyrus wins hands down, with the deeper and more “universal” insertion and smaller shell size allowing for a more comfortable fit with pretty much any ear type. Overall, the Sabre are the better technical IEM, showing more smoothness and clarity (and a slightly higher overall level of perceived detail as a result), but the Vyrus doesn’t feel far off the mark, and has the option of the additional tuning flexibility with the added filters. If you have the money and don’t need the smallest IEM you can find, I would say go with the Sabre, but if you are looking for a hit of the Trinity house tuning at an even more affordable price, the Vyrus is a great place to start.
 

 
(Trinity Vyrus side by side with the Trinity Phantom Sabre)
 

 
Overall conclusion
 
Writing this quick-fire review of the Vyrus over a week of constant listening, I have come to appreciate both the excellent job Bob and his team at Trinity have done in tuning and manufacturing such a polished piece of audio gear, and also how “brain burn in” can really affect your overall perception and enjoyment of an IEM. Coming hot off the back of an extended listening period with the Fidue A83 as my “go to” listen, and with the impressions of the Sabre fresh in my ears, I wasn’t blown away with the sound of the Vyrus, noticing a comparative lack of detail and crispness compared to the other two IEMs. As the days rolled on, the benefits of the Vyrus’ basic tuning and overall sense of fun and energy stopped making me listen for what it was “missing”, and concentrate more on what it does bring to the table. The Vyrus is a lively, crisp and impactful shallow V-shaped IEM (in its undamped gold configuration), with excellent texture and a sense of fun that is sometimes lost with more “worthy” audiophile tunings. Does it have detail? Certainly. Does it provide good levels of bass and treble? Yes. Does the midrange bring out vocals and guitars well? Most definitely. Individually, I have heard plenty of IEMs that do some of these things better, but for this price, I haven’t heard anything yet that competes at the same level and can touch the Vyrus for overall listening enjoyment and just a sheer sense of fun. Plus, who else is crazy enough to design an IEM that is small enough for the detachable cable connector to be almost half the size of the main housing?! In terms of scoring, I have given these a 4.5 as there are individual things that other models in a close enough price bracket like the Sabre can do better, and I feel that some of the damped filters could use a little less damping to avoid blunting the sound too much, but on a price to performance ratio, these are a rock solid 5. Another great piece of engineering from the Trinity team, with great aesthetics, a larger than life (and certainly larger than housing) sound and a sense of fun that really can’t be argued with for the price.

 
Fidue A83 – initial impressions
 
I must admit, until recently I was not massively aware of Fidue and their offerings, bunching all of their IEMs together with the mid-range A71 and A65 models in my mind as some nice looking but middle of the road Chinese IEMs not really worth looking into. I came across the Fidue A83 being mentioned in a few threads I frequent here on Head-Fi in a very favourable light against some of my current favourite in-ears, and after more thorough research and a bit of self-enlightenment, decided to arrive fashionably late to the party and pick up a pair of their former flagship IEM. These were bought through the For Sale boards in “as new” condition, so all views expressed here are my own.
 
About me: newly minted audiophile, late 30s, long time music fan and aspiring to be a reasonably inept drummer. Listen to at least 2 hours of music a day – prefer IEMs for out and about, and a large pair of headphones when I have the house to myself and a glass in my hand. Recently started converting my library to FLAC and 320kbps MP3, and do most of my other listening through Spotify or Tidal HiFi. I am a fan of rock, acoustic (apart from folk) and sarcasm. Oh yeah, and a small amount of electronica. Not a basshead, but I do love a sound with some body to it. My ideal tuning for most IEMs and headphones tends towards a musical and slightly dark presentation, although I am not treble sensitive in general. Please take all views expressed below with a pinch of salt – all my reviews are a work in progress based on my own perceptions and personal preferences, and your own ears may tell you a different story.
 

 
Tech specs
 
Drivers: 2 balanced armatures + 10mm dynamic driver
Frequency Response : 9-31kHz
Impedance: 11 Ohm
Sensitivity: 104dB
THD : <1%
Cable ： 1.3m Silver-plated copper wire (MMCX)
 

 
Unboxing
 
The Fidue A83 has until recently been the “flagship” IEM from this manufacturer until the launch of their new Sirius model, and sits squarely in the $200-$300 price bracket at current street price. The packaging is a simple but elegant affair, with a black and lime green box listing some product features in English and a picture of the IEMs on the front, and similar designs on the back and sides, repeated in Chinese and German. Opening up the box, you find some foam inserts and a Fidue branded hard carry case containing the IEMs and the silver-plater copper cable, cleverly wrapped around a foam winder insert cut to fit the waterproof case perfectly. It is a very sleek and practical presentation, and while the case is a little too large to be pocket-friendly, the foam insert will go a long way to ensuring that the A83 can be transported safely in all possible situations. Unfortunately the foam insert doesn’t leave any room for any additional items apart from the IEMs and the attached cable, but it can be removed if the additional space is required. Completing the load-out is a selection of tips (including some Comply foam) in a variety of sizes and shapes, a 3.5mm to 6.3mm plug adapter and a plane adapter, all cunningly concealed in a cutout in the bottom foam packing block. All in all, the packaging is neutral enough not to be too gaudy, but classy enough not to look out of place in its price bracket.
 

 
Build quality and ergonomics
 
On popping the case and getting a first look at the A83s, the first thing that catches your eye is the unusual clamshell style outer half, in what appears to be a champagne coloured metal coating. On closer inspection, the casings are actually mainly composed of plastic, but the effect is very stylish nonetheless. The left and right buds are marked with the standard “L” and “R” markings, but also have an unusual visual indicator – the ear-facing side of the right shell is made of a translucent red plastic, with the left ear having a blue inner shell. This lends an almost custom look to the A83s at first glance, and is sufficiently unusual and practical to make me wonder why more manufacturers don’t do this. The overall shell shape also mimics the standard custom IEM form factor, filling the main bowl of the ear nicely. The A83 are designed for over-ear wear, and have a slim enough profile to lie flush with your outer ear when properly inserted, giving them a very sleek look. From a practical viewpoint, the IEMs fit well enough to allow me to wear them while laying in bed without any major issues, which is always a bonus. The fit is good without being excellent, with the universal shape fitting my ears nicely and allowing for a reasonable insertion depth without any discomfort.
 
The MMCX connectors used on the A83 are almost standard – the cables can be swapped out for any of the normal aftermarket MMCX options, but also has an additional tab built in to the cable and housing to lock the cable in place once connected, stopping the annoying cable rotation that normally happens when you are trying to fit some MMCX in-ears with one hand. Like the dual colouring on the shells, this is a simple yet practical idea that I am surprised other manufacturers haven’t come up with already, so kudos to the Fidue design team for being willing to think a little outside the box as it seems like a very logical solution to one of the audiophile life’s little irritations. There have been various comments in the forums here regarding the robustness (or lack of it) of the earlier A83 MMCX connections (both from a cable and IEM side) which I believe Fidue have subsequently addressed – I don’t know if I have one of the later production run models, but I can say I have experienced no issues in the time I have had mine so far. The cable itself is also noteworthy, being an aesthetically impressive and tightly braided silver plated copper hybrid with great build quality and a nice rubber strain relief. Microphonics are also at a minimum on the cable, which remains pliable but almost silent in day to day use. The overall quality is such that if effectively negates the immediate need for any after-market cable upgrade to make the A83s look or sound any better. One criticism is the lack of a neck cinch on the cable, but as the memory-wire ear guides work pretty well for me, it hasn’t caused any day to day wear issues.
 
Overall, the shells feel lightweight and comfortable, with a secure over-ear fit and cable locking mechanism. The unusual colouring and design give the impression of a product that has had some serious thought put into it, and again leaves you feeling quite happy that it belongs in the price bracket it currently occupies.
 

 
Sound quality
 
Test gear:
Xperia Z3 Compact (via Neutron Player)
Cayin C5 amp
Sansa Clip+ (Rockboxed)
Microsoft Surface Pro 2 (straight from the output jack)
 
Main test tracks (mainly 320kbps MP3 or FLAC/Tidal HiFi):
Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats – S.O.B. / Wasting Time
Blackberry Smoke – The Whipporwill (album)
Slash – Shadow Life / Bad Rain (my reference tracks for bass impact and attack, guitar “crunch”)
Slash & Beth Hart – Mother Maria (vocal tone)
Richie Kotzen – Come On Free (bass tone)
Elvis – various
Leon Bridges – Coming Home (album)
The Chemical Brothers – Go (EDM tester)
Emile Sande – Our Version Of Events
Rodrigo y Gabriela – various
Mavis Staples – Livin’ On A High Note
Foy Vance – The Wild Swan
ZZ Top – La Futura
Chris Stapleton – Chris Stapleton
Maroon 5 – Songs About Jane
The Winery Dogs – The Winery Dogs
 

 
General impressions on the sound signature
 
On first listen, the A83 struck me with an overwhelming impression that my brain could only really describe as “zestiness”, like the aural equivalent of sticking a freshly cut lime into each ear (maybe it was the packaging?). The sound signature claimed on the front of the packaging is a “reference” tuning, and to my ears there is certainly enough detail and clarity to lay claim to that title, but for a strictly reference tuning, there is too much bass and treble presence to be called ruler flat, being more of a warm shallow V. The bass presence is certainly impressive, with excellent extension down into the sub-bass arena - 9Hz is claimed on the packaging, and unlike some headphones I have heard with similar specifications on paper, I am more than inclined to believe the marketing people in this instance. The midrange is detailed without being harsh, and sits just behind the bass and treble, imparting good emotional impact to the music. Treble presentation is bright and clear, with plenty of sharpness but managing to steer clear of the usual sibilance hotspots to keep it enjoyable and pretty non-fatiguing. Overall impression is of a highly detailed V, with plenty of bass presence and air and bite in the treble, leaving an instant impression on the listener.
 

 
Highs
 
My usual preference for headphones and in-ears is towards darker tunings, so ideally I look for something that is clear and clean without being too sparkly or aggressive. At first listen, I was concerned that the A83 would be a little too sharp in the high registers to be a long-term keeper, with the initial buzz of the high notes definitely knocking some dust off the higher shelves of my audio furniture. After my ears adjusted, I find the treble just on the top end of my personal threshold, but still very enjoyable. There is a higher than neutral overall presence, with a great sense of impact and energy, and extension up as high as you will ever need unless you are listening to a Rosetta Stone recording on how to speak canine. Cymbals sound crisp and etched, fizzing into life and decaying with excellent control. This is an excellent ‘phone for rock and metal, with high notes on electric guitars in particular being very well represented with sufficient definition and crunch to really move the music along. That being said, I never found the A83 to be too sharp or overbearing, and in general it is not a sibilance magnet, with sufficient control over the normal hotspots in the frequency range to prevent fatigue on longer listening sessions. Pulling my usual testers for sibilance and screechiness out of the bag, both Slash (“Starlight”) and Chris Stapleton (“Whiskey And You”) manage to pass the test, with the hotspots on their recordings feeling more “etched” than with my normal gear but still inside the bounds of enjoyability. Overall, an airy and defined treble with energy to spare and just enough slack in the right places to avoid sibilance on most recordings. Pushing some System Of A Down and Slash and Myles Kennedy through their paces on the A83, the guitars and vocals scream where they need to, pulling details to the fore but not sending the listener running for the volume control in some of the more bombastic passages. Resolution in the high frequencies is very apparent, with the sharper tuning helping bring more micro-details into focus for the listener. Compared to some of my usual listening gear like the Audioquest Nighthawks, the A83 can sometimes feel a little bit “hyper-real”, but does add a nice sense of resolution to the music that is very enjoyable without treading into harshness or overcooking the sound.
 

 
Mids
 
The midrange on the A83 is tight, well defined and carries a nicely textured sound due to the high detail level drifting down from the overlapping treble frequencies. To my ears, it sits somewhat behind the bass and treble on the soundstage, adding a gentle V shape to the overall sound without ever sounding particularly recessed or lacking. The midrange is a little thicker than neutral, with a warmth due to the prominent lower end that adds to the overall tone and body of the sound nicely. With rock music, this slightly thick and warm tone works very well, pairing with the crunch from the treble to add some real attack to heavy guitar passages. Playing “World On Fire” by Slash, the main riff roars along across the middle of the sonic landscape, crunching and crashing through the song with definition and bite. Led Zeppelin also sounds excellent through these, with the uniquely dissonant tone of Jimmy Page’s guitar cutting across the textured basslines and Robert Plant’s signature howl nicely. Switching to “Coco” by Foy Vance, the grit in his voice and the percussive sounds of his guitar playing in between chords is easily accommodated in the ears of the listener, adding to the main acoustic riff and layered backing harmonies to fill the ears of the listener with detail and a “feel” that really brings the song to life.
 
Switching focus to vocals, the A83 acquits itself well with the rasping falsetto of Myles Kennedy, keeping it just far enough forward to grab the audience among the pounding drums and high-pitched guitar. Putting the more sedate “Whiskey And You” through its paces on the A83 is another good example of the excellent tuning, with the detail around the single guitar and vocal fleshing out the track in the listener’s head without distracting from the smokiness and timbre of Stapleton’s voice, which sounds absolutely fantastic. I find this track is also quite good for exposing harshness on the vocal ranges, as some of the lines can sound a little spiky with poor earphones due to the way they were recorded. The A83 handles these with aplomb, portraying the light and shade and smooth and gravelly interplay within the vocal without grating. To be clear, this isn’t the silkiest or most grain free vocal presentation you will ever hear, so if you are looking for something that is like buttered marble, these won’t be 100% perfect for you, but the overall tone and clarity just seems to feel right, and is excellent at bringing the feeling out of the music for me. The sound reminds me of running my fingers over the sort of paper they use for school certificates and important legal documents, with a physicality and texture you can feel compared to a normal smooth sheet of A4, adding a layer of substance to the sound to complement the smoothness. Female vocals are similarly well looked after, with the Fidue working its way through Emile Sande and Beth Hart’s differing vocal styles without losing anything in the process. One thing the A83 are excellent at capturing is the emotion of a vocal, with the high detail level and “just right” warmth and grit of the sound really bringing a sense of vitality into the track being played, making it very easy to really embrace the sound.
 

 
Bass
 
The bass is one of the highlights of the A83 – deep, thick and plentiful while never getting too overblown or sloppy. The main focus in terms of sheer volume leans slightly towards the mid-bass area, but there is also a strong sub-bass on these IEMs which plays excellently with EDM and some rumbling rock music to add a level of physicality to the playback that is difficult to achieve with an all-BA setup. Compared to some other 3 driver hybrids currently on the market, these are certainly not the most bassy offering you will find, but are definitely a bit north of neutral, and no poorer for it. In fact, as an Aurisonics ASG 2.5 owner for some time, I can comfortably say that the A83 certainly don’t lose anything major in comparison with the 2.5s in terms of texture and extension, just losing out on final quantity and detail due to the unique adjustable porting design of the 2.5s (and their gigantic 14.2mm dynamic driver). To be clear, this isn’t a basshead IEM, but it does do bass very well when it is present in the track being played, and is definitely above neutral in amount, lending a nice warmth and solidity to the rest of the soundscape that works beautifully with the overall tuning.
 
My usual bass tester tracks all score well on the A83 – “Bad Rain” by Slash is textured and deep, the driving bassline kicking in with growl and menace. “Hello, It’s Me” by Sister Hazel fills the soundstage with the smoothly shifting bassline nicely, the airiness and clarity of the higher registers playing very well against the liquid basslines sitting at the bottom of the sound. I have heard more bass in both songs through my other gear (specifically the ASG 2.5), but unlike some presentations, these don’t feel lacking in any way. There is enough presence to flesh out the sound but not too much that it obscures the texture and detail underneath.
 
EDM and electronica are handled particularly well with this presentation, with the capable sub-bass underpinning my favourite tracks from Rudimental and Sigma (don’t judge me) with a nice sense of fullness to the sound, balancing against the sharpness of the treble nicely to avoid leaving the sound feeling too thin or etched. One of my new favourites for testing EDM on a headphone is “Go” by The Chemical Brothers, and the A83 gives a good account of itself here as well. The song is built around a rapped vocal sitting in the middle of the track, with driving bass and sub bass firing underneath and the standard electro-synth effects and euphoric keyboards moving around the soundstage like a Tasmanian Devil on crack as the song progresses. The Fidue handles everything with ease, the bass pounding along with real depth and impact, but not obscuring the clarity of the vocals or the swirling keyboards.
 
Overall, the bass is an excellent example of a consumer audiophile tuning – technically good, impactful but never overpowering and only present when called for. Without a slight bass boost, the sharp tuning on the rest of the frequency range may have tipped over into harshness for some, but the slight boost down low helps bring these into balance for me, and leaves the overall sound again feeling “just right” for an enjoyable and slightly coloured audio experience.
 

 
Soundstage/separation
 
The soundstage of the A83 is wide for an IEM, but not excessively so. It sits somewhere outside your ears in terms of width, and keeps a realistic sense of height. I have heard more spacious presentations (the ASG 2.5 again – it really is that good), but this certainly takes you slightly outside the confines of your own head when the track or the source calls for it. Separation is similarly good but not great, with instruments spreading themselves across the musical backdrop and making themselves easily distinguishable from each other without ever pulling the music too far apart. For the overall tuning of the IEM, this is preferable for me – there is a fine line between musical and analytical, and there is enough detail in the main wall of sound to let you enjoy the nuances of the songs without fully dissecting them and taking some of the soul away in the process. “Everybody Knows She’s Mine” by Blackberry Smoke is always a good indicator for me – there is an acoustic guitar lick that comes in over the main electric riff about 20 or so seconds in that can get swallowed up in the overall sound with some lower-fidelity IEMs, and can jump a little too far out of the main song with some hyper-detailed IEMs I have heard. The A83 gets the balance just about right, with each acoustic note clearly defined and audible, without sitting apart from the riff it is supposed to be accompanying.
 

 
Isolation
 
Due to the size of the shells and the reasonable insertion levels, isolation is good on these IEMs, but not stellar. It will do well enough on public transport for me using my tip of preference (SpinFit), but if I was going to be heading off on a long plane journey then I might consider packing on some Comply foam tips to give it a little boost at the expense of some of that wonderful airy treble. As with all decent sealing in-ears, it is easily isolating enough to have to remove them if you want to talk to someone without the medium of sign language/instant message or avoid getting hit by a truck, so you have been warned.
 

 
Tip Choice
 
As I am coming late to this particular party, I had read enough about the standard tip choice provided to work out that I would most likely need to indulge in some tip-rolling in order to find the perfect sound and seal for my cavern-sized ears. After experimenting with various included tips (poor seal for my ears), I settled on some Comply foam tips and a pair of SpinFits I had laying around as my two final contenders. The Comply allow for a more isolating seal, and are my normal tip of choice on almost all of my IEMs, but in this instance I found the SpinFit tips to provide a seal that was almost as good, while allowing a little more air into the overall sound, retaining more of the excellent treble definition and spark which can be lost with the foam solution. As mentioned, my ears have particularly wide canals, so the standard tips will most likely be fine for most, but for this particular IEM, I find SpinFit has allowed me to get the most personally enjoyable sound out of it. Another close contender for sound and fit on the A83 are the new "Kombi" tips launched by Trinity Audio (a hybrid silicon/foam tip like the Sony Hybrids) - these only arrived as I was finishing the writeup on these so I haven't had masses of time with them yet, but they definitely ran the SpinFits close in terms of overall enjoyment. There is quite a lot of recommendation on the forums for JVC Spiral Dots as the “end-game” tip for these IEMs, but I don’t have any of these miracle Japanese super-tips in my audio toolbox at the moment to verify, unfortunately.
 

 
Amping
 
The overall sensitivity and resistance of these IEMs make them pretty easy to run off an average audiophile setup (mobile phone, standalone DAP) and sound pretty amazing while doing so. Adding in something with more torque to the chain like the Cayin C5 amp and the A83 will quite happily make the most of the extra headroom, with a small but noticeable boost to the fullness and impact of the bass being the most obvious improvement. Verdict: amping not required to get great sound out of these, but more power will squeeze the last few drops of juice out of the lime in terms of sound quality and impact.
 

 
Comparisons
 
Echobox Finder X1 – This IEM is a filter based dynamic driver retailing for around $200, with excellent build quality and a sharp “audiophile” U-shaped tuning across all three filters. Using the “bass” filter as my preferred reference, The Finders come across as a more pronounced version of the tuning that the A83 has gone for, with a slightly leaner overall sound and more pronounced sharpness in the high registers, with a bass tuning that leans more towards mid bass thickness and volume compared to the more even split of the Fidue between mid and sub bass. Both IEMs are very detailed in terms of overall presentation, with the Finders just coming across as slightly smoother by a hair in the midrange compared to the more “textured” feel of the A83, but losing out a little to the Fidue in terms of conveying emotion in a track due to the slightly deeper setting of the voices compared to the bass and high end. One area where the Finder does have an advantage is the sheer speed of the bass in the dynamic driver, with the German-designed PEEK diaphragm really providing some pace and slam to the low notes that feels a little quicker and more pronounced. Treble is a matter of preference, with both providing a nice airy presentation but the Finders coming across as the hotter and more “etched” of the two presentations, even though neither cross the line into sibilance. From a personal preference, the A83 has the better treble tuning for me, although both are good. Build quality is a split decision – the solid titanium bell shape of the Finders look and feel absolutely beautiful, and are about as durable as you could ever want from an IEM. In contrast, the cable battle is won by the A83, with a thicker and more importantly detachable cable (both are made from silver plated copper) with memory wire to enable over-ear wear. On a straight shootout, the A83 just edge ahead for me if I had to choose just one IEM as my daily driver purely on tuning, but the Finder do present excellent value for money and a comparable level of quality to make it purely a preference call.
 
FLC8S – The tuneable marvel from Forrest Wei and his team has 36 different tuning configurations available for the listener, so for the sake of sanity and a review that doesn’t run into 50,000 words I am comparing them using my preferred tuning of red-black-gold with Comply comfort tips. This configuration allows for more sub-bass and mid-bass presence in the basic FLC tuning, which brings it more into line with the tuning of the A83. The A83 has a slightly higher mid-bass presence than the FLC, with similar sub bass tuning (if a little more “rumble factor” for me). Both are good, with the FLC feeling lighter and a little less dense than the A83's more substantial overall bass presence. In terms of midrange, the FLC8S has a more forward and velvety smooth midrange presentation, with vocals more towards the forefront of the soundstage. The A83 mids are a little further back overall, with more texture and a little more substance and raw emotion to the sound than the smoother and silkier heartstring-pulling stylings of the 8S. In the high frequencies, both tunings offer plenty of air, with the FLC going for a more diffuse and airier take compared to the more focused “zest” of the Fidue. Build quality is similar on both models, with the pseudo-metal faceplates on the A83 looking a little nicer to the eye than the all plastic industrial design of the FLC that makes them look more like a plumber’s U-bend than a mid-tier IEM. The cables are similar, with the edge going to the A83 both in terms of ergonomics and build quality. These are too different in tuning to pick a clear winner, with the infinitely tuneable FLC providing more tinkering options, but the A83 providing a more enjoyable basic tuning and a touch more rawness to tracks than the smooth and ethereal FLC.
 
Campfire Audio Nova – with a current RRP of $500, these sit in the price bracket above the A83, but share a similar sense of freshness and clarity so I have included these as a reference for people thinking of stepping up (or down) a bracket. When I first put both these IEMs in my ears, they gave off a feeling of clarity that was quite unmistakeable, despite having drastically different basic tunings. The Nova is a dual-BA setup, with a tuning that reminds me of an old vinyl record being played on a really good sound system, giving a sense of realism to the sound, compared to the more classic but similarly clear “Hi-Res” tuning of the A83. Overall, the Nova is a darker affair than the A83, with the treble lacking the sense of air and freshness that the A83 portrays. The tuning of the Nova is more along the lines of a slightly bassy take on neutral, comparted to the more V shaped Fidue. In terms of detail, the level is actually pretty similar, the more closed off treble containing the detail a little further back into the overall sound than the more prominent A83. Compared to the A83, the Nova is slightly more forward in the mids, with a nice substance and clarity to the sound. The A83 has a more detailed feeling midrange, with the vocals in particular feeling slightly more textured and conveying more depth of emotion. In terms of bass, the A83 has a higher sub bass presence than the Nova, which rolls off quite early on down the frequency range, and a stronger mid-bass presence with more defined slam due to the use of the dynamic driver compared to the all-BA setup of the Nova. The one area the Nova clearly wins on is in power requirement – it is much easier to drive. Overall, the A83 wins quite comfortably for me in terms of sound preferences – the Nova has  unique and “real” tuning that I have an enormous respect and technical admiration for, but for sheer enjoyment, the A83 wins me over with its bigger sub-bass rumble and fresher treble tuning.
 

 
Overall conclusion
 
It almost feels churlish to write a recommendation on these IEMs, considering they have been in circulation for over 2 years now and reviewed (and praised) by some of the most prolific reviewers on Head-Fi already. On my part, I would just say that the previous high marks are still thoroughly deserved – these IEMs present a beautifully coherent and enjoyable sound, with just the right amount of bass texture and impact to go along with the “fresh enough to be royalty in Bel-Air” treble tuning and emotive vocals. There isn’t an area that you listen to the A83 and think the designers really missed the target, which is pretty rare with a tuning that dares to pump the bass and the treble. Up until this review, my “go to” IEMs for listening when I have time to really sit back and enjoy the music and don’t feel like wearing over-ears have been the Aurisonics ASG2.5 – my experience with the A83s so far has pretty much pushed the 2.5s into semi-retirement, with something that keeps drawing me back to the excellent tuning and raw emotion they can convey. To sum up the whole review in five words: just right, Fidue. Just right. 

 
Trinity Phantom Sabre – initial impressions
 
Trinity Audio are a firm that have been making some serious waves on Head-Fi over the last 12 months with a range of Kickstarter-funded in ear monitors (the Hyperion, Techne, Delta and Atlas models), subsequently moving on to directly sold variants like the Delta V2, Vyrus and the new Phantom line. After enjoying my time with their sports IEM the Atlas, I picked up a pair of the new Phantom Sabre model as I was intrigued by the promise of the dual push/pull dynamic driver setup and multiple tuning filters. Being 100% honest, the previous Trinity sound I had heard was excellent but not 100% suited to my personal preferences due to the comparative aggressiveness of the treble, so I was interested to see what differences in tuning the all-DD setup and new tuning filters would bring – suffice to say, I am very glad I decided to take the plunge.
 
About me: newly minted audiophile, late 30s, long time music fan and aspiring to be a reasonably inept drummer. Listen to at least 2 hours of music a day – prefer IEMs for out and about, and a large pair of headphones when I have the house to myself and a glass in my hand. Recently started converting my library to FLAC and 320kbps MP3, and do most of my other listening through Spotify or Tidal HiFi. I am a fan of rock, acoustic (apart from folk) and sarcasm. Oh yeah, and a small amount of electronica. Not a basshead, but I do love a sound with some body to it. My ideal tuning for most IEMs and headphones tends towards a musical and slightly dark presentation, although I am not treble sensitive in general. Please take all views expressed below with a pinch of salt – all my reviews are a work in progress based on my own perceptions and personal preferences, and your own ears may tell you a different story.
 

 
Tech specs (from the Trinity website)

1. All aluminium CNC machined shells
2. Twin push/pull driver set up
3. Titanium diaphragm drivers
4. Impedance: 16Ohm
5. Sensitivity: 108 +/- 3DB
6. Frequency response: 20 - 20000Hz
7. 24ct Gold plated 3.5mm Jack
8. 2 Pin detachable cables x 3 (included as standard) 1 x standard Trinity multi-braid 1 x memory wire multi-braid 1 x Fabric cable with mic/remote/volume control
9. 5 x pairs tuning filters in standard length for shallow insertion and long length for deep insertion.
10. OFC copper cables
11. Huge accessory package including case, 6.3mm adapter, 11 choices of eartips (S/M/M/L silicone, double flange,  M/L Memory foam, SPINFIT ear tips (SS/S/M/L)

 

 
Unboxing
 
If you haven’t purchased a Trinity product before, the unboxing experience may come as something of a shock – the sheer volume of accessories Bob and his team deem fit to include in a product at this price bracket is quite frankly ludicrous, and probably accounts for a decent porion of the final sale price if you were to buy everything separately. There are 13 (yes, that’s right) different tips, in different configurations from single flange through to foam, and a separate bag of SpinFit tips in four sizes. Trinity also saw fit to add some additional own-brand wide bore tips in with the pre-order, but these are not currently part of the “standard” packaging. They also include three detachable 2-pin cables (memory wire, non memory wire and microphone-enabled), two of which are braided and all of which would comfortably fit into the sort of quality bracket you would expect from an after-market cable. Unfortunately the 2pin design has been tweaked slightly by Trinity to allow a more solid connection to their IEMs, but the “sheath” on the housing can be removed by anyone with basic DIY skills if you do wish to use them elsewhere. Completing the loadout are four small metal tubes which contain the interchangeable filters (10 sets of them in total, 5 filter types in two different lengths), a triangular carry case in a pocket friendly size , a right angled 3.5mm connector and shirt clip and the IEMs themselves, sitting proud in a foam cutout. All of these accessories come in a nice cardboard presentation box with magnetic flap that would comfortably house something in a price bracket in the $500 region, so the overall impression created with an IEM that cost £75 on preorder and now retails at £125 is impressive. I can honestly say that the only unboxing experience I have personally had that comes close is the Nuforce HEM line of IEMs, but they generally retail in a higher price bracket so for the price, these are definitely impressive.
 

 
Build quality and ergonomics
 
The Sabres are a circular “puck shaped” design, with a polished gunmetal grey finish and all aluminium build that looks premium and feels light but sold in the hand. The IEM shell itself is beautifully designed, and looks much better in the hand than it does in pictures. The braided cables provided are of similarly high quality, with an almost fabric-like appearance and high flexibility resulting in minimal cable memory.  The cables are finished in sold metal connectors – these are straight rather than L-shaped (my preference) and quite long, although they appear pretty sturdy and utilise a spring at the end of the connector as a very novel strain relief, so should last the test of time well. If you do require an L shaped connection, Trinity do provide a 3.5mm L-shaped adaptor in the box, so you can switch these across, although the “L” does become quite long as a result so may not work for smaller DAPs/mobile phones.
 
Ergonomics are pretty good, with the circular shape of the IEM fitting nicely in to the bowl of the ear, with a reasonably slimline profile. I struggled to get a proper seal in my right ear (I have two different sized ear canals, both on the black hole side of large), but the addition of filters in longer lengths helped immensely with this, so people with a “normal” ear anatomy should have no problem finding a tip configuration and filter length that works for them. Once fitted and sealed properly, the IEM is very comfortable, with the slightly rounded shell edges making these comfortable for long listening sessions without chafing. These are designed for over-ear wear, and the inclusion of both memory wire and non memory wire cables also helps with choice of wear and fit. Overall, a nice looking and pretty well fitting IEM, with an unusual look.
 

 
Sound quality
 
Test gear:
Xperia Z3 Compact (via Neutron Player)
Cayin C5 amp
Sansa Clip+ (Rockboxed)
Microsoft Surface Pro 2 (straight from the output jack)
Main test tracks (mainly 320kbps MP3 or FLAC/Tidal HiFi):
Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats – S.O.B. / Wasting Time
Blackberry Smoke – The Whipporwill (album)
Slash – Shadow Life / Bad Rain (my reference tracks for bass impact and attack, guitar “crunch”)
Slash & Beth Hart – Mother Maria (vocal tone)
Richie Kotzen – Come On Free (bass tone)
Elvis – various
Leon Bridges – Coming Home (album)
The Chemical Brothers – Go (EDM tester)
Emile Sande – Our Version Of Events
Rodrigo y Gabriela – various
Mavis Staples – Livin’ On A High Note
Foy Vance – The Wild Swan
ZZ Top – La Futura
Chris Stapleton – Chris Stapleton
Maroon 5 – Songs About Jane
The Winery Dogs – The Winery Dogs
 

 
General impressions on the sound signature
 
Having read a little on the benefits of the push/pull driver technology utilised by Trinity in this IEM, I was hoping that the opposing driver would smooth out some of the edges I found in their previous Kickstarted sports IEM (the Atlas), and provide the now-famous Trinity range of tuning options with a little less gas in the chainsaw up top. Happily, Bob and his team must have been reading my crib notes, as this is exactly what they delivered: a smooth and detailed sound, with plenty of clarity in the higher ranges but just a touch less rawness to the sound, turning the industrial cutting edge of the Atlas into more of a surgical affair on the Sabre. Being a tuneable affair, the bass presence ranges from slightly too much for me (red filter) to just right (orange or gold), with an accompanying perception boost in the mid and high ranges as the bass drops as a result. The purple and gunmetal filters give a sound that for me is slightly too bass light, so the majority of the sound impressions will be based on either the orange or gold filters unless otherwise stated. With all the filters, the Sabre is clean, quick and smooth, with excellent separation and detail and no audible grain to the sound. The midrange is beautifully tuned, with a slight forwardness to vocals that highlights the almost liquid nature of the sound well. With some higher-end gear I have listened to, it can take time to appreciate the sound, with no immediate “WOW” factor as you first hear the music, just a growing appreciation of what they have to offer as your brain adjusts. This is definitely not the case with the Sabre – the excellent base (not bass, although that is pretty good too) tuning and silky midrange really make an impression with the listener immediately, bringing a smile to the face and a tap to the foot from the off. The other thing that hits you when you listen to these is the absolute lack of audible distortion, with the dual-phase driver tech producing a sound that remains immaculately smooth no matter how hard I have driven these. In the interests of fairness, you probably could get the drivers to distort if you hooked them up to a desktop rig pumping out HD600-melting amounts of wattage, but as most portable DAPS and mobile phones don’t come with a portable nuclear powerstation attached, this is unlikely for most day to day use.
 

 
Effect of the included tuning filters
 
The Sabre comes with five tuning filters in two different insertion lengths, each of which has an effect on the bass frequencies of the sound. As the filters progress from most to least bassy, they do appear to alter the treble response as well, but that is due to the increased perception of mid and high range sound as the lower end is slowly ramped down in audibility. The filters are colour coded, using the following scheme:
 
Red – these are the bona-fide “bass cannon” filters, providing the most bass slam and response to the sound. In practice, I found these to be slightly too much in terms of overall bass presence, providing a boominess and volume to the bass that started to overshadow the mid-range slightly. These will be for people who value maximum impact and bass “boom”, and are easily bassy enough to start called them a proper basshead tuning option. For me, the overwhelming mid-bass starts to detract from the mids in this configuration and obscures some of the low-level detail, leaving the most pronounced V-shape as a result. Unless I plan on listening to music with practically no mid-range like some EDM in my collection, these are very much for special occasions only.
 
Orange – These are the second most bassy filter, and one of my top two in terms of overall sound. The bass presence is still definitely boosted, with a nice warmth and mid-bass lift that plays very well with rock music and EDM, and good presence and rumble in the sub-bass. The “boom” factor is dialled back from the red filters, with enough impact to satisfy those looking for a physical or visceral element to their bass presentation, but just stopping short of overshadowing the midrange. The added bass presence provides a slightly thicker lower edge to the mids while only losing a tiny portion of the finer micro-detail as a result.
 
Gold – This is my other “favourite” filter, with a bass that is slightly north of neutral and the flattest overall presentation for me. Mid and sub bass are still satisfying for most listeners, with the slightly lower mid-bass emphasis compared to the red and orange filters allowing the full technical capabilities of the dual-driver setup to shine through. The liquid midrange absolute glistens with this filter, with just enough warmth and body through the lower range to really make them sing, and the detail to drift through on each song. These are my go-to for acoustic and more low-level listening, being replaced by the orange when I need something with more thump (commuting, gym use etc). If the Sabre only came with one fixed tuning, I think this one would be most user’s choice, highlighting the positives of the sound signature without accentuating any of the negatives.
 
Purple – Being honest, this is not a filter I have spent much time with. The Trinity website describes these as the most neutral of the filters, but to me the flatness of the bass actually detracts from the lower midrange and overall sense of body to the sound, leaving them feel slightly too clinical. There is more emphasis on the mids and highs with this filter, so for those who don’t like bass emphasis and are looking for a leaner and slightly thinner take on the basic tuning, these will appeal.
 
Gunmetal – This is the treble rapier of the filter set, with the least bass of all and the most emphasis on mid and high ranges. Again, this is a filter I very quickly tried and discarded as not fit for my musical preferences, so this is one for people who prefer something tuned more along the Grado/Etymotic end of the scale, with maximum emphasis on detail and sharpness at the expense of warmth and body.
 

 
Highs
 
As I generally mention in my reviews, my preference for headphones and in-ears lays towards darker tunings. Ideally I look for something that is clear and clean in the higher range without being too sparkly or aggressive - detail is important to me, but not at the cost of sandpapered eardrums. The treble on the Sabre addresses my only issue with the Atlas, and takes a polishing cloth to the rawness that made the Atlas so energetic, producing a sweet sound that sits right on the crossroads of detail and harshness. The tuning filters provided can be used to highlight this area by removing the bass, but the overall impression/tuning is pretty much identical through all of them. High falsetto vocals and guitars come through well, with plenty of clarity and an organic feel to them. There is just enough thickness to the treble sound to add a nice weight to higher passages, helping the overall impression of smoothness. My usual sibilance testers from Slash and Myles Kennedy sail through with no issues, with the dissonant guitar of “Starlight” and the helium-influenced vocals packing plenty of energy and detail, but always remaining buttery smooth even at full tilt. Cymbals hit with authority, but decay quite quickly rather than splashing. Overall, the treble is reasonably spacious but never feels overly airy or soaring due to the lack of etching or bite in the higher registers, which suits the sound signature pretty well.
 

 
Mids
 
The mids are the star of the presentation for me, with a beautiful liquidity to the sound and dash of sparkle as you climb up the midrange that reminds me of the gold filter on the FLC8S. The mids sit slightly behind the bass and treble with most of the filters, but don’t feel recessed. Vocals (both male and female) are well represented, with the smoothness of the presentation not losing any of the detail or texture of the singers voice in the process. Listening to “Everybody Knows She’s Mine” by Blackberry Smoke, the whisky-soaked gravel in Charlie Starr’s voice comes across excellently, with a genuine sense of feeling and emotion. Vocal harmonies are handled particularly well, in part due to the blackness of the sonic background underpinning everything – listening to the Foy Vance album “The Wild Swan”, Foy’s vocals capture the great tone of his voice, with the gospel style choruses in a few songs like “Burden” all sounding clearly defined, with each singer in the choir having their own separate voice while never being disconnected from the overall sound. In some respects, the mix of detail and smoothness is like the aural equivalent of someone taking the gravel on your driveway off to be polished smooth and then returned, so when you walk on it barefoot you can still feel each tiny rock, but none of them are jagged enough to cause any discomfort.
 
Switching to another Blackberry Smoke song (“One Horse Town”), the acoustic guitar riff that runs through the song is rendered perfectly, sounding clean and clearly defined in contrast to the dirty southern riff chugging along behind it on the electric guitar. Guitars in general are very well handled, with more uptempo songs like “World On Fire” by Slash producing a great textured roar from the Sabre’s twin drivers, while never crossing the line into harshness. There is plenty of crunch to satisfy most listeners, rock guitars growling and snarling away in the background of most tracks with a satisfying texture that is just a little thicker than neutral. I have heard IEMs that provide more crunch in this frequency range, but that comes at a tradeoff of less smoothness and silkiness, so I think the Sabre treads the line well here for most genres. Switching across to some EDM, “Go” by The Chemical Brothers sounds great, with the euphoric synths of the chorus swooping in and lifting the song up just like they should. Strings are also well rendered, with orchestral passages or pure classical music sounding full and textured while still blending the multitude of instruments together well without sounding congested or muddled.
 

 
Bass
 
This is the most tuneable portion of the sound, with the filter system allowing you to go from “vibrate everything off your desk” levels of boom to an almost total absence of bass (“anti-bass”?). For personal preference, I use the orange or gold filter, so this section is based on the signature of those two predominantly. In terms of extension, the Sabre performs well, with good texture all the way down through the midbass and a nice subbass presence that makes itself felt as well as heard on the orange filters. Listening to EDM is a pleasure with these, with the blend of mid and sub frequencies coming together to really add a sense of body to most well recorded electronica. Playing some Emile Sande through the orange filter, the track “Heaven” positively hums, the meaty sub-bass rhythm drilling into your ears with a potent rumble while the vocals drift through the top end of the track.
 
Despite the physical nature of the bass, the control imparted by the push/pull drivers on the sound ensures that unless you are breaking out the bass cannon and slapping in the red filters, the bass never muddies up the mid-range, staying clearly defined and agile no matter how much bass is being pumped through the track you are listening to. Drums in particular also seem to benefit from the clarity of the dual driver set up, with the bass and tom tom sounds feeling real and impactful, and adding a good sense of realism to the soundscape, rolling across the stage with precision. Playing The Winery Dogs through the Sabres, Mike Portnoy’s playing sounds full of life and vigour, with the quickfire drum “riffs” he employs moving across the back of your ears as if the drummer was sat directly behind you. This also highlights the speed of the driver, as the fast moving bass slots in nicely, without ever seeming rushed or sloppy. Texture is also highlighted on this song, with Billy Sheehan’s bass solo around the 3 minute mark feeling full and contoured, in counterpoint to the physical impact of Portnoy’s drumming underneath it.
 
Switching up to my favourite Sister Hazel bass test track, “Hello, It’s Me” fills up the landscape nicely with bass that positively seeps around in the bottom of the soundscape, giving the track the warm and smooth flavour it should without ever seeming sloppy. My other bass tester of choice gets the thumbs up too – “Bad Rain” by Slash is full of the rasp and menace in the bassline that I know so well, with the strings vibrating and stopping without any distortion and creating a great foundation for the sleaze rock guitar riff to build on. All in all, this is a very good presentation for all but the craziest of bassheads – the nice blend between mid and sub bass with the orange (and to a lesser extent the gold) filter giving the best of both worlds and a great foundation for the rest of the sound.
 

 
Soundstage/separation
 
Soundstage on the Sabres is somewhere between good and very good, with a nice width outside the ears in both directions and good spatial cues when panning from left to right. The depth is a little less impressive compared to something truly holographic to my ears like the Aurisonics ASG 2.5, but still better than average. Separation and layering is excellent, with the jet-black background to the presentation helping the low-distortion driver setup to pinpoint each different layer of music easily without pulling it all too far apart for the listener. The drivers also handle multi-instrument passages well, with the dual drivers coming to the fore to ensure that no matter what is going on, the soundstage always sounds roomy enough without the congestion that can sometimes occur.
 

 
Isolation
 
I find the isolation on the Sabres to be very fit-dependent, and for me, somewhere between average to good. This is mainly due to the size and shape of my ears – I struggled to get a proper seal with the Trinity Atlas, and although the puck shaped body and two different filter lengths help massively with the ergonomics, it still takes a little effort to get a good seal on my right ear. That being said, they are still able to block out enough noise to use on public transport, just maybe not on a long haul flight.
 

 
Amping
 
As Bob (chief designer at Trinity Audio) states he tests all his gear on mobile phones as well as low to mid range DAPs, it is unsurprising that these can comfortably be driven from most mobile devices without any issues at all. The dual drivers do seem to appreciate being hooked up to my Cayin C5, but the different isn’t night and day, and I have been able to get more than enough clarity and dynamism out of my Z3 Compact to say that these are an easy to drive IEM.
 

 
Comparisons
 
Pinnacle P1 – MEE Audio’s current “budget flagship” (currently retailing around $199), the P1s are a good comparison point for the Sabre, with a similarly good all-metal build and a neutral and detailed tuning that has gathered plenty of acclaim on this site since they launched. Using the orange and gold filters, the Sabres have a bigger bass presence than the P1, with more slam to kick drums and more sub-bass extension, and using the gold filter (the neutral tuning most similar to the P1) there is still a nice bump in bass impact compared to the P1. The soundstage is similar in size, with the P1s offering the larger of the two, and giving a little more of an “out of head” feeling overall. The spatial cues on both IEMs are excellent, with the slightly larger soundstage of the P1 being noticeable here, but overall direction and “feel” are very similar. One area where the Sabre surprised me vs the P1 was separation of vocal harmonies, giving a slightly better feel of multiple voices in the same range working together compared to the P1, which seems to “blend” things a little closer together. Detail wise, both are excellent, with the push/pull dynamic drivers on the Sabre extracting a similar detail level to the single DD of the P1. The Sabres are considerably easier to drive, requiring approximately 25% less power through my usual sources to attain the same volume levels. Build quality and ergonomics are similar, with the Sabres offering an all-aluminium build compared to the zinc of the P1s, with similar quality detachable cabling and tip layouts. These are two pretty evenly matched IEMs – the Sabre offers more sound tweaking options and a slightly more aggressive “base” tuning compared to the smoother P1 (and different insertion lengths on the filters for those who need a shallower or deeper fit), and is also slightly cheaper overall at current exchange rates. The P1 offers a smoother and more spacious and refined sounding basic tuning, but neither would be a poor choice in this price bracket so again, this will be down to tuning preference as to which will work best for each listener.
 
FLC8S – These are in the next pricing bracket up from the Sabres at around $350, but head up the pack of tuneable IEM options in the mid-fi space at the moment so again are a comparison worth including. The FLC8S has 36 different tuning configurations, so for clarity I am comparing them using my preferred tuning of red-black-gold with Comply comfort tips to the Sabre using Orange and Gold filters and foam tips. The filter choice I use allows for more sub-bass and mid-bass presence, giving a slightly deeper “feel” to some music due to the rounding out of the low frequencies. The gold filter on the FLC8S has a slightly more liquid midrange presentation with vocals than the Sabre, although the Trinity IEM comes close enough to make it purely a preference call over which presentation you prefer. The mid range is also slightly thicker and less airy sounding on the Sabres, with less air and a little more substance. In the high frequencies, there is a less “crystalline” sound up top for the Sabre compared to the sharper and airier sound coming from the FLC8S. The FLC is overall a slightly more forward sounding IEM than the Sabre, pushing the music closer to the listener for a “larger than life” presentation compared to the more laid back and neutral positioning of the Sabre. Build quality is won by the Trinity, with the all-aluminium build feeling nicer to the touch and more durable than the all plastic design of the FLC8s, and the cabling and accessories all feeling slightly higher in quality and polish than the corresponding items in the FLC package. Ergonomics are won by the FLC, with the unusual shell design making them easier to obtain a perfect fit than the more ear-specific Sabres. For me, the FLC provides a wider range of tuning options than the Sabre, allowing you to get closer to your ideal sound, but the actual sound produced is similar enough in overall quality to me that it becomes more of a personal (or economic preference).
 
Audio Technica ATH-CKR10 – these were the flagship dynamic driver model from Audio Technica until recently, and can still be found for around $275 on Amazon. The CKR10 are another push/pull dynamic driver setup, with a similarly smooth and distortion free sound. The CKR10 are not tuneable, and have an energetic sound with good levels of bass and detail. The CKR10 have a more forward overall tuning, especially around the vocal frequencies, with the singer and instruments seeming to be placed a little closer to the listener. The bass levels on the CKR10 sit somewhere between the orange and gold filters of the Sabre, with the orange having slightly more overall bass presence (more towards sub bass with mid being more even) and the gold having slightly less, but both having less slam than the larger 13mm drivers used in the CKR10. Quality and extension of bass on both is excellent. The overall tone of the Sabre with the orange/gold filters is slightly warmer than the CKR10, with the more energetic and sharp treble tuning of the CKR10 taking away some of the smoothness and warmth that the mid and lower ranges would otherwise offer. Guitar music sounds more aggressive on the CKR10, with a more jagged feel to the high treble and edge to the guitar chords that the Sabre manages to polish off. This does make the CKR10s sound more “lively” than the Sabres with more upbeat music, but for me, they edge a little too far over the line into aggressive treble, and suffer in comparison to the beautifully smooth but still detailed Sabre as a result. Detail and separation are evenly matched, with the CKR10 seeming to project in a smaller but deeper “sphere” in terms of soundstage, with the Sabres being wider but not quite as deep. In terms of build and ergonomics, the Sabre wins it for me, with the part-plastic/part-titanium build of the CKR10, the unusual fit (they are best worn down rather than over-ear and the lack of detachable cables all counting against them compared to the more ergonomic and polished Sabre. Accessories are also sparse on the CKR10, with a handful of silicon tips and one small leather carry case compared to the metric ton of goodies that Bob and the team at Trinity insist on including with each package. From a purely sound-based perspective, it is difficult to call between these two – if you are a fan of forward vocal tunings and slightly more cutting treble, then the CKR10 pull out ahead. If you prefer the tuning options offered by the Sabre and are looking for something with the same detail but with a warmer tuning and smoother top end, the Sabres would be my suggestion. If you take the other factors like the all-metal build, removable cables and accessory package into consideration along the with the cheaper cost of the Sabres, they come out comfortable winners, however.
 
Audio Technica ATH-IM50 – The IM50 is an entry level dynamic driver IEM from the Audio Technica IM range, retailing at around £40 at current prices. They employ a dual dynamic driver setup like the more expensive ATH-CKR10, but this time in a symphonic rather than push/pull configuration (in other words, the drivers work together in unison, rather than against each other out of phase). This isn’t strictly like for like, but I was interested to see how the different dual-DD configuration would affect the overall sound. In terms of overall refinement, the IM50 shows its “budget” roots compared to the cleaner and more vibrant sounding Sabre, with a slight loss across the board in terms of clarity and definition. The bass on the IM50 is evenly distributed between mid and sub bass, and gives a nice solid grounding to the overall sound, sitting somewhere between the orange and gold filters on the Sabre. Mids are more forward on the IM50 with its slightly more vocal-centric tuning, but feel slightly more detailed on the Sabre. Treble is similar on both, with the Sabre having the slight edge in extension and clarity as the IM50 are more of a “stage” tuning with more smooth treble in comparison, only giving up the finer details when blasted at close to full volume compared to rhe better low level performance of the Sabre. Detail level is good on the IM50, but is taken to the next level on the Sabre with a greater feeling of definition and clarity in between notes, possibly aided by the airier (in comparison) soundstage. The IM50 overall sounds slightly “thicker” than the Sabre with a slightly smaller soundstage, which highlights the better separation from the Sabre overall. One area they are both very similar on is lack of distortion, with the dual symphonic drivers of the IM50 keeping a clean and smooth presentation no matter how loud they get, very much like the crystal clarity and lack of audible distortion on the Sabre. In real terms, the IM50 compete in a different price bracket, but as a dual-DD setup, they share a few similarities and are an excellent choice for their price point. If you have the extra cash, the audible increase in quality and different filter options make the Sabre the clear winner.
 

 
Overall conclusion
 
I have listened to quite a few highly-rated IEMs in this price bracket recently, and while all of them have their own particular strengths and weaknesses, there haven’t been many that were able to make me sit up and pay attention from the off. The Phantom Sabre gave me that within about 15 minutes of slipping the shiny gunmetal discs into my ears - the combination of the sweet and liquid midrange, bass impact and crunch from the guitars really giving me a ”Holy Cr@p!” moment listening to a track I’d heard a hundred times before. For the price, these are quite simply fantastic – sound that cuts through the audio landscape like its namesake, flexible bass tuning and packing case full of cable and tip options thrown into every pack making it difficult to imagine that someone won’t be able to find some configuration that ticks the boxes for them. If you are after high levels of detail and clarity, an unusual driver setup and a drop dead gorgeous design and accessory load-out, then these are a steal at the current price in my opinion. Being hyper-critical, the fit could possibly be improved, the filters could be upgraded to offer the same level of treble tuning that they allow on the bass and there could be a touch more warmth in the mids for me personally, but that feels very much like nit-picking with something this good. Overall, a well designed and executed IEM from an up and coming company – check them out if you get a chance.

 
Nuforce HEM8 – initial impressions
 
After being impressed with my experiences with both the HEM2 and HEM4 recently, I picked up a pair of the “top of the range” HEM8 on the For Sale boards here not long ago to see how they compared. For clarity, as the only difference to the retail packages for the HEM series is the number of drivers in the shells themselves, a large portion of the below is lifted directly from my review of the HEM2 as the package, design and accessory load-out it identical. Feel free to skip to the sound impressions if you have read either of my previous reviews on the HEM range. To be clear, I have no affiliation to Nuforce, so the views expressed are 100% my own with only my own (questionable) judgement and listening bias having a bearing on the final verdict.
 
About me: newly minted audiophile, late 30s, long time music fan and aspiring to be a reasonably inept drummer. Listen to at least 2 hours of music a day on my commute to work – prefer IEMs for out and about, and a large pair of headphones when I have the house to myself and a glass in my hand. Recently started converting my library to FLAC and 320kbps MP3, and do most of my other listening through Spotify or Tidal HiFi. I am a fan of rock, acoustic (apart from folk) and sarcasm. Oh yeah, and a small amount of electronica. Not a basshead, but I do love a sound with some body to it. My ideal tuning for most IEMs and headphones tends towards a musical and slightly dark presentation, although I am not treble sensitive in general. Please take all views expressed below with a pinch of salt – all my reviews are a work in progress based on my own perceptions and personal preferences, and your own ears may tell you a different story.
 

 
Tech specs (from the Nuforce website)
 
Frequency response: 10Hz - 40KHz
Sensitivity: 124dB +/- 3dB
Cable: 1.38m
Impedance: 32 Ohm
Maximum input power: 2mW
Maximum input sound level: 122dB
 

 
Unboxing
 
The HEM series all share a similar packaging design and accessory load-out, and even as the most expensive model in this series (currently retailing at $499) the overall presentation and included items still mark aren’t found wanting. The outer packaging carries a nice glossy picture of the headphones overlaid on a matte background, with all the usual technical info and schematics you would expect, including the ubiquitous “Hi-Res Audio” logo. Inside the cardboard insert is a black presentation box that is held closed with a magnet and opens book-style to reveal the contents. All very understated and classy. The actual contents of the package keep up the theme: one large transparent waterproof case with foam padding inside (including a moulded foam insert holding the IEMs), and another smaller semi-hard zippered case which fits inside that containing the selection of tips (both silicon and Comply in various sizes), two detachable 2-pin cables, a cleaning tool and nice gold plated stereo adapter. The waterproof casing is reminiscent of various Otterbox cases used by other brands, and has (just) enough room to fit a DAP inside, which gives it comfortably enough to house the IEMs and a few selected accessories. The zipper case is also a nice size, being slightly thinner and longer than average, being about the same size as a pair of bourbon biscuits stacked on top of each other, making it very pocket friendly. The accessories are well thought out and very plentiful, with nice touches such as the addition of an “audiophile” silver coated copper cable (braided, of course) to complement the standard rubberised cable with in-line microphone.
 

 
 
Build quality and ergonomics
 
The HEM8 comes in a mat black colour, with a small teardrop design which hugs the inner contours of the ear very well. There is an almost industrial design motif with the shells due to the acoustic modelling that Nuforce have done on the internals, with the outer shell holding multiple ridges which make it reminiscent of the world’s smallest bicycle crash-helmet or a steampunk take on a coffee bean. The shells themselves are made of Lexan, a light polycarbonate used to make bulletproof glass – while I haven’t broken out the in-laws shotgun to test out if they would survive a trip to the front lines, there is definitely a sense that despite the lack of weight, these are not a fragile piece of kit. Another useful property of Lexan is the fact that it apparently resonates at a frequency higher than the human ear is capable of hearing, meaning it should reduce unwanted sonic interference inside the driver housing from shell vibration. In terms of fit, the light weight allied to the small teardrop size of the enclosures make these IEMs extremely comfortable to wear for extended periods, practically disappearing into the side of your head once settled. The nozzle of the IEM is also worthy of mention, as this is one of the thinnest and longest nozzles I have seen on an IEM, taking Comply T-100 tips. Nuforce claim that this is done to aid the tuning and delivery of the sound – in practice, this doesn’t seem to have an effect on wearing comfort for me as I have large ear canals, but might be a plus point for wearers who normally struggle with wide-bore earphones. Due to my cavern sized ears, I found that the best fit and isolation was usually achieved with the enclosed Comply tips, but there are a few mods that have already been suggested on the forums to fit larger bore eartips onto the casing, so that shouldn’t be a problem if you wish to go “off piste” with your tip selection. The bore size is compatible with Westone tips used in their W and UM series IEMs if you have any handy and are looking for a deeper insertion. The IEMs are designed to be worn over-ear, but due to the use of heatshrink rather than memory wire on the main braided cable, they can if needed be worn “down” as well. With reference to the cables, they are both light and pliable, with the braided cable exhibiting no major memory recall and minimal microphonics, and the “phone” cable being similarly quiet. The overall build quality also extends to the connectors, where the right-angled 3.5mm connectors are finished in a sturdy Nuforce branded metal shell with just the right size to tuck in nicely underneath a mobile phone or DAP audio slot. In fact, the only element of the whole package that doesn’t scream “come see how good I look” in true Ron Burgundy fashion is the heat shrink tubing acting as the cable splitter, and the smaller sliding piece of tubing acting as the cable cinch. The splitter is functional at least, but the cinch on my cable is loose enough to slide over the splitter and down towards the connector without any problems at all – a strange choice considering the high level of finish on all the other elements of the package (the cables even come with their own mini-cable tidies made out of Velcro). It doesn’t detract in a major way, but just leaves the impression that there are some beautifully designed splitters sitting in the Nuforce factory somewhere gathering dust because someone forgot to add them to the production line.
 

 
Sound quality
 
Test gear:
 
Sony Xperia Z3 Compact (via Neutron Player)
Cayin C5
Sansa Clip+ (Rockboxed)
Microsoft Surface Pro 2 (straight from the output jack)
 
Main test tracks (mainly 320kbps MP3 or FLAC/Tidal HiFi):
 
Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats – S.O.B. / Wasting Time
Blackberry Smoke – The Whipporwill (album)
Slash – Shadow Life / Bad Rain (my reference tracks for bass impact and attack, guitar “crunch”)
Slash & Beth Hart – Mother Maria (vocal tone)
Elvis – various
Leon Bridges – Coming Home (album)
Daft Punk – Random Access Memories (album)
Rudimental – various
Rodrigo y Gabriela – various
Mavis Staples – Livin’ On A High Note
Don Broco – Automatic
Chris Stapleton - Traveller
Foy Vance – The Wild Swan
 

 
General impressions on the sound signature
 
The HEM8 is touted as the most technically accomplished of the HEM range, with a three way phase-coherent crossover design to provide a linear response from all four Knowles balanced armatures that make up the audio landscape of this model. In practice, the sound is definitely a step up from the 2 and 4, with a richness and sense of substance to the sound that is just a little more pronounced than its younger siblings, and better soundstage width and imaging prowess across the board. The tuning is rich and slightly dark, with a decent bass presence and a sense of detail and texture to the midrange that is very pleasing to the ear. Detail retrieval is very good, with plenty of micro-detailing like the scuff of palm on guitar strings and room noises in the recording studio winding their way through the sound. Despite the higher brace of BA drivers to shoulder the sonic load, the HEM8 is surprisingly a fair bit darker in tone than the HEM4, sounding more like a majorly upgraded HEM2 in terms of the overall signature it is going for. Another similarity the HEM8 shares with the single-BA variant in the range is the overall warmness to the sound, with the detailed but smooth treble and lack of “sparkle” in the super-high ranges adding a warmness to the sound compared to the more analytical and cold HEM4.
 

 
Highs
 
The highs on the HEM8 are definitely on the smoother side of the scale, with decent levels of detail and a good “weight” to the high notes but not an overwhelming amount of sparkle or fizz. The technical specs proclaim the highs extend up to 40kHz, and there is no obvious “roll-off” as you climb the scale, but the relative lack of emphasis on the treble compared to the stronger bass and midrange frequencies never leaves the listener with a massive impression of air or space as a result. Cymbals are a good example – the hi-hat rhythm underpinning the drum track on “Hello, It’s Me” by Sister Hazel is clearly audible, but decays quickly and feels quite muted in comparison to the crunch of the guitar and lower range harmonics present in this track. Switching to “Mother Maria” and “Starlight” by Slash, the weight of the treble becomes more apparent, adding a nice feel to the higher sections of the vocal tracks without ever letting them fully off the leash. Sibilance is not an issue with this type of tuning, with any potential hotspots being smoothed out with even the screechiest of metal tracks. The lack of sparkle also doesn’t hurt the detailing of this IEM, with plenty of micro-sounds like scuffs on guitar strings as chords are plucked and room noises being available to the listener in the background of each track.
 
Mids
 
The midrange on the HEM8 is a nicely balanced affair, taking the texture and feel of the HEM4 and adding a bit more substance and warmth to the sound (helped by the higher mid-bass presence). The mids are not overly forward (compared to something like the Aurisonics ASG-2.5), but are definitely the high point of the total presentation for me. Guitars are rendered with speed and clarity, with most types of rock music being handled with a nice sense of energy and attack. “World On Fire” by Slash is a good example – the starting riff hits with power and pace, with the lightning quick transitions between each note burying you in an avalanche of detail as each note crunches and wails. Switching to “Mother Maria” by the same artist, the strumming of the Spanish style guitar rings and hangs cleanly in the air, accentuating the emotional vocal delivery of Beth Hart on this track excellently.
Vocals in general convey a good sense of emotion, with the tuning bringing out the timbre of the singer’s voice. Playing some Leon Bridges, you can almost picture the singer standing by the microphone and crooning, with the breathing patterns and inflections being audible in the far reaches of the mix to help bring the delivery to life. Trying some Mavis Staples, her chocolate-smooth vocal delivery is rendered perfectly, the swinging “Love And Trust” highlighting the slight rasp in her voice and the perfect blending of the gospel-style chorus. The multiple voices of the chorus line meld together well while still keeping their individual character, adding a nice warmth to the track. The gospel choruses of Foy Vance are also handled excellently, with “Casanova” roaring along nicely with a good blend of accordion, Foy’s voice and country style acoustic guitar and stand up double bass all positioning themselves around the chorus in perfect harmony. In fact, the “linear phase crossover” trumpeted by the packaging doing an excellent job of binding the four drivers together excellently, with no audible seams or joins between the frequency ranges, which is normally most apparent in the step between the bass and midrange frequencies to me. Allied to the high level of detail retrieval from the latest-generation Knowles drivers being used, the HEM does a very good job of extracting the detail from a track for the listener without turning it into a collection of notes, which can sometimes be the case with more detail-focused tunings.
 
Bass
 
Coming down to the bass, the HEM8 definitely has a boost in the bass region compared to the HEM4, being slightly north of the HEM2 as well from memory. The emphasis is on the mid-bass, which adds a nice thickness to proceedings without feeling too overblown. Despite being a 4-BA setup, the HEM8 exhibits the stereotypical bass characteristics of most all-BA models on the market, with a lack of emphasis/roll off as you get down to the sub-bass frequency range. It is there, but lacks the “rumble factor” you associate with a good dynamic driver set up, giving more of a polite shudder than a deep-throated rumble when you feed it EDM or other tracks with a large sub-bass element.
 
Overall extension is quite good, however, and for those who listen mainly to guitar based music, the comparative lack of sub-bass won’t be too much of an issue. Speed and texture of the bass is excellent, as you would expect. Playing “Bad Rain” by Slash, the growling bass riff is there in all its glory, pinning the track down nicely and benefitting from the HEM8’s ability to render texture to really give an impression of rawness that is sometimes smoothed over with a less detailed driver setup.
 
The slight mid-bass emphasis is noticeable on tracks with an equal mid and sub bass presence – playing “Burden” by Foy Vance, the mid bass is there, but feels slightly empty compared to other IEMs have used as the sub-bass is less noticeable on the synth notes that build the main rhythm of the song. Trying “Hello, It’s Me” by Sister Hazel, the bass fills the track excellently, with the audible texture of the bass guitar strings vibrating helping to add some detail to the liquid bassline that can be glossed over by some other IEMs. Bass drums also present with a good amount of body, although compared to hybrids like the Fidue A73 or Aurisonics ASG-2.5, there is a lack of “slam” due to the relatively small volume of air moved by the BA driver compared to a full blown dynamic driver setup.
 
Switching over to some EDM, “Go” by The Chemical Brothers is handled pretty well, the synth and drums having enough life and body to keep the track moving along, with the speed of the BA drivers compensating somewhat for the lack of rumble in the bass frequencies. “Get Lucky” by Daft Punk highlights the depth of the bass in the midrange nicely, coping with the deep rolling bass riff without losing emphasis on the lower notes. Overall, this IEM exhibits the plus and minus points of a typical balanced armature arrangement – great speed and texture, but lack of “final” amounts of sub bass and extension for the true bass-head.
 

 
Soundstage/separation
 
Soundstage is reasonable in width, but not exceptional, getting outside the confines of your head, but not far enough to make its parents concerned when it is time to call it in for dinner. Where the HEM8 excels is in depth and height, however – this earphone gives a great 3D (or “holographic”) feel to music, with the instruments and voices positioning themselves accurately in your head rather than flattening out along the X-axis between your ears, allowing you to drift fully into the music with some well-mastered tracks. Listening to Leon Bridges’ debut album, you can hear the drummer standing behind the singer, the guitar and horn drifting in from the left hand side of the room, and imagine the backing singers standing behind the vocalist. This is another major strength of the HEM8, and shows a marked step up in quality from the HEM2 and 4. Separation is similarly excellent, with the depth of the soundstage and precision of the drivers allowing each strand of music enough room to breathe while still being identifiable, even in the busiest of passages.
 

 
Isolation
 
Due to the size of my ear canals, I have mainly been using the accompanying Comply foam tips, which provide an excellent seal and therefore excellent isolation. The shape of the shell inserts quite well to block the opening of the ear, and the lack of venting in the shell casing due to the all-BA design does help to keep external noise out. These are easily good enough to block out most external travelling noises or family arguments, so wear with care if you actually need to hear what is going on around you. As mentioned previously, I have tried Westone foams on these, and they also provide an excellent fit and better isolation due to their deeper insertion, although they can occasionally blunt the overall treble presence if not inserted correctly.
 

 
Amping
 
The low resistance and high sensitivity of these IEMs makes them extremely easy to drive, and they get comfortably too loud off my Z3 Compact to ever contemplate having to use full volume. As with the other models in the range I have listened to, adding my Cayin C5 to the mix does bring a little perceived precision (and the higher resistance allows them to be driven harder if required) – much like the other models, amping brings nothing radical to the table though with my current sources, so these are easily in the “standalone” bracket for on the go use.
 

 
Comparisons
 
Aurisonics ASG-2.5 – this is the former flagship of the Aurisonics ASG series, housing a single 14.2mm dynamic driver and dual balanced armatures to handle the high frequencies, and can currently be obtained on the FS boards for a similar price as the RRP of the HEM8. As a direct comparison, the ASG-2.5 is far more capable in the bass, with the large 14.2mm dynamic driver and tuneable bass vents allowing for masses more mid and sub bass than the BA setup of the HEM8 is capable of. In terms of quality and texture, the HEM8 produces a similar quality of bass to the 2.5 in the mid-bass region, which is impressive considering the pedigree of the 2.5. Where it loses out is in the sub bass, with the 2.5 providing far deeper extension and sub bass rumble, without ever clouding the rest of the soundscape. In terms of the mids, the HEM provides a presentation that isn’t quite as forward as the 2.5, but conveys a similar level of emotion and texture to the 2.5, so it will depend on your preference for vocals as to which is better. Treble is a little more sparkly and feels better extended as a result compared to the weighty but “matte” sheen of the HEM8 presentation. Isolation and ergonomics are fairly even, with the smaller and lighter HEM8 providing a similar level of noise reduction to the larger “hybrid/universal” fit of the 2.5, while being similarly easy to wear. In terms of soundstage, the 2.5 creates a far bigger impression of size, although it is matched and possible bettered by the HEM8 in terms of depth and the holographic feel of certain pieces of music. Overall, the ASG-2.5 provides a warmer and more mid-forward tuning, with a more capable (and present) sub bass and plenty of “slam” and air. It loses out slightly on detail retrieval, so if you are looking for a more neutral tuning with higher levels of audible detail and a more “textured” feel, the HEM would be my suggestion – if you are looking for a mid or bass centred IEM for things like EDM, the ASG wins hands down.
 
Campfire Audio Nova  – these are a 2-driver all-BA model from Campfire Audio, selling for a current RRP of $499. The overall sound signature of the Nova tends towards smooth and slightly dark, so is a good match for comparison with the HEM8. In terms of sound, the HEM8 is not overly airy, but still manages to come across as slightly more open than the Nova, with the four BA drivers working well together to give a rounded sound with a greater feel of treble extension and clarity. Soundstage and imaging are reasonably similar, with both IEMs managing to take the music slightly outside the confines of the listener’s head. The detail levels are also similar, with the HEM8 having a slightly more refined and “denser” texture to the notes than the more vinyl-sounding Nova. If anything, the HEM8 have the edge in perceived detail retrieval due to the clearer overall tone, but the actual resolution is very similar. Bass is slightly more present on the HEM8, with the quad-BA configuration providing slightly more thickness and grunt to the sound than the 2 BA Nova for bass heavy tracks. The mid-range presentation is also different, with the HEM8 giving a clearer yet still darkish tone to proceedings, with a similar feel of detail. Treble is clearly won by the HEM8, with a cleaner presentation which is still far from airy, but more forward and audible. Soundstage feels slightly wider on the Nova, but imaging feels more 3D on the HEM8 for me. Ergonomics are won easily by the HEM8, with the coffee-bean shaped shell slotting easily into the ear and remaining comfortable over hours of wear. On the other hand, aesthetics and build quality are won by the Nova, with the solid aluminium shells and high class litz cable looking markedly more impressive than the more understated industrial design on the HEM. Overall, the main difference between the two is more tonal than technical, with the Novas providing a reality to the sound in contrast to the more technically accomplished sounding but traditional tuning of the HEM8. For my preferences, I would choose the HEM8 if I had to pick between the pair, but that is due in part to the fact I already own a “real” sounding over-ear solution in the Audioquest Nighthawk – if that wasn’t the case, the natural sound of the Nova would be a compelling factor in the decision between the two.
 

 
Overall conclusion
 
As the top model in the HEM series, the HEM8 seems to have taken the best parts of the 2 and 4 (I haven’t heard the 6 yet) and improved on their shortcomings to make something befitting a “top of line” product. They provide a rich, textured sound that is musical and enjoyable, and are definitely worthy of being the top model in the series. In comparison to other models in that price bracket, they certainly don’t leave the listener feeling short-changed, with the different emphasis on tunings coming more into play as you get up into this price range and above. If you are looking for something with excellent detail retrieval, great midrange, extended but smooth treble and a decent bass presence for an all-BA setup, the HEM8 certainly won’t disappoint. Allied to the excellent ergonomics and the fantastic accessory and packaging loadout, these are a very accomplished IEM in this price bracket. Being hyper-critical, they are just lacking that final dash of air and sparkle in the highs and presence in the sub-bass to raise them from a 4-star “very good” appraisal to a top of the line 5, but for others with a different set of personal preferences, these may well tick all those boxes. Overall, a very enjoyable IEM to listen to, and a very impressive technical accomplishment by Nuforce in something the same size as a coffee bean.

Campfire Audio Nova – initial impressions
I recently had a chance to pick up a pair of Campfire Audio Nova courtesy of our ever dependable friends over at Massdrop recently, so took the opportunity to get a listen to what the technical wizards over at Campfire audio have been cooking up over the log fire in Portland. Campfire Audio have been generating quite a bit of buzz over the last few months with models like the Jupiter, Orion and Lyra, so I was keen to find out if the Nova followed the trend, and to see which side of the fence I would fall on regarding their now-famous all aluminium (and all-angular) shell. After wavering between a few different opinions, I finally managed to come to some solid conclusions about these rather unique and engaging IEMs below. I can honestly say that these have been the most difficult set of in-ear monitors I have tried to write about yet, for reasons that will hopefully become apparent below.
About me: newly minted audiophile, late 30s, long time music fan and aspiring to be a reasonably inept drummer. Listen to at least 2 hours of music a day on my commute to work – prefer IEMs for out and about, and a large pair of headphones when I have the house to myself and a glass in my hand. Recently started converting my library to FLAC and 320kbps MP3, and do most of my other listening through Spotify or Tidal HiFi. I am a fan of rock, acoustic (apart from folk) and sarcasm. Oh yeah, and a small amount of electronica. Not a basshead, but I do love a sound with some body to it. My ideal tuning for most IEMs and headphones tends towards a musical and slightly dark presentation, although I am not treble sensitive in general. Please take all views expressed below with a pinch of salt – all my reviews are a work in progress based on my own perceptions and personal preferences, and your own ears may tell you a different story.

Tech specs
Frequency Range:         10Hz – 19kHz
Sensitivity:                    114dB SPL/mW
Impedance:                   22 Ohms @ 1kHz
Connector:                    MMCX
 

(graph courtesy of Campfire Audio website)
 
Unboxing
As a headphone retailing in the $500 price bracket, the Nova arrive in a very understated (and physically small) package, with the cardboard box being barely larger than the enclosed carry case. The box has a nice starry panorama on the front, and opens simply to reveal the standard Campfire Audio zippered carry case in a nice grey fabric finish. Unzipping the carry case, the Nova and attached silver litz cables can be seen nestling inside on a faux-fur lining, with no other accessories or paraphernalia to distract from the initial impression. If the finish of the IEMs or the case were of a lower quality, the whole experience might be considered a little underwhelming, but due to the simple aesthetic appeal of the angular Nova casings and the unusual and highly practical carry case, it still manages to feel like a premium unboxing experience. Removing the carry case, a cleverly designed false floor in the packaging lifts up to reveal an assortment of tips (Comply foams with waxguard, some Campfire “own brand” foam tips without the wax filter and some wide-bore silicon tips in various sizes) and a Campfire Audio badge. The company slogan also appears prominently, and appears quite appropriate to describe the whole experience: “Nicely Done”.

Build quality and ergonomics
Starting from the moment you open the solid zippered case, the Nova feels like a premium piece of gear. The IEMs themselves are machined from a solid block of aluminium, with the finely jewelled edges and overall solidity of the all-metal construction giving an excellent impression. The fit and finish matches the aesthetics, with the two parts of the shell joined together with three screws in a seamless manner, matching exactly and without any hint of imperfection. Looking at these IEMs, the shell gives the impression of an emerald or other precious gem, with the angled corners giving the Campfire series a look that is different to anything else currently on the market. The cable continues this trend, being a tightly wound silver-plated copper litz design, with four wires woven together in a flexible and beautiful looking braid, terminated in MMCX connectors and a transparent L-shaped plug at the appropriate ends. The cable alone retails for $149 on the Campfire site if purchased separately, and is of sufficient audio and visual quality to make purchasing an after-market cable an unnecessary task for most new Nova owners.
The unusual shape of the housing serves another purpose as well, with the team at Campfire stating that the gemstone geometry has been calculated to dampen and control the internal vibrations, leading to a clearer and more accurate sound. The Nova has a two-bore nozzle, implying that the output of the BA drivers is channelled internally as well – this leaves the Nova firmly in the “wide bore nozzle” bracket of in-ears, so may not be the most comfortable for those with small ear canals.
In terms of ergonomics, the unusual shape of the housings has been pretty polarising, with some bemoaning the lack of comfort and others claiming the unusual shape is actually more comfortable than standard designs. To be honest, I fall firmly in the “lack of comfort” camp. This is not to say the IEMs are incredibly agonising to wear, but if worn with a reasonably deep insertion, the solid and sharp edges of the inner shell do chafe my ears after protracted listening, and leave me aware at all times that I have a sharp metal object sticking out of my skull. Wearing foam tips can alleviate some of this, but I have found it actually does so by leaving the IEM being supported by the foam tip and “floating” a few mm off the surface of my ears rather than being flush with the bowl of the ear. The additional isolation offered by foam does offset the slight loss of “blockage”, but almost seems to defeat the purpose of the allegedly ergonomic design. Also, the designer (Ken Ball at Campfire) has stated that silicon tips are his suggestion to provide the ideal sound – this requires the IEMs to be placed more flush to get the maximum seal, leading back to the chafing issue. As everyone’s ear anatomy is different, this may be an issue particular to me, but I feel that a slight rounding of the external edges would go a long way to making these IEMs more comfortable for the majority of users, without affecting the overall cosmetic appeal or unique design too much. The only other gripe I have (and it is a minor one) is with the litz cable – the right angled jack seems to have a thicker than usual diameter than other right-angled jacks I possess, leading to issues using it with mobile phone cases over a certain thickness which the other jacks have no issue slotting into. For people intending to use this solely with a DAP this probably won’t be too much of a dealbreaker, but as these are very easy to drive ‘phones, it seems unusual to exclude a portion of your target iPhone or Android phone listeners with this particular jack design.

Sound quality
Test gear:
Sony Xperia Z3 Compact (via Neutron Player)
Cayin C5 amp
Sansa Clip+ (Rockboxed)
Microsoft Surface Pro 2 (straight from the output jack)
Main test tracks (mainly 320kbps MP3 or FLAC/Tidal HiFi):
Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats – S.O.B. / Wasting Time
Blackberry Smoke – The Whipporwill (album)
Slash – Shadow Life / Bad Rain (my reference tracks for bass impact and attack, guitar “crunch”)
Slash & Beth Hart – Mother Maria (vocal tone)
Richie Kotzen – Come On Free (bass tone)
Elvis – various
Leon Bridges – Coming Home (album)
The Chemical Brothers - Go
Rodrigo y Gabriela – various
Mavis Staples – Livin’ On A High Note
Foy Vance – The Wild Swan
ZZ Top – La Futura
Chris Stapleton – Chris Stapleton
Maroon 5 – Songs About Jane
The Winery Dogs – The Winery Dogs

General impressions on the sound signature
This was the most difficult section to write, with my opinions changing constantly over the time I have been listening to these before finally crystallising into one solid thought. When first plugged in to my ears with the enclosed Comply waxguard tips, the Novia sound was flat and came across as blunt or veiled in the treble and muffled in the vocal ranges. There was an almost analog quality to the sound that reminded me of old vinyl, with a warmness and dullness to the sound that didn’t really blow me away, especially at the price bracket these are competing in. I persevered over the next few weeks with different tips, songs and even EQ, and as my brain adjusted and the Everest-sized pile of tips (both Campfire and non-Campfire options) whittled down, I came to notice that the Novas were starting to sound more “real” to my ears than some of my other IEMs, and the detail I thought was missing was starting to filter through into my brain. The signature still sounds a little “vinyl”, but I have now come to appreciate that there is plenty of detail and separation in the music, with a very rare sense of reality to the overall tone which can surprise you when switching back to other IEMs. I am no stranger to tunings similar to this (I have been a Flare R2A owner and my current “endgame” over-ear is the Audioquest Nighthawk), but the Nova is definitely an in-ear that takers some time to adjust to, and won’t be for everyone. If your brain does “get it”, however, it will slowly but surely become something that you will find yourself reaching for more often compared to your other ‘phones, with a warm and forgiving neutrality and naturalness to the sound that takes you into the music rather than dissects it in front of you for your listening pleasure.

Tip rolling
When first commenting on these IEMs, the creator recommended silicon tips to bring the best out of the sound. I have come to that conclusion as well – the tips packaged with the Nova are quite good, but don’t seal particularly well with my large ear canals, so I was finding the fit too shallow and leaky to get the proper sonic benefits. After trying the included Comply (too much dulling of the already smooth treble), the other foams (same issue, although less extreme) and Spinfits (not solid enough to keep a seal with the weight of the shells), I finally settled on some wide-bore tips I have in my collection from Trinity Audio. The combination of the wide bore and slightly deeper tip length than the frankly stunted Campfire silicons was just right for getting a good seal in the outer ear, and the open bore allowed the sound to breathe properly, giving a more natural and open slant to the sound that is much needed. Ear anatomy differs for each individual, so if you can’t get a good fit with the initial tips, it is definitely worth persevering, as the correct tip can make a significant difference to the overall enjoyment of the sound for this particular IEM.

EQ (and why I don’t recommend it for this IEM)
My initial reaction to the bluntness I first perceived when I slotted these in was to reach for the parametric EQ to see if this would “pop” the vocals and high end a little to bring back some of the life I thought was missing. While the Novas are easy enough to EQ, every tweak I made actually left the IEM sounding worse, as it seemed to bend some of the other frequency bands out of whack and took away the natural sound the Novia excels at. I am no audio science guru, but to me this indicates that the two full-range BA drivers have been very carefully tuned to complement each other and deliver a very exact sound, and any adjustment to the overall tuning will take away far more in overall impression than it puts back in terms of dB boosting in a certain frequency range. I am not a massive fan of EQ in any case (why spend this sort of money on something if you don’t enjoy the way it sounds out of the box?), but for this particular IEM, I would suggest steering clear of it altogether unless you have a far better understanding of it than me. Ken and his team at Campfire should be applauded for producing something tuned so deliberately that any tweak leaves it sounding less that it should be.

Highs
Veiled. Clouded. Foggy. These were all words I would have thrown at the Nova at first listen, with the treble the main culprit for me. As outlined above, I have come to appreciate and enjoy the signature on offer, but the treble will never be one for fans of wailing soprano and glass shattering high notes. It simply isn’t tuned that way.  Comparing this to the Fidue A83 (another IEM I am currently putting through its paces), the difference is apparent, with the same songs sounding sharper and clearer through the A83 at first listen. The best way to describe the difference is to imagine the Nova treble as being a live recording, with the A83 playing the refined and polished studio version. To me, it sounds like a real-world attempt at playing the music, without the emphasis on frequencies that would not be audible outside of a studio environment. The Nova has a laid back treble tuning that keeps the detail intact, but pulls it back from the listener and scatters it into the background like a careless toddler, rather than etching it into your frontal lobe like the A83. The stated frequency range goes up to 19kHz, and this is presumably true, but the lack of emphasis generally means than the highs “feel” a little more muted than they actually are. That being said, there is no lack of detail and definition, with the Nova having a similar ability as the Audioquest Nighthawks to keep the detail level high despite the lack of sparkle. Air and space are also at a premium in the higher registers – the soundstage is reasonably large for an IEM with this type of tuning, but these will never be the airiest of listens. Testing the Novas with my usual high end sibilance tester (“Starlight” by Slash & Myles Kennedy), the natural treble actually does a great job at keeping control of Kennedy’s voice as it hits the high registers, smoothing off the notes nicely and never tending towards sharpness. It also goes without saying that a lottery win is more likely to happen to the average Nova user than a case of treble fatigue.

Mids
The midrange of the Nova is where this IEM starts to really hit its stride, with a nice sense of fullness and texture that makes you forget it is only two balanced armatures providing the grunt to this piece of audio engineering. String instruments sound particularly true to life, the timbre and decay of cello and violin bow strokes sounding fantastic when listening to more orchestral music. “Burning Love” by Elvis and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra sweeps in majestically, the strings combining with the rest of the music to bring the opening bars to life and complement the tone of Elvis’ crooning perfectly. Switching up to something a little more uptempo, rock guitar is presented with adequate but not exceptional crunch and energy, “Shadow Life” by Slash losing some of the diamond edge to the main riff due to the smoothed off treble, but gaining a nice sense of thickness to the body of the notes that still allows the song to come alive. In terms of overall positioning, the mids are neither forward or recessed, carrying a nice balance between the bass and treble and a good overall sense of warmth and depth. As mentioned previously, this IEM reminds me of a slab of vinyl sometimes (especially with older rock tracks and guitar based music), and this “analog” vibe does bring a unique flavour to what you are listening to, without actually colouring the music much. Detail-wise, the midrange of the Nova is much like the treble, with a high level of detail living further back in the mix rather than being pushed up into the forefront. That being said, they are still clearly audible due to the increased presence of the midrange in the overall tuning, with the guitar scuffs and chair creaking on the Foy Vance album “The White Swan” and the boxy room-echoes on Leon Bridges’ debut album both adding a sense of clarity and detail to the sounds being played without overwhelming the listener with analysis.

Bass
The only other dual-BA IEM I have heard to date is the Nuforce HEM4, which was a very textured and rapier sharp affair, but rather thin in the lower registers (to put it mildly). The Nova seems to be the polar opposite to the HEM4, with a smooth treble and plenty of bass for a twin balanced armature arrangement. In fact, I would say the Nova is definitely a little north of neutral, with a very impactful and present bass tuning more reminiscent of a single dynamic driver on some tracks. It isn’t a sub-bass monster, but frequencies are still clearly audible (or “feelable”) down into proper sub-bass territory, giving a nice backdrop rumble to tracks like “Go” by The Chemical Brothers. Pulling further up the register to the mid-bass region and the quantity increases slightly, handling “Hello, It’s Me” by Sister Hazel better than some single dynamic drivers I have previously owned. The bass on this track is quite liquid, underpinning the whole bottom half of the song with a good mix of volume and texture without bleeding into the midrange at all. Drums are represented well, with only the telltale puff of air into the inner ear missing from the sound of “Elevate” by The Winery Dogs as the bass drum pounds away through the track. The only thing lacking from the drum presentation is the cymbals, which can sound muted and a little dull due to the relaxed treble. Bass texture is good on the Nova, with plenty of rasp when needed and smoothness when not. Again, the “live” impression is prevalent here, with sounds coming across like you imagine they would in a gig environment, but still preserving the background detail and separation if you listen out for it. “Bad Rain” by Slash is a good example of the live sound, with the signature rasping bass that pushes the song along coming across with texture and impact, but without the studio sheen a more clinical IEM would impart.

Soundstage/separation
The soundstage of the Nova is decently wide, extending out in both directions outside the confines of the listener’s ears. Separation is also quite good, with instruments being able to be identified as they pan from left to right across the stage and individual licks popping out of the mix if you focus. The natural tone doesn’t lend itself too well to extreme separation, and there are certainly more clinical IEMs in this price bracket if you want to follow each strand of the music individually, but due to the tuning, the separation adds to the overall tone of the IEM rather than detracting from it. The overall sound is not as 3D as some IEMs I have heard, but is still quite good for an in-ear solution, with a reasonable but not mind-blowing stage depth.

Isolation
This is very much dependent on the fit you are able to achieve with these IEMs without discomfort. If you are able to slide these fully into the bowl of your ear without doing any damage to the real estate, the solid metal construction and size of the shells will block out a considerable amount of the outside world. IF you have to wear them in a more shallow manner, isolation will suffer slightly, but is still pretty good just due to the sheer size and solidity of the IEM casing and the lack of venting in the all-BA design. Bottom line, they won’t cut out all of the outside world, but unless you intend to wear them on a construction site, they won’t leave you cursing unwanted intrusions into your musical landscape either.

Amping
Due to the high sensitivity and low impedance on offer here, these are not an IEM that needs amplification to sound loud. In fact, all they probably need to sound louder than the surrounding environment would be to be hooked up to a cup on a string, such is the output you can get from the merest spark of current. Adding a portable amp to the solution can seem like overkill (especially from the point of view of controlling the volume), but it does seem to bring the best out of most songs. My verdict: not required, but small gains in performance may be possible.

Comparisons
Aurisonics ASG-2.5 – the now discontinued 2.5s are a triple hybrid IEM, with one 14.2mm dynamic driver and a dual balanced armature array, and one of my all time favourite IEMs. These are famous as being some of the most accomplished basshead IEMs in recent memory, but due to their tunable nature, are actually excellent at a more “audiophile” sound as well. They retailed for around $699 when new, but can be purchased for between $400-500 on the for sale boards at the moment, so sit quite close to the Nova in pricing. The overall tuning of the 2.5 is a mid-forward and bass heavy tuning, with a dash of clarity in the treble due to the balanced armatures. Compared to the Nova, the 2.5s have a warmer and bassier sound, with the massive 14.2mm dynamic filling the lower frequencies with considerably more presence and slam than the all-BA Nova, even on ¼ open on the tunable bass port. Texture and tone are similar, with the 2.5s edging the Nova on overall detail and extension down low. To be fair, there are very few IEMs outside of things like the Sony XB90EX that can compete with the ASG series in bass quantity or quality, so not really a fair fight there. Moving on to the mids, and the ASG have a more forward midrange than the Nova, with more emphasis on the vocals (the Aurisonics “house tuning”) – allied to the heftier bass, this brings a more warm and soulful sound to the music, although it does feel more coloured than the Nova’s more “true to life” and laid back tuning. Detail is more apparent on the 2.5, although levels of retrieval are actually pretty similar, and in some cases won by the Nova if you listen carefully. Treble is airier and more prominent on the ASG 2.5, with the dual BA concentrating exclusively on the higher frequencies compared to the full range BA drivers in the Nova. The treble is still not too sharp on the 2.5, but for fans of a more laid back and smooth treble, the Nova would probably be preferable. Soundstage is won by the ASG, with a wider span from side to side and a deeper feel to the presentation compared to the still above average Nova. These IEMs are vastly different in tuning – if you are looking for a warm and coloured sound, with creamy vocals and bass that could start a war, then the 2.5s are your go to. If you are looking for something more neutral and tonally accurate, with a more “real life” tuning and laid back sound, the Nova will be the winner.
Nuforce HEM8 – these are a 4-driver all-BA model from the new HEM range produced by Optoma Nuforce, selling for a current RRP of $499. The overall sound signature of the HEM8 tends towards smooth and slightly dark, so is a good match for comparison with the Nova. In terms of sound, the HEM8 is not overly airy, but still manages to come across as slightly more open than the Nova, with the four BA drivers working well together to give a rounded sound with a greater feel of treble extension and clarity. Soundstage and imaging are reasonably similar, with both IEMs managing to take the music slightly outside the confines of the listener’s head. The detail levels are also similar, with the HEM8 having a slightly more refined and “denser” texture to the notes than the more vinyl-sounding Nova. If anything, the HEM8 have the edge in perceived detail retrieval due to the clearer overall tone, but the actual resolution is very similar. Bass is slightly more present on the HEM8, with the quad-BA configuration providing slightly more thickness and grunt to the sound than the 2 BA Nova for bass heavy tracks. The mid-range presentation is also different, with the HEM8 giving a clearer yet still darkish tone to proceedings, with a similar feel of detail. Treble is clearly won by the HEM8, with a cleaner presentation which is still far from airy, but more forward and audible. Soundstage feels slightly wider on the Nova, but imaging feels more 3D on the HEM8 for me. Ergonomics are won easily by the HEM8, with the coffee-bean shaped shell slotting easily into the ear and remaining comfortable over hours of wear. On the other hand, aesthetics and build quality are won by the Nova, with the solid aluminium shells and high class litz cable looking markedly more impressive than the more understated industrial design on the HEM. Overall, the main difference between the two is more tonal than technical, with the Novas providing a reality to the sound in contrast to the more technically accomplished sounding but traditional tuning of the HEM8. For my preferences, I would choose the HEM8 if I had to pick between the pair, but that is due in part to the fact I already own a “real” sounding over-ear solution in the Audioquest Nighthawk – if that wasn’t the case, the natural sound of the Nova would be a compelling factor in the decision between the two.
Audioquest Nighthawk – this may seem like an unusual comparison to throw up against an in-ear monitor, but as they live in roughly the same price bracket and both go for an easygoing and natural tuning with a smooth treble, I thought it would be worthwhile. While both share a similar “real world” feel to the presentation, the Nighthawks are noticeably more bassy, with a higher mid-bass presence and greater feeling of warmth in the lower end compared to the warm but more neutral Nova. The mid range is slightly more forward on the Nova (most likely due to the reduced bass presence), with a similar tone to the vocals which is quite addictive. The Nighthawks produces more audible detail than the Nova while still retaining the same smooth and natural delivery, highlighting little micro-details against the blacker sonic background compared to the more blended sound of the Nova. Treble is clean and clear on the Nighthawks, and feels more succinct than the Nova, although the overall presentation and tone is similar. Soundstage is surprisingly similar, with the Nighthawks not having a massive stage width for a semi-open headphone. The Nighthawks produce a more fleshed out and 3D sonic image, however, clearly showing the benefits of the over-ear design compared to the IEM characteristics of the Nova. Separation is also won by the Nighthawks, with the jet-black background helping individual instruments to pull out of the main soundscape without losing cohesion. Overall, the Nighthawks win on quality of sound and overall tone, taking the natural timbre and tuning of the Nova and cranking it up a notch to produce something just a little cleaner, richer and more compelling – for fans of the Nighthawk tuning, the Nova are certainly something worth checking out, however.

Overall conclusion
In order to write this review, I had to rethink a few things regarding how I assess quality in sound, and how perception and bias makes it difficult to give an impartial view sometimes. In other words, I needed to work out whether I loved these things or hated them. In the end, I have fallen on the positive side of the fence, and have come to respect and appreciate the rather unique sound on the Nova, and the technical tuning excellence exhibited in getting to that signature. Even though I am a fan of slightly dark treble tunings, the Novas can at times feel a little too blunted for me, however the smooth and old-school sound does a wonderful job of sucking you into the music rather than trying to impress you with the technicalities of it. It sometimes does leave you yearning for just a little bit more clarity and punch in the mid and higher ranges to really bring the sound to life, though. That being said, I have not heard an IEM so definitively tuned before, and the remarkable precision with which Ken Ball and his team have brought all elements of the sound together in this package to present a smooth, lifelike audio landscape is nothing short of outstanding. These will be a polarising IEM, and for good reason – they have been crafted to produce a very specific sound, and if that resonates with the listener, then they will love this IEM like few others they have heard. For me, it is just lacking an undefinable “something” that I need in my music to bring it to life between my ears, so I have awarded these 4 stars – as a rating based just on my personal preferences, they would probably only be a 3.5, but just because the sound isn’t ideal for me doesn’t mean it isn’t close to ideal. In fact, if it wasn’t for the lack of long-term comfort with the blade-edged shells and gripes with the cable jack, these would probably score even higher. In summary, these are a very technically accomplished and specifically tuned IEM, so if you gel with the sound, you will be very happy – for me, if Ken and his team can smooth over the sharp edges, change the plug to something more case friendly and possible take the lid off the treble container and splash a bit more into the shell before closing it up at the factory, these would be a solid-aluminium 5. I am very much looking forward to trying some of Campfire’s other constellations at some point in my audio journey to see what they can achieve with a few more drivers and a different coat of paint.

MEE Audio Pinnacle P1 – initial impressions
Many thanks to @Tony-Hifi from HiFiHeadphones.co.uk for adding me to the UK tour for these earphones – the impressions below are based on the time I got to spend with the tour pair and also some previous experience I had with these a few months back (I used to own a pair I subsequently traded on but unfortunately lost my notes prior to putting up any impressions, so I am very grateful to Tony for enabling me to spend more time with the IEMs and rewrite my ramblings!).
About me: newly minted audiophile, late 30s, long time music fan and aspiring to be a reasonably inept drummer. Listen to at least 2 hours of music a day on my commute to work – prefer IEMs for out and about, and a large pair of headphones when I have the house to myself and a glass in my hand. Recently started converting my library to FLAC and 320kbps MP3, and do most of my other listening through Spotify or Tidal HiFi. I am a fan of rock, acoustic (apart from folk) and sarcasm. Oh yeah, and a small amount of electronica. Not a basshead, but I do love a sound with some body to it. My ideal tuning for most IEMs and headphones tends towards a musical and slightly dark presentation, although I am not treble sensitive in general. Please take all views expressed below with a pinch of salt – all my reviews are a work in progress based on my own perceptions and personal preferences, and your own ears may tell you a different story.

Tech specs
Driver: 10mm dynamic with copper-clad aluminium voice coil
Frequency response: 20Hz – 20kHz
Impedance: 50 Ohms at 1 kHz
Sensitivity: 96dB +/- 3dB (1mW at 1kHz)
Cable length: 1.3 m
Connector type: MMCX
Plug type: 3.5mm right angle
Weight (earbuds): 13 grams
Weight (including cables): 29 grams
 
 
 
Unboxing
As a brand, MEE Audio have previously been known for their “bang for buck” audio equipment, concentrating mainly on the budget and sports headphones markets. The Pinnacle P1 is the company’s first entry into the mainstream audiophile bracket, and it is obviously a well-considered one as it has taken almost two years to come to fruition. The packaging is definitely a step into the luxury end of the market, with a glossy sleeve adorned with the product logo and hi-res pictures of the earbuds concealing a thick black cardboard box which opens from the centre like a children’s reading book to expose the contents within. The first things you see are a nice faux-leather carry case with an embossed metal logo and unique serial number, the two solid zinc earbuds sat above it in their own moulded foam cutout and two slim cardboard boxed containing eartips and cables (nicely labelled as such). The packaging is certainly on a par with some of the quality presentation employer by the mainstream “high end” consumer brands, and sets the tone nicely that these are a quality piece of merchandise.
The accessories provided reinforce the impression of quality, with MEE Audio including two detachable cables, one thickly braided “audiophile grade” silver-plated OFC copper effort, and one thinner cable offering a microphone and standard cable controls. The audiophile cable is a magnificent effort, with a thick quad-braided cable which screams quality, and practically no cable memory or microphonics. The microphone cable is nothing to be ashamed of either, but fades into the background in both aesthetics and audio quality when compared to the “main” cable. I am not a massive cable believer, but there does appear to be a small but noticeable difference in the quality of the sound between the two cables (which may in part be due to the microphone and controls in the signal path of the audio on the thinner cable), and the fact that two are included as standard puts MEE Audio in the same bracket as firms like Trinity Audio and Nuforce in terms of the quality and quantity of accessories provided for their IEM packages.
Completing the accessory “load-out”, there is a shirt clip (standard), a nice gold plated 6.3mm adaptor and a pretty comprehensive selection of flanged tips (single to triple) and three different sizes of Comply foam earbuds. It is an old adage that you don’t listen to the box, but when it is as nicely put together as this one, it does give you something pretty to look at while you are stuffing the contents into your ears.

Build quality and ergonomics
As mentioned above, the cable provided is a high quality and thoughtfully designed piece of gear, so how does the rest of the package fare? Pretty well, in my opinion. The earbuds themselves are made of a solid zinc alloy, which the manufacturer claim has a higher impact resistance than aluminium but less weight than stainless steel, providing something that is tough enough to stand up to daily wear and tear without being uncomfortably heavy in the ear. The shape of the earbuds is also unusual, with a semi-teardrop design allowing for very snug fit in the bowl of the ear when worn with the cable up. The design also allows the Pinnacles to be worn with cable down as well (an intentional design feature, and an option that is all too often missing in higher-end in ear monitoring solutions). This will mean that the left and right cables will need to be switched, but as MEE Audio opted for a standard MMCX connection, this is easy enough to do on the move. When worn over the ear, the comfort level is excellent, with a reasonably deep fitting and the solid metal housing allowing the IEMs to block out a high amount of outside noise. In fact, isolation is easily on par with the Aurisonics “hybrid fit” 3D printed shells on their ASG and Bravo series, which claim to block out around 25 dBs of ambient noise, easily enough to sit in comfort on public transport or in a room with someone else’s choice of music playing without being distracted from the wonderful sounds being produced. Wearing the buds in “straight down” configuration makes the fit a little more shallow in the ear, with the stem running straight down and stopping the bud completely blocking the concha. With Comply tips (my preferred choice on these for both sound and comfort), they still offer plenty of isolation, and do allow those who aren’t fans of brain-violating insertion depth to wear these in a less invasive manner.
The cable responds well to being worn in either manner, with zero in the way of microphonics when worn over-ear, and only a small amount of cable noise (easily removed by use of the attached shirt clip) when wearing straight. The Y-split and the 3.5mm plug are both made from sturdy plastic and look built to last, and the cable-cinch is also a robust plastic effort, adding to the classy overall look of the package. In terms of wearing comfort, I have been able to wear these for multiple hours with no irritation or discomfort, the secure fit and solid weight of the buds keeping the Pinnacles anchored through general day to day wear and also more energetic pursuits. Overall, these are a very well thought out set of in-ear monitors, showing as much detail in the design and usability of the product as in the sound itself.
Sound quality
Test gear:
LG G Flex 2 (via Neutron Player)
Xperia Z3 Compact (via Neutron Player)
Cayin C5 amp
Sansa Clip+ (Rockboxed)
Microsoft Surface Pro 2 (straight from the output jack)
Main test tracks (mainly 320kbps MP3 or FLAC/Tidal HiFi):
Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats – S.O.B. / Wasting Time
Blackberry Smoke – The Whipporwill (album)
Slash – Shadow Life / Bad Rain (my reference tracks for bass impact and attack, guitar “crunch”)
Slash & Beth Hart – Mother Maria (vocal tone)
Richie Kotzen – Come On Free (bass tone)
Elvis – various
Leon Bridges – Coming Home (album)
Daft Punk – Random Access Memories (album)
Rudimental – various
Rodrigo y Gabriela – various
Mavis Staples – Livin’ On A High Note
Foy Vance – The Wild Swan
ZZ Top – La Futura
Chris Stapleton – Chris Stapleton
Maroon 5 – Songs About Jane
The Winery Dogs – The Winery Dogs

General impressions on the sound signature
As a single dynamic driver in the $200 price bracket, I was expecting quite a cohesive presentation and musical rather than analytical sound, and the Pinnacle delivers this in spades, utilising some unusual technological tricks in the process. The driver used is a proprietary design, with a copper clad voice coil being used to decrease the overall mass of the driver and increase the speed of the driver response. The housing itself has also been designed to shape the sound, with an acoustic diffuser being used inside the shell to enhance the accuracy and detail of the treble without increasing the overall sharpness of the sound. This all leads to a sound that is richer and more balanced than you would expect from a single dynamic driver, with a nice fullness to the bass and great extension to the higher range without any undue bias at either end. Musical neutrality is probably the best way I can think to describe it, with a delicacy of note and detail to the presentation that puts many multi-BA designs in higher price brackets to shame. The tone is quite smooth throughout the frequencies without losing any detail, and is firmly in the “non-fatiguing” bracket when put through extended listening sessions. Overall width and depth of the soundstage are impressive as well, with MEE’s claims of enhanced spatial cues (due to the acoustic diffuser) also holding true with more complex passages of music. Overall, a very smooth and sophisticated sound, and thoroughly enjoyable as well.
Highs
The highs on the Pinnacle are an interesting mix of extension and smoothness, with plenty of detail thrown in just for good measure. There is a natural feeling to the presentation that manages to keep the detail and sparkle as it rises through the frequency spectrum, but smooths off just before you hit any screeching or sibilance with most sources. There is a good sense of space and air around the high notes, with cymbals crashing in a very organic manner and lingering just long enough in the back of the ear to sound real. Putting my usual high end testers through their paces, Slash and Myles Kennedy both came out with reputations enhanced, the Pinnacles retaining the soaring majesty of Mr Kennedy’s voice and Mr Hudson’s wailing guitar solos on tracks like “Starlight” without causing either to grate on the listener. Playing some Maroon 5, the silky smoothness of Adam Levine’s voice is well represented, gliding above the music with ease. Despite the smoothness, the detail levels for a single dynamic driver are very impressive, giving the sort of insight into some tracks that you would only expect from something a fair bit higher up the audiophile food chain, throwing micro-details and nuances into the air around some of my higher resolution like a very enthusiastic aunt tossing confetti at a family wedding.  The detailed treble provides an excellent sense of openness to the sound, giving it the feel of playing inside a room with higher than normal ceilings (in my head, anyway).
Mids
In keeping with the neutral overall tone, the mid range on the Pinnacle P1s is neither overly forward or recessed, with just a little bit of bite in the upper-midrange to add a little flavour to an otherwise flat sound. To say it is flat is not to say the mids are boring or lifeless, however – guitars and snare drums sound excellent on the Pinnacle, with plenty of energy and crunch when required, and more silky smoothness when a laid back tone is required. Listening to “Shadow Life” by Slash, the guitar takes on a life of its own, the fast paced riffing chopping the song into a constant rhythm of punch and counter-punch and emphasising the dynamics of the track excellently. The “bite” I talked about is most apparent in the vocal presentation, which seems to lean just a little further forward than the rest of the sound, as if the singer was a little closer on-stage than the backing band. I am a fan of mid-centric sounds like the Aurisonics ASG range so this tuning personally works well for me – as mentioned, the overall tuning is close enough to neutral not to alienate the vast majority of listeners out there, though. Another memorable aspect of the mid-range is the amount of detail the P1s retain, with guitars again one of the main beneficiaries. Complex guitar passages (both acoustic a la Rodrigo y Gabriela and electric a la Metallica) allow the listener to follow each thread with ease, and retain the small sounds of fingers sliding between frets and the deadened harmonics on the guitar strings to flesh out the main riffs very nicely. Electronic music also fares well with these IEMs, with the out of head presentation helping the pulsating synths and trumpet of Rudimental’s “Feel The Love” fill the listeners brain with the music, placing you right in the middele of the performance. The excellent separation of the P1 driver comes to the fore here, with the stage remaining uncongested no matter how many instruments are added. The overall sound feels tilted ever so slightly towards “warm” in my ears, but this is just an after-impression I get when listening to these rather than anything massively noticeable when they are actually in my ears.
Bass
The bass on the Pinnacle is the area that some people on the forums here find most contentious, with some bemoaning the lack of sub-bass and extension and others commenting that there is a little too much low end to be considered truly neutral. In my personal opinion, both of those statements carry an element of truth – the Pinnacle does have a bass presence that feels on the full side of neutral, and never lacking to my ears. In terms of extension, it doesn’t extend quite as deep as some IEMs I have heard in this price bracket, and would never be described (by me at least) as a sub-bass monster. There is a nice mid-bass thump to proceedings that is more than enough to get most tracks kicking along nicely, with plenty of detail and tone to flesh out the notes. Listening to “Bad Rain” by Slash, the textured bass line that holds the song together can still get my toes tapping, even if this is more of a musically neutral take on it than something more bass heavy like the Aurisonics ASG 2.5 is able to provide. Switching to Sister Hazel, the oozing bassline of “Hello, It’s Me” still retains enough liquidity and thickness to coat the lower reaches of the song properly, filling around the snap of the snare drums and crunch of the guitars nicely. Drums are particularly well represented on this track, with the bass drum pounding along with a good sense of impact and speed, working as a good counterpoint to the smoother bass. The general speed of the notes in the lower ranges are excellent for a dynamic driver, with an excellent sense of liveliness and energy running throughout. “Elevate” by The Winery Dogs is handled with aplomb, Mike Portnoy’s (not he of Head-Fi fame, the other guy) pulsating drum fills rolling around the back of the soundstage behind your ears with precision, keeping each drum head impact separate and distinct in the barrage of notes. This IEM could never be described as a basshead’s dream, and may be lacking enough sub-bass to be truly satisfying if all you listen to is EDM, but there is more than enough presence in the lower end of the spectrum to stop the P1s from sounding lean, pushing them more into the natural / musical bracket for bass presentation without getting too warm or sloppy, so this works perfectly well for me.

Soundstage/separation
Soundstage is definitely larger than normal for an IEM in this price bracket, with the overall resolution of the sound helping drive the staging out from your head in all directions. Separation and layering are also top-notch, with the single dynamic driver able to keep multiple layers of music separate and distinct from each other, both in location and clarity. Listening to “Magnify” by The Temperance Movement, the track has two duelling guitars on either side of the soundstage which trail each other slightly throughout the first section of the song, which is captured perfectly by the Pinnacles. Each guitar is distinct and placed at the periphery of your head, bringing the simulated echo into focus sharply and allowing your brain to pick out the slight (and intentional) differences between the guitar licks on each side. This track also has some dense harmonies in the chorus, which the P1 does a good job of pulling apart just far enough to register as well as the guitar work. With some IEMs that have such excellent separation, some of the musicality of the song can be lost as the instruments are dissected and analysed – the Pinnacle does a good job of stopping short of that, staying just inside the musical side of the border.

Isolation
The all-metal construction and ear-filling fit both combine to give these IEMs a higher than normal isolation compared to a “normal” dynamic driver IEM. Even with the mandatory venting in the shell that usually compromises a dynamic driver earphone compared to the fully sealed shells of most balanced armature IEMs, the Pinnacle are up in my top 3 best isolators out of all universal in-ear ‘phones that I have tried. Adding Comply foam tips on top (my preferred tip for these due to comfort and the slightly warmer tonality) and these are IEMs that could quite easily get you run over by a dump truck full of cackling hyenas without giving you the slightest hint they were nearby, so please bear that in mind if you intend to use these for running or cycling (or around cackling hyenas with access to large transport machinery).

Amping
Unusually for an IEM in this bracket, the impedance is set at a whopping 50 Ohms. Allied to the lower than average sensitivity, this means that these earphones were designed to take more power than average (it even suggests this on MEE Audio’s website). It is possible to run these perfectly well out of a smartphone, but please be aware that to get decent listening volumes (even factoring in the excellent isolation), you are likely to need to run these far closer to maximum volume than other earphones you may be used to using. With amping through smaller solutions like the Fiio E6 or more punchy options like the Cayin C5, the Pinnacle does respond very well to the extra juice, bringing slightly more detail and depth to the presentation and taking on any sound characteristics of the amp very well. These are IEMs that don’t strictly need to be amped, but will respond in kind if you do have the equipment to really pour some power through them.

Comparisons
Lear NS-U1 Natrosound – this is a dual-dynamic setup which plays in a roughly similar price bracket so I have included it for reference. The tonality of the NS-U1 in either of the sound modes it offers (normal or “Natrosound”) provides a slightly warmer and more bass-driven sound, with a very wide soundstage and more extreme L/R separation of the individual instruments in the default mode. In terms of highs, the Pinnacle wins on smoothness and extension, with a greater impression of clarity than the NS-U1, but certainly not totally outclassing the very capable dynamic drivers in the Lear product. In the mid-range, the NS-U1 provides a warmer and slightly thicker sound with the Natrosound engaged, as compared to the more neutral and detailed soundscape of the P1 – neither are markedly superior, but the P1 pulls slightly ahead for me for my personal preferences with the excellent tone and separation, and the “crunchiness” of guitar based music. In terms of soundstage, the NS-U1 can feel a little bit laterally stretched sometimes when not playing in Natrosound mode, compared to the similarly wide but more real sounding stage presented by the P1. In Natrosound mode, the NS-U1 brings the music more in front of the user (attempting to mimic the sound field of a set of speakers set in front of the listener) – this provides a more “live gig” feel than the P1 for certain music, with the Pinnacles presenting a more classically IEM-sounding musical presentation centred around the confines of your head. Comfort is easily won by the very ergonomic P1 shells, as the NS-U1 share the same shell size as some 12-driver custom IEMs, without the accompanying custom fit. Overall, unless you are looking for the Natrosound feature, the P1s represent a more classical (and better executed) take on the dynamic driver sound for this price range.
Echobox Finder X1 – This IEM is another filter based contender to the sub-$200 crown, with excellent build quality and a sharp “audiophile” U-shaped tuning across all three filters. Using the “bass” filter as my preferred reference, the overall character of the Finders is thinner and edgier than the smooth and fuller tuning of the P1, with the Finders having more bass slam but a more textured and colder lower end compared to the smoother and slightly fuller sounding P1. The P1 has a more neutral shape, with more fullness through the midrange and less sharpness up top – if you are a fan of crystal clear treble then the Finders will offer a more “treble-head” tuning in any of the filter configurations compared to the smooth and clear take of the P1s. Neither IEM exhibit any pronounced sibilance, so this will be purely down to personal preference, to be fair. The warmth of the sound on the P1 does make vocal harmonies and guitar parts seem a little fuller than on the Finder, with a larger soundstage as well. Even though the Finders have a slightly smaller soundstage, spatial cues are actually slightly more pronounced due to the thinner body of the mid-range, with both IEMs excellent at providing a sense of where each note is coming from. Detail is similar across both, with neither lacking in terms of micro-details. One point of difference is the percussion presentation, with the Finders providing more “boom” at the expense of some of the spatial positioning (soundstage coming very much into play here), with the P1s providing a more spread out and less thudding take on the backing beat. Cymbals are also more pronounced on the Finder, with the sharper treble tuning making these sizzle and splash with more energy than the more muted take of the P1. Ergonomics and build quality are a draw – the Finders are made of solid titanium and come with a cable (non removable) that would put the Linum BaX into a Weightwatchers program while still feeling strong enough to pull a truck, so no easy win for the P1s on that score. Overall, another close call – if you are after a sharper U shaped tuning with some laser-etched high notes, the Finder will pull ahead, losing out to the P1s if you are after a warmer and more neutral offering.
Trinity Phantom Sabre – The latest offering from the growing stable of IEMs being produced by British manufacturer Trinity Audio, the Phantom Sabres are another dual dynamic driver setup, but this time set up in a push/pull configuration. The Sabres are a tuneable IEM, with multiple filters providing “manual EQ” options to control the frequency response. Using the orange and gold filters (orange being slightly V shaped and gold being more neutral), the Sabres have a bigger bass presence than the P1, with more slam to kick drums and more sub-bass extension, and using the gold filter (the neutral tuning most similar to the P1) there is still a nice bump in bass impact compared to the P1. The soundstage is similar in size, with the P1s offering the larger of the two, and giving a little more of an “out of head” feeling overall. The spatial cues on both IEMs are excellent, with the slightly larger soundstage of the P1 being noticeable here, but overall direction and “feel” are very similar. One area where the Sabre surprised me vs the P1 was separation of vocal harmonies, giving a slightly better feel of multiple voices in the same range working together compared to the P1, which seems to “blend” things a little closer together. Detail wise, both are excellent, with the push/pull dynamic drivers on the Sabre extracting a similar detail level to the single DD of the P1. The Sabres are considerably easier to drive, requiring approximately 25% less power through my usual sources to attain the same volume levels. Build quality and ergonomics are similar, with the Sabres offering an all-aluminium build compared to the zinc of the P1s, with similar quality detachable cabling and tip layouts. These are two pretty evenly matched IEMs – the Sabre offers more sound tweaking options and a slightly more aggressive “base” tuning compared to the smoother P1 (and different insertion lengths on the filters for those who need a shallower or deeper fit), and is also slightly cheaper overall at current exchange rates. The P1 offers a smoother and more spacious and refined sounding basic tuning, but neither would be a poor choice in this price bracket so again, this will be down to tuning preference as to which will work best for each listener.
FLC8S – These are technically in the next pricing bracket up at c. $350 new, but can be picked up second hand for a close enough price to be worth comparing. The FLC8S has 36 different tuning configurations, so for clarity I am comparing them using my preferred tuning of red-black-gold with Comply comfort tips. As a starting point, the FLC8S is considerably easier to drive from a mobile source than the more power hungry P1, although it can scale in a similar way if given more juice. The filter choice I use allows for more sub-bass and mid-bass presence, giving a slightly deeper “feel” to some music due to the rounding out of the low frequencies. The gold filter on the FLC8S has a slightly more liquid midrange presentation with vocals than the P1, although the P1 comes close enough to make it purely a preference call over which presentation you prefer. The mid range is also slightly thicker and less airy sounding on the P1s, with less air and a little more substance. In the high frequencies, there is a less “crystalline” sound up top for the Pinnacle P1, sounding more laid back and diffuse than the sharper and airier sound coming from the FLC8S. The FLC is overall a slightly more forward sounding IEM than the Pinnacle, pushing the music closer to the listener for a “larger than life” presentation compared to the Pinnacle’s more laid back and neutral positioning. Build quality is won by the solid zinc shells and rope-like cable of the P1s – the plastic shells of the FLC (while very ergonomic) don’t give off the same feel of durability or class, and the cable is an order of magnitude lower in terms of quality. Overall, the FLC8S wins out for my personal preferences, but on a technical level, both are very well matched, with neither having a massive advantage over the other in everything apart from sub-bass capability/overall tuning flexibility.
Campfire Audio Nova – these are in a higher price bracket again (RRP is currently $500), so not really a like for like comparison. The reason I include these is for the tuning of the Nova, which is intentionally more “real” than technical or analytical, so it shares enough similarity in design philosophy for me to include here. The Nova has a much darker tuning, with less air in the treble and a thicker overall sound. Once you have adjusted to the darker tuning of the Nova, the detail level is similar, with a great feel of substance and clarity through the midrange down into the bass. The Nova has a thicker bass fundament than the P1, but rolls off only a little further down than the P1 when reaching down into the sub-bass registers. In terms of source, the Nova is much easier to drive, reaching the same volume as the P1 with less than half the output of any source I have hitcvhed it up to. The whole sound of the Nova is thicker and more rooted in a real/live presentation sound, compared to the P1’s neutral and spacious presentation, which will appeal more to fans of a lighter and more neutral sound. Soundstage has similar width in my head, with the P1 winning slightly on overall size. The midrange tuning of the Nova (reminiscent in some ways of the Audioquest Nighthawk) can sound “veiled” when switching directly between the Nova and the P1 until your brain readjusts. Overall, the P1 sounds cleaner, with a less thick and more refined sound. Build quality is won by the Novas, with the solid aluminium shells and high end cabling and case just pulling ahead of the P1s in terms of design and feel, as you would expect from an IEM costing 2.5x as much. The signatures are far more different than they are similar, so lovers of one would not necessarily love the other, but the easiest way to describe them is to say that the Nova has a dash of realism you get used to over time and come to admire, whereas with the P1 enjoyment is instant as it is more of a conventional “audiophile” tuning. In that regard, I would feel comfortable saying that a fan of the Nova would probably appreciate the Pinnacle, but a fan of the Pinnacle may not necessarily like the tuning of the Nova.

Overall conclusion
This was an interesting review to write for me, as this is my second “bite” at the Pinnacle. Being honest, my thoughts on the IEM the first time around were mixed between admiration of the technical prowess and a little indifference towards the overall neutrality of the sound. A few months (and multiple IEMs) down the road, and the technical admiration remains, but the  apathy I felt towards the tuning has been replaced with an appreciation for just how enjoyable it can be with certain types of music, and just how many genres of music can sound good when these are the gateway. Those looking for a more aggressive tuning in either bass or treble can find other IEMs more fitting to their preferences in the same price bracket, but if a technically excellent and smooth sound with just enough warmth in the mid-range and mid-bass substance to get it kicked out of the “true neutral” members club is what you are after, you will have to spend considerably more cash to get something that gives you the same experience as the P1. At this price point, this truly is a prince amongst in-ear monitors, and MEE Audio should be applauded for bringing something this good to the masses at a price this low. One final point on the rating – I have given this IEM 5 stars, but if someone asked me to rate this based on my personal preferences, it would probably come in at a 4 or 4.5 in my own internal scorechart – my preference for slightly warmer and darker tuning stops this from being 100% endgame material for me personally, but I can’t fault what MEE have achieved here (let alone for the price), so 5 stars is the appropriate rating to give.

Audio-Opus #1 – initial impressions
I came across the Opus #1 as part of the UK review tour being run by TonyHiFi at HiFiHeadphones – I agreed to write up my thoughts in exchange for the chance to spend a week with this marvellous piece of technology.
About me: newly minted audiophile, late 30s, long time music fan and aspiring to be a reasonably inept drummer. Listen to at least 2 hours of music a day on my commute to work – prefer IEMs for out and about, and a large pair of headphones when I have the house to myself and a glass in my hand. Recently started converting my library to FLAC and 320kbps MP3, and do most of my other listening through Spotify or Tidal HiFi. I am a fan of rock, acoustic (apart from folk) and sarcasm. Oh yeah, and a small amount of electronica. Not a basshead, but I do love a sound with some body to it. My ideal tuning for most IEMs and headphones tends towards a musical and slightly dark presentation, although I am not treble sensitive in general. Please take all views expressed below with a pinch of salt – all my reviews are a work in progress based on my own perceptions and personal preferences, and your own ears may tell you a different story.




 
Tech specs
DAC: Cirrus Logic CS4398 x 2EA Dual DAC
Processor: ARM Cortex-A9 1.4GHz, Quad-Core CPU DDR3 1GB, 32bit processor core
Operating System: Customised Android operating system
Signal to Noise Ratio: 114dB @ 1kHz, Unbalanced & 115dB @ 1kHz, Balanced
Frequency Response: ±0.02dB (Condition: 20Hz~20kHz) Unbalanced & Balanced / ±0.3dB (Condition: 10Hz - 70kHz) Unbalanced & Balanced
Crosstalk 130dB @ 1KHz,Unbalanced / 135dB @ 1KHz, Balanced
THD+N 0.0007% @ 1KHz
Output Impedance Balanced out 2.5mm(1ohm) / PHONES 3.5mm(2ohm)
Ouput Level Unbalanced 2.1Vrms / Balanced 2.3Vrms
Input: USB Micro-B (charging and data transfer)
Charging Time: 4 Hours
Continuous Playback: 10 Hours
Battery: Built-in rechargeable: 4000mAh / 3.7V Li-Polymer
Dimensions (WxHxD): 72x112x18 mm
Weight: 185g

Unboxing / package contents
The Opus #1 is priced as a firmly mid-tier DAP, sitting between the Ibasso DX80/90 and the Fiio X5 series and the more expensive efforts from Astell & Kern. As befitting something a little more middle class, the packaging exudes an air of quiet sophistication without going too far into the realms of high-end cardboard origami that some audio manufacturers seem to feel is obligatory. The player comes in a smallish oblong box (black), slid inside a sleeve (also black) which just proclaims the name of the product in silver lettering across the top, with the words “Hi-Res Audio Ver. 1.0” underneath. The only other thing visible on the front is the name of the manufacturer (The Bit) in tiny lettering in the bottom left hand corner. No high-def photographs, no jazzy cutaways of the product, just a name and a chunky cardboard box. The back of the box is laden with the technical specs (in the same silver font), but again, in quite a simplistic manner. On sliding off the sleeve, the main box oipens in the classic shoebox manner, revealing the player nestled in a rectangle of foam. Pulling out the player and the foam insert, the bottom of the box slides up to reveal the instruction manual and the USB charging cable. In a separate compartment. As part of the tour package, we were also sent the companion leather case that goes along with the Opus, and this arrived in a smaller version of the main packaging (i.e. a black box with some silver writing). Overall, the packaging gives a good impression of the seriousness of the contents while still being discreet enough not to look out of place on display somewhere if needed.

Build quality and ergonomics
Some things in life are just effortlessly stylish: the Rolls Royce Phantom, a good pair of Aviators, a Rolex Oyster. While not being quite as expensive as a few items mentioned in the previous list, the Opus #1 certainly shares their understated sense of purpose and design, making it the most visually appealing DAP I have seen. The dimensions are large enough to feel solid without being so big to be awkward, with most of the real estate on the front of the player taken up with the touchscreen. The edges of the player are bevelled like an emerald, the gemstone angles sloping away from the screen in all directions and sloping back in to meet the glass back in a manner that helps the DAP to sit very comfortably in the hand. There is a slight asymmetry to the design, with the left hand edge having a smaller space between screen and edge than the right, despite holding only one less button and the dual-bay micro SD slot. The button layout is sensible, with volume controls sitting in the natural niche where your thumb rests (if you hold the player in your left hand), with play/pause and forward and rewind hardware buttons on the opposite side in the same area. It allows for easy navigation of the main controls without needed to use the touchscreen, enabling single-handed use for those with big enough hands. The player itself is constructed from metal, with the jewelled edges sharing some visual design cues with the Campfire Audio range of IEMs. The front and back are both made from hardened glass (probably of the simian variety), with discreet branding in the centre of the rear panel and the ubiquitous “Hi-Res Audio” running up the right hand edge. The top and bottom edges are taken up with the various input and output ports: one micro-USB port for charging on the base of the unit, and a mall oblong power button and both 3.5mm and 2.5mm (balanced) output jacks spread across the top.
As mentioned, there was also a leather case bundled with the player for the tour, and this is specific to the Opus player. The case is a beautiful thick grey leather, cut to match the edges of the player exactly for a snug and secure fit. The case has a soft interior but grips the player well once in place, so can be a little difficult to remove without a little bit of brute force or a miniature crowbar. The buttons are embossed rather than cut out on the sides of the leather, giving the case a minimalist look that goes very well with the overall design vibe of the DAP.

Interface and usability
The Opus is an Android-based player, with the telltale power bars and notification symbols along the top of the screen showing its unmistakeable heritage. If you are expecting the usual bag of tricks that go along with a Google-based product you will need to look elsewhere, however. The Opus #1 is unashamedly a music player – no streaming, no video, no apps, not even the familiar home screen seen on most Android players. The “default” screen on the player is the “Now Playing” screen, which drops you into a screen with the normal playback controls, a nice square album art in the top half and options to repeat, shuffle or “favourite” the track being played across the bottom. Moving up to to the top half of the screen, there is a menu option on the top left, and a cog-shaped settings icon on the top right. Tapping the cog opens the first layer of the settings menu, which is as simple as the rest of the player – a slider for screen brightness and three square icons for EQ, balanced out and sleep. Impatient prodders of on-screen buttons may at first think that the EQ button achieves precisely nothing when turned on, but that is because it is just a toggle to turn the function on and off. To get to the actual equaliser, you will need to tap on the Settings icon again (now helpfully turned from a cog to a spanner), which opens up a further menu with options to set the EQ, language, sleep timers and update the system or SD card scanning (labelled as “Initialize”). There are three user-definable EQ settings on a 10-band equaliser, starting down at a very arbitrary sounding 31.5 Hz and finishing up at 16kHz. Once set, the EQ does take about 10 seconds to feed into the track you are listening to, so again can seem like it isn’t doing anything until the sonic landscape suddenly shifts beneath you.
To navigate around the actual music on the player, the list icon at the top left is used. One tap takes you to a scrollable list for the folder/album/artist you are listening to, a further tap on the icon (now a helpful back arrow) taking you up a level in the listings. Once you are up to this level, a few categories pop into view along the bottom, allowing you to select sorting preference by the usual descriptors of song/album/artist/genre/folder/favourite. Album and artist metadata seems to pull through seamlessly on the Opus, with a 200GB card of assorted music from my collection all integrating seamlessly without any missing info, irrespective of format. It sounds like a simple task, but other players I have used with the same card seem to make considerably harder work of this simple chore, so kudos to the coders for making it a non-issue. The player itself has internal memory and room for two micro SD cards – if you want to work in “Folders” rather than by artist or song, tapping the card icon on the top right allows you to cycle between these at the push of a button.
The overall interface is one of simplicity and could just as easily be used by an 8 year old or an 80 year old – for something in this price bracket you may expect more bells and whistles (and the “Update” option in the second settings menu may suggest some further tweaks down the road), but I think the Opus team have set their stall out very well here. This is designed to be nothing more or less than a top quality digital audio player, and the interface helps strip away anything that isn’t required, leaving just the user and the music.


Suggested improvements for the UI
In the spirit of honesty, while being an elegant and simple UI, there are two glaring omissions/issues with the Opus firmware in its current iteration: playlist support and search functionality. Frustratingly for a player with a potential storage capacity north of 400Gb at current removable storage limits, there appears to be no way to utilise or create a playlist on the player, which is frustrating given its roots in Android. Even more frustrating is the lack of a search function other than physically scrolling through the list of tracks/artists/folders until you find the one you need. If you spend a lot of time listening to music from bands starting with the letter W onwards, be prepared to spend a lot of time using the fast-scroll bar on the right hand side of the screen. Similarly, if your music collection is vast, trawling through multiple artists living in the same neighbourhood as the one obscure CD single rip you are trying to find can get a little tiresome. Another improvement that could be made is in the initial reading of large micro-SD cards – the first load up of my 200Gb “library” card with over 100Gb of music in various formats literally took over 20 minutes to complete. I don’t know exactly how long as I was compelled to go off and make some food in the middle of waiting for it to complete to avoid putting my fist through the beautifully designed glass front in frustration, but in an era of instant searches and on-demand databasing, there must surely be a way to speed this up. Booting the player up from complete shutdown (not “sleep” mode) takes about 3 minutes to re-index the same card, so optimisations can certainly be made there.

Sound quality
Test gear:
IEMs – Aurisonics ASG 2.5, Campfire Audio Nova, FLC8S
Headphones - Audioquest Nighthawks, Fostex TH600, Blue Microphones Lola
Main test tracks (mainly 320kbps MP3 or FLAC)
Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats – S.O.B. / Wasting Time
Blackberry Smoke – The Whipporwill (album)
Slash – Shadow Life / Bad Rain (my reference tracks for bass impact and attack, guitar “crunch”)
Slash & Beth Hart – Mother Maria (vocal tone)
Sister Hazel – Hello, It’s Me (bass quantity and quality)
Richie Kotzen – Come On Free (bass tone)
Elvis – various
Leon Bridges – Coming Home (album)
Daft Punk – Random Access Memories (album) / Tron (various versions)
Rodrigo y Gabriela – various
Mavis Staples – Livin’ On A High Note
Don Broco – Automatic
Foy Vance – The Wild Swan

General impressions on the sound signature
The Opus #1 is the first proper “high end” DAP that I have been able to listen to since getting involved with this hobby, so I wasn’t sure what exactly to expect. With headphones, the leap from consumer-grade in-ears to more mid-fi setups is very easy to appreciate, with the audio quality increasing noticeably with every step up the ladder from B***s up to things like the mid-range Campfire Audio Novas. With audio equipment, the difference is still apparent, but to my ears it is less immediately noticeable, and requires sufficient “infrastructure” around it to really be appreciated. When I first plugged my ‘phones into the Opus, I was expecting an epiphany of sound – angels playing harps made of pure burn-in swooping around and cleansing the landscape of the evils of sibilance, bloated bass and muffled mids. What I actually got was a little less overwhelming, but in the long run actually a little more satisfying. Realism. Not a huge amount more, but just enough to be appreciable, in the sort of way that you appreciate how much you miss it when you switch back to something lesser. Songs felt a little fuller, carrying more weight and texture. Audio cues felt a little more fleshed out, expanding outwards within the confines of the headphones being used to feel more palpably 3 dimensional. Things just sounded a tiny little bit more true to life, without being too analytical or hyper-detailed. This “realism” became more apparent the higher up the food chain the headphones/in ears I plugged in to it (the mythical effect known as “scaling” to all audiophile word-nerds out there). This DAP won’t turn a sow’s ear into a silk purse, but it will let your expensive headphones play closer to the top of their potential, dragging a little more performance out of the them without sacrificing anything in terms of colouring the sound.

Background noise / power requirements
Despite the output impedance of the single ended output being around 2 Ohms, the background noise on the Opus #1 is pretty minimal, with no appreciable hiss on any of the IEMs or headphones I have plugged into it so far that I can hear. Most of my gear is deliberately low-resistance and mid to high sensitivity (translation for the non-audiophiles out there – easy to play loud without plugging into the local power station) as I don’t always like carrying additional amping or playback solutions around with me, and all of it plays excellently with the Opus. The background is jet black, with an excellent feel of depth and space which translates well to anything I have plugged into it so far. Amping
In terms of “driving power”, the Opus has a nominal max volume of 150 on its digital volume control. This should be more than enough for most low to mid-resistance headphones out there, as it comfortably drives everything in my testing list louder than I can handle listening to at just a shade over 110, leaving plenty of notches to spare. The rated power output is 2Vrms on the single ended output, and this is more than enough to exert a good grip on the headphones I have used without having to resort to additional help, which is a major plus point for me. Adding an additional amp to the output has had no benefit so far for me personally – for those of you running thirstier planar magnetic setups or the Sennheiser HD 6xx series, your results may differ.
Storage and format support
The Opus carries 32Gb of internal storage, which can seem a bit tight-fisted given the asking price. To balance this out, two micro-SD card slots have been included (housed in the bottom left hand corner of the player under a pull out flap) – these are currently rated to handle cards up to 200gb, giving the player a hypothetical maximum storage of 432 Gigabytes of data. This should be enough for most audiophiles to carry a decent chunk of their music library around if needed, unless it is solely encoded in super high-quality DSD. Speaking of formats, the Opus is well served on the main music filetypes currently on market, able to consume MP3, WAV, AIFF, FLAC, ALAC, OGG, APE and the aforementioned DSD. Ads the firmware is updateable and built on Android, the potential would exist for the developers to add new formats such as MQA as and when they became mainstream, providing they garner enough mainstream Android support.

Comparisons
As mentioned above, I don’t have any DAPs in the same price bracket to compare the Opus against, but I have provided a few comparisons against the main sources I use below for context, and to help explain what I perceive as the improvements in the sound are (if any) when using the Opus.
Sony Xperia Z3 Compact (using Neutron Player) – this is my current “daily driver” for music playback while I wait for my Echobox Explorer to emerge from the crowdfunding mists in a few weeks. I am (was!) very happy with the sound output through my current gear, as it has a capable dual-DAC setup, and when not hobbled by the European firmware limiting volume output, respectable driving power. It also comes extremely close to my old Sony NWZ-A15 walkman in terms of baseline sound quality, with only the additional digital sound processing tweaks on the Walkman differentiating between them, so is a pretty good performer in the mobile bracket. Comparing “The Whipporwill” by Blackberry Smoke, the Opus puts out a cleaner, more rounded audio presentation than the Z3C, with the languid bass-line underpinning the track filling out the lower end with slightly fuller sound, running underneath the main music with authority and sitting in a marginally more distinct audio space. The presentation isn’t a million miles away, but the Opus makes the song sound slightly warmer and more welcoming to my ears through the same gear, without smoothing any of the rough edges and retaining the clarity. Switching to “Everybody Knows She’s Mine” by the same artist, the overlaid acoustic guitar that kicks in at the 20 second mark is presented with a touch more clarity on the Opus, again leaving an impression of a more rounded and true to life presentation. These differences are minor, and only noticeable when directly swapping between sources, but can leave an impression of the Z3C “lacking something” when listening to the same music. I have performed the test blind as well with the assistance of my girlfriend, and both of us agreed that the Opus was a little more sonically satisfying, making the Z3C sound almost tinny in certain sections in direct comparison (comparative perception is a funny thing). Battery life is much better on the Sony - presumably a dash of their magic battery sauce is dripped on to the circuitry in use, as when in “Flight Mode”, you can easily get 25+ hours of music compared to the 10 from the Opus. In terms of interface, the Z3C is obviously a full Android overlay, so has the benefit of the additional flexibility that offers. In practice, the only two things it comes ahead on over the simple but well designed Opus #1 are playlist support and a folder/artist search facility, both of which the Opus lacks.
LG G Flex 2 (using Neutron Player)
Like the Z3C above, the G Flex 2 was my previous daily driver, and still in my possession to do A/B with so I have included it for completeness. LG make claims that this handset is Hi-Res output capable, and like the Z3C, it does produce a very nice output through Neutron Player. Also like the Z3C, the GFlex 2 does feel slightly less rounded than the Opus in day to day listening. Moving to “Bad Rain” by Slash, the Opus takes control of the rasping bassline with a little more authority, pushing the extension down as far as the headphones attached will permit and leaving the more polite G Flex 2 standing a rung further away on the ladder. Presentation is again slightly more rounded, with just a dash more apparent detail and a more spherical and 3D soundstage (depending on the recording) for each headphone used. Like the Z3C, the G Flex 2 runs a full implementation of Android, so the UI is dependent on the software being used, but does again have the standard playlist and search functions that the Opus is missing. Power output is definitely won by the Opus, with the G Flex 2 struggling at 90 – 100% volume to drive some of my more voltage-hungry gear with the Opus purring along at around 2/3rds of full throttle. Battery life is less impressive on the G Flex 2 than the Z3C, but still edges the Opus by a good few hours in straight playback time.
Sansa Clip+ (Rockboxed)
This might seem like a crazy comparison, but as a pretty common “audiophile-on-the-go/in-the-gym” player, this may help people who have heard it. In terms of driving power and background, the Clip+ holds up surprisingly well with the IEMs, the ridiculously low output impedance allowing for some impressive volume. Switching up to the full-sized cans, the Rockbox starts to lose out, with the impressively small and powerful amp losing out quite quickly to the impressively large and powerful amp section of the Opus. Even with Rockbox, the difference in hardware becomes apparent very quickly when listening – the Opus #1 is more refined, more spacious and less veiled than the Clip+ on pretty much all levels. Battery life is the only area the Clip+ comes out ahead, posting around 15 hours of normal use compared to the “real world” playback time of just under 10 hours with the Opus.
Ibasso DX90
This has been my staple audiophile DAP for the last few months, and is a very solid performer in its price bracket. Compared to the Opus, the DX90 holds up very well in terms of driving power, with the three gain settings giving it a marginal edge when pushing slightly harder to drive sources. Battery life is on a par, with both DAPs lasting for around 10 hours from fully juiced. The interface on the DX90 is simple, with the use of both touchscreen and physical playback buttons leaving a similar opinion to the Opus in terms of functionality. The DX90 supports playlists, and was quicker at indexing the 200Gb micro-SD card I use, although still feeling quite slow on the initial run. Sound-wise, the DX90 is a slight step up from the Z3C and GFlex2, but ever so slightly warmer and less refined than the Opus in my opinion. The gain settings on the DX90 do allow for tailoring of the sound for thirstier in-ear solutions, but the Opus just nudges ahead in overall sound impression, with a clearer and less coloured sound and edge in technical presentation (layering and separation in particular, in part due to the greater perception of transparency in the sound).

Overall conclusion
When thinking about the final words to describe this DAP, one phrase kept popping back into my head: “a little bit”. When I was comparing it to other DAPs and sources I use, it is just a little bit better. When I was listening to my usual test tracks and audio gear, it was just a little bit more revealing, a little bit more transparent, a little bit more real. When powering my over-ear headphones, it had just a little bit more grunt. A good audio player won’t revolutionise your listening experience in the same way that a good headphone or set of in-ears will, but when aligned with the correct gear and input, the Opus does bring just a little bit more to the table than my other sources. The gain may only be small, but in a world of ever-decreasing returns as you move up the price brackets, the Opus occupies a good middle ground of price and performance. Married to the outstanding design and good driving ability, this is an excellent DAP for those wishing to move up from the entry-level audiophile staples. It misses out on the full 5 stars for me due to a few things I think they can smooth out with the UI (no searches or playlists – really?), and for those of you who have balanced headphones or IEMs the output option may be worth it, but for me, this is a very encouraging and competitive entry into the mid-fi DAP arena. With a few small usability tweaks, The Bit could well have an audio monster on their hands!

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
FOSTEX TH-600 – initial impressions
I came upon these headphones almost by accident recently – after writing up a review on my most recent trade acquisition (the Final Audio Sonorous/Pandora Hope IV), I spotted someone on one of the forums looking for a set and having the TH-600 to offer in trade. Being a newcomer to the world of mid-range cans and never having heard the TH-series (or any Fostex headphone, in fact), I was intrigued to see what the sound would be like compared to the Final Audios and my beloved AQ Nighthawks. Needless to say, I was quite impressed…
About me: newly minted audiophile, late 30s, long time music fan and aspiring to be a reasonably inept drummer. Listen to at least 2 hours of music a day on my commute to work – prefer IEMs for out and about, and a large pair of headphones when I have the house to myself and a glass in my hand. Recently started converting my library to FLAC and 320kbps MP3, and do most of my other listening through Spotify or Tidal HiFi. I am a fan of rock, acoustic (apart from folk) and sarcasm. Oh yeah, and a small amount of electronica. Not a basshead, but I do love a sound with some body to it. My ideal tuning for most IEMs and headphones tends towards a musical and slightly dark presentation, although I am not treble sensitive in general. Please take all views expressed below with a pinch of salt – all my reviews are a work in progress based on my own perceptions and personal preferences, and your own ears may tell you a different story.
Tech specs (from the Fostex website)
Type:    Dynamic
Driver:    50mm dia Nd magnet / bio-dynamic diaphragm
Impedance:    25 ohm
Sensitivity:    94dB / mW
Maximum Input:    1,800 mW
Reproduction Frequency:    5 – 45k Hz
Weight:    370g (excluding the cord)
Cord:    3m Y type
Plug:    6.3mm dia gold coating stereo phone plug

Unboxing / package contents
The packaging is pretty straightforward, with a cardboard box showing a full size picture of the headphones and the name, proclaiming them to be “Premium Reference Quality”. No other specs or information is given, giving the packaging a functional but minimalist look. On opening the box, a solid black presentation case is revealed, with “Fostex TH600” emblazoned in gold print on the front. This presentation box opens in two parts, and reveals the headphones inside, nestled in a molded foam insert that fills the interior of the box and allows the headphones to sit in protected comfort when not in use. As the cables used are hard-wired into the box, there are no other accessories to speak of, just the box and the headphones. The minimalist approach is used on the headphones themselves, with the solid magnesium body being a solid dark grey/light black colour, with the Fostex logo engraved into each cup. The only splash of colour that can be seen is on the stainless steel rods that connect the headband to the cups. All in all, these are headphones at their least ostentatious – just a functional (and quite attractive) design, and an elegant box to hold them in.

Build quality and ergonomics
The headphones are made of die-cast magnesium, and look and feel solid but pretty lightweight for a fully circumaural (over-ear) headphone. The headband is lightly padded, but due to the ergonomic curve of the band itself doesn’t actually exert much pressure on the crown of the head during wear, so is fully capable of being worn for hours at a time with no tell-tale “hotspots”. The headband length is adjustable and the cups swivel and rotate on two axes, so generally allows for positioning that will give a good seal. As this is a traded model, mine came fitted with some Brainwavz HM5 memory foam pads rather than the originals, but those allow for a comfortable seal and long-term wear without heating up. Clamping force is mild, with the headphones able to move slightly rather than being superglued to your head. These are designed for at-home or studio use, so the lack of firm grip is not a dealbreaker – the extra long and thick braided cable (terminated in a studio/hi fi amp friendly 6.3mm plug rather than a more mobile 3.5mm terminator) would pose far more of an issue to using these on the go, unless you fancied using them as a very expensive skipping rope.
Sound quality
Test gear:
LG G Flex 2 (via Neutron Player)
iBasso DX90 (with Cayin C5)
Opus #1
Sansa Clip+ (Rockboxed)
Microsoft Surface Pro 2 (straight from the output jack)
Main test tracks (mainly 320kbps MP3 or FLAC/Tidal HiFi):
Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats – S.O.B. / Wasting Time
Blackberry Smoke – The Whipporwill (album)
Slash – Shadow Life / Bad Rain (my reference tracks for bass impact and attack, guitar “crunch”)
Slash & Beth Hart – Mother Maria (vocal tone)
Sister Hazel – Hello, It’s Me (bass quantity and quality)
Richie Kotzen – Come On Free (bass tone)
Elvis – various
Leon Bridges – Coming Home (album)
Daft Punk – Random Access Memories (album) / Tron (various versions)
Rodrigo y Gabriela – various
Mavis Staples – Livin’ On A High Note
Don Broco – Automatic
Foy Vance – The Wild Swan

General impressions on the sound signature
One of my favourite things to do when I have a little time to myself at home for some “casual” listening is to plug in some music via my headphones, plop myself on the sofa and flick through the sports channels on satellite TV with the volume off (mainly to avoid the inane commentary from people who used to be paid to play a game, which doesn’t always qualify them to talk about it). Running through one of these early morning listening sessions with the TH600, I came across some gymnastics on one of the more obscure channels, which provided me with a perfect (and perfectly obscure) analogy for the way these headphones sound. Like a male gymnast, the sound is muscular and very well-defined, while still being light and extremely dextrous. Notes shimmer and turn on a sixpence, flicking about with precision and control. The body of the music is there, without any excess fat or flab flying around as it does its rounds through the confines of your eardrums, drawing your attention to the technicalities it is trying to execute well rather than its shortcomings. According to the description on the packaging, these are “reference class” headphones, and that is a good descriptor – the sound (in the main) is full bodied without being lush or bloated, technically impressive without being bland, and neutral enough not to colour the music too much without being ruler-flat across all frequencies. The tuning does very well extracting the micro-details from guitar based music, and separating the voices in gospel choruses without destroying the body of the music in the process.
Highs
Treble on the TH600 is clear and defined, with a nice sense of space and air for a closed-back headphone. Notes are clean and sharp, with a nice sense of crunch and crispiness to more aggressive treble. Detail is excellent, with the famous Fostex bio-dynamic diaphragm keeping the information flowing into your ears no matter how quiet or peripheral. Despite being sharp, the TH600 steers clear of sibilance issues on all but the most spiky of tracks, drawing the line just shy of overcooking the treble while still giving these a reasonable splash of sparkle. To be clear, my preference for treble is firmly in the clear and smooth/rolled off category, so there may still be too little high end pizzazz for the true treble-hounds out there, but to my ears they draw a very good line between the detail and rounding of each note to satisfy most listeners.
Mids
The mid-range feels slightly further back in the landscape compared to the highs or lows, giving a feeling of the singer projecting from mid-stage rather than leaning over the front row of the crowd. Texture is good, with guitar tones ringing clear and authentic, and a nice sound and bite to string instruments in general. The mid-range is close to neutral in tuning, with neither an abundance of warmth or leanness, treading the line between body and definition well. Chords (both electric and acoustic) jangle when strummed and crunch when chopped out, with the more recessed tuning allowing plenty of space for the instruments to spread out in all three dimensions. “Kashmir” by Escala drives along with great dynamics, the symphonic violins buzzing with energy and seeming to float slightly above the chugging guitar riff underpinning the track without muddying either. This tuning is slightly less forgiving of my badly mixed or lower quality tracks, with the lighter mid-range volume making some vocalists seem a little lifeless compared to the bass and highs – not exactly surprising for a “reference class” headphone, but still worth noting if you haven’t gone totally down the lossless/320kbps route yet with your electronic music collection. Like the highs, detail levels are very high, with the space between the instruments allowing each strand of music enough room to fully unload all the associated harmonics and studio noise into the background hum. Listening to Rodrigo y Gabriela provides a great example of the beauty and beast of the driver in the same track: fingers slide over nylon strings with great authenticity, notes shimmer just far enough forward in the soundscape not to disappear, but the body of the note can sometimes feel just a little out of reach.
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Bass
The bio-dynamic driver delivers a quick, solid bass performance, with more emphasis on sub-bass rumble than mid-bass “slam”. The excellent placement of instruments and underlying rumble represents drum fills very well, and electronica sounds suitably full and pulsating when the volume is pumped up. Listening to tracks from “The Wild Swan”, the well-mastered sub bass on a few of the middle tracks like “She Burns” add a fullness to the lower end that is very enjoyable. Feeding the TH600s a diet of recent Prodigy tracks, the bumping basslines are there in full effect, driving the sound forward with authority and no little enjoyment. For more traditional bass driven tracks that live a little further up the frequency charts, the bass is more towards neutral than full, with a good substance to the notes and controlled presentation that never intrudes into the mid-range. In truth, a little bass bleed would probably add a little warmth and body to the analytical slant of the mids, but being proper reference headphones, the accuracy is to be expected. The texture of the bass is also to be applauded, with a nice authentic rasp and grain to bass guitar and a realistic sound to drum-head impacts.

Soundstage/separation
For a closed headphone, the soundstage is excellent, expanding outwards in a bubble that feels like a larger version of the hemispherical speaker cups you are wearing. Separation is outstanding, with multiple voices in large choral numbers sounding clear and distinct without divorcing themselves from the chorus. Spatial cues can be a little wider than on other closed-back headphones I have heard, with a reasonable height but more width. “Better Man” by Leon Bridges sounds sublime through these headphones, with the sounds coming from either side and sounding “fleshed out” and three dimensional as the saxophone and Hammond organ fills roll through different areas of the stage, easily painting a picture in your mind of where the music is coming from in the room. Due to the way this song is recorded, the “room noise” can sometimes overpower the chorus lines, but the TH600 takes it all in stride, preserving the live feeling of the track and the clarity of the individual pieces at the same time. The high detail level helps with the separation as well, bringing clarity to the faintest of noises in the soundscape without blurring any of them together.
Isolation
For a closed back headphone, these have only average isolation, and suffer from quite pronounced leakage. In a normal room, it is possible to hear what is going on (in a muffled manner) and for other people to hear what you are listening to without too much effort, so these are definitely cans for quiet listening or studio environments only – librarians need not apply.
Amping
The low impedance does allow the TH600s to be driven adequately from a volume perspective from a phone or low-power DAP setup, but to get the best out of the “reference class” sound these are capable of, then a good amp or powerful standalone player is required. Pushing these through the high-gain setting or the DX90, the skull-crushing power of the Cayin C5 or the refined but punchy output of the Opus #1 all give a marked improvement in tightness and overall soundstage, bringing a little more substance to the music and smoothing out some of the rough edges on lower-res tracks.

Comparisons
Audioquest Nighthawk – I have written a review of these headphones recently where I pointed out that they are more or less perfect for my tuning preferences, and while the TH600 are a technically impressive headphone, they don’t quite reach the same heights of enjoyment. Sub-bass is deeper and more pronounced on the TH600 (making them better overall bets for electronic music like dubstep), but the Nighthawk pull ahead in the mid-bass, with a warmer and fuller sound. Mids are more recessed and dry on the TH600, sticking closer to analytical, with the Nighthawks pouring out some beautiful, liquid midrange that is packed with feeling. Treble is a draw, with the smoothly detailed take used by the Nighthawks contrasting well with the sharper and more extended feeling TH600. Detail levels are similar on both, with the TH600 having a slightly sharper tuning so greater perception of detailing on initial listen, the Nighthawks keeping the detail present but a little less obvious in the overall tuning. Soundstage is won by the TH600, with a greater sense of width and distance between both sides of the stage. Separation is similar, with both excelling at keeping the instruments separate but still cohesive. Isolation is won by the Nighthawk, with both headphones suffering a similar amount of leakage. Comfort is a slam dunk by the Audioquest flagship, feeling like a pair of fluffy clouds on your head compared to the comfortable but still large-headphone-feeling TH600s.
Final Audio Sonorous/Pandora Hope IV – I acquired the TH600s in a direct swap for the Sonorous, so a direct A/B was not possible. Therefore these comparisons are from recent memory only, so please treat them as such. On initial listen, the Fostex presents a sound that is a little more detailed than the Sonorous, with better instrument separation and placement. Peripheral sounds and micro details are easier to pick out of the overall soundscape, without overpowering the main music, leading to an impression of more going on in some tracks I know well. The extra detail also helps to avoid a feeling of congestion, with the soundstage still feeling distinct and not overcrowded on the Fostex no matter how much instrumentation is on it. Width of soundstage is similar, with both outperforming the “standard” closed can expectations and sliding sound outside the imaginary confines of your head. Bass is slightly more pronounced on the Fostex – it is close, but seems to just have the extra pinch of volume that is occasionally lacking from the Sonorous for me. Mids are a little more dry and lean on the Fostex, with a similar presentation in terms of distance from the listener. The Sonorous tuning provides a bit more “soul” to vocals and string instruments, with the Fostex presenting a more clinical but still enjoyable sound. Treble is on the sharper end on both of these headphones, with the Fostex having a slightly more laid back treble presentation than the more in-your-face Sonorous, but detail levels and air are similar for both. Overall it is a close comparison between both, with the Fostex leaving an impression of being slightly more technically capable in terms of detail and resolution, but the tunings not being a million miles away from each other.
Overall conclusion
The TH600s are my first proper foray into the world of reference over-ear headphones, and as such present a slightly different take on tracks that I have listened to previously. While staying true to the music, the slight V-shape apparent in the sounds adds just enough flavour to make most types of music enjoyable, with the excellent sub-bass and light but detailed treble bringing out the details in the music in a great way. As a pair of at-home cans, these would be an excellent choice for those who aren’t looking for a musical and emotive mid-range, but want accuracy and detail packaged up with just enough sparkle and rumble at either end to bring it to life. People who need portability or “soul” in their mids are better off looking at other options in the same price range, but these make an excellent listening companion to a more musical headphone if you have the luxury of keeping more than one.

 

 
Final Audio Design Sonorous / Pandora IV – initial impressions
I picked up a pair of these headphones recently as part of a trade deal – since reading about the unique dynamic and balanced armature setup in an over-ear headphone, these have been at the top of my list of over-ears to try out to see if I can find a closed-back companion to my current headphone of choice, the Audioquest Nighthawk. When they came up on the FS boards, I jumped at the chance to try out FAD’s unusual take on a “traditional” dynamic headphone and to see if the hype was deserved or not.
About me: newly minted audiophile, late 30s, long time music fan and aspiring to be a reasonably inept drummer. Listen to at least 2 hours of music a day on my commute to work – prefer IEMs for out and about, and a large pair of headphones when I have the house to myself and a glass in my hand. Recently started converting my library to FLAC and 320kbps MP3, and do most of my other listening through Spotify or Tidal HiFi. I am a fan of rock, acoustic (apart from folk) and sarcasm. Oh yeah, and a small amount of electronica. Not a basshead, but I do love a sound with some body to it. My ideal tuning for most IEMs and headphones tends towards a musical and slightly dark presentation, although I am not treble sensitive in general. Please take all views expressed below with a pinch of salt – all my reviews are a work in progress based on my own perceptions and personal preferences, and your own ears may tell you a different story.
Tech specs
Sensitivity:  105dB
Cable:  1.5m
Impedance:  8 Ohm
Driver Unit:  50mm dynamic driver + balanced armature driver
Weight:  410g (approx.)

(graph taken from Innerfidelity website)
Unusual audio technology
In a departure from the “usual” over-ear headphone designs used by other manufacturers in this price range, Final Audio Design have gone for something a little more unusual, combining a large 50mm dynamic driver with a purpose built balanced armature driver (more commonly found in higher end in-ear headphones) that sits on the inner of the headphone rim. They pair this dual-driver setup with something they call a “Balancing Air Movement” mechanism (or BAM for short). The BAM mechanism is designed to balance air pressure within the speaker housing at the front and rear of the diaphragm, which aims to increase the 3D soundstage and help with bass extension and tone. The rest of the headphone is designed with similar attention to detail, with the Balanced Armature driver being made from a special permalloy to allow for greater magnetic permeability and the speakers themselves utilising a narrower gap between the pole piece and the yoke (the “piston” arrangement that moves the driver back and forth) to increase the magnetic flux density. This is capped off (literally) with the use of an aluminium backplate as part of the BAM design to regulate air pressure and reduce unwanted vibrations in the housing, allied to a rigid ABS plastic outer shell (the same plastic they use in high end camera lenses) to further dampen vibration. The design cues used here are along similar lines to other headphones or IEMs I have enjoyed (Cardas A8, Audioquest Nighthawks, Flare R2A), which all aim to reproduce music with as little unwanted distortion due to pressure variance or casing vibration as possible. It may be a coincidence that I like all the headphones I have heard so far that concentrate on these areas, but I suspect that the advances the various manufacturers are making in this field will slowly become standard over the years, as the sound they all produce is generally pure, well extended and distortion free, so it seems like Final Audio may well end up being acknowledged as another notable pioneer in this particular branch of headphone design as the years go on.

Unboxing / package contents
As these were acquired as part of a trade, the original packaging was sadly absent. I was provided with the contents of the normal package, which are the headphones themselves (obviously), one thick rubberised headphone cable with a straight 3.5mm jack connector and an additional pair of ear pads.

Build quality and ergonomics
The first thing you think when looking at the Sonorous IV is that it is a serious piece of audio gear. The classic design motifs from the Final Audio Design range are all present and correct, with the main headphone parts being made of jet-black ABS plastic or shiny stainless steel. The cabling follows the same design, with a reassuringly thick and memory-free headphone cable sheathed in black rubber and shiny stainless steel connectors at either end, and a similar steel y-splitter completing the picture, finished with a locking mechanism on the end of the headphone connectors that fixes the cable firmly into place with a twist of the cable. The “Final” logos on the side of the headphone itself and the model name on the connecting joints of the headband are similarly classy, being printed in glossy black over the matt black underneath to give an almost brandless image on first glance. This is the sort of headphone that Patrick Bateman would be seen sporting while giving discourse about Genesis albums in “American Psycho” – chic, stylish and murderously serious. Another serious aspect of the headphones is their weight, with the stated weight of 410g reading a little lighter than they actually feel when they are sitting on your head. When my girlfriend first saw these, she commented how nice they looked – when she first saw them on my head, she commented that they are definitely “a man’s headphone” as they looked so huge. When she first tried them on, after relocating the displaced discs in her neck, she settled on her final verdict of “a big man’s headphone”. The comfort level is actually surprisingly good, but there is no getting away from the fact that these are a seriously weighty piece of gear, more inclined to use indoors than wandering around the streets. Considering the weight, the clamping force of the headphones is actually reasonably neutral, with enough force to keep the earpads firmly fixed to your head but not so much that your skull is flexed inwards in the process. The pads themselves come in two variations – my pre-owned set had the “low resistance” pads (read: thinly padded) and a set of Shure after-market pads with firmer foam which replaced the usual thicker Final Audio pads that come as standard. Both are actually pretty comfortable for me, with the low resistance pads offering a slightly comfier fit without leaving my ears touching the driver housing. The headband is made of black pseudo-leather and filled with very comfortable foam, so rests on top of your head very easily without leaving a tell-tale “hotspot” after prolonged wear. Overall, these are a solidly built and reasonably comfortable headphone if you intend to use them sitting still, and a large Doctor Who costume prop if you are planning on using them out and about.

Sound quality
Test gear:
LG G Flex 2 (via Neutron Player)
iBasso DX90 (with Cayin C5)
Sansa Clip+ (Rockboxed)
Microsoft Surface Pro 2 (straight from the output jack)
Main test tracks (mainly 320kbps MP3 or FLAC/Tidal HiFi):
Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats – S.O.B. / Wasting Time
Blackberry Smoke – The Whipporwill (album)
Slash – Shadow Life / Bad Rain (my reference tracks for bass impact and attack, guitar “crunch”)
Slash & Beth Hart – Mother Maria (vocal tone)
Sister Hazel – Hello, It’s Me (bass quantity and quality)
Richie Kotzen – Come On Free (bass tone)
Elvis – various
Leon Bridges – Coming Home (album)
Daft Punk – Random Access Memories (album)
Sigma - various
Rudimental – various
Rodrigo y Gabriela – various
Mavis Staples – Livin’ On A High Note
Don Broco – Automatic
Foy Vance – The Wild Swan

General impressions on the sound signature
The overall signature of these cans is unsurprisingly not a million miles away from the “house sound” people describe in the Final Audio Design IEM range – silky smooth, well detailed and packed with emotion. The overall tone is a mildly warm version of neutral, with slightly elevated bass and a sharp treble definition thanks to the hidden BA driver that helps push the soundstage out a lot further than you expect from a closed back headphone. The mids can sometimes feel a little recessed, but this is apparent more with male than female vocals. Swapping earpads does have a small effect on the sound signature – after some experimentation, I have settled on the low resistance pads as my preferred choice as they bring the mids forward a bit and dampen down some of the boominess in the bass, so the majority of observations below are based on this pad set-up.
Highs
The highs in this headphone are at least in part handled by a small BA driver positioned on the inside of the earcup, roughly in line with the opening of your ear. This is a pretty unusual setup for an over-ear headphone, but one that works very well in terms of how the Sonorous handles the high notes. The treble is fresh and crisp, with great definition and plenty of air for a closed headphone. The note weight isn’t overly thick, but carries a sharp edge without stepping over into harshness or sibilance. Electric guitar is well presented, with the high harmonics sounding clear and distinct, and possessing a good portion of crunch to dole out when required to sit alongside the shimmer. Speed of the treble is excellent, as you would expect from a BA-driven output, with the Sonorous IVs handling the high speed interchange of notes on “World On Fire” by Slash with ease, driving the track along at a furious pace. Listening to Myles Kennedy sing, his soprano wail comes through strongly, without stripping out the emotion underneath or grating on the ear. Cymbals and hi-hats crash and shimmer well, with a metallic tinge that gives them a good sense of authenticity. Extension is excellent, with the notes soaring up as high as needed without running out of steam (or at least, to the limits of my hearing, which is probably slightly less impressive). The sharpness of the treble never feels too overpowering, but does add a nice sense of space and “air” in the top range, which again is atypical of this type of closed-back design, so kudos to the audio engineers at Final Audio for managing to achieve this in such an effortless fashion. Detailing is also good in the high frequencies, with the crisp treble bringing things like the breathing of the vocalist and in-room echoes into focus behind your eyes when you listen. Due to the clean and pure nature of the treble, these can be slightly more apparent than in some darker-tuned headphones I have been listening to recently, but not so much that it distracts from the main body of the music it is accompanying.
Mids
The 50mm dynamic starts taking up the slack here, and the mids thicken up a little from the treble as a result, with a more or less neutral tone. On certain male vocals and instrumentation, the mid range can feel slightly recessed, but this isn’t apparent on all tracks. One thing the tuning does seem to highlight is the emotion present in the music, which I believe is a hallmark of the Final Audio tuning gurus according to various reviews of their in-ear range I have read previously. Unusually, the emotion doesn’t come with any heavy colouration of the sound, but seems to dwell mainly in the vocal ranges, with a true depth of note coming off the delivery of each line which can draw you in to the music quite easily. Perhaps Final Audio Design have discovered the EQ frequency for the “soul” of a piece of music? All I know is that for an otherwise neutral sounding presentation, these cans are able to present songs in a way that conveys a sense of emotion not usually present with this type of tuning. Texture of the mid-range is good, with the large dynamic drivers picking out plenty of fringe detail in the sound without losing too much of the “meat”. Acoustic guitars and string instruments sound excellent, with the cello work on the Foy Vance track “Unlike Any Other” sounding spectacular – a sandpaper-like texture running through each bow stroke that brings the instrument and the bow playing it almost into the same room. Speed of the driver is again exemplary, with fast acoustic passages striking the right balance between resonance and decay to leave artists like Rodrigo y Gabriela sounding note-perfect. Due to the slight recession of the mids, on particularly “busy” tracks some of the separation can get lost and make the midrange sound a little congested, but in general the Sonorous IV handles most things with ease. Electric guitar also sounds good if sometimes lacking that final piece of body that a truly great rock riff deserves, which is a side-effect of the tuning lacking a bit of lushness in the main body of the songs sometimes. Another point to note with the mids is the lack of any audible crossover – however the BA driver has been incorporated into the overall tuning, there is no audible “seam” in the mid or high range to help you identify exactly where it takes over, leaving the overall sound feeling very cohesive.
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Bass
Dropping into the lower frequency range, the bass put out by the big 50mm driver is quite taut and quick, with decent presence and good extension. This is only slightly warmer than neutral to my ears, so is by no means thin, but definitely isn’t the final word in slam or quantity. That isn’t to say it leaves the sound feeling thin or flat, with plenty of definition and a touch of warmth complementing most songs nicely. Sub-bass is well represented, and the border between the mid-bass and lower mids is policed more strictly than the US-Mexico border, with no bass sneaking under the barbed wire into the middle ground. Running my usual bass testers through this, “Bad Rain” by Slash extends low and rasps in the right places and “Hello, It’s Me” fills the soundscape with beautifully rendered basslines, full of texture and precision. As part of the overall presentation the Sonorous provides, the bass fits in beautifully – it is only when comparing to other similar headphones that the relative lightness of the bass presence is highlighted, which can leave you wanting just a little more with some songs to really make the music sing. It is certainly something the driver is capable of – feeding these cans “Get Lucky” by Daft Punk provides more than enough bass for most listeners to be bouncing along to the beat, so it is a shame that this side of the headphone can’t be coaxed out more often.

Soundstage/separation
Final Audio make reference to the BAM design in this headphone bringing out the 3D sound, and for a closed headphone, the soundstage is certainly a lot larger than you would expect. While it doesn’t rival a true open-backed can, the sound definitely extends outside the boundaries of your head, with good spatial positioning and placement of instruments and decent depth. To my ears, there appears to be a slight upwards slant to the sound, with the bass centred lower down and the vocals coming slightly down towards me. The sharper nature of the treble does well isolating micro-details from the recording room, giving a better than average impression of where the performers are standing/sitting in relation to the vocals in the centre. Separation is excellent, with multiple guitar parts from thick rock tracks like Metallica’s version of “Whiskey In The Jar” being easy to pull apart, without leaving the song feeling disjointed as a result. This is aided by the size of the soundstage, which in the main leaves a good sense of space between instruments unless there is a heavy concentration in the mildly recessed mid-frequencies, which can compact things slightly. Overall, for a closed back headphone, the depth and width is impressive.
Isolation
These are billed as a closed back headphone, but in practice they are more “semi-closed” – they isolate quite well from external sounds, but are prone to enough leakage to easily let someone 6 feet away identify what track you are listening to. This rules out library and public transport, as the isolation isn’t up to transit standards and the sound pouring out of the ABS cups would probably provoke some form of violent reaction from people in the immediate vicinity if left long enough
Amping
The rated impedance of 8 ohms is spectacularly low for an over-ear headphone of this size, leading to a can that could probably be driven by Miss Daisy or an old fashioned string and paper cup telephone, never mind a dedicated headphone amplifier. This is borne out in real life testing, with my humble LG phone able to produce some truly ear-bending volume without needing to phone a friendly amp. While the headphones do respond to better sources (my DX90 sounds particularly sweet through these), additional power isn’t really a requirement to get these singing at full capacity.

Comparisons
Audioquest Nighthawk – I have written a review of these headphones recently where I pointed out that they are more or less perfect for my tuning preferences, and unfortunately the Sonorous IV haven’t changed that opinion, although they have given me some food for thought. In terms of bass, the Nighthawk has a clear advantage in quantity, with similar speed and clarity and excellent extension. The bass feels more full bodied with the Nighthawks, compared to the leaner and more muscular presentation of the Sonorous. Texture is also slightly better on the Nighthawk, with a better “feel” to the notes rather than the more clinical presentation of the Sonorous. Through the mids, the Nighthawks gives a more forward and warm midrange – the Sonorous offers a cooler alternative, with both ‘phones well matched for extracting the “soul” out of the vocals. Treble is sharper on the Sonorous compared to the thick and clear high notes on the Nighthawk, which may appeal to the more treble-hungry listener. Detail is similar on both, but perception of detail is slightly more prominent on the Sonorous due to the sharper tuning. Soundstage is won by the Sonorous, with the sharper treble tuning and additional BA driver adding more air and width to the presentation. Comfort is won at a canter by the Nighthawk, with the unusual suspension system and lightness of the components leaving you feeling like you have a set of feathers strapped to your head, rather than the plastic dumbbells you feel you are carrying around whenever you strap on the Final Audio cans. Overall, the Nighthawk is still a special headphone to me and wins on too many of my own personal requirements for the Sonorous to supplant it in my listening rotation, but if I was looking to listen to something with a broader soundstage and sharper high notes, the Sonorous would be a more than worthy alternative.
Fostex TH-600 – I acquired this a few days after writing up this interview as a trade deal for the Sonorous, so a direct A/B was not possible. Therefore these comparisons are from recent memory only, so please treat them as such. On initial listen, the Fostex presents a sound that is a little more detailed than the Sonorous, with better instrument separation and placement. Peripheral sounds and micro details are easier to pick out of the overall soundscape, without overpowering the main music, leading to an impression of more going on in some tracks I know well. The extra detail also helps to avoid a feeling of congestion, with the soundstage still feeling distinct and not overcrowded on the Fostex no matter how much instrumentation is on it. Width of soundstage is similar, with both outperforming the “standard” closed can expectations and sliding sound outside the imaginary confines of your head. Bass is slightly more pronounced on the Fostex – it is close, but seems to just have the extra pinch of volume that is occasionally lacking from the Sonorous for me. Mids are a little more dry and lean on the Fostex, with a similar presentation in terms of distance from the listener. The Sonorous tuning provides a bit more “soul” to vocals and string instruments, with the Fostex presenting a more clinical but still enjoyable sound. Treble is on the sharper end on both of these headphones, with the Fostex having a slightly more laid back treble presentation than the more in-your-face Sonorous, but detail levels and air are similar for both. Overall it is a close comparison between both, with the Fostex leaving an impression of being slightly more technically capable in terms of detail and resolution, but the tunings not being a million miles away from each other.

Overall conclusion
I was looking to listen to something “a little different” when I picked up the Sonorous IV, and the combination of BA driver, BAM technology and their house tuning have certainly given me that. These are a hefty, refined headphone that would be excellent for fans of a neutral sound with just enough bass warmth and treble sharpness to bring some soul to the technicalities underneath. These cans excel with string instruments and bringing the emotion out of vocals, and can be worn for hours on end with the right type of music playing through them. Comfort wise, they are good but a bit too heavy for those of the thinner-necked persuasion, but for those who can wear them, they provide a classy and stylish alternative to the more consumer or utilitarian styles of the other major headphone players. All in all, these are a smooth, slick headphone, and while they leave me wanting a little more in certain areas to really make them great, for most people they would be a very good choice for an at-home over-ear.

Nuforce HEM4 – impressions and comparison with HEM2
After listening to the HEM2s recently courtesy of the Nuforce Massdrop, I managed to pick up a pair of the next model in their HEM series (the HEM4) as part of a trade to see how this compared, and whether the additional BA being used would make a significant difference to the sound. For clarity, as the only difference to the retail packages for the HEM series is the number of drivers in the shells themselves, a large portion of the below is lifted directly from my review of the HEM2 as the package, design and accessory load-out it identical. Feel free to skip to the sound impressions if you have read my previous review - this impression is written as a comparison piece to the previous review, so it may help if you read them both. To be clear, I have no affiliation to Nuforce, so the views expressed are 100% my own with only my own (questionable) judgement and listening bias having a bearing on the final verdict.
About me: newly minted audiophile, late 30s, long time music fan and aspiring to be a reasonably inept drummer. Listen to at least 2 hours of music a day on my commute to work – prefer IEMs for out and about, and a large pair of headphones when I have the house to myself and a glass in my hand. Recently started converting my library to FLAC and 320kbps MP3, and do most of my other listening through Spotify or Tidal HiFi. I am a fan of rock, acoustic (apart from folk) and sarcasm. Oh yeah, and a small amount of electronica. Not a basshead, but I do love a sound with some body to it. My ideal tuning for most IEMs and headphones tends towards a musical and slightly dark presentation, although I am not treble sensitive in general. Please take all views expressed below with a pinch of salt – all my reviews are a work in progress based on my own perceptions and personal preferences, and your own ears may tell you a different story.
Tech specs (from the Nuforce website)
Frequency response: 18Hz - 40KHz
Sensitivity: 124dB +/- 3dB
Cable: 1.38m
Impedance: 38 Ohm
Maximum input power: 2mW
Maximum input sound level: 124dB

 

Unboxing
The HEM series all share a similar packaging design and accessory load-out, and while the HEM4 is slightly further up the price range than the HEM2 at an RRP of $299, it is still an impressive set of goodies to include with an IEM in this bracket. The outer packaging carries a nice glossy picture of the headphones overlaid on a matte background, with all the usual technical info and schematics you would expect, including the ubiquitous “Hi-Res Audio” logo. Inside the cardboard insert is a black presentation box that is held closed with a magnet and opens book-style to reveal the contents. All very understated and classy. The actual contents of the package keep up the theme: one large transparent waterproof case with foam padding inside (including a moulded foam insert holding the IEMs), and another smaller semi-hard zippered case which fits inside that containing the selection of tips (both silicon and Comply in various sizes), two detachable 2-pin cables, a cleaning tool and nice gold plated stereo adapter. The waterproof casing is reminiscent of various Otterbox cases used by other brands, and has (just) enough room to fit a DAP inside, which gives it comfortably enough to house the IEMs and a few selected accessories. The zipper case is also a nice size, being slightly thinner and longer than the average case churned out with IEMs at this price point, making it very pocket friendly. The accessories are well thought out and very plentiful, with nice touches such as the addition of an “audiophile” silver coated copper cable (braided, of course) to complement the standard rubberised cable with in-line microphone.

Build quality and ergonomics
The HEM4 comes in a metallic blue colouring, with a small teardrop design which hugs the inner contours of the ear very well. There is an almost industrial design motif with the shells due to the acoustic modelling that Nuforce have done on the internals, with the outer shell holding multiple ridges which make it reminiscent of the world’s smallest bicycle crash-helmet. The shells themselves are made of Lexan, a light polycarbonate used to make bulletproof glass – while I haven’t broken out the in-laws shotgun to test out if they would survive a trip to the front lines, there is definitely a sense that despite the lack of weight, these are not a fragile piece of kit. Another useful property of Lexan is the fact that it apparently resonates at a frequency higher than the human ear is capable of hearing, meaning it should reduce unwanted sonic interference inside the driver housing from shell vibration. In terms of fit, the light weight allied to the small teardrop size of the enclosures make these IEMs extremely comfortable to wear for extended periods, practically disappearing into the side of your head once settled. The nozzle of the IEM is also worthy of mention, as this is one of the thinnest and longest nozzles I have seen on an IEM, taking Comply T-100 tips. Nuforce claim that this is done to aid the tuning and delivery of the sound – in practice, this doesn’t seem to have an effect on wearing comfort for me as I have large ear canals, but might be a plus point for wearers who normally struggle with wide-bore earphones. Due to my cavern sized ears, I found that the best fit and isolation was achieved with the enclosed Comply tips, but there are a few mods that have already been suggested on the forums to fit larger bore eartips onto the casing, so that shouldn’t be a problem if you wish to go “off piste” with your tip selection. The bore size is compatible with Westone tips used in their W and UM series IEMs if you have any handy and are looking for a deeper insertion. The IEMs are designed to be worn over-ear, but due to the use of heatshrink rather than memory wire on the main braided cable, they can if needed be worn “down” as well. With reference to the cables, they are both light and pliable, with the braided cable exhibiting no major memory recall and minimal microphonics – I haven’t used the microphone cable yet so can’t really comment on that. The overall build quality also extends to the connectors, where the right-angled Nuforce connectors are finished in a sturdy metal shell with just the right size to tuck in nicely underneath a mobile phone or DAP audio slot. In fact, the only element of the whole package that doesn’t scream “come see how good I look” in true Ron Burgundy fashion is the heat shrink tubing acting as the cable splitter, and the smaller sliding piece of tubing acting as the cable cinch. The splitter is functional at least, but the cinch on my cable is loose enough to slide over the splitter and down towards the connector without any problems at all – a strange choice considering the high level of finish on all the other elements of the package (the cables even come with their own mini-cable tidies made out of Velcro). It doesn’t detract in a major way, but just leaves the impression that there are some beautifully designed splitters sitting in the Nuforce factory somewhere gathering dust because someone forgot to add them to the production line.

Sound quality
Test gear:
LG G Flex 2 (via Neutron Player)
iBasso DX90 (with Cayin C5)
Sansa Clip+ (Rockboxed)
Microsoft Surface Pro 2 (straight from the output jack)
Main test tracks (mainly 320kbps MP3 or FLAC/Tidal HiFi):
Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats – S.O.B. / Wasting Time
Blackberry Smoke – The Whipporwill (album)
Slash – Shadow Life / Bad Rain (my reference tracks for bass impact and attack, guitar “crunch”)
Slash & Beth Hart – Mother Maria (vocal tone)
Richie Kotzen – Come On Free (bass tone)
Elvis – various
Leon Bridges – Coming Home (album)
Daft Punk – Random Access Memories (album)
Sigma - various
Rudimental – various
Rodrigo y Gabriela – various
Mavis Staples – Livin’ On A High Note
Don Broco – Automatic
Foy Vance – The Wild Swan

General impressions on the sound signature (and comparison to the HEM2)
On first impression, the HEM4 has a lean and clear sound, with good texture to the notes and good extension at both ends of the frequency spectrum. The range is noticeably bigger than the HEM2, but due to this “widening” of the sound spectrum, the body of the presentation sounds much leaner as a result, with little of the warmth to the lower and midranges that made the HEM2 so inviting. To compare the two would be like comparing the warm and slightly stuffy summer’s day of the HEM2 to the brilliant sunshine of a cold winter’s day of the HEM4, with accompanying frost on the floor. As a presentation, the HEM4 is markedly different from the HEM2, and provides a much leaner and more neutral overall tone to the song being played, with a wider and clearer presentation and sharper focus on the detail at the expense of the “feel” in some cases. To see how much extra bass the HEM2 produces, I plugged both IEMs into a Brainwawz AP001 amp I use for travelling as it has two output jacks – I listened to the same song from the same source with one bud from each set of IEMs in my ears, and was actually fairly surprised at the results. Without being able to volume match the two, I was surprised to hear a similar amount of bass being output by both the 2 and the 4, and the two IEMs sounded a lot closer in signature with only a noticeable “bump” in extension and resolution audible in the 4, leaving the 2 sounding a bit warmer and fuzzier to my ears. Taking the buds out and doing a traditional A/B comparison, my brain immediately switched back to the impression that the HEM4 is a leaner sound with less bass – this was hardly a scientific test so take my conclusions at face value, but I wonder if the more balanced and extended sound being produced by the 4 makes it appear “stretched” in comparison to the 2, leading to the brain hearing the bass in comparison to the other frequencies and giving the impression of a thinner sound. In any case, conventional A/B left me thinking that the HEM2 is a warmer and more “musical” IEM with slightly less definition and a smaller stage and range. Technically, the HEM4 is a more capable IEM, but falls on the cold side of neutral so lacks the warmth to really hammer home its technical advantages, losing some of the soul of the music to that glorious winter’s day.
Highs
The highs on the HEM4 are probably the probably the strongest part of the overall sound, with good clarity and very good extension, reaching up into the higher registers without sounding too sharp or strained. High guitars and soprano voices come through strongly, with the dual-BA setup pumping out a crisp and engaging high range. Cymbal crashes are still a little on the subdued side rather than splashy, but sound natural and decay realistically. The definition of the high notes leaves a good sense of micro-detail behind, with single guitar strums carrying all the associated noises with them through the earpieces like the harmonics as the strings are scuffed and other studio noise that usually makes its home in the high rafters. The presentation is notably sharper and airier than the HEM2, but the tuning still steers clear of sibilance, so it merely leaves the impression of a more “complete” and emphasised frequency range at the top end of the scale compared to the more warm and rolled off take given by the HEM2.
Mids
The mid range on the HEM4 is quite textured, with guitar notes and vocals both showing their rougher edges and rasps behind the smoother elements emphasised in a more warm tuning. The sound is lean and defined, with the lack of weight behind the notes serving to emphasise the detail and texture in the delivery. The speed of the BA drivers is apparent here, with fast guitar pieces from Rodrigo y Gabriela and Slash both translating excellently, the analytical nature of the sound allowing the listener to track each note through the passages with ease. There is an element of bite and definition to the mid-range that does give a nice edge and pace to most rock music, but this is counterbalanced by the lack of substance to the notes, leaving more meaty passages of music feeling a little anaemic in comparison to the warmer and thicker sound offered by the HEM2. The flat nature of the tuning shows again here, with the mids feeling somewhere between neutral to slightly recessed. That being said, acoustic guitars sound excellent through these IEMs, with the precision-tuned thinness of the sound presenting the strumming of Jack Johnson or Justin Nozuka with an almost crystal clarity and detail. Another point to note about the midrange is the overall cohesion of the sound – with a dual BA setup in the HEM4, the midrange is usually where the two drivers would overlap, but the “Linear-phase” crossover implemented in the HEM series manages to keep the two drivers together admirably, with no apparent “join” audible as the drivers exchange duties.
Bass
Bass presentation on the HEM4 is fast, accurate and well extended, with decent dip into sub-bass territory before trailing out of audibility. Unfortunately for those who like a neutral or heavier dose of bass, there just isn’t very much of it compared to the rest of the frequency spectrum, leaving the overall impression of a very lean and surgical sound. For acoustic music this works quite well, with the light low end freeing up more air for the mids and highs to shine, but for EDM and more driving rock songs, this can leave the sound feeling a little thin and lifeless compared to the more full-blooded HEM2. Running my favourite bass test tracks through their paces, the lack of substance is obvious – on “Bad Rain”, the emphasis is on the sound of the strings rasping as they vibrate, not the underlying bass note itself. Similarly with the Sister Hazel track I normally use, the usually liquid bassline pours into your ears like water rather than chocolate, with a thinness and lack of substance that leaves the song feeling a little under-done. In contrast, the fast jazz-style double bass used by Foy Vance on his album “The Wild Swan” benefit greatly from the speed and agility of the driver, with the plucked tones ripping along at speed. The greater sub-bass presence than the HEM2 also makes itself felt on some tracks, with “Burden” by Foy Vance benefitting from the quiet presence of the sub-tones to the bass line underpinning the track as opposed to the HEM2’s beefier but less extended take on the same song. Tom be fair, the longer I have listened to these IEMs, the more the bass tonality can be adjusted to, but on first listen these are strictly for people who err on the thin side of neutral as a favourite preference.

Soundstage/separation
Soundstage feels reasonable, and is slightly wider that its sibling the HEM2 – there is a decent stage width inside your head, with more width than height, but the music never leans too far outside what you perceive to be the inside of your skull. The imaging is good, and again shows a noticeable (if small) upgrade from the HEM2 due to the increased clarity, with instruments clearing spacing themselves out and playing further from the centre of the stage where needed. Presentation is still more 2D than 3D, but there the additional precision and cooler tone help to give a more precise feel. Separation is good, with the dual-BA setup handling multi-instrument passages with ease.
Isolation
Due to the size of my ear canals, I have mainly been using the accompanying Comply foam tips, which provide an excellent seal and therefore excellent isolation. The shape of the shell inserts quite well to block the opening of the ear, and the lack of venting in the shell casing due to the all-BA design does help to keep external noise out. These are easily good enough to block out most external travelling noises or family arguments, so wear with care if you actually need to hear what is going on around you. As mentioned previously, I have tried Westone foams on these, and they also provide an excellent fit and better isolation due to their deeper insertion.
Amping
The HEM4 have a higher resistance than the HEM2, but still aren’t difficult to drive well off a mobile phone or DAP. As with the HEM2, adding my Cayin C5 to the mix does bring a little perceived precision (and the higher resistance allows them to be driven harder if required) – much like the HEM2, amping brings nothing radical to the table though, so these are easily in the “standalone” bracket for mobile use.

Comparisons (in similar price bracket)
FLC 8S – Another recent listening acquisition, the FLC 8S play in a similar price bracket to the HEM4, but come with a myriad of tuning options due to their unique interchangeable filters and plugs. For comparison purposes, I have used the most commonly quoted filter setup on the FLC thread for these IEMs of red/grey/gold. The FLC is a hybrid (with both dynamic and BA drivers), so you would expect the bass on offer to be more substantial than the HEM4, and this does prove to be the case. Where the HEM is lean and accurate, the FLC offers considerably more presence while not sacrificing the precision. Lower range extension is similar on both, with the additional bass volume on offer with the FLC adding some body to the sound compared to the HEM. Midrange is won by the FLC, with the liquid mids offering as much detail but more musicality and a slightly thicker sound. Highs sound a little more emphasised on the HEM, with a greater extension but less overall weight. In terms of build and comfort, the HEM edges it for ergonomics, and is a more elegant build than the utilitarian plastic of the FLC. Overall, the FLC offers a more musical and substantial sound with this filter configuration, and is superior to the HEM in enough categories to make it a good option in the same price bracket if you are looking for an IEM with more flexibility and a warmer and less analytical sound.
Lear NS-U1 Natrosound – this is a dual-dynamic setup rather than a dual-BA, but plays in a roughly similar price bracket so I have included it for reference. The tonality of the NS-U! in either mode (normal or in “Natrosound”) is markedly warmer and bassier than the HEM4, with a wider soundstage and more extreme separation of the individual instruments in the default mode. In terms of highs, the HEM4 wins on clarity and extension, but for mids and bass, the NS-U1 provides a more pleasing and dynamic sound to my ears. In terms of soundstage, the NS-U1 can feel a little bit laterally stretched sometimes when not playing in Natrosound mode, whereas the HEM4 presents a smaller but more cohesive stage for the listener. In terms of ergonomics and comfort, this is a slam dunk for the HEM4 – the small coffee bean shape of the 4 looking almost lost when paired against the golf ball sized shells of the NS-U1 and the accompanying stems, which are almost as long as the 3.5mm jack.
Overall conclusion
Despite my 3.5 star ratiung, the HEM4 are not a “bad” IEM, with a clear and detailed presentation and a great sense of texture and tonality that offers some beautiful listening moments. Unfortunately for me, the overall lean and cold impression they leave on me is just too far away from my own idea of musical perfection for my brain to truly enjoy these in the same way as their warmer baby brother the HEM2. Listened to in isolation, these are a good example of what a quick, clinical dual-BA setup is capable of, but when compared to other IEMs in my recent listening experience like the Cardas A8, the sound is a bit too cold and neutral for my tastes. As mentioned in the initial sound impressions paragraph, when directly A/B’s using my Brainwavz amp/splitter the actual volume in the lower end seems roughly similar to the HEM2, but something about the overall combination leaves a feeling of thinness that I just can’t shake (guess that's the subjective nature of sound for you). As with the HEM2, the accessory package that comes with these IEMs is still possibly the most impressive and well thought out I have seen in any in-ear product at this price, and ergonomically and aesthetically, they are a thing of beauty. To summarise, if you like your music cold, clinical and as lean as a marathon runner, these will be a great match. For those who like the design and accessories but looking for a warmer sound, consider one of the other HEM models in the series.

Cardas A8 Ear Speakers – initial impressions
I recently acquired these IEMs based on some of the interesting things I have read in the forums here about the technology used in the drivers and the sound signature they were going for, so was wondering where they would fit in my own list of preferences. To be clear, I have no affiliation to Cardas, so the views expressed are 100% my own with only my own questionable judgement and listening bias having a bearing on the final verdict.
About me: newly minted audiophile, late 30s, long time music fan and aspiring to be a reasonably inept drummer. Listen to at least 2 hours of music a day on my commute to work – prefer IEMs for out and about, and a large pair of headphones when I have the house to myself and a glass in my hand. Recently started converting my library to FLAC and 320kbps MP3, and do most of my other listening through Spotify or Tidal HiFi. I am a fan of rock, acoustic (apart from folk) and sarcasm. Oh yeah, and a small amount of electronica. Not a basshead, but I do love a sound with some body to it. My ideal tuning for most IEMs and headphones currently tends towards a musical and slightly dark presentation, although I am not treble sensitive in general. Please take all views expressed below with a pinch of salt – all my reviews are a work in progress based on my own perceptions and personal preferences, and your own ears may tell you a different story.

Technical info
Driver type: 10.85mm dual magnet dynamic driver
Housing type: Solid brass, with an ABS coating
 
The Cardas A8 use new driver technology in their dynamic driver setup, using what they call an “ultra linear contour field dual magnet” driver to eliminate flux modulation distortion in the driver by replacing the permeable pole piece (the iron “end” of the magnet) with a permanent magnet. This is claimed to allow the driver to work in a linear way through the entire frequency range, reducing distortion as it goes. Cardas do not publish tech specs for this IEM, but from a listening perspective, whatever they have done seems to work. This IEM has been in development for a few years, and it does seem to show - the driver exhibits minimal signs of distortion and an enviable bass response.

Unboxing
The A8 Ear Speakers come in a nice presentation box which unfolds to reveal the IEMs in the top half, and a very nice semi-hard carry case in the lower half behind some plastic sheeting. The carry case holds the various tips being used (a few pairs of double flanged tips, and Comply tips in two sizes). The IEMs themselves are presented in a moulded insert in the top half of the box, with the cable wrapped underneath. All in all, it is quite understated but definitely classy, and gives a nice feel for the quality of the “ear speakers” you are about to listen to. Solid but not spectacular.
Build quality and ergonomics
The A8 are a very well put together IEM, with a real sense of substance and build quality. The IEM housings are machined from billets of solid brass then covered in a blue rubberised coating with the Cardas “Golden Spiral” logo on the back of each one – the rubber coating is designed to reduce wear and tear on the outsides from normal day to day use. Like the logo, the earbuds are made to follow the “golden spiral” of the inner ear, being a slightly oval cannonball shape. The brass makes itself felt in the construction, with the buds feeling very heavy compared to a normal set of IEMs. In fact, the IEMs could probably be considered very heavy compared to a small elephant or a real life cannonball, such is their density – while this takes a while to get used to in your ears, it does leave you with the reassuring feeling that short of someone taking a sledgehammer to them, these pieces of kit will be very adept at handling the normal day to day bumps without so much as a scratch. In terms of fit, the round shape does sit very well in the ear once correctly positioned – they come with a few different dual-flanged tips and some Comply foam tips, but due to the aforementioned weight of the buds, I find only the Comply tips allow me to keep them in my ears successfully without some form of adhesive. I have been blessed with very large ear canals, so people with smaller ears will probably be able to get a good fit with the enclosed silicon, but it doesn’t sit well enough for me to “lock them down” without the additional grip offered by the Comply. The actual shape of the earbuds is very comfortable, and they can be worn for decent lengths of time with no discomfort, apart from the strange sensation of having half a kilo hanging from each ear. The buds themselves have no removable connectors, but the strain relief on the housing is long and very robust looking, so doesn’t cause any undue concern. The cables to the earpieces are also different colours from the Y-splitter up, which is a nice touch and does help identify which ear each bud goes in at a glance without having to check the underside of the casings. From the Y-splitter down, the cable turns into a magnificently thick bright blue braided affair about 1/8 of an inch thick, and does remind you that Cardas are first and foremost a high-end cable manufacturer. The conductor cables are wrapped around a central core cable in a way that minimises any strain on the signal wires no matter how the cable is pulled, and like the buds themselves look able to stand up to a military drill sergeant level of abuse with no ill effects. The Y-splitter also houses a 2.5mm connector with a locking mechanism allowing you to swap out the cable below for a balanced version (Cardas offer both the A&K compatible 2.5mm balanced connector or the Pono variant with two connectors), which is a novel and pretty useful solution if you need to run these balanced for one or more of your DAP options. Due to the length of the cables down to the y-splitter from the buds, I am not able to wear these over-ear comfortably – again, due to the dimensions of my head and neck (too many years playing rugby), this may be a purely personal issue so those with smaller craniums (crania?) or collar sizes may have more luck. The cabling does look like it is built for the long term, but is still flexible enough not to be restrictive, and the use of Comply does limit external noise and the effect of any microphonics, but due to the fact these are worn down then some can occur in day to day use.

Sound quality
Test gear:
LG G Flex 2 (via Neutron Player)
iBasso DX90 (with Cayin C5)
Sansa Clip+ (Rockboxed)
Microsoft Surface Pro 2 (straight from the output jack)
Main test tracks (mainly 320kbps MP3 or FLAC/Tidal HiFi):
Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats – S.O.B. / Wasting Time
Blackberry Smoke – The Whipporwill (album)
Slash – Shadow Life / Bad Rain (my reference tracks for bass impact and attack, guitar “crunch”)
Slash & Beth Hart – Mother Maria (vocal tone)
Richie Kotzen – Come On Free (bass tone)
Chris Stapleton
Elvis – various
Leon Bridges – Coming Home (album)
Foy Vance – various
Blues Traveler
Daft Punk – Random Access Memories (album)
Sigma - various
Rudimental – various
Rodrigo y Gabriela – various
Mavis Staples – Livin’ On A High Note
Don Broco - Automatic
 

 
General impressions on the sound signature
If I had to describe these ear speakers in one word, it would be this: musical. There is a feeling of warmth and depth to the sound that is reminiscent of hearing the recording in person, with real depth to the notes and a crystal clear reproduction. There is absolutely no grain that I can hear on any recordings (low or high quality), with vocals sounding smooth as silk without losing any of the detail in the recordings themselves. It is a warm tuning, definitely – the bass presence is certainly north of neutral, with a speed and impact that reminds me of the ASG series from Aurisonics in quality and effect. The mids are buttery smooth, and highs are present but not emphasised, which again brings this IEM firmly into my preferred tuning bracket of slightly warm and dark, so please bear that in mind when reading on below. While there is plenty of detail present in the soundscape, these are definitely a more “musical” style of IEM, built for listening rather than analysing.
Highs
The highs on the A8 are clear and smooth, and while not being overly emphasised, have a decent extension and good level of detail retrieval. There is not an overwhelming sense of air with these IEMs, with a gradual rolling off as you get right up to the top end of the frequency range leaving quite a “close” feeling to the music presentation. Cymbals sound lifelike but lack the “tizz” sometimes present in brighter earphones, with an almost muted feel to them as they fade out of earshot. The substance is still there where required, however – my staple test track for higher register music (“Starlight” by Slash and Myles Kennedy) sounds excellent, with the high notes feeling clean and defined rather than dull and lacking, and with enough bite to keep the song rolling along nicely. The clarity is very good too, with plenty of texture and detail sitting under the surface of the otherwise muted presentation.
Mids
The mids are slightly recessed compared to the highs and bass, but not drastically so, with nothing more than a mild “V” in evidence to my ears. They are very full bodied, with the proprietary driver doing a good job on vocals and guitar based tracks. Like the bass, there is absolutely no graininess in the sound, with everything feeling smooth as silk in terms of presentation. The thickness of the sound lends a very musical slant to the tuning, with these built firmly for enjoyment rather than analysis. Despite the warmness of the tuning, underlying details of the tracks being played are still apparent – the in-room echoes from the recording studio on the first Leon Bridges album are all clearly audible, and additional guitar fills and licks placed on the periphery of “The Whipporwhill” by Blackberry Smoke all make themselves known in the back of your mind, giving a good impression of detail. These are probably more resolving than your mind gives them credit for, with the fullness of the lower and mid-ranges hiding a bit of the technical excellence underneath “behind the scenes” as it goes about its day job of putting a smile on your face and making you enjoy your music. Vocals are smooth and convey a good sense of realism, bringing an authentic weight to proceedings that makes you feel you are in a live studio recording.
Bass
One of the strong points of the new driver setup used in the A8s is the bass reproduction – both quantity and quality are top notch, with excellent speed and resolution and no bleed into the mid-range. In some ways it feels like the star of the show – this isn’t strictly a basshead IEM, but there is definitely a good helping more in the low end than the “average” IEM, with good extension from the midbass down into proper teeth-rattling sub bass. Despite the ample bass presence, it never feels bloated or overwhelming – the detail the dual magnet dynamic is capable of putting out definitely marks this as a high quality driver, with texture and resolution to spare. While the tuning is slightly biased towards mid-bass, the sub-bass doesn’t feel neglected, and provides a great visceral sensation when pushed by any electronica you decide to play, rumbling well into the sub-sonic registers and highlighting its excellent extension. It’s a well worn cliché, but the A8 is capable of reproducing sounds in the lower frequencies I have only previously heard with my ASG-2.5s, digging detail and nuance out of the bottom end of the spectrum that would leave more “consumer tuned” brands like B***s crying into their soggy bowl of bass-soup in a direct comparison. Allied to the detail and timbre comes a welcome portion of “slam”, with the 10.85mm speaker moving an impressive amount of air in and out of your eardrum on demand, giving a great animal presence to bass drum hits and thundering basslines. Listening to “S.O.B.” by Nathaniel Rateliff on some of my other IEMs, the foot-stomp style drum rhythm underpinning the track sounds like… well, a drum. Through the A8s, this takes on the feeling of a hundred people stomping their feet on the floor in unison, with an almost physical feeling of the foundations moving slowly in time with the beat. This physical presence makes itself felt on other percussion-heavy music, with the excellent drumming on a few of my favourite Muse tracks taking on an almost ballistic feel, putting you directly in front of the kit (I always seem to hear drums behind me for some reason) and feeling the air move with each drum head impact. As always, with this level of excellence and prominence comes a caveat – if you aren’t a fan of warm sound signatures with a fair to heavy bass presence, then these ‘phones won’t be the ones for you. While never artificially flooding a track with bass where it isn’t in the master recording, these will ruthlessly extract any that is present, take it out for a quick jog to warm up and a trip through the carwash for a clean and polish and push it back in through your ears in glorious technicolour, playing loud and proud. If you have read my other reviews, you will know I normally use two tracks (“Bad Rain” by Slash, and “Hello, It’s Me” by Sister Hazel) to benchmark the bass performance in my head for an IEM, and the A8 handles both with ease. The Slash track growls when it is supposed to, rasps when it is supposed to and sounds just like it was supposed to in the studio (I imagine), with the texture of the bass notes resonating and the riffs turning on a sixpence. The Sister Hazel track is a far more liquid affair, but the A8 takes that in its stride as well, making you feel like your ears are slowly filling up with chocolate (the good kind, not that cheap muck they chuck into budget Easter Eggs) as the smooth bass keeps pouring in. Again, the speed is impressive, as once the bass stops, the soundscape clears away again and lets you enjoy the silence between notes without any feel of sloppiness. Impressive.
 

Soundstage/separation
Soundstage is decently wide and deep, making a nice round “sphere” just outside the confines of your head in all directions. Despite the thickness of the sound, the imaging is excellent, with the dual magnet driver placing instruments and voices accurately across the stage and allowing you to zero in on specific players or passages with a little effort. Separation is very good, with clear definition between sound sources and clear distinctions between the different layers. Due to the thicker bass and mid tones, there isn’t as much “air” between instruments as you may find on less lush sounding IEMs due to the thicker edges of each note, but it is still possible to follow twin guitars and individual drum hits without any feeling of overlap.
Isolation
Once correctly seated and using Comply tips, the isolation is excellent, and more than suitable for daily commuting and travel use. The shape of the buds sits well in the outer ear, blocking a decent portion of the opening with the solid brass housing. As these have to be worn down (in my case), cable microphonics can be noticed sometimes, although this is not a major irritation and can be countered with a shirt clip if needed.
Amping/Sources
The A8s are an easy to drive IEM, with good volume able to be obtained from a little over half volume on my LG G Flex 2. Putting them through a more refined source like the DX90 does help the IEM pull slightly more detail from the track (as you would expect) so you could say the A8s are reasonably “true to source”, but additional amping isn’t really required or rewarded, as far as I can tell. The thick and warm side of the tuning also does well to minimise any shortcomings from lower quality tracks - although the accuracy and precision of the driver won’t turn a steaming pile of MP3 into a Mozart concerto, it is certainly not as choosy as some other IEMs I have heard in the same price bracket.
 

Comparisons
Aurisonics ASG-2.5 – These are my current “king of the hill” IEM, and my daily driver for at home listening when I’m not using over-ears. The A8 share a few similarities with the overall sound signature of the 2.5s, with a heavy and extended bass presence and great musicality in the mid-range. The highs are more smoothed off and not as airy on the A8, with the 2.5s having a more sparkly “feel” and audible extension due to the dual-BA setup. Soundstage is also won by the 2.5 as a result, with the A8s getting just outside your head while the 2.5s sometimes feel like they are filling the whole room you are sitting in. Mids are more recessed on the A8s compared to the bass, whereas they are more forward on the 2.5. Both are excellent, but the A8 has a slightly more clean sound, with the 2.5 edging it for male and female vocals due to its more forward tuning, and the usual Aurisonics excellence in that tuning segment. I use the 2.5s with the bass port ¼ open, and on this setting, the A8 surprisingly has more bass “slam” and overall presence than the 2.5, with a slightly elevated sub-bass. Obviously if the ports are opened further, the 2.5 can outstrip the A8 (and probably any other IEM out there for sheer power and quantity), but the A8’s performance is still impressive nonetheless – both these IEMs could easily beat your brain into submission and take its lunch money without breaking a sweat. In terms of bass extension, the honours are pretty even – the A8 has slightly more sub-bass presence to my ears but doesn’t dig quite as far as the 2.5. The A8 is far easier to drive, reaching a much higher volume on the same output settings on both my phone and DX90.
Echobox Finder X1 – this has also been one of my daily drivers in recent months, and is in a similar enough price bracket to merit comparison. The Finder is a far more V shaped sound with my favourite filter (the bass filter), whereas the A8 has a thicker low end presence and a muted treble, giving it a meatier but less aggressive feel. For the bass, the Finder is impressively quick, but has a more mid-bass slant on the tuning, compared the A8’s marginally slower speed and more balanced mid and sub bass. Quantity wise it is edged by the A8, but there isn’t much in it. Mids on both are excellent, but the Finder has a thinner and sharper overall sound compared to the more organic and musical sound of the A8. Treble wise, the Finder is tuned far more aggressively than the A8, with far sharper treble and greater audible extension, compared to the smooth and slightly rolled off feel on the Cardas. Soundstage is won by the Finder, again due to the more emphasised treble tuning.
Audioquest Nighthawks – this may seem like an odd comparison due to the fact the Nighthawk is a semi-open over-ear headphone which costs about $200 more, but I include this for reference due to the similar tuning that both creators seem to be aiming for. Both the A8 and NH make a big play in their supporting literature about the fact that the technology they use minimises distortion at driver-level, giving a more authentic sound. Both models have a heavier than usual bass tilt, a musical midrange and a similar take on treble (detailed, smooth and not over-bright or emphasised). Overall, the Nighthawk seems to be similar enough that if you enjoy their uniquely relaxed and clear sound, you will very likely enjoy the same qualities in the A8, and vice versa. For absolute purposes, I will say that the NH does best the A8 in all categories pretty much (with the possible exception of “slam”), as you would expect from an over-ear in the next price bracket.
 
Overall conclusion
The Cardas A8 is one seriously impressive “ear speaker”, and provides a good musical alternative to the more reference tuned IEMs you will find in this price bracket. The new driver tech seems to be doing its job, with the speed and presence of the bass being top notch, and absolutely no grain or distortion to be found anywhere, no matter how much juice you pour into it. The ergonomics are well thought out, with two minor flaws: these buds can’t be worn over-ear if you have a larger than average head/neck, and the sheer weight of the housings means that anyone with wide ear canals is likely to have to go foam in their eartip selection otherwise they will be hearing the sound of a brass ball-bearing hitting the floor as it falls out of their ears on a regular basis. The warm and bassy low and mid ranges add a “solid” and authentic feel to the music listened to, making this ideal for sessions where you want to just listen to the song, not the notes. The tuning in the treble doesn’t technically lack extension but does lack sparkle so won’t be great for treble-heads, and leaves a lack of air that some might find slightly claustrophobic. Despite the negatives I have mentioned, there is no getting away from the fact that this is a supremely enjoyable listen, making most genres of music sound thick and alive in ways that more analytical or technically accomplished headphones struggle with. Allied to the stellar build quality and the option to use balanced cabling, this makes it a great IEM for those looking for this type of tuning, and one that I would challenge anyone not to enjoy. In fact, for sheer enjoyment, these almost made into my top tier in place of the ASG 2.5, only losing out of the bass flexibility and dash of magic in the vocals and the high end that the 2.5 can bring. For anyone who likes this sort of sound signature, these would be a very worthwhile listen.

 
Nuforce HEM2 – initial impressions
I recently acquired these IEMs from Massdrop – I have never owned a BA-only earphone before, so I was very intrigued to hear what the entry level IEM in the new Nuforce HEM range has to offer compared so the budget and mid-fi single dynamic drivers and hybrid setups I have listened to so far. To be clear, I have no affiliation to Nuforce, so the views expressed are 100% my own with only my own questionable judgement and listening bias having a bearing on the final verdict.
About me: newly minted audiophile, late 30s, long time music fan and aspiring to be a reasonably inept drummer. Listen to at least 2 hours of music a day on my commute to work – prefer IEMs for out and about, and a large pair of headphones when I have the house to myself and a glass in my hand. Recently started converting my library to FLAC and 320kbps MP3, and do most of my other listening through Spotify or Tidal HiFi. I am a fan of rock, acoustic (apart from folk) and sarcasm. Oh yeah, and a small amount of electronica. Not a basshead, but I do love a sound with some body to it. My ideal tuning for most IEMs and headphones tends towards a musical and slightly dark presentation, although I am not treble sensitive in general. Please take all views expressed below with a pinch of salt – all my reviews are a work in progress based on my own perceptions and personal preferences, and your own ears may tell you a different story.

Tech specs (from the Nuforce website)
Frequency response: 20-40KHz
Sensitivity: 110dB +/- 3dB
Cable: 1.38m
Impedance: 26 Ohm
Maximum input power: 2mW
Maximum input sound level: 113dB

Unboxing
The HEM series all share a similar packaging design and accessory load-out, and it is (to put it mildly) pretty impressive at this price point. The outer packaging carries a nice glossy picture of the headphones overlaid on a matte background, with all the usual technical info and schematics you would expect, including the ubiquitous “Hi-Res Audio” logo. Inside the cardboard insert is a black presentation box that is held closed with a magnet and opens book-style to reveal the contents. All very understated and classy. The actual contents of the package keep up the theme: one large transparent waterproof case with foam padding inside (including a moulded foam insert holding the IEMs), and another smaller semi-hard zippered case which fits inside that containing the selection of tips (both silicon and Comply in various sizes), two detachable 2-pin cables, a cleaning tool and nice gold plated stereo adapter. The waterproof casing is reminiscent of various Otterbox cases used by other brands, and has (just) enough room to fit a DAP inside, which gives it comfortably enough to house the IEMs and a few selected accessories. The zipper case is also a nice size, being slightly thinner and longer than the average case churned out with IEMs at this price point, making it very pocket friendly. Considering this is the entry model in the HEM range, the accessories are well thought out and very plentiful, and certainly adds an impression that this is a high-value item. Other nice touches include the addition of an “audiophile” silver coated copper cable (braided, of course) to complement the standard rubberised cable with in-line microphone.

Build quality and ergonomics
The HEM2 comes in a crimson red colouring, with a small teardrop design which hugs the inner contours of the ear very well. There is an almost industrial design motif with the shells due to the acoustic modelling that Nuforce have done on the internals, with the outer shell holding multiple ridges which make it reminiscent of the world’s smallest bicycle crash-helmet. The shells themselves are made of Lexan, a light polycarbonate used to make bulletproof glass – while I haven’t broken out the in-laws shotgun to test out if they would survive a trip to the front lines, there is definitely a sense that despite the lack of weight, these are not a fragile piece of kit. Another useful property of Lexan is the fact that it apparently resonates at a frequency higher than the human ear is capable of hearing, meaning it should reduce unwanted sonic interference inside the driver housing from shell vibration. In terms of fit, the light weight allied to the small teardrop size of the enclosures make these IEMs extremely comfortable to wear for extended periods, practically disappearing into the side of your head once settled. The nozzle of the IEM is also worthy of mention, as this is one of the thinnest and longest nozzles I have seen on an IEM to date, taking Comply T-100 tips. Nuforce claim that this is done to aid the tuning and delivery of the sound – in practice, this doesn’t seem to have an effect on wearing comfort for me as I have large ear canals, but might be a plus point for wearers who normally struggle with wide-bore earphones. Due to my cavern sized ears, I found that the best fit and isolation was achieved with the enclosed Comply tips, but there are a few mods that have already been suggested on the forums to fit larger bore eartips onto the casing, so that shouldn’t be a problem if you wish to go “off piste” with your tip selection. The IEMs are designed to be worn over-ear, but due to the use of heatshrink rather than memory wire on the main braided cable, they can if needed be worn “down” as well. With reference to the cables, they are both light and pliable, with the braided cable exhibiting no major memory recall and minimal microphonics – I haven’t used the microphone cable yet so can’t really comment on that. The overall build quality also extends to the connectors, where the right-angled Nuforce connectors are finished in a sturdy metal shell with just the right size to tuck in nicely underneath a mobile phone or DAP audio slot. In fact, the only element of the whole package that doesn’t scream “come see how good I look” in true Ron Burgundy fashion is the heat shrink tubing acting as the cable splitter, and the smaller sliding piece of tubing acting as the cable cinch. The splitter is functional at least, but the cinch on my cable is loose enough to slide over the splitter and down towards the connector without any problems at all – a strange choice considering the high level of finish on all the other elements of the package (the cables even come with their own mini-cable tidies made out of Velcro). It doesn’t detract in a major way, but just leaves the impression that there are some beautifully designed splitters sitting in the Nuforce factory somewhere gathering dust because someone forgot to add them to the production line.

Sound quality
Test gear:
LG G Flex 2 (via Neutron Player)
iBasso DX90 (with Cayin C5)
Sansa Clip+ (Rockboxed)
Microsoft Surface Pro 2 (straight from the output jack)
Main test tracks (mainly 320kbps MP3 or FLAC/Tidal HiFi):
Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats – S.O.B. / Wasting Time
Blackberry Smoke – The Whipporwill (album)
Slash – Shadow Life / Bad Rain (my reference tracks for bass impact and attack, guitar “crunch”)
Slash & Beth Hart – Mother Maria (vocal tone)
Richie Kotzen – Come On Free (bass tone)
Otis Redding – various
Elvis – various
Leon Bridges – Coming Home (album)
Foy Vance – various
Blues Traveler
Daft Punk – Random Access Memories (album)
Sigma - various
Rudimental – various
Rodrigo y Gabriela – various
Mavis Staples – Livin’ On A High Note

General impressions on the sound signature
As a single balanced armature is providing the grunt for this IEM, I was expecting to hear something fast and accurate, but maybe a bit clinical and almost certainly lacking in bass. The sound the Knowles BA driver actually produces is surprisingly warm and full-bodied, with a very engaging tonality and decent bass and treble presence. Compared to other IEMs I have listened to or own, the sound is a little less meaty, but has a very satisfying texture to it and an engaging mid-range that makes this a very easy listen. Extension at the low and high end isn’t spectacular, with the IEM losing some substance in the sub-bass area and the high treble compared to the mids, but in real terms, it isn’t spectacularly blunt or lacking in either.  As there is only a single driver, the HEM2 also benefits from the lack of need for any acoustic crossovers as one armature is handling the whole frequency range, which makes the overall presentation very cohesive sounding. Overall, warm and smooth is the overriding feeling you get when you slip these in.

Highs
The highs are usually an area that balanced armature headphones feel most comfortable in, and the HEM2 is no great exception to that rule. The overall balance of the IEM sits just a little on the warm side of flat, and there is a nice clean projection of higher frequencies which loses a bit of sparkle as it hits the top registers but still manages to give a nice clarity to proceedings. This lack of sparkle or ultra-sharpness lends itself well to smoothing off the rough edges of more sibilant tracks without dropping too much of the underlying detail, and leaves this sitting quite squarely in the non-fatiguing bracket for extended listening sessions. Feeding the HEMs “Starlight” by Slash, which contains some very high dissonant guitar and Myles Kennedy’s stratospheric vocals, there is enough extension to pick up the slight echo in the singer’s mic on the quieter passages and the epic high notes in the louder sections without ever grating. Cymbals sound clean but never splashy, coming across a little muted due to the tuning. Actually, the tuning at the topmost end reminds me somewhat of the Aurisonics Rockets (although it is a little while since I have owned that particular IEM now, so that is a subjective recollection rather than a straight comparison) – clean, not overly bright or full of “fizz” but not feeling veiled. The smoothness of the treble does mean that there isn’t a great sense of air with these IEMs, so the sound never feels particularly expansive. Serious treble-hounds will probably want to pick their Grados or Ultrasones back up after listening to these, but for users like myself who generally prefer a darker and more musical sound, the treble is more than adequate.
Mids
While the tuning may be reasonably flat, the mids definitely exhibit a smooth and slightly warm tone that adds a little substance to male and female vocals, and works well with guitar led music. The sound is not quite full enough to be described as lush, but it has a sinewy musicality that is very pleasant on the ear. The lack of thickness to the midrange does help bring out the more delicate textures in the music, with the notes having space to breathe on the impressively black background of the overall musical landscape rather than blending into a larger wall of sound. The easiest way to describe the way I hear these is to think of a guitar and amp setup – a typical full bodied mid range IEM would be a rock guitar riffing away on full power, with the chords being thickened up by the distortion. The HEM2 would be the same guitar rig with the distortion down a few notches so it almost starts heading towards acoustic territory, so you start getting more of a feel for the individual notes making up those chords. This isn’t to say that the IEM is hyper-separated (far from it), but just highlighting the more neutral nature and lack of “fat” on the notes bringing out different aspects of the music you are listening to. As mentioned, guitar based rock music sounds excellent through these, with the speed of the driver keeping up with the most testing of riffs, and the tonality bringing a good chop and crunch to the more technical guitar sections. Switching to acoustic music, the HEM2 handles “Tamacun” from Rodrigo y Gabriela with ease, the fast finger-picking of the duelling Spanish guitars never feeling rushed or muddled, and the clean tones of the acrylic strings sounding crisp and natural against the backdrop of the drum sounds being made on the guitar bodies. Resolution wise, these are a reasonably detailed sounding IEM for their price bracket, but don’t sound overly analytical. Compared to IEMs in a higher bracket, there is a “final” layer of detail that is obscured by the warmness of the presentation and the limits of the single BA driver, but overall you aren’t left feeling short-changed by the amount of information on offer. They do particularly well with textural cues, picking up things like the smoky rasp in Kelly Jones’ voice when listening to some Stereophonics without making it the main focus. One strange quirk is that while being generally a smooth sound, the “grain” it picks up in the detail can leave a very slightly fuzzy after-impression on certain passages of music. Whether this is some very low level distortion or just highlighting some deficiencies in my lower-resolutions recordings is difficult to tell – I am leaning towards the latter, as I have only noticed it a few times during almost a week of extended listening, and only with my older or non-Tidal tracks.
Bass
The bass presentation was one of the more surprising elements for me when I first picked these up – tilted ever so slightly higher than neutral, with a decent presence in the mid-bass area and a light smattering of sub-bass underneath it depending on the song listened to. In line with the mids, the bass is on the lean side of lush, with a realistic sound to the drum head impacts without some of the shock and awe that sometimes goes along with it. These are by no way a bassheads dream, but there is a speed and texture to the notes and drum hits that makes for a very engaging lower end soundscape for rock and acoustic style music. My favourite bass testers (“Bad Rain” by Slash and “Hello, It’s Me” by Sister Hazel) both roll along nicely, with the sound of the bass guitar strings vibrating giving a nice clean take on the Slash track, and the liquid bass of the Sister Hazel number rolling around the lower frequencies with control and texture. Compared to some of my other daily drivers (past and present) the bass does lack a final dash of slam and sheer animal presence, but that is only to be expected due to the different amount of air being moved by the single armature compared to a 14.2mm dynamic driver (in the case of my ASG 2.5s). For EDM and other sub-bass heavy tracks some may find the presentation a bit thin and lacking, but for more mainstream music there is a nice laid back sound which allows you to put your feet up and savour the notes like a fine cigar rather than being dragged out of your seat onto the dancefloor to bounce around in the middle of it like a madman by the slam and power. That analogy is a good description of the overall tone of these IEMs too – they are built for relaxed enjoyment of music, rather than in depth analysis or fist pumping adrenaline sessions.

Soundstage/separation
Soundstage is average for an IEM in this price bracket – there is a decent stage width inside your head, but the music never leans far outside what you perceive to be the inside of your skull. The imaging is good, with instruments clearly placed across a fairly flat 2d axis with just a hint of forward or backward depth. Separation is good but not great, getting notably more congested on busier tracks. For tracks with less going on, the positioning and space between instruments is noticeably better, so I suspect the size of the overall soundstage comes into play here.
Isolation
Due to the size of my ear canals, I have been using the accompanying Comply foam tips, which provide an excellent seal and therefore excellent isolation. The shape of the shell inserts quite well to block the opening of the ear, and the lack of venting in the shell casing due to the all-BA design does help to keep external noise out. These are easily good enough to block out most external travelling noises or family arguments, so wear with care if you actually need to hear what is going on around you.

Amping
The IEMs aren’t hyper-sensitive (which contributes to the black background and minimal to zero hiss) – that being said, the relatively low impedance makes them easy enough to drive unpleasantly loud out of my mobile phone or DAP without the need for further amping. Adding a Cayin C5 to the mix does bring a little perceived and finesse to the presentation, but nothing radical so may well be a placebo effect on my part.

Comparisons
Aurisonics ASG-2.5 – these are my current “at home” listening pair, and to be fair sit in a different price bracket to the HEM2 so not really a like for like comparison. The bass on the ASG 2.5s wins comfortably over the HEM2, with both deeper extension and far greater power due to the 14.2mm dynamic driver being used. The midrange on the 2.5s are more forward than the HEM but are more coloured and vocal-centric compared to the more neutral take of the Nuforce IEMs. In terms of the highs, the 2.5s have a sharper and airier overall presentation, with a bit more “etching” and feel of airiness from the dual-BA setup being used for the high end, whereas the HEMs sound more like the Aurisonics Rockets with their smoother and less extended feel. Separation and soundstage are definitely won by the ASG.
Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H3 - I have spent some time with these underrated IEMs recently, and they sit in a similar price bracket when purchased new. The H3s are quite open, with a similarly warm take on neutral in terms of signature. Detail wise the IEMs are similar, with the H3 having a more open and airy sound than the HEM2. In terms of bass, the H3 has slightly more presence, but this comes at a cost of control and speed, with the HEM2 sounding more controlled and quicker across the bottom end of the frequency range. Mids are both comparably relaxed, with the H3 sounding slightly more diffuse and airy up top. Separation is similar despite the difference in “air”. Honours even across most of the spectrum, with the HEM2 winning for those who need a quicker BA-type response and the H3 being preferable for those who like a bit more “air”.
Aurisonics Rockets – This is done from memory as I traded the Rockets some time back, but the HEM2 does share some good similarities in sound with the Rockets. In terms of mid-range the Rockets have a more forward and engaging sound for vocals (an Aurisonics trademark), but the overall tuning and roll off towards the high treble is very similar. If you are a fan of the Rockets tuning but are looking for something a little leaner and don’t mind sacrificing a little lower-bass extension and soundstage/separation, the HEM2 are definitely playing in a similar ballpark (again, this is from memory so no direct A/B unfortunately - YMMV).

Overall conclusion
As a first foray into single-BA earphones, the HEM2 has left a good impression on me, and helped blow away some preconceptions and misgivings I have had about all-BA setups in the mid-fi price bracket. The sound signature is welcoming, warm enough to win over the neutral with nice texture to the sound but not emphasised enough to move away from the underlying strengths of the armature driver. There is an enjoyable space between notes and quickness to the response which makes these very easy to pick up and listen to, and just enough bass to stop them becoming too mid and treble centric. The overall relaxed vibe and non-fatiguing nature of the sound married to the excellent fit makes these an ideal IEM for popping into your ears when you just want to shut your brain off and relax with some sounds for as few hours, which is something not all IEMs can manage. They play very firmly in my preferred tuning range of slightly dark treble, so work well for me – people looking for emphasis at either end of the spectrum can find more fitting solutions for the same price, but if neutrality with a little bit of character is what you are aiming for, the HEM2 would be a strong contender among its peers. One final point regarding price range – the accessory package that comes with these IEMs is possibly the most impressive and well thought out I have seen in any IEM at this price (even just beating the Trinity Audio offerings, which are always legendarily packed with goodies). That, combined with the beautiful engineering of the shells and quality of the cable really make this feel like a great deal for the asking price, so well done to the team at Nuforce for making this a “complete” package.

Audioquest Nighthawk – initial impressions


I picked up my pair of Audioquest Nighthawk headphones at the start of April from the Head-Fi “for sale” forums as what was intended to be my second pair of serious over-ear cans after briefly owning the Philips Fidelio L2. As a long time music fan but a late starter to the audiophile scene I am on a mission at the moment to listen to (and review) as many different types of headphones as I can, to work out what suits me best and what my own personal endgame audio will sound like. The intention, therefore, was to listen to the Nighthawks for a few weeks then trade them on for something different. Unfortunately for me, the good people of Audioquest have gone and ruined my cunning plan by making something so outrageously good that my journey may just have stopped before it has started. My opinions on this marvellous piece of audio tech follow below – I will try my best to avoid hyperbole, but feel it fair to warn anyone reading this that I think these are potentially the perfect sound signature for me, so the review will pretty much be outlining why in fairly glowing terms. To be clear, I have no affiliation to Audioquest and purchased these headphones myself, so the views expressed are 100% my own.


About me: newly minted audiophile, late 30s, long time music fan and aspiring to be a reasonably inept drummer. Listen to at least 2 hours of music a day on my commute to work – prefer IEMs for out and about, and a large pair of headphones when I have the house to myself and a glass in my hand. Recently started converting my library to FLAC and 320kbps MP3, and do most of my other listening through Spotify or Tidal HiFi. I am a fan of rock, acoustic (apart from folk) and sarcasm. Oh yeah, and a small amount of electronica. Not a basshead, but I do love a sound with some body to it. Please take all views expressed below with a pinch of salt – all my reviews are a work in progress based on my own perceptions and personal preferences, and your own ears may tell you a different story.


Tech specs (from the Audioquest website)


Impedance: 25ohms


Sensitivity: 100dBSPL/mW


Power handling: 1.5W


Driver: 50mm Dynamic / Biocellulose Diapraghm / 1.2T Split-Gap Motor





 



Unboxing


The Nighthawks ship in a rectangular black leather zipper case with the Nighthawk logo embossed on the front, with poly-foam padding inside and space to store the headphone cables and a pocket in the front of the “door” to hold things like the instruction manual and other audio necessities. The design brief from Audioquest to their team when making the Nighthawks was to build something sustainable, high quality, innovative and high performance while minimising waste. The case is a perfect example – apart from the cardboard wrapper that comes with the case outlining the specs of the headphones and the usual marketing shots, everything else is directly related to the headphone itself. The case offers somewhere to store the headphones when not in use, protection when transporting them due to the rigid design and heavy foam padding, and even offers a carry handle on the top. If these were IEMs, this would be the equivalent of the headphones coming in the ubiquitous pelican case all high end customs seem to ship with, with everything you need fitted neatly inside and no additional packaging whatsoever apart from a small manual which no one reads (genuinely, if you are willing to spend £499 on a pair of headphones, you are likely to either be richer than Kanye West wants to be so will have an employee to do that for you, or have done enough research to render a glossy manual utterly redundant – just my 2 cents).





 


Build quality and ergonomics


The Nighthawks are quite possibly one of the most striking headphone designs I have seen yet. From the embossed leather headband and single stranded arch over the crown of the head, through the glossy wood-effect cups and the styling of the earcup suspenders, these headphones ooze quality. They have been designed from the ground up, with each element considered in terms of function, form and fit to produce something that looks genuinely eye-catching while still serving a specific purpose. The earcups are made from a glossy dark brown “liquid wood”, which is a mix of resins, natural fibres and waxes which can be injection moulded into whatever shape is desirable. They look fantastic, and the injection moulding and some clever mathematics regarding the internal supporting structures have allowed Audioquest to tune the enclosures to dampen unwanted resonances quite dramatically as an added bonus. There are plenty of other clever touches in the design and modelling of these ‘phones, with the cups themselves suspended from a circular mount by four rubber ties, very reminiscent of a studio microphone. The ear shapes are also unusual, being modelled to follow the curve of the ear so the enclosure is asymmetric, and even the pad thickness varies from the front to the back of the cups. All this high-concept design wouldn’t amount to much if the headphones were a beast to wear, but unfortunately for the competition, these wear as impressively as they look. The headband system and light clamping force work in tandem with the suspension on the earcups to leave the Nighthawks feel and look like they are floating on your head rather than stuck to it like some form of Japanese torture device (Blue Mo-Fi, I’m looking at you here). They sit snugly, without any telltale pressure “hotspots”, and can be worn for hours on end without the slightest discomfort. If I had to be uber-picky, the support arch above the strap can make it look like the wearer has a carry-handle on the top of their head and the protein leather pads can get a little hot and sweaty after hours of use, but that really does feel like the princess finding the pea in terms of how little that matters compared to the sumptuous feeling of comfort and luxury that comes whenever you slip these on to your head. Simply outstanding.


(picture taken from Audioquest website)





 


Sound quality


Test gear:


LG G Flex 2 (via Neutron Player)


Sony NWZ-A15


Sansa Clip+ (Rockboxed)


Microsoft Surface Pro 2 (straight from the output jack)


Brainwavz AP001


Cayin C5


Main test tracks (mainly 320kbps MP3 or FLAC/Tidal HiFi):


Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats – S.O.B. / Wasting Time


Blackberry Smoke – The Whipporwill (album)


Slash – Shadow Life / Bad Rain (my reference tracks for bass impact and attack, guitar “crunch”)


Slash & Beth Hart – Mother Maria (vocal tone)


Richie Kotzen – Come On Free (bass tone)


Otis Redding – various


Elvis – various


Leon Bridges – Coming Home (album)


Foy Vance – various


Blues Traveler


Daft Punk – Random Access Memories (album)


Sigma - various


Rudimental – various


Rodrigo y Gabriela – various


Mavis Staples – Livin’ On A High Note


 





 


General impressions on the sound signature


Reading through the Nighthawk micro-site (which is thoroughly recommended if you have any interest in how headphones work in general, and how these in particular were designed), there is one common theme running through all the decisions they have made when building this headphone: distortion. Or more specifically, finding ways to eliminate it. The aim when building these was to make the sound as pure and true to the music that was actually recorded as physically possible, without adding any of the frequency distortion in the higher bands that Audioquest claim is responsible for the impression of “detail” that most higher-end cans give out. Not being an audio scientist, I can only take what they claim on face value, but one thing is clear – their intention to produce a clear, true sounding headphone has very much succeeded. The attention to detail, from modelling the airflow around the driver enclosures and chamfering the internal parts accordingly to mounting the driver on a rubber surround to reduce standing wave distortion and all the other tricks they have crammed into this piece of engineering brilliance all add together to produce something that is clear, deep, fantastically detailed without being “etched” and as soulful a sound as I have heard on my audio travels to date.


Highs


Given the stated intention of producing something with as little sonic distortion as physically possible, my initial expectations of this headphone were that it would be clear, sharp and packed with detail. In fact, the first thing that hits you when you slip the Nighthawks on is what your brain thinks is lacking: sharpness. Until your brain adjusts (brain burn-in, as it is sometimes referred to), the sound can almost seem veiled and blunt, with none of the laser-etched edge to the high notes your ears are waiting to hear. As it turns out, this is exactly what the Nighthawk team mean by eliminating distortion, as they claim that the signature “clarity” in the higher registers of most high-end headphones is actually caused by artificially emphasised peaks in the treble response, similar to turning the sharpness setting up on your TV screen. They contend that no more actual detail is added, but what is there is distorted and sharpened into little audio peaks that your brain latches on to. The Nighthawks, in contrast, present the higher frequencies of a recording in a gloriously smooth and almost rolled off fashion, with a clarity and depth of note that is quite difficult to describe but very easy to listen to. When you have become used to the sound, the veil evaporates and you realise that all the detail is still present in the audio, and start to appreciate exactly how good the neutral nature of the treble reproduction actually is. Listening to some acoustic guitar tracks from Rodrigo y Gabriela, you can hear the harmonics and sounds of fingers brushing against frets like you were in the room, with a smooth purity of sound and air of “naturalness” that becomes almost mesmerising. You also realise that the treble extends naturally, not losing any detail or clarity no matter how high the track heads. Fortunately, once your brain has snapped the sound signature into focus, it will immediately pick it back up whenever you put the headphones back on (much like those Magic Eye pictures that were all the rage years ago – once you have seen the pirate ship in the middle of the grey and white blur, you can never un-see it again). The sonic presentation is similar in many ways to the Flare Audio R2 series of in-ear monitors (the R2A, R2S and R2Pro) – as they are also designed to eliminate distortion by balancing the pressure on either side of the driver in a similar manner to some of the audio trickery that Audioquest use, the commonalities in sound are perhaps unsurprising. The best analogy I can think of to describe the overall sound of the highs is to compare the Nighthawks to a glass of ice cold water on a boiling hot day, and other famous high-end headphones to a cold glass of BrandedFizzyBeverage™. If all you are used to is fizz and artificial flavour, you will be quite happy reaching for a glass of the bubbly stuff to cool you down, but once you have tasted the purer option, that’s all that will really satisfy your thirst. Listening to some modern classical music by Escala, the violin plucks float delicately above the soundscape, with cymbals crashing in the background and disappearing again just like they would if you were stood in front of them. Fans of a hyper-etched sound may find the Nighthawks lacking that little bit of “fizz” in the higher registers, but for me, the smoothness and subtle detail is nigh-on perfect.  The absence of “grain” in the presentation also lends these headphones to extended listening sessions without any danger of fatigue.


Mids


The mid-range on the Nighthawk shares a similar neutrality of emphasis to the treble, the balanced nature of the presentation (neither forward or recessed) leaving the listener to enjoy the smooth yet detailed sounds without being drawn to any particular part of the frequency range. Like the treble, there is an overwhelming sense of realism that drips through the sound, with vocals and guitar notes taking on a lifelike quality and slowly immersing you in the music. Male and female vocals both sound exceptional through these, with the pure presentation bringing out whatever the engineer mixed into the track without adding anything on the way. Breathing patterns, intonations and inflections all drift through the background noise while never overpowering or drawing attention away from the meat of the music. At this point, it is also worth mentioning the blackness of the background on these headphones. The sound hangs in the air around your ears like it was suspended on a black velvet drape, with the absence of sound between notes almost as absorbing as the music that plays in between the gaps. Listening to Mavis Staples’ glorious vocals swooping up and down the frequency ranges, you are struck by the emotion that is captured in the recordings and how effortlessly it sucks you in. The Nighthawks fare equally as well with driving rock music, “Figure It Out” by Royal Blood showcasing the ability of these cans to drive a down and dirty chugging riff just as well as the smoother sounds it excels in. Like the highs, the detail levels aren’t pushed too far into the spotlight, but can be picked out easily in the soundscape if you listen to them. The whole presentation feels effortless, with detail enough to do the music justice and emotion enough to do the song justice. The balanced nature of the mids also highlight the chameleonic nature of the Nighthawks, as they are equally proficient with the spiky electronica and riffage of a band like Don Broco or the latin silkiness of Rodrigo y Gabriela, dousing everything in a liberal splash of soul but never colouring the music in the process. Transparent is a word I have seen used to describe these headphones, but it doesn’t really do justice to the presentation – it is not so much that you see through the headphones to the music behind, it feels more like the headphones aren’t even there, getting out of the way and just leaving the listener with the music. Skylar and his team do appear to have created the Cheshire Cat of the audio world, an over-ear can you can’t see in the presentation but who leaves a big grin hanging in the air whenever it is around.


Bass


Amongst some of the more learned audio buffs, the bass tuning on these headphones is one of the objections raised about the Nighthawks not sounding like a “true” audiophile can. The lower end is noticeably more present than other competing headphones in the same bracket, which make it appear on first listen that these are tuned with a bass tilt. It never veers into full basshead territory, but does add a warm tinge to the presentation whenever the music calls for it, so this can appear less “lean” than the typical audiophile tuning. The design team at Audioquest actually contend that the reason the bass appears more prominent on their headphones is the lack of artificial boost applied to the mid and high frequency bands - in essence, the bass is not being drowned out by the pumped up highs. Whatever the reason, it makes for a very enjoyable and organic sound, with the low-distortion design providing a clarity and snap to the bass that drives most tracks along very nicely while never feeling loose or overdone. The control of the bass is excellent, and notes decay naturally (or in other words, not as quickly as some other headphones I have heard), but never feel bloated or boomy unless that is the way they were actually recorded. The liquid basslines in “Hello, It’s Me” by Sister Hazel sound as smooth as poured chocolate as they ooze out of the earpieces, but never threaten to overwhelm the rest of the track in the process. Bubbling under the liquid, the rasp of the bass strings vibrating against the guitar provide excellent texture, without sounding forced or unnatural. The extension is excellent, and reminds me of two of my all time favourite in-ear headphones (the ASG 2.5 from Aurisonics and the R2A from Flare Audio) in terms of the reach of the bass, and the overall quality of the presentation. My go to tester track for low-end texture (“Bad Rain” by Slash) sounds absolutely glorious through these, with the bass snarling away down into depths that not even James Cameron would send a film crew, while giving the drum and guitar licks enough low-end crunch around the edges to open a cereal factory. Drums also sound excellent through the Nighthawks, with a very authentic and natural tone. To be clear (like the headphones) – fans of a lean, dry sound signature probably won’t appreciate the warmth and quantity of the bass on offer here. For everyone else, the excellent execution and control of the lower range adds a body to the music that most music fans would find it very hard not to like.


 





 


Soundstage/separation


The soundstage of the Nighthawks isn’t the most expansive I have ever heard – there is a bit of space to the edges of the sound, but there are certainly other headphones and in-ears who push the sound far further outside of your head. In part, I suspect this is a side-effect of the non-emphasised treble tuning, but never feels any the poorer for that particular choice. The clarity of the sound reproduction does give the Nighthawks an excellent sense of separation, with all the instruments standing out clearly in their own space, and easily identifiable against the jet-black audio background. No matter if it is large scale orchestral music or three-chord punk rock, the headphones imbue everything with a sense of accuracy and precision, allowing your brain to pick out parts of the song at will. The shape of the soundstage is reasonably 3D, with the vocals playing in the centre of your head, the drums rolling across the back of the room behind you and the other instruments feeling laid out in front of you like a live concert.  More often than not, the headphone feels like it is placing you in the middle of the recording session, which helps with the immersive tone no end on more intimate recordings. Listening to “Ten Songs from Carnegie Hall” by Ryan Adams really puts you on stage with the performer, with the applause cues and audience noise rolling in from all sides like you are standing next to the singer.


Isolation


The Nighthawk is a semi-open design, with a 3D printed covering standing between the rear of the driver and the outside world. They call their grille design a Diamond Cubic Lattice, and it is designed to diffuse sound passing through it from the driver, to avoid any sonic reflections from the surface back towards the ear which could create distortion in the sound waves heading towards the listener. This clever trick of geometry and 3D printing was actually modelled on the structure of a butterfly’s wing, which diffuses light that hits it in much the same manner. One side effect of this diffusion is the level of isolation it offers from external sounds, which is very high for an ostensibly open backed headphone (aided in part by the excellent seal offered by the headband mechanism and pads). While these will not be isolating enough to block out the noise of a busy commuter train or jet engine, for home use they do block out a decent chunk of the outside world. Unfortunately, more sound leaks out than leaks in, so like most open designs, these aren’t suitable for libraries, churches or anywhere else you don’t want anyone in a 12-foot radius listening to your Justin Bieber medley.


 





 


Amping


These are very power-light in terms of amping requirements at a rated impedance of only 25 ohms, with plenty of volume being achievable from even the most puny of sources. They do tighten up a little with a little bit of juice flowing through their veins, but are enjoyable enough out of any jack you care to plug them into to suggest it isn’t mandatory. If you do have access to a decent amping solution, the transparent nature of these headphones will bring out the best of whatever you plug It into – using these with the Cayin C5 on low gain, the soundstage opens up marginally, and the music benefits from the extra power and refinement of the amp to really bring some more dynamic tracks to life. As the headphones are rated to handle up to 1.5W, they never feel overstretched when you crank up the power - I imagine the limiting factor is more likely to be the user’s hearing (and how much damage you want to do to it) rather than the limits of the driver when deciding exactly how close you get to full power on whatever you decide to use.


Cables


As Audioquest are primarily known for their high-end cables, this review wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the two cables offered with this package. The thinner of the two is designed for “mobile” use (in as much as a large open-backed headphone can ever be mobile – perhaps they are for those times when you absolutely have to get up and go into the kitchen to make a sandwich in the middle of a marathon listening session?!), with a durability rating of over 12,000 bends before it will run into trouble. This cable is reasonably light and quite thin, but the sound feels a little less open compared to the sound produced by the main cabling. I am not a massive believer in the power of cabling, but to my (possibly biased) ears, there is a small but clear sonic difference between the two cables, with the “main” cable providing a sweeter sonic hit than the portable effort. Kudos to Audioquest for providing a more robust and flexible everyday cable for those who need it – due to the open nature of the headphones, it seems an unusual choice but it is welcome nonetheless. The main cable provided is specially made for these headphones, and is based on the Castle Rock range of aftermarket cables. It is a thick fabric covered affair, with a much more rigid structure made from solid cores of the manufacturer’s Perfect Surface Copper in a Double Star-Quad formation. If you are a cable geek, you may be aware what that means – if not, please refer to the Nighthawk mini-site as they have a whole page explaining it. Suffice to say, the cable, while not the most cooperative piece of audio connection equipment I have ever used, does give an audible bump in quality to the sound and looks sturdy and able to stand up to a lot of heavy listening. The attention to detail evident in the rest of the package even extends to the cable connectors, with Audioquest eschewing the more traditional gold-plated 3.5mm connectors for a silver plated finish copper connector, which it claims improves the overall performance.


 





 


Comparisons


Aurisonics ASG-2.5 – these are my current “at home” listening pair, and while they are IEMs rather than over-ear headphones, they have some similarities in the general sound signature which makes this a worthy comparison. In terms of bass, the 2.5s on a ¼ opening of the bass port have the slight edge in bass quantity, with a more powerful slam than the more liquid Nighthawks. The midrange on the 2.5s are more forward than the Nighthawks but are more coloured and vocal-centric, with the Nighthawks giving a more natural and balanced tone and greater sense of realism. In terms of the highs, the 2.5s have a similar presentation, with a bit more “etching” and feel of airiness from the dual-BA setup on the 2.5 compared to the smoothness and purity of the NH. It terms of soundstage, the 2.5s shade this, but lose out on overall detail retrieval and timbre to the Nighthawks, with the Audioquest cans sounding cleaner across the spectrum.


Philips Fidelio L2 – another semi-open back design, but the presentation on these two over-ears couldn’t be  more different, with the L2s having a bright, clear bias which imparts an impression of clarity to the sound that runs against the tuning ethos of the Nighthawks. The bass on the L2 is lacking compared to the Nighthawks in both quantity and quality (except in the sub-bass, with the L2 holds its own on). Mids are better on the Nighthawk, with the natural tone and clarity of note having a little more weight than the thinner and brighter presentation of the L2. In terms of treble, the L2 have great extension and a sense of openness and sharpness which the Nighthawks lack, so if you are a fan of treble-centric headphones, then the L2 will have a more familiar signature in that respect. In terms of detail levels, they feel similar, but due to the tuning, the L2 push the details more to the forefront of the listening experience whereas the Nighthawk actually conveys the same or more detail in the track but in a much less pronounced manner. In terms of soundstage, the L2 feels more open than the Nighthawks to my ears.


Blue Microphones Mo-Fi – this is a closed back dynamic over-ear, so the soundstage is smaller on the Mo-Fi by a fairly decent margin. Separation is similar, with the Mo-Fi holding its own on congested tracks and keeping enough space for the instrumentation. To my ears, the Mo-Fi has a more mid-forward tuning, so pushes more emphasis to the midrange compared to the Nighthawks. Bass is won by the Nighthawks, with better control and quantity/quality, although the Mo-Fi do have a trick up their sleeve with the bass-boost on the active amplifier built in to the headphones. With boost on, the bass is similar to the Nighthawks, but feels less controlled and warms the mid-range considerably. Highs are a draw depending on your preference, with the Mo-Fi having slightly more emphasis on the higher treble frequencies, but the Nighthawks producing a clearer tone. Overall, the Nighthawk wins in terms of overall quality and resolution, with a better soundstage. The Mo-Fi wins on isolation and driveability (with its built in amp), but loses again on comfort as it is a far heavier headphone for extended periods of wear with a very peculiar hinged fitment system that would look right at home in a 1990s Manga comic.


Oppo PM-3 – I haven’t had much ear time with the PM-3 at the time of writing this, but the overall tonality and tuning does share some similarities with the Nighthawk. The impression it leaves me with is of a more clinical and less musical take on what the Nighthawk is trying to achieve – I will try and update this as I get some ore serious listening in with these.


 





 


Overall conclusion


As I mentioned at the start, the Nighthawks are close to being the perfect sound signature for my preferences, so it is hard to write an impartial conclusion. The mix of design, audio engineering and very definitive tuning decisions come together to create something that is just a little bit special. Not content with producing another carbon copy of what everyone else considers audiophile headphones should sound like, the team have gone away and reinvented what they think high end sound should be, which is something clear, distortion free and true to the original recording. These are headphones that let you lose yourself in the moment, and have already provided me with hours of listening pleasure, with many hundreds more to come. For fans of a pure, transparent signature with bags of texture and detail, a warm and bassy lower end and a living, breathing “soul”, this is the perfect tuning for you. Give yourself a chance to unlearn whatever you expect to hear from something in this price bracket and embrace these and you may just grow to love the sound like nothing else. People looking for super-emphasised highs may never appreciate what this headphone can do, but for everyone else, this is a truly supreme piece of engineering that will bring a smile to your face and bliss to your ears. To paraphrase the end of one of my earlier paragraphs: simply outstanding.

Aurisonics Forte – initial impressions
I picked up the Aurisonics Fortes recently on eBay to try out the Bravo series “sound” – I currently own the ASG 2.5, and have previously owned and sold or traded the Rockets, Eva and ASG 1Plus (which were my first foray into proper mid-tier IEMs). I find their IEMS generally sit quite well with my musical preferences due to their tuning for their main target audience (stage musicians).
About me: newly minted audiophile, late 30s, long time music fan and aspiring to be a reasonably inept drummer. Listen to at least 2 hours of music a day on my commute to work – prefer IEMs for out and about, and a large pair of headphones when I have the house to myself and a glass in my hand. Recently started converting my library to FLAC and 320kbps MP3, and do most of my other listening through Spotify or Tidal HiFi. I am a fan of rock, acoustic (apart from folk) and sarcasm. Oh yeah, and a small amount of electronica. Not a basshead, but I do love a sound with some body to it. Please take all views expressed below with a pinch of salt – all my reviews are a work in progress based on my own perceptions and personal preferences, and your own ears may tell you a different story.

Tech specs
·       Driver: Custom 9.25mm precision rare-earth dynamic + single Hybrid Dynamic tuned Balanced Armature (HDBA) tweeter
·       Frequency response: 8Hz - 24kHz
·       Impedance: 18 ohm +/- 10% @ 1kHz
·       Sensitivity: 121dB @ 1mW
·       Passive noise attenuation: NRR 22db
·       Construction: Digital Hybrid Technology (DHT™) shell fits 95% of ears like a custom (Hybrid custom/universal fit derived from thousands of ears scanned… and counting).
·       Cable: Detachable MMCXi™ silver-plated low oxygen copper cable
 

Unboxing
The packaging is nice and simple, with a white plastic box in an oval shape containing the product name and details, and a transparent top section at the top which contains the garnet red IEMs, displayed as if they are suspended in the middle. It is a nice clean presentation, and a little reminiscent of how you see electronics being displayed behind glass in a high street store. Inside the box, you get a small clamshell case for the IEMS (a very nice pocketable size, and has a cable winder inside to help with storing the IEMs and cable in the small space), a standard CIEM style detachable cable, a wax cleaning tool and Aurisonics in-house SureSeal tips in four different sizes.

Build quality and ergonomics
The Forte is built using Aurisonics patented “Digital Hybrid Technology” 3D printing process for an almost custom fit. The manufacturer claim to have scanned the ear geometry of thousands of people, and 3D print the IEM shells to provide a fit that is as close to a genuine custom-IEM as possible for 95% of the population. In practice, this holds true (at least for me) – the shells are slightly smaller than the ASG series (while still being larger than a “normal” IEM), and fit very comfortably into my ears without any discomfort. For users of the previous ASG series, you will notice that the stem of the earphones has been made slightly longer and thinner, moving down one size when using Comply foam tips from T500s to T400s. This can help for those people with smaller ear canals, and lends itself to a very comfortable fit. Noise reduction is almost on par with the ASG series at around the 22db level when securely fitted. In real terms, this means that once you have a good seal, they do a very good job of blocking out a lot of the outside world, in part because of the semi-custom fit, and also helped by the fact that the shells do take up a large part of the outer ear. They can be worn quite comfortably for train and plane commuting without having to crank the volume too much higher than normal, which is an added bonus. As with previous Aurisonics models, the  overall impression is one of a comfortable, quality piece of kit which will take a good beating and carry on working fine, so don’t need to be babied as much as their price tag would otherwise indicate.
Due to the custom IEM “shape” of the Fortes, they do stick out slightly from the ear in use due to the size of the housing, even with the snuggest of fits. This doesn’t impact comfort, but may stop you using these in bed if you lay on your side. You also can’t get away with slipping these in during a boring lecture/morning office meeting/tedious family get together and expect not to get rumbled. You have been warned.
The included cable is a classic CIEM style braided cable with ear-guides – the connection type used for the Bravo series is MMCX rather than the standard CIEM 2-pin cables supplied and used by the previous Aurisonics ranges, but apart form that the cables are practically identical. Aurisonics have made a small adjustment to the MMCX connection itself (which they call MMCXi) , and the actual MMCX jack is now square, which apparently helps musicians (their target audience) detach the cables more easily in a sweaty live environment. The connector also rotates freely, making fitting the earpieces and attached ear guides slightly easier for those people who wear glasses. The Aurisonics earguides, while not being revolutionary, are a well-implemented example of how to do it right, being thin and flexible enough to bend into a very secure fit with relative ease, while having enough rigidity to stay in place afterwards.

Sound quality
Test gear:
LG G Flex 2 (with and without Brainwavz AP001 mini-amp)
Sansa Clip+ (Rockboxed, amped as above)
Microsoft Surface Pro 2 (straight from the output jack)
Test tracks (mainly 320kbps MP3 or FLAC/Tidal HiFi):
Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats – S.O.B. / Wasting Time
Blackberry Smoke – The Whipporwill (album)
Slash – Shadow Life / Bad Rain (my reference tracks for bass impact and attack, guitar “crunch”)
Slash & Beth Hart – Mother Maria (vocal tone)
Richie Kotzen – Come On Free (bass tone)
Otis Redding – various
Elvis – various
Leon Bridges – Coming Home (album)
Foy Vance – various
Blues Traveler
Daft Punk – Random Access Memories (album)
Sigma - various
Rudimental – various
Rodrigo y Gabriela – various
Mavis Staples – Livin’ On A High Note

General impressions on the sound signature
The Forte is based on a hybrid design, with a 9.25mm dynamic driver (with custom venting) providing the bass and mid-range, and a balanced armature tweeter providing the high frequencies. The overall tuning is thick in the lower range with a little bite up top, with a wide soundstage and excellent separation. Despite downsizing the driver from the ASG series from its final 14.2mm iteration to a positively slimline 9.25mm model, the overall signature provides plenty of the famous Aurisonics grunt, with a smooth and neutral  midrange which is a little less forward than the usual Aurisonics fare and a little counterpoint of sharpness in the highs. The overall sound is on the darker side of balanced, and edges more towards the ethos of the previous ASG 1.5 than the 1Plus in terms of the tuning. Overall, this won’t be an IEM for treble-obsessives, but it does provide a musical and enjoyable tuning with a nice warm upper half.

Highs
The custom BA driver that Aurisonics use (carried over from the later models in the ASG series) is a very capable beast, and blends well with the dynamic driver to produce a seamless transition across the frequency spectrum. As there is only one balanced armature carrying the load (rather than two on the top of the series Harmony model, or the previous ASG 2.5 flagship) this doesn’t quite have the smoothness up top of previous Aurisonics offerings, and provides a sharper and more “jagged” feel to the treble on some tracks, with a spike of emphasis in the middle of the treble band which has been commented on negatively by some users on here – personally I don’t find it particularly distracting. Extension is reasonable, but can feel quite sharp in certain frequency ranges depending on the type of music you are listening to. I listen predominantly to rock music, and the sharper tone actually works well for more guitar driven pieces, imparting a nice sense of bite to complex riffs and an almost live rawness to the sound. Despite the sharpness I mention, this never treads into unpleasant (even though I prefer darker tunings, I am not remotely treble sensitive, so more sensitive listeners may find their experience slightly different to mine). As mentioned, the overall tuning is slightly darker than neutral, so the sharp treble sits on a fairly black background without much sense of air – separation and soundstage are both good, but this isn’t an IEM for people who like a more shimmering, open feel to their music. Think more sweaty back room gig in your local music bar/biker clubhouse rather than a concerto in the opera house and you will be on the right track.
Mids
The mids on an Aurisonics product are traditionally one of their strengths, and while the presentation on the Fortes may differ slightly to the other offerings from them I have heard to date, the overall impression of high quality remains. They are less forward than their other models, giving the overall sound a slight V shape as they nestle behind the bass and get slightly outweighed by the sharpness of the mid-treble – I wouldn’t call them recessed, just flat rather than forward. Tonality and timbre (or how the music “feels”) is very good, with vocals coming through loud and clear, and packed with texture. Due to the treble spike mentioned above, I prefer male voices to female on the Forte, as they tend to remain in the smoother parts of the sound range. That isn’t to say that female vocals are bad on this IEM (I truly haven’t heard an Aurisonics product yet that doesn’t know how to do vocals well), but for my personal preferences, the slightly smoother sound the tuning lends to male voices in the lower registers rather than the more “etched” sound it can give to female singers in the higher part of the soundscape sits better with my own personal tastes – as always, your own ears may give you different ideas. For instruments in the midrange, the tuning adds nice weight to the notes, and allows the bass and treble to thicken up the periphery of guitar chords and drum hits nicely rather than getting drowned out by a more forward sound. This lends a nice subtlety to some parts of a song you wouldn’t normally concentrate on, fleshing out complex tracks well. The audible detail level is actually quite good as a result, despite these ‘phones being more musical than analytical – when compared directly to their more expensive sibling the 2.5, the Fortes actually pick out less of the fine “micro-detail” if you are listening critically, but due to the difference in tuning will actually present what they do have in a more noticeable format in the soundscape.
Bass
The Forte uses a 9.25mm dynamic driver for the bass, with a mechanically tuned bass port in the outer shell to let air into the enclosure to aid bass response. Even though this new driver is around 2/3^rd of the size of the previous ASG range bass cannons, Dale and his team in Nashville appear to have beefed up the output from their new slimline driver with some magical audio-steroids to a level that directly competes with their former offerings. The bass is thick, plentiful and beautifully textured, with significant slam when needed and the manners to keep quiet when it isn’t. The ported design adds a great weight to the sub-bass, with drum hits and low bass guitar work firing up rumbling in the driver casing that would do a Michael Bay cinema blockbuster proud. Mid-bass isn’t left legging behind either, with bass drum hits pushing a sizeable gusty of air into your inner ear and flexing your eardrums in time with the music. Listening to something like “Hello, It’s Me” by Sister Hazel, the deep and liquid bass pours in from all sides and coats everything in a sticky glaze of goodness, with the texture and grain from Ken Wall’s voice providing enough grit in the low end to make it truly musical and enjoyable. While the bass is very well controlled, the combination of quality and quantity will lend a warm and darker tone to most types of music, as it will pick up on any bass present in the recording and push it up the soundscape. As mentioned in my initial preamble, I don’t consider myself a basshead, but I do like a warmer sound to my music so this personally doesn’t bother me, but may be worth bearing in mind if you are seeking a more neutral overall tonality (like their micro-driver Rockets from their range, for instance). In terms of extension, the Forte rolls right down into deep sub-bass without any loss of detail, so is perfect for music with a heavy bottom end (didn’t Queen write a song about that)? Overall, if slam and extension are what you are looking for without drowning the whole soundscape with bass, these will fit the bill nicely.
Soundstage/separation
For an IEM, the soundstage is good. It doesn’t extend as far outside my head as the ASG 2.5, but is still comfortably wide enough to provide a good dynamic sweep from left to right for drum fills, and a little depth to aid with the positioning “in the room” of the various instruments. Separation is also very good – the thicker overall presentation sometimes puts a bit of fog in between the main instruments when there is a lot of stuff going on, but you are always able to hear the main body of each instrument or instrumentalist clearly and differentiate between them.
Amping
These are very power-light in terms of amping requirements, with plenty of volume being achievable from even the most puny of sources. They do seem to tighten up a little with a little bit of juice flowing through their veins, but not enough to suggest it is mandatory.
Comparisons
Aurisonics ASG-2.5 – these are my current “at home” listening pair, and very similar in the general sound signature. The Fortes are positioned as the second model in their Bravo series, whereas the 2.5s were the “top of the line” of the previous ASG series, so maybe not a fair fight, but the Fortes do hold their own surprisingly well. In terms of bass, the 2.5s on a ¼ opening of the bass port have the slight edge in bass quantity, with a more enveloping sound and slightly higher sub-bass presence. The mids are more forward on the 2.5, so lend a more vocal-centric tilt to the midrange, and the highs are a lot airier and extended on the 2.5 due to the dual-BA arrangement being used. When A/Bing between them, the 2.5 is better in most areas, but the Fortes aren’t far behind at all in most of them, and do serve as a pretty good substitute in terms of overall signature for considerably less expense if you don’t mind the mid treble spike.
Aurisonics ASG-1Plus – the tuning on the 1Plus is deliberately different to the Fortes, as they are tuned in a far more neutral manner, with extension in the high register and beautiful clarity and forwardness in the mid-range. The Forte have more of a bass presence so come across as a warmer sounding IEM, but suffer in comparison with the mids, with the 1Plus producing a more clear and vivid sound. Despite the use of the same single BA for both models, the Forte are tilted more towards a peak in the mid-treble, whereas the 1Plus have greater extension and airiness and a smoother overall treble sound.
Overall conclusion
It is difficult to write an impartial conclusion to this review due to the similarities with one of favourite IEMs (the ASG-2.5), but when looked at in isolation, the Forte is a very accomplished piece of audio engineering which caters to people looking for a very specific sound. The warm, bass driven presentation with a sharp jag of treble lends itself well to rock music and other similarly aggressive sounds, with the musicality of the mids smoothing the overall feel enough for it never to get too grating. Fans of bright IEMs probably won’t enjoy the lack of upper-treble sounds and the closed in nature of the highs as a whole, but these aren’t tuned for that particular section of the music world. These sit firmly within the stage-monitor “audience” that Aurisonics (and now Fender) is trying to make its own, and as long as you bear that in mind, and the tuning decisions it brings, this is a very capable IEM for the money and overall a very “fun” sound for the right type of music. “Fun” is a good word to describe these – I have awarded them 4 stars out of 5 on the review based on the general impression they leave me with after listening to them, rather than purely on technical merit. Music is about emotion as much as execution, and these IEMs leave me with the feeling of watching a good rowdy punk rock band in concert after listening to them, so I have marked them based on the endorphin rush that produces accordingly, rather than grading them on the technical execution of all the notes that make up the individual track list (where I would potentially think about downgrading them to a 3.5).

Philips Fidelio L2 – initial impressions
I picked up the Fidelio L2s as part of a swap deal on Head-Fi as my first “proper” pair of middle-range over ear headphones. These were picked up as an experiment to dip my toes in the water with regards to over-ear ‘phones, and see what differences there are between a mid-fi IEM and a lower-tier over-ear for reference.
About me: newly minted audiophile, late 30s, long time music fan and aspiring to be a reasonably inept drummer. Listen to at least 2 hours of music a day on my commute to work – prefer IEMs for out and about, and a large pair of headphones when I have the house to myself and a glass in my hand. Recently started converting my library to FLAC and 320kbps MP3, and do most of my other listening through Spotify or Tidal HiFi. I am a fan of rock, acoustic (apart from folk) and sarcasm. Oh yeah, and a small amount of electronica. Not a basshead, but I do love a sound with some body to it. Please take all views expressed below with a pinch of salt – all my reviews are a work in progress based on my own perceptions and personal preferences, and your own ears may tell you a different story.
Tech specs
·       Headphone frequency: 12 - 25000 Hz

·       Headphone sensitivity: 105 dB

·       Height: 19.5 cm

·       Impedance: 16 Ω

·       Maximum input power: 200 mW

·       Weight: 260 g

·       Width: 17.2 cm

 

Unboxing
The Fidelio L2s arrive in a nice sturdy cardboard box, with the usual array of marketing and product specs adorning the sides and back. There is a nice premium feel to the packaging, which extends to the inner of the box as well. The headphones sit in a molded plastic insert, with the two detachable cables and faux-velvet carrying bag hidden underneath. The carry bag has the product name printed in a classy grey (slightly darker than the bag itself) in small print at the bottom, and looks like a quality soft carrying option. Unfortunately there is no hard case included with the package, which would have been nice for the advertised retail price, but as these are semi-open and intended for mainly home rather than portable use, it isn’t a necessity if you don’t intend to give your gear a hammering.

Build quality
The overall build and feel of the Fidelio is very good, and gives a nice first impression with regards to the quality of the workmanship. The headband is lightly padded and wrapped in faux-leather with a nice orange stitching detail (matching the orange drawstring on the carry case). The rest of the headphone parts are made of aluminium, and look like they will stand up to a fair bit of abuse without too much wear and tear to show for it. There are a few nice design touches throughout – the earcups swivel flat (DJ-style) to allow for easier packing when transporting them, and the extender mechanism on both headphone arms moves with a smooth and audible click. The arms also have a numbered scale etched onto the inside, so you can see exactly what “setting” the extension is at for future reference. The grill covering the earcups is also solid metal, and adds to the design aesthetic very nicely, giving the headphones a vaguely futuristic look, much like its sibling the Fidelio X2. The enclosed cables also add a nice touch – there is one with and one without a microphone, and both are cloth-covered, reasonably thick and very flexible, with zero cable noise. The Fidelio uses a standard 3.5mm jack connection in to the left ear socket, but the cables have an additional plastic spur on the headphone connector end which locks into place in two slots next to the headphone jack to prevent the cable from rotating or detaching too easily. While this may make cable upgrades a little tricky (although not impossible), it is a nice touch, and the additional stability of the cable connection does feel more secure when moving around.

Ergonomics
As an over-ear headphone, the Fidelios are quite large, but the overall comfort is very good. The padding on the underside of the headband is quite thin, so may start to cause a hotspot on the top of the head when worn for extended periods of time, but the soft memory foam padding on the earcups and the overall diameter of the inner of the cups makes them fit comfortably over my reasonably large ears and makes them very comfortable for me for extended listening so far. In terms of weight, these are not a heavy headphone for an over-ear, and can quite comfortably be worn by my girlfriend without any additional scaffolding to hold it in place. Clamping force (i.e. how easily the headphone sticks to your skull once on without popping your head like a children’s party balloon) is reasonable and never excessive – moving around with the headphones in place is easy, and they generally stay put for most activities (I make no guarantees for those of you out there who like to listen to their music while trampolining). The cups are also mounted on a ring structure that allows them good freedom of movement (and permits them to swivel flat for wearing around the neck or packing down in a bag), so they should follow the contours of most craniums with ease. As a semi-open design, there is some sound leakage from the cups into the surrounding environment, so these are not a ‘phone to be taken to the library unless you like making yourself unpopular, but the leakage is not overwhelmingly loud. In terms of sound coming in, they isolate slightly better than you would expect (think of them like a bouncer at a busy bar, always seeming to let out far more than they actually let in). They will easily block out background noise if you are listening at home or in an everyday environment, without rendering you totally deaf to whatever is happening around you.

Sound quality
Test gear:
LG G Flex 2 (with and without Brainwavz AP001 mini-amp)
Sony NWZ-A15 (as above)
Sansa Clip+ (Rockboxed, amped as above)
Microsoft Surface Pro 2 (straight from the output jack)
Test tracks (mainly 320kbps MP3 or FLAC/Tidal HiFi):
Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats – S.O.B. / Wasting Time
Blackberry Smoke – The Whipporwill (album)
Slash – Shadow Life / Bad Rain (my reference tracks for bass impact and attack, guitar “crunch”)
Slash & Beth Hart – Mother Maria (vocal tone)
Richie Kotzen – Come On Free (bass tone)
Otis Redding – various
Elvis – various
Leon Bridges – Coming Home (album)
Foy Vance – various
Blues Traveler
Daft Punk – Random Access Memories (album)
Sigma - various
Rudimental – various
Rodrigo y Gabriela – various
Mavis Staples – Livin’ On A High Note
Professor Green ft. Emile Sande – Read All About It
 
General notes on the sound signature
(graph taken from the Innerfidelity website)

Being a relative newcomer to over-ear headphones, I wasn’t sure what to expect from the Fidelio series, but the overall sound signature sits quite nicely with my personal preferences. The sound reproduction has a clear and neutral tone to it, with decent high end extension and a very detailed and almost lean mid-section. The bass extends low with a slight sub-bass tilt, so you can get some decent rumble from the right track without the mid-bass being too prominent. The overall bass presentation is a little north of neutral, but always fast and punchy rather than thick or overwhelming, leaving the overall impression being of a reasonably neutral sound with good extension on either end, a nice impact to the low frequencies and a detailed and forward midsection which never feels too syrupy.
Highs
On first listen, this headphone can come across as quite bright, especially coming from the warmer and bassier tone of my current “home listening” choices. Once your head kicks into gear (brain burn-in, as it is sometimes referred to here), the highs settle into a sharp, detailed presentation that gives plenty of detail and bite to the soundscape without ever tipping over into harshness or sibilance. Listening to “Mother Maria” and “Starlight” by Slash on these is a truly wonderful experience, with Beth Hart and Myles Kennedy hitting their straps with high notes that are crystal clear, sharp enough to cut glass but never feeling strained or screechy. Cymbals shimmer and fade with a palpable sense of realism, and manage to avoid the overly “metallic” tinge that can sometimes goes along with brighter tuning in my (very limited) experience. Despite being a semi-open design, the L2s aren’t awash with “air” (a usual side effect of the high end tuning), but everything is presented on a jet black background, so overall the sharper treble presentation works very well with the rest of sound, and never feels like it is overpowering the rest of the frequencies.
Mids
The mids on the L2 are fairly forward, very balanced and packed with micro-detail. They treat male and vocals similarly well, and manage to convey emotion at the same time as technicalities, leaving the listener immersed in the music rather than sat in front of it analysing it. That isn’t to say that these can’t be used for critical listening as the detail is simply some of the best I have heard yet, but the temptation to simply dive into the song being played rather than trying to work out how the headphone is presenting it is quite compelling. The clarity of the vocals is excellent, and guitars (both acoustic and electric) sound sublime, with plenty of crunch and speed when required, and subtle timbre and tone to accompany the sound of fingers sliding up and down the guitar neck for the more mellow passages. In fact, the midrange lends itself very well to both rock and acoustic music, with the right blend of emotion and energy to really sweep you along, and enough clarity to keep everything in focus as it whips by. I am not a massive rap fan, but one of my tester tracks for vocal clarity is the Professor Green version of “Read All About It”, and the L2 handles the soaring vocals of Emile Sande and the quick-fire drawl of the Professor with equal aplomb, making it easy to follow the lyrics without having to concentrate, which some of the other mid-range IEMs I have used recently have struggled with.  The detailing and clarity also helps with the emotional impact, capturing the vocal phrasings and breathing of the singers in the back of the soundscape, so no drop of musicality is left behind in the mixing desk.
Bass
In my recent listening history, I have been spoiled with regards to what I consider “good” bass after discovering the Aurisonics ASG-2.5, so my standards have shifted slightly. While it never reaches the sheer impact and authority of the 2.5s, the bass on show here is something pretty special in its own right. It is quick, agile and can provide a good thump in the eardrum when called for, and gives a nice rumble of sub-bass when pushed. It never feels artificial or forced, and can add real substance to a track when needed. My go-to tester track for overall bass impressions is “Bad Rain” by Slash, and the L2 absolutely nails it in terms of the sort of presentation I like. The bass growls right down to the soles of your feet, and the sub bass gives enough of a tickle in your eardrums to add the weight that this song is really capable of, while never swamping the crunch of the guitar or the rasp of the vocals. It is slightly north of what you would consider truly neutral, but never pushes too far into the midrange or colours the presentation any more than it needs to, leaving more of an impression of neutral but capable rather than warm and soupy. Running the L2s through my small Brainwavz AP001 mini-amp provides a little bass boost, which can thicken up the sound slightly when I want something truly epic, but that is more of a preference than a requirement, as the default bass on these is more than enough to impress all but the most serious of bassheads out there.

Soundstage/separation
The L2s don’t have a massive soundstage, which is something I found quite surprising for a semi-open headphone. The instruments present themselves in a bubble that extends just outside the confines of your own head, with a good depth and sweep from left to right giving a very good feeling of placement to even the most congested of tracks. The “black” background of these headphones (i.e. the lack of noise or bleed between instruments in the soundscape) provides a great canvas for the L2s to paint an almost holographic image on to, so the separation and imaging that these provide is top-notch. Listening to Leon Bridges (who masters his tracks like a live studio recording), the position of each instrument presses itself very well into the landscape, giving an almost palpable “feel” to where the horn section and backing singers are standing, and how the drummer is positioned in the back of the room. The black background also helps you pick out individual guitar licks and bass notes in the sea of music when listening to your favourite tracks, which is very impressive.
Amping
The L2s are an easy to drive headphone, and the dynamics and quality don’t improve appreciably with the addition of extra “juice” (with my limited gear, at least). They can be driven loud direct from most smartphones or DAPs without the need for any external power, so amping will be more of a personal preference for those of you with access to more high end solutions like the Chord Mojo, rather than something that is mandatory to make these cans sing.
 
Comparisons
Flare R2A – these were my original daily driver, and while being an IEM, have a soundstage more like an over-ear headphone and have a similar RRP so probably provide one of closest comparisons to the L2 I can currently make. The R2A are less sharp in overall presentation than the L2, with a slightly warmer bass response and slightly more rolled off treble. The detail levels are similar, but the leaner and crisper presentation of the L2 brings them further forward in the listener’s mind, so making them less of an effort to appreciate. Soundstage is actually won by the R2A, which has a very spacious soundstage for a microdriver-based IEM. In terms of ease of driving, the L2s require less power to drive well, despite their comparative difference in size.
Aurisonics ASG-2.5 – these are my current “go to” pair for home listening, and again are another pair of IEMs with a very expansive soundstage (albeit with a larger price tag to accompany it). The 2.5s have an overall warmer feel to them than the L2s, with a larger bass presence (I run the 2.5s with the bass tuning port at ¼ open, so they have the potential for FAR more bass than the L2). The detail and tone are similar between both, with the 2.5 edging it in terms of soundstage and the L2 leaving a cleaner impression for treble “crunch” and brightness, and slightly more detail, although some of that has to do with the cleaner tone of the L2. Extension in the treble is similar to my ears, with the 2.5s winning on sub-bass extension and quantity (an acknowledged strong point of this particular IEM). Both are easy enough to drive direct from a mobile phone or DAP, with the 2.5 achieving slightly more volume at the same settings than the L2.
Overall conclusion
The Fidelio L2 are my first real foray into a decent mid-range headphone, and a very impressive headphone at that. They provide a sharp, crystal clear sound, with a nice low bass extension and bags of detail. They convey the emotion of a track extremely well, and overall are almost perfect for my personal preferences. In terms of things to improve, a slightly wider soundstage, hard carrying case, more padded headband and a tiny pinch more body in the midrange would be on my wishlist, but none of these would alter my overall opinion of the headphone. For its price, this is an excellent piece of workmanship, and produces a truly engaging, musical sound that will suit most tastes and musical genres.