LAVRiCABLES MASTER SILVER AWG22

Disclaimer
The Master Silver cable I got for free in return for a review, I am free to say whatever I want.

This is my first time owning LAVRiCABLES, I have used other premium cables but this is the first pure silver in this price range. I will refer to the cable as Lavricables or Master Silver through the review.

I know that cables is a heated topic, I have self been a skeptical person. So if you're against the description of cables, it's better to just stop here. I also think that cable is the thing that changes the sound the least in the chain when looking at IEMs, source and tips.
All impressions are my own subjective thoughts after having used them for a good time. These are my thoughts at this moment, and as time moves I might change my opinion.
This is also a very subjective hobby where everything from experience, anatomy or age will affect what we hear. Also keep in mind that it is easy to use bold words when talking about differences, while it may be perceived as a small change for you.
While I can perceive something as natural sounding, I do believe we can never get a perfect performance similar to what is achieved live.

Ranking System:
1 Very bad or unlistenable
2 Listenable but not good
3 Average
4 Very good
5 Exceptional or having a special sauce

My rating system highly values what is musical, so my rating will always be a subjective opinion.

Going to use the ranges here in review:







About me and my gear used for the review

My audio preference is neutral with increased low end, mids can be forward if not shouty. I can also handle forward treble if it is not excessive. I am a believer in having different tuned IEMs for different genres or moods instead of chasing the single perfect one.
Main music genres I listen to are metal, electronica, jazz, indie rock/metal, r&b, and pop. I am a music lover, and can also listen to almost all the genres out there. I have been into music gear since the mid 90s, gifted some big speakers at an early age. Then moved more and more into headphones with the Koss Porta Pro and a Sony Discman.
I have also tried playing many instruments over the years from piano to sax and have a feel for what's a natural tone, but not the biggest patience in learning to play. My wife has also played many instruments from string to wind instruments.

My current standard in Headphones is ZMF Verite Open and Beyerdynamic T1 G2.

My current favorites in IEMs are AüR Audio Ascension and Campfire Audio Bonneville.
The AüR Audio Ascension is a tribrid with 1DD 5BA and 2EST, that is tuned to be warm and natural. The Bonneville is hybrid with 1DD and 3BA, tuned to be a colorful and fun IEM with heavy note weight.
Gear used in the main rig is Topping E70 DAC together with the Topping A90 Discrete headphone Amp. I also have a Schiit Lokuis I can swap in if I want to do a little analogue EQ.
I have a few DAPs and dongles to change up the sound, my favorite being HIBY R8 II.
I have a good range of cables from Clan Audio, NiceHCK, XINHS, DUNU, Effect Audio and Gladiator Cables.

https://tidal.com/browse/playlist/ad7bbfa3-2067-4235-b2ed-f5a3fb53ff28

When evaluating and comparing Master Silver 22AWG I have used the tracks listed here and more.
The link is to a playlist consisting of some tracks I have saved for testing, it's still a work in progress.



Who is LAVRiCABLES

This is a premium cable maker from Latvia, I had heard about Lavricables for a while. But very few I know own cables from them, the few have been very satisfied.
Lavricables is specialized in silver wire, instead of having many types its only silver here. There is 4 Line’s of Silver cables: Reference - Ultimate - Master - Grand
They provide cables for headphones, IEMs and interconnects.

ABOUT US​

Dear customers, thanks for coming to the store! Here you may find 100+ different pure silver cables that will make you feel delighted.

We are a team of audiophiles who love music and have been enjoying hi-fi and hi-end equipment for decades. We travel around the world and visit various audio exhibitions and shows, we perform lots of tests and simply admire music. We keep an eye on all new and latest innovations and constantly improve our products as well as develop new ones. Our experience and technical knowledge help us to offer great cables to our customers.

The brand Lavricables was created in 2012 as a hobby. Since lots of audio brands hugely overcharge their products, in particular cables, we decided to invent our own RCA interconnects as a starting point. To ensure the highest quality of our products we used pure silver which is the best conductor available nowadays. Silver is also known for its neutrality, resolution and soundstage openness. Moreover, braided solid core cable geometry allows to eliminate radio frequencies and electromagnetic interferences and with increased number of cores, skin effect is also minimized on high frequencies. Combination of these factors and our knowledge offered tremendous results in comparison to lots of other cables which are priced twice or even more.

The first massively released products were Interconnects and Speaker cables. The last ones were used to biwire the trebles and revealed lots of new details and nuances we haven’t heard before. As to the interconnects, they sounded with great transparency and resolution. Later after various tests and hundreds of happy customers we’ve moved to headphone and usb cables.

Currently we make cables for most of the headphones and iems available on the market. The ones that are not present in the shop still could be made on request. We improve our products and services year over year. Some of the cables have been revised several times based on customers’ feedback and represent an exceptional value for the price. Revisions could be found on our blog. We offer different kinds of cable terminations starting from our custom made gold/ rhodium plated plugs, ending with highly advanced pure copper plugs from AECO.

By offering four product lines we ensure our customers will find the best cable for their setups and will have lots of pleasant listening hours. Our goal is to enhance the full potential of your setups and make you happy!

Our Blog is constantly being updated with new information, pics and articles. Your reviews and suggestions are always very appreciated.

Enjoy Music!

https://www.lavricables.com/about-us/



So what is the Master Silver AWG22

This cable is from the Master Line, it is a 4 core 5N 22 AWG multistrand Litz Wire.
The cable is soldered with Mundorf 4% fine silver, had to read up on it and it's a premium and good choice for soldering.



You get the option of customizing the cable to your liking, the one I have here is in the Sky Blue. Also an option to get it in transparent sleeve color, or even having it with a Silk sleeving.



There are plenty of hardware to choose from, the Viablue and Aeco options are some of the best plugs out there. But I did go for the carbon hardware from Lavricables, they are also premium and look great.



Accessories

This is as simple as it gets, there are no extras in the package. You get a branded pouch, the business card and the cable itself. Unless my review cable has a simpler packaging, while I like premium presentations I also love something like this.

The pouch is a lint magnet, Would have preferred it if it was in a different material.



Quality and Comfort

The transition from the hardware to the cable has transparent heat shrink, it has clean cuts and is not thick and an eyesore. The cable is also nicely braided, not too tight and beautifully done.
Over time the braiding can get looser on a loop here and there, this is due to rolling the cable together when we store them. If so it's an easy step of straightening to be perfect again.

First of the ear guides are perfect, not too thick heath-shrink and have a nice curvature that is not too aggressive. The cable is also very pliable and soft, also light but not too light where it feels like bad quality.

There is also a chin slider to help with secure ear fitment, it's a silicon ring. I have some questions about the longevity of this, as with all softer materials they degrade faster.



Sound

Good silver cables should deliver a pure and resolving sound, this is what the Master Silver does. You get a transparent sound with clear extended highs that is silky and airy, without being bright or piercing. Even the low end has some warmth and sound natural and full, this is not a bright thin cable as cheap silver cables tend to be.

Soundstage is also very multidimensional and expansive, I don't believe any cable improves upon stage that much unless they hinder it. This is just that, as good as it gets for both the technical side and also getting a clear sound.



Comparisons

The Effect Audio Cadmus 8w is a really good SPC cable, it has what I call a balanced but bright sound. This is the cable up in the left corner of the photo, a thick and beautiful cable. This is UP-OCC Silver Plated Copper Litz EPO* 24 AWG 8 Wires.
The Lavricables have a small amount more microdetail, it also has less bite in the treble. Both have the effect of making IEMs less shouty in the upper midrange.
Comfort is not EA strength, that alone is a reason for many to avoid the 8 wires from EA.

The Gladiator Cables is a Type 1 Litz 5N OCC pure silver palladium plated 24AWG per wire imported from Japan. It is thinner and feels more fragile than the Lavricables, both are equally comfortable and pliable. But the hardware on the Gladiator is of worse quality, it also looks worse on the finish and work done.
The sound is similar on both of them, they both have a transparent and open treble that is soft and delicate. The Lavricables sound a little warmer, and seem to have slightly wider staging.

The last one is an extremely good copper cable from Clan Audio, type 6 litz copper. This is not available as a purchase yet, it is a reference for me in a neutral cable. Usually we think about warmth when using copper cables, here the Lavricables are actually warmer than the Clan Audio.
Same with the highs being more silky and refined, microdetail is also a small step up.



IEM pairings

I will just mention a few IEMs I have tried it on, been testing it compared to the cables above and also some stock cables. I will continue and use the Master Silver in IEMs reviews forward, but as the sound is so good I really don't find any bad pairings with it.



Hisenior Mega5EST Anniversary Edition

This is a tribrid with 1DD 2BA and 2EST, neutral warm sound.
Compared to the supplied good SPC Cable, the Master is more technical and less aggressive. Actually the sound is warmer due to fuller low range and the extended treble being more silky and refined, just sound more elegant and balanced.
I have been using the Silver Palladium a lot on Mega5EST, this is a slight improvement as it sounds more spacious and warm.



Venture Electronics Grand Duke

This is a bold sounding single DD, it has a big and slightly slower sound. Never owned the stock cable since the IEM was a gift to me, this is much better compared to the Penon Mix that has been my go to cable on this. Specially the lows seem more defined and punchier with less bloat, the treble also is not sharp as with the Mix. This is the best pairing I had with Grand Duke, and the IEM that will keep the cable on it after the review.



Kinera Verdandi

The Verdandi is a quadbrid IEM with 1DD 2BA and 2EST and a BC, has a lively and energetic sound. Stock cable is brighter and less resolving than this, it's also less airy and silky.
The Verdandi with the Master Silver just enhances the original sound, clear and transparent. There is a small improvement in the midrange not being as shouty compared to the stock cable, similar to how the Cadmus behaves on Verdandi. But the Cadmus is not this refined and natural sounding.



AüR Audio Ascension

My reference set is in refined natural sound, tribrid with 1DD 5BA and 2 EST. Stock cable is a cheap SPC, Master Silver is a different level when looking at premium feel and design. Sound you get more open and transparent treble, start to wonder if the EST gets pushed more by the treble. Not in a sharp way, just in how resolving and airy it is. Bass also is tighter and more well defined, with midrange just sounding clear and full.
My go to cable is usually the Type 6 Litz Copper on Ascension, here instead I get a less sharp sound with more silky air. While the rest keep itself very similar, maybe a small step up in the technicalities.



Conclusion

You get here a silver cable of high quality, with excellent hardware. The cable is soft and pliable, and has a nice balanced weight.

Often people say silver cables are for more clarity and brighter sound, I don't think that is true when you have a quality silver cable like this. Good silver cables like this have a transparent sound with maximum clarity, but it's never bright and sharp. It's more on the neutral side, with clear but silky highs.

I love the clean and cheap packaging, you know all your money goes into the cable and not extra packaging or accessories. For some this might be a negative, as some expect premium packaging when paying this for a cable.

I recommend the Lavricables Master Silver AWG 22, this can be for the veteran or the new audiophile who wants a premium silver. I see the price they charge as good, not overpriced and you get what you pay for.

The Beautiful Kinera Verdandi

Disclaimer

The Kinera Verdandi was bought with a discount in return for a review, I am free to say whatever I want.

All impressions are my own subjective thoughts after having used them for a good time. These are my thoughts at this moment, and as time moves I might change my opinion.
This is also a very subjective hobby where everything from experience, anatomy or age will affect what we hear. Also keep in mind that it is easy to use bold words when talking about differences, while it may be perceived as a small change for you.
While I can perceive something as natural sounding, I do believe we can never get a perfect performance similar to what is achieved live.

Ranking System:
1 Very bad or unlistenable
2 Listenable but not good
3 Average
4 Very good
5 Exceptional or having a special sauce

My rating system highly values what is musical, so my rating will always be a subjective opinion.



About me and my gear used for the review

My audio preference is neutral with increased low end, mids can be forward if not shouty. I can also handle forward treble if it is not excessive. I am a believer in having different tuned IEMs for different genres or moods instead of chasing the single perfect one.
Main music genres I listen to are metal, electronica, jazz, indie rock/metal, r&b, and pop. I am a music lover, and can also listen to almost all the genres out there. I have been into music gear since the mid 90s, gifted some big speakers at an early age. Then moved more and more into headphones with the Koss Porta Pro and a Sony Discman.
I have also tried playing many instruments over the years from piano to sax and have a feel for what's a natural tone, but not the biggest patience in learning to play. My wife has also played many instruments from string to wind instruments.

My current standard in Headphones is ZMF Verite Open and Beyerdynamic T1 G2.

My current favorites in IEMs are AüR Audio Ascension and Campfire Audio Bonneville.
The AüR Audio Ascension is a tribrid with 1DD 5BA and 2EST, that is tuned to be warm and natural. The Bonneville is hybrid with 1DD and 3BA, tuned to be a colorful and fun IEM with heavy note weight.
Gear used in the main rig is Topping E70 DAC together with the Topping A90 Discrete headphone Amp. I also have a Schiit Lokuis I can swap in if I want to do a little analogue EQ.
I have a few DAPs and dongles to change up the sound, my favorite being HIBY R8 II.
I have a good range of cables from Clan Audio, Penon, NiceHCK, XINHS, DUNU, Effect Audio and Gladiator Cables.



Who is Kinera

Copied from the About Us Page on:

The story began in 2011, YuTai Electronic Acoustics was officially established in Dongguan, China. A year ago, we developed the world’s first high resistance 5mm micro dynamic speaker for military hearing aids. In 2013, we began mass manufacturing balanced armature drivers and became an internationally and locally renowned supplier of drivers. In 2014 till 2015, Yutai Electronic Acoustics has developed a number of patents for various driver technologies such as bone conduction. In 2016 released the first hybrid driver IEM BD005 by the “ Kinera “ brand, which became the most competitive entry- level hybrid driver IEM after launch. In 2017, released the second hybrid driver IEM H3, which is based on the sound of the BD005 proofing further refined, with a more outstanding sound and sense of hearing. At the same time, BD005 was awarded the runner-up in the headphone market of the year by Japan’s leading headphone retailer E-earphone. In 2018, Kinera released a series of product with a symbolic meaning: SEED, IDUN and ODIN were born one after another, and at the end of the year, we launched the IDUN special limited edition 500 sets during the Christmas season, which were sold out within a month before they were launched. In 2019, Kinera released its latest single dynamic driver in-ear monitor, the Kinera Sif. Afterward, later the first EST IEM, the Kinera Nanna was released.

Over the past few years the main focus was on the overseas market, only in recent years we formally put resources in our domestic market including HK & China, YuTai has been focusing on developing Hybrid BA & Dynamic Earphones. Over the past few years released Odin, Idun, Seed, BD005, Idun Deluxe and single dynamic driver SIF. In 2018 our 4mm micro dynamic research success and planned to apply in the future on the brand’s earphone business, this year with more partners to launch a cooperation plan, is committed to bringing our customers cost-effective and diversified products.

We have a specialized R&D and design team, from new product development, material selection, parts production, the final product assembly, all are responsible for strict control, product quality is guaranteed to meet the requirements of direct OEM clients, and enjoy a good reputation in the industry. In the past few years, we have assisted our clients of different scales to successfully push out the earphones they requested and received market approvals.

Our company has the development ability of the core technology of dynamic drivers. Now we have achieved dynamic driver self-sufficient, and in the new dynamic driver structure, diaphragm design, new materials and customisation has the core competitive ability for the earphone sound quality escort.

https://www.kineraaudio.com/about-us



So what is the Verdandi

Kinera Imperial Verdandi is an Quadbrid IEM costing $1199, using 2 Knowles BA + 2 Sonion EST + 1 DD + 1 Bone Conduction Driver. The most interesting and special about the configuration is the inclusion of a bone conductor for the low frequencies. The name Verdandi comes from some old lore about the Norn Gods, this is the god of present and suits the more clear and present sound of the Verdandi.

The version I have here is the Cosmos editions and has elements of black and blue with gold parts, there is also a lot of detail goin with both the faceplate and the shell. Real piece of IEM art, perhaps the most beautiful one I have seen. The IEM itself is hand painted and all the Verdandi pairs should be slightly different due to this, unless my inside info is wrong here. There is also a light blue edition that is also beautiful and elegant.



The comfort is surprisingly good for such a large IEM, the nozzle has good length and is positioned excellently for me. Easy to get a deep and good seal, that is also needed for the bone conduction to work its best. I do have to use one size smaller tip than usual, this should be a consideration if you're already one who uses small tips as standard.



The packaging is premium and suits the price of Verdandi, the same can be said for the excellent amount of accessories. You get a high quality modular cable, many premium tips etc.









Specs:
Impedance: 14 ohm
Sensitivity: 105 dB
Frequency Response: 20Hz-50kHz
Flash Acoustics Monocrystalline Copper + High Purity 4N Silver Cable
Plug with 3.5mm and 4.4mm
AZLA SednaEarfit Crystal Eartips
Final Type E Eartips
Kinera K-07 Balanced Eartips
Foam Eartips
Eartips
AZLA SednaEarfit Crystal Eartips
Final Type E Eartips
Kinera K-07 Balanced Eartips
Foam Eartips
Weight Of Earbuds

The weight of the earbud is only 7.0± g, comfortable for wearing for a long time.
Nozzle size

Nozzle size is 6.5mm, select different eartips to hear more possible sound.
Package Contents

One pair of Kinera Imperial Verdandi In-ear monitors.
One Flash Acoustics Monocrystalline Copper + High Purity 4N Silver Cable.
Plug with 3.5mm and 4.4mm.
Final Type E Eartips x 5 sets (SS/S/M/L/LL)
AZLA SednaEarfit Crystal Eartips x 3 sets (SS/MS/ML)
Kinera K-07 Balanced Eartips x 3 sets (S/M/L)
Foam Tips x 1 sets (L)
Storage Bag.
Cleaning Brush.
Dusting Cloth.
User Manual.





Timbre

First off, what is Timbre?
From the Wikipedia:
The Acoustical Society of America (ASA) Acoustical Terminology definition 12.09 of timbre describes it as "that attribute of auditory sensation which enables a listener to judge that two nonidentical sounds, similarly presented and having the same loudness and pitch, are dissimilar", adding, "Timbre depends primarily upon the frequency spectrum, although it also depends upon the sound pressure and the temporal characteristics of the sound"

First minutes of trying a new set of gear, what I always listen to is how natural and musical it sounds. Much of this goes down to how I perceive the Timbre.

The sound is very clear and energetic, with a W shaped sound signature.
Has some nice warmth paired with a lot of clarity in the midrange, and a gentle but nicely extended treble. Can sound more bright than warm due to the tonality, but in return being very transparent sounding.

Going to use the ranges here in review:




Details and soundstage

The Verdandi is quite technical and has a good amount of clarity, some of it due to tuning but also since the drivers seem to be good in themself also.
Soundstage is very dynamic and 3D, and has very good separation and imaging capability. While not being that large it's very spherical and surrounds you more in the sound, very captivating and fun. Live recordings sound spectacular and awesome due to this soundstage.

Bass

The bass of the Verdandi is fast and detailed, and has a tactile feel that is due to the bone conductor. It is a very fun and a good experience, it's also not overdone. Tasteful amount of boost to the bass from the BC, that more often appears when you play music loud or on bassy music.
The bass is quite fast and reaches low without any drop off, and even with its small 6mm driver can sound good while maybe not as visceral. Has also quite a good mid bass slam, but lacks a little body.
I do believe the bass would have felt more solid overall if a larger driver was used.

Mids

The low midrange is clear and nuanced without being thick or muddy, the upper midrange is much more forward and energetic. This means that most vocals are very clear and at times can be a little focused in on with a brighter presence. This also goes for instruments that are already more bright, they have plenty of energy with Verdandi. While I personally find it a little to lean in the low mids for some music like heavy metal or soul, but that is back to my preference for thicker low mids.

Treble

The treble is detailed and crisp, and also a little soft. Makes it a pleasant experience where it's not too bright or tiresome, might lack some energy for folks who are used to a brighter and elevated treble range. Cymbals as example have good amount of clarity and sound realistic, but this without being sharp and tiresome.

I find that it might lack a little air, and this is also maybe why some call the Verdandi relaxed sounding.



Synergies

A small part about what gear I have been enjoying the most with the Verdandi, starting with cables. The stock cable is good to get you going, and sounds decent. Some said to me it's bright, and it might be true to a small degree.
I have paired it with a Clan Audio Graphene SPC cable, as it's a more warm and not as bright cable.



Tips have been interesting, the stock tips are good as you get Type-E tips that work excellent for me to get a deep seal. This is needed for a fuller sound and to get the BC working, the Kbear 07 also works. The Xelastec tips in the accessories didn't work for me, due the stiffness of the material. Another very good tips has been the Eletech Baroque tips, they are better than the Final E tips as they sound more spacious with a similar amount of fullness of sound.

Hiby FC6 is an excellent dongle for the Verdandi, it has a good way of making it less bright and more fun and organic. And an even smoother and more forgiving sound with the Colorfly CDA M1P dongle.
HIBY R8 II DAP is also excellent, especially with the Dynamic plugin to boost the bass. It's not needed with it, but it can make it more suitable for my taste this way.




Comparisons

When evaluating the sets I use each of them over longer periods and also some shorter sessions swapping back and forth, it takes a long time and is not done in one sitting. The most critical comparison is done on my desktop setup that is highly resolving, with volume matching through a microphone to take away loudness variance.

The spider chart is slightly exaggerated on some points to show differences.





Hisenior Mega5EST

A really good tribrid with 1 DD 2 BA and 2 EST, tuned warm neutral with decent technicalities looking at price range and spec.

Soundstage is slightly above average with a good amount of separation and imaging capabilities, projection is more traditional instead of the more holographic Verdandi but in return is larger than Verdandi.

Bass is more elastic and organic, with slightly slower decay. It also sounds more sub bass focused than Verdandi, while the Verdandi perhaps has more tactility in the mid bass.

Low mids are more thick and vibrant than Verdandi, so both vocals and instruments have more soul to them. While the upper midrange is slightly relaxed and less bright than the Verdandi, it makes more music palatable without fatigue.

Treble is more elevated and better extended than Verdandi, and due to this also sounds more airy and open in the treble.

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/hisenior-mega5est.26822/review/33101/



AüR Audio Aure

An older hybrid 1DD 6BA that is now discounted, I have it with me in the review as Verdandi and Aure measure almost the same. Biggest change is that Aure doesn't have a crossover for the DD, this means it works full range and gives you a mix of DD and BA for mids and treble.

The resolution is a step below the Verdandi, and that goes for all the spectrum. Soundstage is very similar in how holographic and 3D it is, just that it's even more intimate.

Bass is much softer and has a longer decay than the Verdandi, but it sounds thicker. Just lacks a little of the kick that Verdandi has on the mid bass due to the fast driver and the BC.

Star of the Aure is the midrange, being very detailed on vocals while having both nice body to them and clarity. Very similar to Verdandi overall in the midrange, except also being more full bodied.

Treble is less refined than Verdandi, but has a similar amount of treble and air. It's just that it lacks something that I think is due to the EST drivers of Verdandi, due to this it sounds more blunted and the least shimmery.

Quite old review, and maybe a little outdated:
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/aür-audio-aure.26139/review/30836/



Music

https://tidal.com/browse/playlist/ad7bbfa3-2067-4235-b2ed-f5a3fb53ff28

When comparing Kinera Verdandi to other sets I have used the tracks listed here and more.
The link is to a playlist consisting of some tracks I have saved for testing, it's still a work in progress.

I will also do it a little differently than what I usually do, I'll mention a small part under each track with how each IEM sounds like compared to the Verdandi. I will provide a link to each track for you to test out, my own listening being with my FLAC files or Tidal streaming.



The Hanging Stars Golden Shore

https://songwhip.com/thehangingstars/golden-shore

Verdandi
Would have liked some extra warmth personally, but the balance is really good and might be more to some preference here. Very resolving, except for maybe a little in the bass being less dynamic. Very holographic staging, just a Little on the intimate side.

Mega5EST
Has the best tonality for me on this, natural amount of fullness and not too bright. Sounds more engaging and fun, the set I want to lay down with and listen to on repeat. Also sound the largest and most spacious on the stage.

Aure
Most intimate sounding, everything sounds closer and more in my head but with exceptionally good 3D imaging. His voice is the least detailed, same for the instruments.



Norah Jones - Don’t Know Why

https://songwhip.com/norah-jones/dontknowwhy

Verdandi
This pushes her voice more forward, has plenty of resolving nature to show every nuance in her vocal. Verdandi has more breathiness and a shimmery voice presentation, but also means that the more intense parts are quite intense.
The instruments are already a little in the back, but are perhaps even more pushed back here due to the upper mids pushing the vocal forth.

Mega5EST
Sounds the most balanced and relaxed here, lacking some bite to her vocals that both Verdandi and Aure have. I prefer less presence so this is more pleasing for me, while people who like their female vocals forward and nuanced would not like this as much. She also without sounding more forward has thicker sound to her darker parts, and same can be said for the instruments in the back.

Aure
Very similar to Verdandi overall, and has actually even more bite to her sharper moments. But also have a thicker and less open timbre than Verdandi. She also sounds even more close and intimate, very emotional as he sings to your face.



Ben Howard - Small Things

https://songwhip.com/ben-howard/small-things

Verdandi
Has a very resolving sound here, it sounds the most delicate and clean. Just sounds a little thinner than I prefer, the cymbals have less bite than the other two sets. Quite interesting it has the most punchy kick on the drums, even if Verdandi is the least bassy. An Exceptionally good 3D soundstage, sounds good in all directions.

Mega5EST
Sound more full and has more body to his voice and drums, this also goes for the cymbals having more bite. But overall sound less technical and open sounding than Verdandi, but more fun and pleasing. Sound the most balanced of the 3.

Aure
Quite interesting as this is more like I'm listening to a hybrid of the other two, this sounds the fullest of them. His vocal is denser like Mega5est but as detailed as Verdandi, and same as Verdandi do not have as crisp cymbals. Drums are a little softer than the other two, but his vocals are the lushest.



Laslo - Dorkmeister

https://songwhip.com/laslo/dorkmeister

Verdandi
The deep bass elements make the bone conductor of Verdandi show its magic. The bass has this extra tactile vibrating feel and sound, and the amount of detail is quite good.

Mega5EST
Sounds the most deep and sub bassy, with a very nuanced and awesome bass performance. Less tactile but even so sound fuller than Verdandi.

Aure
The most intense of the three with more of a wall of sound, and is the least open and clear sounding. Also the least amount of detail in the bass nuances.



Lianne La Havas - Paper Thin

https://songwhip.com/lianne-la-havas/paper-thin

Verdandi
Very nuanced and emotional presentation of her voice, and the drums for that sake. Sounds very crisp and open, super black image behind the instruments making it all sound dynamic and separated.

Mega5EST
Lack some of the emotion and bite to her voice that the other two have, but in return sound more lush and thick. And is close to the same resolution as Verdandi, perhaps just a step behind and I think this is more due to tuning than the drivers themselves.

Aure
Emotional and resolving on her vocal similar to Verdandi, but sound thicker at the same time.
Little less open sounding, but it suits the music track more. Personally love the Aure for female vocals, as it has a mix of DD and BA for the midrange.



Intronaut - Cubensis

https://songwhip.com/intronaut/cubensis

Verdandi
Due to the less warmth the Verdandi has the most clarity and open sound, can also help everything sound less busy. But at the same time it sounds overly thin and soulless for rock and metal music, and it's very clear here on both the instruments and the vocal.

Mega5EST
I find Mega5EST neutral and slightly warm IEM, but compared to the Verdandi it sounds more like a rich sounding bass set. Especially noticeable on the music here, as it's much less aggressive and fatiguing. And can keep up with the technicalities and speed as good as Verdandi without being bright, perhaps with a little less separation.

Aure
A very intense listen, but due to the bass having a good enough amount of bass it doesn't sound overly bright. Still what I consider to energetic for metal like this, and it also sound the least open and clear of them.



Charlie Haden, Antonio Forcione - La Pasionaria

https://songwhip.com/charlie-haden/la-pasionaria

Verdandi
Double bass and guitar duo, since there are so few instruments it's easy to listen to the bass or guitar parts alone. The double bass sound detailed only lacked a little density, as in each note being a little too fast and light. The guitar on the other hand is resolving and nuanced, with high amount of clarity where you hear everything from the buzz to the fingers hitting the strings to dampen.

Mega5EST
Sound fuller and more detailed on the bass, with a more natural amount of decay. Guitar also has more thickness and soul, but in return lacks some of the bite from the Verdandi. And even if Mega5EST has less bite it is as resolving as Verdandi, just a small step behind as it has less clarity and also less energetic sound for this.

Aure
Again very similar to being a hybrid of the other two, similar thickness and Mega5EST on the bass and guitar. But have the clarity on the guitar similar to Verdandi, sound perhaps the most full of all of them due to this mix. Just at times the bass can sound a little woolly compared to the others.



Sylvaine - Fortapt

https://songwhip.com/sylvaine/fortapt

Verdandi
Beautiful kind of atmospheric dark metal, her voice is angelic and nice on Verdandi. But when the intense parts happen it sounds too thin and energetic, and doesn't have enough fullness to the guitar drums or even the cymbal strikes.
If it was music with just the softer parts Verdandi would have been really good.

Mega5EST
At once sound fuller and more to my liking, even if this sounds a little too neutral also for this music.
Little less resolving than Verdandi on her voice, but sound more technical on the drumming and guitars.

Aure
Very similar to Verdandi, is also maybe the most congested during the busy parts. They measure almost the same, and its quite clear here except for Verdandi being more open and resolving.



Adam Baldych, Leszek Mozdzer - Passacaglia

https://songwhip.com/adam-baldych/passacaglia

Verdandi
Resolving, the sound is really crisp and nuanced on both the grand piano and the violin.
Lack a little airiness to some of the piano overtones, but overall sound very pleasing and bright without being tiresome. The Violin also sounded very emotional and detailed on both the staccato and bowing.

Mega5EST
The most spacious soundstage of them, with the most realistic stage. The most airy also and sound due to this the most natural, specially when paired with the dense and emotionally violin and grand piano parts.

Aure
The Aure can have a little more bite to the brighter parts of the piano, and also sound fuller on the violin bowing than the Verdandi. While also being a little less technical and open sounding, everything is closer in the soundstage and more intimate.



Conclusion

This is a very good and engaging set, it doesn't hit my exact preference in tuning. I can still love the sound but it depends on the music playing, this is because of the more energetic upper midrange.

When it is matching my music I get a holographic and emotional presentation, for me it's a master of brighter vocalists and instruments like piano that make good use of the upper midrange clarity.
I prefer it more with acoustic music where the delicate and energetic notes can shine, also due to how clean and separated the Verdandi is.

You also get a bone conductor for the low end that is implemented well without being overdone, this will also depend on how good fit you get. This gives bassy music like techno a visceral and enjoyable low end, very fun experience and adds an extra element into the music.

From a subjective sound preference the Verdandi is a 4 star, that is very good according to my ranking system. But if I add in the luxurious design, accessories and adding equalization it’s a solid 4.5 star release.

Campfire Bonneville

Disclaimer

The Campfire Bonneville was given to me in trade for a review, I am free to say whatever I want.

All impressions are my own subjective thoughts after having used them for a good time. These are my thoughts at this moment, and as time moves I might change my opinion.
This is also a very subjective hobby where everything from experience, anatomy or age will affect what we hear. Also keep in mind that it is easy to use bold words when talking about differences, while it may be perceived as a small change for you.
While I can perceive something as natural sounding, I do believe we can never get a perfect performance similar to what is achieved live.

Ranking System:
1 Very bad or unlistenable
2 Listenable but not good
3 Average
4 Very good
5 Exceptional or having a special sauce

My rating system highly values what is musical, so my rating will always be a subjective opinion.



About me and my gear used for the review

My audio preference is neutral with increased low end, mids can be forward if not shouty. I can also handle some treble spikes if it is not excessive. I am a believer in having different tuned IEMs for different genres or moods instead of chasing the single perfect one.
Main music genres I listen to are Metal, Electronica, Jazz, Indy rock/metal, R&B, Pop. I am a music lover, and can also listen to almost all the genres out there. I have been into music gear since the mid 90s, gifted some big speakers at an early age. Then moved more and more into headphones with the Koss Porta Pro and a Sony Discman.
I have also tried playing many instruments over the years from piano to sax and have a feel for what's a natural tone, but not the biggest patience in learning to play. My wife has also played many instruments from string to wind instruments.

My current standard in Headphones is ZMF Verite Open and Beyerdynamic T1 G2.

My current favorites in IEMs are AüR Audio Ascension and 634ears Miroak-II. The AüR Audio Ascension is a tribrid with 1DD 5BA and 2EST, that is tuned to be warm and natural. Miroak-II is my favorite single DD, it has a warm and bassy sound that is also very natural sounding. Both of the models clearly belong to the similar category for, and aligns with my taste for warm sound that is more organic.

Gear used in the main rig is Topping E70 DAC together with the Topping A90 Discrete headphone Amp. I also have a Schiit Lokuis I can swap in if I want to do a little analogue EQ.
I have a few DAPs and dongles to change up the sound, my favorite being HIBY R8 II.
I have a good range of cables from Clan Audio, Penon, NiceHCK, XINHS, DUNU, Effect Audio and Gladiator Cables.



Who is Campfire

Copied from the About Us Page on Campfire website:
Welcome to Campfire Audio! Tucked away in the heart of Portland, Oregon, our small yet mighty team of audio engineers, designers, and craftspeople are laser-focused on one thing: taking your listening experience to the next level.

We kicked things off in 2015, starting as a humble group of earphone industry outsiders. Our experience up to that point was with amplifiers and cables. But don't let that fool you. Our fresh perspective became our superpower, allowing us to innovate and evolve into a brand that audiophiles hold in high regard today.

So, what makes us tick? It’s a shared passion for the sublime science of sound. We delve into the intricacies of acoustics, obsess over materials, and constantly fine-tune our designs. Why? To create a range of earphones that resonate with the varied tastes and preferences of the audiophile community.

And you, our incredible customers, are at the center of it all. You challenge us to be better, push the envelope, and turn the audible into the incredible. We craft not just earphones, but experiences that bring you closer to the music you love.

We invite you to be part of our journey, a journey of endless exploration into the world of high-fidelity audio. In return, we promise that our products will fill your life with the rich, detailed, and immersive sound that you crave.

Got questions, thoughts, or just want to talk audio? Reach out anytime. Let's make the world sound a little more beautiful, one pair of earphones at a time.

https://www.campfireaudio.com/pages/about



So what is the Bonneville

The Bonneville is the most expensive IEM in their Chromatic Series of IEMs, costing $1399.

The configuration is a specialized 10mm dynamic driver (DD) for the low end, and 3 custom balanced armatures (BA). One of the BAs is used for the midrange while the other two is for the highs, this is then 1DD + 3BA hybrid IEM.


It is available in two colors, black or the more fun purple. The shell is sculpted in an ergonomic way where you even get a groove for your finger to insert the IEM, and might be one of the most comfortable IEMs in the market. The purple version that I have changes from a less vibrant purple to a more vibrant pink color depending on the light, also has a cool contrast against the stainless steel faceplate.

The accessories and packaging is excellent, how it's designed is a unique experience and is reminiscent of an older time. Starting with the box in the awesome design with elements of text showcasing info you want on the outside, and when looking inside the box it continues there. Here you get warranty text on the inside cover, and in the box tips on how to use IEMs correctly. Even info about the cable and the importance of cleaning your Bonneville.
The cable provided is a matching 4 wire ribbon SPC cable, that they have called the Time Stream Cable. You also get some good eartips in silicon and foam, here also they are packed inside small paper bags reminiscent of old candy packaging. I got the Essential Edition so I have the Breezy Bag Standard together with the small pouches called Breezy Bag Micro, very bold in this color but also quite cool and different.

https://www.campfireaudio.com/products/bonneville











Timbre

First off, what is Timbre?
From the Wikipedia:
The Acoustical Society of America (ASA) Acoustical Terminology definition 12.09 of timbre describes it as "that attribute of auditory sensation which enables a listener to judge that two nonidentical sounds, similarly presented and having the same loudness and pitch, are dissimilar", adding, "Timbre depends primarily upon the frequency spectrum, although it also depends upon the sound pressure and the temporal characteristics of the sound"

First minutes of trying a new set of gear, what I always listen to is how natural and musical it sounds. Much of this goes down to how I perceive the Timbre.

First session was eye opening, bold and full sound. The Bonneville has voluptuous big bass that thickens also the low mids so voices and instruments get some extra body to them. Upper midrange is on the darker side, but the treble comes forth with good presence and clarity.

Going to use the ranges here in review:




Details and soundstage

The Bonneville has a more warm tuning and this often takes away some resolution, but since the treble is quite forward you get a good amount of treble detail. I would say the Bonneville does a very good job on the resolution, and is a step above other similar configuration hybrids I have used.
The amount of detail in the bass range is really impressive, it's a very good dynamic driver with alot of control. Same can be said for the midrange, even with it being a little dark in the upper range it's full of detail.

The soundstage is one of Bonneville's best strengths, it is large and has very good imaging capability. It goes from your head and expands very wide and deep, especially for an IEM. This just means that I get a very good holographic experience, reminding me a little of stereo speakers in an IEM.

Bass

The bass of the Bonneville is colorful, it's an amount I see as a basshead experience. Deep strong sub bass rumble and visceral slamming midbass, it also thickens the low mids making music sound thicker.

Sub bass is deep and can make bass elements come forth more easily in the mix, while it's awesome it can get too much for some orchestral pieces.
In return you get an epic experience in movies, same can be said for atmospheric gaming.
Or just like me who prefer a lot of good sub bass, the Bonneville delivers with gusto.

Mid bass is fast and visceral, it slams when asked for with authority. The speed is really good, and has still some decay so it doesn't sound sterile as BA or Planars do.

The quality of the bass is some of the best you can get at this price point, and I find it more or less perfect for my taste. Not for the bass shy.

Mids

The low midrange where instruments like guitars and most vocals lay are thick and nuanced, a very rich and fun sound. But is elevated above what's maybe neutral, some will prefer a leaner low midrange. But even if it's warm and lush it's surprisingly clean, so I even like to listen to brighter female singers. Dark vocals should be pleasing for most people, and are both nuanced and rich sounding.

But it should be mentioned that some brighter singers can lack some presence and be more relaxed, this is due to how the upper midrange is slightly dark where lots of the overtones from brighter females come from. But in return it helps certain bright vocals or instruments like brass have less piercing sound, making especially music like brighter jazz more easy to listen to.

The interesting part is that the longer I get accustomed to the sound, I don't find it to sound as dark. And then it's easier to notice how rich and detailed the midrange is, and I find it very tasteful without being bright or shouty. Now instead I have problems with sets that follow the harman curve, or just in general when upper mids are elevated too much.

Treble

The treble is elevated in similar fashion as the low end, there is plenty of treble energy. I have good hearing in my upper range, so first days with Bonneville required me to adjust volume down and also be picky on the music. After cable and tip rolling, including some burn in of the IEM and my brain it's much better now.

But it's still on the brighter side of IEMs, and can get fatiguing on certain music that's already bright in the treble. I bet this is much less of a concern for people who are older, or just people with some hearing loss that is very normal.

It's not the most airy set when comparing against some models that have an unnatural amount of upper treble, Bonneville has a natural amount of airiness and is not lacking. I prefer this style, as I find the overly boosted style some brands now do to be unnatural and piercing.



Synergies

A small part about what gear I have been enjoying the most with the Bonneville, starting with cables. The stock cable is good to get you going, and sounds decent. It's not my preference in design and ergonomics, so I changed quite early to after market cables.

The Effect Audio Cadmus 8W is excellent, but is also on the thick side and not the most comfortable. Since Bonneville is such a comfortable IEM it deserves a softer cable, my goto has been Clan Audio Type 6 litz Copper that's subtle and suits the tonality of Bonneville.

The Bonneville has been easy with tips and most work well, as the nozzle is ergonomic with nice depth and also not being too thick. My Favorites are Divinus Velvet, Tangzu Sancai and Canal Works CWU-GDECL. The Canal Works is the fullest sounding and has a visceral sound, but also doesn't tame the highs at all. The Sancai on the other hand is the least bassy of the three and gives me the softest treble, and also has the least amount of driver flex. Last the Velvet being in the middle of the other two, and is an excellent fit and my favorite.

Main source has been with HIBY R8 II, the resolution and natural sound is just pure good match. R8 II makes the bass sound more rounded and organic, while having good control of the treble not being as bright.

My desktop gear with Topping E70 and A90 Discrete might be more resolving, but is also a brighter sound. The Cayin N7 sounded too bright and energetic and is not an DAP I would pair with the Bonneville, same can be said for R6 Pro 2 being also on the brighter side.

Tried only with one warm and analog source, the Colorfly CDA M1P dongle. This was surprisingly good and had good organic synergy, but lacked the technicalities to the DAPs above.




Comparisons

When evaluating the sets I use each of them over longer periods and also some shorter sessions swapping back and forth, it takes a long time and is not done in one sitting. The most critical comparison is done on my desktop setup that is highly resolving, with volume matching through a microphone to take away loudness variance.

The spider chart is slightly exaggerated on some points to show differences.







Venture Electronics Grand Duke

The Grand Duke is the flagship of the brand, consisting of 1 single dynamic driver costing a little under the Bonneville. It Is warm and thick sounding, and has a lot of similarities to Bonneville.

The bass is boosted as much as Bonneville, but has less speed and slam. Grand Duke in return has a softer low end that is maybe a little more nuanced on stuff like double bass etc.

Mids of Grand Duke are thicker than Bonneville, so voices have even more of a husky sound to them. Instruments like piano can be more coherent and brass have more presence, but it's less detailed than Bonneville.

Treble is crisper on Bonneville with more amount, air is also slightly less. Quality of the treble is very close, but the Grand Duke is a little less refined and also less resolving.

Soundstage is huge in both of these, with very good depth and height. Hard to pick them apart when listening to the stage capabilities. Might give a small edge to Bonneville since it's wider in and more stereo-like.



Kinera Verdandi

The Verdandi is one of the newest IEMs from Kinera, using 2 Knowles BA + 2 Sonion EST + 1 DD + 1 Bone Conduction Driver. Price is just $200 under the Bonneville.
The sound is quite different from Bonneville, bass is punchy and tactile but lacks the force and warmth of Bonneville. The tactile feel of the bone conductor helps the smaller 6mm driver have something extra in the bass, even so the Bonneville seems to me much more fun and tasteful.

Midrange is quite the opposite of Bonneville, having less low midrange making it less thick sounding on instruments and vocals. It also has much more upper mids making certain brighter instruments or vocals to have more presence and bite.

Treble is well extended and has a natural amount of air, Bonneville is brighter and has a more detailed upper treble. Verdandi does have a more velvety high range, and can be more relaxing to listen to when it's music with much treble energy.

Soundstage of Verdandi is very holographic, but is on the smaller and more intimate side. So both share good imaging capability but differ in that one is spacious and the other intimate.



Music

https://tidal.com/browse/playlist/ad7bbfa3-2067-4235-b2ed-f5a3fb53ff28

When comparing Campfire Bonneville to other sets I have used the tracks listed here and more.
The link is to a playlist consisting of some tracks I have saved for testing, it's still a work in progress.

I will also do it a little differently than what I usually do, I'll mention a small part under each track with how each IEM sounds like compared to the Bonneville. I will provide a link to each track for you to test out, my own listening being with my FLAC files or Tidal streaming.



Allan Holdsworth - Metal Fatigue

https://songwhip.com/allan-holdsworth/metal-fatigue-remastered

Bonneville
Has a full and satisfying sound to Holdsworth guitar, same for the drums and voice. Cymbals are clear and authoritative, but not piercing. A full but natural sound on the darker side, has a certain richness to it all that's so excellent.

Verdandi
Swapping over to Verdandi you get a more thin sound than the other two, the guitar gets more focused in on. Drums and his voice get pushed a little back into the mix, even the cymbals have less shimmer to them. In a way that sounds cleaner but also very boring.

Grand Duke

This is closer to the Bonneville sound signature than the Verdandi, similar where drums, guitar and voice are more thick and full. Has the least amount of bite of all of them, so lacks a little of the energy. It's a little softer and safer sounding, also less dense and dark than Bonneville.



Camille Thomas, Julien Brocal - Lento con gran espressione

https://songwhip.com/camille-thomas...ongranespressionearrforcelloandpianobymmaisky

Bonneville
Opens up sounding so rich and beautiful. Bonneville has an authority to the cello that I will argue is lacking from most IEMs, since cello sounds big and full in real life. The warmth of the Bonneville makes it sound more true to life, and also the piano that is accompanying sounds organic and real. Highly resolving and picking up a lot of the nuanced playing with also the background noise of the breathing.

Verdandi
A clear and nuanced performance on Verdandi, lacks warmth but has some extra clarity to the more bright intense parts. But I will argue this sounds less natural than the real deal, ofc nowhere to know this after all the production in the studios has been done.

Grand Duke
Has the most spacious and open sound, but lacks some of the dynamic range that Bonneville has on the softer parts. Sounds less big than Bonneville on cello, but has some extra bite on the crescendo. Can compete more or less with Bonneville on classical music that's less busy and complex like this.



GoGO Penguin - The Antidote IS in the Poison

https://songwhip.com/gogo-penguin/theantidoteisinthepoison

Bonneville
Has a good balance for jazz music like this, balanced rich sound that is very resolving without being too aggressive or tiresome. The micro details of instruments are quite remarkable, with excellent separation and staging. Bass is also so dense and addictive.

Verdandi
Due to the less warmth the Verdandi has the most clarity and open sound, can also help everything sound less busy. Would have liked some extra warmth personally, but the balance is really good and might be more to some preference in tonality for jazz. Very resolving and is on par with Bonneville overall, except for maybe less bass dynamics.

Grand Duke
This is very good on GD also, and has an intense and full sound. Lack some resolution and sound a little busier than Bonneville and Verdandi. At times it can sound a little too intense, so I need to play it less loud than Bonneville. Less authoritative bass than Bonneville, but even so sound more congested.



Gojira - Drum Solo

https://songwhip.com/gojira/drum-solo

Bonneville is impressive, the tonality is spot on perfect for drums. Technicality is excellent, visceral drumming. It slam so hard, just in general sounds so impactful and fun.

Grand Duke
The tonality is close to the Bonneville on drumming, I would say it's less impactful and a little softer with slower decay. Soundstage is a small amount more spacious, like everything is happening in a larger arena. Background screaming and the cymbals are a little more behind in the mix.

Verdandi
Similar speed but way less impactful, I crank up the volume more to compensate for lack of bass. But that means also that the cymbals get louder, and borderline for what i can handle. Resolution is quite good and on pair with Grand Duke but less than Bonneville, stage sound much smaller than both.



Norah Jones - Don’t Know Why

https://songwhip.com/norah-jones/dontknowwhy

Bonneville
Has again a very rich and engaging midrange, Norah has plenty of soul in her voice.
She is never sibilant or shouty on Bonneville, but still has that edge that her voice can have at certain points. I find it surprisingly impressive for vocals, as long you like denser sound instead of super clean and leaner sounding female vocals.

Verdandi
This pushes her voice more forward, has plenty of resolving nature to show every nuance in her vocal and even more than Bonneville. Verdandi has more breathiness and a shimmery voice presentation, but also means that the more intense parts are quite intense.
The instruments are already a little in the back, but are perhaps even more pushed back here due to the upper mids pushing the vocal forth.

Grand Duke
Similar thick sound as Bonneville but with some added softness to her, can in a way sound more seducing and emotional. But lacks some clarity and is less expressive sounding, lacking some technicalities to both dynamics and resolution.



Suldusk - Anthesis

https://songwhip.com/suldusk/anthesis

Bonneville.
Suldusk is one of my latest discoveries, and her latest album is a masterpiece. Bonneville has the tonality to make intense metal less shouty and tiresome, but without making it sounding veiled or dull. It's just a thick and visceral sound, but due to the less aggressive upper mids it's not shouty. Both the instruments and her parts are super resolving and expressive, capturing a wide dynamic range. And sound equally good during the softer and melodic parts as the intense ones.

Verdandi
It starts so nice and emotional with the guitar playing and her harmonic voice coming in, but that's it. When the intense part starts with a big NO, this is insanely energetic, shouty and bright. So bright it's actually hard to hear what's going on, even if you like less warmth I dont think this is any good for intense metal.

Grand Duke
Is a softer presentation, and has the least bite of the three. The dynamics is also a step back and lacks the wider change from the loud to the soft parts, but also is the safest if your sensitive to intense parts as it's less energetic.



Nanosphere - Swamp Dimension

https://songwhip.com/nanosphere/swamp-dimension

Bonneville
My two main genres I listen to are metal and electronica, Bonneville has been my go to for metal but I also like it alot for this.
The bass is big and tight without being overblown, the treble energy makes it sound very open and resolving. Bonneville might have too much high range energy for sensitive people, for me it's on the border of what is okay. This also means I prefer to use Bonneville with less bright gear, then I find it excellent like here. But it also means that stuff like the track here can get me fatigued after a while.

Verdandi
Electronic bassy music is good for Verdandi, also makes the bone conductor show what it's capable of. Adds a certain tactile feel to the bass, but even so it's less impactful than the Bonneville and Grand Duke. It sounds a little thin and lacks the deep dense bass.
There is also the problem that most electronica have brighter treble, this comes forth the most with Verdandi and can make it fatiguing after a short while. Resolution is quite good on this, and is on par with Bonneville.

Grand Duke
Thick and fun sound for electronica, a little loose and slow. So the bass takes over more of the sound, even if it takes over so much it's a very fun experience. It also has the least bright highrange making it less piercing, but can be fatiguing still due to the amount of bass.



Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg - Still D.R.E

https://songwhip.com/dr-dre/still-dre

Bonneville
This slams hard, depending on how you like your Dre this is very fun and energetic. Both Dre and Snoop have a good body to them and the bass kick is visceral and fun, crisp and good cymbals. Usually i don't listen to rap or hip hop, but Bonneville made me enjoy it alot.

Verdandi
Lacking the body to sound good on this, both the beat and the vocals sound thin and boring. It's okay resolving, but I doubt many listen to Dr. Dre for the technical aspects.

Grand Duke
The slightly slower decay of GD is well suited for hip Hop or rap, the balance of lows and highs is also good for the genre. Perhaps better than Bonneville as it's less visceral and energetic, but still dense and full sounding. Also how both Dre and Snoop sound more full bodied on Grand Duke.



Conclusion

Most of us are in this hobby to enjoy music, and what is enjoyable differs from person to person. I for one enjoy colorful and fun tunings, the Bonneville delivers this with full force and makes me enjoy music to the fullest.

The Bonneville is not a neutral sounding IEM, it has a colorful and warm tuning. Where the bass rumbles and slams with authority, what I would consider a basshead experience. The midrange being thick and full sounding, without ever being shouty or sibilant. And a super clear and detailed treble, a nice elevation to harmonize with the lush low end. Soundstage is also one of the best you can get, wide and spacious with excellent imaging.

I see Campfire as a passionate brand that really cares about their products and their customers. The amount of detail in the box alone is quite eye opening and very special, same with how the accessories match the colorful design theme of the IEM.

I rank my reviews by technical performance and also by what I call musicality, on the technical side the Bonneville is 4.5 stars but looking at the musical score it's a pure 5 star. This is a highly subjective ranking, and for some it would maybe not be as valued as high.

Thanks again to Campfire for the review opportunity.

Hisenior Mega5EST 7th Anniversary Edition

Disclaimer

The Mega5EST is my fourth IEM from Hisenior, I did buy it with a review discount. All impressions are my own subjective thoughts after having used them for a good time. These are my thoughts at this moment, and as time moves I might change my opinion.
This is also a very subjective hobby where everything from experience, anatomy or age will affect what we hear. Also keep in mind that it is easy to use bold words when talking about differences, while it may be perceived as a small change for you.
While I can perceive something as natural sounding, I do believe we can never get a perfect performance similar to what is achieved live.

Ranking System:
1 Very bad or unlistenable
2 Listenable but not good
3 Average
4 Very good
5 Exceptional or having a special sauce

My rating system highly values what is musical, so my rating will always be a subjective opinion.



About me and my gear used for the review

My audio preference is neutral with increased low end, mids can be forward but not too much. I can also handle some treble spikes if it is not excessive. I am a believer in having different tuned IEMs for different genres or moods instead of chasing the single perfect one.
Main music genres I listen to are Metal, Electronica, Jazz, Indy rock/metal, R&B, Pop. I am a music lover, and can also listen to almost all the genres out there. I have been into music gear since the mid 90s, gifted some big speakers at an early age. Then moved more and more into headphones with the Koss Porta Pro and a Sony Discman.
I have also tried playing many instruments over the years from piano to sax and have a feel for what's a natural tone, but not the biggest patience in learning to play. My wife has also played many instruments from string to wind instruments.

My current standard in Headphones is ZMF Verite Open and Beyerdynamic T1 G2.

My current favorites in IEMs are AüR Audio Ascension and 634ears Miroak-II. The AüR Audio Ascension is a tribrid with 1DD 5BA and 2EST, that is tuned to be warm and natural. Miroak-II is my favorite single DD, it has a warm and bassy sound that is also very natural sounding. Both of the models belong to a similar category of sound, and align with my taste for warm sound that is more organic.

Gear used in the main rig is Topping E70 DAC together with the Topping A90 Discrete headphone Amp. I also have a Schiit Lokuis I can swap in if I want to do a little analogue EQ.
I have a few DAPs and dongles to change up the sound, my favorite being HIBY R8 II.
I have a good range of cables from Clan Audio, Penon, NiceHCK, XINHS, DUNU, Effect Audio and Gladiator Cables.



Who is Hisenior

https://www.hisenior-iem.com/

I heard about Hisenior for the first time last year, and heard praise about their Mega5P hybrid IEM. Found it to be excellent for the money when I had it on loan from a friend, it had a natural and good tonality. Great built and felt better than what they asked for, the market has changed and more and more hybrids have entered. Also from Hisenior themselves, the Okavango their newest hybrid was a more lush and fun IEM and the new T4 is the best budget BA set on the market.

Hisenior as I understand has been making IEMs for a good time, but aimed for the professional market. This is also why they offer IEMs in the CIEM versions, the new models have options for both CIEM and universal design.

About Us page:

We are Hisenior Audio, the designer, manufacture of professional in-ear monitors for musicians, studio engineers and audiophiles.

EVERY MUSIC DREAM IS WORTHY OF RESPECT

No Matter You Play Bass,Drum,Keys,Guitar or Sing the Songs, No Matter Where Your Musics Happen(at Home, In Street or On Stage), We Believe Every of Your Music Dream is Worthy of Respect and Protection, No Matter How Small It is. Join Us and Together for more......

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So what is the Mega5EST 7th Anniversary Edition

Mega5EST is the Hisenior flagship IEM, a tribrid with 1DD+2BA+2EST. This model is the Anniversary edition in a blue and grey design, the model has been redone compared to the original release that came out some years ago. Throughout the review I might refer to it as M5E.

What's New: (New Smaller shell/New Sound Nozzle/ New Inner Drivers-configuration/New Air Vent/ New Tuning Sound (Harman IEM target curve + Hisenior Exclusive Smooth Coherence from bass-treble))

It has 1 Dynamic Driver in Bio Cellulose that is 10mm large for its low end, this is a custom made driver for HiSenior. The BA drivers are for mids and high frequencies, both are from Sonion and high quality. The last two drivers are also Sonion but EST drivers, mostly for the ultra high frequencies.



https://www.hisenior-iem.com/products/mega5est-hybrid-iem

Measurement from Jaytiss:





The Ergonomics of the Mega5EST is really good with a CIEM like mold with contoured wing, the nozzle also has some angle and good length to make it secure fitting. The socket for the 2pin is the flat style, and feels like good quality with good grip on the pins.
They have plenty of venting and dont feel closed in at all, maybe due to the large metal vent hole.



Accessories are plenty when we look at the tips, should be something for everyone to find something that seals good. Stock cable is also really good and I personally love the design of SPC cables like this, it's delivered in 4.4mm. You get their standard hard case, while rather large it's excellent for storing the IEMs safe.



Timbre

First off, what is Timbre?
From the Wikipedia:
The Acoustical Society of America (ASA) Acoustical Terminology definition 12.09 of timbre describes it as "that attribute of auditory sensation which enables a listener to judge that two nonidentical sounds, similarly presented and having the same loudness and pitch, are dissimilar", adding, "Timbre depends primarily upon the frequency spectrum, although it also depends upon the sound pressure and the temporal characteristics of the sound"

First minutes of trying a new set of gear, what I always listen to is how natural and musical it sounds. Much of this goes down to how I perceive the Timbre.

The sound of the Mega5EST is very natural sounding, with a neutral tonality with some low end warmth. They call this Harman IEM target paired with their own smooth coherent tuning, I like this much more than Harman tuned IEMs.

Going to use the ranges here in review:




Details and soundstage

The Mega5EST has a good amount of detail, but sits lower in detail level than some of the best models around this price range. But overall it's better than most hybrids and tribrids at the price, I find it gives a good balance of resolving capability that harmonizes with the natural tuning.

Soundstage is spherical for me with good width and height, but maybe not as much forward projection. More spacious than models like their T4, Okavango and Mega5P, so you get some extra finesse over Hisenior cheaper models. Same with imaging cues being a step up in pinpoint accuracy, with more realistic stage.

Bass

This is interesting, I didn't expect too much beforehand about the bass. The Mega5P was never my thing, then Okavango was much better on this aspect, and delivered a textured and fun low range.
As M5E was supposed to be more reference sounding I expected the bass to be neutral and less bombastic, took me by surprise.

The bass here reminds me of another IEM I loved for the bass, the Aurora from AüR. Meaning the bass has excellent elastic texture that can both slam and rumble with authority, but here is more present in the mix over Aurora with a small amount more mid bass.

Bass is very natural to me, in my book this is what a natural amount of bass is. Some sets with a leaner amount sound totally wrong when listening to recordings of cello or drums etc.
This is not a basshead set, but still has a good amount of warmth to make music real and lively as it should be.

Bass is not too fast or slow, and excels at textured notes that also can slam well. You will not get a bombastic bass that some people love for hip hop and metal music, but this is again better on stuff like electronic or acoustic music like jazz or classical.

Mids

Midrange is a good one, it's smooth and natural. With clear tonality that's not uneven or veiled at any part, just very natural. This also means it will probably not offend any who are sensitive to midrange, but on the flip side people who love extra forward mids will lack something.

The upper mids also are on the safe side, not shouty or bright at all. Lately I have enjoyed this type of tuning much more, often when changing from more forward pina gain sets it can sound less detailed. But I dont think this is true as it's an illusion, as the upper mids are detailed just not as in your face.

Guitars have good technicalities but lack some bite if used to more energetic sets, so perhaps better for Spanish guitar than metal riffs.

Listening to piano recordings the mids sound so even and natural, just a very correct amount of warmth to give the lowest octaves fullness. While the upper range can both be delicate and sparkly, just an excellent timbre for piano.

I find the Mega5EST to be equally good on female or male vocals, or bright and darker vocals. If I would pick one perhaps the brighter females are the best, as it's clean without being sharp or sibilant. Instruments like brass or cymbals also have a clean sound without being fatigued or harsh, but still have some bite to them not being dampened too much.

Treble

The treble is well extended and clear, not shouty or tiresome at all. I would say the amount of upper treble and air is very natural, so to my preference as I don't like too much upper treble.
Some might want more air, especially if they have less upper treble hearing or just prefer it exaggerated.

Music has plenty of overtones and airyness, cymbals sound crisp and not dull. Instruments like piccolo flute sound airy and nice, same for violin overtones sounding airy with great realism.



Synergies

A small part about what gear I have been enjoying the most with the Mega5EST, starting with cable. The stock White Whale cable is excellent, and I found no need to change it out.
I tried my Effect Audio Cadmus 8w, and the change is so small that I doubt it's anything different.
I liked it with all my sources and amps, the neutral sound carries the sound of what it's plugged into. It is also fairly power hungry, but even a cheap dongle sounds good. But feed it with good sounding gear and it will scale and show the quality of the source.

But I do think it sounds more lively and resolving paired with my desktop gear or my HIBY R8 II.

Tips have been the Divinus Velvet, excellent comfort and it is full sounding.




Music

I will just talk about some of the music I like, the music I use here are some of my reference tracks and also just some music I like in general. When I am listening to music and not evaluating, I prefer to listen to whole albums. When comparing Mega5EST to other sets I have used the tracks listed here and more. I use Tidal or my own files for listening, but will provide links for either the Bandcamp or YT version.

Also sharing a review Tidal list that I have started to make, it will evolve over time and is still in the early stage.

https://tidal.com/browse/playlist/ad7bbfa3-2067-4235-b2ed-f5a3fb53ff28



Jóhann Jóhannsson : Flight from the City

Ambient Contemporary Classical music, one of my favorites in the genre. It's a simple but nuanced track and album, if you like this one track I advise you to check the rest out. The natural playback of Mega5EST excels at this stuff, how it portrays both the strings and piano sound real and full. Gave me goose bumps hearing though the album on Mega5EST, helps also how the soundstage sounds so black and immersive.



Blackfield - Once (Remastered)

Blackfield got back into my listening recently due to another reviewer who shared it with me. Nice to hear them again after what I think is 10 years or more. The remaster of the Blackfield II album is great, highly dynamic and resolving. The track opens up with a clear drum part and the vocals and guitars is excellent, perfect track for testing timbre in general. If I have one nit pick on Mega5EST it is the amount of bass, personally I prefer even more mid bass for prog rock to make it sound thicker.



Shpongle - Shpongle Falls

Big fan of Shpongle, their music has defined much of the psy chill genre that is today. The album here is one my favorites from them, the chill ambient side with some psychedelic elements.
First of the Mega5EST dig super low into the sub bass, it produces the kick in a satisfying way where it's present without taking over the sound. The sound cues are 3D and spacious, and you get that trip in your head that Psy genres often do. Just the right amount of detail and clean sound to keep it musical but still resolving.



YAOSOBI - 夜に駆ける

I dont often listen to J-Pop as I often find it too busy or bright, and if I do it would be on sets that are not overly bright that also can handle busy transitions.
夜に駆ける is J-pop track that is clear and busy, Mega5EST has a very good sound for this that keeps the female vocal super clear without being fatigued or too sharp. My new J-pop set if I ever move more into this genre.



Smilla - Coronation

Minimal Techno from Germany, not the most technical track. But provides a full and deep thumping bass rhythm, sort of bass style that sounds bad on ultra fast sets like planars or BA.
Mega5EST manages excellent and it's very fun, I think the amount of bass is adequate for this bass heavy track. The electronica elements in the upper range is also controlled nicely without being piercing like it does on OH700VB.



Bat For Lashes - Feel For You

Natasha’s fifth studio album, Lost Girls album is more or less a love letter to 80s movies and synth pop from the time. My favorite has been the track Feel For You, which reminds me a lot of the 80s and spark joy. The rhythmic drumming and simple line Feel For You is one the simple side, but also is a good one to just see how I like a set if it's engaging and full.



Gojira - Drum Solo

Big fan of Gojira and have used them plenty of times in reviews, French heavy metal band. The track here is what the title says, a drum solo by Mario François Duplantier. Sounds so real and fun on Mega5EST, maybe I could have liked a small amount more mid bass. But no, this sounds very realistic and fun, and also shows how important a textured and elastic DD can be for drums. Cymbals have a good bite without being piercing, just a good and natural presentation.



Caroline Polachek - Fly To You (fear. Grimes and Dido)

Caroline has blown up lately in popularity, deserving of her unique modern pop music. Never knew I needed this collaboration she had with Grimes and Dido, 3 unique vocals together. Grimes sounds airy and shimmery, while Dido has her full voice I remember from her popular days. And lets not forget Caroline's special and unique voice, all of them make it sound very special. Love how expressive and natural Mega5EST has here, just the correct amount of clarity and warmth to make it euphonic.



Comparisons

When evaluating I use impressions over a longer time period with some fresh comparisons also, it takes a long time and is not done in one sitting. The most critical comparison is done on my desktop setup that is highly resolving, with volume matching through a microphone to take away loudness variance.

The spider chart is slightly exaggerated on some points to show differences, it's also a subjective chart about my preference. Musical/Soul is what matters the most, and is down to what I feel when I listen to the IEM.





Hisenior Okavango

Okavango is hybrid IEM with 7 drivers total that is tuned in their new WILD-NATURE series, named after the world's largest inland Desert Delta. It has 1 DD and 6 BA with tuning switches to change up the sound, I have used it in the 00 config that has the most neutral tonality. It's still tuned to have a good amount of mid bass for a thicker and more lively sound, also why it's in the Wild Nature series to be a more fun tuning than the other models they have.
Soundstage is smaller and less expansive on the Okavango, it's a good difference here. For the cost I think Okavango was great, especially compared to other IEMs at the price. But Mega5EST clearly has something extra making it sound more open and large.

Bass is more textured and deeper on Mega5EST, the Okavango can sound a little hollow and less defined after having heard Mega5EST. Especially the deepest sub bass rumbles with fuller note weight, mid bass is the other way around where the Okavango has more punch to it. But even so the mid bass of Mega5EST is more elastic and textured , they use similar material being Bio Cellulose but have different size and probably also different magnets.

Midrange of Okavango is more on the husky side over Mega5EST, as in more warmth and forward in the low mids. Quality is a step under the Mega5EST and I think this is a mix of the tuning and drivers used. Upper mids have some grain on Okavango that is buttery smooth and clean on Mega5EST.

Highs of Mega5EST is a good step above Okavango, Okavango without the treble switch engaged has less bite and air. Engaging the treble switch makes Okavango have more treble that is overly sharp and piercing, where it sounds uneven and not natural.



AüR Audio Aurora

This is a hybrid IEM from AüR, it has 2DDs and 6BAs. It is tuned to be neutral with a sub bass boost, also with a relaxing top end. Priced around the same, but will lack the EST drivers.
The Mega5EST has way better presentation of the packaging and unboxing, with also better accessories. Comfort is great with both sets, maybe a small win to Aurora as it has slightly better design on the shell.

Soundstage is more spacious on the Mega5EST and positioned more in front, but Aurora has a slightly better 3D effect around you where it goes more to the sides of your head. Looking at the resolution they are good but not extraordinary, maybe a small win to the Mega5EST as it has more clarity. I would call the Aurora warm neutral with darker treble, the Mega5EST is more of a warm neutral.

The Aurora has a slightly tighter bass, but maybe a little reserved at times. Mega5EST has a more spacious bass presentation, slightly more impactful slam that also comes forth more easily. But still within a natural amount similar to Aurora, the difference in texture is hard to explain as both are very textured on stuff like string instruments. But still sound different, think it comes down to the smaller drivers on Aurora might be slightly faster to decay.

Lower Midrange is a small amount more forward on both instruments and vocals with Aurora. There is a difference in cleanliness of the midrange, the Aurora can seem more textured in the mids and slower. So when comparing the two it can sound quite different, technically I think the Mega5EST sound more correct. But it doesn't mean it's more resolving in the mids, just different.
Upper midrange is well controlled on both without being too forward, but also not recessed where we lose presence. Here you get some extra clarity on Mega5EST due to the cleaner sound.

Both have pleasing treble, but it's higher clarity and more extension with Mega5EST. Also the EST drivers makes it sound more ethereal and pleasing.



Oriveti OH700VB

This is Oriveti flagship hybrid IEM, the OH700VB has 1 Dynamic Driver for bass and 6 Balanced Armatures. The price is slightly higher than the Mega5EST at $700. The quality of the IEMs is good, but looking at build quality the Mega5EST both feel and look more premium built. Both brands deliver an excellent amount of accessories, both have a decent cable already in the box.

Soundstage and resolution are very close to each other, it's different in how they do things but both remain good in the price segment. OH700VB has a wider presentation, while Mega5EST is more forward projecting. Resolution is very close to each other, might be a small step above on Mega5EST. Both are what I call neutral with bass boost, while OH700VB has a slight tilt toward V shaped tonality.

Bass texture of both sets are very similar, but they sound fairly different due to how they are tuned. Would perhaps say OH700VB is looser and appears more easy, the M5E more controlled and dense. The OH700VB has more of a separated bass with a bass tuck, and the M5E more of a mixed glide and tuck. On a lot of music it's hard to pick the bass part from each other, this is since the amount of warmth is very similar and also the texture. A few tracks can show a small amount of more sub bass extension on OH700VB, while some other tracks sound more bassy on M5E as it has more mid bass ratio.

Mids of OH700VB are natural and a little uneven with some small amount of darkness, M5E is not dark but very similar overall. Just that they are tuned slightly differently where M5E is more coherent throughout.
Male vocals often sound fuller on M5E and brighter females can be more delicate, M5E handles sibilance smoother.
Both handle bright instruments like sax excellently without being shouty, a little darker on OH700VB.

The treble of the OH700VB has more extension and it is brighter than M5E, but it's not as refined and natural sounding. Almost have some raspy unevenness to the highs that come forth due the forward presence, this also makes OH700VB sound closer to a neutral/V shape than neutral. The OH700VB has some extra cymbal shimmer or air in general over the Mega5EST.



Summary

The Mega5EST is perhaps one of the best value IEMs for the one who wants a natural sounding tribrid.

In short the Hisenior Mega5EST is a very natural sounding IEM, that keeps itself from being either boring or fatiguing. More or less a jack of all trades, that does everything very correctly without being master of anything. Also means that it excels at most music you throw at it, perfect for putting your music library on random and enjoy.

It's clearly the best IEM I have used from Hisenior, and excels in coherency thanks to good drivers and tuning. Mega5EST has the right amount of warmth and brightness to make it musical and enjoyable for me.

Thanks again to Hisenior for the review discount, I look forward to more later this year.
It is too bad so few know about Mega5est, the model deserve more recognition. A tuning and quality that should be loved by many.

HIBY R8 II - Bordeaux Red

Disclaimer

The R8 II is the 5th DAP I have owned from HIBY. I did buy the R8 II with a discount in return for a review through @MusicTeck. Reviewing DAPs is really hard as the differences are smaller than comparing a set of headphones or IEMs, because of this the differences might be exaggerated throughout the review.

All impressions are my own subjective thoughts after having used them for a good time. These are my thoughts at this moment, and as time moves I might change my opinion.
This is also a very subjective hobby where everything from experience, anatomy or age will affect what we hear. Also keep in mind that it is easy to use bold words when talking about differences, while it may be perceived as a small change for you.
While I can perceive something as natural sounding, I do believe we can never get a perfect performance similar to what is achieved live.

Ranking System:
1 Very bad or unlistenable
2 Listenable but not good
3 Average
4 Very good
5 Exceptional or having a special sauce

My rating system highly values what is musical, so my rating will always be a subjective opinion.



About me and my gear used for the review

My audio preference is neutral with increased low end, I can also like forward midrange if not excessive. I can also handle some treble spikes if it is not excessive. I am a believer in having different tuned IEMs for different genres or moods instead of chasing the single perfect one.
Main music genres I listen to are Metal, Electronica, Jazz, Indy rock/metal, R&B, Pop. I am a music lover, and can also listen to almost all the genres out there.
I have been into music gear since the mid 90s, gifted some big speakers at an early age. Then moved more and more into headphones with the Koss Porta Pro and a Sony Discman.
I have also tried playing many instruments over the years from piano to sax and have a feel for what's a natural tone, but not the biggest patience in learning to play.

My current standard in Headphones is ZMF Verite Open and Beyerdynamic T1 G2.

My current favorites in IEMs are AüR Audio Ascension and 634ears Miroak-II. The AüR Audio Ascension is a tribrid with 1DD 5BA and 2EST, that is tuned to be warm and natural. Miroak-II is my favorite single DD, it has a warm and bassy sound that is also very natural sounding. Both of the models clearly belong to the similar category for, and aligns with my taste for warm sound that is more organic.

Gear used in the main rig is Topping E70 DAC together with the Topping A90 Discrete headphone Amp. I also have a Schiit Lokuis I can swap in if I want to do a little analogue EQ.
I have only one DAP, the HIBY R6 Pro2. But I do have plenty of dongles to change up the sound, from neutral ones to some that are warm and analogue.
I have a good range of cables from Clan Audio, DUNU, Effect Audio, NiceHCK, XINHS and Gladiator Cables.

https://shop.musicteck.com/products/hiby-r8-ii





Who is HIBY

Personally I have been using their products for a few years, it was the small R3 Pro Saber that made me interested in DAPs. And over the years HIBY has grown to become my favorite DAP maker, providing good quality at a reasonable price.

From their own About Us Page:

HiBy is a company with over 15 years of expertise in the field of music players, and it has two subsidiary brands: HiBy Music and HiBy Digital. HiBy Music focuses on developing high-fidelity, high-quality portable music players and headphone decoders. HiBy Digital, built on HiBy's years of expertise in the professional field, has created a stylish digital music consumer electronics brand, enabling more music enthusiasts to experience their own unique musical beauty.




https://store.hiby.com/pages/about-hiby



So what is the R8 II

The HIBY R8 II is their newest Digital Audio Player (DAP) priced at $1999, combining new technology and excellent build quality.

According to their own website R8 II is their flagship DAP, this is interesting as the RS8 is a more expensive DAP. The R8 series of DAPs is a higher end line than their models coming from the R6 or R3 series, there has been a previous R8 that also was highly regarded.

The DAC section of the R8 II is a special one, combining the DARWIN MPA from their R2R DACs together with a Delta Sigma implementation. From my understanding it's 16 DAC parts that go into the mix, with lots of tech that is outside of my understanding of DACs.

The amp section is OPAMP based with switchable Class A or AB, 3x OPA1612 + 2x ADA4625-2 for the Output Amplification and NJW1195 for the Volume. There is also the Turbo mode to increase the 6V to 7.5V for more power, at the cost of battery time.

The internal parts are high quality, much of it carries over from their previous flagship RS8.

Instead of listing all the specs:




Design

Starting off with the design, the model I have here is the Bordeaux Red version. It's covered in glass, surgical steel and Alcantara. The R8 II is a fairly large player and weighs 515g, not a light weighter.
Even so it's comfortable to hold in the hand both without or with the supplied case, but this is clearly a DAP for sitting down instead of your neighborhood walk.

Looking from the front the R8 II looks normal except for the fact that the screen is longer than most DAPs, similar to smartphones now have more height and remain the same width.

The display is 5.9” IPS HD screen with Corning Gorilla Glass, provides good colors and dynamic range for a DAP display. As we are here for music and not the display it's probably not as important for everyone, but for me it's important as we are used to quality screens on our smartphones. The front glass also has a slight rounded edge toward the metal bezel, looks nice but also makes the glass protector have a limit for how far it can go to the edge. On the flip side if you remove the screen protector and use it without a case you get a very premium feel.



The backside of the R8 II is covered in alcantara fabric, making it comfortable to hold and look awesome. Also make it so it doesn't feel so fragile when you put it down on a hard surface like a glass table. Only concern I have is that this might get ugly over time. I decided on red but I bet black is the safest if we think about the long term and how stains would show, even if alcantara is one of the better fabric materials to clean.



The bottom of the player should be familiar for most Cayin and HIBY users, here you have line out ports on the right side in both balanced and single ended. The left side has the headphone outputs, in both 3.5mm single ended and 4.4mm balanced. In the middle is the USB Type-C port USB 3.2, that is used for both charging and other functions. Can be used as DAC, Digital Out, SPDIF and probably more.



The packaging is nice and clean without being over the top, you get a few accessories.
The TPU case fits snug and has the same alcantara fabric, but on the sides instead. The case works perfectly and has working buttons that don't miss press like another DAP I will talk about later.
There is no charger in the box, only a USB C cable to get you going. There is also an extra screen protector if you need to change it, there is also a transparent protector for the bottom of the player.



The button layout is different from my previous HIBYs, here you have volume on the left side. Yes there is no volume wheel, but personally I prefer it this way.
The right side of the player has Back, Pause/Skip, Forward and ON/OFF buttons, intuitive and positioned so it's easy to press correctly. The right side also has the Micro SD card that can hold up to 2TB, but can not be accessed when the TPU case is on.



Usability, battery and UI

The player is ready to use right after turning it on, you just have to go to the Google Play Store and install your favorite streaming app or insert your Micro SD card.

When adjusting the volume with the physical buttons, the volume interface pops up on the screen. Then you can easily adjust it with your fingers instead by dragging the yellow line up or down.

The battery runs for around 12-14 hours for me when using medium gain and class AB, this is also with the display on for much of the time.

With the display off and using low gain on sensitive IEMs it would probably work even longer, but the other way using class A and Turbo was more like 8-10 hours. Did not try it scientific when testing this, so take the numbers with a little scepticism.



From the drop down menu you have access to quick settings, I advise you to edit the list for what is most suited for you. Here you can then access Gain, class A/AB, Darwin Controller and more settings. To access the menu you just need to drag your finger down from the top, then 4 of the quick settings are visible. Drag another time down to see the rest of the quick settings, and also the settings and edit button.

Been smooth sailing with the R8 II, never a freeze or anything that made the player stop or have problems. The quality of the Wi-Fi connection has worked well, even if I have been outside in my garden.

It is fast enough in use for a DAP, of course it will be more sluggish than the flagship android smartphones. But I find the performance here is good, also it helps that the player has 8GB RAM so more than one app can be open or for some multitasking.

Since this is an android device there are endless settings to adjust, not going to go through this in the review. I bet some other reviews will be more thorough on this part.





The included HIBY Music Player is the professional edition, it's easy to use and works great.
My main listening is with streaming, I have used Tidal, Bandcamp, YouTube and Spotify. R8 II has worked flawlessly on both my files or when streaming.



I want to talk about the 8 way EQ band, this is called MSEB and is HIBY’s built in EQ. They have words or descriptions instead of the actual ranges, you can search online and find a description of what each of them is doing. It's a fairly easy way to change the sound, it also works system wide on the player.

Photo two and tree is what I use sometimes when I want to EQ, it's a plugin that works as a 3 way EQ. It works in a different way than normal EQ as it also affects the dynamics of the sound, personally I have used it to increase bass on some sets or even boost/cut the highs.



Sound impressions

When evaluating the R8 II I have often used the albums found in the playlist under. Also I have used a lot more music that is not in the Tidal playlist, but should give a good idea of the music used.

https://tidal.com/browse/playlist/ad7bbfa3-2067-4235-b2ed-f5a3fb53ff28

I have a few hundred hours of playtime now, mention it in case the player needs to burn in for the ultimate sound reproduction.

The HIBY R8 II has a neutral sound, it presents music in a natural way with some warmth. I have been extremely satisfied with the sound, it doesn't color the sound but also doesn't sound boring or sterile.

The R8 II has a fatigue free sound for me, being more analogue and not as digital as some Sigma Delta sources are.

The background is super black, even on my most sensitive IEM the Neon Pro I can not hear any noise. The transients are super clear and fast, the dynamic range being on the large side.
This makes the R8 II a very resolving player, and is as good as other flagship DAPs I have tried in the past if not better.

The soundstage has a wide and large projection, much of this depends on the transducer being used. I found it quite large when I compared it to R6 Pro 2 and N7, the concert hall description of HIBY is of course a little exaggerated.

The sound profile makes the R8 II suitable for all the gear I have used, and with the added MSEB or Plugins I can then instead change the sound as I want to. This also means that it won't help smooth down spicy treble by itself, if you want that you have to access the built in EQ options.

I need to mention that the upper mids are more forgiving than some other sources, which helps on some IEMs that I can find borderline shouty.

Another standout feature is the bass, it has extra textured quality and more of a deep sub bass focus.

I will come back to the sound more in the comparison later against the N7 and R6 Pro 2.

Sound Settings

Class A and AB sound to me very close to the same, I find it hard to notice on IEMs. Even super resolving sets, it's first when I used a hard to drive earbud that the class A sounded fuller and smoother sounding. Due to this I let it stay in AB for most of my listening, as I use this mainly for easy to drive IEMs or earbuds. I do believe the battery drained slightly faster on Class A, so a positive point using AB instead.
Turbo didn't change the sound that much but again more than Class A/AB, a small amount more impactful sound. Its first when I used harder to drive gear it helped push the dynamic range and make it sound more full.

The Darwin Controller is also an interesting thing, I personally don't think the filter changes anything. If it does, it's so small that it's negligible.
When looking at where DAC filters are positioned ita arguable it might be noticeable on 19200 kHz files, but when you use more high res music like 48000 kHz the filter effect is moved far out from the human hearing.
The Harmonic Controller is different and does seem to affect the soundstage making it more spacious when changed to max. This is also subtle and doesn't affect all IEMs a much as some.



Line out to external gear

R8 II has a super clean output when paired with my Topping A90 Discrete or Feliks Audio Echo. It might be a little more treble emphasized and airy than my desktop DAC Topping E70 ESS, it also has slightly more heft to the lowest sub bass. Other than that the stage and resolution is close to the same.



Headphones, Earbuds and IEMs

This is my main use of a DAP, in fact not so much headphones as I have slightly hard to drive headphones that I use with desktop amps instead. Going to just talk about some pairings and what I think with each of them, very short impressions. I find the neutral organic sound of R8 II to suit everything I have on the IEM and earbud side. Most of my impressions under here have been against the HIBY R6 Pro 2, but also sometimes against the Cayin N7 or Topping E70 + A90 Discrete.



The FranQL Blue Moon, this is a 130 ohm Beryllium earbud. The sound is delicate and very resolving, with good extensions both ways with natural presentation. This is fairly easy to power from most DAPs and dongles, the only problem with some amps is that they can get a little bright sounding.

The R8 II has better control of the highs, creating a sound that is more velvety and airy than my other portable gear. Bass is tight and controlled, with delicate notes from bass to the highest note. I'm very impressed, and it is now my favorite pairing with this earbud.



Venture Electronics Zen 3.0, this is a 300 ohm earbud that is hard to drive from portable gear. Usually I use this together with my Feliks Audio Echo OTL amp, as they have perfect synergies.
It has good note weight and warm tonality in both the bass and midrange, with clear treble.

I have a portable DAC/Amp that works, but I haven't had any DAP that can drive it without an external amplifier.

When using something like the Cayin N7 it loses dynamic range and sounds thin with weak bass, then change to the R8 II and it gets close to the dynamics of a strong desktop amp. Sounding full and engaging with deep bass presentation for a earbud, so good that I don't mind using this as my goto solution for this good earbud. It's still a small step behind my Topping A90 Discrete, but the gap is close enough I don't mind using it straight from the R8 II.



AüR Audio Neon Pro is a 10 BA set from Singapore, and has been one of my favorites for a long time. It has a resolving and expansive sound, tuned in an energetic U shaped signature.
Together with R8 II it sounds airy extended in the highs, with a bass presentation that sounds very good for BA. Neon Pro also sounds good on the cheaper R6 Pro 2, but on the R8 II I get a more analogue and engaging sound. It gets more soul into the music, the soundstage expands with more 3D imaging. And I can not hear any noise when using 4.4mm, a good sign since the Neon Pro is very sensitive.



Oriveti OH700VB is the newest flagship from this brand, delivering a neutral sound with a clean bass boost that reminds me of a subwoofer backing up speakers. The model has 1DD and 6BA, there is also a switch to reduce the mid bass.

The R8 II matches again perfectly and delivers natural sound, bass is controlled with excellent slam or sub bass rumble. It keeps the bass separated from the midrange better than on R6 Pro 2, a part of the tuning also of course. It's tighter in the bass than the R6 Pro 2, and also delivers more of a deep sub bass rumble. Instruments like sax are resolving and less shouty than R6P2, there is also a more dimensional and deep stage. The mid bass slam can actually be less than R6P2, but again more controlled.



Hisenior Mega5EST is a tribrid with 1DD, 2BA and 2EST, tuned more on the neutral side with some warmth in the low range.

Since this has a natural sound that's also never shouty or bright, it sounds just correct on R8 II.
What surprised me is that the treble was more silky and present here than my desktop amp, an interesting finding and makes me wonder if it just drives the EST driver better.



Campfire Bonneville is a fun and voluptuous IEM, thick and bombastic bass with a forward and crisp treble. The midrange is on the darker thick side, the stage is also large and spacious.

Bass is more controlled on R8 II than R6 Pro 2, the treble also less sharp. Soundstage expands even more, especially in the height and depth.

Also a note about HIBY, the Bonneville has bright treble and doesn't work on all music. Using the MSEB reducing the sibilance LF and HF slider works excellent, it now has no problems with the treble anymore.

Or other way using the DRX10K plugin to reduce some bass and treble make it less dark and warm to suit more music.



634ears Miroak-II Cocobolo is one of my favorite IEMs, it's made by an excellent maker in Japan. The configuration is 1 DD, the sound is rather analogue and warm.

Interesting here is that the R8 II sounds less punchy than R6 Pro 2, instead giving back more of a deep and thick sub bass rumble. The midrange is also more resolving and euphonic in R8 II, but again it sounds good on both sources.



TIMSOK TS-316 is a really good single DD that's clear and resolving, has a U shaped sound with excellent sub bass depth and clear detailed upper range. Can on some sources like Cayin N7 sound quite shouty and bright.

R8 II gives it a more analog nature over N7 or other sigma delta devices, making it more euphoric sounding and refined in the upper mids and highs. It still has plenty of treble energy, but is better controlled. So here also the MSEB can be a good thing for people that are sensitive to upper mids or treble.



Koss KPH40 is a variant from the Porta Pro, 60 ohm and fairly easy to drive. Cheap and small but scale with good amps, bass can sound a little hollow and uncontrolled on weaker sources.

Clear that R8 II has more power than the little brother R6 Pro 2, it has a more full and lively sound. More real sounding with natural transients and timbre, the soundstage opens up a good amount. Bass especially is more fun and impressive, none of the amps you use will do magic on the sub bass as KPH40 don't reach that low.



The ZMF Verite Open is a 300 ohm headphone that needs a lot of power to sound good, I prefer to use this with OTL amps.
I still had to give it a listen on r8 II, it lacks some dynamic range and fullness of sound compared to desktop gear. Much like I expected it to do, so for this usage case it's better to have an external amp plugged to the line out on R8 II. It's better sounding than the Cayin N7 and HIBY R6 Pro with the Verite, but I still don't advise R8 II for hard to drive headphones.




Comparisons

I only have one other DAP, the HIBY R6 Pro 2. For the review I met a friend to try the N7 again, I owned one before and also wrote a review on it.
When I talked about sound on the different transducers above, I used the R6 Pro 2 for most of my comparing.



HIBY R6 Pro 2

The R6 Pro 2 is their best model in the R6 series, it is a much cheaper DAP than the R8 II at $799. Both have similar Android 12 and Snapdragon 665 SOC, with the same large IPS HD display.

If we look at hardware differences, the R8 II has twice the RAM with 8GB and also a larger storage of 256GB vs R8P2 with 64GB. The DAC and AMP section is also very different, the R6 Pro 2 Sigma Delta chips from AKM and has no Darwin Architecture.

It is physically smaller than the R8 II as it's not as thick or heavy, 285g vs 515g and 15mm vs 23mm. Some of the weight is the much larger battery of 12000mAh vs 5000mAh, the other reason is that R8 II is stainless steel and the R6P2 is aluminium.



The power output is also stronger with 4.4mm 383mAh vs the R8 II with 710mAh measured with 32ohm, this is not in volume percentage. It's also noticeable in use on harder to drive stuff like some headphones or earbuds, where the R6 Pro 2 struggles with poor dynamics the R8 II can exceed and sound excellent. This also depends on how difficult the headphones are, none of them is going to drive a Modhouse Tungsten.

It should also be mentioned that the LO and PO are swapped from R6 series and R8, actually plugged wrong at first listen with R8 II. The button layout is also improved, on R8 II the volume controls are on the left side alone. The R6 Pro 2 has it on the right side together with the power button, the buttons are also smaller and much easier to mis press on R6 Pro 2. The play buttons are also placed a little weird on R6 Pro 2, normally play/pause is in the middle of back and forward. Not on the R6 Pro 2 that has back and forth beside each other, this is something you learn over time.
But when the case comes into use, the R6 Pro 2 is horrible to use as you mis press all the time. On the R8 II you actually have better control with the case on, quite different.

The biggest downside of the R6 Pro 2 is the bad battery time, you will not get more than 4-6 hours depending on settings or if the screen is on. The R8 II can roughly be active for 3 times longer, so depending on use case the R6 Pro 2 might not be a viable option.

If we go into the sound quality of both DAPs, they both excel at their own price point. The R6 Pro 2 is a very resolving player, can be a little sharp and digital sounding. But I admit I didn't really notice the digital nature when I only owned the R6 Pro2, this came much more to my attention when I acquired the R8 II. This is the first thing that I noticed with the R8 II, the sound being more refined and natural. Made me actually find the R6 Pro 2 slightly unnatural with sharper uneven transients and a smaller dynamic range, bear in mind it's easy to exaggerate here.

The R6 Pro 2 has a more crisp high end, here the R8 II is softer but remains equally as resolving if not more. I find the air to be more whispery and pleasing on R8 II, the R6 Pro has sharper air that is more present and pushed forward in the mix. The volume played is a thing that affects this more, played louder and closer to maximum volume the R6 Pro 2 gets shouty in a way that R8 II don't.

Bass is also different here, the R8 II seems to focus more on the deep sub bass. The R6 Pro 2 has more slam in the mid bass, but lacks some of the sub bass quality of R8 II.

The midrange is more forward on R8 II and vocals seem to pop more while also being more forgiving in the sound, giving what I call a more analogue and smooth delivery.

Soundstage is wider in the presentation and also deeper on the R8 II, making me wonder if there is some type of plugin to expand the stage more. Not that the change is huge, but probably different enough so you would pick it up in a blind test.



Cayin N7

I don't own the Cayin N7 anymore. The impressions here are from a long Sunday evening when I met a friend to compare, I also used my R6 Pro 2 as reference since I have compared it to N7 before.

Cayin N7 was my first more high end DAP, I don't have it anymore so this part will be fairly small. I had the opportunity to visit a friend's N7 again to refresh my memory, so I could do a fast comparison.

If I am not wrong Cayin N7 is their entry level DAP, what makes this model so special is the discrete 1 bit architecture. The DAC part is built up by discrete resistors instead of a single chip, if this makes it better or not is up to discussion. The main thing that is good about 1 bit, is that Cayin can tailor the sound more than what a chip would do. The amplification stage is also discrete with JFET (junction-gate field-effect transistor) and BJT (Bipolar Junction Transistors) parts, which also contribute in giving the sound a more analog sound. You can choose between Class A and Class AB amplification, in comparison to most other DAPs you actually hear a change.

If we start about usability, both of them are on the more bulky and heavy side. I for some reason prefer the new style of using volume buttons instead of a wheel, never thought I would say that. I actually find it easier to operate, also since it's on the side instead of top. Without a case both the models look awesome, but if we look at ergonomics the N7 is dangerously slippery. Putting on the case the Yellow N7 looks a little more premium, but has buttons that are fairly hard to navigate in the blind compared to R8.

The interface is made by HIBY for both models and is close to the same, but for some reason the N7 had a few bugs coming now and then requiring restart of DAP or reinstall. R8 II in comparison has worked buttery smooth without any problems, screen is also easier to operate due to size and also a better display.

The sound differs more than I expected, the N7 is much brighter up top. Actually more than what I prefer, I did not notice this as much when I had it myself. I would actually call the hot top end slightly unnatural with N7, the R8 II is as detailed in the highs but smoother and more natural sounding. The mids are also more forward sounding on Cayin N7, overall and more intense sound. Listening to some of my favorite jazz tracks from Casiopea and Dave Brubeck the timbre seems more pleasing and organic for me on the R8 II, especially listening to brass parts or cymbals.

Vocals can go both ways, and often come more down to the IEM. Some IEMs like the 64audio U4s I find a little soulless on midrange and vocals, adding in the N7 then gives it a small boost of musicality. This won't happen the same way on R8 II, where the U4s remain slightly boring. But then going into the MSEB it can be fixed more to my preference, then R8 II goes past the N7.

The bass seems tighter on the R8 II with better sub bass extension, the N7 might have a smaller amount more mid bass. The N7 might sound more tubelike due to this, but also due to the synergy with the midrange. Soundstage and imaging is a tough one, I really think they are similar in size while perhaps the R8 II is wider and more stage like.



Conclusion

This has been an excellent experience, it sounds as good as it looks. Well deserving its higher price point over its cheaper models, and I bet HIBY could have charged even more here.

Right now the HIBY R8 II is most likely the safest DAP purchase in the higher price segment, price is on the higher side but it's also for a reason. The total package is premium, both the quality of the player and the sound.

It is a DAP that is naturally sounding on the neutral side, but without sounding sterile or artificial. This means that I haven't found any IEM or earbud that is not suited for R8 II, they will either sound good or perfect. The player will lack the ultimate power to drive harder headphones like some planars or high impedance models, but pair it up with an external amp and you are good to go for that also.

So again HIBY has proven themselves to be a competitive player in the crowded DAP market, I for one look forward to more releases from them. But for now this will stay as my main listening solution for a long time.

Oriveti OH700VB

Disclaimer

The OH700VB is my first product from Oriveti, I did get this free for a review in trade for a review. All impressions are my own subjective thoughts after having used them for a good time. These are my thoughts at this moment, and as time moves I might change my opinion.
This is also a very subjective hobby where everything from experience, anatomy or age will affect what we hear. Also keep in mind that it is easy to use bold words when talking about differences, while it may be perceived as a small change for you.
While I can perceive something as natural sounding, I do believe we can never get a perfect performance similar to what is achieved live.

Ranking System:
1 Very bad or unlistenable
2 Listenable but not good
3 Average
4 Very good
5 Exceptional or having a special sauce

My rating system highly values what is musical, so my rating will always be a subjective opinion.



About me and my gear used for the review

My audio preference is neutral with increased low end, mids can be forward but not too much. I can also handle some treble spikes if it is not excessive. I am a believer in having different tuned IEMs for different genres or moods instead of chasing the single perfect one.
Main music genres I listen to are Metal, Electronica, Jazz, Indy rock/metal, R&B, Pop. I am a music lover, and can also listen to almost all the genres out there. I have been into music gear since the mid 90s, gifted some big speakers at an early age. Then moved more and more into headphones with the Koss Porta Pro and a Sony Discman and Minidisc.

I have also tried playing many instruments over the years from piano to sax and have a feel for what's a natural tone, but not the biggest patience in learning to play. My wife has also played many instruments from string to wind instruments and also piano.

My current standard in Headphones is ZMF Verite Open and Beyerdynamic T1 G2.

My current favorites in IEMs are AüR Audio Neon Pro, AüR Audio Ascension and 634ears Miroak-II. The NEON PRO has 10 BAs, and has a near perfect tonality for me on the brighter side. DTE900 is a tribrid with 1+5+2 config, tuned W shape being warm and natural. Miroak-II is my favorite single DD, it has a warm and bassy sound that is also very natural sounding.

Gear used in the main rig is Topping E70 DAC together with the Topping A90 Discrete headphone Amp. I also have a Schiit Lokuis I can swap in if I want to do a little analogue EQ.
Portable gear used during the review is HIBY R8 II, HIBY R6 Pro 2, Colorfly CMA M1P.
I have a good range of cables from Clan Audio, Penon, NiceHCK, XINHS, DUNU, Effect Audio and Gladiator Cables.



Who is Oriveti

https://www.oriveti.com/about-us

ORIVETI is an innovative brand providing HiFi quality audio products for daily use by the most discerning listeners.

Founded in 2015, we started from a position of strength with years of engineering and design experience within the earphone/headphone industry.

In this tough and competitive market we feel there is still room for knowledgeable brands with new ideas to emerge. Because we understand the importance of sound, fit, comfort and reliability, we believe ORIVETI is ready to excite and impress listeners across the world.



So what is the OH700VB

OH700VB is Oriveti’s new flagship hybrid IEM, using 1 Dynamic Driver in 10mm and 6 Balanced Armatures. Two of them for the highs and the last 4 for the mids.

The IEM is in a purple resin shell with a wood faceplate, it has a metal vent for ear pressure.
Many IEMs have tuning switches nowadays, but here it's only one that is positioned on the front for easy access. The shell is made fairly ergonomic and with an average size, could have had some more grooves for me to add comfort. But as it is more should have better comfort than just a few like me who prefer more curves. The nozzle is in metal and looks awesome, has also a tip ring to secure your tips.

The whole package and accessories are excellent, and show that they care about what they deliver. Plenty of tips in silicon and foam, a modular cable that is soft and little extra long. A IEM case that seems like real leather, it also has a nice lock to keep it closed.



Specification

Driver: Exclusive 6BA driver (2 for high, 4 for mid) + 10mm Dynamic Driver (for low)
Impedance: 12 Ohm
Frequency Response: 20 - 20000Hz
Sensitivity: 112+-3dB/mW, 1000Hz
Distortion: <1%

Plug: Gold-plated 3.5mm Stereo / 2.5mm balanced / 4.4mm balanced Plug
Package Includes
OH700VB Earphone body - 1pair
2 Pin Detachable Cable with 2.5mm balanced, 4.4mm balanced, 3.5mm stereo plugs - 1pc
Genuine Leather Carrying Case - 1pc
S, M, L Silicone Tips - 2pairs per size
S, M, L Foam tips - 1 pair per size
Cleaning Tool - 1pc



Timbre

First off, what is Timbre?
From the Wikipedia:
The Acoustical Society of America (ASA) Acoustical Terminology definition 12.09 of timbre describes it as "that attribute of auditory sensation which enables a listener to judge that two nonidentical sounds, similarly presented and having the same loudness and pitch, are dissimilar", adding, "Timbre depends primarily upon the frequency spectrum, although it also depends upon the sound pressure and the temporal characteristics of the sound"

First minutes of trying a new set of gear, what I always listen to is how natural and musical it sounds. Much of this goes down to how I perceive the Timbre.

This has been a very different experience, it took time getting accustomed to the sound.
It's interesting as it nails the part of being bassy, slightly dark midrange and also clear up top. Never heard anything similar before, as I wouldn't call it V shaped as mids are still very resolving even if it's on the darker side compared to the bass and treble. The lower mids have a more full and engaging soound while the upper mids are forgiving an slightly dark.

Then you turn off the switch and it's not as bassy anymore, mids come forth more and have a more neutral balance with the rest.

Going to use the ranges here in review:





Details and soundstage

Overall the Oriveti OH700VB has okay resolution for its price, while maybe not having the most micro details it has a quite large dynamic range.
The most resolving part of the Oriveti OH700VB is clearly the high range and air, but as a whole it does a decent job. I wouldn't use this for poor old rock reckonings, or electronica with brighter artifact elements in the treble.
The soundstage is a special one, it is very wide. Among the widest I have heard, depth is also fairly deep.The stage is rather oval and has quite good imaging cues, maybe not the best one on imaging but it's not bad at all. The other side of the soundstage is that it's not consistent, often voices and some instruments sound like they are coming from inside your head instead of projecting in front. Often this is also up to the recording, but on some tracks where I'm used to hearing the singer I positioned further out it's then heard in my head. So it's fair to say that the soundstage and imaging is a good one, but also a little weird and inconsistent.

Bass

The low end on OH700VB is tuned in the tuck style, meaning it doesn't glide into the mids and instead is decreased quite rapidly before the midrange. This goes for both switch positions, the switch just pushes the tuck even more back so you get less mid bass. This also means the sound is more lean with the switch turned off/up, my preference is with it on/down and will be my focus here.

The OH700VB bass reminds me a lot of a IEM I had some time back, the ISN EST50. Not exactly the same but more on how the bass blends with the rest of the tonality, it sounds more like a subwoofer is paired with the rest. For some that can be negative if you prefer smooth coherent transition, but it also makes it very fun and interesting. With the switch ON this effect is also increased, as it's much more coherent with it OFF. But then you sacrifice some warmth for the natural playback, and I will rather than use it as a subwoofer experience.

Sub bass reaches low and is really vibrant and present, and due to this you can sometimes hear bass in songs that you haven't heard on other sets as easily. And this sub bass presence happens on both switch positions, I love the amount of sub bass and find it perfect.

The mid bass is also quite impressive and has great punch with a slower decay, but due to the bass style it can be a little overpowering over the midrange. The amount is clearly warm, I still would not call it bass head. But with the right music it can please most bass heads in quality and amount, some of this due the mids being drawn back.

In fact with the correct music, like bassy electronica or hip hop the OH700VB is an epic bass experience. It can both slam really hard or vibrate with finesse, and the texture is excellent.



Mids

The midrange is what made me get lukewarm when I got the OH700VB, it's darker and more distant than what I'm used to. I'm often used to sets having both bass going into the midrange, and also a much more forward pina gain. But with some time and getting the brain adjusted to the sound I started to get quite addicted to the sound, different but also good.

Darker vocals are clearly better to have than brighter for me, brighter vocals can lack a little attack and presence. But it's more of adjusting to the sound, and then it's quite soothing and full. Soprano singers here will often be a little veiled or dark, also lacking in attack. But even so the brighter vocalists will have plenty of sparkle and air, it's an odd mix. So it's very much back to the artist or how it's recorded, many albums are excellent and I don't mind at all.

Acoustic guitars sound full and excellent, its rich and engaging with most instruments that are lower pitch.
Instruments like sax with higher pitch lack some clarity on OH700VB, and seem dark. But here the brain burn is strongly in play, after having listened for days I like the midrange. And even when swapping between sets I find it good, but different.

Listening to piano is always a good one to listen to after inconsistencies in the timbre, the sound is overall coherent but lacks a little presence especially when higher notes are played. You will not get as clear transients in the midrange, it's dampened to some degree. But also make it very relaxing and soothing, this also goes for a lot of brass instruments.

Treble

The treble range is forward and has a very good extension, it actually has more treble and air than what I prefer due to fatigue.
This is also why I tend to limit what I listen to, some albums clearly have a brighter top and are not as suited for OH700VB giving the sound a harsh tonality.

The low treble has never any sibilance, also not too relaxed where you lose some brilliance.

The treble has sharp and clear attack, so cymbals will have a spicy and natural bite to them. Never dull to say it like that, but cymbals are supposed to have great bite even if I prefer less. Violin also has clear and forward uppertones, that make it sound plenty airy and clear. I do find the air a little artificial, but again might just be back to my sensitivity for air.

Downside of the forward treble, is that I love the bass on OH700VB for electronica. Lots of electronica has plenty of treble energy or treble noise, often very tiresome. This almost never is the same with acoustic music, and comes back to the artificial side of electronica.



Synergies

A small part about what gear I have been enjoying the most with the Oriveti OH700VB.

Tips been straight forward, my usual Divinus Velvet sound correct and seal perfect. Tried also my Eletech Baroque but they didn't seal as good on this IEM as the Velvet.

Cable has been the stock cable for the most part, as I did find it more than good for a stock cable. It's both comfortable and full sounding, but I still swapped cable sometimes during the review. When changing over to the Effect Audio Eros S Anniversary the stage seemed clearer as the background got blacker, but overall the sound didn't change much.
I also tried a pure thick copper from Gladiator Cables that often increases warmth, but also this didn't really change the sound much. Tried a silver cable and a graphene mix. So my conclusion is that the OH700VB is not that sensitive to cable swapping.

As for sources, I got my new DAP HIBY R8 II during this review and it for sure increased my enjoyment factor over my dongles or R6 Pro 2. Especially the mids seemed to be richer and treble more controlled, for me a good thing as it helped me on the weakside of OH700VB.






Music

I will just talk about some of the music I like, the music I use here are some of my reference tracks and also just some I like. When I am listening to music and not evaluating, I prefer to listen to whole albums. When comparing OH700VB to other sets I have used the tracks listed here and more.





Men I trust - Show Me How

Electronic chill pop music, great atmospheric music where you can dream yourself away. She has a voice that's gentle on your ears, overall a very pleasing and soothing track.
Here the OH700VB is great, the more mellow side of the mids work well and just adds harmony to both her voice and the background instruments. The bass is also very addictive and does give the drums some good kick, and the open top end is never bothersome at all.





Oliver Patrice Weder - Breathe In

New album that came out recently, the genre is rather special and is a mix of many things: classical ambient, ambient electronic, atmospheric, cinematic, contemporary classical, experimental, electronic instrumental, minimalist, modern classical, neo-classical, Montreal.
The album sounds like a story being told, and the first track here does give good insight for the rest.

Opens up great with OH700VB with the switch ON, atmospheric and captures the emotions. The brass trio in the background is a little recessed compared to the other sets I have been listening to, also means the picture gets a darker vibe to it. It's not bad here, but does change the music away from what I think the artist wanted to portray.





Milk Talk - Velvet Line

Also a fairly new album, J-pop, city pop, synth pop and probably more. Very cool and addicting song or album for that matter, the vibes are strong here. The bass guitar is vibrant and the continuous kick throughout pushes you to dance along.

The OH700Vb has a good tonality for this, captures the beat like a boss. Her voice also has a great weight to it, she is also not totally inside your head and pushed more out. You also hear that the midrange is resolving on both her and the instrumental parts, the darker midrange is much less noticeable here.





FEATHERED SUN - Ocean Tree

Some downtempo electronic or deephouse, the vocals are dark and thick and very atmospheric.

Another banger for the OH700VB, the bass captures the vibe perfectly. It is such a great slow slam that it feels like it comes from something different than a small IEM. The singer and humming also take good use of the extra bass with the switch ON, sound forward and full.
I don't think I have anything to complain about here, it's just addictive and full sounding with the Oriveti.





Infected Mushroom - Vicious Delicious

First album I heard from Infected Mushroom was back in 2007 when this album came out. Been a big fan of them since, the track by same name Vicious Delicious is awesome on sets with good bass and good stage quality.

And yes the OH700VB is awesome here, but also shows that OH700VB sounds better played loud. As the sound get squirt dull and lifeless with low volume, so juice it up for some fun.
Bass is visceral and tactile, fast and textured. The overall tonality is excellent, and the more withheld midrange suite the song to not make it too fatiguing. There are some parts that are a little bright and tiresome, like the last part around 6 minutes. It's still not too bad, it helps that Infected Mushroom makes clean electronica without too many noisy digital artifacts.





Merkaba - Perception

Awesome electronica, addicting and fun. On the OH700VB the tonality doesn't work as well, its way too bright where I almost flinch but the sharp elements. It's too bad as the bass and mids suit the track perfectly, the stage is also wide and spacious. But if I use my dap plugin to reduce the treble it's perfect, but in stock it doesn't do it for me.





Snarky Puppy - Belmont

Jazz track from one of my favorite modern bands, lively and relaxing track. Has a great amount of detail and dynamic elements without sounding over the top, so it's easy to listen after details. The OH700VB is a little dark here, the sound is a little distant and away. Quite few of the instruments are lacking brilliance to give the music more energy, so the sudden cymbal crashes that are forward sound off from the rest of the track.

What is excellent is the drum kicks and the overall airy sound, makes up for the darker midrange. The kicks have a really good amount of punch to them, with what I would say is correct snappiness. Also the open top end makes the stage seem very large here, while also maybe a little veiled in the distance.





Cymande - Dove

The drum is intoxicating with OH700VB, the guitar also has an euphonic sound to it. Stage is also super wide with nice separation of the fewer instruments present here. Here the sound is just fun and engaging. This track is often good on many sets, but there is something special here.





Humanity’s Last breath - Labyrinthian

This is some heavy crap, not for everyone. Death metal or Death Core, there's a lot going on here. Distorted guitars, drums, bass and intense growling. What surprised me a lot is that I love OH700VB for heavy stuff like this, the bass helps give drums some visceral effect and it doesn't sound too slow. The upper mids also help mellow down the track, the growling sound thick together with the distorted instruments. And the space sounds huge and spread out.





Insomnium - Godforsaken (feat. Johanna Kurkela

I love this album, one of the best releases for me from 2023. The OH700VB is surprisingly good with metal, never sounding too busy or boring. Some parts can lack a little bite on electric guitars, but overall it's excellent. And the bass has great kick to the drums and the sharper cymbals and such sparkle bringing good energy into the music.





Francis Harris - Lost and Found

The track has a nice bassy sound, the kick is intoxicating on many sets. Same with OH700VB, the subwoofer-like bass gets shown for full here. The tonality is already relaxed in the mids, so the OH700VB masks some of the elements like the sax more than I prefer. But it's also about getting used to the amount, then I think it's fine. Her vocal is actually very balanced in the mix, not veiled like some artists can be with OH700VB. It's also good clarity in the upper treble, making it fairly airy and transparent.





YOUNHA - Stardust

An airy and brighter vocalist from Korea, nice track for listening after brilliance and sibilance.
OH700VB seems a little thin on her voice, also few parts of the track are a little veiled compared to what I'm used to. She still has airiness to her with OH700VB even with her sounding slightly thin, which is why I also said that OH700VB can be a little inconsistent compared to what I'm used to on vocals. Good thing there is no sibilance at all here.





YENA - WICKED LOVE

K-pop has been quite popular, catchy music like most hits from Korea. Most likely lots of mastering done to make the final cut, still a good track as there's a lot going on here. OH700VB is actually a little sharp or harsh here, the upper treble pushes it too far. Also the bass dont sound as big here, and would have helped the tonality if it was some mid bass bleed in the mix. So the whole track comes off a little bright and busy with the OH700VB, it's not a train wreck but just doesn't sound as full and open. Here vocals are mainly what can be a little harsh, it's not very bad but lacks some finesse and fullness.



Comparisons

When evaluating the sets I use experience from the past and also fresh comparing, it takes a long time and not done in one sitting. The most critical comparison is done on my desktop setup that is highly resolving, with volume matching.

The spider chart is slightly exaggerated on some points to show differences.





AüR Audio Aurora

This is a hybrid IEM from AüR, it has 2DDs and 6BAs. It is tuned to be neutral with a sub bass boost, also with a relaxing top end. Priced a little under OH700Vb at 570 usd, but with the current discount they are close to the same.
The OH700VB has way better presentation of the packaging and unboxing, with also better accessories. Comfort is great with both sets, maybe a small win to Aurora as it has slightly better grooves on the shell.

I find them similar in how resolving they are, of course some parts are better for each of them. Soundstage is much wider and spread out on OH700VB, Aurora is more 3D but much closer to my head. Busy and fast music seem more blended together on Aurora, and are more open and separated with OH700VB.

The sub bass reaches around the same amount in both sets, the difference is that Aurora is tighter and more reserved. OH700VB is not loose sounding, but looser than Aurora. Mid bass is similar in amount and depends on music. The big difference is that the OH700VB has a more separated bass from the midrange, so some music seems to have a stronger slam and impact. But then on the other side since the upper range is more relaxed on Aurora the bass gets a warmer tilt in the overall tonality, so which has the most bass depends on music also. But most often the OH700VB has more fun and visceral bass, and is my pick for bass quality.

Midrange is more natural on Aurora over OH700VB, it has a more coherent balance throughout.
The OH700VB sounds less coherent or even slightly dark on certain parts, but at same time OH700VB is as resolving. Darker vocals can be better on OH700VB with fuller sound, but again maybe more transparent on Aurora. More bright vocals are better on the Aurora, with better clarity. A few very airy artists can actually shine more on OH700VB, so it's not as straightforward.

String instruments like cello sound more vibrant on OH700VB, but can at times be inconsistent due the crossover into the bass. But then taking off the switch saves the OH700VB in most cases, so both can work well on string instruments like cello or double bass.
The Aurora has some unusual BA drivers for the midrange that make music more textured and slow, so some instruments like guitars can often be a little richer but also have less bite than OH700VB. Instruments like saxophone are relaxed on both sets, maybe slightly more on OH700VB. Both can seem a little too relaxed if used to more high energy sets with more upper midrange.
Treble is the biggest difference between the two, Aurora is much more relaxed. OH700VB is way more bright and airy, but also due to this amount it can seem forced compared to Aurora.
I bet for people that are not as sensitive as me, the OH700VB will be a clear winner in the treble and air.

Using the Lost and Found track, the bass here is actually close to the same in amount and quality. The bass kick has slightly more impact on OH700VB, it's not a big change but it seems more separated and suits the music.
Listening to the rest of the track it sounds less forward on OH700VB, this goes for different elements but not so much the vocal or the cymbals as they have more airiness to them on OH700VB. So here I could go both ways for what to pick, but I like that the OH700VB has more kick to it.

WICKED LOVE the K-pop track is good here to compare, her vocal is richer and more controlled on Aurora. Not slightly harsh and thin like how OH700VB is for me, the bass also seems larger on Aurora due to the midbass going more into the midrange. Overall a richer sound that is more fun and pleasing on Aurora.



Fatfreq Maestro Mini

This is the entry level IEM from Fatfreq, the Maestro models specializing in giving you a basshead experience that also separates itself away from mids as well as possible. The bass and tuning style remind me of OH700VB, but the latter does it better and has more balance.

Maestro Mini is a tiny IEM, the shell is ergonomic and should fit every ear out there. Here OH700VB is large in comparison, and won't fit everyone.
Maestro Mini does not have the same quality cable as the OH700VB, the rest of the accessories and tips are good. You get a hard pelican type case with Maestro Mini.

Sub bass is very similar in how the weight is compared to mid bass, slightly more amount on Maestro Mini. Mid bass slam hard on both sets, maybe slightly more in amount with Maestro Mini. Interesting thing is that the quality of OH700VB seems higher and more resolving and textured. The upper range balances out some of the bass weight, so in the end they sound almost similar bassy on some music.

Midrange of the Maestro Mini is not very good, I guess most people agree on this. It lacks both coherent sound and sound hollow, no contest between the two. The upper mids can also often sound sharp and harsh on the Mini.

Treble is quite forward on Maestro Mini, more than OH700VB. Comes at the cost of a sharp tonality, for me the upper range sounds unrefined.
It's also much less airy than OH700VB, with a much smaller soundstage.

Yeah I am not a fan of Maestro Mini, it's not that it's outright bad. But it's better bass head experiences out there.

Show Me How, is a mellow and nice track. It's brighter on maestro Mini, but not better as it's actually slightly harsh. Maestro Mini don't have a good vocal presentation and the drum kick takes over too much, the midrange is veiled by the bass and treble. The OH700VB is cleaner and more balanced. Her voice is more detailed and clear on OH700VB, and has much more emotion to it.

Perception is way too bright on Maestro Mini, and I thought the OH700VB was bright. It also seem less controlled in the bass and slightly hollow, and overall lacks some clarity.



TIMSOK TS-316

Except for the price being close, the two IEMs are quite different. Why I want to use it here is that I have had a few messages that ask about what to choose between the two. That depends on your taste, both are great IEMs.


The TS-316 is a single DD IEM priced 499usd at Musicteck, if your taste is like mine it's probably the best single dynamic IEM under 500usd now. And for me it's a straight upgrade from the Simgot IEMs with warmer tuning and better technicalities.

This is a tiny set, size is much smaller than the OH700VB. Ergonomics are not better than OH700VB, at least not for me. It is built more universally, the negative is the shorter length of the nozzle together with the stubby shell. Makes it much more prone to fall out, and some serious tip rolling is needed to find something that works. But once that is set I can use the TS-316 for a longer time than OH700VB.
As for build quality, the metal shell on TS-316 is more industrial and looks better built. But design is kind of boring, here the OH700VB has a much more refreshing design.

I find the presentation excellent from both on packaging, the stock cable is nicer on TS-316 but not as good due to microphonics. And you get modular on Oriveti that can be a big plus, the TS-316 is 4.4mm and an adapter to 3,5mm is in the accessories.

Soundstage is larger and everything is spread more out away from me on OH700VB, part of the reason why it also sounds darker. TS-316 also has a fairly large soundstage, but is more traditional like most IEMs. TS-316 is slightly more resolving with more clarity and microdetails, the only part that can be more present on OH700VB is the bass having some extra texture and the air being more forward.

Sub bass is great on both sets, close to the same amount of sub bass rumble. Mid bass on the other hand is quite different, the sound is more snappy and slam harder on TS-316. The OH700VB also slams hard, but it's softer and in return more textured. But this is more noticeable listening to bass guitar or double bass, truth be told they are very close in quality. One being faster and harder while the other being softer with a more natural speed.
Instead what's interesting is that the OH700VB more often makes music sound more bassy and I hear the bass kicks or subtle rumble of the sub range more often, I guess it's back to the bass tuck that separates the midrange. As the TS-316 glides into the mids blending better, so their weight between bass and midrange is more contrastful on OH700VB.

Midrange is more coherent on the TS-316, going from instruments with lower pitch to high it all sound clear and slightly forward. But I would pick the OH700VB when listening to bright recordings like jazz, even if they lack the clarity of TS-316. It helps relax down brighter elements of piano or brass, TS-316 is much more forward in comparison. Also an interesting thing is that listening to acoustic guitar the OH700VB have a denser sound, while OH700VB have a cleaner one.
Treble is clear on both sets, but it's no doubt that the OH700Vb has more upper extension and air. The TS-316 sounds more natural and forgiving, without sacrificing treble detail. But again I'm more sensitive than some.

In short it's a W shaped sound on the TS-316 with crisper midrange, and the OH700VB is more of a Neutral U shape with a more mellow sound that's still bright up top. If I was more new into this and wanted one good IEM I would pick the TS-316, but if you're like me and want something special besides your other sets the OH700VB is more interesting.

Snarky Puppy with Belmont can quite show that the bass has a stronger kick on OH700VB, and the rest have a more mellow sound to it. Changing over to TS-316 it all sounds a little crisper with more clarity, the sound is then more transparent instead of mellow. Soundstage also sounds more spacious and away from me with OH700VB.

The track Labyrinthian is a heavy one and has loads going on, the upper midrange of TS-316 works a little against it. As it can get fatiguing quite fast, OH700VB is more suited for this for me. And still can keep the sound open and clear, not like how the Aurora I compared before sounds too busy. But it's still the TS-316 that sounds the most clear and open here.



Conclusion

Always fun when you get something that exceeds your expectations. I was a little sceptical having watched the measurements of OH700VB and it may have contributed to my lukewarm start. I had some good brain burn in adjusting myself, then slowly changed into loving the OH700VB. It delivers something unique I have never heard before, and is highly musical and fun.
A good friend of mine calls it balanced sounding, another calls it a basshead IEM. In a way both are correct, it pretty much comes down to tuning switch or the music you listen to.

A standout feature for me is the switch ON and how the bass then sounds like you have a large subwoofer that is separated from the midrange, especially noticeable on music with more bass like electronica or hip hop. Then play something like smooth jazz and it sounds natural and rich, without being overlay bassy. And if it does sound too warm, flip the switch up to reduce some mid bass.

Another feature is the pina gain or upper midrange, it is not aggressive and is actually slightly dark. In return brighter instruments like brass are less aggressive, but music still retains great clarity since treble and air is forward and crisp.

I highly recommend the OH700VB, maybe more for the seasoned listener who wants something special and unique. This since the OH700VB is not an allrounder, but when music matches it is fun and euphonic.

What a fun and excellent set, for me this is a solid 4.5 star IEM. I am ready for more from Oriveti, and heard some interesting rumours about the year forward. Thanks for reading

AüR Audio Ascension

Disclaimer

The Ascension is my fourth IEM from AüR Audio, I bought it with a very small discount. All impressions are my own subjective thoughts after having used them for a good time. I am a customer of AüR, I get nothing for writing this. These are my thoughts at this moment, and as time moves I might change my opinion.
This is also a very subjective hobby where everything from experience, anatomy or age will affect what we hear. Also keep in mind that it is easy to use bold words when talking about differences, while it may be perceived as a small change for you.
While I can perceive something as natural sounding, I do believe we can never get a perfect performance similar to what is achieved live.

Ranking System:
1 Very bad or unlistenable
2 Listenable but not good
3 Average
4 Very good
5 Exceptional or having a special sauce

My rating system highly values what is musical, so my rating will always be a subjective opinion.



About me and my gear used for the review

My audio preference is neutral with increased low end, mids can be forward but not too much. I can also handle some treble spikes if it is not excessive. I am a believer in having different tuned IEMs for different genres or moods instead of chasing the single perfect one.
Main music genres I listen to are Metal, Electronica, Jazz, Indy rock/metal, R&B, Pop. I am a music lover, and can also listen to almost all the genres out there. I have been into music gear since the mid 90s, gifted some big speakers at an early age. Then moved more and more into headphones with the Koss Porta Pro and a Sony Discman and Minidisc.

I have also tried playing many instruments over the years from piano to sax and have a feel for what's a natural tone, but not the biggest patience in learning to play. My wife has also played many instruments from string to wind instruments and also piano.

My current standard in Headphones is ZMF Verite Open and Beyerdynamic T1 G2.

My current favorites in IEMs are AüR Audio Neon Pro, Sound Rhyme DTE900 and 634ears Miroak-II. The NEON PRO has 10 BAs, and has a near perfect tonality for me on the brighter side. DTE900 is a tribrid with 1+4+4 config, tuned W shape being energetic and lush. Miroak-II is my favorite single DD, it has a warm and bassy sound that is also very natural sounding.

Gear used in the main rig is Topping E70 DAC together with the Topping A90 Discrete headphone Amp. I also have a Schiit Lokuis I can swap in if I want to do a little analogue EQ.
Portable gear used during the review is HIBY R6 Pro 2, Colorfly CMA M1P Cayin RU7.
I have a good range of cables from Clan Audio, Penon, NiceHCK, XINHS, DUNU, Effect Audio and Gladiator Cables.



Who is Aür Audio

AüR Audio is a Singapore brand who makes in-ear monitors and is founded by two friends, Nicholas Teo and Abel Hsu. It is a small business where Abel handles the research and development while Nicholas manages the sales, marketing and distribution.

The IEMs are now 3D printed and handmade by Abel from start to end, carefully ensuring that everything is perfect with a quality control that is above the usual chi-fi market. The earlier models from before Aurora were not 3D printed and is a new way for AüR to have higher QC and productivity forward.

https://www.auraudio.store/

Allure 6 BA (Discontinued)
Neon 10 BA (Discontinued)
Neon Pro 10 BA
Aure 8mm DD and 6 BA (Discontinued)
Alita 12 BA
Aurora 2 DD and 6 BA
Ascension 1 DD, 5BA and 2EST
Allusion Configuration unknown



So what is the Ascension

The Ascension is AüR Audio latest IEM release, it will be the fourth IEM in their current lineup.
This is their first Tribrid, meaning it's a hybrid IEM with 3 different driver technologies. It is also their first product with an EST driver.

10mm Dynamic Driver in PU+PEEK material driven by a N54 magnet
5 Balanced Armatures, 4 E-Audio Improved RAB Dual Drivers and 1 Knowles Tweeter
2 Sonion EST

They have focused on selling the Ascension in the cheapest way possible. Accessories and cable are not much, but enough to get you going. The cable is the same as on the Alita and Aurora, a much nicer cable than the Neon Pro and Aure cable. Silver plated copper with soft and flexible blue fabric, you also get a hard case with some tips.

The form factor is very ergonomic and the shells are medium/large in size, they are also very light. AüR knows how to make comfortable shells, same goes for the nozzles having good length while not too long. If there is one design problem, the nozzle is on the larger side. Good for me as I normally use large tips, this just means I have to use medium.

https://www.auraudio.store/product-page/ascnesion

Taken from the product listing:





Timbre

First off, what is Timbre?
From the Wikipedia:
The Acoustical Society of America (ASA) Acoustical Terminology definition 12.09 of timbre describes it as "that attribute of auditory sensation which enables a listener to judge that two nonidentical sounds, similarly presented and having the same loudness and pitch, are dissimilar", adding, "Timbre depends primarily upon the frequency spectrum, although it also depends upon the sound pressure and the temporal characteristics of the sound"

First minutes of trying a new set of gear, what I always listen to is how natural and musical it sounds. Much of this goes down to how I perceive the Timbre.

Organic is my first word on how Ascension timbre is, it's quite effortless sounding with warm but natural sound. I have another IEM that I also would categorize as organic, that is 634ears Miroak-II. The Miroak-II also has been my favorite single DD and maybe my overall favorite IEM, for me this means that Ascension has nailed the timbre in a similar way.
Warm low end that is not overly boosted, with excellent textured quality. Mids that are rich and lush, with very natural portrayals of both voices and instruments. Highs that are not veiled and not peaky or exaggerated, with an airy and good extension.

Going to use the ranges here in review:





Details and soundstage

The soundstage is rather wide and deep, with good imaging qualities of the stage.
Ascension has a 3D like soundstage, the soundstage feels wide and also reaches to the sides and backwards slightly. Its also the first IEM from AüR where I get a bigger sense of the height in the music.
Very easy to position elements in the music as in where they are located, and has also good height. For me a very dynamic soundstage, just remember that stage is very personal due to anatomy of the ear.

Bass

The low end on Ascension is excellent, it has the best textured bass of all their models.
People were maybe expecting a basshead IEM having heard about the extra strong N54 magnet, this is not the case. The bass amount is warm, but it's still within what's natural so it has a good balance with the rest.

Sub bass extends low and has good elevation, music or movies that use sub bass take good use of it. Can both give you a nice rumble in speedy electronica or when the pipe organ goes low, and it always sounds real in a way that BA drivers never can.

Mid bass is very fun and natural, the speed is just right. It's not unnaturally fast with speedy decay, and it's not slow and dulls down music. Just have a good balance in the speed, I also believe this matches the qualities of the driver material. The driver material is similar to the Aurora, it's very textured and nimble. But it takes it up a notch with more quantity of mid bass that also blends deeper into the midrange, much more to my liking.

When Ascension wants to slam it slams, when it wants to portray the double bass strings resonate it does that. The slam is not visceral, but it's also not dry or wet. It's back to why I also call it organic, it just sounds correct. It excels at natural playback and is also very resolving, this is maybe one the Ascensions main strengths. The bass notes are always textured and resolving, BA drivers can never touch this and same goes for many other dynamic drivers.

Some that are used to speedy bass from BA IEMs or just a super fast DD will maybe be letdown, if so give it time to adjust.

Mids

After my glowing words about the bass, the midrange will just sound like I am a total shiller.
The first thing that struck me was DD, this sounds much more DD like in the midrange. Aure had a midrange that was very lush and natural, this due to the driver also going into the midrange. I have not been able to confirm this about the Ascension, but to me it does sound like the DD enters the midrange together with the BA drivers.

Vocals have a natural sound to them, that I most often that only DD drivers manage. Both male and female vocals have extra body to them, this is to my preference. People who prefer vocals with no weight or soul added to them should avoid Ascension, but even so I would categorize the vocal as clear and open sounding. I find both male and females to be equally good, very nuanced and lush.

Then over to string instruments in jazz and orchestra, they are so detailed and emotional. Same goes for electric guitar and other instruments, I like this forward and rich way of presenting the midrange. At the same time as it's forward it's kind of smooth and forgiving, so I don't get fatigued as easily.

It also remains shrill free on most brass instruments, and should be very safe unless you really can not handle instruments like sax or trumpet. But even if its not sharp its also not veiled, it has a good balance in my opinion.

Treble

The treble range is well extended and airy, without being peaky or unnatural, the EST is probably what is making the air so shimmery and smooth.
Due to some early talk about how they first wanted to tune the Ascension I expected a high range to be bright and overly extended, more than what I like.

The low treble has good clarity and is not dark or veiled, no sibilance and not dull. People who know me know that I don't like huge sibilance dips. But here AüR has always nailed a good balance, I do think the dip is slightly larger than Neon Pro.
In return we get clear and detailed treble that is not fatiguing in any way, the amount is also very pleasing and in balance with the bass and mid range.

Cymbal crash or metal percussion have zing to them, but not the most I have heard. Amount is more suiting and not piercing, but still has the clarity it deserves for natural portraying. And going into the upper treble it's clear that we have a natural amount, and can clearly get a good sense of shimmery air. I am sensitive to boosted air, if it's too much like with 64audio U4s I get a headache very fast and find it unnatural. But for some this is what they prefer, can be to just preference or lack upper treble hearing in 15-18k hz. On Ascension you will get that natural amount of boosted air, that is pleasing and never fatiguing.



Synergies

A small part about what gear I have been enjoying the most with the Ascension.

On sources I have liked it on whatever I plugged it into, be it a DAP like HIBY R6 Pro 2 or FIIO M11s. It seems to scale with power and sound really good out of the Topping A90 Discrete desktop amp, helps it sound more spacious and has a more punchy bass then. Another pairing that I loved was with Cayin RU7, it just added to the richness of the sound while also keeping the sound clear.

Have also tried my usual tips, being Kbear 07, Tri Clarion, JVC Spiral Dot and Final Audio Type E.

In this period of getting Ascension I also acquired some Divinus Velvet and Eletech Baroque, both of them are excellent and do open up the sound more than the models mentioned before.
Another very good tip is the TANCHJIM T-APB bass tips, they have open highs like Baroque but a tighter but less low end. Overall my favorite is Baroque due to comfort and the fullest sound.




Music

I will just talk about some of the music I like, the music I use here are some of my reference tracks and also just some I like. When I am listening to music and not evaluating, I prefer to listen to whole albums. When comparing Ascension to other sets I have used the tracks listed here and more.



Polyphia - Playing God

Polyphia is a instrumental progressive rock group formed in Texas, earlier works were more into metal also. Often they blend different styles of music into their works.
Playing God is an instrumental track with drums, bass guitar and two guitars with nylon strings.

Since Ascension has a slower and more organic sound I had a thought I would feel it lacking on Playing God, but no it just makes the track more enjoyable. Some might prefer more clarity and less richness than Ascension, for example Neon Pro delivers that instead. But the more time I have had with Ascension I prefer it more as it's more organic and engaging. Ascension has some really nice decay that suits the drums and strings here, and it can never get fatiguing.



Søren Bebe Trio - Here Now

Jazz trio from Denmark introduced by my friend Carlos, they use piano, drums and double bass. Beautiful arrangement with great dynamic sound, nice small nuances all over. Like how the cymbals are hit or how the bass is plucked, really great emotion in everything and it is not done at random. The piano is gently played, with high resolution. This is their newest album and the first track on it, it gives you a full taste of their soothing jazz.

The piano is clean and crisp, the drums have good clarity on both the cymbals and kicks. The bass plucks has convincing tonality, but ain't as forward as the piano and cymbals. But that is also very natural in how it's in the track. But best of all is just how spacious and lively it is, this is what I call a wonderful IEM for jazz like this. Capture the emotions and richness it deserves.



Joaquín Cornejo - Say no More (feat. Wabi Sabi)

A tribalish track with nice rhythm and atmosphere, absolutely suits more analog and rich IEMs. There are nice percussion instruments like drums and wood instruments, also a hang drum.
I love the Ascension here, it's like built for the music and captures all the ambience. Drums are rich and nuanced, the hang drum is vibrant and intoxicating. This music is good on many IEMs, but there is something special on Ascension.



Dead Can Dance - Anabasis

The vocals and spatial cues are epic and also perfect for checking soundstage and microdetail. With the Ascension the space is very large. The drum here is supposed to sound big and heavy, it is an epic experience on the Ascension. Reminds me almost of a ritual about to happen, with many drums being hit in unison.

Her vocal when it starts is powerful and clear, emotional in a way that for example Neon Pro can not do. Ascension is made for this ambience, it feels like you are in an endless large room with how the bass decays. Her voice is so vibrant and emotional, this is also where I am pretty sure the DD helps the midrange.



Alcest - Kodama

French post metal band, recently been listening to their albums a lot. More on the melodic side, but some tracks still have a good bite. While it might be less aggressive it's still much happening, and some sets can get congested. Aurora is like this where it might sound a little strained when much is happening, Ascension handles this much better but is still a step beyond Neon Pro.

Ascension is good at capturing the instruments or his vocal, it also sounds spacious with good separation of the instruments. Guitars have a nice bite but also a touch of analog sound to them, the drums are tactile and vibrant sounding.



Dire Straits - Sultans Of Swing

A good old classic, dedicated this song to Nicholas from AüR Audio. Probably Dire Straits most popular track, typical rock instruments like guitar, drums and bass. He has a very cool singing voice, it suits the track.

The balance between the guitars, bass, voice and drum kit has a tasteful balance on Ascension. Not sounding too thick or lean, it also has a good balance of not making the transients from the cymbal be too piercing. For example the Neon Pro has cymbal and guitar parts here that can make me uncomfortable, but this also means that the transients are slightly softer on the Ascension.
I would say that is also one of the Ascension’s strong points, it helps music that is sharp or piercing to be more pleasurable. Especially good on older rock or pop recordings.



Eivør - Slør

Eivør is a Faroese singer-songwriter and actress, who got her on my radar since a friend from Island listened to her. This particular song also has an English version, but the original captures more emotion and nuances. Even If I don't understand much of the language.

About the dark time of the year on Faroe Islands. For people who live up in the north we are used to cold and long winters where almost no sun comes up, Eivør loves the dark and airy feeling of this time. Slør literally means ¨veil¨as in the dark veiled land.

One of Ascension's main strengths is emotional female vocals, also with the spacious sound Slør sounds quite remarkable. Eivør's voice has good depth and height, and it makes you feel like you are in a big room surrounded by sound.



Melanio De Biasio - With All My Love

Melanie De Biasio is a Belgian vocalist who mixes jazz, blues, and soul. She has a darker voice that suits this track exceptionally well, the dark background let her and instruments be very clear and separated.

First off Ascension as mentioned earlier has an emotional and rich midrange, Melandio is both rich and nuanced here. Piano has a good timbre and sparkle, same for the cymbals. The dynamics are excellent, and Ascension is very resolving here.



JEON SOMI - Fast Forward

Jeon Somi is a South Korean and Canadian artist, she has some very popular K-pop tracks like the one here. Fast Forward has energy and rhythm, a very addictive and fun track. Not the biggest dynamic range as much pop music is like these days, but is still a very good track for testing vocals and how fun it sounds.

Ascension sounds full and has great bass that really punches, full dance factor for me. She also sounds fun and clear, not too thick or thin. Before this I used Aurora for K-pop, now Ascesnion has taken over that spot as it's more fun and full sounding .



Geoff Castellucci - Sixteen Tons

Very cool singer who is a bass singer, very perfect track to check how good the mids and bass is.
For it to sound full and good you need natural decay, too fast and it gets wrong. Ascension also nails that speed part excellent, and has a very natural decay. And the midrange being so lush makes it all sound very full and epic, some real good bass also.



Hart, Wolff & Hennings - Towards the Bending of the Heart

This song is a very odd one, and it has one purpose for me, checking the amount of air in a set.
Percussions are used here making harmonics up in the air region, this shows if a set got more air up top. Unless you have reduced hearing in the upper ranges,you might not notice the air detail.

Ascension has an airy sound that is not sharp, almost so transients are slightly rounded and the air has some extra euphonic shimmery sound to it. This is also compared to some of other sets also using EST for the highs.


David Sanborn - Isn't She Lovely

One of my faovorite Alto sax players, he has a beautiful and smooth sound on his Alto. Having played sax I appreciate the skilled players out there like David, he has lots of skill and can play very soft and mellow to be on an alto.

I often listen to jazz with brass instruments when evaluating audio, first of just to see how beautiful and real it sounds. Secondly to hear if it's too forward and shrill, on this track David plays quite forward. If sensitive to sax playing this is a good song for testing if it's tolerable or not for you.

The Ascension has a good bite on the sax playing and it sounds very natural, maybe slightly rounded and more pleasing than what's real. I would say that the amount of bite it has should be acceptable for most people, except for the very sensitive.



Eprom - Lose My Breath

I use this track for one thing, bass amount and how good it is. It has some really deep sub bass that is textured and changing, really hard for BA to do correct.
While Ascension has no basshead amount, it's still warm and forward. And the best part is maybe the nuanced and textured bass. Ascension has good balance on the speed where both rumble or slam are good.









Comparisons

When evaluating the sets I use experience from the past and fresh comparing, it takes a long time and not done in one sitting. The most critical comparison is done on my desktop setup that is highly resolving, with volume matching through a microphone to take away loudness variance.

The spider chart is slightly exaggerated on some points to show differences.





AüR Audio Neon Pro

Neon Pro is a IEM from AüR Audio that has 10 balanced armatures per side, it is maybe my favorite set from AüR and my standard in coherent tonality from BA drivers. My version is from 2022 when they made them all by hand, so the shell is translucent and has an oval nozzle that is small and comfortable. The switch on Neon Pro is OFF during this review, even if I prefer it on.

This is my most comfortable IEM, it's like they used my ears for the design. For many other people it's not as good, especially due to the wing. This wing is not there on Ascension making it more ergonomic for more people. With the downside of Ascension comfort being the nozzle width, here NP has very small nozzles on the handmade version.
The Neon Pro is very sensitive and I need a lot less power for them to sound good, but similarly to Ascension it has better slam and dynamics when used on powerful desktop gear.

The resolution on Neon Pro is extremely good, it has a high level clarity in both the midrange and treble. Also has a good dynamic range and is never congested or slow sounding, also why it's so good with hectic metal music. Ascension is about as resolving as Neon Pro depending on the freq range, Neon Pro slightly better on mids. While Ascension has better bass and upper treble resolution. An interesting thing is that Neon Pro has an insanely black background in the music, the Ascension can not touch the same level there. I think this is one of the big positives of the all BA sets, this also adds to a more resolving sound.

Soundstage and imaging is an interesting one, originally I did find Neon Pro to have a quite wide and deep stage. It's still large but I also heard some other IEMs that exceed it, Ascension is one of them. Depth forward is very similar, the width is where the change is larger on Ascension. Ascension has a more 3D-like space that reaches higher and further behind you, both are still IEMs of course and will not have a headphone depth.

The Neon Pro has very good bass extension with very convincing BA bass, which imo sounds better than many dynamic drivers on the correct music. It's still not a dynamic driver, so the decay and texture is behind a good dynamic driver. Sub bass goes deep but would have benefited by more amount, here the Ascension has more. It also sounds better, with a more convincing sub bass texture. Especially noticeable on the Lose My Breath track where in my opinion Neon Pro gets a rating of 2 of 6.
Mid bass is good on both and has almost the same amount, the Neon pro can slam really good for a BA. The mid bass and slam is the more convincing part of the BA bass, it's really good and has fast decay. Very good on certain music where its excellent, rock and metal is one of those.
Ascension also has a good slam, but decay slower. Just more natural sounding, and has a richer tonality to it.

Midrange of the Neon Pro is highly transparent due to the drivers chosen, and also due to the pina gain being elevated early in the QDC style. Very good for having a clear and detailed midrange, but also means it can get tiresome over time or with some music. This is also why I always use the Neon Pro with the switch ON, as this balances out some of the upper mids.

Female vocals are very good and airy on Neon Pro, Ascension lacks some of that. Instead you get more rich females on Ascension, the females are more forward in the music. I would always pick Ascension for female vocalists, as it sounds more pleasing and engaging.
Males have good fullness on both of them, specially when using the Neon Pro with the switch ON. But with it off on Neon Pro the Ascension has a little more husk in the males, again that I prefer. There is also some added resolving sound on Ascension, again back to the DD that also covers some of the male voices.

String instruments like double bass and cello sound good on both, but the Neon Pro can at times sound a little less dynamic. But this is also due to the bass and the dynamic driver, very similar to what happens on male vocals.
Up in the midrange they are both good, the Neon Pro is more clear and forward. This is good for clarity but does also make some music tiresome, example can be the Isn't She Lovely by David Sanborn. It's too much for me on Neon Pro, while Ascension is a joyful experience.
There is also how the midrange sounds, the Ascension has almost a more dynamic and rich sound to it. Transients can be said to be best on Neon Pro, but it also depends what you like. The Ascension has more rounded transients, less sharp. Both sound natural, but it is musical vs analytical almost.

Neon Pro is quite airy and forward in its upper treble, still less than models that have a more exaggerated amount. I find the low treble more forward on Neon Pro, while the upper treble and air being more on Ascension. The air also has a more velvety tonality, making it more pleasing.



AüR Audio Aurora

This is a hybrid from AüR, it has 2 dynamic drivers for the low end. 4BA for the midrange and 2BA for the highs, the midrange drivers are of the same brand on both. The bass driver is also interesting, similar material on both but different sizes and magnets. So its two 7.5mm in Aurora and a 10 mm in Ascension, a very nimble and textured material.

Both have very similar shells, the biggest difference is the nozzle. It's very long on Aurora and more normal on the Ascension, and the nozzle is the other way and is maybe 1 mm wider on Ascension. I can use one larger tip size on Aurora, but even so both are very comfortable for me. They both have about the same sensitivity, but for some reason the Ascension seems to scale better with more powerful desktop gear.

Looking at resolution then the Ascension is a step above, it has more details showing even if sound is also thicker. Especially in the midrange and treble, just more that is going and it sounds more open. I would still not categorize any of them as detail monsters, they just have a good amount of detail that is good for their price point.
Soundstage on the Aurora is very 3D and extends slightly above what an average IEM does, the Ascension has more depth and width. Extend also more to the sides and behind you, so in a way more 3D than Aurora with a larger projection.

The low end are very good on both, specially in how dynamic and textured they are. They both excel at natural playback of acoustic instruments in the bass range, not sounding too fast and not sounding too slow. Both extend low with good sub bass, the amount of sub bass is very similar. On some sub bass focused parts the Aurora can seem to have more due to less mid bass, but when volume matched the amount is just about the same. Mid bass is the biggest difference of the two, here the Ascension has more in volume. This makes music sound more full and lively, and is much more to my preference.

If we look at how they slam it's actually a little different, Aurora can slam quite hard and fast due to the double drivers that are smaller. The Ascension slam is bigger, but it is also softer in the rebound making it sound slightly slower. Talking small differences here and my preference is Ascension, I have had some slow sets in the past like the Serial and this is faster than that. There is something about the Ascension that makes it seem more resolving in bassy electronica and bass rhythms, something about the decay and texture.

Female vocals on Aurora are leaner and cleaner, they have similar texture but the more weight on Ascension makes it more pleasing for maybe the audience in the west of the world, none of them have the poisonous female description. It's more about how clean the bass/mids is and not going into the midrange. This also means that it depends on the artist singing also, as some are brighter and some sing darker.
Males are also similar, but personally I find that the Aurora lacks weight to male voices. This is fixed on the Ascension where males have more body, it gives them more soul then.
There is really no winner in best presentation of vocals, and goes more down to preference.

Similar can be said when listening to string instruments like cello or double bass, the fuller sound makes it more lively and natural. I often use cello recordings as a guideline since my wife plays it, and the cellos on the Aurora can be a little soulless and thin compared to the real world.
Drums also have more girth to them on Ascension, it sounds again more dynamic and powerful versus the Aurora. Especially when listening to rock or metal the balance just sounds so much better on Ascension. Also since drums often use the bass, the decay and texture is more dynamic on Ascension.

What I find very interesting is that the midrange on Ascension is more open and less congested, even while being richer sounding. It manages busy music like death metal much better than the Aurora, so it's much easier to hear everything. Aurora has too little bass for metal, that's one thing but here I'm more thinking about how the midrange is. Aurora has been more suited to other genres than metal, and if it plays metal or rock it has to be with less complex and busy recordings.

Listening to brighter brass playing with sax they sound very similar, clear that they have similar midrange drivers. Difference is more in the weight they deliver in the rest of the frequency, due the warmer sound of the Ascension it balanced the sharp brass better. I find both exceptionally good and nuanced in the upper midrange, I love jazz and it should have bite.

Both the Aurora and Ascension have good upper midrange, and don't sound blunted or veiled. They also are not sibilant, this is a balance Abel is always good at. Some brands love to make big sibilance dips to make the sound more safe, this also kills the sound of cymbals, voices and brass instruments.

Treble is more relaxed on Aurora, for some this is perfect and makes it more easy to listen to. For others it takes away some of the music, I can like both ways. This is also one of the things that make Ascension more open and clear sounding than Aurora. What I find interesting is that while being forward on the Ascension it's not brighter or tiresome, it can be that I am not that sensitive to the 6-10k area. I can turn the volume loud on both sets without hearing it become shouty.

The upper treble or air is more forward as well as Aurora, more air and shimmer to the sound. Here the extra air has a more silky or velvet quality to it, that is sharper again on Aurora.



Sound Rhyme DTE900

This is a tribrid with 1DD + 4BA and 4EST, in my review I called it tribrid of the year. It has a warm, balanced and energetic sound. It is hard to position it as V shaped, it also has a good midrange but I wouldn't call it W shaped. In short I would say DTE900 is an energetic, clinical and warm IEM. While the Ascension is more natural, warm and musical.

Some IEMs find it very hard to say what's better when they also sound so different, DTE900 and Ascension are like this.

Dte900 has powerful and fast transients, energetic and technical. Maybe a little unpolished when comparing against some sets.

Ascension has a richer sound, more coherent. Not as technical and clean the same way. More thick transients, this also means it will sound slower. This also is one of the reasons it sounds richer, almost more like a nice single DD

Both have an ergonomic shell and a nice build quality, the DTE900 has a smaller nozzle and is longer. For me they are equally comfortable, maybe a small win to Ascension.
DTE900 requires less power and is more sensitive, for example DTE900 is low gain 35% on my A90 amp while Ascension is 44%.

The bass on DTE900 is faster than Ascension, but it doesn't sound slow on Ascension.
It's a trade with more organic and textured bass on Ascension, and DTE900 have snappier and cleaner bass.
Sub bass reaches deeper on Ascension and is more prominent, so if you listen to music that actually uses sub bass you get a more satisfying sub rumble.
Mid bass is very similar in amount, there is a difference in the texture. Both can slam good and it might be slightly stronger on DTE900, but the Ascension is more real if that makes sense.

I bet the material is stiffer in the DD on DTE900, while it's softer and more nimble in Ascension. But also due to the stronger than usual magnet it does not sound slow or fast.

Midrange on DTE900 goes far into midrange, but also due to the speedier nature of DTE900 it doesn't sound overly too thick in vocals and instruments. But it's still what some refer to as muddy midrange and makes everything thicker, this type of mids is also what some prefer as they find the clean style lifeless.
Ascension while going into midrange leans out earlier, and has more natural weight to both male and female voices.
The midrange is forward in both but is more coherent and natural on the whole midrange with Ascension, most noticeable on stuff like piano arrangements.

DTE900 has a very forward pina gain and upper midrange, this helps balance out some of the bass bleed. But it also makes some parts of the midrange seem less balanced, I wouldn't use DTE900 for piano playback to say it like this.

I would say the midrange is less soulful in DTE900, the Ascension has something extra making both instruments and voices have a more realistic timbre.
But this also makes Ascension slower sounding than DTE900, so for music that's technical and fast DTE900 is slightly better. But it also depends since it sounds richer on Ascension, so I still would pick Ascension more often than DTE900 for fast music.
I am not the most picky on speed as long it's not slow, and I would not categorize Ascension as slow.

Females have good clarity on both, but sound more natural on Ascension with more tasteful sound. It's forward in both of them, but also different. In a way it has more bite on DTE900 while Ascension is more rich, so listening to an airy vocalist that is close to sibilant the Ascension controls it more than DTE900.
Males are also similar and have good weight on both, and again here the added texture on Ascension makes it more natural and pleasing. This goes also for instruments like cello or guitars, they just sound more real and engaging.

Listening to instruments that make good use of the upper midrange it's clear that DTE900 is quite forward, borderline of my tolerance. But due to the bass it has been okay, but it also means it can limit the music genres.
So if I take a jazz album from Miles Davis that often has his trumpet, I will get fatigued quite fast on DTE900 and not on Ascension.
This is also since the pina gain and upper midrange is not as elevated on Ascension, a more approachable amount. It still has a good bite on brass and cymbals, but less than DTE900. So it's in no way veiled as some IEMs are, often happening on IEMs with large sibilance dips.

The highs are good on both, but extends more on Ascension with more air and has a more transparent sound. It's not brighter than DTE900, if one is brighter it is the DTE900. It's just that Ascension has more air, and it sounds more open up top.
Cymbal crashes have extra shimmery sound to them on Ascension, while DTE900 has more bite. The approach on Ascension has a better balanced high range than DTE900, and sounds better tuned to my ears.

Soundstage is very good on both, but the presentation is different. DTE900 projects the sound more forward, almost like you listen to two speakers. The Ascension also goes deep and wide, just maybe less than DTE900. What Ascenion does better is separation and more 3D in the stage, you are surrounded by the sound more. Goes more behind and to the sides, while DTE900 is projected more in front. Both are very good, just a different approach.

Resolution is a tough one, at first glance the DTE900 is powerful and highly resolving. The more I compared the two they are closer than what I first thought, the upper pina gain does add to what is sometimes called fake detail. Just means since it's elevated the details are also pushed forward, due the upper midrange is where clarity or presence is.
Listening closer to piano that often uses the whole range, the Ascension has the same amount of detail but is less in-your-face sounding. Due to the balanced tonality and air on the Ascension, I might say the Ascension has the most resolving sound. The Ascension has extra textured low end due to a more nimble driver, making string instruments in the low end more resolving.



Summary

The Ascension is my faovorite IEM from my collection, organic musicality.
Ascension has made me question what I love in audio, my collection has also been thinned after this arrival. The sound is the most organic and analogue sounding IEM from AüR, it's tasteful and the more I listen the more addicted I get. The sound is rich and engaging without resorting to energetic tuning, it's a very musical set where all my music plays well in a warm and natural way.

Is it for everyone, no IEM is. I love it and I bet many others will also do that. But it's clearly a sound that grows on you the more time that goes, a good friend said a nice quote about Ascension.

The Ascension is like eating at a high class restaurant where they serve a multi course meal with delicacies, you eat slowly and enjoy every tasteful bite. Some other IEMs will have that junk food kick that overflows your taste buds immediately, but then later on the course it's less tasteful. Quite the opposite approach of Ascension, and the more time that has gone the more I have loved it.

From my evaluation this is a 4.5 rating, but it get pushed up to 5 star since musicality is what I value the most.

Congrats again AüR Audio, another stellar one. Abel is a master at his craft, well done.

TIMSOK TS-316

Disclaimer

The TS-316 is provided by @Musickteck, with a discount in return for a review. All impressions are my own subjective thoughts, after having used TS-316 for some weeks.
This is also a very subjective hobby where everything from experience, anatomy or age will affect what we hear. Also keep in mind that it is easy to use bold words when talking about differences, while it may be perceived as a small change for you. While I can perceive something as natural sounding, I do believe we can never get a perfect performance similar to what is achieved live.

Ranking System:
1 Very bad or unlistenable
2 Listenable but not good
3 Average
4 Good
5 Exceptional or having a special sauce

My rating system highly values what is musical, so my rating will always be a subjective opinion.



About me and my gear used for the review

My audio preference is neutral with increased low end, mids can be forward but never recessed. I can also handle some forward treble if it is not excessive, while overly boosted air can be tiresome. I am a believer in having different tuned IEMs for different genres or moods instead of chasing the single perfect one.
Main music genres I listen to are Metal, Electronica, Jazz, R&B and Pop. I am a music lover, and can also listen to almost all the genres out there. I have been into music gear since the mid 90s, gifted some big speakers at an early age. Then moved more and more into headphones with the Koss Porta Pro and a Sony Discman.

I have also tried playing many instruments over the years from piano to sax and have a feel for what's a natural tone, but not the biggest patience in learning to play. My wife has also played many instruments from string to wind instruments and also piano.

My current standard in Headphones is ZMF Verite Open and Beyerdynamic T1 G2.

My current favorites in IEMs are AüR Audio Ascension, Sound Rhyme DTE900 and 634ears Miroak-II. The Ascension is a tribrid, and has a very organic tonality that reminds me of dynamic drivers instead of BA. DTE900 is a tribrid also, tuned slightly V shaped being energetic and lush. Miroak-II is my favorite single DD, it has a warm and bassy sound that is also very natural sounding.

Gear used in the main rig is Topping E70 DAC together with the Topping A90 Discrete headphone Amp. I also have a Schiit Lokuis I can swap in if I want to do a little analogue EQ.
Portable gear used during the review is HIBY R6 Pro 2, Colorfly CMA M1P and FIIO BTR7.
I have a good range of cables from Clan Audio, Penon, NiceHCK, XINHS, DUNU, Effect Audio and Gladiator Cables.



So what is the TIMSOK TS-316

This is a single dynamic driver IEM, built with a metal shell. This brand was totally unknown to me until a month ago, but some good friends' impressions made it impossible to resist.

https://shop.musicteck.com/products/timsok-ts-316-single-dynamic-in-ear-reference-headphone

Information from the product page, written by Musicteck:

TIMSOK was founded in 2018. The founder and engineering team have more than 20 years of experience in the acoustic industry. They provided drivers and tuning solutions to many famous brands in the last few years.

We discovered this brand during the CanJam Socal this year. The founder, Mr.Song, is very knowledgeable and passionate about audio. We tried their flagship-level prototype and this beauty TS-316. We were shocked by the build quality, packaging, and, most importantly, the sound. At the current sale price of $499, TS-316 holds an incredible value. So, we decided to bring them here without a second thought!

Specification​

Model: TS-316
Driver: 10.2mm Dynamic Driver
Sensitivity: 102.5db 1KHz
Frequency Range: 20Hz~20KHz
Impedance: 32Ω
Cable: 1.25M / OCC
Connector: 0.78mm 2Pin
Plug: 4.4mm Balanced
Adapter: 4.4mm Female to 3.5mm Male



The packaging is well thought out and feels premium, you get both a nice cable and some comfortable silicon tips to get you going.

The cable is also terminated in 4.4mm balanced, refreshing to see. And then providing a 4.4mm to 3.5mm adapter, I wish more companies used 4.4mm cables or had it as an option.

There are also two IEM pouches for more secure storage, or can we call them Tim Sock's? Jokes aside, it's a smart addition to not get scratches.



Timbre

First off, what is Timbre?
From the Wikipedia:
The Acoustical Society of America (ASA) Acoustical Terminology definition 12.09 of timbre describes it as "that attribute of auditory sensation which enables a listener to judge that two nonidentical sounds, similarly presented and having the same loudness and pitch, are dissimilar", adding, "Timbre depends primarily upon the frequency spectrum, although it also depends upon the sound pressure and the temporal characteristics of the sound"

First minutes of trying a new set of gear, what I always listen to is how natural and musical it sounds. Much of this goes down to how I perceive the Timbre.

It has a clear and resolving sound, with excellent extension both in the bass and treble. A good amount of warmth in both the bass and midrange, since the driver is so transparent and fast the warmth helps the sound not be too clinical.

Going to use the ranges here in review:


Music

Just some music I have used while doing the comparison against my other IEMs. I have also listened to a lot more during the evaluation progress, but this should give something for you to check out also.









































Details and soundstage

I find TS-316 very resolving, it has both good microdetails and dynamics. The driver is very crisp and fast sounding so even the fastest metal I find open and clear, never any form of congestion. Especially listening to fast transients the dynamics is excellent and accurate, and it's very addictive and makes you need some time to adjust to slower sets after.

Depending on what you are used to you will maybe hear noise in music you haven't heard before due to have detailed TS-316 is, but it's also not clinical where music gets ruined due to a balanced and warm tuning

Soundstage is very wide for me, and has quite good height and depth also. But clearly has more width and an oval presentation, does give a sort of stage feel where you sit in one of the first rows of a show. Separation of sounds is very good, so positioning of sounds is easy to visualize.

Bass

Bass it tight and well extended, the amount is boosted but doesn't sound too much as it balances the upper range. Sub bass reaches low and doesn't flat out or have any roll off, excellent for both music or movies. Mid bass also has a good body and makes music very lively and fun, it also goes into the midrange how I like it to be. But even if the bass goes into the mids it doesn't sound wrong, some of this I believe is due the driver itself being fast.

If you like a good and fast slam, the TS-316 is excellent. Perfect for metal that needs faster decay to sound open, but also since it needs a good amount to sound engaging. It also has good decay that sounds much better than BA drivers for bass, so string instruments like double bass sound real and engaging.

Mids

As mentioned in the bass part, yes there is some bass bleed making the midrange slightly lusher. But it still sounds very open and clear, not any mud at all. Together with how the upper midrange is you get forward and engaging midrange, with good energy and clarity.
I find both soprano or other end baritone voices to be good, maybe a small favor toward females in general with TS-316. Females have some extra warmth that I like, but also have a good amount of clarity and presence without being sibilant.

Piano also sounds very lively and can both be mellow or bright, the recording itself is more or less shown as how it's played in a natural way. Same goes for instruments like brass, TS-316 will not soften the sound. But it's also never shrill or tiresome, just very natural and resolving on this part.

Treble

The treble is clear and natural, not peaky or harsh. I find the amount great to give a good amount of clarity, and also help it sound very open. Good amount of air that does not sound forced at all, just very natural. Cymbals have a good amount of bite and shimmer to them, never boring. And cymbals are supposed to have a good bite, so a very natural amount here.

It's still a forward sounding upper range, perfect for me as I prefer sets that are not dark. But also important that it's not tiresome, and here TS-316 is never that for me. But it also depends on the music used, acoustic music like classical is detailed but controlled. But listening to electronic music it can sometimes have sharp treble elements, this will not be tamed by TS-316.



Synergies

A small part about what gear I have been enjoying the most with the TS-316, my listening has mostly been done at home where I have both portable and desktop gear.

If we first look at tips, I often have problems with smaller nozzles or short ones. TS-316 is not the worst I have encountered, but still I need to use L or XL tips. It also helps if the tips are more sticky for secure fit, but even so I have also used more slippery tips like the Divinus Velvet.
I would say my favorite tip from sound point has been the Velvet, it's very well rounded. The second favorite is actually the AZLA SednaEarfit Vivid, more secure and sound almost as good.

I have mainly used cables that are soft and flexible or ones that help with secure fit. That also means that most of my best cable has worked, and overall I found copper cables to suit the sound the most. Favorite being the Effect Audio Ares S 8wire and Clan Audio Type 6 litz copper, the EA one being the warmer and the other being the neutral and most resolving one.
Another great pairing is the Effect Audio Eros S Anniversary model, super clarity and maximum resolving.

My sources have mostly been HIBY R6 Pro 2, and my desktop stack with Topping E70 and Topping A90 Discrete. I have also played some with dongles, and the Timsok pairs well with a warm analoge sound. So Cayin RU7 and Colorfly CDA M1P are excellent to make sound more warm, even so my favorite is my DAP here for better balanced sound.




Comparisons


The spider chart is slightly exaggerated on some points to show differences.




634ears Miroak-II Cocobolo

Friends know I adore this IEM, it has an organic warm rich sound. This is an IEM coming from Japan, with excellent quality and craftsmanship from the maker Musashi. It is also a single DD and should cost around 400 usd with shipping, excellent price and a steal for me. The unboxing is also very special here, but in a different way. The build itself is metal, resin and wood, and is very ergonomic and small. Depending on your ear, both can be equally ergonomic. The designs are cool on both sets, my model is with Cocobolo wood back plate. Miroak-II is also possible to get with metal or other woods for a different sound.

Soundstage is wide and spacious, slightly more than an average IEM. TS-316 is quite different and sounds larger in comparison, also has slightly better imaging and separation. Resolution is more modest on Miroak-II and instead gives you a more organic and playful sound, so in the technical standpoint the TS-316 is ahead.

The bass is great on both sets, the amount, texture and speed is different. Miroak-II has more quantity, especially in the mid bass. Both extend well on the sub bass, but also maybe here the amount is more on Miroak-II. Both I would call warm in the low end, the TS-316 has a more dense low end while Miroak-II is slightly looser. I rate them equally good, just different. Gaian Portal from the Perceiving All album, sounds much more bassy on Miroak-II. But the bass is slightly better textured on TS-316 and sounds faster, both are good in their own way.

Midrange is very rich and organic on Miroak-II, the TS-316 is more reference sounding in comparison. Personally I favor the Miroak-II midrange, but it also depends on the music played. In general I like jazz or classical more on TS-316, while Miroak-II midrange is better for me with most pop, R&B or soul. It's more about colored versus being cleaner on TS-316, or analogue vs modern sound. Both are excellent with vocals and instruments, I do find the upper mids more forgiving on Miroak-II. But again the TS-316 has more bite on stuff like cymbals, that give more excitement to the music.

Treble on Miroak-II is gentler and not as crisp, this also means that music with lots of treble emphasis is more pleasing. Example can be the Hypnotized album, here on some tracks the electronic elements can be bright and tiresome. Then Miroak-II handles the highs better, not always a positive thing having forward treble. The amount of airiness is more forward also on TS-316, softer again on Miroak-II.



SIMGOT EA1000 Fermat

This is my favorite release from Simgot, it uses a single 10mm dynamic driver paired together with a 6mm passive radiator. The sound is similar to other Simgot releases before, having a forward upper midrange making it extra resolving. Bass is well extended and my biggest downside being the amount lacking in both mid and sub bass, this makes it sound more bright than I prefer. The EA1000 is a very transparent and engaging IEM, pushing also what you thought was possible at the price point being 200usd.

First of both have excellent packaging and accessories, and the IEMs themselves also look equally classy. Perhaps for some the glass faceplate on EA1000 is too much, while others will love it over the TS-316. Build Quality is equally as good, and feels premium on both.
As for technicalities it's very close, but some parts of TS-316 are better.

Bass is great quality on both sets, what makes the TS-316 better is due to the amount reaching lower and with more quantity. Both have fast and speedy drivers, excellent for good slam and texture. TIMSOK is slightly faster, but the difference is minimal. Be it some electronica that makes good use of sub bass the TS-316 has more, or playing the Drunk album the bass have a little more textured and refined tonality with TS-316.

Midrange is more different, while EA1000 has the most engaging midrange from SIMGOT it still lacks some magic. Here TS-316 has a richer sound to females and males, sound more full and lively. This also means that instruments also get fuller sound, the difference is not huge. But still make music more musical for me. When listening to the album Spiritual Instinct I linked above I enjoy it on TS-316, while on EA1000 I'm more lukewarm about it making me rather want to change music. The Tokyo Funk session is also an interesting track when comparing, as it's very close to my threshold for upper mids on EA1000. On TS-316 it has more natural sound both to her and the brass instruments, it's not as sharp and more palatable. Still retain full energy and clarity, just a more refined performance.

The treble is great on both sets with plenty of air and transparency, I have a hard time hearing much difference. At times it can seem like the highs can be more sharp on EA1000, but it's so close and both are slightly forward sounding.
Soundstage and imaging a step forward on TS-316, I never found EA1000 to have that much depth or width. Here TS-316 reaches deeper on all axes, just having a grander stage. Just remember it is very personal how we perceive the stage, so the experience might be another way for you.



Sound Rhyme DTE900

Sound Rhyme DTE900 is a resolving and energetic IEM, that pushes what's possible to get for 750 usd. It has 1 DD, 4 BA and 4 EST. Almost unbelievable amount of drivers at this price, especially when it's good drivers. The sound is lush and energetic, with a very technical sound.
First session with the TS-316 reminded me almost as much of DTE900 as EA1000. I had expected EA1000 to be similar due to measurements I had seen beforehand, and not DTE900 as it's a totally different configuration. Just here you get a more refined and coherent sound with TS-316.

The Sound Rhyme DTE900 feels much more cheap when opening the package, even though accessories are as good on both. DTE900 uses resin shells that are rather large and bulky, even so it's very comfortable for those they fit. The TS-316 is a metal shell and that alone feels more premium, but also due to the connectors and build seems better quality. Personally I get a more secure fit with DTE900, while I can use TS-316 for longer sessions with better comfort.

The low end is very similar to TS-316, the biggest change being faster decay and more sub bass extension. I would say both have the same amount of slam, at times it sounds like more on TS-316. But some of this due to how the rest of the DTE900 sound like, this also makes TS-316 seem warmer.

Midrange is forward and slightly uneven, especially listening to some acoustic jazz like the Søren Bebe album you hear it can lack some refinement and. TS-316 is there better, also how the sound transition from the bass into the mids seem more disjunct on DTE900. What some might like more on DTE900 than TS-316 is a softer sound, its crisper and more transparent in the midrange on TS-316. Transients also seem to have a softer edge on DTE900, just make them sound different also. What I do find weird is that hot brass like Miles David trumpet is cleaner and less harsh on TS-316, usually I find BA easier on the ears for this.

Treble is clean on both, not peaky or fatiguing. TS-316 has a little more bite and also more airy sound, but DTE900 has some of that shimmery EST that's more velvety.
Soundstage is very wide and stagelike with DTE900, or sometimes it even reminds me of a speaker like soundstage. TS-316 is more circular in comparison, and has more dynamic depth with being closer to me and extending almost as deep. While DTE900 is instead positioned more in front of me with a wider stage, height is very similar and good on both.



Conclusion

I have truly enjoyed my time with TS-316, it is both musical and technical. It has enough warmth to the body to balance the energetic upper range, in return you get a successful formula that can take music with excellence. Musicteck has taken in a very solid IEM here, both the quality of the IEM and the sound is more than worth its price.

Some people raise an eyebrow when a single DD IEM costs more than the usual budget models, but the same person can then lash out even more on a multi driver one without blinking. Why? Since more is better, I don't agree with that at all. And it's clear that some drivers perform better than other ones, not only due to driver design but also due to tuning.

I for one look forward to and hope that more models come out from TIMSOK.

Disclaimer

The EM6L is my fifth IEM from Simgot. I got a review sample for written impressions. All impressions are my own subjective thoughts after having used them for a good time. These are my thoughts at this moment, and as time moves I might change my opinion.
This is also a very subjective hobby where everything from experience, anatomy or age will affect what we hear. Also keep in mind that it is easy to use bold words when talking about differences, while it may be perceived as a small change for you.
While I can perceive something as natural sounding, I do believe we can never get a perfect performance similar to what is achieved live.

Ranking System:
1 Very bad or unlistenable
2 Listenable but not good
3 Average
4 Very good
5 Exceptional or having a special sauce



About me and my gear used for the review

My audio preference is neutral with increased low end, mids can be forward but not too much. I can also handle some treble spikes if it is not excessive. I am a believer in having different tuned IEMs for different genres or moods instead of chasing the single perfect one.
Main music genres I listen to are Metal, Electronica, Jazz, Indy rock/metal, R&B, Pop. I am a music lover, and can also listen to almost all the genres out there. I have been into music gear since the mid 90s, gifted some big speakers at an early age. Then moved more and more into headphones with the Koss Porta Pro and a Sony Discman and Minidisc.

I have also tried playing many instruments over the years from piano to sax and have a feel for what's a natural tone, but not the biggest patience in learning to play. My wife has also played many instruments from string to wind instruments and also piano.

My current standard in Headphones is ZMF Verite Open and Beyerdynamic T1 G2.

My current favorites in IEMs are AüR Audio Neon Pro, Sound Rhyme DTE900 and 634ears Miroak-II. The NEON PRO has 10 BAs, and has a near perfect tonality for me on the brighter side. DTE900 is a tribrid with 1+4+4 config, tuned W shape being energetic and lush. Miroak-II is my favorite single DD, it has a warm and bassy sound that is also very natural sounding.

Gear used in the main rig is Topping E70 DAC together with the Topping A90 Discrete headphone Amp. I also have a Schiit Lokuis I can swap in if I want to do a little analogue EQ.
Portable gear used during the review is HIBY R6 Pro 2, Colorfly CMA M1P Cayin RU7.
I have a good range of cables from Clan Audio, Penon, NiceHCK, XINHS, DUNU, Effect Audio and Gladiator Cables.








What do I think about EM6L

The build is with resin and metal nozzle, and it's made slightly more ergonomic than the other models. I can have problems with secure fit on Simgot models, this never happens here.
Cable is also very subtle and sounds more than okay to let your music flow.

The package is nice as always with Simgot, the tips are soft and secure. There are no tuning nozzles on this model, a positive for many.

It has been tuned close to the Harman tuning but has more warmth, and due to BA used it has a softer sound than some single DDs tuned after Harman. Maybe not for everyone, but I think it works very well here.

The EM6L is enough resolving for its price, but less than the EA500 and EA1000. But in return the sound is also more forgiving and musical.
Soundstage is open with average layering, I actually find this wider sounding than the single DD offerings. And overall it has an oval and stage like sound, I like this type of soundstage alot.

The EM6L has more warmth than what I'm used to from Simgot, and addresses my personal issue with EA500 as the balance changes some. The bass is also not as fast, in return it sounds more natural.
Sub bass reaches deep and has good rumble, and sub bass has good weight and can punch well. Bass goes also into midrange with a slope, again to my preference.

I find the midrange clean and fairly good, darker vocals are better than brighter ones. But it also has a good way of portraying females, just maybe not as clean as some prefer. Instruments taking good use of the DD and low mids are excellent, and sound really good. Going up into brighter instruments like violin or sax it lacks a little bite to them, but also means it's more forgiving.

The highs have good enough extension not to sound dark, but it also doesn't sound bright either. Personal preference is a little more energy up top, but this is also very pleasing and forgiving with a sound that is never fatiguing.



I also compared the EM6L against the Juzear 41T, another great hybrid for its price. And in the end I preferred EM6L more than 41T, mainly due to the sound being warmer and more smooth. Not that one is better than the other, both are great and come back to preference of sound.



Music I enjoyed the most with EM6L was maybe older rock and metal recordings, as it's detailed enough without being painful. Also sound very good with jazz or soul music, and bass is very addicting on electronica music. In general a well rounded sound, unless you prefer more bite.

Just a few tracks that all sound great on EM6L, just musical and fun.


















Conclusion

I do like EM6L quite much and it is my second favorite from them, EM6L price point is below what I usually use for IEMs. But even so it's so close to higher end stuff and makes you sometimes wonder, why use more for good sound?

I know that the EM6L was voted for by many as the best budget IEM of 2023, and it might be that. Well deserving, and I look forward to some higher end Simgot models coming out this year.

I give it 3.5 stars and very close to very good, for the money its a 4.5 in my opinion.

LETSHUOER S15

Disclaimer

The S15 is my second IEM from Letshuoer, I got it for free with expectation of written impressions or review. All impressions are my own subjective thoughts, after having used T4 for some weeks.
This is also a very subjective hobby where everything from experience, anatomy or age will affect what we hear. Also keep in mind that it is easy to use bold words when talking about differences, while it may be perceived as a small change for you. While I can perceive something as natural sounding, I do believe we can never get a perfect performance similar to what is achieved live.

Ranking System:
1 Very bad or unlistenable
2 Listenable but not good
3 Average
4 Very good
5 Exceptional or having a special sauce



About me and my gear used for the review

My audio preference is neutral with increased low end, mids can be forward but not too much. I can also handle some treble spikes if it is not excessive. I am a believer in having different tuned IEMs for different genres or moods instead of chasing the single perfect one.
Main music genres I listen to are Metal, Electronica, Jazz, Indy rock/metal, R&B, Pop. I am a music lover, and can also listen to almost all the genres out there. I have been into music gear since the mid 90s, gifted some big speakers at an early age. Then moved more and more into headphones with the Koss Porta Pro and a Sony Discman and Minidisc.

I have also tried playing many instruments over the years from piano to sax and have a feel for what's a natural tone, but not the biggest patience in learning to play. My wife has also played many instruments from string to wind instruments and also piano.

My current standard in Headphones is ZMF Verite Open and Beyerdynamic T1 G2.

My current favorites in IEMs are AüR Audio Neon Pro, Sound Rhyme DTE900 and 634ears Miroak-II. The NEON PRO has 10 BAs, and has a near perfect tonality for me on the brighter side. DTE900 is a tribrid with 1+4+4 config, tuned W shape being energetic and lush. Miroak-II is my favorite single DD, it has a warm and bassy sound that is also very natural sounding.

Gear used in the main rig is Topping E70 DAC together with the Topping A90 Discrete headphone Amp. I also have a Schiit Lokuis I can swap in if I want to do a little analogue EQ.
Portable gear used during the review is HIBY R6 Pro 2, Colorfly CMA M1P, Penon Tail, FIIO BTR7.
I have a good range of cables from Clan Audio, Penon, NiceHCK, XINHS, DUNU, Effect Audio and Gladiator Cables.



So what is the LETSHUOER S15

Letshuoer is a IEM brand that was founded in 2016 in China, they have had many well received releases.
This is their third planar IEM, their previous models have been S12 and S12 PRO. All of them utilize a 14.8mm planar driver, the S15 also has a 6mm R-Sonic Passive Filtering Module. There was some controversy at first since the early leaked posts called it a passive radiator, but the implementation has more to do with having more control of the ear pressure and air flow.

https://letshuoer.net/blogs/news/letshuoer-r-sonic-dynamic-harmonics

The quality of the shell is excellent and has a very nice texture to it, feels in a way more premium than most IEMs.
I also like the color very much, but I also understand it will not be to everyone's liking. The only thing I dislike is the faceplate, it looks cheap compared to the rest. As for ergonomics they are perfect for me, few brands have such a nice build and nozzle. They melt more or less away and don't stick that far out from the ears, the nozzle also has average size and good length without probing your brain.

As always the packaging is excellent, it feels like a more premium unboxing than most ChiFi IEMs. Accessories are also good, you get two sets of tips one for vocal and the other ones for balanced sound.
The provided modular cable looks and feels nice, and also has a secure connection on the modular part. My only gripe is that the ear hooks are too aggressive, making it less secure for me.

https://letshuoer.net/products/lets...ve-filtering-module-hifi-wired-in-ear-monitor












Timbre

First off, what is Timbre?
From the Wikipedia:
The Acoustical Society of America (ASA) Acoustical Terminology definition 12.09 of timbre describes it as "that attribute of auditory sensation which enables a listener to judge that two nonidentical sounds, similarly presented and having the same loudness and pitch, are dissimilar", adding, "Timbre depends primarily upon the frequency spectrum, although it also depends upon the sound pressure and the temporal characteristics of the sound"

First minutes of trying a new set of gear, what I always listen to is how natural and musical it sounds. Much of this goes down to how I perceive the Timbre.

First session with S15 reminded me more of a dynamic driver than planar. I have tried a few planars but was never sold by the sound. Usually they were metallic and bright, I would also call them lifeless.

S15 has a richer and smoother sound, also a forgiving sound that is not tiresome. But can also be fast sounding and resolving, a very musical tuning to my ears.

Going to use the ranges here in review:




Details and soundstage

I dare say it's at the same level of resolution as some of the more resolving 1 DD IEMs, but due to the more forgiving upper range it also has no fake resolution. The dynamic range while good is not the best, and here dynamic drivers can be better.
Soundstage is average, I don't feel it sounds closed in and not that large. As for layering and imaging, it's okay but also here nothing spectacular.

Bass

Best planar bass I have tried, it has both a good slam and extension. But lacks a little on the texture, a little lifeless coming from great DDs for bass. But the S15 is also better than some dynamic drivers.
Sub bass extends low and can give you some good rumble, it lacks a little in the lowest sub bass pressure. Mid bass is much better and can give some really good slam, I was quite surprised by the low end as it's better than what I thought planar IEMs could do.

Mids

Midrange has nice tonality, it has some warmth but is also reserved and relaxed. With this I mean that it has good weight to vocals like males or cello playing, and on females it sounds clean but also not neutral and sterile. There is never any sibilance or shoutyness, this was my big downside on the earlier planars.

Treble

I find S15 airy and resolving in the highest range, it has great extension without being bright or sounding overly pushed to get fake air. As for the lower part of the treble, it sounds smooth and relaxed. Not dull by any means, just a forgiving and musical treble presentation.



Synergies

A small part about what gear I have been enjoying the most with the S15.

Most of my listening has been done with HIBY R6 Pro 2 and Topping E70/A90 Discrete, my favorite pairing being A90 Discrete. I also just got the Colorfly CDA M1P, it has a nice velvet like AKM sound and adds some organic elements to the S15.

Tips have been weird, I started with Spinfit CP100 and loved them. Then after a while I found them to not get the best staging capability of S15, changed to Divinus Velvet and it sounded much better. Another good pairing has been the Tangzu Sancai, just a balanced sounding tip with nice comfort.

Cables I am very neutral on in beliefs, I have tried both expensive cables from Effect Audio and cheap brands like XINHS and NiceHCK. I don't really find it to improve or change with cables, so my pairing has mostly been with a 16 core comfortable copper cable from NiceHCK.





Music

Just some music I have used while doing the comparison against my other IEMs and also against S12 PRO. I have also listened to a lot more during the evaluation progress, but this should give something for you to check out also.











Also check out the British and Dutch compilations, excellent trance releases.



























Comparison to the little brother S12 PRO

The S12 is one of the first planar IEMs I tried, I liked the technical performance and comfortable shell. But this is where it stopped with the praise, I never liked the timbre of the S12. It sounded dry, metallic, sharp and unnatural. The S12 Pro improved it slightly but it was still not to my preference, this is also why S15 impressed at once when I got them.

The sound had a closer resemblance to dynamic drivers in the bass, touch of an organic element. The driver is still detailed and fast with short decay, in the low end. Where it changes is that the bass seems to have better texture and a more satisfying impactful low end.

Midrange has a little extra warmth and realistic midrange, the metallic sound is totally gone on S15. Vocals and clean and detailed, just lack some presence when compared to S12 PRO.
So midrange is about the same in resolution but sounds better on S15, due to the upper midrange being more forward the S12 Pro can have more presence going on without being more resolving.

High range is good on both, it's actually very similar. Has good presence of air in both, sound slightly more forced in S12 PRO. The S15 is maybe slightly more relaxed than the S12 in the high range.

Soundstage is okay on both, but it is not their strong side either. I find S12 Pro smaller than S15, separation and imaging is about the same. They both lack a little in the separation compared to good DD or BA sets.

The spider chart is slightly exaggerated on some points to show differences.





Conclusion

First planar that I want to keep in my collection, it's still planar technology and will lack the dynamic driver presentation. But this is much closer to a dynamic driver and sounds very natural. The S15 has refined the planar sound, and in my opinion deserved the higher price tag above the S12 Pro. Many of us have no problem buying a good expensive single dynamic driver IEM, so why can't we do the same with planar also.

Final ranking from me is a solid 4 of 5, that I find to be very good specially as a planar IEM.

LETSHUOER S15 https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/letshuoer-s15.26854/review/32494/

Disclaimer

The S15 is my second IEM from Letshuoer, I got it for free with expectation of written impressions or review. All impressions are my own subjective thoughts, after having used T4 for some weeks.
This is also a very subjective hobby where everything from experience, anatomy or age will affect what we hear. Also keep in mind that it is easy to use bold words when talking about differences, while it may be perceived as a small change for you. While I can perceive something as natural sounding, I do believe we can never get a perfect performance similar to what is achieved live.

Ranking System:
1 Very bad or unlistenable
2 Listenable but not good
3 Average
4 Very good
5 Exceptional or having a special sauce



About me and my gear used for the review

My audio preference is neutral with increased low end, mids can be forward but not too much. I can also handle some treble spikes if it is not excessive. I am a believer in having different tuned IEMs for different genres or moods instead of chasing the single perfect one.
Main music genres I listen to are Metal, Electronica, Jazz, Indy rock/metal, R&B, Pop. I am a music lover, and can also listen to almost all the genres out there. I have been into music gear since the mid 90s, gifted some big speakers at an early age. Then moved more and more into headphones with the Koss Porta Pro and a Sony Discman and Minidisc.

I have also tried playing many instruments over the years from piano to sax and have a feel for what's a natural tone, but not the biggest patience in learning to play. My wife has also played many instruments from string to wind instruments and also piano.

My current standard in Headphones is ZMF Verite Open and Beyerdynamic T1 G2.

My current favorites in IEMs are AüR Audio Neon Pro, Sound Rhyme DTE900 and 634ears Miroak-II. The NEON PRO has 10 BAs, and has a near perfect tonality for me on the brighter side. DTE900 is a tribrid with 1+4+4 config, tuned W shape being energetic and lush. Miroak-II is my favorite single DD, it has a warm and bassy sound that is also very natural sounding.

Gear used in the main rig is Topping E70 DAC together with the Topping A90 Discrete headphone Amp. I also have a Schiit Lokuis I can swap in if I want to do a little analogue EQ.
Portable gear used during the review is HIBY R6 Pro 2, Colorfly CMA M1P, Penon Tail, FIIO BTR7.
I have a good range of cables from Clan Audio, Penon, NiceHCK, XINHS, DUNU, Effect Audio and Gladiator Cables.



So what is the LETSHUOER S15

Letshuoer is a IEM brand that was founded in 2016 in China, they have had many well received releases.
This is their third planar IEM, their previous models have been S12 and S12 PRO. All of them utilize a 14.8mm planar driver, the S15 also has a 6mm R-Sonic Passive Filtering Module. There was some controversy at first since the early leaked posts called it a passive radiator, but the implementation has more to do with having more control of the ear pressure and air flow.

https://letshuoer.net/blogs/news/letshuoer-r-sonic-dynamic-harmonics

The quality of the shell is excellent and has a very nice texture to it, feels in a way more premium than most IEMs.
I also like the color very much, but I also understand it will not be to everyone's liking. The only thing I dislike is the faceplate, it looks cheap compared to the rest. As for ergonomics they are perfect for me, few brands have such a nice build and nozzle. They melt more or less away and don't stick that far out from the ears, the nozzle also has average size and good length without probing your brain.

As always the packaging is excellent, it feels like a more premium unboxing than most ChiFi IEMs. Accessories are also good, you get two sets of tips one for vocal and the other ones for balanced sound.
The provided modular cable looks and feels nice, and also has a secure connection on the modular part. My only gripe is that the ear hooks are too aggressive, making it less secure for me.

https://letshuoer.net/products/lets...ve-filtering-module-hifi-wired-in-ear-monitor












Timbre

First off, what is Timbre?
From the Wikipedia:
The Acoustical Society of America (ASA) Acoustical Terminology definition 12.09 of timbre describes it as "that attribute of auditory sensation which enables a listener to judge that two nonidentical sounds, similarly presented and having the same loudness and pitch, are dissimilar", adding, "Timbre depends primarily upon the frequency spectrum, although it also depends upon the sound pressure and the temporal characteristics of the sound"

First minutes of trying a new set of gear, what I always listen to is how natural and musical it sounds. Much of this goes down to how I perceive the Timbre.

First session with S15 reminded me more of a dynamic driver than planar. I have tried a few planars but was never sold by the sound. Usually they were metallic and bright, I would also call them lifeless.

S15 has a richer and smoother sound, also a forgiving sound that is not tiresome. But can also be fast sounding and resolving, a very musical tuning to my ears.

Going to use the ranges here in review:




Details and soundstage

I dare say it's at the same level of resolution as some of the more resolving 1 DD IEMs, but due to the more forgiving upper range it also has no fake resolution. The dynamic range while good is not the best, and here dynamic drivers can be better.
Soundstage is average, I don't feel it sounds closed in and not that large. As for layering and imaging, it's okay but also here nothing spectacular.

Bass

Best planar bass I have tried, it has both a good slam and extension. But lacks a little on the texture, a little lifeless coming from great DDs for bass. But the S15 is also better than some dynamic drivers.
Sub bass extends low and can give you some good rumble, it lacks a little in the lowest sub bass pressure. Mid bass is much better and can give some really good slam, I was quite surprised by the low end as it's better than what I thought planar IEMs could do.

Mids

Midrange has nice tonality, it has some warmth but is also reserved and relaxed. With this I mean that it has good weight to vocals like males or cello playing, and on females it sounds clean but also not neutral and sterile. There is never any sibilance or shoutyness, this was my big downside on the earlier planars.

Treble

I find S15 airy and resolving in the highest range, it has great extension without being bright or sounding overly pushed to get fake air. As for the lower part of the treble, it sounds smooth and relaxed. Not dull by any means, just a forgiving and musical treble presentation.



Synergies

A small part about what gear I have been enjoying the most with the S15.

Most of my listening has been done with HIBY R6 Pro 2 and Topping E70/A90 Discrete, my favorite pairing being A90 Discrete. I also just got the Colorfly CDA M1P, it has a nice velvet like AKM sound and adds some organic elements to the S15.

Tips have been weird, I started with Spinfit CP100 and loved them. Then after a while I found them to not get the best staging capability of S15, changed to Divinus Velvet and it sounded much better. Another good pairing has been the Tangzu Sancai, just a balanced sounding tip with nice comfort.

Cables I am very neutral on in beliefs, I have tried both expensive cables from Effect Audio and cheap brands like XINHS and NiceHCK. I don't really find it to improve or change with cables, so my pairing has mostly been with a 16 core comfortable copper cable from NiceHCK.






Music

Just some music I have used while doing the comparison against my other IEMs and also against S12 PRO. I have also listened to a lot more during the evaluation progress, but this should give something for you to check out also.











Also check out the British and Dutch compilations, excellent trance releases.


























Comparison to the little brother S12 PRO

The S12 is one of the first planar IEMs I tried, I liked the technical performance and comfortable shell. But this is where it stopped with the praise, I never liked the timbre of the S12. It sounded dry, metallic, sharp and unnatural. The S12 Pro improved it slightly but it was still not to my preference, this is also why S15 impressed at once when I got them.

The sound had a closer resemblance to dynamic drivers in the bass, touch of an organic element. The driver is still detailed and fast with short decay, in the low end. Where it changes is that the bass seems to have better texture and a more satisfying impactful low end.

Midrange has a little extra warmth and realistic midrange, the metallic sound is totally gone on S15. Vocals and clean and detailed, just lack some presence when compared to S12 PRO.
So midrange is about the same in resolution but sounds better on S15, due to the upper midrange being more forward the S12 Pro can have more presence going on without being more resolving.

High range is good on both, it's actually very similar. Has good presence of air in both, sound slightly more forced in S12 PRO. The S15 is maybe slightly more relaxed than the S12 in the high range.

Soundstage is okay on both, but it is not their strong side either. I find S12 Pro smaller than S15, separation and imaging is about the same. They both lack a little in the separation compared to good DD or BA sets.

The spider chart is slightly exaggerated on some points to show differences.





Conclusion

First planar that I want to keep in my collection, it's still planar technology and will lack the dynamic driver presentation. But this is much closer to a dynamic driver and sounds very natural. The S15 has refined the planar sound, and in my opinion deserved the higher price tag above the S12 Pro. Many of us have no problem buying a good expensive single dynamic driver IEM, so why can't we do the same with planar also.

Final ranking from me is a solid 4 of 5, that I find to be very good specially as a planar IEM.

Hisenior T4 the smooth performer

Disclaimer

The T4 is my second IEM from Hisenior, I bought it with my own money with a review discount. All impressions are my own subjective thoughts, after having used T4 for some weeks.
This is also a very subjective hobby where everything from experience, anatomy or age will affect what we hear. Also keep in mind that it is easy to use bold words when talking about differences, while it may be perceived as a small change for you. While I can perceive something as natural sounding, I do believe we can never get a perfect performance similar to what is achieved live.

Ranking System:
1 Very bad or unlistenable
2 Listenable but not good
3 Average
4 Very good
5 Exceptional or having a special sauce



About me and my gear used for the review

My audio preference is neutral with increased low end, mids can be forward but not too much. I can also handle some treble spikes if it is not excessive. I am a believer in having different tuned IEMs for different genres or moods instead of chasing the single perfect one.
Main music genres I listen to are Metal, Electronica, Jazz, Indy rock/metal, R&B, Pop. I am a music lover, and can also listen to almost all the genres out there. I have been into music gear since the mid 90s, gifted some big speakers at an early age. Then moved more and more into headphones with the Koss Porta Pro and a Sony Discman and Minidisc.

I have also tried playing many instruments over the years from piano to sax and have a feel for what's a natural tone, but not the biggest patience in learning to play. My wife has also played many instruments from string to wind instruments and also piano.

My current standard in Headphones is ZMF Verite and Beyerdynamic T1 G2.

My current favorites in IEMs are AüR Audio Neon Pro, Sound Rhyme DTE900 and 634ears Miroak-II. The NEON Pro has 10 BAs, and has a near perfect tonality for me on the brighter side. DTE900 is a tribrid with 1+4+4 config, tuned W shape being energetic and lush. Miroak-II is my faovorite single DD, it has a warm and bassy sound that is also very natural sounding.

Gear used in the main rig is Topping E70 DAC together with the Topping A90 Discrete headphone Amp. I also have a Schiit Lokuis I can swap in if I want to do a little analogue EQ.
Portable gear used during the review is HIBY R6 Pro 2, Penon Tail, FIIO BTR7.
I have a good range of cables from Clan Audio, Penon, NiceHCK, XINHS, DUNU, Effect Audio and Gladiator Cables.





Who is Hisenior

https://www.hisenior-iem.com/

I heard about Hisenior for the first time last year, and heard praise about their Mega5P hybrid IEM. Found it to be excellent for the money when I had it on loan from a friend, had a natural and good tonality. Great built and felt better than what they asked for, the market has changed and more and more hybrids have entered.
So it's good to see that the new Okavango is priced nicely according to specs also, even if the market is flooded with hybrids now.

Hisenior as I understand has been making IEMs for a good time, but aimed for the professional market. This is also why they offer IEMs in the CIEM versions, the new models have options for both CIEM and universal design.



So what is the T4

The T4 is a BA IEM with 4 balanced armatures and 3 crossovers, priced at 199 usd. It can also be purchased with a custom designed shell and faceplate for 249 usd, and if you want a CIEM shell it is 299 usd.

The T4 is part of their T series, this as I understand is marketed for both audiophiles and artists.

Resin shell that is made with nice curves similar to CIEM models, nozzle is in the metal style seen on many IEMs lately. Combination makes it close to perfect in comfort, it also has a vent helping with pressure. There are also tuning switches with one affecting the bass amount while the other is for treble extension.

You get some nice accessories, also their hard case for storage. Plenty of tips to get you going, and the modular cable is excellent with only one downside being that the modular part is not the most secure.

https://www.hisenior-iem.com/products/t4universal




Timbre

First off, what is Timbre?
From the Wikipedia:
The Acoustical Society of America (ASA) Acoustical Terminology definition 12.09 of timbre describes it as "that attribute of auditory sensation which enables a listener to judge that two nonidentical sounds, similarly presented and having the same loudness and pitch, are dissimilar", adding, "Timbre depends primarily upon the frequency spectrum, although it also depends upon the sound pressure and the temporal characteristics of the sound"

First minutes of trying a new set of gear, what I always listen to is how natural and musical it sounds. Much of this goes down to how I perceive the Timbre.

Main comparison is with both switches up so called Soundstage+, I also find the other positions okay. But for me personally the added bass and treble extension is perfect in Soundstage+.

The T4 sound is very much like the measurements show, a warm and forgiving sound.

The low end has this thick and warm bass tonality, it goes into the mids making both instruments and vocals thicken. The pinna gain raises slowly and is not elevated much, but it's also not veiled making it lack presence. The high range is well extended and airy without being sharp or sibilant, it's much more airy than what I expected for a 200 usd BA IEM.

Going to use the ranges here in review:




Taken from ToneDeafMonk



Details and soundstage

The T4 is not the most resolving set, but due to the nature of BA already being quite resolving the T4 is above most dynamic driver IEMs in this aspect. It lack a little in low range, but this is often true on most BA sets.

Soundstage is average, I don't particularly find it large or closed in. More or less just follow the music and how it's portrayed. Imaging capability is pretty good, very nice 3D stage only lacking some depth nuances forward.

Bass

The T4 has BA bass, but I find it surprisingly good at this price point. I rate it as good in the low end as Supernova and SA6, maybe they have a small amount more detail in the bass. But it's really close, and I actually find the T4 has a more convincing bass slam than them.

There is more focus on the mid bass than sub bass, it doesn't mean that it lacks sub bass rumble. But the sub bass is not as prominent as the mid bass thickness.

Mids

The mids on T4 is just liquid gold, I truly love having smooth and warm vocals on T4. Females are better than males, but I very often find this true on most BA sets. Male are also nice, but I often favor the DD dynamics on them.
Females have more forward sound to them in thickness, so if you are one who needs super clean and thin females this is not for you. I most often like it more forward, so here T4 is excellent.

Instruments with strings also sound warm and full, drums have a nice kick to them. Cymbals have a good bite without any glare, same for brass instruments.

I just had the Supernova on loan and it had problems with sibilance on many female voices, especially in asian music. And I would pick T4 every day over it for female vocals.

Treble

The resolving and smooth sound of the upper range is perfect, keeping it more musical and pleasing. Also have a fair amount of air that doesn't feel forced and fake, just good natural air.
The T4 has an amount of lower treble where music has lots of presence and detail without being sibilant, but it also doesn't mask sibilant music.



Synergies

A small part about what gear I have been enjoying the most with the Okavango.

Most of my listening has been done with HIBY R6 Pro 2 and Topping E70/A90 Discrete, my favorite pairing being R6P2.

Tips has been a mixed thing, I found all my usual tips to work well. Favorite is perhaps the Tangzu Sancai, as they are so comfortable and sound full.

Cables I am very neutral on in beliefs, I have tried both expensive cables from Effect Audio and cheap brands from China. I don't really find it to improve or change with cables, so my pairing has mostly been with the stock cable that is excellent.




Music

I will just talk about some of the music I like, the music I use here are some of my reference tracks and also just some I like. When I am listening to music and not evaluating, I prefer to listen to whole albums. When comparing T4 to other sets I have used the tracks listed here and more.

This time I will have more vocal centric albums than usual as its something T4 excel at.



Eivør - Slør

Eivør is a Faroese singer-songwriter and actress, who got her on my radar since a friend from Island listened to her. This particular song also has an English version, but the original captures more emotion and nuances. Even If I don't understand much of the language.

About the dark time of the year on Faroe Islands. For people who live up in the north we are used to cold and long winters where almost no sun comes up, Eivør loves the dark and airy feeling of this time. Slør literally means ¨veil¨ as in the dark veiled land.

Amount of emotion and nuances in her voice can be enjoyed to its fullest on T4 as it captures it so perfectly, the focus on her vocals with T4 is perfect. The added instruments just add to the magical atmosphere. Its not that the T4 does something super special, but it also does nothing wrong here. Perhaps the soundstage is very deep here, and the T4 can not show it as its more on the small side.



Agnes Obel - The Curse

The Danish singer Agnes Obel is also a great part of my review process since has a beautiful voice. She also often uses both real instruments and electronic elements mixing it all together to atmospheric and emotional music.

The Curse have both string instruments like cello and piano, and of course also her voice.
The warm and dark feeling is very perfect on T4, the T4 makes both her and the cello parts come alive. Both in her voice and the string parts there is lots of detail, even so I do sometimes lack a little dynamic element. While doing this review I have listened to this alot on dynamic drivers through earbuds and headphones, and BA can not touch the realism of a DD.

But I'm way too harsh here, as T4 really does nothing wrong. And my critic can be more since im biased towards dynamic drivers.



Billie Elish - No Time To Die


The theme song for the James Bond movie No Time To Die.
Billie Eilish is the vocalist, the Orchestral part is done by Hans Zimmer Orchestra and produced by Finneas O'Connell and Stephen Lipson. It has a high production quality and is more than good enough to evaluate vocals and dynamics.

Billie Eilish was only 17 years old here and the youngest ever in a James Bond theme song, she was praised by Hans for having an intimate and emotional voice.
The track starts slow with just a subtle piano and gets even more slow when Billie enters, she sings carefully with lots of emotion. And crescendos up more and more over the course of the track, also why I say it has great dynamic range here.

The T4 has a very natural sound to the piano, and it has a mid forward sound that let the Piano be clear and nuanced. And this obviously also goes for the vocal part, T4 shows every throb and change in her voice. There is good breathiness in her voice that is not dampened by too much presence reduction in the upper mids.

The part where it is intense has much more instruments playing, and it doesn't sound congested or anything. Just an open and airy sound, while she is very centered in the image the rest has a very good depth into the stage. Under the climax of the track, Billie can be slightly sibilant on some IEMs while T4 rides just on the edge.





Fink - Trouble’s What You’re In - Live from Union Chapel, London

Incredibly nice live recording, Fink has an amazing voice. The simple but nuanced track has very few instruments, but the harmony of it all is very special and full sounding. I used this track and album on my recent review for a dynamic driver IEM the EA1000, and is suiting here also due teh comparison.

The T4 has great texture and body to his voice, and also very resolving showing his vibrato or breathyness. Drumming and guitar together with his voice has a sort of euphonic warm presentation, very addictive. This is also very matching with how the T4 is in its tonality, drums lack a little kick to them.



Korn - Falling Away from Me

Been years since I listened to Korn, I loved it in my teens. What I have found is that the style they have is quite aggressive and also often sound bad on high resolving audio gear, especially if on the bright tonality side. Korn is Nu Metal, their songs often inspired by bullying and other tough stuff.

Falling away has a nice thick bass kick at the start, and to my surprise the T4 sounds very satisfying and full on it. And when the rest starts it gets quite hectic, but T4 remains more or less fatigue free. This also goes for the rest of the parts being more intense through the song.

Jonathan’s voice has just the right amount of forwardness suiting the music, sets with less mids sound thin to me. The T4 upper mids are smooth and forgiving, this helps the track not get fatigued. But it's also not too safe sounding where it sounds lackluster and lacks energy. The mids do make the sound be more full and thick, so if you are one who needs super clean and clear sound T4 is not that.



Terrace Martin, Robert Glasper, 9th Wonder, Kamasi Washington - From My heart and My Soul

Terrace Martin has some great releases within the jazz or jazz hop genre, this is no exception and is a superb album and track. He has a nice voice and has an old school vibe, like a 90s hip hop sound blended with jazz. The track is very bass heavy with a thicker mid presentation.

This track does deserve a dynamic driver for its bass, there is something about the decay that sounds slightly off on BA sets. That includes T4 and also more high end models like Neon Pro and Supernova. It's not to say it sounds bad, as the thump does sound good and some would maybe not notice if they are not used to the album or track with other sets.

The drum kit and synth all have good resolving capability with the T4, it has a slightly smoother sound to it. Overall very pleasing, and this part of T4 being smooth and warm in the mids suit the track very well. The vocals are also pretty good and satisfying, and even if its BA I like the amount of lushness T4 provides.



The Comet is Coming - Birth of Creation

Nu jazz from London, a group consisting of King Shabaka on sax, Danalogue on keyboard and Betamax on drums. This album is special and has been in my listening rotation since it came out, the track Birth of Creation is one of the best tracks on the album.

Sax is played with finesse and has a mellow and dark sound, almost like a voice singing. The drums gave a nice mix of sparkling cymbals, hits and nice kicks. While the keyboard makes this more of a mix between electronica and jazz, it's a cool track with a story being told.

Here I don't mind at all having just an all BA, this is actually a track where the more even tonality the better. So all BA or just single DD wins my heart every time.

The sax is very nuanced and detailed, and the smoother part of T4 helps making it more pleasing overall. While it might lack some bite if you want a more forward brass sound, the bass played is excellent and is both detailed and fun. Overall I find the T4 to replay the track very good, as its just in the middle where it smooth some of the more intense jazz elements while keeping detailed enough where it's not veiled.



Ahab - The Isle

Ahab is a German funeral doom metal band, an extreme sub genre of death metal. Doom funeral metal is a slow type of metal often very thick sounding, and it always sounds wrong on lean IEMs for me. This album is based upon the 1907 horror book The Boats of the ¨Glen Carrig¨ by William Hope Hodgson.

The soft start is magical, and if you don't know what type of album it is you would have been shocked later. The electric guitar is clear and magical and the bass is giving a great atmospheric vibe, his vocal drags you in with lyrics telling a story.
The T4's more warm tonality is well suited to music like this, giving great body to drums and guitars. And as BA it is both detailed and forward without any fatiguing tendency on any part.
Both the signing at start is detailed and full, and the growling later is very detailed and clean. So it's easier to hear what he sings through the growling.



Merkaba - Perception 2022 Remaster

I am a big fan of electronic music, and having a good body giving soul to the rhythm is important for me. There is not much to analyze in this track except how the resolution is, and how much I like it all.

The T4 delivers a warm and thick full bodied sound, and as for how good BA bass can be it's up there close with other regarded sets like SA6 and Supernova. I have no problem recommending T4 for electronica, and often the BA can suit more fast paced electronica. Not that this song is slow, and even here it's very pleasing. But there is one caveat and that is sub bass, there is much more mid bass focus than sub. Not that it lacks sub bass, but it's more neutral while mid bass is more forward.



Gidge - Quasar

I am a lover of ambient electronica that is more on the musical side, this track is exactly that. Outside of having been taken by the vocal capability of the T4 I have also been addicted to ambient music on T4.

I always prefer dynamic drivers for electronica, but for some reason this album and also the track suit T4 perfectly. The forward mid bass and also lush warm mids make it such enjoyable and full sounding.



Comparisons

I had no other BA sets within this price range, so instead I decided to use the recent release from Simgot EA1000 Fermat priced around the same and is highly praised. And also my reference IEM that shows have good all BA can be, the AüR Audio Neon Pro.



Simgot EA1000 Fermat

The EA1000 is the newest IEM from Simgot, it has 1 Dynamic Driver and 1 Passive radiator. It sits at the same price point as the T4 and also provides similar tuning on measurement, even if they sound quite different in real life.

EA1000 being more aggressive in its presence with super clear sound, and T4 appear warmer and more soothing.
The EA1000 has more aggressive upper mids, it also is more resolving than T4. This also has its downside as EA1000 can be tiresome on some music, example being the track Slør being tiresome on EA1000 and soothing on T4. Soundstage is also slightly larger on EA1000, but the difference is not that far off from each other.

The EA1000 has a metal build instead of resin like T4, EA1000 also uses a more universal type of shell that doesn't sit as ergonomic.
If we look at comfort the T4 is much better than EA1000, the nozzle is short and the body of the shell is rather awkward to use. This might be since I have a larger ear, and people with smaller ears or less deep ear canal where the tip sits. Stock cable is better from Hisenior as its more malleable to your ear, while the most pretty is from Simgot. Tips and accessories are great on both sets.

The low end on EA1000 is superb with great texture and resolution, one of the better DD presentations of bass. It only lacks some in its mid bass amount and slam, but this is also down to preference. Both are equally fast sounding, but the EA1000 is more convincing on natural decay. It also shows slightly more sub bass than T4, the amount of mid bass and slam is more on T4.
Male vocals are lusher and more emotional on T4, on EA1000 they are slightly colder and neutral. Female vocals are also similar, you trade more airy and clear vocals on EA1000 with the lush and smooth vocals on T4. But if we listen to details on vocals and instruments more is visible in the audio picture on EA1000. The upper mids on EA1000 are more forward and can appear tiresome or even metallic on certain music, this is much smoother and better on T4. But this is also down to preference.

The high range is great on both sets, small victory to T4 being more airy. But the biggest treble difference is that the T4 has a more soothing treble sound, and EA1000 can be too bright and it all comes down to its more resolving driver.



AüR Audio Neon Pro

The AüR Audio Neon Pro is a more high end IEM priced around 700 usd, it has 10BA per side of high quality. It's also my reference set for how good BA can be, my favorite set for metal music.

Both have similar build quality in the resin, and form factor also being very similar. Neon Pro does have a larger shell and fit even more like a CIEM, also due to the nozzle being angled and perfect for me. But then it's the ear pressure, I have no problems on the Neon Pro. I know that many others have had problems since NP does not have any venting, the T4 on the other hand have vented holes to remove pressure.
The Neon Pro has U-tonality, meaning that bass and treble being forward while mid range being more neutral. The Neon Pro is also a set that is highly resolving with forward upper mids, but even so remains not sharp or sibilant.

The T4 is the warmest sounding of the two, with more bass and mid focus. Neon Pro has more of a balanced reference sound. Using Neon Pro with switch OFF/DOWN and T4 with both switches ON/UP, in this position they are more similar in bass amount and upper treble.

Starting with the low end, this is a clear win to Neon Pro. It has better sub bass texture and extension, when music asks for sub bass rumble it delivers conveniently even if its BA. Mid bass slam is good on both sets, but Neon Pro slam harder. And if its string instruments playing the bass you hear some more nuances in everything, is it day and night? No. But it's still a different playing field, but this is also to be expected. For me the IEMs using 4 Sonion BAs does something extra that the other sets using only 2 lack, this also goes for other sets from Dunu, Symphonium and more.

Midrange is good on both sets and here there is less difference in quality, Neon pro still has more resolution but the difference is less. Biggest difference here is on tonality, T4 has thicker and also smoother midrange. Neon Pro is more clear, and also more reference sounding.
Male vocal is very similar on both sets, its females and instruments you hear more change on.
So on most brighter instruments you hear clearer and more resolving sound, same for females being extra airy with more clarity. Even so I might prefer the smooth and thicker way of T4 more.

Both have high quality midrange, Neon Pro just have a small edge on the resolving part due to both the tuning and the drivers used. Some of this due to the early pina gain raise on Neon Pro that is also fairly elevated, T4 is the direct opposite raising slower and being less elevated.

The highs are also well extended on both sets, slightly more energy on Neon Pro. So if you're sensitive to treble, the T4 might be better for you. But the quality is almost as good on both sets, I find that NP has a slight edge here also. But this says something about the T4 being able to give NP competition.

Soundstage is very large on Neon Pro with great depth and layering, whereas T4 sounds smaller in comparison.

I'm still impressed how well the T4 far against the Neon Pro with so much less drivers and cost, both are superb sets and complementary to each other.

The spider chart is slightly exaggerated on some points to show differences.





Conclusion

The Hisenior T4 delivered more than expected, it is one of my favorite BA sets. The timbre is excellent and makes music joyful.

Sometimes you get a new model and expectations are huge, then when trying them for the first time you feel let-down. This is exactly the opposite, I was not expecting to be this impressed by the modest 4BA of T4. I have heard all BA sets before with few drivers, but they have always had a higher price than this. Looking at both tuning and build quality this is a bargain in the IEM market.

You do not get a beast of IEM with thunderous bass and resolution showing every fault in every recording, what you get is pure musicality. The T4 delivers a smooth and warm experience, doesn't really matter genre it delivers enjoyment in whatever you play.
The forward midbass and lush mids are one of its strengths, making music full sounding. Pair this with the forgiving upper midrange and well extended treble, warm sound without having any veil. The formula is excellent and is why I love it so much. I am more than happy with my purchase, and I like it so much I might consider getting it in CIEM.

And a word about the rating of 4, as mentioned in the disclaimer means very good. If I look at how good I find this at its price value its a clear 5 star for me.

Simgot EA1000 Fermat

Disclaimer

The EA1000 I got for free in return for a written review online, thanks Simgot and @FiaLm

All impressions are my own subjective thoughts, after having used EA1000 for some weeks.
This is also a very subjective hobby where everything from experience, anatomy or age will affect what we hear. Also keep in mind that it is easy to use bold words when talking about differences, while it may be perceived as a small change for you. While I can perceive something as natural sounding, I do believe we can never get a perfect performance similar to what is achieved live.

Ranking System:
1 Very bad or unlistenable
2 Listenable but not good
3 Average
4 Very good
5 Exceptional or having a special sauce



About me and my gear used for the review

My audio preference is neutral with increased low end, mids can be forward but not too much. I can also handle some treble spikes if it is not excessive. I am a believer in having different tuned IEMs for different genres or moods instead of chasing the single perfect one.
Main music genres I listen to are Metal, Electronica, Jazz, Indy rock/metal, R&B, Pop. I am a music lover, and can also listen to almost all the genres out there. I have been into music gear since the mid 90s, gifted some big speakers at an early age. Then moved more and more into headphones with the Koss Porta Pro and a Sony Discman and Minidisc.

I have also tried playing many instruments over the years from piano to sax and have a feel for what's a natural tone, but not the biggest patience in learning to play. My wife has also played many instruments from string to wind instruments and also piano.

My current standard in Headphones is ZMF Verite and Beyerdynamic T1 G2.

My current favorites in IEMs are AüR Audio Neon Pro, Sound Rhyme DTE900 and 634ears Miroak-II. The NEON Pro has 10 BAs, and has a near perfect tonality for me on the brighter side. DTE900 is a tribrid with 1+4+4 config, tuned W shape being energetic and lush. Miroak-II is my favorite single DD, it has a warm and bassy sound that is also very natural sounding.

Gear used in the main rig is Topping E70 DAC together with the Topping A90 Discrete headphone Amp. I also have a Schiit Lokuis I can swap in if I want to do a little analogue EQ.
Portable gear used during the review is HIBY R6 Pro 2, Penon Tail, FIIO BTR7.
I have a good range of cables from ISN, Penon, NiceHCK, XINHS, DUNU, Effect Audio and Gladiator Cables.



So what is Simgot EA1000 Fermat

Simgot is a brand based in China and Linsoul is the main seller of Simgot products.
The EA1000 is their newest single dynamic driver IEM that also has a passive radiator implemented. It uses a 10mm dual magnetic driver, which is fast and technical.
Simgot EA1000 follows similar tuning as the models before, it has proven a success that many love.

The shell is made in metal with a faceplate that looks like glass, very solid built and feels and looks premium. The cable socket is 2 pin with a small recessed insert, and the provided cable fits perfectly and matches the aesthetics of the IEM.

The whole package is well thought out and gives a nice presentation and opening experience, and the whole Fermat theorem is a nice touch. While I must admit I haven't delved into why they have it as a part of their marketing.

The EA1000 also has the same nozzle system as the EA500, they provide 3 pairs of nozzles with some minor differences in sound.

What is more interesting is that it's easy to mod with filter and foam to tame the upper energy.

Comfort needs to be mentioned, the nozzles are short/average and in combination with a not so ergonomic shell make it a bad fit for me. I have large ears and the ear cavity where the tips sit are fairly deep, so the body of the IEM hits the concha and makes it rather hard at getting a good seal. With correct tips it's almost solved, but I still have to readjust and push them in now and then.



Taken from the product listing:

Technical Details​

Drivers​

10mm dual-magnetic-circuit & dual-cavity structure dynamic

Cable​

High Purity Silver-Plated OFC Litz Structure

Connectors Type​

Detachable 0.78mm 2Pin

PRICE​

$219.99 USD

https://www.linsoul.com/products/simgot-ea1000-fermat




Timbre

First off, what is Timbre?
From the Wikipedia:
The Acoustical Society of America (ASA) Acoustical Terminology definition 12.09 of timbre describes it as "that attribute of auditory sensation which enables a listener to judge that two nonidentical sounds, similarly presented and having the same loudness and pitch, are dissimilar", adding, "Timbre depends primarily upon the frequency spectrum, although it also depends upon the sound pressure and the temporal characteristics of the sound"

First minutes of trying a new set of gear, what I always listen to is how natural and musical it sounds. Much of this goes down to how I perceive the timbre.

The Simgot EA1000 has a natural sound, that is on the energetic side. In short I would call it balanced but it's slightly too bright for that, even so it balances the energy pretty well without being too shouty.
But I can not deny the pina gain being on the border of what I prefer, it can at times make certain songs have a metallic tendency similar to EA500 but less.

I have tried all the nozzles and the change is small, I have just gone with the red nozzle as it has the most forgiving upper range and the most bass.

Going to use the ranges here in review:




Measurement by Paul Wasabi.



Details and soundstage

The EA1000 is very resolving, and might be the most resolving single DD in its price range. We can call it single DD due to the passive radiators not counted as a driver.
Be it bass, mids or the highs it delivers much details on all ranges.

Soundstage is open with good layering, nothing revolutionary but not bad either. I would categorize the soundstage as average in depth and height, while it excels at separation and imaging.

Bass

The EA1000 low range is very impressive, I do think that the combination of a good driver and the passive radiator adds something extra to the bass. It's almost hard to explain, but it has a very natural sound. The EA1000 can both slam and rumble with authority, speed also slightly on the fast side. A few more dB in the sub bass would have been appreciated for me, but overall the tuning is very nicely done here. It also has the glide style of increasing from the lower mids into the bass, the style I prefer.

Mids

Yes, this is the first Simgot where I have been more pleased with midrange. Same as the bass range it has a more organic and natural way of presenting both vocals and instruments.

The upper mids are forward, and for some it might be too much. I had more problems with this on earlier Simgot models, so either I have gotten used to it or the EA1000 does it better. Even if they all measure very similarly.

Male vocal sounds better than female, as the female ones could have had more clarity. I still rate it highly for both, just some nit picking.

Treble

The high range is forward and detailed, but not overly much. Some of this due to also the upper mids being forward, so they balance each other out in energy. You can hear some nice sparkle on cymbals, and violins will have good presence and clarity.

It's still on the more technical side with an analytical type of treble, maybe too much for some.

The EA1000 also has plenty of air, maybe too much.



Synergies

A small part about what gear I have been enjoying the most with the EA1000.

Most of my listening has been done with HIBY R6 Pro 2 and Topping E70/A90 Discrete, my favorite pairing being R6P2.

Tips have been a difficult thing, due to nozzles being short compared to the flat body of the shell. I need to readjust the IEMs often, so tips with longer stems work the best and the ones with more grippy texture. I have some stock tips from an unknown package that has worked the best, with Spinfit CP100 being close second.

Stock cable is good already, but lacks the 4.4mm that I prefer to use. I don't find it changes much with better cables, so my favorite has been some 16core copper XINHS cable as it's soft and helps with securing the fit.




Music

I will just talk about some of the music I like, the music I use here are some of my reference tracks and also just some I like. When I am listening to music and not evaluating, I prefer to listen to whole albums. When comparing EA1000 to other sets I have used the tracks listed here and more. Most of my listening has been through my own files from Bandcamp or Tidal.



Billie Elish - No Time To Die

The theme song for the James Bond movie No Time To Die.
Billie Eilish is the vocalist, the Orchestral part is done by Hans Zimmer Orchestra and produced by Finneas O'Connell and Stephen Lipson. It have a high production quality and more than good enough to evaluate vocals and dynamics.

Billie Eilish was only 17 years old here and the youngest ever in a James Bond theme song, she was praised by Hans for having an intimate and emotional voice.
The track starts slow with just a subtle piano and gets even more slow when Billie enters, she sings carefully with lots of emotion. And crescendos up more and more over the course of the track, also why I say it has great dynamic range here.

The more dark voice of Billie suits the EA1000, no problem showing everything and even giving some goosebumps.



Earthspace - When We Feel Strange

Some sort of electronic psy genre, there are so many categories that i'm lost these days. But the track features speed and rhythm that is quite technical, has lots of elements happening all at once and can make some sets to start to sweat.

And yes EA1000 can play this with ease, it never feels slow or congested. Remains open and clear on all parts, with great separation and dynamic range of it all. I would have liked more bass to make it less energetic, but this is a personal opinion.

If there are any downsides with EA1000 and music like this, it's the resolving capability and forward upper mids. Some electronic music is super clean but some also don't have the best samples used in their sounds, and the more resolving the more apparent this can be. While this track is pretty good I could have preferred EA1000 to be less energetic.



Seatbelts - Tank!

The soundtrack of the beloved anime series COWBOY BEPOP, the Tank! Is an intense one opposing song. Written by Yoko Kanno and performed by Seatbelts, a big band jazz piece with latin infused hard bop style.

The piece has some impressive and forward alto sax playing, and is great for me to listen to sax tonality and if it's too forward sounding or not. The rhythm part is done by double bass and bongo drums.

The opening with the buzzing double bass is very prominent and detailed, and is actually more prevalent here than EA500. The bongo drums accompanied has a nice tone to them, just lacking a little body.

Teh sax is very nicely done, not too hot and fatiguing. Juist just at the edge where it's very detailed and open.



Jinjer - Pisces

Awesome track by Jinjer, and yes the vocalist is female and does the growling also. Just an overall nice track to test dynamic range and how it handles slightly complex metal.

Jinjer opens with a more melodic opening with beautiful vocals, EA1000 shows more than enough expressions in her voice. And the instruments are clear and nuanced also, the drums have a nice tactile feel. The cymbals also have some nice zing to them.

Then going into the hard part, she remains very clear and it's easy to listen to her growling and instruments without it sounding congested or metallic.



Fink - Trouble’s What You’re In - Live from Union Chapel, London

Incredibly nice live recording, Fink has an amazing voice. The simple but nuanced track has very few instruments, but the harmony of it all is very special and full sounding.

The EA1000 has great texture and body to his voice, and also very resolving showing his vibrato or breathiness. Personally I prefer more mid bass to \\give him more fullness, but this presentation is very correct and transparent sounding.

The drumming and guitar together with his voice has a sort of euphonic presentation, very addictive.



Comparisons



Simgot EA500

The EA500 is the model that made Simgot well known, it's also a single DD. Having a high resolving driver that is really fast and nuanced, more or less unbeatable in performance at its price point. Also has the nozzle system, and is easy to mod.

To make it more correct, I changed back to normal filters that are not modded on EA500.

The metal build is almost the same as EA1000 except for the faceplate, this also goes for the ergonomics. Price is at 70-80 usd depending on sale or not.

Bass is more natural and is felt slightly more in EA1000 than EA500, EA500 already had very good bass performance but lacked in amount. So yes you can say that EA1000 has taken EA500 and improved it, making it more natural and fun. If it's due to the passive radiator or just what type of driver I am curious about.

Mids is outstanding om EA1000, before EA1000 I have not been totally impressed by the midrange of Simgot. Models before sounded too sterile and cold, this on both instruments and vocals lacked soul. I hate to use this word, but the midrange is more organic and natural now with EA1000. EA500 has a sort of metallic sound to some instruments and sounds. This can sometimes also appear on EA1000 but it's up to the recording if it's exaggerated.
Treble more detailed and clear, having also more air.
As I said the EA500 in stock form had a sort of metallic and cold tonality, there is not as much of this with EA1000. Much of this was solved by modding with filter and foam in my EA500.
But even when modded, the EA500 can't touch the EA1000. Remember the changes are not day and night, but it's still I find the price jump justified.



Simgot EM6L

The EM6L is also one of the recent releases from Simgot, it is a hybrid with 1 DD and 4BA.
It is also tuned almost the same as EA500 and EA1000, but due to driver config it also sounds different.

The build here is in plastic instead of metal, and it doesn't feel and look as premium as the other two. The nozzle is similar in size but is not exchangeable and glued in place, the good part is that it has slightly better angle and length. I still don't get the best fit, but it's better than the EA1000. Price is at 90-120 usd depending on sale or not.

Bass is of lower quality than EA1000, but it also extends better and some sub bass rumble is more noticeable. The bass just feels slower and less resolving than EA1000 and also EA500.

Mids is also quite different has a sort of softer tone, most likely due to BA. On some music I really like this and it makes it more forgiving, but on some albums it's also more edgy and sharp.
I think most of this is due to some of the tuning in the upper midrange that especially affects some ranges of the piano or some brass instruments.

Treble is slightly less resolving and airy than EA1000, also at times a little unnatural and sharp.

Soundstage is actually above the EA1000 and EA500, but remember soundstage is very personal. As for imaging how easy it is to position everything is below EA1000 and more similar to EA500.

Overall the sound is softer and less resolving than the other two.

The spider chart is slightly exaggerated on some points to show differences.





Conclusion

So what do I think after all this about the Simgot EA1000 Fermat , they have another winner in its price range. It's not as revolutionary as EA500 was for its price range, but it still remains a good contender where it's priced.

If you love your EA500 and want something that is an improvement this is the way to go, but if you had any of the problems I mentioned about fit this is the same. And even if the upper midrange is now better, it's still forward and aggressive.

The EA1000 sound is very addictive and fun to listen to, the balance of energy and resolution is just right and not tiresome. And the touch of organic element it brings to acoustic music is excellent, if it's due to the passive radiator or driver itself don't matter for me. Something they have done does make music very enjoyable especially in the low and midrange.

Sound Rhyme DTE900



Disclaimer

The DTE900 is my first IEM from Sound Rhyme, I bought it with my own money with a small discount. All impressions are my own subjective thoughts, after having used DTE900 for some weeks.
This is also a very subjective hobby where everything from experience, anatomy or age will affect what we hear. Also keep in mind that it is easy to use bold words when talking about differences, while it may be perceived as a small change for you. While I can perceive something as natural sounding, I do believe we can never get a perfect performance similar to what is achieved live.



About me and my gear used for the review

My audio preference is neutral with increased low end, mids can be forward but not too much. I can also handle some treble spikes if it is not excessive. I am a believer in having different tuned IEMs for different genres or moods instead of chasing the single perfect one.
Main music genres I listen to are Metal, Electronica, Jazz, Indy rock/metal, R&B, Pop. I am a music lover, and can also listen to almost all the genres out there. I have been into music gear since the mid 90s, gifted some big speakers at an early age. Then moved more and more into headphones with the Koss Porta Pro and a Sony Discman and Minidisc.

I have also tried playing many instruments over the years from piano to sax and have a feel for what's a natural tone, but not the biggest patience in learning to play. My wife has also played many instruments from string to wind instruments and also piano.

My current standard in Headphones is ZMF Verite and Beyerdynamic T1 G2.

My current standard in IEMs is AüR Audio Neon Pro and AüR Audio Aurora. The NEON Pro has 10 BAs, and has a near perfect tonality for me on the brighter side. AüR Audio Aurora 2 DD + 6 BA has the best bass quality I have tried in an IEM, while not taking over the mids and showing very natural sound.

Gear used in the main rig is Topping E70 DAC together with the Topping A90 Discrete headphone Amp. I also have a Schiit Lokuis I can swap in if I want to do a little analogue EQ.
Portable gear used during the review is Cayin N7, Penon Tail, Hiby R6 III, FIIO BTR7.
I have a good range of cables from ISN, Penon, NiceHCK, XINHS, DUNU, Effect Audio and Gladiator Cables.



Who is Sound Rhyme

Sound Rhyme as I understand is made by Xiamen Yunjun Electronic Technology Co. , Ltd. They specialize in production and processing of earphones, be it custom, universal or wireless. They also make accessories and cables, they also make IEMs for many other brands out there.

Current Sound Rhyme IEM models:
SR1 - 1DD
SR5 - 1DD + 4BA
SR4 - 4BA
SR7 - 1DD + 6BA
SR8 - 14BA
DTE500 - 1DD + 2BA + 2EST
DTE900 - 1DD + 4BA + 4EST



So what is the DTE900 model

The DTE900 is the newest IEM from Sound Rhyme, it has a tribrid configuration consisting of 1DD + 4BA + 4EST.

The DTE900 is built with high grade resin in an ergonomic shell of high quality. Nozzle is made of metal, and is fairly long. Combination makes it very comfortable for me, even if the size of the shell is on the big side.

The presentation in the box is fairly nice, you get a nice silver plated cable that is modular. No need to upgrade this one, unless you're like me and a little cable obsessed.

You get two storage boxes, the puck box where the IEMs sit. And the more traditional storage case. As for tips you get a set of silicon and some foams, the silicon is actually a great one that I have gotten on plenty of other IEMs also.

Looking at specs, build and price the DTE900 is a very good deal.

My model is a custom design, so if you buy it stock it will look different. Or you can choose the design you like for some extra.



Timbre

First off, what is Timbre?
From the Wikipedia:
The Acoustical Society of America (ASA) Acoustical Terminology definition 12.09 of timbre describes it as "that attribute of auditory sensation which enables a listener to judge that two nonidentical sounds, similarly presented and having the same loudness and pitch, are dissimilar", adding, "Timbre depends primarily upon the frequency spectrum, although it also depends upon the sound pressure and the temporal characteristics of the sound"

First minutes of trying a new set of gear, what I always listen to is how natural and musical it sounds. Much of this goes down to how I perceive the Timbre.

Main comparison is with both switches, unless I say otherwise.

The DTE900 has energetic and forward timbre, and all the ranges from bass, mids and treble are forward and clear. But would still not say the sound is neutral, it's more of a w shaped sound. Most music I play sounds correct, but has a little extra fun and forwardness compared to neutral IEM.

Going to use the ranges here in review:



Details and soundstage

First of all the resolution on the DTE900 is exceptional, it has superb details be it in the bass, mids, treble or just how good the soundstage is. If you go from a cheaper id tier set up to this yoo\u will be pleased by the increased detail level.

Soundstage is larger than most sets, it has extra good width and also depth forward. If most sets position sound between your ears or right in front of you, this pushes it further away and wider out. I would say it's more oval than spherical, but even so the forwardness is awesome also.
This goes also for the layering and imaging, I find plenty of layers in both the height width and depth. Perhaps one of the best sets I have tried when looking at staging of the soundstage, to be an IEM it has a more speaker-like presentation. Still this is an IEM and not speakers, but in comparison to most out there.

Bass

The bass of DTE900 is big and fast, but even so it doesn't take over the music too much. Some of this due to how the rest of the DTE900 is tuned.
Sub bass reaches low without drop off, and can both rumble or slam with authority. Some of this due to how fast and visceral the bass of the DTE900 is, I would classify the speed close to how BA is. But it has slightly more natural decay that dynamic drivers have, but still it is super fast.

The mid bass it's also boosted and gives music that more full and lush sound, I always favor mid bass being slightly boosted. Downside for some will be that the bass does go into the mids, in return you also get richer vocals.

Mids

Midrange on the DTE900 is forward, no way to deny that. Vocal range and instruments are all clear and forward with added thickness to them. Personally I most often prefer this, when I have more sets in front of me I most often reach for the rich sounding ones.

Male vocals are less noticeable than females on the thicker sound, but also on females it depends on the artist or style. This is actually very reminiscent of how the Penon IEMs have their midrange, forward and emotional.

Instruments are also affected, but it never sounds wrong. It just has this rich nature to it, I also think the fast sound helps it not sound sluggish or too thick. If you have seen measurements of the DTE900 it has a fairly elevated upper midrange, I would in most sets avoid this. But for some reason it works perfectly in the DTE900 just making it super resolving.
I have a feeling the BAs used for the upper midrange are of very good quality, as they remain detailed and forward without the usual BA glare many IEMs have.

Be it string, wind or percussion it all have nuanced and great realism to it. Listening to piano playing there is no range that sounds lacking, it just seems detailed, forward and balanced.

Treble

The highs on DTE900 are detailed and resolving, and have plenty of air that sounds just correct and not fake. Also has that shimmer when cymbals are hit, not recessed or dull. Same for violins or other instruments that are very affected by lack of treble or air.

I would call the amount of treble natural on the DTE900, it's in great harmony with the rest and is not tiresome forward or relaxed.
I guess if you're sensitive to upper midrange the amount of treble may seem lacking as the upper midrange is pronounced.

It has an amount of sibilance dip I am a big fan of, some sets have too big of a dip. When the dip is too big it also removes lots of soul and detail from the music. The amount in DTE900 is very reminiscent of my Neon Pro, sibilance is removed but not overly so. So music already with sibilance will show it, while neutral music will not gain it due to the set. In general a balanced amount.



Synergies

A small part about what gear I have been enjoying the most with the DTE900.

Most of my listening has been done with HIBY R6 Pro 2, Cayin N7 and Topping E70/A90 Discrete, my favorite pairing being R6 Pro 2 and A90 Discrete together. As in the DAC portion of R6P2 AKM into the A90 Discrete as amplifier. This combo is extremely detailed and musical, not too sharp or thin.

N7 was also great but pushed the treble forward to my liking.

As for cables, I did a cable review for Effect Audio at the same time. I have used the cables from them the most during the review, in general I find copper the best pairing with DTE900.
Perhaps my favorite goes to Ares S 8W or Cadmus 8W, my Gladiator Silver Palladium also being great.








Music

I will just talk about some of the music I like, the music I use here are some of my reference tracks and also just some I like. When I am listening to music and not evaluating, I prefer to listen to whole albums. When comparing DTE900 to other sets I have used the tracks listed here and more.
Using both switches down when evaluating, I have also used the same Silver Plated Copper when evaluating the sets. Same for tips used being the same Kbear07 on both sets, and lastly I have used a mic to set volume the same on both sets.

L'Impératrice - Voodoo?​

French group who have many catchy and fun albums, this is from the 2021 album Tako Tsubo. Album is a mix of electronic, pop and disco.

The bass is energetic and fun on Voodoo?, DTE900 manages to punch and be dynamic. Hard to not start moving to the rhythm here, not the most advanced bass line. But it's punchy and has a slower sound to it, for me personally it has just the correct amount of fullness to the low end with DTE900.

She is very nuanced and has a fuller sound to her, in a way forward and very addicting. Same for the instruments and keyboard, it's very in focus and forward. There are also subtle sound elements going through the song that are more easy to hear here over less resolving IEMs.



Gamma Intel - Nonchalance

Electronic artist from Rotterdam in Netherlands, has impressive and technical music. This is also a fairly new artist for me to get into my listening rotation, while track here is just me checking for bass performance in electronica. I always have some electronic tracks when checking gear, the track Nonchalance is perfect for me to check for bass amount. If the set has much upper energy it needs enough bass to balance it out.

The DTE900 has nuanced and tactile bass performance, as for the amount it is close to perfect. Since the upper range of DTE900 is forward I could have wished for maybe 3-5dB more bass to make it perfect, but this would have made it less balanced. So it passes the bass amount test.



Yello - Kiss in Blue

Maybe my favorite track from Yello, rhythmic instruments and intimate vocals. Perhaps the perfect track for showing what the Aure is capable of doing. The bass beat hits hard and drags you into the music, then Heidi pulls you more in with a sensual voice.

The opening of the track has an epic bassline, it's full and dynamic. The DTE900 is impressive here, and if I were to complain is that I prefer a slower DD for this. But it's still spectacular and nuanced, how it changes the structure in each hit is shown fully.

Both Dieter and Heidi are perfect, I could not have wished for anything else from the DTE900. He is full sounding and emotionally shown, changes in his voice are clearly shown. Same goes for Heidi, she is forward and full sounding. Not too thick, just forward and adds to the emotional character. Seducing you with her voice.



Lana Del Rey - Did you know that there's a tunnel under Ocean Blvd

I love this new album from Lana Del Ray, this track is slow and emotional. I have used it more and more lately for testing gear, its recorded well and has great dynamic range.

The DTE900 adds some soul to her voice, she gets pushed forward slightly over neutral IEMs. This also means that the bass goes into the midrange, as graphs show it's the gliding style. Personally I'm a big fan of this style of bass touching into mids, it just makes vocals more lush and emotional.

There is full emotion on Lana Del Ray, nothing is really spared or lacks energy here. There is also never any sibilance of any sort. The extra vocals have some nice spatial cues to them, showing also how wide and spacious the DTE900 is.

The background instruments like piano or drums are in the background, but what I hear sounds correct and nice. I mainly only use this track for her voice.




TOOL - Schism

One of my favorite tracks ever, also where I got introduced to TOOL back in high school.

Bass of DTE900 sits very well with prog rock or metal, and even if it goes into midrange it still doesn't sound congested or slow.
Drums and bass guitar is nice and quick, not veiling the track into too much boosted bass.
Guitars are detailed and energetic, and you hear every note being played.
His singing is detailed and has very correct note weight not being shallow or too thick, has resolving capability from when he is going easy to aggressive.

If there is one thing to complain about, it is that it's energetic. And for some it might be too much forward energy here. Using tips that dampen the upper range helps, and also using a pure good copper cable. My favorite IEM for prog metal is my Neon Pro, but I think DTE900 rides along and depending on the album this would be my pick instead. But for Schism I would pick Neon Pro as it's slightly more relaxed.



Guru Guru - Woman Drum

First off, the only reason I have this in review is since a fellow DTE900 owner asked me to check the guitar here. He felt it was too sharp for him. What I clearly learned is that I am not as sensitive as others to this range where the electrical guitar is. Or it's just since my set had much more playtime down to relax down the upper range.

It's an older recording that is more bright and not the best recorded either, not the widest dynamic range either. As for DTE900 I think it does it really well, giving the instruments some good bite. DTE900 showing off. If I test the same track with EST50 it lacks bite and is boring, not that it plays it wrong.



Polyphia - Playing God

Polyphia is a instrumental progressive rock group formed in Texas, earlier works were more into metal also.Often they blend different styles of music into their works.
Playing God is an instrumental track with drums, bass guitar and two guitars with nylon strings. Its technical and super euphonic, also show how technical and nuanced the DTE900 is. It's also where the high energy of the DTE900 is perfect, less and it's slightly boring for my taste. It's not so long ago since I heard about Polyphia, I had heard the song now and then when it came on the radio. But never wrote down what it's called, found it again this year, and have used much of their work for evaluating gear. This track has that ability for me to listen to it one time and I probably know if a set is for me or not.

First of the guitars sound spectacular here, and have an especially unique tonality since they shred on nylon strings instead. Nothing is spared on DTE900, it just portrays every slap or pluck perfectly. As for tonality, DTE900 forward nature makes this more melodic and relaxed track have more bite. Cymbal crashes have great energy, the drums in general are great.

As for soundstage its very holographic and sense of width is quite amazing on DTE900, lots of layerings to the instruments and where they place.



David Sanborn - Comin’ Home Baby

One of my favorite Alto sax players, he has a beautiful and smooth sound on his Alto. Having played sax I appreciate the skilled players out there like David, he has lots of skill and can play very soft and mellow to be on an alto.

I often listen to jazz with brass instruments when evaluating audio, first of just to see how beautiful and real it sounds. Second to hear if it's too forward and shrill, on this track it's fairly mellow so most sets will not sound shrill. The DTE900 passes it perfectly here, riding just at the edge of not pushing the sax forward into the unpleasant zone.
The upper midrange on DTE900 makes nothing being spared in detail or soul of the sax playing.
While I use this track often for sax, I also listen to everything. The guitar, bass, drums or synth everything has nice tonality and is shown for full on DTE900. This track in particular is on the soft side, so the forward DTE900 suits it perfectly. As an example if I go to Isn't She Lovely, track 5 on the album. This is a much more forward sounding track, and the DTE900 does push it too far where it's not pleasant. This also shows why some prefer more relaxed sets for jazz, as many albums have that forward energy. Especially on brass instruments like trumpet or sax.



Hart, Wolff & Hennings - Towards the Bending of the Heart

This song is a very odd one, and it has one purpose for me, checking the amount of air in a set.
Percussions are used here making harmonics up in the air region, this shows if a set got more air up top. Unless you have reduced hearing in the upper ranges,you might not notice the air detail. For me the DTE900 is above average than what I have tried in other IEMs. While some sets are more, the DTE900 is not lacking anything.





Comparisons

I have chosen 2 other tribrids that are both cheaper than DTE900, as I don't have any tribrid in the same price range.

The spider chart is slightly exaggerated on some points to show differences.





Penon 10th

I got the Penon 10th on loan from a good friend, I never bought it myself due to design. Penon 10th is also a tribrid, with 2DD, 2BA and 2EST. Priced at 499$, sits within the same price range as many other tribrids. The two dynamic drivers are 6mm and work together in making the low end. If I ignore that the design is ugly, the build itself is not the best. Shell looks cheap and thin, it also has a weird nozzle that is short compared to the large body. Result is that the IEM is not the most comfortable to use.

Bass on the 10th is good, I am not denying that it has a nice texture and is loud and big. Where I am not very satisfied with is how it slam and moves air, it's slow and soft. For some this can be perfect, as it does give you a warm cozy and closed in feel. When listening to DTE900 you will notice it slam much harder and is of cleaner nature, they are more on the opposite of each other. Both are nuanced and detailed, while the one with the most dynamic expression from cello or over to fast kick drums is clearly the DTE900. So 10th will have that more cozy and slow bass, while DTE900 will be the energetic and fast performer.

The mids on 10th is also very good, and has that rich Penon vocal style. Vocals are both forward and thick, with great resolving capability. 10th shine with male or darker voices more than brighter artists, brighter artists tend to sound wrong and also lack some airy capability. Male vocals are very similar on both sets, and the more slow presentation might even make 10th better on some albums over DTE900. But for most music they are the same, and if it's faster and more complex music DTE900 everyday.

When listening to females the DTE900 has more presence and airy rich sound to them, it's in a way less thick and diffused. I don't say 10th is bad, more of in comparison. As for instruments it's very good on both sets, while 10th has some uneven tonality on especially the upper part of the piano range. Some high hats and sharper old recordings can hit a peak in 10th making it slightly shrill, it's subtle and not often. On some other recordings it's the opposite where 10th is more relaxed than DTE900, I actually just think it's due to some slight BA timbre appearing sometimes in 10th.

The treble is refined while maybe having a too big anti sibilance region, at first I didn't understand why some piano pieces, brass or violin parts lacked some airy tonality and presence. Looking at measurements, Penon has gone down a safe road and reduced the sibilance region a good amount. Very good at removing sibilance and fatigue, at the cost of losing some treble and resolution. I never find DTE900 sibilant, and at the same time it’s more detailed than 10th.
If it's the extra ESTs or what, the DTE900 has a nicer shimmery treble than the 10th.

Soundstage is a tough one, the 10th is wide and lacks depth. DTE900 is for me wider than 10th and also has a much bigger depth, maybe if we compare them two. The 10th is like listening to nearfield speakers and DTE900 to normal speakers, even though this is not a speaker presentation and I exaggerate it. It's just that DTE900 is larger by a good amount, and I personally love this. Remember that soundstage is very personal from person to person.

Playing God is a nice track to show how more detailed and speedy DTE900 is over 10th, not that 10th sounds wrong here. Just more that's visible in the track, like how the strings resonate or to have the cymbal rings. Drums are also more impactful and fun on DTE900.

Towards the Bending of the Heart is also where I hear that 10th lacks something in the air region compared to DTE900. It just doesn't have the same upper treble resolution.



ISN EST50

ISN EST50 is also a tribrid, 10mm DD + 2 BA + 2 EST. Priced at 449$, very cheap in comparison to DTE900. Having owned many ISN, Penon and Sound Rhyme models I have started to see design elements and similar accessories. So I wouldn't be shocked if it's the same manufacturer that makes many of the models from the brands here.
This sits as one of my favorite IEMs, both sound and shell is perfect to my liking. It's very ergonomic and I have been quite happy having something unique with the yellow wood faceplate. The ergonomic design is also almost the same as DTE900, just in a smaller body.

What I noticed first when comparing it against EST50, the resolving nature of DTE900 is a league ahead. It's just more going on in the details when listening to instruments or vocals, it's also due to the more forward nature of DTE900. This also goes for how much air and how the soundstage is, everything is larger and better. But still both sets have that type of soundstage that is more wide than deep, giving a presentation that is more speaker-like.

Bass on the DTE900 has more sub bass emphasis than mud bass, it does not lack mid bass. It is just that the sub bass is boosted, so the mid bass feels a little behind. A good thing about this type of bass boost is that it doesn't affect all music, but when it calls for some great rumble EST50 can rumble for you. Speed is average on EST50, not slow and not fast. Sound signature of the EST50 is more L-shaped while the DTE900 is more W- shaped.

When comparing the two, it's quite apparent the speedy nature of the DTE900. My thought is that it uses a stronger magnet to control the dynamic driver, this also affects slam. DTE900 makes the EST50 sound softer in each bass kick, not that EST50 is soft. It's just that the DTE900 has more punch in its low end. If I listen to just the texture of bass notes, it's about the same in quality for what they show.

The sub bass rumble is about the same on the two, but since the upper range of EST50 is more relaxed the bass often is more pronounced. The mid bass is much more pronounced on DTE900 and does give more music a more weighty sound compared to EST50. Same for bass slam, it's more impactful and fun on DTE900.

Midrange of the EST50 is its weakest link, it's not the best sounding in detail and presence. Can also at some parts sound slightly grainy, it's still pretty good but lacks compared to its bass and treble. The EST50 is softer than DTE900 on the midrange, in a way it's less in focus and behind. But on music that doesn't use that much bass, the midrange gets to shine and can be very nuanced.

Vocals and instruments are more present and in focus on DTE900, but at the same time EST50 has a more relaxed midrange that is very good for already forward music.
Listening to things like cymbals or sax in jazz, the EST50 do lack some bite and sparkle. And on this DTE900 is instead forward and clear.

DTE900 sounds like a super high end stereo setup. EST50 more like Stereo that is worse,

Woman Drum with the EST50 is a very full sounding and pleasant experience, you don't get the same details in the midrange as with DTE900 and 10th. But in return you get a more pleasing sound, making it less shrill and sharp. Details on EST50 here are below what the DTE900 shows, its less details visible in the recording. What is also very good here is the slower bass of EST50, this matches this tune better than DTE900.

Schism is very relaxed on EST50 and lacks note weight to vocal and the instruments, it's also very noticeable that resolution is far below DTE900. There are many subtle elements in the drumming and guitar that are almost gone on est50. But one thing EST50 does perfectly, this will never ever be fatiguing. Both TE900 and 10th are just much more resolving and energetic, so music like this gets a total change in presentation on EST50.



Conclusion

I have been more than satisfied by the DTE900, and even after many weeks it remains as one of my favorites. I don't like to position any IEM as number one, so let's say it's within my top 3 now. Why is it placed so high? The detail, speed and energetic tonality are all things making DTE900 such a great IEM for me. Most important music sounds awesome with DTE900.

Bass that slam and can make most bassheads smile, of course some of us could have liked even more. Mids that are lush and forward, with lots of detail. And treble that's detailed to match the rest of the tonality. Soundstage in IEMs are most often very close to each other, this is one of those sets that are on a large side.

DTE900 just nailed so much right, that it more than deserves its cost. I would say this is one of the best sets you can now buy under 1000$, but since it's Sound Rhyme it will hardly get any exposure. For the people who have ordered one, enjoy this gem of an IEM. We have a masterpiece here.

Effect Audio EROS S Anniversary Signature Series

Disclaimer

This is my first time owning an Effect Audio cable, I tried Cadmus 4 wire before and that is all the experience I have with EA. All impressions are my own subjective thoughts, I have used the cables over three weeks to gather my thoughts. I am writing this review in exchange for getting the cables free, they will also attend some meets for more to try them.

I know that cables is a heated topic, I have self been a sceptical person. So if you're against the description of cables, it's better to just stop here. I also think that cable is the thing that changes the sound the least in the chain when looking at IEM, source and tips.

Can be purchased over at Effect Audio:

https://www.effectaudio.com/

This is a very subjective hobby where everything from experience, anatomy or age will affect what we hear. Also keep in mind that it is easy to use bold words when talking about differences, while it may be perceived as a small change for you. While I can perceive something as natural sounding, I do believe we can never get a perfect performance similar to what is achieved live.



About me and my gear used for the review

My audio preference is neutral with increased low end, mids and treble can be forward but not too much. I am a believer in having different tuned gear for different genres or moods instead of chasing the single perfect one.

Main music genres I listen to are metal, electronica, jazz, R&B, Pop. I am a music lover, and can also listen to almost all the genres out there. I have been into music gear since the mid 90s, gifted some big speakers at an early age. Then moved more and more into headphones with the Koss Porta Pro and a Sony Discman and Minidisc.

I have also tried playing many instruments over the years from piano to sax and have a feel for what's a natural tone, but not the biggest patience in learning to play. My wife has also played many instruments from string to wind instruments and also piano.

My current standard in Headphones is ZMF Verite and Beyerdynamic T1 G2.
Verite is my favourite for acoustic music and especially metal, while T1 for electronica.

My current standard in IEMs is AüR Audio Neon Pro and AüR Audio Aurora. The Neon Pro has 10 BAs, and has a near perfect tonality for me on the brighter side. AüR Audio Aurora 2 DD + 6 BA has one of the best bass qualities I have tried in an IEM, while not taking over the mids and showing superb natural sound.

Gear used this review:
In the main rig I use Topping E70 DAC together with the Topping A90 Discrete headphone Amp. I also have a Schiit Lokuis I can swap in if I want to do a little analogue EQ.
I have also used the Feliks Audio Echo, one of the more silent OTL amps.

Portable gear under the testing have been Cayin N7, HIBY R6 Pro 2, HIBY R6 III, FIIO BTR7 and Penon Tail.



So who is Effect Audio

Incorporated in 2009, Effect Audio was founded to meet the needs of a niche segment of the audiophile and music industry professionals market.​

Effect Audio makes audio cables for the audiophile market, aimed for the more high end user than budget segment. Cables have a wide range of materials and price, even if the price is high you get a more premium delivery than all the budget brands out there.
Suyang funded Effect Audio and has been developing and exploring new cable ideas since the start, the model line-up since start.:

Legacy Era



Silver Era



Golden Era



Building A New Age of Classics



https://www.effectaudio.com/about-us



Eros S Anniversary Edition is Here to Spread Love

The Eros S Anniversary is the same material as the original Eros with UP-OCC Pure Silver Litz and Pure Copper Litz Hybrid, but here in different sleeve and hardware. Taking inspiration from fireworks during celebrations, cable is black like the night sky with gold particles sparkling up the sky.

Eros is the Greek God of Love, he had unwavering passion to spread love. With his immense love, he readily strikes at hearts with great accuracy and converts all beings to his followers.
Interesting description of Eros and I would say it's a cable that just seems to match every IEM I pair it with.

Sound is with excellent tonality and is highly resolving, very well rounded. You get a taste of the Ares note weight, but get a more open sound with clearer mids and treble. Stage is opening up in both width and depth over Ares, also giving you better separation.

• Selected Premium UP-OCC Pure Silver Litz and Pure Copper Litz Hybrid
• Septuplet Multi-Sized Core Bundle
• 26 AWG 8 Wires
• EA Ultra Flexi™ Insulation
• ConX® Interchangeable Connector
• Rhodium Plated Brass Straight type Plug

I own one other cable with a similar mix of material as the Eros S, but Eros S being a much thicker cable with 8 wires. This cable is the Penon Mix, also half silver and half copper. Penon Mix is brighter than Eros S Anniversary, but not more detailed and open. Mix lacks the note weight and open sound on Eros S, it's not as balanced and resolving as Eros.





Accessories and Presentation

I got the cables delivered in the full box set and not the normal review bags, sealed in plastic and totally fresh. The boxes of all the signature cables 8 wires have a nice clean design with the logo representing the cable inside. Ares S 8W a copper looking warrior with helmet, matching the cable perfectly. Cadmus 8W you see the head is in copper and helmet to shield him that is white, nice touch putting the silver plated copper design into the model logo. The EROS Anniversary 1st Edition is the only representation with the Eros Greek head in black, but again this represents the cable and looks also good while less flashy. The Eros also don't say anything on the front of the box what material it is, while this is clearly stated on Cadmus and Ares.

Opening up the lid you see the cable and splitter wrapped around the next layer in a beautiful presentation, the only thing making it look bad is the plastic cover on the splitter. But it's smart they do it to produce the splitter design so it doesn't get any marks.

There are not many accessories in the box, you get some papers with info about changing the modular pin system. You also get the cable tie that I really like, it looks thick and premium and suits the cable. There is also a pouch with the cable, this is quite small and I don't feel any use for it. Instead of the small pouch they should have included an IEM case with EA branding, large enough to fit the cables and an IEM.

I also got a set with MMCX connectors on the side, a small box with the tool and the pins.



Quality and Comfort

The cables look stunning all of the three, the Cadmus is maybe the one I would call the most beautiful. I am a lover of white cables and the Cadmus doesn't disappoint, braided perfectly with all 8 wires being the same, the braid is thick but quite flexible still.

The Ares is also beautiful, and has a clean copper design. Here half the wire is a different copper than the rest, it's also thinner wire than Cadmus and is slightly smaller. Only downside is that the braid has a tendency to not be as tightly braided as Cadmus, so when not straightened out you can see parts not being tight with half the wire.

Eros is black and has gold elements into the shielding, it also has an oily look to the outer layer. I find this cable very beautiful, and matches up perfectly in design with many IEMs I own. It is similar to Ares as being smaller in the braid and thickness than Cadmus, also having the same issue where some wires are not as tight.

The quality of the hardware is high level, splitters are beautifully crafted. Same for the plugs for the 4.4mm and the IEM side, the plug also has some nice weight to it not feeling cheap.
The 2 pin connectors have very nice thickness, not too loose and not too tight. I believe one of the included 2 pin connectors is slightly thicker, so some QC can maybe be improved. The mmcx is also very nice, not too thick or loose on the few IEMs I tried on.
The comfort of the Eros Anniversary is the most comfortable of them all, it's softer and smallest in the braid. This actually feels closer to some 4 wire cables I own, don't feel heavy or stiff making it very good for 8 wires.
Ares is also very good, just slightly behind the Eros. It's a little more stiff than Eros, but I still consider it daily comfortable to be 8 wire.
Cadmus is another story, it's more prone to memory and is also much thicker than the other two. It's still fairly comfortable when we look at how thick the wire is, some of this due to the ear guides.

I know many dislike ear guides on IEM cables, but here they work in your favour. They help lock the cables in place and provide a better seal with IEMs, just making it more secure. This can take down comfort if the IEM is pushed too strongly into your ear, what I did was just to undo some of the memory making them work better for me. And now I find the comfort of having ear guides on them good, and I may say these are some of the best ear guides I have tried on a cable.



IEM pairings




AüR Audio Aurora

The Aurora is a hybrid IEM with 2 DD and 6 BA. The sound of the Aurora is neutral with great extension in both the lowest and highest frequencies. Mids is in focus and is very clear on both instruments and vocals, there is no bass bleeding into mids. Bass is on the warm side with great nuance and impact, very good balance of decay and speed.
The upper mids and treble has no problem peaks and is also clear and relaxing at same time.
So the Aurora is neutral sounding with a slight bass warmth, making music sound very natural.

Going from the Ares S 8W to Eros S Anniversary, is perhaps the biggest sonic change I have tried when swapping cables on Aurora. The amount of fullness the Ares gives is quite impressive, everyone who lacks body to their Aurora should try this one.
The Eros S8 truly opens up the sound and makes it more clear and nuanced, it's already very refined and open sounding so this just adds to the characteristics of Aurora.

Cadmus is also nice, but I don't think it has as rich midrange as the Ares or Eros.





AüR Audio Neon Pro

The Neon Pro is a IEM with 10 BAs per side, the sound is so coherent I would have believed it was 1 driver. It has high sensitivity and very small impedance at 5ohm, so it's perfect to show cable differences.
The sound is neutral and warm with a slightly U shaped signature, more so with the switch on than without. Without it is actually very neutral sounding in all frequency ranges. I do not not notice any BA timbre, just a very natural sound.
The low end is also the best I have heard from a BA set, could have tricked me into believing it is DD. But it will always be a little fast compared to most dynamic drivers out there.

I have always preferred copper cables on Neon Pro, so what I am saying now is against what I usually do.
Eros S Anniversary is a clear favourite, it has perfect note weight and just adds to the resolution and stage. Never heard my NP this open and grand sounding, just a balanced and perfect cable for NP. Bear in mind I use the Neon Pro with the bass switch on.

Second best is Cadmus 8W, just a very good balance. But actually more hot up top than Eros S Anni, so here it depends how sensitive you are.

Ares S is also good, but mostly only for the switch off. Just add richness, but it is also the least open combination with NP.





AüR Audio Aure

The Aure is a hybrid IEM with 1 DD and 6 BA, tuned to be W shaped in its sound with spectacular mids. Bass is lush and a little slow in the decay, adding a more analog feel to it all. Mids are forward and slightly thick sounding, vocals are very in focus and have extra warmth. The high range is also a little forward and energetic, still not what I would call bright. But a clear treble that is not behind the rest, overall a tasteful and musical balance.
The dynamic driver is also full range and goes into both mids and treble, making it sound closer to a DD IEM than most other hybrids.

Soundstage is special, it's not super wide and deep. It puts you more inside the recording, letting everything appear around you.

The Cadmus S8 Wire is a good match for the Aure, it handles the mids the best of all of them. Just more in control and clear, better than both Eros and Ares.
Second best is going for Ares S 8wire, but this can be too thick sounding for this IEM. So also goes back to taste and music you listen to.
Did find Eros S too hot sounding, why it’s last when comparing here.






Penon Serial

The Serial has been a favourite IEM for me for a long while, it has 3 DDs per side. Sound is described as many things, analog and natural even. Slightly dark sounding, the bass and mids are forward and steals the focus. It is also on the slower side, so not the main set to use for super fast and technical music.
Soundstage is okay, and technicalities and resolution is also just average

Already knew beforehand what cable I would prefer from the Signature series, and that is the Eros S Anniversary. Penon Serial needs what it can get to open up the stage and treble more.
A good second option is the Cadmus, and is almost as good as Eros S. Cadmus has maybe the most balanced way for Serial without changing anything.





ISN EST50

The EST50 is a tribrid with a large DD, 2 BA and 2 ESTs. Sound is quite huge and also has some analog character like Serial, but is clearer and higher resolving. Bass is big, especially in the sub range. In a way this type of bass is my favourite, as it is boosted but less in mid bass than sub. Weakest part of EST50 is the mids, it lacks some magic and fullness. Treble on the other hand being clear and never peaky or aggressive.
Soundstage is very wide and holographic, not the deepest and goes more to the sides. Resolution is a mixed bag, I would say its average.

Due to this I prefer to have cables helping the mids forward, when looking at the Signature series then I like the Ares S 8W the most. Just seem to get off the bass and mids out in the mix, even if the EST50 don't need the extra bass from the copper.
Cadmus is my least favourite due to actually smoothing the mids more out, and Eros S seems better. Eros S has a good balance, but still thinks the added richness of the Ares is the way to go here.



634ears MIROAK-II

MIROAK-II is the newest model from 634ears, single dynamic driver config. Very special IEM that is handmade in Japan where you can choose the backplate material and wood type for the sound signature you want, or just for the look. Very organic sounding, it's natural on all the ranges with a smooth and fun sound. Have extra warmth to its low end that is very pleasing, and in harmony with clear treble that is not peaky.

Soundstage is wider and deeper than most single DDs I have tried, and has great layering and separation.

Ares S is my favourite, since this IEM is analogue sounding similar to Penon Serial but not dark. The added richness of Ares just gives it more note weight and fun factor, stage is not affected as much going for Eros S and Cadmus. So I value more just having the sound being big and fun, if you do move to Cadmus you get some more treble detail. Same when going to Eros S it's slightly more open up top, but I don't feel the need for this with MIROAK-II.

Also since Cadmus is a little more stiff and thick on the braid it's not as comfortable as the other two. More important on this IEM as it's not as snug fitting as my other models, but at same time the ear guides makes it be pushed correctly into the ear.





Sound Rhyme DTE900

Sound Rhyme DTE900 is the newest release from them, tribrid with 1DD, 4BA and 4EST. Sound is large and multi dimensional, slightly above most sets in resolution while staying on the fun side. Bass is a good mix of being boosted and fast, not bleeding too much into mids. Just give a slight boost to low mids like I prefer, vocals also very clear and present. Treble detailed while not being peaky, never sibilant.

This was hard, as all 3 are good with DTE900. Perhaps my favourite goes to Ares S as it's also expansive and clear sounding, just boosting the bass and low mids even more. For some this will be too much, I like that it adds to the character of the IEM instead of trying to change it.
Cadmus is also good and adds more treble presence and open sound, also Eros S takes it even a step higher.
So in the end are all super good upgrade cables for DTE900, and at the end of the review I have actually used Eros S the most.



Okavango

The Okavango has similarities to other IEMs I have as in being low end boosted with great mids and treble, it reminds me very much of a mix of Serial and Aure.
Soundstage is average and due to such warm sound it's not the most open sounding IEM out there. Very fun IEM, with maximum foot tapping factor and not being tiresome.

Both Cadmus 8W and Eros S Anniversary are best, and here I prefer Cadmus the most. It seems to have better mid control while keeping the treble more open and clear.
When listening to the midrange it seems to have a more natural presentation on Cadmus over Eros, so both vocals and instruments have that extra realism and presence.
It also keeps the low range full sounding, without being bloated.



Conclusion

This is the first time I have such expensive IEM cables from a more well known brand and not a small maker, the cables clearly show the cost in both presentation and quality. And you get a cable that is worth more over the cheaper offerings out there, so for many design and quality alone make this worth the price.

Cables is a very discussed topic, and while I do hear changes going from cable to cable I also doubt it to a small degree. But even so I appreciate the Signature cables a lot, and love the process of finding what cable suits which IEM.

While I wouldn't buy all three of the cables, buying one or two is something I could have done after having tried them now.

And if I have a clear favourite of them it's EROS S Anniversary for its technical and well rounded sound. Second is the Ares S 8W with its thick and fun sound, not lacking in technicalities either.
Last is the Cadmus, it's also extremely good and the most beautiful and premium feeling cable of the three.

If you're still here reading, you probably are not a cable sceptic. And if that's you, I have no problems recommending the cables. While I found this very hard to write about, I also enjoyed the experience trying to put my thoughts on paper. Thanks again to Effect Audio, now they are going on loan to a few audio friends to spread the Effect Audio taste.