My first introduction to Periodic was at CanJam NYC in 2017. This was my first big audio event and frankly quite overwhelming. Many of the companies had knowledgeable staff present to discuss their products, while others had generic sales reps that couldn't talk about even the most basic attributes of the product. A few companies went above and beyond though - one being Periodic Audio. I discussed the not-quite-released IEMs with Dan Wiggins and Zeke Burgess (who were sporting white lab coats) and listened to the whole lineup, on a whim, right before I was about to head out for the day. The Mg seemed to be an excellent entry-level option, with a brighter treble sound, and the Ti was V-shaped and not precisely what I was after… and then I tried the Be. Just right. I knew that I had to have it in my life and placed an order mid-April.

**Note, this review is just of the Be, using a mix of 16 bit and 24 bit music played via the sources I've owned in the past year (JDS OL Stack, Schiit stack, AK70 MkII)**


Packaging and Accessories:

Periodic is all about value and simplicity - which I've come to appreciate. The IEMs (at the time) shipped in an inch-deep, no-frills, white clamshell box without much labeling or imagery. They have since revamped the box, but more on that later. Also included was a golden tin-case, ¼ adapter, set of foam tips, and standard silicon tips. The IEMs nozzles are wide, so keep that in mind if you prefer 3rd party tip options.

Shell Design:

After opening the box and evaluating the IEMs, it was clear that this was a gen-1 product. It looked as If the left and right sides were marked only with a black and red sharpie on the nozzle grill, and glue was present along the seams of the shell and endcaps. With that said, Periodic quickly exchanged them for a set without any glue issues.

The shells are a durable polycarbonate which I like a lot. Some people might scoff at this since it seems most brands are turning to metals and fancy external design, but polycarbonate is super lightweight, durable (especially at this size/diameter) and non-resonating. The nozzles come out straight from the shell, with metal grills that looked kind of "meh" with, as mentioned previously, what seemed to be red and black sharpie to help indicate left from right. The three models in Periodic's lineup have colored endcaps to help differentiate them, the Be featuring a dark hue of gold.

Cable:

The cable is non-detachable, but I don't see this as being too big of an issue since they are efficient IEMs and have a worn-down style, which creates less strain on the cable itself. Periodic also offers a generous 5-year warranty - so it's a moot point. My biggest complaint was the weight and tackiness the cable has, which detracted from the overall experience. As a subway commuter, I'm often in close-quarters and have to compete with jackets and bags. The cable stuck to everything and just created too much pull resulting in loss of seal, or even being ripped out of my ears altogether a few times. Another aspect I don't love is that the metal Y-splitter catches on my collared shirts and/or jacket, which would also result in loss of seal. Not cool.


Sound:

Sound-wise, I couldn't be more impressed. The Be uses a 98.5% pure beryllium foil with the balance trace elements being oxygen, Iron, chromium, and silicon. I've heard grumblings saying that this material is a gimmick, but I don't find that to be the case at all after testing the other IEMs in this lineup, and they sound fantastic regardless of what's written on the box. The Be also features an N48H grade magnet, which contributes a lot to the punchy sound characteristics that many IEMs at this price lack.

Bass:

I LOVE the Be's bass, which extends deep down to 12 Hz and stays controlled and never flabby. There is quite a bit of sub-bass rumble, but never uncomfortable. Mid-bass is punchy but not at all fatiguing. I wouldn't say that the Be's have a bass-head signature, but it's certainly more present than your average flagship. Some might argue that bass bleeds into the mids a little, but more on that below.

Mids:

Due to the increased lower mids, guitars have extra weight to them which works quite well for the rock n roll I listen to most. I don't feel the bleed from the bass negatively impacts the signature, especially since vocals still appear slightly forward, warm, but maintain a healthy amount of resolution. A lot of other IEMs I've been trying at this price point sound too thin within this region and I'm glad Periodic opted to avoid that scenario.

Treble:

Treble extends up to 45 KHz (but my latest hearing test shows that I can only hear up to 18) There is more weight towards the top (U shape) which I like a lot. The Be has no signs of sibilance or peaks, but treble can seem slightly cold at times in an otherwise warm overall sound signature. The extension is undoubtedly excellent, and resolution is high, even in more complex situations. Although it's been a while since hearing the other two models in the lineup, I remember those options sounding brighter to me. The Be is more on the natural side of the spectrum.


**Subtle Revisions of the Design for 2018**
Periodic worked with me to get the newer variant to compare to the original. They seemed to have made a lot of subtle improvements and now have a much more polished product.

1. New Cable and Y Splitter:
Periodic seems to have gone back to the drawing board here, as there are substantial changes. They now have a thinner cable that is far less weighty and has far more spring to it. It's unlikely these will ever get tangled like the original that I had.

The cable also seems to have lost that tackiness quality that I despised. I'm not sure if the cable is coated with something, or flat out new material, but it's smooth and doesn't catch on clothing like it used to. A+

The metal Y-Splitter is gone, and now what seems to be the same material as the cable, without the sharp edges from before. This dramatically reduces the potential for snags and also removes the possibility of the metal scratching my phone or DAP when in my pocket. Again, a solid decision.

Microphonics have been reduced with this new design, as I didn't notice anything walking around NYC the other day -- I picked up on this quickly with the older variant.

2. L and R Markings:
Periodic lost their sharpies and replaced the cheap nozzle grilles with something special -- chemically etched, .25mm thick, 316-grade stainless steel. Dan explained to me that they are then colored with an electrophoretic deposition - the same process that Apple used on its Airport Expresses and the black metal logos on the Mac Pro units. I used to work for a particular fruit stand and immediately had a smile on my face. Apple was proud of this minor detail, and it's cool that Periodic is using the same process.

The grilles are of much better quality and more accessible with the bright red on the right side (even in low light.) With that said, I still run into issues using 3rd party tips like my favorite SpinFit Twin Blades due to the narrow exit diameter - but the new finish/brighter color is a better solution than what Periodic offered before.

3. New Packaging:
The packaging is still compact but features a lot of eye-catching imagery reminiscent of the hand drawn schematic design of 1more's triple and quad drivers box. Still simple, but definitely better for store shelves. Since Periodic has an emphasis of selling these to enthusiasts from independent audio stores, this is a big improvement.

New Rating:
Now I have to award them a new star rating of 4.5 out of 5. If they add the L and R indicators to the strain relief, I will assign them a 5/5. I don't know of a better portable IEM for my music tastes anywhere near $300 at this time in 2018 - and I'm buying and selling gear all the time at various price points.


A Brand Full of Personality:
Periodic is very responsive via email, and always knowledgeable. Never a "well, let me talk to someone else and get back to you." The team also seems to incorporate humor into their conversations/social media, which is awesome in the audio industry – a rather dry, overly serious space. Their approachable nature and excellent products have made an impression on me, and I look forward to whatever else they have in the pipeline.

I used to work at an electronics store that sold a pretty large selection of headphones. Without question, the Bose QC series was one of our top sellers. Although the noise canceling was awesome, I just couldn’t dig the lifeless sound. It seems as though the Bose line has evolved since then, but still, nothing I’d write home about – especially the wireless models that followed. SBC (or AAC for that matter) just suck for wireless audio.  AptX is not bad, but still not quite like having a cable. It wasn’t until CanJam NYC 2017 that I found myself blown away by a wireless NC model, the Sony MDR-1000x. I decided to order a set when they recently went on sale for $350. Only a few weeks after ownership, I also picked up a Sony NW-A35 to test out and really use LDAC. The pairing is everything I had hoped it to be.
 

 

Build Quality:
While many headphone companies are switching over to lightweight metals and woods, Sony keeps things 2001 with a mostly plastic/faux build. With that said, the MDR-1000x doesn't give off any sense of "cheap."  The faux leather looks ok and serves as a suitable surface for the swipe controls (more on that later.) The band is what looks to be aluminum with a discrete, but comfortable amount of padding. Overall, I like the build quality despite the plastic. Everything seems reliable, ergonomic, and incredibly discreet. Flashy, these are not; which is good for the NYC environment I use them in.
 
Noise Cancelation:
The noise canceling features are phenomenal, and the calibration feature is one of the best things to happen in the NC world. On my commute, I usually encounter lots of street noise for the first 15 minutes of walking, 30 minutes of being on a subway, and another 5 minutes of street walking before I’m at my office.  Being able to quickly re-calibrate for each phase of my commute is worth the 10 seconds it takes. Additionally, you can quickly and easily turn off the NC feature and let in external sound using “ambient mode” which utilizes the external microphones to let sound in – or voice mode, which blocks some sound but tries to let voices in. You can also briefly disable NC and music by putting your palm over the right ear cup. This feature is incredibly handy for me – listening to train announcements or interacting with a store clerk. Sony deserves props for all of this, as I feel the NC industry has been stagnant as of late. Sony has rejuvenated the category and will likely force Bose into bettering their offering to remain king of the NC options.
 

 
 
Sound Quality:
I feel these sound pretty awful powered off, in full passive mode. The sound is veiled, some of the liveliness of the headphones powered on is simply lost. When powered up, they sound phenomenal, so that's what this review will be based on. Powered on, the 1000x signature is a slight V shape that seems to work well for most genres.
 
Bass:
Much to my surprise, the bass was full and rather dynamic. Sony certainly adds a bit of emphasis to this area, but not to an uncomfortable or bass head level. I did encounter a little bit of distortion with more demanding tracks.
 
Midrange:
I 100% expected these to have sucked out mids, and I was almost wrong. For BT headphones, especially compared to the Bose QC line, mids are much more present and emotional. Vocals have great weight, despite existing in a mild-V shaped headphone.
 
Treble:
Not the strong suit here, but maintain a decent enough level of resolution and reach. They extend just north of neutral. With slower paced music, things can get quite sparkly – especially if you are using LDAC. Standard SBC Bluetooth via my Pixel sucked out that quality.
 
Bluetooth and NFC Performance:
SBC bluetooth is awful -- we all know that. With that being said, the 1000x has excellent tonal characteristics that make SBC tolerable. When paired with an AptX or LDAC device, the sound quality improves greatly -- near cabled level. As the info stands here on 4/6/17, Android O is bringing LDAC support (as long as phone manufacturers put it to us.) I imagine that this will do wonders for the wireless audio industry, finally making it worthwhile for enthusiasts. NFC pairing is certainly the way to go with the 1000x, especially if you plan on using them with more than one player. You can simply tap your device to the left earcup and be done.
 
Touch controls and other minor thoughts:
I don't like touch controls. If any product of any type comes out with a tactile variant, I go with that. The 1000x was the only time I broke that habit, but I had listened to them BEFORE learning about the touch controls, so give me a pass. Swipe up and down (with one finger, I noticed it seems to matter) for volume, back and forth for tracks, tap for play/pause. Easy. My only complaint is that it is a bit too sensitive. I always seem to hear a beep or two while just putting these on. Doesn't appear to impact the experience, but something to note. I know touch is all the rage, and Sony executed it decent enough, but give me buttons!
 
Final Thoughts:
Sony has stepped up their headphone game as of late, and the MDR-1000x is just another demonstration of this. The NC is not only adaptable, but performance is industry leading. That -- combined with an excellent sound signature and design, make for an easy recommendation. I look forward to what the wireless market will have to offer as more options with LDAC and AptX-HD start to land. This is truly an exciting time for the headphone world.

Want something a bit better sounding than your cell phone, with the ability to carry your whole lossless music collection? Enter, Sony Walkman NW-A35. This new release from Sony features five Panasonic POSCAP capacitors that are supposed to strengthen the power output from the previous generation. Speaking of power output, this player features the new Sony S-Master HX amp, which is also present within their more premium flagship players.
 

 
My first exposure to the A35 was at 2017’s CanJam in NYC. They had the A35 paired up with their MDR-1000x noise canceling headphones. The LDAC performance as a noticeable step up from standard Bluetooth and the MDR-1000x perform well above any NC headphones I had ever heard previously. Being a New Yorker that commutes on the audibly brash public transit daily, I was interested. A few months by and now I find myself with both.
 
External Design and UI:
Sony has once again utilized its “Loop Surface” external design language, as this player looks like a micro version of one of their flagship smartphones. I’m glad to see that they are now offering different colors, the red one I have is particularly striking against the black screen.

 
The player’s physical button layout is both logical and precise. The play and volume up buttons have some ribbing, so you can easily control the player without looking at it. Sony also included a hold button, which certainly helps defend against accidental screen clicks.

 
When I first got the player, I was a bit disappointed with the firmware. Scrolling was sluggish, and sometimes buttons had some delay. Now, on version 1.20, most of that is gone. The player is just as smooth as my previous AK player and has a pretty decent layout. You have a back, currently playing, library, and settings button sitting below the screen viewing area. Most people should be able to use it upon first use without issue.
 
Connectivity:
The player has a standard 3.5mm jack that puts out 35mW per channel @ 16Ω and also features NFC pairing, and SBC Bluetooth with LDAC support.  I bought this player for the LDAC support, as my phone only has SBC Bluetooth, NOT a modern, high res audio codec like AptX or LDAC. Pairing the player with my MDR-1000x was easy as cake thanks to the NFC. All I have to do is tap the player to my left ear cup to pair. Once connected, I rarely experience any quality loss of interference. The radio they put in here seems to be a good one, much unlike my Google Pixel, which cuts out with any sudden movement. One thing my Pixel does do better, though, is remember the devices I connect to. With the Pixel, I turn on the headphones and they auto connect. With the Sony player, you have to re-connect from the menu each time, or use NFC (but many devices don't have that feature)
 
Sound Quality:
This player does not color the sound. If you are looking for such, move along. What the NW-A35 does give you is proper amplification for nearly any IEM to keep things transparent and presented how the headphone/IEM is tuned. Compared to my Google Pixel, soundstage is wider and the beefed up power output is noticeable.
 
To Conclude: 
Sony has something unique to this player. As competition seems to be trying to make DAPs more like smartphones, Sony still thinks a music player should remain dedicated to the one task – which I appreciate. With such a great physical design, excellent playback ability, 30+ hour battery life, and wireless LDAC, I couldn’t recommend this player more!

After deciding that I’d need about $1K to get the sound I was after, I was getting frustrated with the IEM world. After all, I could just buy the OPPO PM3 for $400, call it a day, and deal with the size and storage… but the thought of complete isolation and perfect fit kept me going. I eventually found myself clicking a link from ZMF’s website to a company called Vibro Labs. They were running an introductory price of $599 for a quad custom, with beautiful wooden faceplates. Not only did that undercut competition, but the site seemed honest explaining the components used. I knew exactly what I was getting, which was top shelf parts, made by an American here in America, under the roof of a small business. Luke Pighetti was a pleasure to do business with. He is a smart, proud craftsman that was quick to answer all of my questions. I quickly began to believe and pulled the trigger almost instinctually. A month later, My Aria arrived.

 
The Aria arrived in an awesome clear Pelican Case, proudly displaying the Aria. The cable is longer than most other IEMs I own, which I really have come to appreciate. It never gets caught on things and lightweight. With that being said, it’s very easy to tangle. Luckily it’s easy enough to change out if it becomes a nuisance.
 

 
Build quality is top notch, but I do have one complaint – the engraving. I can clearly see the white Vibro markings, but there is something else engraved that I cannot make out. It appears to be on both earpieces. I think it would have been better if those areas were just smoothed over. With such high-quality craftsmanship everywhere else, this pained me a bit.
 
Sound:
 
Test Tracks:
I spent a lot of time crafting this list to test various aspects of all headphones and IEMs. I’m sure it will evolve, but see this lineup for all of my reviews going forward.
 
Stevie Wonder – Superstition
David Bowie –Starman
Queens of the Stone Age – No One Knows
Christopher Paul Sterling -- Revenge
Avantasia – The Scarecrow
Stone Temple Pilots – Interstate Love Song
Tony Bennett and Amy Winehouse – Body and Soul
St. Vincent -- Birth in Reverse
Nine Inch Nails – Copy of A
 
The Aria sound is a pure delight for just about every genre. Bass heads likely will skip this one, but those looking for a neutral to bright signature will be in heaven.
 
Bass:
Aria's bass extension is incredible, but not overbearing on the signature. The only way I can describe it was like going from a Philips X2 dynamic to a HiFiMAN HE-400i planar. Everything is cleaned up, with deep extension but with less emphasis. Not matter what seemed to be going on in the music, the dynamics, and overall bass response remained intact.
 
Mids:
Vocals were a pleasant surprise. Since there isn’t a dedicated driver for mids, I was worried that this IEM would come off slightly V-shaped, or at least some sort of noticeable dip in volume here. I was wrong. Mids are slightly forward in the signature, having a little heat to them. It wasn’t what I was used to, but I sure do appreciate it.
 
Highs:
The clarity and extension of the treble is Aria’s strong suit. Cymbals come out sparkly, detail is all there, nothing messes with it from the bass or mids. This helps with the soundstage, giving everything a big sound without coming off as too unnatural. Well done, Vibro Labs.
 
Final Thoughts:
The Aria is a fantastic first effort by Vibro Labs. I’m glad that the Aria perform well above my expectations and have caused me to look forward to my hour-long daily commute. Who can say that, right?
 
**Edit as of 5/31/16**
 
The Aria are in my ears 90% of the time, and I just bought LCD2s. Think of this as a Jaguar F type, car people. You get your hands on a super car, not knowing how to drive it or appreciate what the car can do. Once you do, you've reached Nirvana. The F type has a sound unlike any other... I'd say the Aria is that IEM. When i first reviewed the Aria, I was just inexperienced with top shelf gear, especially customs. I didn't want to give an "over excited" impression.

Hello, Head-fiers. Back in the summer, I took a $99 slot on the Telos Fujisan Kickstarter campaign. I got the headphones a couple of weeks ago and have been using them daily as my primary IEM since. It’s been quite an emotional rollercoaster, as I loved these at first… became a little disappointed, and am back to being in love. Fellow Head-Fier, Dweaver, had written a wonderful review of the pre-production model back in July. Although my opinions are slightly different, I encourage everyone to go track that down and read it prior to mine.

Packing, Accessories:
Telos may be a new player, but their packaging is just as well done as everyone else. The box is covered by a nicely designed sleeve which easily pulls away revealing the magnetically closing box. Inside, there are three whole sets of S/M/L tips, a finely crafted leather case (I mean it, the leather feels great,) and pre-attached headphone clip.
 

 
Build:
It seems as though many IEM manufacturers are choosing metal over plastic for various reasons. Telos went against the grain a bit, using sturdy plastics. Although some might be upset with that, I am not. The plastics used seem super durable and remain incredibly lightweight and pocket-friendly. I can easily wind these up, throw them in my pocket, and not care if my phone is in there with them. The cable feels great, is reinforced with Kevlar, and has an excellent single button remote. Build quality is top notch with all things cable while remaining nice and light. My one complaint is cable noise. It’s real bad… but fixed easily with the included cable clip. 

 
 
 
Fit and Comfort:
The Fujisan are the first IEMs that gave me ZERO frustration with fit and tip selection. The tips aren’t really all that unique, but the nozzles on the Fujisan are. They are oval shaped, causing any tip you put on to turn into mini ovals much like Klipsch tips (which I love.) In addition to the unique nozzle design, Telos made a couple of additional fit enhancements such as the driver positioning, and the long stems of the shell. The drivers are located right at the base of the nozzles, creating a unique balance when in The long stems of the shell leading to the cable everything in place incredibly well. Never once, during my entire time so far with them, did I lose seal or reach up to re-adjust. With this all being said, I do have to issue one complaint about the Fujisan relating to the cable. Due to the stems, the cable runs across your cheek before it begins to bend down. See photo:
 
Isolation:
The Fujisan don’t go too deep into your ears. This helps with the fit but doesn’t seem to do much for isolation. I own several dynamic and hybrid IEMs that simply isolate better. I wouldn’t say these are bad at isolating, but just average. I don’t really mind this too much, as I bought these to throw into my gym bag. Isolation is far less important to me with a gym pair. Anyone using them during noisy subway or bus commutes may be a little disappointed, though. They did not fare well at normal volumes on my NYC subway commute.
 
SOUND:
Telos is entering a very crowded market, going after a trending segment: HiFi meets sports. V-Moda just released the Zn, and Trinity Audio is only a couple of weeks away from shipping their high end, hybrid sport IEM models. All three are after the same person.
 
Bass – 3.5/5 – Although I was a fan of single driver dynamic IEMs, I recently discovered hybrids. I am totally in love with the new Aurisonics and recently had a chance to audition Dunu’s DN-2000 hybrid. I mention this because I am now starting to audibly differentiate how the bass is handled by 1 driver alone compared to the multi-driver models. Certain tracks are 5/5 for the Fujisan, but others are 3/5. It seems to depend on how much is going on in the music, for example, bass kicks and bass guitar may be tough to differentiate at times. With hybrids, you can get a bit more consistency. Fujisan certainly handles things well compared to other single dynamics, so don't worry. I'd still highly recommend this to anyone that is looking for a slightly bass-centric IEM.
 
Midrange – 4.25/5 – At first I felt the mids were a bit recessed, but I have since changed my opinion on the matter. Mids seems slightly forward and warm 90% of the time. Sometimes, though, bass can get in the way and make it seem a bit recessed.
 
Treble – 4.5/5 – This is where it’s at. I haven’t ever heard a dynamic driver. The Fujisan is bright and detailed, with a sparkle that tops my $500 triple driver Aurisonics. Never once did I feel that treble was fatiguing. It didn’t matter what genre or track I was playing, treble was always 4.5/5.
 
Soundstage – 4/5 – Although not the widest I’ve heard, the Fujisan are certainly above average. For being such a well-balanced IEM, this makes sense. Getting any wider would take away from the mids, which I wouldn’t want. 
 
Final Thoughts:
Overall this is a wonderful first outing for Telos. The Fujisan offer unique, new features that live up to the Telos claims. They fit better than anything I’ve ever tried/owned, and offer stellar sound quality for the asking price. The $99 I paid was a steal… the $299 asking price seems a bit steep, but the $250 sale price that’s going on now (as of 11.21.15) is perfect. If you are looking for a sport, or easy, pocketable IEM, there may be nothing better on the market. I look forward to whatever Telos comes out with next.

Before beginning, I would like to thank the folks at InEarGear.com for an awesome purchasing experience.
 
Intro:
This is my first full review, so here's a very brief introduction of the man behind the Barbara Bush photo. I grew up in a small college town that had a plentiful amount of talented musicians coming from the school’s music program. Since the actual town was so tiny, a lot of high school musicians end up playing with college age/level musicians, myself included. When it was time for me to go to school myself, I wound up in NYC studying film and television. I had a knack for audio and had the opportunity to learn from some industry greats. Upon graduation, I got a job at a post production facility for TV manipulating audio there constantly. Outside of the office, I was a freelance boom op for the film world. To sum it up, I’ve been an avid musician my whole life, have studied audio in college, and worked with audio professionally for a few years before making a career switch into the tech sector. Now, the review!
 
Packaging and Included Accessories:
 
I usually skip over this stuff reading reviews but have decided that it’s necessary to include. Companies in all industries spend a fortune designing and implementing their packaging, so it SHOULD be highlighted. The Aurisonics packaging is exactly what it should be, simple, and able to show the entire product. They aced it if you ask me:
 

Included Accessories:
Sureseal Tips – S, M, L and an elongated medium
Deluxe carrying case
Cleaning Tool (MISSING)
 
The Bravo series is certainly accessory light, and extra light for me since it was missing the cleaning tool. The tips have a very donut-like shape and have a sticky feel to them. I thought I would hate this, but it really does help keep them in your ears. The case is made out of a sturdy foam and includes a built-in cable winder. 
 
**SOUND**
 
Bass:
I anticipated a bass head IEM, but that's not exactly what we have here. Although there is an emphasis on bass impact, everything else has a strong presence and remains incredibly clear. I attribute this to Aurisonics zero crossover design. All the drivers utilize their entire spectrum, rather than certain ranges like most multi-driver IEMs. Sony successfully did this with their hybrid XBA series, and it seems as if others are following suit. I'm glad to report that the Harmony perform incredibly well with this type of implementation. As a result, Aurisonics was able to create a fairly neutral sound, with bass that can dig deep and remain fairly quick. Comparing them to my IE80s, they have much less of a mid-bass hump, and can extend much deeper. I recently purchased and returned the RHA T20, which I found to be quite muddy. None of that with the Harmony. On a final note, the bass didn't bleed into the mids at all.
 
Mids:
The highlight here. Incredibly clear, and do a good job of not sounding too "in your head." I used to love the Shure models, but I sincerely feel these beat them. I've never once made that claim, until now. Female vocals are especially magical, besting borrowed Shure SE535s. The mids also greatly improve guitar oriented rock. I feel that the guitar can often times seem lost in the mix, with bass-centric headphones...not here. You get awesome bass, and in your face guitars.
 
Highs:
Treble heads will be disappointed, but they will sound great to just about everyone else. I have not verified, but it seems to me like these were tuned to the new Harmon curve - sounding incredibly similar to my NAD HP50. I like that signature, so… awesome. I have yet to encounter any sibilance, even with the most prone genres like metal.
 
Soundstage:
Jaw dropping. I don't know how they did it, but these have the best soundstage I've ever heard in an IEM. I thought my IE80s were great, but these best even them. I'm also a proud owner of the full-size AKG 701, and can't wait to do some A/B testing (I know.) Although unlikely to best the AKG, it's nice to see an IEM finally come close.
 
Isolation: Much better than any other hybrid or dynamic I've tried, but not as good as closed BA IEMs. I was able to forget about background noise while riding the subway, and could barely hear a thing indoors. easily an 8/10.
 
Design/other:
The cable is incredibly well done. Microphonics are non-existent, and the length is perfect for when my phone/player is in my front pocket (I’m 5’11.)  I'm also quite impressed with the shell shape. I was incredibly skeptical of the "near custom" claim, but I'd say that pretty accurate. I had some issues with the included tips, but admittedly I usually do with most IEMs. My ears must have a weird shape.
Overall I am incredibly impressed. I imagine that the sound will brighten up a bit with burn in, only adding to the experience. Thanks Aurisonics for such a great product. I've been eyeing customs for the past year or so but no longer feel I need to make the jump. These fit very well, sound fantastic, and were clearly made to last forever.
 
**UPDATE**
for those of you looking for 3rd party tips,  I recommend SpinFit. They fit perfectly, both on the IEM and in my ear.