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.
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.