Reviews by Pavan Kumar
I purchased the unit by contacting Aful Acoustics and Hifigo. It was shipped to me earlier than the retail units in exchange for my honest impressions/ review. Thanks to both Aful Acoustics and Hifigo for facilitating this purchase and highly appreciated. I was not affiliated with Aful or the Hifigo in any way.
Detailed final impressions/ Review:
Aful Performer 8 (hereinafter referred to as AP8) comes with 7 BA and 1 DD drivers per side hybrid configuration - DD (8mm) for the bass, 2 BA for lower mid-range, 2 BA for the mids, 3 BA for the highs. I have listened for more than 300 hours (close to 400 I believe) for the last 20 days whenever I could. Went to sleep, wearing it on a daily basis. Found them very comfortable for long wear. I enjoyed them thoroughly be it instrumental tracks, vocals, movies, or games. They have a neutral tonality with a bass boost (very mildly warm), a wide enough soundstage, and precise imaging that works great with movies and games. They have fantastic tone, instrument timbre, vocals, and note weight that makes them quite versatile across various genres. My listening has been with Tempotec V6 DAP paired with Topping NX7 for most of the time. Also, have paired with Abigail which sounded really well. They are pretty easy to drive and scale really well with more power. My favorite has been when I paired with Topping NX7. My impressions when I received the unit and at the time of this writing are mostly the same but with a few major improvements. The main differences I noticed are with the Mid-bass punch and slam, note weight density, depth, and vocal clarity. There are no downsides though. The things I enjoyed with this IEM far outweigh the nitpicks I mentioned above and hence I have given the IEM, 5 stars without a doubt. This is the most expensive IEM I have heard to date. So, the TOTL gear owners, be aware – Take my excitement with a pinch of salt, lol. Nevertheless, AP8 is fantastic gear and the best I have heard. No doubt about that.
Box, Case & Contents:
Standard boxing is like that of AP5 and comes in Black color. The leather carry case is a lot better compared to the metal case of the AP5 and has more depth inside and I find it more spacious. I find that all the ear tips that come with the package are more or less the same size. Between short to medium. None of them provided a tight seal in my ears. I reverted to my usual favorite Spinfit W1. I even tried Zeo’s Render Silicon/foam tips that were sent to me by Hifigo along with the package. The Bass sounded great but not so good with the rest of the frequencies as compared to Spinfit W1 tips. W1 tips (M) suited me the best. The 2-pin 0.78 cable feels premium and great. I liked it better than the AP5 cable. No balanced terminations though which is a kind of downside for the price, as the IEM scales really well with more power.
Build and Fit:
The build and looks are exquisite and the fit is ergonomic and I can wear them for hours straight without any sort of discomfort. I daily sleep wearing them without any issues. This provides me the same level of comfort that my AP5 and Kotori Audio Dauntless, both of which I consider the best fit in my collection along with the Final A5000.
Sound Quality:
Bass:
Sub-Bass extends deep, has a nice body, is well-textured, and rumbles. The decay is fast and pretty good. The mid-bass slam and impact are powerful and hit hard when called upon. My initial impressions were that it is mainly sub-bass focused with tamed mid-bass. My final impressions have changed since. I have to say that Mid bass performance has improved over time of listening. They now have a great note weight, slam to them. I feel that the BA drivers working on the lower mids have opened up quite well after some good listening. The bass is very clean and does not bleed into the mids. I feel the DD used here is different from that of AP5 as I can feel the tightness and speed of the Bass compared to the Bass from AP5. Overall, the bass is very well done here – sub-bass and mid-bass dancing together. Easy 5 stars.
Mids:
Vocals are the center of the attraction here. Rightly placed with fullness to them. Both the male and female vocals - Highly resolving, full of clarity, micro nuances, and decays – are very well detailed. The same goes for the Instrument timbre. The instruments have a great body, detail, and crispiness to them. Nothing sounds blunt or inorganic. Listening to mid-centric tracks be it instrumentals or the vocals is nothing short of brilliance. They both are presented really well here and are dynamic. Instrument separation is very well done. The upper mids transition to the treble region is pretty smooth. There is no sibilance/ harshness noticed. Full of micro details and clarity. Easy 5 stars.
Treble:
Treble sounds detailed and smooth. The extension is great. A tad less airy. On certain tracks, the higher treble can be a bit unforgiving and an intense listen but not sibilant. Most of the time I thoroughly enjoyed the treble performance here. 5 stars.
Technicalities:
Technically, the most impressive thing I got hooked on this IEM is the resolution. Highly resolving with a lot of details. The layering is clean and very good. Busy tracks are presented really well. You will hear the lesser-known details and it surprises you. Thanks to the great resolution and layering. There are a lot of WOW moments when listening to this IEM. The soundstage is above average and adequate imho. It is not too wide. It is better than the AP5 as I recall. Imaging is accurate and movement tracing is quite good. It is a technical marvel, to say the least, especially the resolution and details. 5 stars.
Comparisons:
I did not listen to any similarly priced IEMs to compare with. Hence, I tried comparing with some of the best IEMs under 300 USD – Final A5000 and BQEYZ Winter – Both of which I love dearly. So here we go:
Final A5k vs P8
P8 sounds denser and richer with great resolution whereas A5k sounds more crispier with a similar level of resolution but less than P8. Both sound great imho. Imaging is a bit more precise on A5k as it has a crispier note weight and pinpoint accuracy. Mids are comparatively more pronounced on P8. Has more detail and clarity. Vocals are strong on P8. They are a bit forward, very lively, and articulate. Vocals on A5K are a tad bit behind but definitely good. The soundstage is very wide on the A5K as far as IEMs are concerned, giving that extra breathing space for the instruments to shine throwing at you the directional accuracy. Most of the time I feel the sound is playing rather from outside than inside my ear with A5K. However, I would say the timbre of the instruments sounds more accurate and detailed on the P8. It's just lovely. The best I have heard. In comparison, the soundstage of the P8 appears intimate although there is great spacing between the instruments. If not for A5K, I would say the P8 soundstage is very good. Sub-Bass is great on both. A tad better textured and hits a bit deep and rumbly on P8. Mid-bass body, slam, and punch are better on P8. The treble on the P8 is way more detailed and extended but a tad less airy compared to A5K. Overall I would say buy both if you can. A5K - best under 300 USD and Performer 8 - best under 400 USD. I would buy both blindfolded. As simple as that.
P8 vs BQEYZ Winter
Winter can be directly compared with P8 as I find these 2 are similar sounding with a fuller body and with great tonality. P8 is a tad denser and fuller compared to Winter. The bass texture is kind of similar on both - detailed, but the sub-bass of P8 extends a hit deeper. The resolution is better on the P8. More clarity, nuances, and micro details on P8 compared to BQEYZ Winter. Certain tracks like Electric Love - Borns sound less clean in the winter compared to the P8. Treble, I love both - Detailed and smooth. Listening to the Electro suite from The Amazing Spider-man 2 - Details, and texture in the treble region are more present on the P8. The main difference I found between the two is the resolution, clarity, and details. Winter is not bad by any means but P8 is clearly a step above Winter. P8 is basically a direct upgrade to Winter as they sound similar in a way with full-bodied sound. My pick is P8 without a doubt.
That's all guys. I had a really great time listening to this IEM. Clearly a step up from the other 2 IEMs that I have mentioned and I think this IEM justifies the price tag. I highly recommend it. Thanks a lot for reading and cheers!!!
Detailed final impressions/ Review:
Aful Performer 8 (hereinafter referred to as AP8) comes with 7 BA and 1 DD drivers per side hybrid configuration - DD (8mm) for the bass, 2 BA for lower mid-range, 2 BA for the mids, 3 BA for the highs. I have listened for more than 300 hours (close to 400 I believe) for the last 20 days whenever I could. Went to sleep, wearing it on a daily basis. Found them very comfortable for long wear. I enjoyed them thoroughly be it instrumental tracks, vocals, movies, or games. They have a neutral tonality with a bass boost (very mildly warm), a wide enough soundstage, and precise imaging that works great with movies and games. They have fantastic tone, instrument timbre, vocals, and note weight that makes them quite versatile across various genres. My listening has been with Tempotec V6 DAP paired with Topping NX7 for most of the time. Also, have paired with Abigail which sounded really well. They are pretty easy to drive and scale really well with more power. My favorite has been when I paired with Topping NX7. My impressions when I received the unit and at the time of this writing are mostly the same but with a few major improvements. The main differences I noticed are with the Mid-bass punch and slam, note weight density, depth, and vocal clarity. There are no downsides though. The things I enjoyed with this IEM far outweigh the nitpicks I mentioned above and hence I have given the IEM, 5 stars without a doubt. This is the most expensive IEM I have heard to date. So, the TOTL gear owners, be aware – Take my excitement with a pinch of salt, lol. Nevertheless, AP8 is fantastic gear and the best I have heard. No doubt about that.
Box, Case & Contents:
Standard boxing is like that of AP5 and comes in Black color. The leather carry case is a lot better compared to the metal case of the AP5 and has more depth inside and I find it more spacious. I find that all the ear tips that come with the package are more or less the same size. Between short to medium. None of them provided a tight seal in my ears. I reverted to my usual favorite Spinfit W1. I even tried Zeo’s Render Silicon/foam tips that were sent to me by Hifigo along with the package. The Bass sounded great but not so good with the rest of the frequencies as compared to Spinfit W1 tips. W1 tips (M) suited me the best. The 2-pin 0.78 cable feels premium and great. I liked it better than the AP5 cable. No balanced terminations though which is a kind of downside for the price, as the IEM scales really well with more power.
Build and Fit:
The build and looks are exquisite and the fit is ergonomic and I can wear them for hours straight without any sort of discomfort. I daily sleep wearing them without any issues. This provides me the same level of comfort that my AP5 and Kotori Audio Dauntless, both of which I consider the best fit in my collection along with the Final A5000.
Sound Quality:
Bass:
Sub-Bass extends deep, has a nice body, is well-textured, and rumbles. The decay is fast and pretty good. The mid-bass slam and impact are powerful and hit hard when called upon. My initial impressions were that it is mainly sub-bass focused with tamed mid-bass. My final impressions have changed since. I have to say that Mid bass performance has improved over time of listening. They now have a great note weight, slam to them. I feel that the BA drivers working on the lower mids have opened up quite well after some good listening. The bass is very clean and does not bleed into the mids. I feel the DD used here is different from that of AP5 as I can feel the tightness and speed of the Bass compared to the Bass from AP5. Overall, the bass is very well done here – sub-bass and mid-bass dancing together. Easy 5 stars.
Mids:
Vocals are the center of the attraction here. Rightly placed with fullness to them. Both the male and female vocals - Highly resolving, full of clarity, micro nuances, and decays – are very well detailed. The same goes for the Instrument timbre. The instruments have a great body, detail, and crispiness to them. Nothing sounds blunt or inorganic. Listening to mid-centric tracks be it instrumentals or the vocals is nothing short of brilliance. They both are presented really well here and are dynamic. Instrument separation is very well done. The upper mids transition to the treble region is pretty smooth. There is no sibilance/ harshness noticed. Full of micro details and clarity. Easy 5 stars.
Treble:
Treble sounds detailed and smooth. The extension is great. A tad less airy. On certain tracks, the higher treble can be a bit unforgiving and an intense listen but not sibilant. Most of the time I thoroughly enjoyed the treble performance here. 5 stars.
Technicalities:
Technically, the most impressive thing I got hooked on this IEM is the resolution. Highly resolving with a lot of details. The layering is clean and very good. Busy tracks are presented really well. You will hear the lesser-known details and it surprises you. Thanks to the great resolution and layering. There are a lot of WOW moments when listening to this IEM. The soundstage is above average and adequate imho. It is not too wide. It is better than the AP5 as I recall. Imaging is accurate and movement tracing is quite good. It is a technical marvel, to say the least, especially the resolution and details. 5 stars.
Comparisons:
I did not listen to any similarly priced IEMs to compare with. Hence, I tried comparing with some of the best IEMs under 300 USD – Final A5000 and BQEYZ Winter – Both of which I love dearly. So here we go:
Final A5k vs P8
P8 sounds denser and richer with great resolution whereas A5k sounds more crispier with a similar level of resolution but less than P8. Both sound great imho. Imaging is a bit more precise on A5k as it has a crispier note weight and pinpoint accuracy. Mids are comparatively more pronounced on P8. Has more detail and clarity. Vocals are strong on P8. They are a bit forward, very lively, and articulate. Vocals on A5K are a tad bit behind but definitely good. The soundstage is very wide on the A5K as far as IEMs are concerned, giving that extra breathing space for the instruments to shine throwing at you the directional accuracy. Most of the time I feel the sound is playing rather from outside than inside my ear with A5K. However, I would say the timbre of the instruments sounds more accurate and detailed on the P8. It's just lovely. The best I have heard. In comparison, the soundstage of the P8 appears intimate although there is great spacing between the instruments. If not for A5K, I would say the P8 soundstage is very good. Sub-Bass is great on both. A tad better textured and hits a bit deep and rumbly on P8. Mid-bass body, slam, and punch are better on P8. The treble on the P8 is way more detailed and extended but a tad less airy compared to A5K. Overall I would say buy both if you can. A5K - best under 300 USD and Performer 8 - best under 400 USD. I would buy both blindfolded. As simple as that.
P8 vs BQEYZ Winter
Winter can be directly compared with P8 as I find these 2 are similar sounding with a fuller body and with great tonality. P8 is a tad denser and fuller compared to Winter. The bass texture is kind of similar on both - detailed, but the sub-bass of P8 extends a hit deeper. The resolution is better on the P8. More clarity, nuances, and micro details on P8 compared to BQEYZ Winter. Certain tracks like Electric Love - Borns sound less clean in the winter compared to the P8. Treble, I love both - Detailed and smooth. Listening to the Electro suite from The Amazing Spider-man 2 - Details, and texture in the treble region are more present on the P8. The main difference I found between the two is the resolution, clarity, and details. Winter is not bad by any means but P8 is clearly a step above Winter. P8 is basically a direct upgrade to Winter as they sound similar in a way with full-bodied sound. My pick is P8 without a doubt.
That's all guys. I had a really great time listening to this IEM. Clearly a step up from the other 2 IEMs that I have mentioned and I think this IEM justifies the price tag. I highly recommend it. Thanks a lot for reading and cheers!!!
