First up a disclaimer: this review focusses on comparisons to Future Sonics’ former Atrio universal-fit IEM and are based on my memory of them, which was quite a while ago since they’ve been out of production for several years. It’s possible my memory of them has changed or evolved in the intervening time period, my hearing and/or tastes have changed or a combination of the above.
Sound signature and quality
On first impressions, the sound signature is quite a bit different from what I remember of the Atrios, which may explain why Future Sonics decided to drop the Atrio brand name and call them something else. They’ve taken a step towards a more neutral or balanced presentation with a decidedly more forward presentation of mids compared with the bass-oriented, gritty and relaxed Atrios. These mids however have fantastic detail and are one of the new Atrio's best assets; it’s a genuine hi-fi quality befitting an IEM of this price. This alone makes them quite different to the Atrios they replaced. In some cases I felt the need to reduce the mids in EQ, but not by a great deal. The overall impression is one of a more balanced but definitely not boring sound. These suit acoustic music in particular very well.
While treble on the former Atrio was pretty messy, muddy and indistinct (but not really bothersome since they were all about that bass), there’s no such obvious flaw in the treble here. They’re still rolled-off to protect hearing, though probably not as aggressively as the Atrio and they're definitely brighter overall. Even so they shouldn’t cause fatigue. You will likely find better treble detail and articulation in other brands at the same price (and certainly for more) but compared with the former Atrio, treble has gone from being average or poor to fine or decent.
These new Atrios (sorry, “Spectrum G10") have a fairly open sound-stage for IEMs. Far more open than the former somewhat congested Atrios. I actually don’t mind a slightly congested sound, but these sound like a pretty good balance to me. Here is where it comes down to memory and possibly a biased nostalgia; the bass doesn’t seem as extended, prominent or boosted in that sub-bass region as I remember, which is what I loved about the Atrios. Bass quality is still good and definitely at neutral or above, but it’s in that almost inaudible sub-bass region where I think it’s less than what the previous Atrio had. Perhaps this perception is affected by the more forward presentation of mids.
Build quality, fit and looks
I loved the Atrios but their build quality was not their greatest asset. The Atrios used a soft rubber strain relief that decayed, became brittle and broke off over time. I got anywhere from 9 months to 1.5 years out of each pair before they’d decayed to a point that either destroyed the sound or simply broke completely. I even wrote feedback to FS about the problems. So it’s pleasing to see that (on first impressions at least) build quality is vastly improved over the former Atrio. The once problematic strain relief is now a very hard rubber or plastic that seems durable. Only time will tell of course but early signs are promising. Build quality in IEMs is one of my sore points and I think many manufacturers can and should do better or be forced to do so.*
The braided/twisted cord is fairly thin but relatively tangle-proof and I’m happy to report completely silent, even all the way into the earphones. Haters of microphonics rejoice! The IEMs themselves are very light and can be worn comfortably in the up or down position. I prefer the up and behind-the-ears placement of the cord. The FS tips were always very good so no change there. I’m not usually a fan of bi-flange tips but these fit pretty well and provide a good, stable and secure seal. When worn this way I think they’d even handle a run or jog, but of course I wouldn’t advise that since they’re not a sealed sports headphone.
As far as looks go I’d say they’re very discreet. They don’t stick out much and the grey colour is matte this time, as opposed to the shiny black, blue, red or beige plastic housing of the former Atrios. I’m actually a bit disappointed that they only come in grey because they’re a little too drab for my taste and I quite liked the red colour last time. Maybe they’ll add more colours in future but for now you have a choice of grey, grey or grey so you’ll have to live with it!
Packaging, accessories et cetera
Not much to speak of here. If you’ve owned Atrios before it’s basically the same, except they come in a nicely foam-padded box with the headphones already inside the small pouch, which is a nice, reassuring touch. This compares to just hanging in plastic in a mildly protected box previously.
Conclusions
There’s no doubt these are an improvement over the former Atrio, particularly in build quality, mids and sound-stage. However at the same time I feel like it’s taken away a little of what made the Atrio unique and a favourite among lovers of a darker, gritty sound with prominent sub-bass. Perhaps I’m being overly picky here. The Spectrum G10 is overall a more balanced and versatile IEM that’s likely to please more people. There’s also no question these are worth at least AU $200 (US $150). At AU $300 (US $220) however I think it’s wise to do your research as that’s getting quite up there for an IEM without a replaceable cord and which is essentially non-repairable. Though the build quality is improved, I’d want to get at least 2 years of respectful use out of these to be satisfied with their longevity. I’m confident that will be the case, but again only time will tell.
If you can afford them and like the sound of what I described then by all means jump in. They will please more people than the former Atrio, but still won’t please everyone and may not be everything that Atrio lovers had wanted.
*European brands offer 2-year warranties in accordance with EU law (even for cheap headphones) and I’ve even seen the occasional headphone with a 3-year warranty. At AU $300, headphones should be built to last at least a couple of years, so the 1-year warranty is a little disappointing. Australian consumer law is a little grey on this but I’m pretty sure it agrees with me in sentiment if not in practise.
Sound signature and quality
On first impressions, the sound signature is quite a bit different from what I remember of the Atrios, which may explain why Future Sonics decided to drop the Atrio brand name and call them something else. They’ve taken a step towards a more neutral or balanced presentation with a decidedly more forward presentation of mids compared with the bass-oriented, gritty and relaxed Atrios. These mids however have fantastic detail and are one of the new Atrio's best assets; it’s a genuine hi-fi quality befitting an IEM of this price. This alone makes them quite different to the Atrios they replaced. In some cases I felt the need to reduce the mids in EQ, but not by a great deal. The overall impression is one of a more balanced but definitely not boring sound. These suit acoustic music in particular very well.
While treble on the former Atrio was pretty messy, muddy and indistinct (but not really bothersome since they were all about that bass), there’s no such obvious flaw in the treble here. They’re still rolled-off to protect hearing, though probably not as aggressively as the Atrio and they're definitely brighter overall. Even so they shouldn’t cause fatigue. You will likely find better treble detail and articulation in other brands at the same price (and certainly for more) but compared with the former Atrio, treble has gone from being average or poor to fine or decent.
These new Atrios (sorry, “Spectrum G10") have a fairly open sound-stage for IEMs. Far more open than the former somewhat congested Atrios. I actually don’t mind a slightly congested sound, but these sound like a pretty good balance to me. Here is where it comes down to memory and possibly a biased nostalgia; the bass doesn’t seem as extended, prominent or boosted in that sub-bass region as I remember, which is what I loved about the Atrios. Bass quality is still good and definitely at neutral or above, but it’s in that almost inaudible sub-bass region where I think it’s less than what the previous Atrio had. Perhaps this perception is affected by the more forward presentation of mids.
Build quality, fit and looks
I loved the Atrios but their build quality was not their greatest asset. The Atrios used a soft rubber strain relief that decayed, became brittle and broke off over time. I got anywhere from 9 months to 1.5 years out of each pair before they’d decayed to a point that either destroyed the sound or simply broke completely. I even wrote feedback to FS about the problems. So it’s pleasing to see that (on first impressions at least) build quality is vastly improved over the former Atrio. The once problematic strain relief is now a very hard rubber or plastic that seems durable. Only time will tell of course but early signs are promising. Build quality in IEMs is one of my sore points and I think many manufacturers can and should do better or be forced to do so.*
The braided/twisted cord is fairly thin but relatively tangle-proof and I’m happy to report completely silent, even all the way into the earphones. Haters of microphonics rejoice! The IEMs themselves are very light and can be worn comfortably in the up or down position. I prefer the up and behind-the-ears placement of the cord. The FS tips were always very good so no change there. I’m not usually a fan of bi-flange tips but these fit pretty well and provide a good, stable and secure seal. When worn this way I think they’d even handle a run or jog, but of course I wouldn’t advise that since they’re not a sealed sports headphone.
As far as looks go I’d say they’re very discreet. They don’t stick out much and the grey colour is matte this time, as opposed to the shiny black, blue, red or beige plastic housing of the former Atrios. I’m actually a bit disappointed that they only come in grey because they’re a little too drab for my taste and I quite liked the red colour last time. Maybe they’ll add more colours in future but for now you have a choice of grey, grey or grey so you’ll have to live with it!
Packaging, accessories et cetera
Not much to speak of here. If you’ve owned Atrios before it’s basically the same, except they come in a nicely foam-padded box with the headphones already inside the small pouch, which is a nice, reassuring touch. This compares to just hanging in plastic in a mildly protected box previously.
Conclusions
There’s no doubt these are an improvement over the former Atrio, particularly in build quality, mids and sound-stage. However at the same time I feel like it’s taken away a little of what made the Atrio unique and a favourite among lovers of a darker, gritty sound with prominent sub-bass. Perhaps I’m being overly picky here. The Spectrum G10 is overall a more balanced and versatile IEM that’s likely to please more people. There’s also no question these are worth at least AU $200 (US $150). At AU $300 (US $220) however I think it’s wise to do your research as that’s getting quite up there for an IEM without a replaceable cord and which is essentially non-repairable. Though the build quality is improved, I’d want to get at least 2 years of respectful use out of these to be satisfied with their longevity. I’m confident that will be the case, but again only time will tell.
If you can afford them and like the sound of what I described then by all means jump in. They will please more people than the former Atrio, but still won’t please everyone and may not be everything that Atrio lovers had wanted.
*European brands offer 2-year warranties in accordance with EU law (even for cheap headphones) and I’ve even seen the occasional headphone with a 3-year warranty. At AU $300, headphones should be built to last at least a couple of years, so the 1-year warranty is a little disappointing. Australian consumer law is a little grey on this but I’m pretty sure it agrees with me in sentiment if not in practise.
Don't expect hi-fi levels of detail and accuracy obviously. These aren't high end cans. But they perform well in the sub $100 class. As one other reviewer mentioned, I do feel like I want a bit of extra volume out of these at times however.