Symphonium Crimson
Symphonium’s latest IEM. Crimson. BA driver with 4-way crossover. The exact driver configuration is not published on the website. Which is surprising as many IEM manufacturers are transparent with what is inside. *Edit: Now confirmed 4BA*
This was loaned as part of the Australian Tour. Many thanks to Symphonium and the organiser of the tour. It will be passed on after the tour period and there is no conflict of interest.
I deliberately avoided forum discussion, reviews or the product webpage and therefore did not know much about the IEM until after I formed my initial impressions.
Packaging and inclusions:
Aluminium circular IEM case with a screw-top lid. It is very tightly held in place in the box. I did not remove it to avoid damaging the packaging on the tour unit.
The usual cleaning tools though with the protective grill on the short nozzle it is unlikely to be necessary.
The included cable is 26 AWG OCC Copper Litz Novaron. Square braid. Ergonomic, flexible with no microphonics. A marked improvement to the feel of PWA cables on other IEM. Sonically “fine” with a 2-pin connector and on-par to better than most at this price tier.
The only cable roll was to a Mira cable (the cost of which exceeded that of the whole IEM package). Timbre and the richness of the sound was much improved although the soundstage became more spherical and intimate.
The cable is terminated in 4.4mm with the option of swapping (in the box) to an unbalanced 3.5mm plug via a 2 pin connection. Ingenious.
A digression on tips
A tray of Azla Sedna Standard & Divinius Velvet tips are included. Tips and fit are an much underrated aspect of IEM sonic performance and tuning. As well as highly individual.
The Azla Sedna tips are the sonically more neutral of the two. The Velvet tips have a mild bass emphasis and roll back the brightness. But are more closed than the Azla.
The Azla standard difficult to put on (I had to invert them). Slippery things too. Inverted the cups first to make it easier.
Alternatives:
Azla SednaEarfit Crystal does emphasise the low mids and bass tuning of the IEM.
Xelastcs are safe and I find pair well with almost all IEM’s with minimal coloration. These ended up being my preferred tips for Crimson.
Azla Sedna Max another (more expensive) alternative. These are medical grade silicone and not dissimilar to the W1 in comfort. They are less bright than W1, with less treble sparkle and more of a bass emphasis. And a narrower soundstage.
Initially, I used a pair of new W1 tips simply out of personal preference. They are technically excellent and top tier for comfort. But don’t necessarily pair well with already bright IEM’s. I do not recommend them for the Crimson.
IEM Appearance:
With top end IEM’s trying to outdo each other with fancy enclosures, this is a straightforward aluminium alloy with a forged carbon faceplate. Edges rounded. Relatively light. Comfortable. Short but thick nozzle. And with the flexible cable ergonomics, it is one of the more comfortable IEM’s on the market. I had no issues wearing these for an extended listen.
Initial impressions:
Source:
1. 2Go/Hugo2. Set the bar high to see what the IEM’s are capable of.
2. Sp2000 alone and then 6V line out to Cayin C9, Solid State/Tube, Class A.
Described as W shaped but I would say cursive 'u' with the bass and mids and then a safe tail treble. Mids forward. Somewhat bright and therefore potentially fatiguing with the wrong source or tip. An idiosyncrasy in tuning rather than a fault. After all, my Utopia OG and LCD-5 have similar tuning characteristics.
After some hours of experimenting, I preferred the Sp2000 + Cayin C9 in Tube mode, Class A with Azla Sedna Xelastec tips. It did take several hours of listening and adjusting to the tuning before I was happy with them.
Soundstage and Technicalities:
Soundstage out left/right rather than spherical. Height and depth average if under-driven. Not as wide or airy as Andromeda 2020. Mest III is superior to both but not by much. Both of these IEM’s are strong for their respective era and price point.
I do prefer a more holographic soundstage.
Clarity and detail are acceptable. Separation is very good. I can easily discern individual notes listening to Piano Guys. Timbre is mostly natural and pleasant.
Driveability: Crimson likes power. It isn’t the easiest to drive to full potential. 85+ on the SP2000 was ‘okay’. Technical aspects and especially dynamics, soundstage, bass presentation are much improved if you have a portable amplifier or a DAP that can drive these to full potential.
Treble: Safe. Present. Extension is fine. No flaws. Improves when driven well. Cymbals can be sharp.
Mids: Vocals are a strength. Forward, somewhat intimate. Lovely presentation. Except when overwhelmed by the bass / low mid emphasis. Track dependent.
Bass: Symphonium tout “a dynamic bass presentation, reminiscent of high end speaker configurations”. For a (assuming) 4BA driver IEM, the bass is certainly present. It is satisfactory and I would rate it as A tier for a BA IEM. As mentioned above, a portable amplifier significantly improves the bass presentation and impact.
As someone used to Trialii and MEST III tuning, I find the bass emphasis just a tad prominent by a 1-2 dB. However, this is a personal preference and many prefer a less neutral tuning than I do. My music preferences lean towards acoustic vocals and classical crossover. It is not an uncommon tuning trait amongst IEM's and headphones and the tuning may appeal to many.
Dynamics and presence significantly improved with the Cayin C9. Subtle BA timbre to the bass.
BA Timbre: I’m sensitive to BA timbre. It is that subtly “plastic” like sound. I notice it particularly with piano and percussion. Yes, it is present. But subtle and a non-issue really. No driver flex in the tour IEM and I’m not aware that it is an issue for Crimson.
Short impressions
These are the first songs I played when I did my first serious listen.
Taylor Swift. Blank Space. Snare drums. Sharp. Mid-forward vocals are where I enjoy the Crimson.
Bon Jovi. It’s my life. 2003 Acoustic Version. Smooth male vocals. Lovely timbre. Still a tad bright. Low mids and bass have a richness that are a strength, especially for a BA only IEM.
Bon Jovi. Living’ On A Prayer. Drum and triangle easily placed. instrument placement and separation easy to discern. Though the DAC plays a significant contribution here. Technically a capable IEM.
Eagles. Hotel California. The Velvet tips do mute the sparkle on the guitar intro. On the SP2000/C9/Xelastec the guitar sounds fine. Doesn't quite have the sparkle or x-factor guitar timbre I'm used to.
Same comments with Taylor Swift, Love story. The bass guitar and drums slightly overwhelmed Tay Tay's vocals. Crimson does better with acoustic vocals where there is less emphasis on bass.
EDM/Trance: Underwhelming if underdriven. Depends on how bright the synth is as to whether you like what you hear. Once amplified, prominent bass and low mids. Speed and accuracy are okay but I wouldn’t priortise Crimson if you don't have the power to drive Crimson properly.
DAP rolling:
SP2000: Flatter than the Hugo2. Technically excellent. I use the SP2000 for it’s neutrality so the IEM can show it’s colours.
Comparisons:
Andromeda 2020. Airy, wider soundstage. Also less exciting and forward. Natural mids and vocals. Very clean, transparent and detailed. Neutral tuning without coloration. And bass. Well what bass? Crimson is definitely more fun, dynamic and engaging.
Mest III: Mest has driver flex. Which I’m at a loss how that is acceptable in any IEM. However, technically more capable. Doesn’t have as much of that bright peak. Nor the degree or bass emphasis. Bass is tighter and controlled. Cleaner than Crimson.
I prefer MEST III on Crimson. But If you like the MEST III (and it is readily available on the second hand market) the Crimson should also be on your radar. Crimson is more dynamic and impactful. I find it more engaging. But I prefer MEST III technical aspects, multi-driver implementation and balance.
Storm: “It’s new, it’s fresh… it is the new standard but I much rather prefer to call it the new benchmark” to quote the Crimson website. Perhaps an exaggeration as it better applies to the Symphonium Storm.
Not even a comparison. Take a reference IEM to S tier in all aspects. Pair to a multi-kilobuck cable and finishing. No offensive colouration or peaks. Storm is to date, the most capable IEM I have heard.
Conclusion:
Crimson is a capable, modern BA IEM. The brightness can be mostly mitigated with tip and source matching. It is technically very capable and engaging. Bass is very good for a BA only IEM. Personally I find it prominent although my vibe is that Symphonium deliberately tuned the Crimson this way.
I suspect Symphonium learnt a lot from Storm’s development and this trickled down to Crimson but with a less neutral tuning.
Crimson is underwhelming if not properly driven.
I would suggest trialling a variety of tips with the Crimson and a quality portable amplifier if you have a DAP with an average amplifier stage. It took me some hours to get it right. I prefer the standard Azla tips over the Velvets.
For its tier it should well be worth an audition.
Symphonium’s latest IEM. Crimson. BA driver with 4-way crossover. The exact driver configuration is not published on the website. Which is surprising as many IEM manufacturers are transparent with what is inside. *Edit: Now confirmed 4BA*
This was loaned as part of the Australian Tour. Many thanks to Symphonium and the organiser of the tour. It will be passed on after the tour period and there is no conflict of interest.
I deliberately avoided forum discussion, reviews or the product webpage and therefore did not know much about the IEM until after I formed my initial impressions.
Packaging and inclusions:
Aluminium circular IEM case with a screw-top lid. It is very tightly held in place in the box. I did not remove it to avoid damaging the packaging on the tour unit.
The usual cleaning tools though with the protective grill on the short nozzle it is unlikely to be necessary.
The included cable is 26 AWG OCC Copper Litz Novaron. Square braid. Ergonomic, flexible with no microphonics. A marked improvement to the feel of PWA cables on other IEM. Sonically “fine” with a 2-pin connector and on-par to better than most at this price tier.
The only cable roll was to a Mira cable (the cost of which exceeded that of the whole IEM package). Timbre and the richness of the sound was much improved although the soundstage became more spherical and intimate.
The cable is terminated in 4.4mm with the option of swapping (in the box) to an unbalanced 3.5mm plug via a 2 pin connection. Ingenious.
A digression on tips
A tray of Azla Sedna Standard & Divinius Velvet tips are included. Tips and fit are an much underrated aspect of IEM sonic performance and tuning. As well as highly individual.
The Azla Sedna tips are the sonically more neutral of the two. The Velvet tips have a mild bass emphasis and roll back the brightness. But are more closed than the Azla.
The Azla standard difficult to put on (I had to invert them). Slippery things too. Inverted the cups first to make it easier.
Alternatives:
Azla SednaEarfit Crystal does emphasise the low mids and bass tuning of the IEM.
Xelastcs are safe and I find pair well with almost all IEM’s with minimal coloration. These ended up being my preferred tips for Crimson.
Azla Sedna Max another (more expensive) alternative. These are medical grade silicone and not dissimilar to the W1 in comfort. They are less bright than W1, with less treble sparkle and more of a bass emphasis. And a narrower soundstage.
Initially, I used a pair of new W1 tips simply out of personal preference. They are technically excellent and top tier for comfort. But don’t necessarily pair well with already bright IEM’s. I do not recommend them for the Crimson.
IEM Appearance:
With top end IEM’s trying to outdo each other with fancy enclosures, this is a straightforward aluminium alloy with a forged carbon faceplate. Edges rounded. Relatively light. Comfortable. Short but thick nozzle. And with the flexible cable ergonomics, it is one of the more comfortable IEM’s on the market. I had no issues wearing these for an extended listen.
Initial impressions:
Source:
1. 2Go/Hugo2. Set the bar high to see what the IEM’s are capable of.
2. Sp2000 alone and then 6V line out to Cayin C9, Solid State/Tube, Class A.
Described as W shaped but I would say cursive 'u' with the bass and mids and then a safe tail treble. Mids forward. Somewhat bright and therefore potentially fatiguing with the wrong source or tip. An idiosyncrasy in tuning rather than a fault. After all, my Utopia OG and LCD-5 have similar tuning characteristics.
After some hours of experimenting, I preferred the Sp2000 + Cayin C9 in Tube mode, Class A with Azla Sedna Xelastec tips. It did take several hours of listening and adjusting to the tuning before I was happy with them.
Soundstage and Technicalities:
Soundstage out left/right rather than spherical. Height and depth average if under-driven. Not as wide or airy as Andromeda 2020. Mest III is superior to both but not by much. Both of these IEM’s are strong for their respective era and price point.
I do prefer a more holographic soundstage.
Clarity and detail are acceptable. Separation is very good. I can easily discern individual notes listening to Piano Guys. Timbre is mostly natural and pleasant.
Driveability: Crimson likes power. It isn’t the easiest to drive to full potential. 85+ on the SP2000 was ‘okay’. Technical aspects and especially dynamics, soundstage, bass presentation are much improved if you have a portable amplifier or a DAP that can drive these to full potential.
Treble: Safe. Present. Extension is fine. No flaws. Improves when driven well. Cymbals can be sharp.
Mids: Vocals are a strength. Forward, somewhat intimate. Lovely presentation. Except when overwhelmed by the bass / low mid emphasis. Track dependent.
Bass: Symphonium tout “a dynamic bass presentation, reminiscent of high end speaker configurations”. For a (assuming) 4BA driver IEM, the bass is certainly present. It is satisfactory and I would rate it as A tier for a BA IEM. As mentioned above, a portable amplifier significantly improves the bass presentation and impact.
As someone used to Trialii and MEST III tuning, I find the bass emphasis just a tad prominent by a 1-2 dB. However, this is a personal preference and many prefer a less neutral tuning than I do. My music preferences lean towards acoustic vocals and classical crossover. It is not an uncommon tuning trait amongst IEM's and headphones and the tuning may appeal to many.
Dynamics and presence significantly improved with the Cayin C9. Subtle BA timbre to the bass.
BA Timbre: I’m sensitive to BA timbre. It is that subtly “plastic” like sound. I notice it particularly with piano and percussion. Yes, it is present. But subtle and a non-issue really. No driver flex in the tour IEM and I’m not aware that it is an issue for Crimson.
Short impressions
These are the first songs I played when I did my first serious listen.
Taylor Swift. Blank Space. Snare drums. Sharp. Mid-forward vocals are where I enjoy the Crimson.
Bon Jovi. It’s my life. 2003 Acoustic Version. Smooth male vocals. Lovely timbre. Still a tad bright. Low mids and bass have a richness that are a strength, especially for a BA only IEM.
Bon Jovi. Living’ On A Prayer. Drum and triangle easily placed. instrument placement and separation easy to discern. Though the DAC plays a significant contribution here. Technically a capable IEM.
Eagles. Hotel California. The Velvet tips do mute the sparkle on the guitar intro. On the SP2000/C9/Xelastec the guitar sounds fine. Doesn't quite have the sparkle or x-factor guitar timbre I'm used to.
Same comments with Taylor Swift, Love story. The bass guitar and drums slightly overwhelmed Tay Tay's vocals. Crimson does better with acoustic vocals where there is less emphasis on bass.
EDM/Trance: Underwhelming if underdriven. Depends on how bright the synth is as to whether you like what you hear. Once amplified, prominent bass and low mids. Speed and accuracy are okay but I wouldn’t priortise Crimson if you don't have the power to drive Crimson properly.
DAP rolling:
SP2000: Flatter than the Hugo2. Technically excellent. I use the SP2000 for it’s neutrality so the IEM can show it’s colours.
Comparisons:
Andromeda 2020. Airy, wider soundstage. Also less exciting and forward. Natural mids and vocals. Very clean, transparent and detailed. Neutral tuning without coloration. And bass. Well what bass? Crimson is definitely more fun, dynamic and engaging.
Mest III: Mest has driver flex. Which I’m at a loss how that is acceptable in any IEM. However, technically more capable. Doesn’t have as much of that bright peak. Nor the degree or bass emphasis. Bass is tighter and controlled. Cleaner than Crimson.
I prefer MEST III on Crimson. But If you like the MEST III (and it is readily available on the second hand market) the Crimson should also be on your radar. Crimson is more dynamic and impactful. I find it more engaging. But I prefer MEST III technical aspects, multi-driver implementation and balance.
Storm: “It’s new, it’s fresh… it is the new standard but I much rather prefer to call it the new benchmark” to quote the Crimson website. Perhaps an exaggeration as it better applies to the Symphonium Storm.
Not even a comparison. Take a reference IEM to S tier in all aspects. Pair to a multi-kilobuck cable and finishing. No offensive colouration or peaks. Storm is to date, the most capable IEM I have heard.
Conclusion:
Crimson is a capable, modern BA IEM. The brightness can be mostly mitigated with tip and source matching. It is technically very capable and engaging. Bass is very good for a BA only IEM. Personally I find it prominent although my vibe is that Symphonium deliberately tuned the Crimson this way.
I suspect Symphonium learnt a lot from Storm’s development and this trickled down to Crimson but with a less neutral tuning.
Crimson is underwhelming if not properly driven.
I would suggest trialling a variety of tips with the Crimson and a quality portable amplifier if you have a DAP with an average amplifier stage. It took me some hours to get it right. I prefer the standard Azla tips over the Velvets.
For its tier it should well be worth an audition.
