Softears Twilight

Disclaimer: This review reflects my personal, subjective preferences and is solely based on my experiences with the product. It's important to note that Concept Kart does not influence this review, and I have not received any compensation. As always, I highly recommend testing the product yourself before purchasing. I want to thank Concept Kart and @gadgetgod for organising this review tour and allowing me to share my thoughts on the product.

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Chain: Mojo2+Poly via Roon with Final Type E tips.

The following is a review of the Softears Twilight (ST), an in-ear monitor that boasts exceptional sound quality. The bass performance is not only punchy, but also precise, adding depth and dynamism to the music. It strikes a delicate balance between providing satisfying low-end presence and not overpowering other frequencies. The bass remains clear and agile, ensuring that each note is articulated precisely. Although it may not cater to those seeking an excessively bass-heavy experience, its controlled and nuanced presentation appeals to those who prioritize balance and musicality.



Moving on to the midrange, the ST sets a new standard of naturalness and musicality. Vocals and instruments are rendered with clarity and lifelike quality that draws the listener deeper into the heart of the music. The midrange offers a balance between richness and transparency, allowing each note to resonate with authenticity and depth. It avoids any hint of harshness or artificiality, ensuring a smooth and immersive listening experience. The ST's midrange is capable of capturing every nuance with finesse and grace, making it perfect for any music genre.



The treble performance of the ST is characterized by its extension and refinement. It adds sparkle and detail to the overall sonic landscape. Strings shimmer with clarity, cymbals ring precisely, and high-frequency nuances are rendered with finesse. Despite its energetic presentation, the treble remains impeccably controlled, avoiding any hint of harshness or sibilance. Even during extended listening sessions, the ST's treble retains its musicality and balance, ensuring a fatigue-free listening experience. Its smooth and articulate delivery adds an extra dimension to every track, elevating the listening experience to new heights.



The most captivating features of the ST are its expansive soundstage and precise imaging capabilities. From the beginning of the music, listeners are transported to a three-dimensional auditory landscape where instruments and vocals are positioned with remarkable accuracy and clarity. The ST's vented shells contribute to a sense of airiness and openness, creating a spacious stage that extends far beyond the confines of the listener's ears. Although the stage may lean towards the shallower side, its sound distribution in front and around the ears creates an immersive listening environment that captivates and delights.



In conclusion, the ST is a masterpiece of audio engineering, delivering a captivating listening experience that transcends expectations. Whether you're exploring the depths of a bass-heavy track or revelling in the intricate details of a delicate melody, the ST's musicality and balance shine through. With its expansive soundstage, precise imaging, and fatigue-free treble, it offers a listening experience that is as immersive as it is unforgettable. For audiophiles seeking a refined and engaging in-ear monitor that sets a new standard in sonic excellence, the ST is a true revelation.

Thanks to gadgetgod and Concept Kart for organising the review of the Softears Twilight .

As always, these are my own opinions and with no compensation of any kind accepted or given.

Softears has been a raved about brand in the recent times. I have personally heard and probably reviewed the RSV and the Turii (maybe didnt write a review for the turii).

The Turii is the elder sibling of the two, both in terms of looks as well as build config. Both the Turii and Twilight sport a single DD in a unusually engineered shell.

The faceplate is rectangular and the pin sockets are at the tall end of the rectangle!

Build

The Twilight is built with a magnesium aluminium alloy shells. The detachable cables plug into the shell using a 2 pin recessed connector.

The cable is fairly supple and is non fussy with a smooth glossy finish. The stock cables came with a 4.4mm balanced pentacon termination at the source end.

The faceplate is rectangular as mentioned earlier, with a small rounded bulge holding the drivers and sporting a fairly small (about 5mm similar to Sony iems) nozzles.

While the nozzle size allows for deep insertion, the rounded driver bulge do make contact with my pinna. Comfortable to use for a fairly long time, but does introduce a little bit of a bother with deeper inserts.

I used a standard M sized silicone tips, and got a comfortable fit. With a single 10mm doing the duties, I very much look forward to reviewing this unit!

Driveability

The iems seem fairly easy to drive, and posed no challenge to the Lotoo PAW S1 in the balanced out with farfield eq enabled (personal preference for now).

Sound

From the get go, there is nothing that seems harsh in the sound. The soothing single DD takes you on a beautiful musical journey, like all well tuned single DDs should do.

The Twilight shines in presenting a balanced W tuning across, without any bleed, harshness or sibilance. The overall signature is warm with good extension.

Bass (4/5)
With deep insertion, the bass is well represented and with very good slam and rumble. There is no bass bleed into mids and the iems are excellent to listen to, be it basshead or not.

Mids (4/5)
On tracks with male and female focus, the Twilight is able to bring out the nuances and emotions in the vocals well. There is no nasality or harshness/shoutiness in the mids. Well done!

Treble (4/5)
Tracks with strings, cymbals etc carry a lot of energy. The Twilight is able to carry the energy with aplomb and is very articulate in presentation. Again no harshness or sibilance on even poor tracks.

Staging, imaging - The iem shells are vented and allow for a good amount of air in the treble. As a result, the stage is wide around the ear. The imaging is good too, and the general placement of the instruments is good.
The stage is quite shallow though, and the sound is more or less flat around the listener. You are in front of the stage, and the music is around in front and around the ears in a arc.

Comparisons

Intuaura Purple - The Purple is the flagship (atleast here) offering from Intuaura. The Purple is also a single DD iem that is well implemented. The iems from a sound perspective are quite similar in terms of presentation and balance,
and both are neck and neck in terms of competition, although the Purple is priced about 25-30% lesser than the Twilight. This is not a easy win, as the Purple shells are acrylic, while the Twilight sport a much stronger Mg Al alloy,
easily justifying the price difference. Hence a tie in almost all ways.

Meze Advar - The Advar was a breathe of fresh air when a lot of the upper mid budget iems were multi driver units. The Advar, while being a bit more heavier and polished looking of the two, was not quite as balanced as the Twilight.
The Advar is made a lot more special to look at (and does win in terms of looks). The Twilight possibly edges out the Advar in terms of the balance of sound and tonally being more accurate of the two.

Conclusions

The Twilight is a beautiful sounding single DD iem, and it gets an easy recommend from me, as this config is my preference. And the twilight does almost everything very well.

SoftEars Twilight

I received the unit for an audition from ConceptKart as part of a review tour. Thanks to @gadgetgod for organizing the tour and including me in it. The SoftEars Twilight can be purchased from ConceptKart here.



Introduction

SoftEars Twilight is an impressive IEM that delivers a high-quality listening experience with rich and detailed sound. The earpieces are made of premium aviation-grade aluminum alloy and are 60% lighter than the shells of Turii (as per SoftEars). The unique twisted shell design, which is like that of the Turii, not only looks gorgeous but is very comfortable too. The non-fatiguing tuning with the super comfortable and lightweight earpieces meant that I could listen to Twilight for hours together without the slightest hint of fatigue.



The stock cable is a 6N OFC cable with a gold-plated 4.4mm BAL termination. The cable is very soft and free of microphonics. The unit I received was unboxed and came without any accessories except for the 4.4mm cable and carry case.

Sound Impressions

The bass is punchy and well-defined, adding depth to the music without overwhelming the other frequencies. Twilight’s bass response is outstanding, delivering deep, impactful bass that brings a sense of excitement to the music.



The midrange is smooth and natural, making vocals and instruments sound incredibly lifelike. There is good note weight here which provides exceptional clarity and realism. The treble is clear and detailed, providing a balanced and enjoyable listening experience without any fatigue. There is no harshness or sibilance here.

The soundstage is wide and immersive, allowing for a spacious and three-dimensional listening experience. The separation and layering of instruments and vocals are distinct and well-defined, creating a captivating audio landscape.

Conclusion



Overall, SoftEars Twilight is a stellar choice for audiophiles and music enthusiasts who crave an exceptional blend of sonic performance, comfort, and durability. They truly deliver a top-tier audio experience that is sure to satisfy even the most discerning listeners.