Craft Ears Aurum

This hobby is an escapist's dream. Escape from daily routine and distress that's causing you via something as sincere and everlasting as listening to music. I believe that the power of music is still not fully understood since it works in mysterious ways. Allow it to do its magic on you and let your worries dissolve in melody.

Having had the possibility to try so many different sets in a relatively short time I felt obliged to go ahead and express my gratitude by trying to help some lost souls out there, just as I was when I first stumbled upon this weird hobby about wired earphones – so yesteryear! … I thought. Possibilities are seemingly endless and only by getting to meet the right people did I manage to jump onboard the train heading the 'right' direction without getting off-track thousands of times along the way. Make sure to understand the helping person's preferences and you too can find your footing and hit the ground running in no time.


We are deep into 2025 and I am still finding footing for my reviews. I'm avoiding all lengthy yet substance-light topics that are covered in marketing materials or are totally subjective, and instead focus fully on elucidating how the highlighted IEMs sound to my ears.

This is how I imagined setting it up: We will kick it off by mentioning the integral part of our hobby we often skip right by – the music! Followed by briefly letting thoughts loose where I'll just go through some stuff that was on my mind, my graphics (that have been the main attraction ever since I incorporated them) and an explanation under each of those. I will then ask my three new friends for help to explain reviewed IEMs more specifically. I will then check for the effect of source-rolling and IEM's scalability, continue with quick comparisons, and finish with a concise summary including who this set is (not) for.

I hope you find my newly revised approach an enjoyable and worthwhile read!



I am all about transparency, so to kick it off, I bought this IEM directly from Craft Ears at a minimal discount on their open-box price. This has no influence on what I write. And as always, I am grateful for the opportunity. All impressions were written using a 4.4mm XINHS SPC cable and S sized supplied tips.


THE MUSIC

To better understand what I listen to and thus perhaps have a clearer view as to what I look for, hiding behind the Spoiler is my list of roughly 100 tracks (in alphabetical order) I skip through for reviewing purposes. This is of course only a snippet of my expansive playlists, but it should give you a rough idea. I am sure everyone can find something they are familiar with. I also warmly recommend trying any of these for yourselves on whatever setup you guys have!



QUICK 'THOUGHTS LET LOOSE'

This is my first set from this well established Polish company. It grabbed my attention primarily due to its absolutely stunning shells in this mostly black version. It further convinced me with its tribrid configuration and great reviews even nowadays, despite getting old in this rapid IEM world. This review hopefully serves as proof that if you stretch for a good set that you're happy with, it can serve you well for years to come! Trying new shiny IEMs is always tempting, but just how well does a ~4 year old model cope with them?

This is not a loud listener's IEM. Treble is more forward than bass, so this certainly won't feel as balanced when turned up loud, but it does surprise with just how composed it remains despite the brighter signature.

Other thoughts include the stock cable which is not worth losing words over but is absolutely not appropriate for an IEM of this caliber. Nozzles are lengthy and might cause trouble for some, but fit me rather well when I use smaller tips than usual. Unboxing is not really all that special, but I am not too annoyed by that and appreciate the heavy-duty, bomb-proof pelican case that stores these gems.


THE THOROUGH GRAPHICS

By now, most of you have come across these playful graphics of mine. I have received so much positive feedback on these that I dare not leave them out going into 2025 and am structuring even more of my reviewing right around them.


This lands neutral with a tendency to lean minimally bright on most sources. Technicalities are effortless, but a half step behind similarly priced newer sets.


This is on the thicker side where notes are bloomy, not thin, with minimal slowness to its presentation and definitely attempts to wow with musicality more than techs.


Nearly dead center on the dot when it comes to energy. That is a mark of no real excess or specific traits that would make it lean either side more obviously. It does fall closer to treblehead than basshead, though, that is a given based on how the ESTs are tuned and how tamed the bass is.


They are comfortable but keep in mind these fit deeply and are rather thick even if pressed against the concha, so no side laying let alone sleeping with these. That said, they do not leave any sore spots in my ears even after a couple hours of listening plus they seem decently vented to avoid pressure build up.



The deep fit and good fit of the shell against the concha join powers to make this one of the sets with better isolation. I will touch upon bass more in the next segment, but overall, these fall behind the newest sets and could be improved in this department. Midrange is very aptly handled and makes for a wonderful companion to the EST treble to provide a musical yet resolving mid-to-top end. Cohesion takes a slight hit because of the bass that sometimes feels like it refuses to fully collaborate.


It's by far the weakest link and only just acceptably decent, but bassheads be warned against this due to limited quantity. Only when ran through a warmer source that amplifies the low end just a touch does it truly come alive and gain that rounded but controlled bottom end. When not fed sufficient power and not being coloured warmer by source, all bass traits are less convincing. Either way, low end is not this set's strength. Rumble is very limited and this will not shake your brain. Not that that is necessarily a bad thing, but when the song calls for it, such as The House of The Rising Sun by alt-J and Tuka, I would appreciate a significant amount more. Punch is a bit better where it does feel ready to kick when fed juice, but falls apart on the decay where it's a bit clumsy and disconnected. Texture can be improved by warmer sources or tubes, but expect a slightly more bloated or more pillowy sensation. The dynamic driver is the biggest weakness of the Aurum, lacking in both elasticity and dynamism.


Thankfully, midrange is here to improve on the slightly sour aftertaste of the bass department. Despite bass' letdowns, the flow of upper bass into midrange is sweet and does not feel clumsy or particularly held back by sub-to-mid bass. Those instruments that benefit from that deepest parts of the frequency spectrum are a bit less convincing, but as soon as we climb a bit higher into male vocal range we start to appreciate the whole sonic picture more. There are no real issues here that I need to point out. However, as always, our preferences vary greatly, so this might not be the best midrange for those looking to truly sculpt out every microdetail. This leans a bit warmer and more musical than those sets that specialize in transparency. This is the sort of midrange that does not wow as much, but rather shows its strengths after a longer listen when you notice that nothing felt off at any point. Both male and female vocals are perfectly placed and never drowned in other instrumentation. Timbre, while not the sweetest I have heard, is not an issue either. To be picky for a moment, though, piano could do with snappier notes, just as strings on the guitar could be sleeker.


The sort of treble that is neither wet nor dry. These ESTs could be mistaken for a set of BAs - good ones and well tuned ones, of course. The air leaves slight bit to be desired, but seeing how the deepest bass would not be able to balance that out, it's probably better this way. Sibilance is handled well while remaining just lively enough to not squeeze out all the life out of strings. There are no real peaks I could detect that could cause a worry for treble-sensitive. Nowadays, there are sets out there that do improve upon this treble with greater detail retrieval and texture, but from my findings, those still seem to be right around twice the price of a second-hand Aurum.


This is beautifully deep and stands tall, but is far from the widest sets out there. That slightly skews the soundstage in certain songs, but hardly affects most of them. Overall you will be fine, if you do not go in expecting a huge soundstage with spectacular holography and 3D magic.


THE EFFECT OF SOURCES & SCALABILITY

The effect sources have on sets is often overlooked or at least not as highly regarded as it perhaps should be. While I still maintain the stance that the transducer is of main importance, sources follow right thereafter. Certain sets will be more responsive to various DAC/AMPs, while others seem to remain relatively unchanged and unaffected by source-rolling. Aurum's character does not change too dramatically swapping between sources when it comes to balance, but it does like some power. More on that below.



Another particular subject that is still somewhat of a mystery and a taboo, is whether IEMs scale with sources, and if so, why? We know IEMs barely use any power to play. And thus the often heard 'headroom' argument seems a bit moot. But there are certainly other aspects of Amp design that are well over my head and still somewhat unexplored or at least unexplained. To get the best out of Aurum, fruity amplification is a must. It will not only help thicken and solidify the bass, but also liven the treble without taking it too far. So, if you've got the source with a combination of proper power and preferably warmer tilted sound, the Aurum will enjoy it more, and so will you.


THE COMPARISONS

This was a tough one to find opponents for, since I have no such tribrids at hand nor do I have many sets that sound similar tonally to this. I had to draw the line at two comparisons, the AFUL Performer 5+2 and the Symphonium Crimson.

1. Vs AFUL P5+2 (2DD+4BA+1microplanar)



It's comparisons like this that show just how far we've come in IEM world in these past few years. Am I saying the P7 hangs with the Aurum? In some respects it even outdoes it, but mostly I was intrigued to hear how the two compare in treble. Therefore, let's work our way backwards this time.
Treble of the P7 is handled by the microplanar driver. This is a relatively new trend and one that is here to stay, I feel. It's much crisper and more lively than that of the Aurum's ESTs, however that comes at a cost. It also tends to sound a bit more artificial and more grainy. Hihats and cymbals especially are much more forward and crisp on the P7 while they remain a bit more in the shadows on the Aurum, but offer a more natural and sweet sound. P7 actually offers more extension up top too.
But let's descend into midrange which affects everything. The combination of treble and midrange together gives an even better understanding how the Aurum can cost roughly 5x the price. The way it all functions as a whole and allows the listener to forget considering sound as separate qualities is much improved on the Aurum. Both male and female vocals are more believable or more flowing on the Aurum without any individual notes falling out or feeling misplaced from that perceived visual image of the singer. The placement itself is however better on the P7 in my opinion, since at least the central mono-recorded vocalists are further forward in front of my eyes and up higher too.
Bass is a weakness of both, but the dual dynamic drivers of the P7 push out a bit less forced-feeling bass that has no real weaknesses tuning-wise, but simply misses some of the elasticity, speed and decay of sets that handle bass better. Do not expect much improvement in this regard from the Aurum. Another thing worth mentioning is that the P7 is much easier to drive. Overall, I would summarize this battle like this: The Aurum wins by its naturalness and cohesion, whereas the P7 puts up a great fight with a much livelier presentation both in bass and treble, while sacrificing a bit of that timbre and richness of midrange.


2. Vs Symphonium Crimson (4BA)



A 1DD+4BA+2EST tribrid versus a DD- and EST-less 4BA Crimson. This has been decided before it's even begun! Right? … ehh, right? Now let's not beat around the bush, the Aurum is an older model released in 2021 and as such some technologies have normally gotten further developed in the mean time, so how does it compare to the newer kid on the block?

Let's start down low. Subbass should be Aurum's forte with its dynamic driver. And it does indeed bring a bit more of that elasticity and decay we appreciate from DDs compared to Crimson, however I must say I prefer the balance and low end authority of the Crimson here. It simply rumbles more cleanly and better pronounces the edges of notes while also feeling better separated and layered. Midbass kick is a thing I can't get enough of when done right. And once more, the BA woofers on the Crimson outgun the dynamic drivers in the Aurum with quickness, precision and beautiful fullness. These BAs can boogie and feel very dynamic, in this comparison at least.

To test the low midrange I love to find some double bass, drums, bass guitars and male vocals. And how do these two compare here? Here we start to appreciate what the dynamic driver adds to the story on the Aurum, since it makes everything that one bit smoother and more musical to my ears, despite still falling short of the incredible nuance and resolution of Crimson's BAs. So when I crave that deeply technical listen to really get to appreciate the thicker-bodied instrumentation, I'd reach for Crimson, instead I'm getting the Aurum out. Male vocals are better defined and that one bit better placed on the Crimson, but again, they're just a bit drier and less emotive than on Aurum, so it will be a case of preference and mood. As we ascend well into the midrange, piano is a must and I already feel repetitive saying Aurum is richer with a more echoey feel and less detailed but still marvelously unisonous, while Crimson eats it for breakfast in microdetails and feels just as cohesive, but at least in direct A/B seems slightly less captivating with its surgical accuracy. Female vocals too are wonderfully handled on both with Aurum being a more intimate listen with lesser clarity and slightly hollower sense of higher pitched notes, like the chorus in I Miss You by Adele. Crimson does have a better tuned high midrange with better shout-control yet still brimming with smallest of details. Strings are so crisp and musical on the Crimson that they will be hard to beat and Aurum fails to do so. Guitars are spot on, so are violins. Aurum makes both seem a bit clumsier and less timbrally accurate.

Treble is a true delight on both, but the BAs of Crimson doing as well as they do is especially interesting to me, they're clear as day and not far behind the ESTs in Aurum in extension and effortlessness while outdoing the Aurum in technicalities with their improved snappiness. Technically, the Crimson is a step ahead in all disciplines, but Aurum does well for its age and especially considering the price gap of a used Aurum vs new Crimson. Ultimately, there can be only one winner and Crimson outdoes the Aurum in most sections. Keep in mind, Crimson is causing quite a few troubles with its stubby nozzle and no real scoop-out in its shell.


THE CONCISE SUMMARY



The Craft Ears Aurum remains relevant to this day and teaches us an important lesson. Hold your wallet closed right until you find a set that really ticks most of your boxes. When you find that elusive set, do not be afraid to spend bigger than planned originally. Why? It is the cheaper way in the long run. Constant chase of the rabbit is both much more mentally exhausting as well as costlier.
Ultimately, this is a set that won't wow upon first listen, since in a demo setting, I think we tend to reach for those more energetic and all-encompassing songs that give us an idea of all aspects together, but don't necessarily focus on set's strengths. The Aurum's strength is the midrange and the way it gels into that top end. Bass is the one that left me wanting more in songs that depend on it as the rhythm or solid foundation. That is also Aurum's only real weakness and one that might make or break the IEM for different listeners and genres. While the original price is perhaps a tad much nowadays, the open-box or second-hand examples are worth considering. I sure know I am interested in Craft Ears' future releases as well as their flagship, the Omnium.

Thanks for reading and stay wonderful.

Credits to Craft Ears for providing me with this unit for audition as a part of the AG India Tour. No one asked me to write anything, let alone good or bad about this product. All thoughts and opinions are mine and true to my findings.

IMPRESSIONS :

CrafEars Aurum is an IEM that is made to serve a specific purpose with the tuning philosophy it consists and Aurum does its job wonderfully. It won’t give you a bucket load of fun elements to begin with, which might seem a fault in a few ears but on the other hand, it excels in technical abilities. To my understanding, it is made to re-create a stage in front of you with pristine staging capabilities which helps to create lifelike projections of genres like Blues and Western Classical.

To start the impression I would like to take the name of a famous & beautiful album “Interstellar” by Hans Zimmer that sounds wonderful with Aurum.

The introduction “Dreaming of the Crash” sounds exemplary, the sheer vastness of the Abyss can be felt. The Air felt real and imaging of the IEM seemed to have created an experience which is so lifelike that it gave me chills. Now the bass, being not too elevated gave the sound a more vast feeling (As I said earlier it’s very natural).

In the second song “Cornfield Chase”, the details are very vivid without being harsh, which took this song to a new level, I heard a lot of detailed sets before but this Album never sounded more natural. Each notes are so separated from the other and the separation of the layers is extremely lifelike.

Now coming to my favourite song from the album “Dust”, the tuning of this IEM is so wisely done for music like this, that it has the power to transport you into the atmosphere of the film.

In “Stay” it is noticeable how they tuned the bass on to provide certain instrument timbres quite realistically. The bass in the song sounded rumbly even though it seems that this IEM doesn’t have an elevated bass response, which was quite an unexpected find for me.

In the song “Mountains” this IEM flaunted the depth perception. The stage felt so huge and so distant that it could rival headphones in soundstaging capabilities.

In the song “S.T.A.Y” this IEM showed the imaging prowess and subtle cues with laser-focused imaging have been achieved, and this happened the same with the song “Imperfect Lock”.

Lastly “Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night” showed how beautifully the upper-mids are tuned, showing a perfect amount of sparklyness and shiny nature in the backing vocals.

Albums like “Interstellar”/”Oppenheimer” with impeccable technicalities sounded extremely good with this Album. Although I won’t suggest anyone gets this IEM for hip-hop, pop and mostly modern genres of music since it is not tuned to serve those genres.

Apart from that it produced great results every “Western Classical Music” I threw at with jaw-dropping staging and depth for IEMs. Even binaural recordings from “Octave Projects” and “Amber Rubarth” sounded exemplary. Especially “Marry Go Round OF Life” from the Grissini Project, created a huge impact that I haven’t experienced till now from that album in an IEM.

Finding a good tip for your ears is a bit of a task to get this IEM sound right, so I suggest you allocate a good amount of time to this IEM before starting to use it daily. This IEM is so accurate in imaging that even a slightly compromised seal would take away the evenness of the staging by a huge margin. It also looks like it shows its true colours when attached to a desktop setup, but with modern DAPs, it shouldn’t have any problems at all.

So, all in all, I had a blast with this IEM during its run with me on the tour. The effortless projection of the staging, the detailed yet smooth sound and the precise natural imaging of this IEM made me discover a lot of albums in my libraries in a completely new fashion.

Disclaimer: - I am a bass head and prefer a wide sound with natural timbre, excellent imaging and thumpy mid-bass with moderate decay and clinical precision when it comes to instrument separation. I am highly averse to bright-sounding transducers and sibilance in my music.



This unit was sent to me by Audio Geek India as part of the Craft Ears Iem tour. I thank Audio Geek India & Craft Ears for this opportunity to listen and review Craft Ears Aurum. My views aren’t influenced either by Audio Geek/Craft Ears in any way.

I used Vortex Cable's Lavinia and Azla Sednafit Light eartips; for this pairing. Lavinia does add a little sub-bass to the tuning which complimented the Aurum for my liking.

Source: Ibasso Dx320 with Amp14



Unboxing:

In the retail box, you get

Iems

Protective Hard Case

Custom Made 2 Pin Cable

Dehumidifier

Cleaning tool

Shirt Clip

Double Flange and Single flange silicon ear tips.

Premium Product Packaging.




I had the demo version so kindly refer to the pics for the accessories that came my way. I like the faceplate design and the cable colour and texture, as well. Fit was fine. Not like a custom fit, but still very stable. The hard Iem case is robust and justifies the phrase, ‘built like a tank’. You get plenty of tips as well. I tried the stock tips as well and they work just fine.

Introduction:

First thing I noticed when I started listening to this iem is that I need to kick the volume up a few notches. This iem does indeed does well if fed through a powerful source.

Initial impressions were that it's a very clean sounding iem. I don't hear any distortion or any music cue smeared in the background. It sounds wide, clean and every instrument and vocals are very well separated and never trample on any other sound cue.

Lows:

The lows I feel aren’t star of the show or won’t dazzle you with their quantity. Sub-bass and Mid-bass are a tad recessed for my liking but what that does to its tuning is that the overall presentation sounds very clean.

There is perceivable thump in the mid bass but doesn’t goes deep. The bass notes maintain texture and different drums and similar instruments manage to convey their respective timbre. I consider myself a bass head and I still find this iem quite enjoyable due to ample texture in the lows and other attributes that I shall share ahead.



Mids:

One can call this a Mid-forward presentation but I will not say that. It sounds more balanced to my ears. Vocals aren’t too dynamic in my opinion. Songs like Strong by London Grammar seem alright but I wont say vocals pop. Vocals meld together with the rest of the instruments very well and female vocals are never harsh.

Vocals overall I would say are beyond satisfactory and will never sound shouty or offensive in any way.

High:

Highs are very pleasant to listen to on this iem. There is no piercing and you get ample details to satisfy most treble heads as well. It’s a very detail oriented and a very uninstructive listen. I am personally very averse to forward highs but Aurum does treble so effortlessly that it never gets remotely fatiguing or harsh in any way.

Even at loud volumes it doesn’t gets too bright for me.



Technicalities:

I think this is the forte of this iem. Soundstage is wide spacious with very accurate imaging. There are plenty of details and timbre is also on point. What all technicalities and a recessed lower range does for Aurum that it makes the entire listening session truly effortless yet premium sounding. At no point there is a sense of claustrophobia; as everything is presented with ample air and distance between the sound instruments.

Busy tracks like Crazy by Aerosmith are managed by the aurum really well.



Conclusion:

For 1395 euros this Iem indeed needed to show some mettle and justify its price. I believe that it is indeed a Lannister who graciously pays their debts. Not a basshead’s dream iem but all others should find a lot of attributes pretty likeable, about this iem. If you want a relaxed highly technical listen and want to upgrade to this price bracket, I will say the Aurum is very well worth its salt and holds its ground very well in its price range. It’s a smooth balanced tuning which one might like after an arduous day of work.

Nozzle is quite big so might be uncomfortable for some (not for me), minimal accessory (eartips, case and 4,4mm connection)
Here's the graph


If you're interested in graph comparision, here's the link

+ i'm a normal asian dude with some music producing background
+ i like clean balanced sound signature with focus on sub bass and lower treble, especially looking for a good dynamism and harmonic playthrough, i like vocal, not necessary mid dominant, can consider myself as treblehead
+ 60-68db listening session
+ Avarage score 4/10 (Quarks/ 7hz Zero) Middle score 6/10 (Tanchjim Kara)
+ Bias score is i like it or not, doesn't sum on overall score
+ Same value systems like crinacle

Click to expand...

- Bass (6,8/10): Deep bass, very very deep bass, it does sound and extension like a subwoofer. However lacking in body and texture, it sound flat with most song. While i don't like a lot of bass, i would love to have more midbass.
- Mid (9/10): Sound linear and transparent, very detail and natural playthrough, though i want a little more lower mid for more texture and body
- Vocals (8,5/10): Perfect with female vocals, not so much with male vocals, sound natural and well positioning, lack of emotional and maybe a little edgy but overall very sastify with vocal song
- Treble (8/10): extensive, slightly laidback, i think it tuned really well but lack some sparkle and shimmering, not vibrant enough for me and maybe for you. Also sound plasticky at times.
- Detail (7,3/10): Macro detail (6,5/10), Micro detail (8/10)
- Soundstage (7,5/10): Big ball like soundstage with good height/width, not so much depth
- Imaging (6,8/10): Lack layering and slightly blurry microspacing but overall still very good
Bias (10/10): Bass boosted laidback neutral
Overall: 7,7/10
Value: (beside the price, mid/vocals performent was stellar)
A very very good iem even at the price of 1395eur (MSRP), very unique and tastefully done tuning. definitely want some more midbass/lowermid but if you play the right song, it's hit different

The Craft Ears Aurum is a marvel of audio engineering, offering a detailed and highly technical sound profile. It shines particularly in the high mids, delivering a crisp and clear sound that enhances the listening experience. The Aurum’s reproduction of female vocals is commendable, capturing the nuances and subtleties with impressive fidelity. However, to truly compete in today’s saturated market, it could benefit from a more robust and punchy bass response. Despite this, the Aurum remains a solid choice for audiophiles seeking precision and clarity in their music.Btw nice carrying case. The cable looks like some Hakugei cheapies but I'm not complaining.

Introduction

Craft Ears is a relatively young brand coming from Poland. Although young, the quality of their iems can't be underestimated. They may not be heard about much in the iem community, especially Chifi lovers, but they are actually quite well known within their local community. As a testament to their success, they’ve worked and collaborated with so many artists and band members in their homeland. And now, they’re looking to expand their market and the brand awareness to outside of Poland.

In an effort to do so, Craft Ears has sent the demo unit of the Aurum to me in exchange for an honest impression and review. The Aurum was released way back in 2019 and has been forgotten by the meta of newer iem. However, I believe good iem stay good, and it’s worth giving them the exposure they deserve. Is the Aurum a good iem? Let's find out.

I would like to give Mr Jedrzej Nowicki and his team a special thanks for making this possible.

Packaging
Since this is a demo unit, I did not receive the original packaging upon its arrival. Here are what it comes with:

The iem arrived in a very high quality case. It’s like a miniature version of a pelican case. The case also has a handle on the side of it for the ease of carrying.

Inside the case are: The iem itself, a cable, 2 changeable terminations. (3.5 + 4.4mm), a box carrying 3 pairs of medium bore tips and 3 pairs of double flare tips.

This is actually more than I can ask for from a demo unit, since the shipping fee will be less compared to a full original package.
Specs:

1*Dynamic Driver + 4*Balanced Armatures + 2*EST Drivers (5-way crossover design)

Design/Build quality/Comfort

The Aurum’s shells are made out of resin, with a blue-ish color way and some sort of gold flakes inside of it

Here are some closer pics

Overall, the iem feels very sturdy and high quality in the hands.
The shells are on a bigger side with quite a long nozzle. So on one hand, it gives me a really snug fit, it does make my ears hurt a little bit after 2 hours or so of wearing it. Personally, in order to get a great fit with this iem, I have to use the included double flares eartips and push the iem deep into my ears. The Aurum in exchange has a great isolation due to how snug it is.

The included cable feels really nice in the hand. It’s soft and supple, has no memory, not too thick and heavy, the hardware also feels nice. The modular connector is a screwing type to better secure the end termination.

The cable does remind me of some Hakugei cable

Sound impressions

*Test gear:
- Source: Poco F3, Dell laptop
- Dac/amp: Chord Mojo, Ibasso DC04 Pro, E1DA 9038D, Hiby FC6
- Source pairing:
As much as I'd like to use the Aurum with my dongle, since it would be more convenient for me, the Aurum does need the extra current and power for the EST to truly shine, which is why the Mojo is my favourite source to use with.
If you have a dedicated desk setup, or an additional portable amp, I'm sure the result will be even better.

Tonality: U-shaped

Bass:
Subbass extension is deeppppp. Like really deep. Using a tone generator, the subbass doesn’t seem to have a typical subbass roll off and it just gets deeper and deeper the lower the frequency. EDM songs that are subbass predominant are such a bliss to listen to.

The midbass, although has great texture and overall quality, does lack a bit in quantity. It’s not as detrimental as the graph would suggest. However, drums and bassy instrument does lack some depth and body to it. It’s easy to hear how the subbass stands out more compared to the midbass.

Upon critical listening, it's evident that the bass driver has really good transient response, although its attack can feel a bit soft and not as incisive at times. This is just a small nit pick, as I'm comparing it against planar and BA levels of transients.

Mids:
The Aurum doesn’t hit you with a lush, thick sounding midrange, but rather a very clean and well defined one. Vocal goes relatively neutral, both for male and female vocals. With how the bass was done, I'm surprised that the vocal does not sound too thin. Heck, I'd dare say they even have a bit of warmth to it. The small peak at 1.2kHz does give female vocals a little bit more “pop” compared to the usual smooth glide from 1khz to 2.5-3khz.

Instruments sound natural with “correct” positioning. Note weight is on the lighter side, which is easy to observe through snare drums and piano notes

Treble:
This is the star of this iem. About the lower treble, there’s a slight dip around 6-8khz which gives the Aurum very little sense of sibilant or treble harshness. But, as a tradeoff, cymbal strikes do sound a bit soft in its attack. Am i hating it? Absolutely not.

However, the real magic is in the upper treble or air region.

Since I've been using mostly single DD and hybrids DD+BA for my audio journey, as well as only got to listen to the Monarch MK2-my first and only tribirds till date- for around 30 minutes a year ago, the high treble of the Aurum is quite stellaring. The EST drivers give the percussion instruments a really nice shimmering quality, great decay and tail notes, with a lot of microdetails to boot. But, if i have to nit pick, since the treble region doesn’t have a usual roll off, cymbals and hihats do have a bit of abrasive /sizzling characteristic to it.

So now with the Aurum, we’d have a dip at 6khz to minimize treble harshness, pairing with a lot of energy above 13khz to show the characteristic of the EST drivers. This is quite a weird and frankly quite unique combo to say the least.

As good as it is, with how the treble was done, the Aurum is very revealing, which means any artifacts or weird buzzing sounds coming from poorly mastered songs, will be quite easy to perceive. I consider this a pro, especially when i’m using this iem true to its purpose: A monitor.

Tech
The Aurum really has great technicality. It has great width and depth. On many songs, I perceive some elements that sound like it’s going behind my head. To my aural sense, the Aurum doesn’t have great height.

Layering is also very nice. Elements of complicated orchestra tracks are shown nicely. There are decent space between different instruments.

Detail retrieval is just as impressive, with the help of the EST drivers in the upper frequency. Coming from lower tier single DD iem to this, there are a LOT more details that I have not perceived before.

Test track:

1/ Caravan - John Wasson

The overall experience is quite good with this song. Although there’s not much weight, or not as full bodied/well rounded behind the kick drums, the plucking of the double bass as I normally want, other instruments actually sound fine. Horn instruments sound correct in tone and timbre but a bit light in noteweight. Cymbals and hi hats sound exactly like I described in the treble part.

2/ Castlevania OST - Lamento della Ninfa (Trailer Version)

The tenor’s voice is just simply divine. However, I do wish for a bit more bite from the violin. From 1:25 onwards, snares and horn instruments sound a bit rough.

3/ Hotel California

The plucking of the bass guitar strings are very evidently light/weak. Like there’s not much emphasis on it. Same for the drum instruments too. The bass distortion on the other hand is fine. Cymbals and hi hats sound more emphasized and crisper in comparison to other instruments.

4/ Wandering - Yosi Horikawa

Attack of the spatial cues. The sound of gravel being stepped on, the birds chirping, the hitting of many different wood instruments,... I just want to immerse myself in this song. The Aurum perfectly captured those things in great detail. The width and depth of the song are easily perceived with the Aurum.

5/ Swashers - Yosi Horikawa

The wavessss. How they keep gently hitting at you from behind on both sides. The Aurum perfectly captured their movements, down to their minute details.

6/ Trentemøller: Chameleon

The bass texture on these are surprisingly good, even without an abundance of midbass. Subbass rumble is really effortless, clean yet still deep, sort of like a subwoofer feeling.
The DD performs well under complex sections without the sign of clipping.

7/ Thunderstruck - AC/DC

Cymbal strikes are CRISP. It’s airy, detailed with really nice decay. The separation and layering between elements are well portrayed. The sound of bass guitar distortion and male vocals are more than fine, but like I said, the initial slam of drums and bass guitar that play notes at a lower octave, does lack a bit of weight and body.

Since the Aurum is the first kilobucks iem i’ve heard in a very long time, I unfortunately can’t compare it to any iem near its price point, so you’d have to make do with the sound impressions as well as my experience with some of the tracks I mentioned.

Conclusion
So yea, in and of itself, the Aurum is quite a nice iem. Although I'd have loved a bit more midbass quantity, it’s pretty easy for me to enjoy this iem for how well the rest of the frequency was done. Considering how long ago the Aurum was released, I do think the Aurum does hold itself quite well.
I may keep repeating myself too much regarding the bass, but since the Aurum is lacking a bit in midbass quantity, that does limit how many genres that the Aurum is suitable for and of course, how large the compatible audience pool is.

Who is this iem made for?
- For treble heads
- For detail chaser
- For people who likes a clean bass shelf
- For people who’s searching for a U shaped iem
Who is this iem NOT made for?
- For bassheads, or for people who’s looking for a hard midbass slam
- Treble sensitive people
- For jazz, rock lovers.

That’s it for my review and thank you for reading.

Craft Ears 'Aurum'

• Driver Configuration: 1x DD, 4x BA, 2x EST
• RRP: €1,395 (available HERE)

Introductions & Caveats

Something abundantly clear in this hobby is how quickly things come and go - the hype train often charges into the station, and quickly the platform is filled with those seeking to jump aboard… we travel a few stops and not unusual then for a set to become forgotten due to a queue of other new sets seeking to grab our attention and more importantly, our money. This is simply the nature of the hobby, and a few IEMs achieve a cult status, remaining popular for much longer, and indeed overall respect in the community. But within all of this sets get overlooked - for whatever reason, just not hitting that hype phase in the community.

Craft Ears reached out to me and asked if I would like to try the Aurum - my initial reaction was a bit confused to be honest - why would a brand be seeking to try an ‘old’ IEM in such a competitive market with countless newer sets that have hit the market since Aurum was introduced in 2020? - I had a read of some reviews and impressions, and discovered mostly positive feedback, but was still a bit reluctant due to being now four years old. Writing reviews, even my amateur musings takes quite a few hours, and finding those hours in a busy working and family life can be tricky, as such I’ve tended to very much limit how many reviews I do per year (although they have ramped up more than I’m comfortable with so far in 2024!). I had a good gut feeling about these though, and thought I’d give them a try… fast forward about four weeks since they landed, and I’m glad I did - but perhaps still a bit unsure as to why Craft Ears wanted a review of this older set, maybe to have a bit of brand awareness in the market for their more recent flagship, the ‘Omnium’?

I would like to thank Craft Ears for the opportunity - Aurum was sent free of charge in exchange for my impressions. As always, all words are my own based on my ears/music/sources… your journey may be very different, but I do my best to convey my experience in a way that can hopefully enlighten the reader as to the broad capabilities of any set.



A bit about me… (if you’ve read my previous reviews, you might just skip this - not much here has changed )

I worked in the consumer electronics industry for a large part of my career, and have been passionate about music and technology from as far back as I remember - even as a small child asking my Mum to put records on the turntable (Abba, Supertramp and Planxty if anyone is curious )

My music preferences are very varied - anything from classical to techno, indie rock to jazz and all in between. In my early teens I was a big fan of bands like The Cure and The Smiths (still am all these years later), and I was bitten by the dance music bug that arrived in the early 90s where I became hugely passionate about genres like techno, house, trance and IDM - I amassed a huge collection of records and CDs, DJing with the former at various parties and occasional pirate radio station slots - a hobby at the time that I never took further, but still own 1000s of records and my trusty Technics 1210 turntables are still going strong 30 years later, a testament to the Japanese engineering!

I am not a professional reviewer or anything remotely like it. I love music, and I love the methods by which we can listen to music - over the last few years, that has become an obsession with IEMs and related gear. I've bought and sold many, and held on to a select few - these have been anything from a $20 set like the Moondrop Chu, all the way up to kilobuck sets such as Aroma Jewel, the infamous 'Traillii' from Oriolus, UM Mentor, and a whole selection of my beloved single DDs. As part of this exploration, I like to share my thoughts on the various sets in my journey with the Head-Fi community, in the hope it might be useful to others. The massive caveat, is of course that 'your mileage may vary' - this is a highly subjective hobby.



About Craft Ears

Craft Ears are a Polish company, founded by Jedrzej Nowicki. All of their products are handmade in Poland and come with a 2-year warranty. That certainly sets them apart from the crowd where most these days are made in the Far East - not a good or bad thing per-se, simply noting the fact!

Aurum Specifications

Drivers: 1x Dynamic Driver, 4x Balanced Armatures, 2x Electrostatic (5-way crossover design)

Frequency Response: 5Hz-40kHz
Impedance: 9,6ohms

Unboxing

A very simple and understated affair with an outer cardboard case that upon opening reveals a robust but somewhat large storage case - while it will certainly protect your investment, and has plenty of space for an additional cable and tips, the size will be prohibitive in terms of a case you can throw in a pocket, unless you’ve massive pockets that is…











Tips include a double-flange style in small, medium and large, and a fairly standard looking selection of S/M/L silicone tips. I can't comment on how good or bad they are as I always use 3rd party tips.



Design & Fit

When I saw the shells, I had a bit of an ‘eek’ moment at first - they reminded me of some sets I’ve had in the past where this type of shell became very uncomfortable, but thankfully I quickly discovered these were fine - in fact I find them very comfortable. I’ve been using my new favourite tips, the Acoustune AEX07 - along with the shape and these tips, there is excellent isolation, pretty much blocking out any external noise. Strangely enough, I cannot for the life of me see a vent anywhere on these, but I do not get any pressure build so there must be one there, and an eyesight issue on my part but I must ask Craft Ears to confirm. There is a flat 2-pin connector and the supplied cable fits into place very securely.



Cable

The supplied cable is silver plated OCC copper and has a modular connector for both 3.5mm and 4.4mm jacks. It is a sturdy cable with reasonable weight and low microphonics. It feels like good quality and overall nicely made.



Listening Impressions

The Hiby RS8 was my chosen DAP for all listening impressions in this review. The R2R has excellent synergy with Aurum, taming the at times higher level of energy up top and smoothing out somewhat, but not always. I have used with other DAPs, but RS8 definitely my top choice. All test tracks are from local FLAC files.



One of the first things that struck me about Aurum was the high-performing technical capability, this honestly surprised me at the price point - an impressively large stage with crystal-clear imaging and layering - not to the detriment of coherency or musicality however, this is an emotive, engaging and somewhat energetic set. The tonality is overall quite nicely balanced, with excellent extension on both ends, clear but full-bodied mids and with a pleasing and accurate sounding timbre.

Bass

The dynamic driver is tuned very nicely, with a more typical sub-bass emphasis over mid-bass - the sub extension has good rumble and sufficiently visceral, while mid-bass has excellent impact and definition. I find the sub-bass in tracks with more of this emphasis highly engaging, and while not overemphasised, it really does grab my attention with the overall quality of presentation.

Mids

There are two BAs at work providing excellent clarity, detail, with enough body and warmth to ensure good musical engagement - I don’t find a bias towards either male or female vocals, both are nicely rendered and positioned in a central and slightly forward location which to my ears sounds true to the recordings. I haven’t heard any congestion with busy tracks, always sufficient speed and space to allow even the busiest of tracks to perform.

Treble

We have another two BAs here along with the addition of 2x ESTs for the highest reaches, a fairly common implementation with multi-driver sets, and for good reason, well implemented ESTs make a massive difference to the higher frequencies, delivering the upper level opposite to well-implemented sub-bass - the key here in my experience is that highly visceral experience, an ear-tickling sensation from the ESTs, in a similar way to the skull rumbling sensation of a great DD in the sub realms. I’m saying all of this as it is indeed applicable to Aurum, and I must say they at times remind me of the legendary Traillii in this regard, I think the treble for the most part is done exceptionally well, arguably a real standout attribute of Aurum. This upper energy also lends the overall tuning towards a slightly more energetic profile, allowing faster-paced genres sufficient energy to really shine.

Technical

The soundstage is large but I would say more in width and depth, the height isn’t massive. The resolution is very good with plenty of micro details evident, but stopping somewhat short of being a technical monster - the resolution and detail is there, but not in a microscopic way. I had a bit of a ‘eureka’ moment at the recent Watercooler European meet-up in Amsterdam, that being the realisation when auditioning an IEM / headphone as to how quickly the emotion hits, and the most obvious measure is my heart rate, a natural physiological response that in my opinion is a very authentic method to determine the musicality and emotive connection to a set - some impress immediately with their technical prowess, but don’t tug at the heart strings, or at least they all do one or the other to varying degrees and it is this balance that I tend to seek when trying any new set… so where does Aurum sit I hear you ask?! - well if something like Traillii sits at 10 on the emotive-scale, I’d probably position Aurum at around 6, and that’s a good score!



Test Tracks

I’m going straight for the jugular here with a somewhat fast and complex track, an early opportunity to test how Aurum responds

Moy - Forest Dungeon

This is taken from the excellent ‘The Phenomenon of Memory’ album, released just this year but sounding quite like some early to mid 90s acid techno / IDM… if this type of genre is your thing, miss this at your peril. Given it’s recent and high quality production, we’ve no issues with upper energy, at least my late 40s ears don’t anyway. The many layers of complexity are rendered with ease, providing a highly engaging and captivating performance on Aurum, really showcasing the beautifully tuned drivers. Everything sounds crisp, pristine, detailed, emotive, and impactful.



Aukai - Agua Azul

I’m mostly looking for timbre here with the various instruments at play - this is the sort of genre I’ll typically choose a resolving DD such as Turii Ti for as I appreciate a ‘delicate’ and precise presentation for instruments like this. Aurum does an excellent job however, a nice airy presentation with a real pinpoint sense of imaging and excellent clarity. Perhaps I’d like a touch more ‘bite’ on the leading edge of strings, but a minor nitpick really.



Trashbat - Tibet

This is taken from the compilation ‘Subtextures’ on the Interchill label, and one of the tracks I used to test various IEMs during a recent ‘’Watercooler EU’ meet up in Amsterdam. I love the variety within the track, and found it really excellent for getting a sense of sub bass, and a measure of emotional engagement. Aurum certainly doesn’t disappoint - as previously noted, the quantity of sub bass on Aurum isn’t massive, but it is strikingly obvious in tracks such as this and has a real visceral sensation to it. Likewise up top with the ESTs, very crisp and captivating - I really do love well implemented ESTs, and Craft Ears have certainly done a fine job here. The mids have a beautifully intoxicating delivery, the occasional vocals sound lush and almost haunting as they flow in and out.



Men I Trust - Tailwhip (album v)

This is a track I’ve used to test many IEMs over the last few years, but not actually in more recent months so when I spotted the album while browsing albums on my DAP, I thought a good time to revisit. I find immediately that the stage size has a relatively intimate presentation, and vocals while central aren’t as forward or full-bodied as they are on a more mid-centric set - still very authentic however, and I like the overall rendering of the complete song - again there is excellent clarity, all instruments are nice and distinct, easy to pick out and indeed enjoy as a whole.



The African Dream - Makin’ a Living

A bit of a classic house track here from the 90s, a funky number and the closing track to the self-titled album ‘The African Dream’. It was reissued on vinyl a few years ago and I immediately snapped up a copy, especially for this track. The higher registers do sound a touch bright, and possibly on a more neutral or brighter source than the RS8 could be a bit of a problem - I would say this is mostly due to being a much older track, with production quality not being up to today’s standards, something I often find with older recordings. Bass and mids sound very nice, the melodies sufficiently lush and captivating, with again a nice visceral sub-bass delivery. Overall it sounds good, but Aurum possibly not my top choice for something like this.



The Cure - All Cats Are Grey

Taken from the excellent ‘Faith’ by The Cure, certainly one of their darker albums and from the earlier part of their career, up there with my favourite albums of theirs. This is going to be another tough test as again being faced with a recording that isn’t up to the level of modern standards. The results here are actually surprisingly good for the most part, as the track is quite slow and not particularly complex, I don’t hear anything harsh up top - the most obvious issue is in the mids where they sound a bit weak and lack body - quite a flat presentation and it does seem mids tend to suffer more in my experience with these older recordings, not a fault or criticism of Aurum. Overall, not a bad listen but I’d choose a warmer/less resolving set for an album like this.



Omni Trio - Silent Age

Drum & Bass (D&B) as always a genre I like to throw at an IEM in a test like this due to the speed and complexity that’s typically associated. While the bass and mids are very nicely represented, I do find energy up top is a bit excessive and find myself turning down the volume to a point where it becomes to the detriment of other frequencies. D&B is often a tough test and usually my measure of upper energy thresholds - to be fair, just tipping into an area of discomfort but enough not to want to listen - which is fine, while Aurum has pretty decent overall balance, it is not a set I would consider to be an all-rounder either, D&B not a genre I will associate with this IEM.



Bluetech - Ringside At The Parthenon

Jumping forward a number of years to a producer I very much associate with high quality production, Bluetech’s albums tend to sound incredibly hi-res with impeccable mastering. While slower paced than the previous D&B track, there is more overall complexity, with intricate drum programming and many layers of synths and accompanying melodies. Again though, touching a bit too close into upper energy levels of discomfort - not quite, but again enough to distract from the overall presentation. I expect to immerse myself in music like this, be captivated by the overall experience and with Aurum is just doesn’t quite cut it.



Carbon Based Lifeforms - Somewhere in Russia

I am a huge fan of ambient music, and have 100s of albums in this genre. This album is up there with some of the best, and a true classic of the genre in my book - especially this utterly beautiful track. Having had a couple of tracks where I was bit less satisfied I guess, I’m back to being completely captivated and totally immersed in this masterpiece - Aurum delivers here with wonderful elegance; a spacious and highly engaging listen from start to finish, putting shivers through me as this track builds. I could happily reach for Aurum anytime in the future when I want to choose ambient music, which means I will likely reach for them a lot.



Comparisons

I don’t have many sets in a competing price segment, so have to choose a few at both lower and higher prices, so arguably unfair in either direction, but it is what it is…

Orivetti OH700VB ($699)

The OH700VB is a very smooth, inoffensive yet highly engaging listen - a noticeable step down in terms of technical performance vs Aurum however, with far less obvious imaging or layering for example. With the right recordings, the Aurum ESTs really do shine too and a big step up compared to the BAs at work in the OH700VB - that said, the OH700VB is an incredibly engaging listen and I’ve yet to find any genre that doesn’t just ‘work’... more thoughts to come on this IEM as it's my next review.

Nostalgia Audio Camelot ($2,699)

Aurum sounds more energetic and definitely extends a touch further on both ends, especially up top. Camelot has a more refined and ‘safe’ sound overall, and steps a bit forward from a technical perspective where detail retrieval, stage size have a noticeable edge. I prefer the bass execution on Camelot also, but I would expect that with the 2x DDs at work here, one for both sub and mid-bass.



Conclusion

The old adage ‘age is only a number’ does indeed ring true in the case of Aurum - a four-year-old set in this hobby almost feels like something that should have retired at least a year ago, but that would be a mistake, and for me Aurum represents good evidence that we can easily dismiss sets that aren’t the latest and greatest from the most cherished brands. Aurum has been a bit of a lesson for me to really underline the fast-paced, at times fleeting nature of this hobby, always rushing to find the next best set, while many get passed over and forgotten. The asking price of around €1,400 gets you a lot of IEM, and arguably a bit of a ‘bargain’ in terms of the performance on offer quite a few hundred euro south of €2k. As noted however, the upper energy can be at times excessive and caution definitely advised for some genres where there already more energy and ‘activity’ this zone - this for me slots Aurum more into a somewhat specialist bracket rather than an all-rounder, and I’ve found for the most part I prefer more modern, slower paced recordings where they really excel and compete well still in 2024.

I noted at the start of this review how I was a bit curious as to why Craft Ears wanted me to try a four year old set, well I guess the answer is to potentially demonstrate how it still stands up today, albeit with specific genres, but that indeed is the case with many ‘new’ and more expensive sets on the market in 2024.

For starters I would like to thank @Jedrula1 for sending me a demo unit, which was returned after writing this review.



The Heart and the Soul

The Craft Ears Aurum is arguably the hottest release among Polish IEM boutiques. Partially because of being a tribrid (1 DD, 4 BAs, 2 Estats). But also because after premiering with its Two, Four and Six line of IEMs, Craft Ears earned plenty of awards and set the bar pretty high for their next release.
The first thing they score an A for is the design. It’s been stellar since their previous numbered releases, but this time around the Genesis series signature designs really hit it out the park. Aurum’s own just oozes elegance. White universal shells are a rare sight, moreso adorned with golden flakes. Oh, and just to make a statement, the logo was moved to the top so as not to disturb the elegance of the faceplate. Truly worthy of being a bespoke, premium option in a custom design.
Craft Ears followed latest cable trends as well and bundled a premium CM Cable Bright ended in a single ended jack. Its quality is on par with other bundle cables like the PW no.8 which comes with the Lime Ears Pneuma. One thing missing is a chin slider. I’ve come to accept nonbasic cables being added to IEMs - as long as they are not of bankbreaking cost.

Aurum’s sound signature is a very pleasant and masterfully executed W. The bass hits the right spot in authority and quality, but doesn’t overshadow the rest. I might say it takes a little bit of a backseat. I guess this is the byproduct of the tuning requirements when estats are deployed. And boy, is this implementation good - the highs are free of being wispy. Cymbal notes have punch and the decay is above average. Apart from being a drumhead’s delight, this also adds to the air and instrument separation. The mids do not fall behind, either. Female voices are a little closer than male, both are textured and emotional. However, when compared to bass and highs, mids are definitely the weakest link in terms of execution, with guitars sounding a little less refined and missing that final touch of spiciness. All of this sums up to a versatile monitor suitable for plenty of genres like rock, d’n’b, soundtracks and classical in my case.

Being as young as Craft Ears is, how does the Aurum fare against some of the GOATs or heavy - hitters? Let’s start with Campfire Audio’s Andromeda. While playing Red Hot’s “Snow (Hey Oh)”, Aurum’s bass rendition is warmer, fuller, with very satisfying decay. Andromeda 2020 tries its best but bass lines like in this track are just not its forte. Also, cymbals are easier to spot in the left channel after 1:47 mark with Craft Ears’ creation. Thus, my current champion of details is showing cracks in its emerald facade, being beat in engagement factor as well. The Aurum is also hiss-free, but requires current which could power several Andromedas concurrently. But soundstage comparison is no contest with the Andromeda being noticeably more holographic.



Another one is versus the ThieAudio Monarch (green and blue custom color) - arguably one of the most anticipated comparisons, since the Monarch and the other 3 ThieAudio tribrids launched this particular driver configuration into the stratosphere . Compared to it, the Aurum is less bassy in quantity, but makes it up in its details. This blends nicely with tracks like “Money for Nothing” by the Dire Straits, where I like to keep an eye on the bassist's performance rather than be embraced by Monarch’s sheer amount of bass. The reverse happens with D’n’B or pop tracks, where the former’s bass boost goes hand in hand with the party. Hans Zimmer’s Time allows Aurum’s air and separation shine, whereas the Monarch shows signs of congestion and feels quite claustrophobic in comparison. I can’t shake the feeling the Aurum has all it takes to be the Monarch 2.0, with less dryness in vocals, more defined cymbal hits and mature bass favouring texture over Monarch’s flat but plentiful approach. Overall both are very detailed but if soundstage and airiness are of importance the Aurum is the go-to. The Monarch still is one of the IEMs to beat in its price range, and the Aurum upgrade comes at almost double the price. But if I were looking for a “bigger, better, more badass” Monarch, Craft Ears’ newest flagship would be the one to audition.



The Bad

The stock cable, while of premium quality, has a 3,5mm single ended termination. As such, not every source will be able to drive the Aurum properly as it requires a little more current than usual due to electrostats inside. My iBasso DX300 managed just fine (even if pushed a lot more than while driving my HifiMan Sundara), but the Lotoo Paw S1 was reaching max volume dangerously quick. My Samsung S8+ at top volume was passable but nowhere near being driven properly. Dongle users beware. They are also very chonky (again, the downside of its internals) and universal fit may not suit every ear, partially because the part that goes directly into the ear canal is quite elongated.


The Weird

Soundstage quirks deserve a mention in this section. While shallower than expected at flagship level, something else bothers me. On some tracks, higher notes seem to have a weird inverse rotation to them, distorting their overall placement. As a result, there are times when sounds seem to have a concave shape when positioned behind you, like a part of them was missing. Not a dealbreaker, but I can’t shake off the feeling of this “negative depth” as I’d like to call it.



The End

Following your own success is never easy, moreso for the new kid on the block. After my time with the Aurum, I think the record has been set. With a fun, universal tuning topped with great details, this IEM has what it takes to be at the top. If you have a source powerful enough to make its cogs turn, it’s worth taking the Aurum for a spin - you might be in for a surprise.