A review of the iBasso AM05 In-Ear Monitor (IEM):
Introduction:
As one of the original and well-respected old-timers on the DAP (Digital Audio Player) scene, iBasso raised a few eyebrows a few years back when they decided to venture into the congested and competitive IEM market – and since then that same market has exploded in terms of congestion and competitiveness, especially in the USD $30-$300 range.
So I’d like to begin this review with a background to what has come before this new AM05.
This firstly serves as a bit of a history of the evolution of iBasso’s IEM line up, but also may give you some ideas about which of their IEMs might most suit your taste, should the AM05 itself not be your preferred sound signature:
They originally released the IT03, a fairly v-shaped hybrid IEM featuring a dynamic driver combined with two balanced armatures, priced at $259 at the time of writing.
I love this IEM and still rate it very highly in its price range. It has a huge, wide open soundstage, with an extended treble that has a beautiful shimmer to it, of a quality that I’ve rarely heard matched even on TOTL IEMs. It has an impactful low end, tuned predominantly towards sub bass and more linear in the mid bass. It has a terrific physical tactility, that again, I’ve rarely heard matched on any IEM.
Then the IT01 (a single dynamic driver IEM with an L-shaped tuning, priced at $99).
For me, it’s a bit like a baby Empire Ears Legend X. Of course, not in the same league as that $2k+ TOTL IEM, but having a similar L-shaped tuning, excellent technical performance at its price point and just a hugely enjoyable and addictive sound.
That was followed by the IT04 (1 DD plus 3 BA’s, priced at $499), with a not-far-off TOTL performance and a relatively reference signature with a tinge of warmth and shimmer, paired by a bass that was tuned maybe slightly above neutral, but capable of deep sub-bass extension and great tactility in presentation of timbre. Again, an IEM that I rated highly and still gets listening time out of my IEM line-up, which now includes a variety of TOTL gear.
Lastly (until now), they released the $199 IT01s, featuring a newly upgraded design of dynamic driver and a more ‘mature’ tuning than the original IT01, that I and others have described as being a bit like a baby IT04.
So, where does the AM05 fit into this illustrious line up?
The answer – and the clue is in its name – is that it doesn’t
What iBasso have done here is to create an entirely new flavour of IEM, comprised of 5 Knowles Balanced Armature (BA) drivers, which will cater to people with a rather different taste in sound signature than anything previously available in iBasso’s repertoire.
There is no, I repeat, NO dynamic driver
For a closet bass-head like me, this is something that really took me by surprise, but like I said, the whole point of this IEM is NOT being ‘more of the same’.
Indeed (and I’ve finished the review now, and just popping back here to add this ‘disclaimer’), as a bit of a bass-head, this has been in some ways a challenging IEM for me to review.
I have to constantly move beyond that part of my brain that says “this is great, but it would be even better with MOAR BASS”, and try to analyse it with a relatively more objective state of mind, given that I know there are a great many people out there who do not share my taste in such things.
Disclaimer: I was provided with the AM05 IEM free of charge by iBasso in return for an honest review.
Photos:
I got the blue model (to my delight!); a green model is also available. In keeping with its sound signature, it looks tasteful and classy, and I’m very happy with the build quality.
It’s very alluring how the transparent shells allow you to see the electronics inside.
As with previous iBasso products, the packaging and attention to detail are all on point. A wide selection of tips, a 2.5mm cable that seems to be of good quality (and featuring very handy colour-coded collars on the MMCX connectors to help identify L & R), a 2.5mm to 3.5mm adaptor and a metal carrying case all add to the feeling of getting great value for money.
The Fit:
Regarding the fit, they are most similar to the IT04 in body shape.
I found them to be very small, light and comfortable to wear for long periods with no fatigue.
Tip Selection:
This is an important factor with these IEM’s that should not be overlooked.
The amount of bass impact and presence will be directly affected by this, so I highly recommend spending time to try different sizes, materials and styles. You may find that you get the best results with something you’ve not previously been much of a fan of.
Whilst I’d certainly encourage one and all to try the Symbio wide-bore tips, the key take-home point/valuable life-lesson here is simply “Tips Matter” – experiment and go with what you know works well for you (allowing for the fact that an ear tip that works well with one IEM may not fit so well on another).
The Sound:
As ever, my preferred method of testing is to try out the product(s) in question with a selection of songs from various genres and to let that process draw out the comparative strengths and weaknesses of each product, before drawing together my conclusions.
For the purposes of this review, I have used my two main DAPs to play the music on for testing; the Lotoo Paw Gold Touch (henceforth referred to as the LPGT) and the iBasso DX160.
Ok, let’s crack on.. This review isn’t going to write itself, after all
First, a bunch of songs, with a bunch of impressions and stuff that came to me as I listened to them. Is that technical enough for you?
Nobody’s Fault But Mine (live) – Jimmy Page and The Black Crowes (16/44 FLAC):
This is the first track I listened to with these IEMs.
Even in the opening 30 seconds, I was surprised and impressed by how well they separated out the different guitar parts. Imaging and separation was very good, and the whole sound was bright and clear, with really good levels of detail and faithful timbre.
Now, straight up, we hear a difference from the rest of the iBasso IEM line up:
This is an all-BA IEM, with no dynamic driver (DD) handling the lows.
As such, whilst the timbre is very good, it does not have the same physicality and tactility in timbre that a DD brings. I’m thinking of the way you can ‘feel’ the twanging and plucking of guitar strings, taps on the body of an acoustic guitar, intakes of breath from the vocalist, and so forth.
And before you begin to wail and curse the day you were born, it is worth mentioning that I’ve listened to all-BA IEM’s costing $3000+, and NONE of them could capture that physicality and tactility, as – in my experience thus far – it’s simply a quality that’s unique to dynamic drivers.
However, as the number of TOTL flagship all-BA IEMs shows, there are a great many people who love the speed and accuracy that a well-implemented BA driver brings to the low end of an IEM, and are happy to choose this quality over the physicality and tactility (and MOAR BASS pure power) available with DD or hybrid IEMs.
Personally, given the choice, I’d choose a well-implemented DD over a BA for the low end.
I suppose tactility is more important to my listening experience than speed.
Having said that, I do have all-BA IEM’s that I own or have tried (such as the Empire Ears Phantom, my beloved $499 Stealth Sonics U4, the UM Mason V3), and I think they are amazing too! When is someone going to create an IEM that has both DD and BA for the low end? The best of both worlds? That’s what I’m wondering.
If somebody has already done this (with excellent results), do let me know
Chan Chan – Buena Vista Social Club (HDTracks 24/96 FLAC):
Honestly, as a bit of a bass-head and die-hard DD fan, I didn’t expect to like this IEM so much, but it just keeps on impressing.
The soundstage is very wide, with good depth and height too.
There’s a lot of world-class musicians doing their thing in this song, and the AM05’s separation and imaging are really excellent, allowing me to mentally zoom in and out and focus on each instrument or vocal at will. Timbre is less physical and rich than on my DD hybrids or the thick and richly tuned Stealth Sonics U4 or EE Phantom; it’s more reference and delicate, but no less captivating.
A trumpet comes in at 2:37 and this is a good test for an IEM. On some, it can sound (for me) wince-inducingly sharp. However, when presented well, it is jaw-droppingly emotive.
I’m delighted to report that with the AM05, this trumpet solo stayed on the right side of the ‘sharpness line’ and drew out beautifully all the considerable emotion of this part of the song.
I’ve critically listened to this song on a whole bunch of IEMs from $200 to $2000, and this is one of the best presentations of this song I’ve heard, seriously.
The Gulf of Mexico – Shawn Mullins (16/44 FLAC):
This is one of my go-to review songs.
One of the very best presentations of this song that I’ve ever heard was on iBasso’s very own IT03 IEM – this song and that IEM seemed to have a perfect synergy that rendered concepts of ‘price point’ an irrelevance. Literally, it captivates me more than pretty much any IEM I’ve heard, even ones costing 10 times the price.
Now the AM05 is not too far off that performance.
Two differences are that the dynamic driver based low end of the IT03 captured the timbre just slightly better, and the IT03 also had a beautiful shimmer to the mids and treble, which I found to be rather different to most IEMs, which seem to have more sparkle.
The AM05 is more sparkle than shimmer for me (as are many TOTL IEMs), but it is extremely well executed sparkle, with a little tinge of shimmer.
This is a song that shines with an IEM that has brightness and the ability to accurately present the timbre of the vocals and instruments. On both of these counts, the AM05 delivers in spades.
There’s a brief section at the end of this song featuring hand-struck drums (bongos? I’m not too knowledgeable about percussion!).
The AM05 handles this terrifically well; despite my moaning about the lack of a dynamic driver in this IEM, I actually gasped out loud when I heard how it presented this part! Wonderful, captivating timbre, so realistic and technically excellent.
Midnight Blues – Snowy White and the White Flames (16/44 FLAC):
The sparse and heart-wrenching guitar solo work on this track really stands out.
I’m hearing a degree of hiss, but this is from the mastering of the song itself I believe, as I haven’t heard it on any other tracks thus far.
It reduces somewhat the perception of the blackness of the background; nevertheless, the instruments and vocals still ring out pure and clear from the air.
However, it’s not quite the ‘diamonds shining from a black velvet base’ presentation that would really make this song completely captivating.
Still, timbre and emotion are captured very well, and again, separation and imaging are excellent.
Life in a Northern Town – The Dream Academy (16/44 FLAC):
Things that struck me as I listened to this song:
The sense of spaciousness engendered by the expansive soundstage of this IEM.
The very impressive balance; the beautiful and engaging way it presents the synths, vocals and guitar line at the beginning. A kind of bossa nova beat comes in very subtly after this.
On iBasso’s IT range of IEMs, this has a very pleasing thump and tactility, that really lets you feel that it’s there but without detracting from its subtle presentation.
However, here it’s just that little bit less present and engaging.
Still, overall, the AM05 again shines beautifully on this song; its combination of a slight, gentle shimmer and the brightness, clarity and sparkle in the mids and treble really make this song come alive.
Handel ‘Il Trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno..’ – Alison Lau (24/96 HDTracks FLAC):
This is one of my go-to test tracks now, by Hong Kong soprano opera singer Alison Lau.
She is able to swoop low and soar high, vocally speaking (possibly literally too, were someone to equip her with a jet pack. She really is that talented)
This song was – for my tastes – very good on the AM05, but not spectacular.
I found I missed that note thickness and weight that really makes the strings come alive in certain parts of the track (e.g. when they too ‘swoop low’ from 13-15 seconds into the song).
Again, that’s perhaps a result of listening so much to the U4 over the last few months
Also, whilst in general the AM05 stays on the ‘faithful presentation but without being too piercing or screechy’ side of the treble line, this is a difficult track, and unfortunately, for my treble sensitive ears, there were a few parts of the song where she really hits the high notes, that were just a little bit too sharp and resonant for me.
To try to give a more balanced point of view however, most people will not have this problem I think, and will certainly appreciate the huge space, clarity and detail that the AM05 bring to the (genteel chamber) party here. Either way, there’s no denying the terrific purity in the vocal presentation here; it’s literally breath-taking at times.
Stop Taking My Time – Club 8 (16/44 FLAC):
This track features a driving electronic beat and synths, combined with engaging female vocals.
I feel the presentation of timbre on her vocals are good, but not as good as on the IT04 (albeit that’s an IEM that costs over double the price of this one). The electronic, driving synths and beats are presented with crispness and speed, but again, fans of a more powerfully tuned low end may find it slightly lacking.
I think again, the more balanced tuning on this IEM means that it sometimes leans more towards clear, accurate and detailed presentation of timbre with instruments and vocals, as opposed to a very engaging and emotional richness to the presentation of timbre.
Again, this is mostly just a matter of preference. Until relatively recently, most of my IEMs were more inclined towards being neutral-reference in tuning (albeit mostly with dynamic drivers handling the low end). Then I bought the Empire Ears TOTL Phantom not long ago, which features a very unique, timbre-focused tuning with a lot of note weight.
And around the same time, I reviewed, fell in love with – and later purchased – the Stealth Sonics U4, which featured a completely different sound signature than I was used to up to that point; incredibly rich, warm, with great note weight and thickness. Incredibly musical, engaging, smooth, and with surprisingly good technical qualities to match.
I say this to basically give you an idea of where I’m coming from in this review.
I’ve spent a fair few weeks listening to the AM05 on and off, but it’s impossible, subjectively speaking, for me NOT to compare it to the other IEMs which have been taking up much of my listening time – the U4, the Itsfit Fusion, and prior to those, the EE Legend X, Phantom and Nemesis.
Still all this aside, I can’t help feeling that there’s a slight irony here; iBasso has called this the AM05, where ‘AM’ stands for ‘All Music’.
In fairness, if you like a very balanced tuning, with a bass that is perfectly acceptable, but not tuned much at all above neutral, then this could well be a great choice for you.
But for my own personal tastes, I think this IEM is great with certain genres and songs, and weaker with others; I’d turn to iBasso’s IT range of IEMs for an All Music all-rounder.
Whereas, with the excellent balance and poise of the AM05, I’d describe it as being very much ‘In Tune’. But unfortunately for the AM05, the ‘IT’ series of IEMs already stole that moniker
Love is an Advert – Garett Kato (16/44 FLAC):
This song is mastered with quite a wide, open soundstage.
It also features (especially from 18 seconds onwards) a strummed acoustic guitar line that has a rhythm and presence that – when presented well on an IEM – has the effect of providing a very driving, engaging backbone to the whole song. But this requires an IEM with a more significant bass presence and power.
On this song, I slightly feel the lack of a dynamic driver and/or a slightly more powerfully tuned bass. The song is still beautifully clear, spacious and the sparkle of the AM05 suits it well. Fans of more neutral/reference tunings will appreciate the balance in the sound signature here, but for me personally, I feel a more deep and impactful low end here would add to the presentation of this song.
Again, I can only give my own personal impressions (albeit trying to allow for the fact that others will hear differently), but on this specific song, I found the relatively neutral-reference tuning to remove the emotion and foot-tapping engagement of that driving guitar riff. Furthermore, the lack of that guitar riff for me unbalances the song very slightly, letting it drift into slightly fatiguing territory (I am sensitive to treble fatigue though, and most others will probably have no issues whatsoever).
More Than Love – Garrett Kato (16/44 FLAC):
Now, on this song, it’s a good counterbalance to the previous Garett Kato song I discussed, as the mastering is done rather differently. Here, the soundstage is much more intimate, prone to sounding congested on IEMs that feature a more intimate presentation themselves.
Also conversely, the way the strumming of the guitar is mastered on this track, it naturally has quite a significant amount of bass presence.
Here, the AM05 comes into its own again, opening out that soundstage and separation beautifully, presenting the guitar strumming in all its engaging rhythm and richness, and letting his intimate, slightly raspy vocals shine here, front and centre, slightly forwards and with very good timbre. Really outstanding.
To quote someone from some film or programme, neither of whose names I can remember (PM me if you can!):
“Two enthusiastic thumbs up!”
Conclusion:
I feel the AM05 is very direct in its intended tuning.
With this IEM, iBasso have made a clear step in a new direction.
It’s almost become a cliché to say that “this iBasso IEM really punches well above its price point”, but.. this iBasso IEM really does punch.. well, you can guess the rest
It’s very impressive. It’s bright, detailed, fairly analytical and with a very wide and fairly deep and high soundstage. Technically, it performs very well in terms of separation, imaging and layering. I’ve made remarks calling it fairly ‘reference’ but I’d quantify that statement by saying that I’m speaking relatively here (to the rest of iBasso’s IEM line up, and other IEMs I own).
A better way to describe it would be simply to say that it is very well balanced in terms of the bass, mids and treble.
I think it actually has the quality of being quite bright and vivid with great clarity and detail, and this ensures that the sound signature is never boring or overtly neutral.
I found it sometimes a bit bass-light for my personal tastes, but then that’s exactly the intended tuning, and I have read many fellow Head-Fi members who dislike bass to be tuned anything above neutral.
Which brings me to the key ‘take-home point’ of this exercise; namely, who is this IEM for?
Allow me to remove all doubt, fear and confusion forthwith!
If you are looking for:
- a balanced sound signature
- Something fairly bright and vivid
- Something detailed with great clarity (but not excessively analytical or dry)
- A wide soundstage with excellent separation and imaging
- A price somewhere in the approximate range of $298 to $300
Then checking out the AM05 should be put on your ‘to-do’ list with immediate effect
Conversely, if you are looking for:
- a DD or hybrid IEM, with all the qualities that normally entails
- A tuning where the bass is fairly north of neutral
- Something very relaxed, laid back and forgiving
- Or if you have sensitivities with regards to upper-mids or treble
- If you can’t stand the colours green or blue
- Or have an irrational hatred of quality sound and value for money
Then this may not be the IEM for you.
Or it may still be the IEM for you, just to be used alongside an IEM of a different tuning, for when you have mood for the kind of signature the AM05 offers.
I have spoken
