INTUAURA Reference 2019

Introduction

Intuaura is a new IEMS brand for me. I'm usually on the lookout for new products and I was surprised by this new €100 model from this brand, as it has a cable with a USB type-C DSP on the end, instead of a 3.5mm SE connector. As the product description says, thanks to the settings of this integrated dongle plus the DSP inside, a perfect alignment with the Harman 2019 reference frequency response is achieved. This model has a curious design with undamped mouthpieces. The capsules are made of 7075 aluminium alloy, while the diaphragm of the 10mm dynamic driver is titanium-plated. For the DSP decoding amplifier cable, high-quality pure copper has been used in 8-core stranding. The integrated DSP dongle is compatible with Android, Apple, tablet and PC systems with Windows 10 or higher. Let's see what this all-in-one IEM can do.



Specifications

• Frequency response range: 5Hz-22kHz (free field).
• Effective frequency response range: 20Hz-20kHz (IEC60318-4).
• Impedance: 32Ω (±5%).
• Sensitivity: 105dB/Vrms @ 1kHz (±3dB).
• THD: <1% @ 1kHz].
• Driver: 1 x 10mm dynamic driver.
• Diaphragm: Titanium-plated composite diaphragm.
• Housing material: 7075 aluminium alloy.
• Connection interface: 2Pin 0.78mm.
• Cable length: 1.2 metres (±0.1 metres).

Packaging

The Intuaura Reference 2019 comes in an eminently white box whose dimensions are 203x145x44mm. There is an R all over the main face in grey. On the left side, written from top to bottom, you can read the name of the model. On the back side there is a slogan and at the bottom are the specifications and the brand name. There is a band with the brand name that functions as a seal. Removing the outer carton reveals a black cardboard box. Inside is a foam mould containing a rectangular shaped zippered case with rounded corners and the cable dongle inside a clear plastic pouch. There is also a transparent plastic case with the silicone tips, in total two sets. Inside the case there is a cloth pouch containing the capsules in white plastic bags. The complete contents are as follows:

• The two capsules.
• Cloth pouch for each capsule.
• Carrying case with zip.
• Amplifier cable with DSP and USB Type-C connection and 2Pin 0.78mm interface.
• Plastic box for tips.
• One set of white silicone tips size SxMxL.
• One set of grey silicone tips size SxMxL.
• Warranty card.

The presentation is austere, without artifice, although well cared for by the quality of its components. I like the zipped case and the cable. The silicone tips are relatively classic, although the shape of the white ones is interesting. On the other hand, the double protective cloth pouch for the capsules and the full size and shape of the case are appreciated. The cable is of course of high quality.
A USB Type-C to Type-A male adapter is missing.



Construction and Design

There is no doubt that the design of the Reference 2019 capsules has caught my attention. They are quite flat capsules in the shape of a triangle with rounded tips. They are not very thick and their interior is also quite flat. The large cylinder that makes up the mouthpieces stands out. It is a piece with three diameters. The base is long (diameter 7mm), the neck shorter (diameter 5.2mm) and the crown even smaller (diameter 6.5mm). The total length is about 8.5mm. The capsules are made of marbled 7075 aluminium alloy. The outer plate is slightly darker and micro-sandblasted, while the inside is pure metal coloured. The left capsule has a white wave pattern and the letters 2019. The right capsule has the brand logo and Reference written in white lettering. The 2Pin 0.78mm connection interface is recessed into the profile of the capsule, creating a perfect rectangular hole. The gold-plated connectors are visible. Next to them is the lettering indicating the channel, in white ink and surrounded by a circle. The inner face has a faint rounded ergonomic shape that slopes slightly towards the mouthpieces. There are two holes in this face, one near the apex and one at the foot of the nozzles. It should be noted that the mouthpieces are protected by a micro-perforated metal grid.
The cable consists of 8 strands of pure copper protected by black plastic. The DSP dongle is the classic elongated metal oval with USB Type-C connector. The cable outlet is funnel-shaped, made of black plastic. The splitter piece is a perfect metal cylinder and the pin is also a metal cylinder, but much shorter, in the shape of a ring. Its inner hole is perfect for adjustment and it is sufficiently retained, allowing relatively easy movement. The cable has over-ear guides and the sleeve of the connectors are both depressed cylinders in the middle. The two pins are mounted on transparent, rectangular plastic parts. On each sleeve is the channel lettering, in a darker grey ink that is not very easy to see.
The set is very well constructed, with the marbled aluminium alloy and the simple, slim and eye-catching design. The cable is quite light, soft and manageable, matching the capsules. It's of good enough quality that I wouldn't think of changing it.



Adjustment and Ergonomics

With a low weight, a small shape and such long nozzles, the insertion could be deeper. But it depends on the angle of inclination. The set meant that I had to be a bit more original when using tips and I had to give up using my large foam-filled tips. I have opted to use some extra large and quite flat blue silicone tips, with a fairly large inner hole. I use these tips in special cases. On this occasion, they fit like a glove and with them, the Reference 2019 fit and sound perfectly. The insertion is shallow and the capsules float in my ears, they don't touch any external part of my ears. I have not been able to get better integration and I think the diameter of the nozzles, their angle and length can be a challenge for some morphologies. Fortunately, I have been able to overcome this. It is true that the white tips follow this principle, but the tips I use have an even larger outer diameter and that is the key to the occlusal fit, almost like a suction cup I get. In this way, the isolation is quite large and the comfort is very high.



Sound

Profile

What is striking is that the Reference 2019 has a cable with a built-in amplifier and DSP. The DSP is responsible for generating the H2019 tuning. It is curious that there are many IEMS that seek this tuning by means of a traditional exercise or by mixing several drivers. But Intuaura has taken the middle way and found it easier to EQ than to tune. To do so, he has taken some IEMS with a V-tuning, with powerful bass, a centre dip and a boosted upper midrange. Interestingly, the treble is smooth and nuanced. There is no doubt that the EQ exercise with the DSP has been profound. Bass has been softened quite a bit, especially in the low midrange and upper midrange. The centre dip has been softened and the upper midrange has been smoothed out. In the treble, an effort has been made to linearise its response, extending and broadening it. In the upper midrange, little enhancement has been achieved. The difference with and without DSP is big, but it's clear that the Reference 2019s respond very well to EQ because the sound feels quite natural. My only downside is that the amplifier is a bit limited for older recordings, if you like the volume turned up.



Bass

The low end feels somewhat coloured, as there is more of an audible response than a dark or sensory one. There is a certain rubbery, elastic character, which takes it away from a drier, wiry reproduction. In this way, the bases feel juicier, subtly displaced and somewhat devoid of a more pronounced darkness and depth. It is noticeable that the bass has been thinned in its midrange, but it is not as tight as one might observe in a tuning of this style. The colour and elasticity prevent it from feeling faster, although it is agile and the decay is not too high. But it all contributes to the fact that it doesn't feel totally restrained and loses some precision.
In the pure tone test several things can be determined, both the response of the driver and the reliability of the amplifier+DSP. Let's assume that a 10mm dynamic driver of sufficient quality should have no problem representing the sub-bass. Especially with a titanium-plated composite diaphragm. But in the lower pure notes there is a somewhat noticeable undulating character that adds a duality to the sound that should be more natural and simple. This more oscillating behaviour becomes subtly audible, unifying the timbre of the notes and detracting from a more realistic, deep, sensory and dark sound. The behaviour becomes more normal as the hertz increases, but that sense of colouring persists. The translation to real music is described at the beginning of this section, so the reason is clear.
The test of dirty, unfiltered, complex, pause-less and poorly recorded bass lines puts the Reference 2019s in a somewhat compromising situation, especially because of that wavy feeling that makes the lines not completely clean. The slight colouring also plays a part in this. I don't think the 2019 Reference suffers in these conditions, but its behaviour doesn't feel the most natural, realistic, precise and concise to me. A test as to who is to blame is simple: changing the cable and re-analysing the bass would reveal the weakest link. On the other hand, if you are not very bass-critical and your musical styles do not include electronic music, the performance of the Reference 2019 is more than good.



Mids

Things improve in the mid-range, as far as naturalness is concerned. And while the first half of the midrange can be lean and hollow, lacking some warmth from the lower range, it feels relatively full and enjoyable. It is a little above timbral neutrality, appearing lighter and brighter, offering a lighter, less heavy, cleaner appearance, but also with less of a sense of physicality, body and package. That initial lack of volume again reminds me that pure H2019 tuning is not for me. With the enhancement of the upper midranges we glimpse the forced path towards light, in search of transparency and macro detail. The base is orphaned again and both the male vocals, with the instruments with fundamental in that first half, feel thin and light. I like the notes in the first half to be denser and heavier, but that doesn't appear here. Again, a flight to brightness, to detail, to sharp guitars, to the sparkle and prominence of female vocals, to the festival of vibrancy and splashy sound. And that aspect, the Reference 2019s perhaps have a little more control, because the pinna gain stands at ‘only’ 10dB. All in all, the result is a very clear, clean, transparent, separated, focused, cooler, more analytical, drier and less juicy sound in this midrange. The details are shown in the foreground, offering a very exposed sound, with a light depth and a generation of planes with little separation between them. The upper mids are very close to the listener and the nuances that are supposed to be in the background are brought to the second, even foreground. But that's true, the ensemble is very capable in that respect and the hidden micro detail comes out quite well represented and immediate. And that's not easy in this price range.



Treble

I can say it unequivocally: the treble of the Intuaura Reference 2019 is truly crisp. In my opinion, this tuning overlaps with flat IEMS treble tunings. But, even the Reference 2019s are even more explicit, even explosive. The treble starts with a slight roll-off, but then its character is subtly upward and expansive. In this way, the first treble blends with the second, creating a very full and prolonged range. But there is another good thing too, and that is that this initial slight drop manages to mitigate the overall energy level, so that the sound doesn't become completely piercing or hurtful. The treble is pronounced, fine, with a good predominance, but with that dynamic touch that softens it at the final peak. They crunch, yes, but they don't pierce. And that makes them even more enjoyable. Their timbre is quite good, although it may feel a little forced in the last flash. As I say, the extension is remarkable, but the classic dynamic driver decays quite a bit in the air zone.



Soundstage, Separation

In the specifications there is no mention of the DAC, amp or DSP used in the cable. And a good percentage of the capabilities or goodness of an IEMS is always attributed to the source. In this case, the source is built into the cable and the detail, separation, scene and image capability should be about the same in all scenarios. But it also cannot be maximised by the use of an alternative source. I don't think that using it through the USB port of any of my compatible DAPS would make much difference to those qualities. Be that as it may, the Reference 2019s have a fairly wide soundstage, and at no point do you feel congestion. It's not an surrounding soundstage, but it has very good laterality and headroom, though not much depth. The sense of distance between layers is not very good, as music and details feel very close. The bass lacks more of a sense of depth and this is noticeable when it comes to representing volume. However, the sense of height is good, and there is even an overhead sensation mixed with a slightly gaseous and volatile impression. The system enjoys a remarkable level of resolution, feeling very clean and accurate. Macro detail pops out and micro detail is fine, without bringing it out completely, it goes beyond the simple level to expose it in a decent way. The observed separation is horizontal, the sound is quite transparent and bright, also a bit punchy, splashy and very close to the listener. The image is good horizontally, but somewhat compressed in depth. Technically it is remarkable, without being clearly analytical, it is quite concise and improves from the midrange onwards.



Comparisons

Simgot SuperMix 4

The Simgot SuperMix 4 is a more expensive IEMS, $150 compared to $100 for the Intuaura Reference 2019. They use a 4-driver configuration (1DDD+1BA+1Planar+1PZT) to achieve a very similar H2019 frequency response to the Reference 2019. The capsule of the Simgot is of a more semi-custom shape and mostly made of resin. Its ergonomics are more classic, but also more secure. In the Reference 2019 I have problems with the over-ear guides over time. Also, it is more difficult to choose tips that have a better fit with my morphology.
The profile, as can be seen in the frequency response comparison, is very similar. But the Reference 2019s feel clearer and splashier, although this could also be due to the choice of tips with a larger inner diameter. I have not been able to test both models with the same type of tips I normally use, because of the impossibility of getting a good fit on the Reference 2019s. But I know that this can have an impact on the brighter feel I'm talking about.
The bass is drier, deeper, more contained and tighter in the Simgot, the decay is less and disappears faster. It's a faster bass. The bass on the Reference 2019s is a little more elastic, shallower and a little more coloured, not quite as fast. In the very low-frequency pure tone test, the Simgot's behaviour is more realistic and sensory. There is a more pronounced wave character in the Reference 2019s and it feels more coloured versus a comparatively more natural timbre in the Simgot.
In the midrange the Reference 2019s have a lot of clarity and transparency. The Simgot's sound is a little warmer and a little more muted/mapped. The first half of the Simgot midrange has more body, density and physicality, although these are not qualities that stand out either, but they do stand out in comparison between the two models. The Reference 2019s are leaner and this is noticeable in the male voices, more forward, but with a brighter timbre, while slightly thinner, with less base. The detail is more apparent in the Reference 2019s, being more specific in resolving nuances. The Simgot are somewhat softer in that respect.
The same behaviour is repeated in the upper mids. Comparatively, the Reference 2019s are very close, separate and transparent. The Simgot are more restrained and sound warmer, drier, more focused on the base than on the details, with more density and body. The Reference 2019s are more analytical, finer, more precise and resolute, but also more vivid, bright and splashy, easing the way into the sibilance.
The difference in the treble is quite obvious, crisp in the Reference 2019s and more softened/shaded in the Simgot. On the Reference 2019s, they are lush, on the Simgot they are more controlled and more extended towards the air area. If you want to enjoy more realistic treble brilliance, you should definitely choose the Reference 2019s. The Simgot are expressive and informative, but also rounder and less energetic.
There is good width in the Reference 2019, just like in the Simgot. The Reference 2019's brighter, more transparent sound makes it seem to have a wider soundstage, but its closeness and the proximity of the elements to the listener results in a more volatile and gaseous sound on the one hand, and a flatter, shallower sound with less layering on the other. The sound of the Simgot does not feel so close, it has more volume and depth. The macro detail comes to the fore in the Reference 2019s with their more informative, expressive and nuance-focused sound, which is brought to the foreground. On the Simgot they feel more realistic and presented in their respective layers. It doesn't feel as expressive, but more natural and realistic, less forced. At the limit, both models reach a good level of micro detail, although the nature of the 2019 Reference seems to exalt them more. The Simgot's have a very good resolving power despite the drier, denser, softer sound. The greater brightness, vibrancy and closeness of the Reference 2019s helps this situation.



Conclusion

The INTUAUARA Reference 2019 is an all-in-one set, which includes a cable with amplifier and DSP in its USB Type-C connector. Nothing is needed to connect it to a smartphone, PC or tablet. It is not just a DAC/dongle, but its DSP adjusts the frequency response of the capsules to the H2019 reference very precisely. The capsules, made of 7075 aluminium alloy, are slim and very compact in size. Its design stands out, its elongated and cylindrical mouthpiece that generates a peculiar ergonomics. They are very light, distinguished and robust. The H2019 profile is brighter, splashy and vivid. The system is high-resolution, very informative, clear, clean and transparent. But it is also leaner, thinner and with less base. The treble is splendid and crisp. The sound is explicit and close, with the elements close to the listener, although it lacks some depth and volume.
It is curious to note the audacity of the brand to achieve a very tight H2019 profile with a single 10mm dynamic driver and titanium-plated diaphragm whose original response is not. Thanks to the amplifier + DSP of its USB connector it achieves this. And all this at a price of only 100$. A dongle, some IEMS and a brilliant H2019 sound for that price is a very attractive and hard to beat package. It may not have the versatility of the two separate products, but the overall quality of the Reference 2019 may be superior to two separate products of the same total price. And that's a very strong point to beat.



Sources Used During the Analysis

• INTUAUARA Reference 2019 cable connected to my PC.

Purchase Link



You can read the full review in Spanish here