Oriveti OV800 - TOTL 8 BA Drivers IEM with 2 switches

TONALITY: 8.5/10
TECHNICALITIES: 8.8/10
TIMBRE: 8.5/10
SOUNDSTAGE: 7.5/10
IMAGING: 8.5/10
MUSICALITY (subjective): 8.2/10
CONSTRUCTION: 8.8/10
ACCESSORIES: 8.5/10
SOUND VALUE: 7.8/10

INTRO

Oriveti is a well established IEM company from Hong Kong, China. It was founded in 2015 and since then they have launched hybrid IEM like the OH700VB I've reviewed and tremendously enjoy, as well as multi-BA driver OV series I will discover with you today. They began launching single dynamic driver IEM too with their OD series, OD200 receiving quite good praise among the audiophile community (haven’t tried this one though).

Today I will discover the OV series by testing the top of the line OV800 which is an 8BA IEM with 2 switches to offer 4 different tuning choices.

Oriveti has designed their own balanced armature drivers for mids (4BA) and highs (2BA) while they use the very capable knowles BA woofer for bass part (2BA). In fact, I'm really fond of these knowledgeable BA woofers especially when using 2 and this is what pushed me in first place to test the OV800 (as well as the overwhelming love I have for the OH700VB).

As well, this IEM uses a 3 way active crossover, which is a must to achieve proper tuning with that many drivers.

The sound ideal Oriveti pursued with OV800 is described as ‘’sophisticated, balanced, natural with a luxurious low-pitched sound’’. If you noted OV800 uses half of its BA for mid range, you can expect fullness without lower mids compromise with those.

Priced 999$, the OV800 has been launched 2 years ago and can be put into the high end multi BA market that include 64audio, Aroma Audio and Unique Melody offering.

Let's see in this review if the OV800 offers a sound quality and musicality that is worthy of attention in 2024.






CONSTRUCTION-ACCESSORIES




The OV800 is a handmade resin earphone, it uses medical grade resin plastic of excellent quality that feels thick and sturdy. The plastic is dark green and half transparent, so with some light you can see 8 balanced armature hidden in its belly.The finish is very smooth and the beautiful wooden back plate has intricate wood texture and pattern, its dark green has an earthy feel to it, it’s sober and elegant, not flashy and bling bling. As I like. At the top we have a female 2 pin connector, it’s non recessed and aligns flatly with the rest of curvy housing that has an organic shape without any hard angle that could poke the ear cavity.

The back has 2 switches, deeply embedded in the body. You need a tool to change position which is a bummer but very common. I wish we can get these switch designs with just 2 mm extra length so we can change position with our nails. Oriveti tries to solve this with their OH700VB but goes to another extreme making a too long and flimsy single switch…that you can swap accidentally.
Anyway, the OV800 uses a common switch used with 99.999% other IEMs on the market.The housing is at the big, long and chunky size, so people with very small ears should take note, the nozzle is very thick too, among biggest in my collection, very same size as OH700, this make ear tips fit complicate as well as making it risky bet for people with small ear canal. No problem for my elephantine ears.



The included cable is quite good, it’s a 8 wire silver-plated copper cable that looks very luxurious. The cable splitter is made of sculpted metal and a real looker. While this cable screams quality and durability, it comes in 3.5mm single ended format, which is a bit odd nowadays with all these balanced portable sources. But I understand it’s an older IEM, the cable included with OH700 is more practical in that regard since it's modular with 3 different changeable plugs. I wish the OV800 had this very cable.



When it comes to packaging, I'm the kind to enjoy the smallest , most minimalist one in terms of vain package material yet highest accessories quantity and quality.
Oriveti seems to dislike over the top packaging, which is a plus. OV800 comes in a small cubic box which is elegant and well made. It’s fully packed with various ear tips types, we have 8 pairs of silicone eartips in 3 models, 2 pairs of memory foam tips and unexpectedly: 3 pairs of Azla Xelastec.
As well, we have an excellent carrying case, beautiful and sturdy, made of leather and round and deep, very elegant too.
We have a nice cable and a cleaning brush, a 3.5mm to 6.35mm adapter plug and a 3.5mm to 2 pole adapter I don't know the name of nor the use.

All in all, very satisfying construction and accessories, and adequate for the price range of this product (some more rubbish luxurious IEMs companies should take Oriveti as an example in that regard).

SOUND IMPRESSIONS



The overall tone of the OV800 is neutral, balanced and smoothly bright with 2 switches that can increase the intensity of the bass and treble, which influences the liveliness of the rendering and the energy as well as the abrasiveness of the attack of the harmonic and rhythmic.


Both downward switches deliver a flatter musicality devoid of any coloration.
The 1 towards the top adds a touch of warmth, density, palpable roundness and especially bass impact.
The 2 upwards is the most aggressive in the treble, the sharpest in the cutting of instrumental definition and the least focused on the bass, it would be the ideal choice for analytical listening such as mixing or sound mastering.
Both towards the top offers the most lively balance over the entire range and could be considered W-shaped where the presence and body of the bass, mids and highs are pushed the most forward, without becoming incoherent or too excited in their dynamic and tonal cohabitation.

The OV800 are IEMs delivering a mature and highly articulated intimate musicality without being harsh, clear without being garish and neutral without falling into the clinical. They are energetic because the impression of speed of the music is not attenuated by the performance limits of its 8 balanced transducers or muffled by the coloration arising from overly amplified bass resonance.

These IEMs do not offer a very warm or sweet musicality, even if the balance of textures and colors is not dry and artificial.
Unlike the OH700VB which are more bassy, colorful and warm, the OV800 aims for a reference sound reproduction with amplified resolution in its expressiveness without becoming eccentric or caustic.
Neither bassheads nor treble heads will find their dose of guilt with these IEMs with their mature and polymorphous tone. So, who knows, maybe the extra bass or treble that the 2 “tuning switches” allow would please a wider audience.

The BASS has a medium impact intensity with a slightly cut extension in its sub bass release duration. It’smore boosted and focused on mid bass punch and roundness than sub bass extension and rumble which cut short.
Due to the fact that we have two BA woofers for this section, the articulation and separation of the bass lines (infra bass) and kick drum (mid bass) is excellent.
The downward extension is not very dense or rumbly, it is a little compressed which thickens the bass lines and amplifies their vibration speed, making them more opaque but also more tactile and well defined into the macro dynamics.
What is impressive is that the bass lines do not swallow up the kick drum which is also round, fleshy and fast. The mid bass are focused, they are fast and a little softened in their cutting angle, the transition in the mids is not the cleanest.
The kick shell blends into the lower mids without clean air that will widen the sense of separation with kids, it in fact makes it more intimate and cohesive as a whole.
I’m often underwhelmed by acoustic kick drum sound envelope with most IEM, this isn’t the case here since we have a whole BA woofer for this purpose, it mean the kick is round and weighty in it’s impact, it’s dynamic isn’t flatten nor just about static brighten presence, the texture is subtle but realist and the speed is impressive, even drum rolling have their attack accent well articulated in busy track, this mean the OV800 deal well with jazz and rock.
But it doesn’t mean it can present whole fullness of double bass note release that vibrate down to 20hz but feel compressed in it’s natural air flow here, it’s not boomy though and fast player bass line are easy to follow, it do better for electric bass that tend to preserve their grunt.
Don’t expect big or deep rumble, but well articulated layering and speedy bass with just a notch of warmth into mids transition, this isn’t thin bass, mid bass being round and tactile and felt in punch but it’s not a fun bass either, thus the mature tonality.
I tend to prefer wider headroom and heavier slam, but find this bass presentation excellent for rock and jazz as well as IDM. Surprisingly, it’s due to its effortless speedy nature that it doesn't struggle to keep up with fast rhythm pace.
Overall very good bass quality, but like all multi-BA i’ve try (and I try a lot) their sub bass roll off going on, some try to add resonance to mimic fake rumble here it’s not boomy, its presence of bass line and flesh of kick drum that can cohabit together with docility.

Keywords: Fast, thumpy, warm mid bass, good bass line presence and cue, well rounded and good note weight.


The mid range is the main focus of these and offer effortlessly good resolution with a great focus on center stage, which is intimate and near the listener without going anamorphic in instrument presence in the sense nothing feels bigger or smaller in physical size.
It’s not super spacious and hall like with recessed center stage that add sense of openness, in fact we have a hint of warmth going on that add hint of lushness and coloring to instrument and vocal which are dense but not stretched in presence, it act like a smooth monitoring IEM, in that regard it make me think of Hifiman Audivina (which is a bit strange since it’s an headphone).
These are smoothly bright mids with polished attack edge, instrument loudness intensity is controlled, their no shouting nor sibilance with OV800.
It’s very versatile in tone so both male and female vocals sound realistic and full in harmony, with just a hint of dark texture. Upper mids aren't too energetic and in fact some treble heads will ask for more, but the dynamic isn’t dull nor do mids feel recessed. I can’t handle thin or shouty vocals and the OV800 avoids this gloriously, those are safe but highly informative mids.
The piano sound sweet and have good note weight, it’s not thin nor cold which prove we have enough lower mids presence too, it’s not sharply define yet have speedy attack with dense sustain release and natural airy resonance, i find resolution a bit warm sometime especially when fast not playing happen, we get interphasing of their sustain-release that affect readability slightly. Tone color wise, as a pianist I find it irreprochable but limited in fine details and natural extension which is part of realism of restitution too.
Saxophone and brass instruments sound very good, the slight lack of definition edge is a benefit for this instrument, we don’t have boosted lips or blowing texture details here that can distract from tone and timbre goodness, trumpet don’t sound boxy or piercing too.
To be noted, lifting switch 2 (treble) adds upper mids, so this makes vocals more upfront and bright, without going harsh, while lifting just switch 1 (bass) adds warmth but affects intensity of presence dynamic, making it darker and more mellow.

Keywords: Full sounding, colorful, good balance between harmonic and fundamental, natural timbre, unforced resolution.

The treble is smoothly bright, lean and balanced in extension but a bit lacking in terms of ultra-high air, brilliance and sparkle. This is very common with multi-BA whatever the number, even 64 audio U18T lack as much sparkle and brilliance as OV800.
This is the type of highs that don’t attract (or distract) attention yet don’t miss sound info which is plenty here, just not force on the listener. Passive listeners as well as treble heads will feel OV800 lack excitement and energy in attack, as well as boost in micro details.
This is a safe but well articulated treble that offers full restitution of percussions, each sound envelope of those cymbals are densified with sustain-release, with a soft attack lead that doesn’t affect attack speed delivery but doesn't add a lot of snap, bite or brilliance to it either.
Whole macro dynamic and tonal balance of OV800 feel cohesively rounded and even homogeneous as a whole, it’s no spiky or shouty highs here, nor super crisp, clean and airy one. Sens of air around instruments is limited since they are close to each other within compactly layered soundscapes that make the musical experience intimate and engaging.
I find the lower treble very appealing and well done, instrument like violin sound tonaly full with a warm timbre to it and tactile presence, it’s balanced in texture and not prompt of unwanted timbre artifact like overly loud bow stroke presence nor overly high pitched note that will sound oddly intense compared to other, it’s all smooth and well carved in presence.
Then when we go with acoustic guitar using metal string, the attack lead will feel a bit scooped and overly softed, we can’t ‘’see’’ the string being pull and release crisply, then the release is a bit densify with euphony which affect proper readability of fast playing.
We could say the same for harp, it will lack brilliance and long airy clean decay.

Keywords: Fast, more crunchy than snappy and sparkly, full sounding, rich in sound info, smooth and safe.

The soundstage is intimate and closed on the listener, acting like a musical cocoon and puting you near center stage. It's taller than wider and deeper, we have good stereo perception at our side of our head, not in a airy and distant way.

The imaging is quite great, which is surprising for this type of spatialization, it's not very wide in instrument separation space and we don't have lot of air around instrument for analytical positioning but the sound layers aren't mixed togheter and we can easily perceive presence of each instrument in polyphonic ensemble.



SIDE NOTES

At 15ohm of impedance and 110db of sensitivity, the OV800 aren't hard to drive nor overly sensitive but it's better to be cautious with multi-BA and use a source with output impedance lower than 1ohm, this will avoid unwanted harmonic distortion that can warm the bass and overall clarity. A crisp and dynamic sounding source is suggested to add a bit of air and honor the technical performance potential.

The the ear tips are very important and like with the OH700VB, quite capricious and hard to find perfect one due to very chunky nozzle. I use very same short wide bore ear tips so the nozzle hole don't get blocked which avoid unwanted reflection of sound projection as well as compressions of all BAs in mass inter-phasing.

OV800 are sensitive to cable, which is quite common with multi-BA. The stock one is excellent but limited to 3.5 unbalanced purpose. OV800 worth the balanced cable upgrade and my go to is Simgot LC7 which improve imaging and sens of spatial openess.






COMPARISONS



VS LETSHUOER EJ09 (1DD4BA4EST-1000$)

The EJ09 offers clearer, brighter tonality with a more U-shaped balance and more analytical and technically capable treble.

The bass is cleaner with a deeper and linear extension, less striking dynamics, the kick drum is more faded and less rounded and felt and defined in its impact. The bass and sub bass lines are more boosted, flexible and dense and transparent in their extension but even if the OV800 seems more boomy in the dynamic projection, the superposition of the bass lines, kick drum and mid frequency is better cut and therefore more easy to read.

Mediums are more open, transparent and recessed. The resolution is higher but the dynamic is more restrained apart from the intensity of the high harmonics which tends to make the timbre more grumpy and the vocals more prone to sibilance. The OV800s are warmer and less sharp in the envelope contour of presence, the instruments are less aggressive in their projection, more fleshy and colorful in their timbre which is less amplified in texture, less transparent, more centered on the scene which is closer to the listener.

The highs are more pointed, sparkling and put forward. Percussion is more vivid and precise with a faster and more controlled attack speed, less affected by the euphony of high-velocity sustain-release. There is more air and the extension past 10 khz is greater. The timbral cohesion is not as organic as the OV800 due to a more varied diversity of drivers.

Spatiality is broader and deeper.

Instrumental separation and positioning is more precise and analytical.

The EJ09 offers superior technical performance to the OV800, particularly high frequencies which are more brilliant, defined and detailed. In terms of tonal balance, the OV800s are more cohesive and neutral, with more natural and muted mids.



VS LETSHUOER CONDUCTOR (1DD+3BA+4EST-900$)

The Conductor is crisper and more U shaped in balance with notably sparklier and snappier treble.

The bass is less thick and punchy but more boosted in sub bass and digging deeper, it delivers longer rumble sustain and has a cleaner separation.

Mids are more open and airy, more transparent, a notch thinner especially male vocal and female vocal are a bit sharper as well as upper mids, timbre wise OV800 is darker and lusher, smoother, but struggle more to keep macro dynamic readability with fast busy track, their a notch more warmth.

Treble deliver higher amount of micro details, feel more analytical with faster attack that has sharper definition, snappier attack lead as well as notably more brilliance, it's easier to follow complex speedy percussions, this make the COnductor feel W shape in balance too even if main focus is bass and treble.

Soundstage is wider and deeper, cleaner too.

Imaging is superior in both layering transparency and instrument separation space.

All in all, tonality wise the OV800 is more cohesive as a whole due to more uniforme timbre sharing between BA drivers, but musicality is leaner, warmer and a notch more mid centric too. In terms of plain technical performance it can’t compete against the Conductor which offers better extension in both low and high end as well as higher resolution and superior imaging and attack control.

VS ORIVETI OH700VB (1DD+6BA-700$)

These are big crushes of mine and the music is very different even if in terms of mids and treble we have the Oriveti smoothness going on.

OH700VB is warmer and notably bassier, it’s more U shape with greater sub bass boost, these seem basshead compared to more neutral with slight mid bass boost OV800 which are brighter too.

The bass is more dense and tactile, ticker and lusher and less opaque too, the slam hits harder with wider headroom and rumble digs way deeper with more vibrancy and appealing realism. Cello, double bass, electric bass all sound more lively and natural, with a meatier presence that is richer in colorful texturing. Bass line can feel compressed and scooped in a natural way more with OV800, yet the acoustic drum kick has rounder and punchier presence, which OH700 can dominate with bass line or rumble. Nonetheless, both quality and quantity is superior with OH700VB and without bass boost it’s cleaner in separation.

Mids are more upfront and focused with OV800 yet smoother and lusher and thicker with OH700VB don’t have recessed mids, just not as bright in presence boost and a notch darker overall. Both male and female vocals are wider but more laid back, creamier, hint more natural with OH700VB. OV800 mids are more compressed in presence size and centered in the stage, it doesn’t trigger as much emotional response though male vocals are a bit thicker and more realistic.

Treble of OH700 is darker and more foggy, less snappy and well defined in attack, it offers less articulate percussion as well as lower micro details retrieval. Attack is more snappy and crisp with OV800, it’s cleaner on top too even with no end game in that regard. There is no doubt it uses superior BAs for highs.

Soundstage is wider, deeper and taller with OH700, no competition here, OH800 sound in your head and very intimate compared to its bassier lil brother.

Then for imaging its OV800 that is superior, without being endgame it offers greater layering speed and articulation, vocal will not over shadow as much other mid range instrument too, making spatial cue more accurate overall.

All in all, no doubt I personally prefer the bassier and lusher musicality of the OH700, but technical performance goes to the OV800 even if just slightly superior in terms of treble response it’s not lifting as much sound info in the dark.


CONCLUSION




The Oriveti OV800 are excellent all-arounder IEM that can be consider as ''Jack of all trades, master of tone'' since whatever instrument or vocal and music style I throw at them, they render it in a balanced dynamism with top notch timbre fullness and very focused mid range.

To say i'm enamoured of an IEM fullfill with balanced armature is even suprising for myself, other one that come to mind is NightOblivion Butastur but OV800 is less warm and laid back in musicality, as well as a notch superior in imaging and clarity.

The OV800 offer a mature and refined musicality that don't over favor any frequencies to the detriment of other, it aim for musical fluidity without spiky asperity that will affect immersivity contentment. It's an intimate cocoon you hide in for hours of music enjoyment with rich holographic layering that you are part of.

Sure, in term of plain technical performance for the price, it lack a bit of ultra highs extension, sparkle and air, but this would perhaps affect the great mid range focus we got.

The fact you have 2 switch that can add bass, warmth or offer flatter neutrality that is adequate for monitoring purpose raise the overall sound benefit of this marvelous IEM.

Unless your on a tight budget, those OV800 are

Recommended!

-------------------------------------



PS: I want to thanks Oriveti for sending me this review sample. As always, i'm not affiliated nor take part of any marketing or promoting strategy. These are my subjective sound impressions and opinions.

You can order the OV800 from Oriveti official store here:
https://www.oriveti.com/shop

As I was already very enthusiastic about the current OH700VB model, I now wanted to get to know Oriveti's flagship model, the OV800. These are my impressions of this model.



In contrast to the OH700VB, the OV800 uses only BA drivers - 8 of them. While the OH700VB sounds neutral and rather bright, the OV800 is the interpretation of a neutral, slightly warm reference tuning.

The OV800 is priced at 999 USD compared to 700 USD for the OH700VB. As with the OH700VB, the workmanship is really 1A. Each cabinet is made by hand. I personally like the shimmering green faceplate even better. The cable is an 8-core copper cable with a silver coating. Unfortunately, there are no interchangeable plugs on this model and operation is only possible with a 3.5mm jack. There are various silicone ear tips available, including the AZLA Xelastec, which I think suit this model very well in terms of sound. As with the OH700VB, the comfort is very good, as the IEMs are very ergonomically shaped and pleasantly light.



Compared to the OH700VB, the OV800 has two different sound switches. A bass switch produces a bass boost and a treble switch produces a treble boost. Personally, I like the default setting best, where both switches are switched off. The scope of delivery also includes a frequency diagram showing the differences between all the settings.

In the basic setting, the OV800 plays very neutral, without any particular emphasis on one frequency range. I would describe it as neutral with a slightly warm presentation. Similar to a Cadenza 12 with slightly less bass in the basic setting. When I switch on the bass switch, it catches up with the Cadenza 12 in terms of quantity. The bass range itself is technically at a higher level than the OH700VB with better resolution, control and speed. However, it does not come close to the dynamic impact of the OH700VB. The OH700VB can simply kick more and is also more fun. That's the difference between BA Bass and DD Bass. In terms of speed, however, it shows the OH700VB the tail lights and plays with similar precision to the QDC 8 Pro that I recently tested.

In the mids, the OV800 is a little fuller than the OH700VB, which is reflected in a warmer presentation. With the treble switch switched on, however, the instruments are given a little more room to breathe and it sounds more similar to the 700. Personally, however, I like the basic setting best. I occasionally switch on the bass switch if I need more punch, e.g. for older metal recordings.

In terms of resolution and treble response, the OV800 is almost on a par with the more expensive QDC 8 Pro and sets itself apart from the OH700VB. In my opinion, the seamless transition from the mids to the highs is better with the OV800 and I have the feeling with this model that everything from the bass to the treble sounds more like one piece, whereas with the 700 the areas don't merge quite as seamlessly.

In terms of soundstage, the OH700VB plays with slightly more depth due to its slimmer midrange, but doesn't quite come close to the OV800 in terms of instrument separation. When I activate the treble switch, the mids move a little further back, which in turn makes the OV800's soundstage seem a little deeper.

In my opinion, the OV800 is one of the best IEMs in the 1000 USD class. Two different IEMs from Oriveti that offer something for every taste. The more fun tuning of the OH700VB with the DD bass and the airier sound compared to the somewhat fuller tuning with more resolution and technically one step higher. In the price range up to 1000 USD, Oriveti really is a challenge to the other manufacturers. My very clear recommendation to buy both models.

Preamble

I’m finally dedicating a review on an IEM after a year long prolonged absence from Head Gear. I think the last time I did this was back during my mid-fi venture, but I’ve moved away from writing reviews as I found it too time consuming of an effort when I can be leaving small impressions on established forums instead. Speaking of which… Come join the Watercooler thread! (shameless promo) You’ll enjoy it if you like participating in thought-provoking discussions.

Now, I’ve been swimming in a pool of summit-fi gears for the past several months, which have raised my already high standards when it comes to appreciating audio gears. I didn’t think I was ready to retract back down to mid-fi until stumbling upon an iem I’ve never even heard of. This discovery I made was by complete accident when I was scavenging through a cabinet at my local audio store – and boom. What landed on my hand was a completely unknown brand I have never heard of, which made me hesitate from taking it back to my table as I honestly couldn’t be bothered. But as you’ve guessed it… being the obsessively curious person I am, I just had to take the chance, roll the dice, and pray for it to sound beyond mediocrity.

And then there I laid impressed







Ov800 is a flagship iem by a Chinese company named Oriveti. Coming in at $999, they perform competitively within its price bracket and appeal to those looking for a fast tempo with an energetic but refined signature. To put it simply – If you found the Monarch Mkii (currently the most popular choice in this price bracket) a little too polite, relaxed, or god forbid… “boring” for your engagement, Ov800 is one option you could consider for a clarity-oriented experience.

It’s not your typical “neutral with bass-boost” variation you see crowded in the market, but a contemporary W-shaped tuning with a highlight mid-range that fits oh-so-well in today’s modern genres. It also boasts a remarkable build quality that puts some totl iems to shame – yes, you know what I'm talking about if you’ve witnessed bubbles of glue leaking out from shells.


A little bit about myself

I primarily listen to pop and edm/electronic genres with a little bit of classical music. I prefer vocal-centric tuning with a brighter signature as I love crystal clear voices. I am a bit sensitive in the 8khz region. At this time and moment, Jewel and Odin are my two favorite iems I enjoy listening to the most.

Hopefully, this may give a background to where my inherent bias lies. You can use this information to see whether my impression may line-up to your expectations.





Disclaimer

This is a review sample that I received from Oriveti, but it’s one that I specifically requested due to how much I enjoyed listening to them at my local audio shop. I wanted to take one home for an extended listening session and navigate where it stands in the already crowded market. So thank you Marco (Oriveti representative) for providing me this opportunity.


Specifications

Ov800:

• Drivers: 2 Bass BA, 4 Mid BA, 2 High BA
• Impedance: 15 Ohm
• Frequency Response: 10~40KHz
• Sensitivity: 110+-3dB/mW, 1000Hz
• Distortion: <1%

Stock Cable:

• Cable: New Handmade Class 8 wires Silver Plated Copper wire
• Connector: 0.78mm 2pin connector
• Plug: Gold-plated 3.5mm Stereo Plug
• Cable: 1.2 M

Inside the box

• Ov800
• Leather Carrying Case
• 8 Wire Silver Plated Copper Cable
• (S, M, L) Bowl-shape Eartips
• (S, M, L) Bullet-shape Eartips
• 2 x Foam Tips
• 2 x Double-flange Eartips
• (SS, S, SM) AZLA SednaEarfit Xelastec
• Flight adaptor
• Cleaning tool
• 3.5mm to 6.5mm connector

Build quality

Personally, I don’t care too much about appearance as I’m in for the music. But when multi-kilobucks iem (*cough* Jewel) can get away with such mediocre build and design, Oriveti deserves a round of applause for fleshing out a look that doesn’t remind me of another “off-the-shelf” iem.

Aesthetics are purely subjective, but I have to admit this is one of the best build quality I have come across in the industry. It is literally seamless with an ergonomic contour fit that rivals the universal fit of CA flagship Supermoon. If you’re like me and have a preference towards pseudo-custom-like fit, you’re in for a treat because Ov800 is really comfortable.

Ov800 uses a brass-colored steel as its stem and has a stopper that ensures a snug fit for whichever eartips you choose to wear. I hope this becomes an industry standard, because I cannot count the number of times my eartips fell out from my Odin after being done listening for the day.

Ov800 uses a green wooden faceplate with a resin finish, which matches perfectly with its gold-plated logo and signature. There really is nothing I can nitpick on when the whole design scheme is laid out thoughtfully from start to finish.





Eartips selection -

Bowl-shape (Stock silicone black) : Open and diffused presentation

Bullet-shape (White and black silicone) : More focused presentation with better bass texture. Vocals positioned more within the centerfield of your head.

Azla Sednaearfit Xelastec : Great isolation, giving the impression of a blacker background with better detail retrieval. Boosted bass that looms over vocals. Comparatively a darker presentation. It has a unique appeal that may be favorable to some.

Double flange : Great isolation just next to foam tips, giving a blacker background with more detail retrieval. Feels stuffy and gets fatiguing over time (more noticeable than foam tips). Boosted bass that looms over vocals.

Foam tips : Similar impression as double flange, but better isolation with the blackest background that reveals more details. Feels stuffy and gets fatiguing over time.


My two favorites are the Bowl-shape and Bullet-shape eartips. They are both quite excellent.


Switches

Ov800 has two switches that you can choose to flip up (on) or down (off). The default setting comes with both switches down, and this is also my preferred orientation.

Switch “1” - Controls from lower-mids to subbass
Switch “2” - Controls from upper-mids to treble


(off, off) - Balanced. Has the smoothest and most refined presentation.

(1, off) - Lift in the lower-mids and male vocals become more prominent and a substantial lift in bass. Cellos and bass take the center stage.

(off, 2) - Lift in the upper-mids and treble. Female vocals become more prominent and cymbal strikes are more apparent.

(1, 2) - Lift in bass and treble. Has the most energetic and dynamic presentation.


Feel free to choose whichever orientation you desire, as I did not hear any degradation in sound quality from playing with the switches.







Sound quality –

Source: Dx320 Amp13 → stock cable → Ov800 (both switches off) → Stock silicone black “Bowl-shaped” eartips

Ov800 takes a more unconventional approach in tuning their iem. I’ve seen many different variations of FR graphs measured by members of this community, but none of them seems accurate to my subjective hearing. Instead, the stock graph provided by Oriveti resonates most to my hearing, so you can take confidence in what you’re seeing because that awkward roller coaster from 1khz onward is indeed perceivable. Now before anybody melts down in disbelief (because I know this spells riot to the FR objectivist), it is done so exceptionally well to my subjective hearing that I can’t praise enough how Oriveti came up with this ingenious tuning.

There is a noticeable dip early in the pinna region, which quickly picks itself back up around 4khz. These valleys of ups and downs give off an impression of there being a “pocket” of air spaced right in between where female vocals are usually rendered. This creates a unique sensation of space in the mid-range that’s created purely through the virtue of tuning, rather than by the technical competence of its drivers – because, admittedly, it does not perform beyond its price-range.

There is a nice full body in the lower-mid range that provides a sense of weight and warmth, as opposed to the clean-cut leanness seen in iems like Odin. The bass delivers a quick and agile speed as expected of BA drivers, but the texture is quite lacking as I’m comparing it back and forth from the Andromeda. The hefty added db in the bass do make up for its mediocre performance, but keep in mind – mediocre doesn’t mean bad; just at a performance that is neither impressive nor disappointing.

I’ve previously mentioned Ov800’s highlight is in the midrange, and I stand by my statement as it renders vocals beautifully. It has a bit of a feathery light rendition of midrange that keeps itself from getting diffused as there is an appreciable amount of note weight anchoring down. It’s certainly not “meaty” like how some like to chew on, so do keep in mind if you categorize yourself as a thick syrupy mid-range lover. There is this refined quality I haven’t seen from its competitors, and it polishes all harsh ends from approaching shouty or sounding nasal. It has a tad relaxed vocal presentation, but keeps it clear and energetic that you won’t be drifting off in a lullaby.

I’m not particularly picky on the treble as long as I don’t find it sibilant, and I’d like to gleefully announce that I hear no sibilance around the 8khz region, which is often where my sensitivity gets triggered. There is a satisfactory articulation in the percussion hits and cymbal strikes, but does fall behind the Andromeda for those looking for more note density and gain in this region. I could use more extension in the higher registers, which leads me to conclude that the treble acts more as a supporting foundation than a marvel of its own. With that being said, it does synergize well with the overall spectrum, as there is a healthy boost to stay relevant and not be drowned out by its upper-mid range.

Overall, there is a similar amount of presence from the lowest to the highest octave; and with a little audible dip in certain frequency regions, it is quite evident that Oriveti was aiming for a “W” shaped tuning philosophy.





Technicality

Soundstage is quite mediocre and doesn’t expand further out as you’d expect in this price range. Although I must say it scales down well and is very competitive on low-tiered sources like dongle dac, it stays relatively in-your-head once you start comparing it to its competitors on higher-tiered sources like the Dx320. Its imaging isn’t particularly impressive either. I can definitely use more separation and layering, but it is convincing enough once I take a little break and allow myself to adjust going from the Odin. I am being quite strict here, but it truly is “good enough” to not cause any distraction as none of the frequencies come across smothered nor appear as “one note.” I just can't tell you that this is an excelling technicality at its price-range and doesn’t disrupt the market in ways that Supermoon have had (although unfair as it retails at a more expensive $1500).

Ov800 key strength lies in its ability to resolve. It has a way of finessing every detail that comes across refined rather than edgy at the ends of each transient. It’s as if each note had been smoothed out, but not cleansed from the microdetails that we hone in and appreciate.

“Refined” is the key word here I’d like to emphasize, and will most likely be reiterated in my comparison review further down below.





Comparisons (I’ll be using a short note-style comparison for the sake of memory and convenience) –

– Using Dx320 Amp13 and Questyle M15 –


Andromeda 2020 ~$1099 :

Noticeable and audible hiss even before the music plays. Slightly faster transient attack, brighter and "grittier" sound with a more holographic presentation. Andromeda images and layers better, while Ov800 sounds smoother, more polished, and refined in comparison.

Ov800 does sound more closed-in, but has a blacker background and is easier to drift and fade out into the music.

(On M15 dongle) –

More sensitive and requires less volume. Borderline nasal upper-mids. Continues to maintain great technical proficiency and comes ahead of Ov800.
Ov800 retains its refined signature and is easier on the ear without any harsh or grating sounds. Its soundstage and imaging is more on par with Andromeda on this setup.


Softears Twilight ~$930 :

Softer transients and airier sound. Wider and more open soundstage, with larger instrumental layout (more room between instruments) although attributed to its form factor with its open vent. Does Not isolate well. A bit more gain in the pinna-region, but with a noticeable veil in comparison to Ov800. Smoother sound. You're in for its organic DD timbre. Less mid-bass lift but with better texture and rumble. Cymbal strikes are relaxed and put in the background, whereas it sounds more articulate on the Ov800.

Ov800 sounds crisper and more articulate. Less forward upper-mids in comparison but more revealing. Sounds more focused as opposed to Twilight's diffused presentation. Ov800 has a tighter and quicker decay in bass but with noticeably less texture. Ov800 resolves better with higher detail retrieval.

Twilight is a smoother listen overall.
A noticeable veil in the midrange, but a relaxing listen that you can fade into. Vocals sound more airy and float with each breath.

(On M15 dongle) –

Much more comparable soundstage between the two, with a slightly more width on Twilight, but better height on the Ov800. Both images to a similar degree, but slightly favors Twilight once again. Overall, much of my impression is similar to the dx320 but at a much closer technicality.

The midrange veil is still evident on the M15 dongle.


Westone Mach 70 ~$1399 :

More open and wider soundstage. Resolve better.

"Clear-sounding" tuning with a more polite pinna-gain. Treble rolls off in the higher registers. A smoother listen but with an articulate and powerful bass. Has noticeably better dynamics, but vocals come across subtle and less articulate in comparison to Ov800.

Ov800 sounds more detailed and enjoyable and incites more energy into everything it plays. Mach 70 has a more natural timbre, whereas BA timbre is evident on the Ov800.

(On M15 dongle) –

Scales down incredibly well. Retains most of its technical proficiency from the Dx320 pairing. Similar impression as the Dx320 and compares relatively in proportion to M15's scaled back technicality.


Fir Audio VxV ~$999 :

Wider soundstage with better imaging. Treble comes across sibilant and coarse in comparison (too much energy). Higher resolution with better dynamics. Can induce fatigue through elevated upper-mids. Sounds shouty and nasal around 4~5k. Very engaging but much more conducive to fatigue. More elevated treble. If you found odin fatiguing, VxV may not be it for you.

Better texture and oomph in bass.

All around a technically more proficient and resolving iem with better dynamics, soundstage, and imaging. However, it sounds more coarse and rough around the edges in comparison.

Ov800 sounds more polished, clean, and refined, but lacks the technical knack of VxV. Has a more pleasant tonality with sweeter vocals in comparison. Also has a blacker background to observe details better.

(On M15 dongle) –

Similar impression to dx320.
Continues to resolve better (but just marginally) on the VxV, but now with a more comparable soundstage. Nasal harshness is still evident. More textured and impactful bass with more prominent treble.

Ov800 sounds more refined and easier on the ears.
Overall, I'd honestly take the Ov800 over VxV for its refined quality. VxV comes across quite “rough” in comparison.


Kinera Nanna 2.0 Pro ~$949 :

Mid-centric tuning like the Ov800. Comes across darker, but vocals remain clear and present. Has a wider and more spherical soundstage with better separation and layering. Better bass impact and texture as attributed by its dynamic driver.

Ov800 sounds more polished and refined across the entire spectrum. Sweeter and clearer vocals with faster transient decay. Cleaner and more “refreshing” tuning.

(On M15 dongle) –

Ov800 pulls ahead in technicality and provides a more convincing presentation. Nanna 2.0 pro requires good amping to get the most of what it's capable of. For the porta-fi dongle user, it's much easier to recommend the Ov800.


Dorado 2020 ~$1099 :

High noise floor regardless of price-range. Midrange sounds veiled in comparison, but has captivating weight and dimension to it. Treble rolls off, but heavy rumbling bass. Elevated midbass that bleeds into the lower mids. Enveloping soundstage that is a tad wider and deeper than Ov800. Slower transients and approaches music with a heavy demeanor. Colored mids.

Sounds like V.

Generally sounds muffled in comparison. Vocals are placed in the background, but sounds veiled rather than just tamed.

(On M15 dongle) –

Enveloping soundstage as on the Dx320, but now with more comparable width.
Noticeable shout in the upper-mid (~5k) region. Still sounds muffled, but bass sounds fantastic and extends deep down into abyss. Ov800 has better imaging with noticeably clear and separated instruments.


Vision Ears EVE20 ~€1300 :

Wider and more spherical soundstage with a larger-than-life presentation. Has a spectacular imaging at its price-range. EVE20 resolves better, but is quite shouty and can induce fatigue for extended periods of listening time. There is a noticeable noise floor, as opposed to the darker background of the Ov800.

EVE20 has a fuller, more impactful bass that is better textured and extends further down low. It is a very forward and intense signature, so I can see it being an appeal and deterrent depending on what the user is looking for.

Ov800 sounds thinner and a bit compressed in comparison, but sounds more polished and refined from all harsh edges. Ov800 is a much easier listen for the ears.

(On M15 dongle) –

Performs well at minimal amplitude, but its technicality doesn't differ as striking as on the Dx320. Same impression as mentioned above but at a less striking difference.

Ov800 continues to pull ahead in refinement and polish the upper-ends in comparison to the intense and border-line hoarse EVE20. Ov800 is my preferred iem on the dongle dac.




Sources paired with Ov800 (in comparison to Dx320 Amp13) -

Sony Wm1zm2 (S.E. output) :

Blacker background, better dynamics, colder (as expected of SS amp), punchier, and more textured elevated bass. Has sharper transients and more forward upper-mids.

Dx320 (amp13, right output) has more emotive vocals with a sweeter and “liquidity” presentation. More tamed dynamics, but wider soundstage and deeper depth. Sounds a tad more holographic. Airier vocals with more dimensions.

Questyle M15 (S.E. output) :

Coldest sounding of the three. Less soundstage width and depth. Energetic signature with more prominent upper-mids.
Less refinement overall as expected of a dongle dac.



*Stock cable on left, Affinity 2 on right

Affinity 2 Cable

Marco decided to surprise me with an upgrade cable throughout my trial and sent me one without me having asked for it. It arrived in a box with the same leather case as the one provided in the Ov800 with a nifty option to choose and plug your own termination to your needs. This saves me from adding more bulky adaptors throughout the whole chain and the fact that the connectors are in right-angle is just an added bonus.

**IMPORTANT**
Make sure that the "red" and "blue" dots seen on the 2-pin connectors are both positioned at the top. There will be an audible channel imbalance if you do not follow correctly. I thought the driver units had broke the first time I experienced this, so please be aware!





Cable Specifications:

Material: 4x (Ultra Pure OCC Copper & Silver Plated Copper)
Conductor: 4 (Coaxial)
Audio Jack: 2.5mm , 3.5mm , 4.4mm
Connector: 2-pin (0.78mm)
Ear Guide Section: Metal Guided Wire, None
Length: 1.2 meters









Given the opportunity to demo this cable, I had to compare it with some popular aftermarket cables to see how it competes in the market.

Comparisons:

Source: Dx320 amp13 → ____ cable → Ov800

Affinity 2 ~$300 :

It keeps the same DNA of the stock cable with a focus on articulating higher frequencies. Expansion of soundstage in all directions (width, height, and depth) with a noticeable amount more space between each instrument with added layers beneath.

Paired with Ov800, it gives a more enveloping soundstage and sucks you within. Sounds more coherent as if each band flows better from one to another. I wish this came as the stock cable for the Ov800 because it sounds so good together, but I do understand the manufacturer’s standpoint of needing to control cost. Highly recommend this pair up.


Ares S ~$179 :

Affinity 2 extends higher up in the upper frequency with a wider and taller soundstage and better separation of instruments.

Ares S sounds fuller in the bass and lower-mids. It is slower and more syrupy compared to the faster, cleaner, and lean presentation of the Affinity 2.


Cadmus ~$199 :

Cadmus shares a lot of the same DNA as Affinity 2. Affinity 2 sounds a tad leaner, smoother, and more refined. Affinity 2 also has more air between instruments with a slightly wider and taller soundstage.

Affinity 2 sounds like a refined version of Cadmus. A little more relaxed with better rendering of vocals and higher frequencies.

Cadmus has a slightly darker background. Slightly better articulation of notes with more prominent weight. Similar bass texture.


Eros S ~$299 :

Eros S has more emphasized midrange with revealing vocals; fuller presentation with more textured bass; and better articulation of note weight with a tad slightly faster transients.

Affinity 2 has a wider and taller soundstage with a leaner presentation. It sounds more ethereal, smooth, and "floaty".





Finale -

I’ve had a very enjoyable time demoing the Ov800 for the past several weeks. It is not a technical beast by today’s standards, but I had to give it some slack as it was an older model that was built in consideration of the mid-fi market. Tuning and refinement is the name of the game here, because it truly is exquisite enough to want another updated variation of the Ov800. Just add an updated driver configuration that technically competes on par with today's summit-fi iem, and I wouldn't hesitate to get my hands on them.

Ov800 may not be a perfect contender to disrupt the market balance, but offers a unique and flavorful tuning that sets itself apart as an anomaly. It is a testimony of this brand’s competence, and one we should all be taking note of.

Link to my review and measurement index thread where one can also find a full review overview, more information about myself as well as my general-ish audio and review manifesto: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/956208/


ORIVETI OV800


Source:

Review sample.


Miscellaneous:

Supposed to be ORIVETI’s successor to their O800 which were their first BA-only in-ears. Supposedly same basic sound signature that can be boosted in the highs respectively lows by altering the crossover through switches built into the housings.

Really nice unboxing experience that mirrors the one I had with the O400; nicely ample selection of various single-flange silicone ear tips, foam tips and double-flange silicone tips.
I also just noticed that the design on the packaging’s lid resembles the both the in-ears colour as well as multi-BA driver layout and configuration, which is definitely a nice touch.

High quality, premium appearing round storage/carrying case manufactured from genuine leather and with beautiful red stitching and padded interior; however I wouldn’t mind if it were just slightly more spacious and were even better protected against moisture and dust getting in (as the lid does not really close hermetically, which is something that unfortunately most boutique-styled IEM cases that place form/aesthetics over ultimate protection and function have in common, but after all it’s still a better and more protective case than the one from my Campfire Audio Andromeda or Logitech/Ultimate Ears UE900).
In direct comparison, it looks slightly different from the one that came with the O400.

High build quality without any flaws.
Nice dark green, burly wooden faceplates. The shells themselves are made of semi-transparent dark green resin and reveal a look at the drivers and acoustic infrastructure, which is quite nice.
Semi-open port on the faceplates (that, by the way, does not have any measured influence on the frequency response).
What I don’t like is that the two switches to adjust the crossover and therefore alter the bass and treble output are very small and can be only accessed with the supplied cleaning tool; unfortunately there is no additional older for it in the storage case.
The switch labelled “1” adjust the bass output whereas the one labelled “2” adjusts the treble output.
Nozzle ending (nozzle made of metal) not flat but convexly shaped; according to the product page in order to achieve a specific radiation pattern.

Beautiful looking silver cable.
I especially like its visual appearance; the connectors are made from metal and just look astonishing in my eyes, and I prefer their looks (I especially really like the triangular metal chassis near the 3.5 mm connector) over the ones from the O400s’ cable while I, on the other hand, somewhat prefer the dark copper over the silver aesthetics.
Very soft and supple.
Unfortunately the integrated chin-slider very difficult to move/adjust.
2-pin connectors.

8 BA drivers per side, three acoustic ways, triple-bore design.




Sound:

Largest included black single-flange silicone ear tips (same type as those that were already installed).

Tonality:

Reference flat midrange with prominent upper and midbass punch coupled with some lower fundamental range warmth without spilling into the lower midrange/higher fundamental range and a treble approach that picks up on the flat neutral midrange tuning but adds just a bit of a mild lift at the very top in the upper highs/beginning super treble. Therefore one could consider the OV800 as widely flat neutral but with a punchy/impactful loudness compensation in the actual bass and a hint of loudness compensation in the high treble.

The OV800s’ tuning comes very close to being perfectly flat neutral in the midrange and treble with a mild clarity lift at the upper end, yet they are ultimately just missing the last few percent of perfect realism in their treble timbre when judged by Etymotic and InEar ProPhile 8 smoothness and linearity standards, and closely listening to sine sweeps reveals why: while the mids and highs are flat neutral with a studio-reference approach and don’t show any real elevations or dips (except for a mild lift at 10 kHz), there is ultimately a bit of unevenness around 4 kHz, 6 kHz, 8 kHz and 10 kHz (the latter is a mild lift, though, so not really any unevenness per se) wherefore there is sometimes just a small hint of artificiality and metallicness to the high notes’ timbre wherefore the OV800 end up sounding just a bit less realistic and even than my Etymotic ER-4S and InEar ProPhile 8 in the highs, although they are, to my ears, more realistically and evenly tuned up there when compared to my Ultimate Ears Reference Monitors (and considerably more realistic than my Campfire Audio Andromeda) and in the end about comparable in treble timbre realism to the NocturnaL Audio ATLANTIS which are definitely in-ears that I cannot fault for anything in their high notes’ timbre either, although they definitely have a different (more relaxed; UERM/UERR/ProPhile 8-like direction) approach in comparison to the flat neutral ORIVETI.

What’s especially nice to hear is that the entire midrange (along with most of the treble) closely follows the diffuse-field target wherefore the ORIVETI are among the very few in-ears that actually ortray an absolutely flat, realistic and correct midrange tonality and timbre without subduing or lifting the presence range as most other in-ears do; therefore they remind me highly of my beloved Etymotic ER-4S and most other Etymotic in-ears in the midrange, which is definitely a good thing. Here, the OV800 are simply just correct and accurate.

The bass’ lift starts around 300 Hz, climbs quickly and reaches its climax around 80 Hz with about 7 dB in quantity; it stays around this level throughout the entire lows without any real roll-off in the sub-bass, although subjectively the focus is somewhat more on the mid- than sub-bass because of the lows losing some definition below 30 Hz.
As it is, the bass is definitely quite punchy and impactful and carries some warmth in the low fundamental range while nicely staying out of the upper fundamental range and lower midrange wherefore there is no midrange colouration. Theoretically, if I hadn’t known ORIVETI’s O400, I would say that the integration of the OV800s’ lows’ lift were clean and perfect, but since the O400 are just so outstandingly well tuned in the lows and have the by far best integrated sub-bass lift that I have ever heard wherefore they have become my favourite recreational listening in-ears, I have to say that while the OV800s’ lows are better implemented than most competitors’ that have got more lower midrange colouration, they are ultimately just not as clean and naturally smooth integrated sounding as the (perfect) O400.

Therefore, the generally smooth tuning is perfect in the midrange, close to perfect in the treble (although a step below Etymotic/ProPhile 8 realism), and while on its own nearing very good in the bass beat by ORIVETI’s own and exceptionally good O400.

All above was the description of the OV800 in the default “down” switch position as it is the tuning that I personally prefer; the effect of both switches can be seen in the graph further below.
Enabling the bass switch adds a bit more than 2 dB of extra boost below 100 Hz while also adding slightly more warmth in the lower fundamental range, and it can be definitely heard that the sound becomes bassier and more impactful, punchier and warmer.
Dialling in the treble boost adds a bit more than 2 dB of extra brightness around 6 kHz andlifts the area between 10 kHz and 20 kHz by up to 4 dB. The sound immediately becomes brighter and splashier without losing too much timbral realism, although while the sound doesn’t become sharp or artificial, high notes gain a slight bit of metallicness in their timbre due to the 6 kHz lift. Except for the 6 kHz brightness that is more present on the OV800, enabling the treble boost brings their upper and super treble response actually fairly close to the O400s’ treble tuning.

Frequency Response:

ER-4S-Compensation (both Switches off)

ER-4S-Compensation (both Switches on)

Effect of both Switches

Resolution:

On its own, the resolution is good to really good and an audible step up from most $400 range models in direct comparison (it is highly doubtful that anyone would really miss anything), but compared to other highly resolving flagsip level in-ears in this price range such as my InEar ProPhile 8 and the NocturnaL Audio ATLANTIS, the OV800 are ultimately just lacking somewhat behind and cannot fully compete when compared head to head, though it should be noticed that the difference isn’t overly large in this performance range. Therefore I would say that the technical performance is respectful and good on its own but not completely where I would personally like it to be for multi-BA in-ear standards in this price range if I were looking for new in-ears for myself.

The bass has got a somewhat “rumbly” character to it that is somewhat heading into a “dynamic driver-like” direction while still being clearly distinguishable as a Balanced Armature implementation – not unlike my Campfire Audio Andromedas’ presentation, although ultimately not fully the same as the Andromeda are softer and rumblier in comparison. Due to this, the bass becomes more tactile without appearing soft yet, but unfortunately at the cost of becoming somewhat blunted on fast tracks.
Unfortunately the lows’ definition decreases towards the sub-bass and is of lower quality compared to the midbass and upper bass; the O400, while being comparable in midbass quality, have got a more resolving and audibly better defined sub-bass than the OV800. That said, the OV800s’ comparatively weakest department is the bass that is just somewhat less clean and detailed than the midrange and treble; activating the bass switch leads to more speed and control being lost in the lows that also start to sound even more strained.

Fortunately it is a different story with the midrange and treble – while not fully reaching ProPhile 8 or ATLANTIS levels of separation and resolution in demanding passages, the midrange is definitely a highlight and sounds very clean, even stands out a bit over the rest, and is detailed, layered and well-separated; perhaps this area is even a bit more resolving on the OV800 than on my Ultimate Ears Reference Monitors (or somewhere around that level).

The same as for the midrange applies to the highs that are just as clean and well-separated in complex passages and around UERM levels of quality.

Soundstage:

To my ears, the soundstage is three-dimensional and nicely open and large.
While the sheer size doesn’t fully reach the dimensions that I perceive on my Andromeda, I perceive the OV800s’ stage as a good bit larger than my ProPhile 8s’ and also as somewhat larger than the O400s’.
Overall, it appears a bit more oval than round to my ears

The imaging is very clean with sharply separated single instruments and a clean rendering of “empty space” between individual instruments or tonal elements, even in fast, dense, complex and demanding scenarios. Ultimately the NocturnaL Audio ATLANTIS render an even slightly cleaner soundstage due to the OV800s’ less defined bass, but they come very close.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Comparisons:

Unless stated otherwise, all of the switches were in the “off” position during the comparisons.

NocturnaL Audio ATLANTIS:

The ATLANTIS are tuned considerably warmer in the fundamental range/lower midrange in comparison and follow a midrange and middle treble tuning that is close to that of my Ultimate Ears Reference Monitors and therefore a more “relaxed” take on “neutral” compared to the “flat studio neutral”, Etymotic-like approach that the ORIVETI are after with the OV800. As a result, the ATLANTIS have got an audibly more distant, more relaxed presence range and middle treble tuning in comparison.
The NocturnaL Audio in-ears are, however, slightly brighter in the upper highs. As for realism/timbre, both are about equally good in the treble, but just with a different approach (flat neutral on the ORIVETI and relaxed neutral on the ATLANTIS). Super treble extension goes to the OV800.

The ATLANTIS have got the superior quality, tighter bass with the OV800 sounding softer in comparison, with audibly inferior definition and details.
Likewise, the midrange resolution is slightly higher on the ATLANTIS that resolve a bit better and feature the higher transparency, although the difference is less pronounced than when compared to the lows.

To my ears, the ATLANTIS’ soundstage is even larger and more spacious (even more width and slightly more spatial depth) and a little more precise when it comes to imaging.

Campfire Audio Andromeda:

When it comes to tuning, the Andromeda are clearly more artificial sounding – their lower midrange and fundamental range is much warmer, followed by a clearly recessed, relaxed upper midrange/presence range and lower treble, and topped off with a sharply elevated and bright upper treble with a roll-off towards super treble; the OV800 are definitely tuned considerably more realistically while still maintaining a strong bass punch that however doesn’t interfere with the lower mids nearly as much as the Campfire Audios’ lift in the lows.

In comparison, the OV800 feature the considerably more transparent midrange while details/actual resolution (outside of tuning) are rather close, though still ahead on the ORIVETI in busy situations.
Treble details/separation in the highs is an area where the Andromeda are ultimately ahead, though.
The bass softer and “rumbles” more on the Andromeda (which can definitely be a fun factor) but while the control is comparable; on fast and dense, complex recordings, though, this leads to a looser, less focused presentation in the lows whereas the OV800s’ bass remains somewhat cleaner in those situations and renders somewhat more details in the lows.
The OV800 have generally got somewhat more control and handle fast, busy and complex situations better/with higher authority whereas the Andromeda start to lose control (mainly because of their softer, rumblier bass); it’s definitely a different sort of presentation.

The Andromeda have got the larger, more open soundstage and as a result more openness to my ears; instrument separation is comparable and even somewhat ahead on the OV800 (mainly noticeable in fast and complex passages).

InEar ProPhile 8 (both Switches activated):

My ProPhile 8 (both switches activated) are tuned audibly somewhat warmer compared to the OV800 (both switches off) and a bit bassier, whereas the OV800 become bassier once their bass switches are turned on, however they have less fundamental range spillage/warmth in their lower mids wherefore they are less warm and coloured compared to the InEar (that even still have a slightly warmer lower midrange/upper fundamental range with their bass switches deactivated). As a result, the OV800 generally have the “better”/”cleaner”/”tonally more correct” bass implementation no matter what switch position on either in-ears.
The OV800 are generally tuned more “studio reference flat neutral” throughout the entire midrange compared to the InEar that have more of a “natural neutral” voicing in their central frequency band, comparable to that of my Ultimate Ears Reference Monitors. As a result, voices are portrayed slightly closer to the listener on the OV800 (somewhat Etymotic-like but ultimately still with a comparatively slightly more relaxed presence range) and a little further in the back on the ProPhile 8.
The upper treble around 9 kHz is accentuated more on the ProPhile 8 (both switches up) wherefore their upper highs are brighter even when one activates the OV800s’ treble switches. However, despite being sounded brighter in the upper highs, as the ProPhile 8 ultimately have a more linear/even treble response compared to the OV800 whose highs are somewhat less even (I’m hearing some unevenness (not to be confused with peaks/elevations; these areas are still about neutral in quantity) around 4 kHz, 6 kHz, 8 kHz and an elevation at 10 kHz; less so with the treble switch in the “down” position, but the response is ultimately still not as flat and smooth as it could be) in comparison and when performing sine sweeps, wherefore the InEars’ treble timbre is in the end somewhat more accurate and realistic despite being brighter, whereas the OV800 have a slightly artificial touch to their highs. Super treble extension past 14 kHz is superior on the ORIVETI.

The ProPhile 8 have got the somewhat higher resolution, control and transparency in general.
Especially the InEars’ lows are audibly more detailed, controlled, better separated, layered and tighter. With activated bass switches on the ProPhile 8, their attack is softer in comparison to the OV800 with disabled bass switches while the InEar are still better controlled; activating the bass switches on the ORIVETI leads to them sounding softer and more strained in comparisons.

As for imaging, the ProPhile 8 are more precise in comparison whereas the OV800 have got the generally larger appearing soundstage with more depth as well as perceived spatial width and therefore sound more three-simensional, open and spacious (that said, I never really perceived my ProPhile 8 as really “good” when it comes to sheer soundstage sizing for their class/performance range).

ORIVETI O400:

The O400 are tuned comparatively more u-shaped with a greater focus on sub-bass integration and a brighter upper treble and super treble tuning, although the OV800 are about comparably bright in the upper and super highs with their treble switches activated; the OV800 are, on the other hand, generally brighter in the area around 9 kHz and 10 kHz.
In terms of bass tuning, while the O400 have a perfect slope that peaks in the true sub-bass and therefore doesn’t interfere with the rest of the lower-note spectrum (they are overall probably generally the best tuned in-ears in the lows), the OV800 are sounded with a thicker, warmer midbass and upper bass, with an undeniably audibly warmer fundamental range, and while it doesn’t interfere with the lower midrange by too much, it’s clearly audible, especially compared to the O400 whose lows’ boost, in contrast, blends in considerably better with the rest.
When it comes to midrange flatness, the OV800 are superior and reproduce a neutral, Etymotic-like tuning compared to the O400s’ more relaxed, safer upper midrange approach.

On the technical side, the OV800 aren’t as much as a “step up” as one may perhaps think given the price difference – while their midrange transparency/level of details is generally somewhat higher, which also applies to treble details and separation as well as separation in general, they don’t resolve considerably better and are just a small upgrade in this regard; in fact their technical superiority over the O400 is only somewhat noticeable (not just barely, but still not as much as one may think) in very fast, dense and complex passages, and while both are on par in terms of upper bass and midbass quality, the O400 even outperform the OV800 when it comes to sub-bass tightness and layering in general and not just when pushed closer towards the limits.
So the OV800 are definitely capable on their own, but the O400 are generally just so good that I don’t miss anything most of the time unless the music becomes overly busy.

The OV800 portray an imaginary soundstage that I perceive as comparatively more spacious (deeper and especially a bit wider); separation is superior as well in direct comparison with the 8-BA IEMs rendering a cleaner “empty space” between single instruments, but again that’s only really somewhat noticeable with extraordinarily fast recordings where the O400 start to become somewhat hazy/less clean sounding whereas the OV800 don’t yet.

To conclude this to me highly interesting direct comparison: while the OV800 have a “flat studio neutral” midrange tuning that I personally prefer, and while they are ultimately technically somewhat superior (although only really noticeable to me in very fast, dense and complex passages), I ultimately personally definitely prefer the O400 over them – their bass quality and implementation of the very lows’ lift is just simply outstanding and surpasses about everything I have heard so far, and most of the time the technical performance is much more than just sufficient for my needs, so that I pick their much nicer bass implementation (that basically makes most other in-ears for recreational, non-flat-neutral music listening redundant for me (honestly, they have become and still are my go-to benchmark and reference for this purpose)) over the bit of more “confidence” (separation) that the OV800 have in fast and complex passages.




Conclusion:

Excellently flat neutral midrange tuning, very good treble tuning (although a little less smooth when compared to my InEar ProPhile 8 or Etymotic ER-4S) that follows the same neutral approach with a mild lift at the very top, punchy midbass that doesn’t bleed into the lower midrange. The O400 that have the best ever bass to midrange transition to my ears are tuned better in the lows, though, while the OV800 feature the more linear, more neutral midrange and treble.

Clean and resolving and somewhat of an upgrade over the O400 in terms of transparency, although not as much of a difference in resolution as one might imagine; lacks a bit behind the competition in direct comparison while the performance is a step up from the $400 tier and not lacking on its own.
Lower bass quality (definition, details, tightness) should be definitely better, though, and is audibly superior on the O400.

Spacious and detailed soundstage with clean imaging that’s ultimately somewhat behind the ProPhile 8.

Decent/good IEMs but the main problem is that the O400 are simply so outstanding and outperform about anything when it comes to bass tuning implementation while simultaneously delivering very good technical performance across the board.

Although not the “generally technically best” IEMs in my inventory (but nonetheless very good without anything really being left to be desired for me even in very fast, dense and technically demanding situation), the O400 are generally just so good that I consider them my “exit IEMs” (as in “I don’t really need or want anything more than them”) for recreational music listening, wherefore it will be definitely very difficult for any other IEMs regardless of price point to surpass them when it comes to the whole package, especially in terms of lows’ tuning – that said, they have become the “gold standard” and recreational listening reference for me that any other IEMs have to live up to, and from my point of view, the OV800 do not succeed in surpassing them even though their midrange and treble tuning is more neutral compared to the O400s’ more relaxed upper mids and brighter upper treble.

The OV800 are technically confident and offer an upgrade in terms of separation and transparency over the O400 in complex and fast, dense passages whereas the general resolution doesn’t differ as much; the problem is however how exceptionally well the O400 are tuned in the lows so that they make even the OV800 that are objectively tuned better in the lows than my Campfire Audio Andromeda, InEar ProPhile 8 and the NocturnaL Audio Atlantis (transition from bass to fundamental range/midrange; all three are comparatively warmer/more coloured in the lower mids and upper fundamental range) seem too warm and upper-bass-focused.


Photos: