OURART ACG

OURART ACG Earbud Review

THE ART OF METAL


Introduction:

OURART is a boutique Chinese brand that is producing In-Ear Monitor cables, earbuds and In-Ear Monitors.

The OURART ACG is the second earbud model of the company and is featuring a 14.2mm diameter ultra-thin titanium crystal diaphragm dynamic drive.

Disclaimer:

I would like to thank OURART for providing me this sample via Penon Audio for review purposes. I am not affiliated with OURART and Penon Audio beyond this review and these words reflect my true and unaltered opinions about the product.


About Me: www.moonstarreviews.net


Price:

The OURART ACG is available on Penon Audio for 65,00 USD under the link below:

Purchase Link: https://penonaudio.com/ourart-acg.html



Package and Accessories:

The OURART ACG is coming in a black hard box that is wrapped with a black cardboard sleeve that features the product branding. The box features an open-close action that we know from jewelry or watch boxes.



The box is containing the following items:

• 1 pair x OURART ACG Earbud monitor
• 3 pairs x Full foam Tips
• 3 pairs x Donut foam Tips
• 1 piece x Cable Clip

Design, Fit and Build Quality:

The OURART ACG has a solid metal shell with a very different design language compared to all other erabuds (Yuin, MX500 etc.) on the market.

The shape of the front housing is inspired by the running wheel hub and is eye catching.



The titanium diaphragm in silver color is visible under the openings on the front side and has a nice appearance.

On the back of the erabud shell is the laser engraved OURAT branding.



They are a several numbers of vents around the monitor shell.





At the back of the earbud shell is the MMCX female connector that is allowing you to upgrade to the cable of your preference.



The OURART ACG is coming with a detachable cable that features MMCX connectors.

The MMCX connectors have a transparent plastic housing with Left (blue) & Red (right) indicators.



The cable is made of copper-silver hybrid wire and has a soft rubber coating. The cable features a metal chin slider in silver color.



The copper-silver hybrid wire cable of the OURART ACG features a microphone with remote control functions.



The cable of the ACG has a 45 degree profiled headphone jack with a 3.5mm TRS (unbalanced) connector.






Technical Specifications:

• Drive Unit : 14.2 mm ultra-thin titanium crystal diaphragm dynamic driver
• Freq. Response : 20~32000Hz
• Sensitivity : 122dB
• Impedance : 35 ohm
• Distortion : less than 0.5% (1 kHz)
• Cable Interface : MMCX

Drivability:

The OURART ACG is an earbud with an impedance of 35ohm and sensitivity of 122dB @1kHz. It can be driven pretty well with relative weak sources like smartphones, tablets, but shows its true potential if you pair it with more powerful sources like a Portable Amplifiers or DAP’s.





Equipment’s used for this review:

IEM’s : OURART ACG, TY Hi-Z 150s,
DAP&DAC’s : QLS QA361, Cayin N5II, Astell&Kern SR15, xDuuo Poke





Albums & tracks used for this review:

• Jeff Buckley – Last Goodbye (Flac 24bit/96kHz)
• Leonard Cohen – You Wnt it Darker (Flac 24/192kHz))
• Dave Gahan – Kingdom (Flac 16bit/44.1kHz)
• Eric Clapton – Wonderful Tonight True (Flac 24bit/96kHz)
• B.B. King – Riding With The King (Flac 24/192kHz)
• First Aid Kit - My Silver Lining (Flac 16bit/44.1kHz)
• London Grammar – Interlud (Live) (Flac 24bit/88kHz)
• Laura Pergolizzi – Lost On You “Live at Harvard and Stone” (Wav 16bit/44.1kHz)
• Rush’s - Leave That Thing Alone (Flac 16bit/44.1kHz)
• Liquid Tension Experiment 2 – Acid Rain (Flac 16bit/44.1kHz)
• Opeth – Damnation (Wav 16bit/44kHz)
• Metallica – Sad but True (Flac 24bit/96kHz)
• Megadeth - Sweating Bullets (Flac 24bit/96kHz)
• Slayer - Angel of Death (Flac 24bit/96kHz)
• Otto Liebert& Luna Negra – The River (DSF) – Binaural Recording
• Future Heroes – Another World (MP3 320kHz)
• Vivaldi – Le QuarttroStagioni “The Four Season” (Wav 24bit/88kHz)
• Portishead’s - It Could Be Sweet (Flac 16bit/44.1kHz)
• Lorde – Team (Flac 24bit/48kHz)
• Tom Player – Resonace Theory (16bit/44.1kHz)
• Massive Attack – Angel (Flac 24bit/192kHz)
• Portishead – It Could Be Sweet (MP3 320kHz)

The Sound:

The OURART ACG has an slightly warmer than neutral tonality, with a nice amount of bass for an earbud (especially compared to those of the OURART Ti7), a musical and transparent midrange and a treble range that is pretty crispy/lively.



Please note that the sound performance of earphones may vary from user to user as the fit and ear anatomy greatly affects the overall performance.



Bass:

The general bass character of the OURART ACG is on the linear side with a slightly coloration in the midbass area.

The subbass area of the ACG is fairly flat in response and shows an average depth and extension, while the overall intensity und rumble is enough for genres like jazz or acoustic music.

The OURART ACG shows some coloration in the midbass area that has more presence than the subbass region. This frequency area is adding the ACG earbud a nice amount of warmth and body and is very detailed for this price category. The intensity and speed of this frequency region is on a good level, especially for a sub 100 USD erabud, while the extension is on an moderate level.

They are no negative situations like a muddiness or a bass bleed that could affect the clarity and clarity and detail retrieval of the ACG.

A warmer and thicker than neutral source would be the ideal pairing for the OURART ACG.

Midrange:

The first noticeable character of OURART ACG’s midrange is the clarity that is presented while listening to my favorite tracks. The tonality is not analytical only a bit warmish but not very thick in its presentation.

When it comes to the vocal performance, I can say that both male and female vocals are represented in a quite clean, detailed and emotional way. Male vocals benefits from the lower midrange depth, while female vocals are vivid and crisp.

The OURART ACG performs pretty well and is showing a very nice timber with instruments such as guitars, violins or the pianos. The ACG is also quite good successful in terms of detail retrieval, clarity and for the separation of each note.

The nice out of the head presentation of the OURART ACG makes the listen to vocals and instruments very pleasant, especially for an earbud in this price region.



Upper Midrange and Treble:

The upper midrange of the OURART ACG is detailed and is showing good extension. The extension and emphasis shows a good performance from female vocals to the instruments. The 3 kHz range sounds pretty controlled without to show any unwanted sibilance and harshness.

When it comes to the treble range I can say that it performs pretty well for an earbud in this price range. It is detailed, is well presented and is adding a nice feeling of sparkle and air to the sound. Instruments such like cymbals, bells or flutes are well extended and don’t sounding metallic or unnatural, while the overall treble presentation stills quite controlled.

Soundstage:

The OURART ACG is one of the earbuds which has a quite suitable soundstage for a precise separation of instruments and vocals. The stage is spacious and airy and is showing a nice “out of the head” presentation. When it comes to the width and to the depth of the stage, the ACG is showing more wideness than its depth which is on an average level.




Some Short Comparisons:


OURART ACG versus TY Hi-Z 150S

The TY Hi-Z 150S is an earphone with good subbass amount and depth. The OURART ACG on the other hand shows less subbass quantity, but sounds more controlled in this area. The ACG's midbass are superior to those of the 150S in terms of details and extension, which sounds somewhat veiled in this region.

The midrange of the OURART ACG shows slightly more clarity and detail than those of the TY Hi-Z 150S which sounds a bit warmer and fuller. The OURART ACG is superior in terms of female vocal performance, especially in areas like clarity and extension, while the TY Hi-Z 150S has the upper hand for male vocals due to its lower midrange depth.

The treble region of both the ACG and the 150S are detailed, while the OURART ACG has the slightly edge in terms of treble extension. It is showing a slightly more airy presentation has also a more natural sparkle in the upper treble region. The TY Hi-Z 150S is a bit sharp and prone to sibilance compared to the OURART ACG that shows better control in this region.

Both the TY Hi-Z 150S and OURART ACG are representing a "headphone like" experience when it comes to the soundstage. The main difference is that the soundstage of the OURART ACG has the upper hand in terms of depth, while the TY Hi-Z 150S has a slightly deeper stage.

OURART ACG versus TY Hi-Z F300M

The TY Hi-Z F300M has slightly more subbass quantity, depth and extension than those of the OURART ACG. The midbass area is showing similarities in terms of intensity and detail retrieval, while the ACG has the slightly edge for control.

The midrange of the TY Hi-Z F300M sounds a tad fuller compared to those of OURART ACG that shows otherwise slightly more clarity. Both earbuds are quite successful in terms of vocal and instrument presentation, while male vocals and instruments such like guitars or violas are more emotional with the F300M. The ACG on the other hand sounds more natural and emotional with female vocals and instruments like violins and pianos.

The upper midrange of the OURAT ACG shows a better and more natural extension compared to those of the TY Hi-Z F300M.

The treble range of both earbuds is well presented, while the ACG sounds more natural and controlled in this area. The OURART ACG has also the upper hand in terms of upper treble extension and detail retrieval. The TY Hi-Z F300M is somewhat sharp and a bit prone to sibilance.

The TY Hi-Z F300M and the OURART ACG are quite successful earbuds when it comes to the separation and accuracy of instruments and vocals. The soundstage of the ACG is wider, while the F300M has slightly better depth.







Conclusion:

The OURART ACG is a solid earbud that is made of metal, which has a very stylish and industrial look that separates it from other erabuds on the market. The amazing clarity and detail retrieval and the possibility of cable rolling making the ACG to a real bang for the buck.



Pros and Cons:

• + Clarity and detail retrieval
• + Treble and Midrange tonality
• + Upper midrange control
• + Build like a Tank
• + Cable is Removable

• - The quality of the stock cable is average

It is the very first take of mine on reviewing earbuds. Not that I haven’t ever used this type of earphones before but the constant feeling of something missing out of the sound prevented me from willing to write the reviews. It was the «delicacy» — a possibility to hear the tiniest nuances of each sound that is going directly to the eardrum, free of any noise and disturbances — that addicted me to the transparent presentation of IEMs. This review is not intended to give the new spin to earbuds versus IEMs confrontation. Instead, it is intended to show that even a huge fan of IEMs, one day, would face a model of earbuds that would get him very close to the verge of betrayal of all prior convictions. The model on the testing bench today is Ourart ACG.



Ourart ACG technical specifications:

• Type: earbuds
• Driver: dynamic driver, 14.2mm
• Diaphragm: ultra-thin titanium crystal
• Frequency response range: 20Hz — 32KHz
• Sensitivity: 122dB
• Impedance: 35Ω
• Distortion: < 0.5% (1KHz)
• Cable connectors: MMCX

Packaging, design and build quality:

ACG earbuds come in small square box with extra cardboard layer that contains shiny silver brand name and logo. The box itself repeats the visual style of the outer layer and has matt black finish with interesting rough surface pattern. Top box cover has folding design with strong retaining mechanism.



This box is common for several Ourart products and reminds about the packaging of luxury items like watches, rings or jewellery. The insides consist of one insert that secures earbuds at place while all the rest of the accessories are stored underneath.



Box contents:

• Ourart ACG earbuds
• audio cable, MMCX
• 7 pairs of exchangeable foam cushions
• cable clip

Ourart ACG have quite peculiar and very uncommon design of the shells. Usually, all earbuds would look more or less similar with some minor differences in the shape of back shell panels. Rarely there are some deviations from the sound output side towards experimenting with output channels. For example, I once owned Sony Groove earbuds with slightly protruding output channels that delivered much higher amount of lows in comparison to regularly shaped similar model.



Ourart went further and played much with the choice of materials, output side design and cavity that created such stunning look. Aluminum all around, wheel spokes, exposed diaphragm — don’t even want to hide all this beauty with the provided cushions… One extra feature that is usually not available for earbuds is the detachable cable.



Channel side marks are only available on the cable side since the shape of earbuds is symmetrical. MMCX connector ports are fully drawned inside the shells and have very tight fit.



Stock audio cable is packed into pretty thick silicone braid, equipped with plastic Y-splitter, aluminum limiter, transparent resin MMCX connectors and rubber audio jack housing. Red dot at one of the MMCX connectors identifies Right channel. Cable is also featuring in-line remote with mic.



This cable doesn’t feel as a premium one but neither it shows any issues in terms of the build quality. Mic effect is here and quite apparent.

Fit:

Probably the hardest part to describe for the fan of custom-like shaped IEMs with ergonimic design and deep output channel fit. First of all, the initial feel is as if the earbuds are trying to jump out and not held securely. Furthermore, the presence of lows as well as the entire sound picture changes dramatically when trying to change the position of the earbuds. The best position as for me is when the output side is directed strictly to the ear canal. Funny thing is that ACG won’t stay in this position naturally resulting in some loss in volumetric feel of the sound. No possibility to avoid such behavior. No problems other than that. ACG earbuds are not heavy as they look and hold pretty well.



Sound quality:

Tested with HiBy R6Pro DAP

Lows and midbass:

As it was mentioned in the section describing the fit — the performance, body and volume of lows would greatly depend of the earbud position. Slight shift would lead to great gain or loss. Therefore, I would try to describe what ACG are capable of with natural position (not trying to hold it tight with the fingers).

Didn’t expect from earbuds that bass would be so detailed, rich and textured. It definitely has the perceivable pattern. The reach and extension varies from moderate to impressively deep depending of the fit but staying pretty good even in the natural position. Although, the contouring of lows is not that evident and precise. The amount of bass feels very slightly underpowered, more lacking in volume rather than gain. It never gets boomy even with the most bassy tracks. Accurare — yes, but not boomy.

Midbass is similarly sensitive to earbuds position varying from powerful and rich to slightly bright and underpowered. But even with the worst scenario is still able to reproduce tight and natural sound of drums with enough dynamics. Treble steps in a bit more in this case but the sound of drums doesn’t become irritating.



Mids and vocals:

Mids are not that influenced by the change in the position in terms of main characteristics and perception. They always feel full-bodied and natural without excessive tendency to accent female voices and upper part instruments. One of the main advantages is pretty high resolving potential leading to alrge amount of details here while keeping lovely balance and sweet thickness. No screaming, no extra bright emotions — everything is pretty even and melodic. Moreover, all instruemtns are perfectly distinguishable in the entire mix.



Treble:

Ourart ACG is another impressing side of of the sound… It is very clear, higly detailed and feels extended even in the natural position. At the same time, it sound pretty thick and perfectly controlled. The amount of presence is slighly excessive in comparison to mids but the sound doesn’t feel overly bright. Ourart has managed to maintain very good balance between the clarity and presence of treble that might even become an example for some hybrid IEMs. Of course, some micro details are lost due to the fit specifics together with the delicacy and intimacy but this is the physics that is inevitable for all earbuds in comparison to IEMs.



Soundstage:

Might have been larger and deeper if the fit would be more tight. Range layering and instruments separation are both excellent and not influenced by the position. It is about the lack of volume of lows and midbass that would not fill the space to make the stage wider and deeper. Anyway, very disctinct performance of all instrumetns in overall partially compensates a bit limited stage size.



Sound in overall:

Ourart ACG sound could be described as slightly tending to bright tonality, with excellent bass texturing, full midbass presence, thick and detailed mids, impressive resolution, very clear and detailed treble. Sound greatly depends of the earbuds position and varies from balanced and full with the best position to brighter tonality with limited extension and presence of lows at their natural position.



Comparisons:

The main conclusion that I’ve made is that Ourart ACG sound very close and even outperform such respected IEMs like BQEYZ KB100 (for example) but only after getting used to their specific fit. Another conclusion is that I’ve never heard anything like this before while testing other earbuds in $10-50 range. But the precise comparisons can only be done when I’d have other earbuds on hands.



Conclusion:

Never preferred earbuds over IEMs but Ourart ACG forced me to reconsider this attitude. Strong feeling after testing its performance that shifting is now possible, especially when less distancing from the surrounding environment is a must. My doubts about earbuds audio quality seems to be disproved by Ourart ACG performance, at least for myself. Sound is full of details, rich with textures, well balanced and very disctinct — totally competitive to high-quality IEMs. If to ever consider earbuds after some experience with IEMs or in case if upgrading from other model — Ourart ACG seems to the best mass-market option currently available.

Ourart ACG available at PenonAudio store

Introduction

The Ourart ACG are physically the same as the Ti7. Even all their packaging is the same. The only difference between the two is at the level of accessories. The Ti7 comes with an extra bag of 8 full foams and a braided cable that looks higher quality. ACGs, on the other hand, come with a plastic-coated cable with microphone and three button control.

This time Ourart has chosen to use an Ultra thin custom titanium crystal diaphragm dynamic driver, which guarantees softness and delicacy, without losing durability. The frequency range has increased to 32kHz, the sensitivity has also increased to 122dB, even the impedance has increased, 35Ω

As far as their sonorous characteristics are concerned, the ACGs have a clear orientation towards the upper part, strengthening both the high mids and the treble, in presence and in extension. The lower zone, in its frequency response, is practically the same as the Ti7.

In the following review, we will go into more detail about their sound.



Specifications

• Driver: 14.2mm Ultra thin custom titanium crystal diaphragm dynamic driver
• Frequency range: 20Hz-32000Hz
• Sensitivity: 122dB
• Impedance: 35Ω
• Distortion Ratio: <0.5% (1kHz)
• Cable: 1.2m, Jack: 3.5mm, gold-plated
• Type of capsule connection: MMCX

Packaging

The packaging is the same as Ti7, so the description will be practically identical. The box is almost cubic, dimensions 100x100x75, completely black, with the logo of the brand and the letters in silver. Once the cardboard cover is removed, a box lined in shiny black appears. Its upper part is the same as the cardboard cover, but is slightly padded. On the bottom there is a sticker with the specifications and the name of the model.
When the chest is opened, the earbuds are embedded in a thick foam mould. They come with donut foam. This time, the cable is not connected and is different. It is a cable covered in black plastic, with microphone and three control buttons. The connector is 3.5mm, gold plated, with the L connector open.

The rest of the accessories:

• Two zip bags with 4 black donut foams, each.
• A particular and great clothespin.

The packaging, although already known, is spectacular. But this time, the cable with micro is, in my opinion, unnecessary and of inferior category than the earbuds. Again, I miss a carrying bag to protect such precious earphones. Also, it's strange that complete foams don't come.



Construction and Design

Nothing changes in the exterior construction with respect to Ti7. It only changes the driver used. This time an Ultra thin custom titanium crystal diaphragm dynamic driver has been mounted.
The rest is already known: The face where the sound is emitted resembles a tire of an old car. Its large openings let you glimpse a silver braided cable spiral. Indeed, they are wide car rims and donut foams are their tires.
No less shocking is the back of the drivers: a completely rectangular box of the same material and color. On the underside are the gold-plated MMCX connections. On the outside, the mark is read in fine black letters.
The ensemble is unique, impressive, spectacular and very daring.
For this occasion, the cable that comes with microphone, controls and plastic coating. A cable that I cannot find at the height of such a beautiful and spectacular design.



Adjustment and Ergonomics

The fit and ergonomics are just as bold as the design. The thickness of the capsules does not make it very suitable for all ears. And I think it's the main culprit of its sound, for better or worse.
Thanks to their shape and connection, ACGs can be used traditionally, downward or over the ear. Personally, for use on the ear, I recommend cables with guides, as they favor a better fixation of the earbuds in the ears.
As I said, the thickness of the capsules prevents, in my case, an optimal fit and sealing. This is something that does not change, regardless of the position, either traditional or on the ear. This wide shape can also cause some discomfort during long listening sessions.



Sound

Profile

On this occasion the ACGs differ from their Ti7 brothers in that they have a profile oriented to mid and high frequencies. The high mids are more emphasized and the highs are more present and extensive. The lower zone, despite the large size of the driver and its greater thinness, still has the same ratio of presence with respect to other areas.



Bass

The ACG's bass continues in the light line, with a fast, dry hit, compact but soft. Turning towards the cold side, they are perceived with a limited depth, with a very short sub-bass below 40Hz. The low midrange offers a lighter presence, but does not predominate over the rest of the ranges at any time. The texture is more detailed in this case, it seems that the thinner driver is able to provide higher resolution in this sense. Be that as it may, the lower zone is penalized by the chubby shape of the capsules, which prevents a more optimal sealing, because the contact zone is limited. Thus, the real capacity of the drivers in this area is missed.



Mids

Clearly, they can be divided into two parts: below 2Khz and above 2Khz. In this sense the central zone is presented in V. Thus, the voices are presented with a certain distance and a somewhat irregular body, due to this slight imbalance. They feel a certain hollowness, a feeling of emptiness that generates an absence of warmth and pronounces that perception of soft sinking, more pronounced in male voices. However, the exalted high part of the mids offers a level of detail and subtlety, which gives the voices delicacy and more revealing nuances, despite the distance. It also affects the rest of the midrange, providing a high level of resolution and micro detail.
This perception of mids in V favors that the sonorous presentation is clearly inclined towards the high part of the sonorous spectrum.
The timbre is kept on the edge of naturalness, always on the cold side, but without sounding unreal, just a little longer in its brilliant echo.



Treble

The outstanding zone of the ACGs, both in presence, extension and speed, but without excesses or very undesirable effects. The trebles are already thrown from the upper mids and then offer the typical spark between 7 and 8kHz that many earbuds present in their frequency response. But in this case the ACGs hold the type up to 20kHz without decaying too much. This clearly explains the reason for their extension and justifies the air that is perceived in these earbuds.
The highs are sharp, clearly perceptible and definite, crunchy, fine but not too sharp, barely hurtful. Not even in the songs most susceptible to it that I possess. In addition, they enjoy quite good resolution, detail and texture. The only negative theme is a certain probability to present certain sibilances in prone themes. Which can be easily solved by using two full foams or full foams plus donuts..



Soundstage, Separation

The scene is very explicit and descriptive, due to the large amount of details and micro details revealed, in addition to its remarkable level of resolution. Its width is evident, even its height, but its depth is not so much, also due to the level of detail so present, which positions the instruments in the foreground. The clear feeling of air eliminates any hint of congestion, generating an almost excellent separation. Only the high level of brightness generates a certain absence of silence, resulting in a more energetic than relaxed listening.

Comparisons

Ourart Ti7

The first and clear reference of the ACG, are their twin brothers, the Ti7. Similar but not equal. They are very similar in their lower zone, I only perceive a different texture in the ACG, more detailed and with better resolution. In the mid zone there are bigger differences: The Ti7 have a more compensated, full, rounded midrange, with more body and better presence. Meanwhile, the ACG feel more unequal, with that certain distance in the voices, but with more brightness in their echo. An inequality that is accentuated in the upper mids and, above all, in the trebles, where the presence and extension in the ACG dwarfs the filed naturalness of the Ti7.
As for the scene, both are wide but different. The Ti7 have more silence, more space, where the ACG shine with brightness, details and energy, the Ti7 are more calm and peaceful. Some are light (ACG), others softness (Ti7), some are air, others silence, some are close, others are ethereal.



ISN Rambo

Apart from the construction and design, which shamelessly falls on the side of the ACGs, the comfort is greater in the ISNs. Its classic PK capsule is small and comfortable. It also has a design that favors the lower zone somewhat more than the ACG. The differences in the lower zone are very audible, both in presence, as in extension and depth, clearly surpassing the Rambo to the ACG. The lower zone of the ISN is much more complete and it is perceived wider and predominant in the sound, in comparison with the ACG. In the only aspects where the Ourart win is in texture, speed and resolution, sounding more controlled and fine, against a rawer and more forceful presentation of the Rambo.
Already, in the mid zone, the voices of the ISNs sound warmer and influenced by their lower zone. The ACG raise a sonority in them cleaner, more distant, something more natural and less congested. As usually happens with PK capsules, their central lower part sounds much more emphasized and present. And although in the Rambo it has been quite light, it suffers from the air that the ACG do have, and in great quantity. Although it is also true that sometimes they give a sensation of excessive distance, comparatively speaking. The mids of both are quite different, especially in sonority, body and the planes where they are perceived.
In the upper zone, despite having similar graphs, the real perception is still conditioned by the shape of their capsules. In the ACG the treble sounds free and explicit, in the Rambo, with that slight spark, but restrained and content. Their influence on the sound is much lower than in the Ourart. In this sense, this influence is the other way around, the Rambo base their sound from the low zone and the ACG, from the high zone. In the same way, the extension is directed in the same sense, being, then, more extensive in trebles the ACGs.
In terms of scene, larger and wider in the ACG, also have more air and feeling of cleanliness and clarity. But also a certain distance in the mids, with sharper front and nearer, perceiving the detail very close. The Rambo, however, have a greater depth and despite their warmth, the clarity and separation is quite good, with a good dose of transparency and some darkness, comparatively speaking.



Conclusion

The Ourart ACG are the brilliant brother of the Ti7: a revision towards a more energetic sound, that looks for greater detail, resolution and a different dynamic, more aggressive and risky in its treble spectrum, without it supposes anything negative, beyond the warning of its presence. All those who think that earbuds are dark and blunt, the detractors of this type of capsules, are in front of the best example that they are wrong. Come in and hear.



Sources Used During the Analysis

• F.Audio S1
• Burson Audio Playmate

Ratings

• Construction and Design: 95
• Adjustment/Ergonomics: 65
• Accessories: 65
• Bass: 65
• Mids: 80
• Treble: 90
• Separation: 85
• Soundstage: 90
• Quality/Price: 85

Purchase link

https://penonaudio.com/ourart-acg.html

You can read my full review in spanish here:

https://hiendportable.com/2019/05/25/ourart-acg-review/

source for the review - Sabaj DA3

Albums used for the review

Diana Krall - When I Look In Your Eyes {24-96}
Nirvana - MTV Unplugged In New York (Album)
Xiomara Laugart - Tears and Rumba (2015) [192-24](Album)
Xiomara Laugart (2006) Xiomara (24-96)(Album)
Xiomara Laugart (2010) La Voz (24-88)(Album)
Diana Krall - Live In Paris [2002]
Björk - Greatest Hits (SHM-CD,Japan)- 2002
Ayo - Joyful (2006-2014) [24-96]
Ayo - Ayo (2017 24-44.1)
Jacintha - Jacintha Is Her Name (Dedicated To Julie London) 2003 (ISO)
Melissa Menago - Little Crimes (2016) [FLAC 24]
Norah Jones - Little Broken Hearts (2012 AP Box Set Disk 5) {Hybrid Stereo SACD} [ISO]
Norah Jones - The Fall (2012 AP Box Set - Disk 4) {Hybrid Stereo SACD} [ISO]
Sara K - Hell Or High Water (2006) [SACD} {Stockfisch Records}
Sara K. - No Cover (Chesky Records - Studio Master)

specs
Drive unit: 14.2 mm ultra-thin titanium crystal diaphragm dynamic driver
Frequency response range: 20~32000Hz
Sensitivity: 122dB
Impedance: 35 ohms
Interface: MMCX
Price - $59 from Penon

Last year i bought ACG from Penon, not a lot of impressions of the sound at that time. There was some impressions for the other model - TI7, very positive, in the description ACG is supposed to be less warm with improved resolution, that was the reason for my decision to go with the ACG.
I was not into earbuds before the purchase, however i needed something without isolation and the earbuds was the way to go.

Packaging


Box with glossy finish, MMCX cable with Mic and 3 buttons, 4 pairs of foam covers

Build, fit and comfort
Excellent metal build, they are small so the comfort is very high in my case, i don't feel them at all, they have some weight but not enough to make them uncomfortable.

Overall sound signature.
Midrange focus with excellent natural timber and precision in the treble.

Bass
Lows are the only week point of that earbud, they lack sub bass, mid and upper bass is there with very good quality, very delicate and natural sounding, a little bit light for modern music but for jazz and acoustic the bass is enough and the instruments sound full and natural. The bass has good control and the speed is excellent.
Tight and fast bass but with lack of sub bass.

Mids
That is the strongest point of that earbud, the mids have openness that can be found only in open back headphones. Midrange sound like is coming from a speaker without enclosure, very open and clean sounding with natural timber. It is a little bit forward but not much, vocals sound very different from in ear headphone, extremely open and realistic. The mids are not colored, they sound tonally correct with every type of vocals, male and female. The instruments in that range also sound natural with nothing jumping at you in the upper or lower mids.
Overall very transparent and high quality mids that are comparable with very good open back headphones (like HifiMan HE500)

Treble
Is extended, not dark but is not forward in the mix. Very delicate and gentle but is there and it has good overall resolution. The treble is very good but is not standing out like the midrange. Fast with very good details but for treble lovers the quantity will not be enough. I really like the treble tonality and how it stays there but is letting the mids to take the lead in the overall signature.

Soundstage and imaging.
The soundstage is wide and deep. It is different from in ear headphone, more natural and open, like there is noting behind the driver. The imaging is holographic and very 3D like, specific in every direction adding new layers compared to earphones. I would say they are very close to full size open headphones in that regard.

Detail retrieval and transient response.
Resolution is high, is not projected in a aggressive way, but if you listen enough time you will notice that they resolve a lot of detail without trying to smack you in the head with it. Transient response is very fast, from top to bottom, the driver must be very light and reacts that way, you will never experience congestion on busy and complex tracks, very quick and always keeping the separation of the instruments under control.

Conclusion.
I love that earbud and i am not the only one, they are so good that i have no urge to try other earbuds.
If you are not into bass heavy music, love vocals and music with real instruments, they are exceptional sounding earbuds.

Have a good one.

Introduction
‘Easy to start but difficult to conclude’ yes this words are true when I am talking about Earbuds. Every time I get my hands on a new Earbud, it seems it’s my endgame Bud. But as soon as I try a new one the whole game changes immediately. The point is, there is no end of favorite Earbuds and some of them are truly magnificent. This time Penon Audio has sent me the OURART ACG for review and I tried to cast my honest review on this fantastic Earbud. I am doing this review after a burn-in for 100 hours and this bud really need at least 100 hour of burn-in to open up completely.

Specification
Drive unit - 14.2 mm ultra-thin titanium crystal diaphragm dynamic driver
Frequency response range - 20~32000Hz
Sensitivity - 122dB
Impedance - 35 ohm
Distortion - less than 0.5% (1KHz)
Interface - MMCX

What’s inside the Box
Earbud itself,
3.5 mm mmcx cable with Mic,
8 pairs of foam cushion,
Shirt clip.

Buying link - https://penonaudio.com/ourart-acg.html

Source
OURART ACG is a 35 ohms earbud but need plenty of power to shine thanks to its 122db sensitivity, still you can run it easily with your phone at around 80% volume. I have used my RealMe C1, Fiio q1 mk2, Fiio q5 to evaluate OURART ACG.

Tracks/ Albums used
Adele – 21
Adele - 25
Bob Marley & The Wailers - Kaya (40th Anniversary Edition)
Eagles - Hotel California (40th Anniversary Expanded Edition)
Eric Clapton - Unplugged (1992)
Don Henley - I Can't Stand Still
Fleetwood Mac – Rumours
Daft Punk - Random Access Memories
Ed Sheeran - ÷ (Deluxe)
Nina Simone - The Best Of Nina Simone
The Beatles - Abbey Road (Remastered)

Presentation, Design & Build Quality
Earbuds usually comes in either cheap card board boxes or plastic pouches and its justified because they sometime priced around 5$ to 20$. When spending more than 50$ on any Earbud/IEM you can easily expect a good presentation, design and build quality. OurArt packed everything in two different boxes. Cable, foam cushions and a shirt clip packed in a transparent plastic box where the Earbuds is in a fancy glossy black Jewelry box. Yes Jewelry box, like that comes with your wedding rings. That jewelry type box is holding the buds firmly and not going to move a bit in transit. So in terms of presentation and accessories thumbs up form me, only missing a carry case.
Supplied cable is a Good MMCX cable. I am calling it good because there are really very good things in it. First of all the angular 3.5 mm audio jack like we familiar with Bose earphones , this angular plugs even works better than ‘L’ type in practical situation. While your device in your pocket; this type of angular plug is very helpful. The cable is made out of soft rubber type of material, the silver colored splitter and in line controls buttons really look beautiful on it. In line controls working fine (Single click play/pause, two simultaneous clicks for next, three rapid clicks for previous track, Top and bottom for volume +, - ) on my android phones . Call quality of the microphone is also good. MMCX plugs are also very high in quality, I have tried this cable with my other iems and it worked very well. Just a gentle push and snap, but I am missing the silver/black touch on those plugs. In seller’s product page, it is clearly mentioned that changing cables effect sound signature of ACG and I have noticed same thing and will discuss this later in this review.
Thanks God, no more plastic shell in Earbuds, the build quality is best I have ever seen in any Earbud. OurArt ACG completely made out of metal and machined such a perfect way that not a single mark of imperfection on them. ‘The shape is inspired by the running wheel hub’ yes true it’s like a running wheel design. Front side vents are wide open and you can see through the drivers easily. There are 4 holes back of the bud to normalize air pressure inside the Earbud. OURART branding on the buds are clearly mentioned but no ‘L’ or ‘R’ marking which is sad. I even tried wearing it over the ear like most of the iems and worked very well. So very much satisfied by the design and built.

Sound
Judging the sound of OurArt ACG was interesting. Like my other buds I let it burn-in for 100 hours using 1more Smart Burn-in Android app and started listening. It was my daily driver for past 20 days and wants to share some minor things before jumping into the sound analysis. Firstly most of my Earbuds are made out of EMX500 shell and the face diameter of ACG is smaller than EMX500, as a result I have to put two donut foam tips or wear it over the ear. Those who complain that EMX500 shell is painful for them, I can assure this ACG shell will be helpful for you guys. Second thing is sound leakage, though we all know Earbuds leak sound a bit but ACG sound leakage is higher side. Maybe the wide open vents are responsible for it. Ok let’s see how ACG performed.

Bass
14.2 mm driver is generally pretty large enough to produce good amount of lower frequency but ACG’s ‘ultra-thin titanium crystal diaphragm dynamic driver ‘is not for heavy bass. Don’t think there is no bass at all; instead I can call it light Bassy Earbud. The quantity of Bass is less but quality is actually very good. Bass is fast, accurate. The bass is rather Mid-bass rather than Sub-Bass; therefore it’s much punchier. The rumble is not there still the accuracy impressed me a lot. Both the songs ‘Dreams’ by Fleetwood Mac and ‘Instant Crush’ by Daft Punk is quite enjoyable. Sudden jump from a Bassy earbud/iem may feel that ACG is bass shy but after finishing few albums, the punch of bass in ACG proved how mature it is. In addition I have tried to cover the 4 back air vents with tape but no such improvement bass response noticed. Use of a third party hybrid cable improved the bass region a bit so I highly recommend a high quality hybrid cable with OurArt ACG.

Mids
Mid range where ACG nailed it all other Earbuds I have. Mid range is transparent and natural; no coloration at all. Easy to hear and every no note is crisp and well articulated. Male vocals are a bit emphasized than female vocals. I don’t have any measuring equipment but I can say a good amount of Brilliance is there and sometimes it creating a sense of aggressiveness. The speed and precision on vocals are unmatchable in any Earbud I have tried till now. All the songs from Ed Sheeran’s ‘÷’ sounds delicate and live like. Nina Simone’s ‘Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood’ is sounding just perfect, lots of emotion is there. Really enjoyed the song ‘Talking To The Moon’ by Don Henley.

Treble
Upper frequency is well extended. It is clear that OurArt is tuned keeping mids and highs. Treble part is airy and adding enough crispiness when it needed. No Sibilance is there at all. The presence of sparkle is adding a sense of shimmer therefore very tasteful. No noticeable spike noticed while listening. The song ‘ Sun is Shining’ by Bob Marley is one of my favorite and the upper frequency part is enjoyable with only good iems , this time OurArt ACG rendered the song very well .

Soundstage, Imaging & Instrument Separation
Soundstage in Ourart ACG is very very good in terms of width and depth. It is really unbelievable such kind of headphone like soundstage in Earbud. Imaging is also very good and accurate; it performed with busy and complex tracks very well. In the song ‘Oh Daddy’ by Fleetwood Mac on ACG is enough to prove it’s real potential. Instrument separation is also very good.

Comparison
When talking about ACG the oblivious question is going to come, ‘What is the difference between OurArt ACG and OurArt Ti7?’ Actually I can’t answer this question directly because I don’t have the Ti7 unit. These tow buds look really similar and specs are also almost same. In the product page of seller OurArt mentioned a short comparison chart between this two buds, and as the characteristics mentioned by OurArt for ACG is true I believe the comparison should also be legit. So here it is for reference.

Conclusion
In terms of price to performance ratio, OurArt ACG performed way better than its price. Tight bass, natural mids and sparkling treble that’s what I prefer and OurArt ACG just did it for such a trivial price. Wide soundstage and well execution of micro details in a well built Earbud , what else a Earbud lover want ? may be nothing more.