Disclaimer: I purchased this with a reviewer discount at 30% off and got a custom shell/faceplate for free (costs 20 usd extra). Thank you very much
Price: 78 usd (I paid 55 usd)
Specifications:
Sensitivity: 106db SPL/mW
Impedance: 26 ohms @1KHz
Frequency range: 20Hz-20KHz
Accessories:
Carry case
S/M/L silicone wide bore tips
Cleaning tool
Cable: A new cable from the one I previously got with the GD3A. This one measures at 0.14 ohm. Has a working chin-slider and a metal divider/connector. No need to change the cable.
Build: Resin shell + metal nozzle with a lip. Average size, unvented shell.
Fit: Very good for me.
Comfort: Due to the pressure build-up, it’s not that good for me. The shell shape is very good though.
Isolation: Top tier due to the ventless shell and shell shape that covers my entire ears.
Setup: Schiit Asgard 3 (low-gain, volume around 8 o´clock), Elecom EHP-CAP20 tips, stock cable 3.5mm
Lows: A neutral tuned iem, with very low bass quantity for my taste´s but works for this tuning. Clean due to the speed and tightness as expected from a BA, although timbre is not that good.
Mid-bass: Metallica – fight fire with fire (01:11-01:52), clean due to the low quantity and fast/tight bass, treble is a bit harsh and peaky though. The (02:55-03:01) section with the chopper is clean and hearable.
Hiroyuki Sawano – Pretenders (01:18-01:47), quantity is on the lower side although decent texture for a BA, clean due to the speed and tightness.
Sub-bass: Djuro – Drop that bass (01:15-01:30), lacking a lot in extension and rumble. Punch quantity is also quite low that lacks texture, is clean due to the speed/tightness.
Will Sparks – Sick like that (03:08-03:22), very lacking in texture and quantity. Fast and tight though.
Mids: Female vocal specialist, this is what you are getting the ST1 for and it does it excellent, both tonally correct, forward and clean with decent timbre. Male vocals lack warmth though and timbre isn’t as accurate as with female vocals, but still very clean and forward.
Female-vocals: Hiroyuki Sawano – OldToday (01:25-01:52), Vocal tonality is excellent, very forward and clean as well, timbre is good. Instrument tonality however, lacks warmth and timbre isn’t that good, very clean and detailed though.
Yuki Hayashi – MightU (01:58-02:55), Excellent vocal tonality, very clean/detailed with good timbre. Instrument tonality is great, very clean and detailed but timbre isn’t that good.
Evanescence – Bring me to life (01:18-01:35), a bit shouty vocals and peaky/harsh treble.
Hiroyuki Sawano – Crescent (02:07-02:26), sharp treble and very fatiguing.
Male-vocals: Hiroyuki Sawano – Pretenders (00:57-01:17), Clean and forward vocals, but lacks some warmth and timbre is just ok.
Hiroyuki Sawano – Scapegoat (00:57-01:17), Both vocals and instrument tonality lacks a lot of warmth, and not that good timbre. Vocals are forward and overall, quite clean though.
Treble: Linkin Park – Shadow of the Day (03:24-03:42), electric guitars are quite sharp and fatiguing.
Deuce – America (03:03-03:16), very sharp treble and quite chaotic (separation and imaging can’t keep up).
Hiroyuki Sawano – Lose (string version) (01:22-01:59), Cello tonality lacks warmth with decent timbre and texture, very clean and detailed though. Violin tonality, detail and clarity are quite good but lacking in treble-extension and timbre.
Hiroyuki Sawano &Z (02:18-02:57), tonality could be better as well as timbre, but clean and detailed.
Soundstage: Width is decent, but lacking in depth.
Tonality: Bright-neutral, tuned as a vocal specialist but timbre isn’t that good besides the vocals.
Details: Below-average, bottlenecked by it being a single BA.
Instrument Separation: Below-average, bottlenecked by it being a single BA.
Songs that highlight the IEM:
Good genres: Acoustic/vocal specialist
Bad genres: Everything else
Comparisons:
IEM: KBEAR Neon, Final Audio Type E Tips S, stock cable 3.5mm
Bass: Djuro – Drop that bass (01:15-01:30), extends lower and rumbles more on the ST1. Punch quantity is a bit higher and more textured on the ST1, a bit faster and tighter on the Neon. Tonality and timbre are a bit better on the ST1.
Hiroyuki Sawano – Pretenders (01:18-01:47), more quantity and texture on the ST1, similar speed and tightness.
Metallica – fight fire with fire (01:11-01:52), similar clean bass, although treble is harsher and peakier on the ST1.
Mids: Hiroyuki Sawano – OldToday (01:25-01:52), vocal tonality is slightly better on the ST1, but is shoutier, a bit more forward, a bit better clarity due to that but similar detail, timbre is a bit better on the Neon. Instrument tonality, timbre and detail are a bit better on the ST1 but also a bit peakier treble.
Evanescence – Bring me to life (01:18-01:35), shoutier and peakier on the ST1.
Hiroyuki Sawano – Scapegoat (00:57-01:17), vocal clarity is a lot better on the ST1 but better tonality on the Neon, similar timbre. Instrument tonality is a bit better on the ST1 while timbre is a bit better on the Neon.
Treble: Linkin Park – Shadow of the Day (03:24-03:42), electric guitars are a lot sharper on the ST1.
Hiroyuki Sawano – Lose (string version) (01:22-01:59), Cello tonality, timbre, texture and detail are better on the ST1. Violin tonality, texture, detail and treble-extension are a bit better on the ST1 while timbre is better on the Neon.
Hiroyuki Sawano &Z (02:18-02:57), tonality and timbre are better on the Neon while it is cleaner on the ST1.
Technicalities: Shiro Sagisu – Hundred years war (02:24-02:57), similar width, a little bit deeper on the ST1. Macro-detail is a bit better on the ST1, while imaging, separation, micro-details and timbre are on par.
Overall: The ST1 does win in more factors, but personally the treble on the Neon is much better to me since it doesn’t offend me like the ST1´s peaky/harsh treble do, so they are tied for me especially since the factors that the ST1 is better in, isn’t that big.
| ST1 | Neon | |
| Sub-bass | + | - |
| Mid-bass | + | - |
| Lower-mids | + | - |
| Upper-mids | + | - |
| Treble | - | + |
| Upper-treble | = | = |
| Soundstage | + | - |
| Imaging | = | = |
| Separation | = | = |
| Macro-detail | + | - |
| Micro-detail | = | = |
| Timbre | = | = |
IEM: TForce Audio Yuan Li, Elecom EHP-CAP20 tips L, stock cable 3.5mm
Bass: Djuro – Drop that bass (01:15-01:30), extends a lot deeper and rumbles a bit more on the Yuan Li. Punch quantity is higher and more textured on the Yuan Li, tighter and faster on the ST1 though. More tonally correct and better timbre on the Yuan Li.
Hiroyuki Sawano – Pretenders (01:18-01:47), a bit more quantity and a lot more texture on the Yuan Li, tighter and faster on the ST1. More tonally correct and better timbre on the Yuan LI.
Metallica – fight fire with fire (01:11-01:52), similarly clean bass but more detailed on the Yuan Li,
Mids: Hiroyuki Sawano – OldToday (01:25-01:52), Similar tonality and quantity, but cleaner, more detailed and better timbre on the Yuan Li. Instrument tonality is very similar but cleaner, more detailed and a lot better timbre on the Yuan Li.
Evanescence – Bring me to life (01:18-01:35), peakier treble on the ST1 and a bit shoutier.
Hiroyuki Sawano – Scapegoat (00:57-01:17), extremely similar tonality, but better timbre, detail and clarity on the Yuan Li.
Treble: Linkin Park – Shadow of the Day (03:24-03:42), electric guitars are a lot sharper on the ST1, better timbre on the Yuan Li.
Hiroyuki Sawano – Lose (string version) (01:22-01:59), Cello tonality is very similar, but better texture, detail, clarity and timbre on the Yuan Li. Violin tonality is slightly better on the ST1, but better timbre and detail on the Yuan Li, similar treble-extension.
Hiroyuki Sawano &Z (02:18-02:57), better tonality, timbre and detail on the Yuan Li.
Technicalities: Shiro Sagisu – Hundred years war (02:24-02:57), deeper and a little bit wider on the Yuan Li. Detail, imaging, separation and timbre are better on the Yuan Li.
Overall: The Yuan Li on some tracks, sounds extremely similar to the ST1 and is a true upgrade to it in those cases. On some other tracks, the Yuan Li is different, in it being less bright (better treble) and in those cases it isn’t a “true” upgrade, but it is better than the ST1.
| ST1 | Yuan Li | |
| Sub-bass | - | + |
| Mid-bass | - | + |
| Lower-mids | - | + |
| Upper-mids | - | + |
| Treble | - | + |
| Upper-treble | = | = |
| Soundstage | - | + |
| Imaging | - | + |
| Separation | - | + |
| Macro-detail | - | + |
| Micro-detail | = | = |
| Timbre | - | + |
IEM: GS Audio GD3A, Elecom EHP-CAP20 tips L, cable A6 4.4mm
Bass: Djuro – Drop that bass (01:15-01:30), extends a lot deeper and rumbles more on the GD3A. Punch quantity is higher and more textured, a bit faster/tighter on the ST1. More tonally correct and better timbre on the GD3A.
Hiroyuki Sawano – Pretenders (01:18-01:47), A bit more quantity and more texture on the GD3A, similar speed and tightness. More tonally correct and better timbre on the GD3A.
Metallica – fight fire with fire (01:11-01:52), bass quantity, speed and tightness are similar but more textured on the GD3A. Cleaner and a lot more detailed on the GD3A. Treble is a bit peakier on the ST1. More tonally correct and better timbre on the GD3A.
Mids: Hiroyuki Sawano – OldToday (01:25-01:52), a bit more forward vocals on the ST1, but very similar tonality, a lot more detailed, cleaner and better timbre on the GD3A. Instrument tonality, timbre, detail and clarity are leagues ahead on the GD3A.
Evanescence – Bring me to life (01:18-01:35), shoutier and peakier on the ST1.
Hiroyuki Sawano – Scapegoat (00:57-01:17), vocal and instrument tonality, detail and timbre are a lot better on the GD3A. Vocals are a bit more forward on the ST1 though. More tonally correct and better timbre on the GD3A.
Treble: Linkin Park – Shadow of the Day (03:24-03:42), electric guitars is sharper on the ST1 and more fatiguing due to the brighter tonality.
Hiroyuki Sawano – Lose (string version) (01:22-01:59), Cello tonality, timbre, texture and detail are a lot better on the GD3A. Violin tonality is somewhat similar, but a lot cleaner, more detailed, better timbre and a bit better treble-extension on the GD3A.
Hiroyuki Sawano &Z (02:18-02:57), better tonality, timbre and detail on the GD3A.
Technicalities: Shiro Sagisu – Hundred years war (02:24-02:57), wider and a LOT deeper soundstage on the GD3A, holographic. Detail, imaging and separation are leagues ahead on the GD3A. Timbre is also better on the GD3A.
Overall: Well, the GD3A pretty much murders the ST1 in every aspect, female vocals are about on par though (excluding tech difference).
| ST1 | GD3A | |
| Sub-bass | - | + |
| Mid-bass | - | + |
| Lower-mids | - | + |
| Upper-mids | = | = |
| Treble | - | + |
| Upper-treble | - | + |
| Soundstage | - | + |
| Imaging | - | + |
| Separation | - | + |
| Macro-detail | - | + |
| Micro-detail | - | + |
| Timbre | - | + |
Conclusion: If you want a BA iem that is neutral, it is a niche recommendation. BUT I would just recommend that you get the GS Audio GD3A instead if you don’t have the driver setup criteria because the GD3A stomps the ST1 pretty hard and is similarly priced.
Graph:
Cable source:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...zTm4ei7HEfP8AI1zxswrMw2ho/edit#gid=1801072063
Reference/test songs:
