Before starting this review, I would like to share the technical aspects and package details.
Specifications:
Driver: 11mm Dynamic Driver
Frequency response: 20 ~ 20,000 Hz
Sensitivity: 106dB/mV
Impedance: 16ohm
Package Details:
Rhapsodio Saturn earphone and stock cable
6 pair silicon tips
1 Cleaning tool
1 carrying case
Test Equipment:
Lotoo Paw Gold Titanium
Opus #1
Astell Kern AK120
Astell Kern AK70
Package, Design & Isolation;
Saturn comes with a box that can be called as simple. The package includes pelican case-like protection box and 6 double silicon tips. Saturn has only 1 faceplate option which is a wooden faceplate. It looks quite good which I like it. The shell color is translucent brown. You can see the dynamic driver. Saturn is a quite big earphone. I can even say the biggest earphone I ever used. I thought I would have a problem with the fit when I first unpacked it, but I had fairly comfortable fit. Like the other Rhapsodio products, Saturn also comes with a 0.78mm 2 pin socket. My only complaint is the nozzle. It is really big and bold which I couldn’t use it with many tips that I have.
Sound Type:
Saturn has soft and smooth presentation, and it has strong and deep bass. Also, trebles are relaxed tones. General sound character is kind of V-shape, but the trebles are slightly behind in the overall presentation. Mids are behind but the vocals are a little bit forward. Saturn is a fairly easy to listen earphone, even though it has strong and deep bass. The reason is the non-aggressive trebles and laid back mid frequencies. Saturn’s level of detail is also good in some parts; however, the details are not prominent. If you want to hear the instruments in the music, you have to focus and hear it. I can say that the soundstage width is quite wide. In general, Saturn is an earphone with strong and deep bass, relaxed tones and smooth organic mids.
Trebles:
I think the trebles are Saturn’s weakest side. The trebles have a slightly relaxed, non-aggressive and it is not uncontrolled in the overall presentation. There is a roll-off in trebles. While this is negative for detail and resolution, but it also allows a long listening without fatigue. The tones, which are a little behind the dominant low frequencies, make the overall presentation warm and smooth. As a matter of fact, the trebles are detailed but they do not let you in because they are behind in the overall presentation. I can’t say that the it has higher level of details but in this price range, it’s performance is quite good.
I think this treble level is enough for some type of music genres, but it may not be enough for classical, jazz and instrumental music. However, Sammy made tuning for more smooth and organic sound, it does not promise much in this sense. The trebles do not get on top of the middle as elongation and detail.
Mids:
Mids are bit behind and slightly veiled. The organic and warm presentation is going on same as in the overall presentation. Mids are playing thick notes so it causes a thick stilted instrument audition. Instruments come up behind so it gets difficult to focus on hearing. One of the things I like about the mids is vocals. Mids’ vinyl-esque presentation is enjoyable in terms of vocals as well. Listening to the vocals is really enjoyable due to its dark and marshmallowy softness. I can say that vocals are close although the mids are back. The detail level of mid-frequencies is not so high but it is successful in terms of musicality and it is joyous. There can be mid hump while listening to some tracks and it can be tiring somewhat in particular tracks. Listeners who enjoy warm and smooth vocals are going to like Saturn too.
Bass:
The best range of Saturn is the low frequency. Bass is strong, authoritative and shaking your ears as it supposed to be in a dynamic driver. It goes deep and are good but it might lose control in dense bass tracks. Sub-bass is successful in terms of depth but it can be tiring sometimes due to the spreading in a wide area. Bass creates a club ambiance with its good performance in EDM and similar genres. It is slow and the recovery time is not so enough for the fast passages, but it is not disturbing at all. I listen to many different genres like EDM, classical music, jazz… So, I choose the earphones according to the genre I am going to listen to. At that point, Saturn is definitely good with genres like Pop, R&B or EDM, so I turn on EDM unintentionally, the depth and sweet structure of bass drives me to do that.
Soundstage:
The soundstage is quite wide. The instrument positioning on the stage is not super clear, however it is hard to say that there is interference. You just need to focus on the instruments. While listening to the particular tracks in high volume, it feels like the bass dominates the frequencies and narrows the overall soundstage. Still, the width of the soundstage is fine. In the sense of depth, there is no 3D holographic soundstage, but it still has a spacious and airy.
Verdict:
Saturn could have been a much better earphone if it can succeed in low frequencies same as the upper frequencies. However, it is a very enjoyable earphone to listen strong and authoritarian bass and organic vinyl-like presentation. The overall presentation is accompanied by the meaty vocals and bit thick instruments. There is a unique tuning of Saturn. This is a good earphone for lovers of this type of presentation. Even though there are assertive earphones in that price range, but Saturn has still a good performance in that range.
Specifications:
Driver: 11mm Dynamic Driver
Frequency response: 20 ~ 20,000 Hz
Sensitivity: 106dB/mV
Impedance: 16ohm
Package Details:
Rhapsodio Saturn earphone and stock cable
6 pair silicon tips
1 Cleaning tool
1 carrying case
Test Equipment:
Lotoo Paw Gold Titanium
Opus #1
Astell Kern AK120
Astell Kern AK70
Package, Design & Isolation;
Saturn comes with a box that can be called as simple. The package includes pelican case-like protection box and 6 double silicon tips. Saturn has only 1 faceplate option which is a wooden faceplate. It looks quite good which I like it. The shell color is translucent brown. You can see the dynamic driver. Saturn is a quite big earphone. I can even say the biggest earphone I ever used. I thought I would have a problem with the fit when I first unpacked it, but I had fairly comfortable fit. Like the other Rhapsodio products, Saturn also comes with a 0.78mm 2 pin socket. My only complaint is the nozzle. It is really big and bold which I couldn’t use it with many tips that I have.
Sound Type:
Saturn has soft and smooth presentation, and it has strong and deep bass. Also, trebles are relaxed tones. General sound character is kind of V-shape, but the trebles are slightly behind in the overall presentation. Mids are behind but the vocals are a little bit forward. Saturn is a fairly easy to listen earphone, even though it has strong and deep bass. The reason is the non-aggressive trebles and laid back mid frequencies. Saturn’s level of detail is also good in some parts; however, the details are not prominent. If you want to hear the instruments in the music, you have to focus and hear it. I can say that the soundstage width is quite wide. In general, Saturn is an earphone with strong and deep bass, relaxed tones and smooth organic mids.
Trebles:
I think the trebles are Saturn’s weakest side. The trebles have a slightly relaxed, non-aggressive and it is not uncontrolled in the overall presentation. There is a roll-off in trebles. While this is negative for detail and resolution, but it also allows a long listening without fatigue. The tones, which are a little behind the dominant low frequencies, make the overall presentation warm and smooth. As a matter of fact, the trebles are detailed but they do not let you in because they are behind in the overall presentation. I can’t say that the it has higher level of details but in this price range, it’s performance is quite good.
I think this treble level is enough for some type of music genres, but it may not be enough for classical, jazz and instrumental music. However, Sammy made tuning for more smooth and organic sound, it does not promise much in this sense. The trebles do not get on top of the middle as elongation and detail.
Mids:
Mids are bit behind and slightly veiled. The organic and warm presentation is going on same as in the overall presentation. Mids are playing thick notes so it causes a thick stilted instrument audition. Instruments come up behind so it gets difficult to focus on hearing. One of the things I like about the mids is vocals. Mids’ vinyl-esque presentation is enjoyable in terms of vocals as well. Listening to the vocals is really enjoyable due to its dark and marshmallowy softness. I can say that vocals are close although the mids are back. The detail level of mid-frequencies is not so high but it is successful in terms of musicality and it is joyous. There can be mid hump while listening to some tracks and it can be tiring somewhat in particular tracks. Listeners who enjoy warm and smooth vocals are going to like Saturn too.
Bass:
The best range of Saturn is the low frequency. Bass is strong, authoritative and shaking your ears as it supposed to be in a dynamic driver. It goes deep and are good but it might lose control in dense bass tracks. Sub-bass is successful in terms of depth but it can be tiring sometimes due to the spreading in a wide area. Bass creates a club ambiance with its good performance in EDM and similar genres. It is slow and the recovery time is not so enough for the fast passages, but it is not disturbing at all. I listen to many different genres like EDM, classical music, jazz… So, I choose the earphones according to the genre I am going to listen to. At that point, Saturn is definitely good with genres like Pop, R&B or EDM, so I turn on EDM unintentionally, the depth and sweet structure of bass drives me to do that.
Soundstage:
The soundstage is quite wide. The instrument positioning on the stage is not super clear, however it is hard to say that there is interference. You just need to focus on the instruments. While listening to the particular tracks in high volume, it feels like the bass dominates the frequencies and narrows the overall soundstage. Still, the width of the soundstage is fine. In the sense of depth, there is no 3D holographic soundstage, but it still has a spacious and airy.
Verdict:
Saturn could have been a much better earphone if it can succeed in low frequencies same as the upper frequencies. However, it is a very enjoyable earphone to listen strong and authoritarian bass and organic vinyl-like presentation. The overall presentation is accompanied by the meaty vocals and bit thick instruments. There is a unique tuning of Saturn. This is a good earphone for lovers of this type of presentation. Even though there are assertive earphones in that price range, but Saturn has still a good performance in that range.