Vibro Labs Sera triple armature in-ear monitors

Introduction:

Hello everyone! This is my first attempt at writing a review and I aim to share my honest take on this pair of In Ear Monitors. I was selected in the Head-fi giveaway and won myself this pair of Seras. I only paid for the shipping cost of these IEMs. I have decided to write this review as I found that these pair of IEMs have really impressed me and would like to share more about it with all of you. These are my own opinions and please just take them with a pinch of salt.


The Seras arrived in a small cardboard box.

The IEMs are able to fit nicely into the hard carrying case.

There is a certificate of authenticity included.

Build quality:

Quality of the shells are really solid with no bubbles whatsoever and and smooth along the edges. Along the line where the faceplates are glued to the shells, there are traces of glue left along the sides. As the wood used is natural wood, it is not perfect but I like how the wood looks (Looks a lot better in real life than in photos).


Smoked shells allow you to get a peek inside the IEM and see all 3 drivers clearly inside.

Sound:

The sound that was described by vibro labs was a mid-centric sound and that is the kind of sound signature which I enjoy most. I own a Fitear Monet17 custom which has a very rich vocal centric sound with good controlled bass. I wanted a universal IEM with a similar sound signature so that I would be able to share the music I was listening to with the people around me. Did the Seras sound as described? Definitely.


I only managed to use Comply tips with the Seras as those were the only provided tips and the I did not have other tips that fit onto the Seras. I personally am not a fan of Comply tips as i find that they remove some of the sparkle in the treble and makes so me IEMs sound muddy. However, isolation is superb and I managed to get a good seal with them.

Comply tips fitted on the IEM along with the black stock cable.

Treble is not the most extended but it is not too rolled off. It has just enough sparkle. The midrange of the Seras isreally the star of the show. Midrange is smooth and forward and vocals sound lush and intimate. You can really feel the singer as though he/she is singing in front of you and you can actually “feel” the music instead of simply hearing the music. The instruments sound natural. The bass is another strong aspect of this IEM. This IEM has plenty of bass that extends deep and packs a punch. Despite having powerful bass, the bass is controlled and doesnot bleed into the midrange. The Seras have a very intimate soundstage but it does not feel overly congested.


The Sera has a warm sound with a sufficient quantity of bass for me. However, I would not think that it is suitable for bassheads who are looking for overpowering bass. This IEM is also not for people who are looking for something with a bright sound signature. Also, this is not a very detailed or transparent sounding IEM. It has a more “fun” sound that does not cause any fatigue even after long hours.


Conclusion:
Vibro Labs has done a good job with this new entry level triple driver IEM. I am very thankful that I got the chance to listen to this IEM here in Singapore as there are no demo units in the audio stores. This IEM surprised me with its price to performance ratio and made me want to write a review on it to let more people know about this IEM.


This IEM is priced at 399USD and it is not a cheap IEM, but I find that this IEM is pretty value for money if the sound signature suits you and I would highly recommend it if you are looking for a warm and smooth mid-centric sound. I find that this IEM would be suitable for you if you like a more intimate sound where you can hear the singer sing as though he or she was standing next to you.

I've always recommended that anyone wanting to start this hobby, start with a pair of Triple Fi 10's for their first IEM. They set the bar for sound quality, detail, and just an overall pleasantness that came together in a nice, professional package.
 
I'm so happy I ran across these lovely little phones from Vibro Labs. I wanted a pair of universals to compliment a pair of Triple Fi 10's that I recently had re-shelled into customs. And I won them - in the giveaway. Lucky me!
 
As it turns out, there is a time and place for custom iems. At the gym, running and other motion-based activities aren't. They underscore the importance of owning a universal iem with the new generation of Comply tips. They allow for more personal music enjoyment in more places. Customs' fit...until they don't. Vibro packages only Comply Isolation and Comfort tips. The tips stay in place and sound phenomenal. I have a hard time enjoying music if the headphone doesn't stay where it should. Vibro has created a shell that is smooth and should be perfectly shaped for most ear sizes. I had a pair of Campfire Audio Orions. While I liked their general concept, the metal housing was, at times, uncomfortable and heavy. Not to mention, they would create condensation if the weather became in-climate.
 
And these are an upgrade to the Campfire Audio and the Triple-Fi's, no doubt. Coherent sound isn't something the Triple Fi's brought to my ears. They had spatial issues. The Sera puts the sound in various places around my head, well outside the headspace, and does so coherently. And the Campfires have structural elements that made their phones complicated to use outside in Minnesota winters. But the Sera? No prob.
 
I got these phones just in time for the 50 most important IDM album playlist on Spotify from Pitchfork. I have Tidal. I prefer the edgy, sparkly sound on Spotify for IDM and EDM recordings. Sera gives a full rage sound, from the top sparkle, down to below-basement sub-bass. It doesn't intrude with Mid-Bass overdrive. It has no sibilance. And, the kicker for me, is that it sounds f-ing awesome right out of the Apple iPhone Lightning dongle. Hurray! I have a Resonessence Labs Herus Plus with a Moon Audio USB. No need to assemble that package to listen with the Sera. Right out of the iPhone 6 will do.
 
I've been told the Vibro Labs Maya has a larger soundstage. Vibro has a generous upgrade policy. BUT, it's going to be a while before I do. I like these phones just the way they were intended - Audiophile quality right from my damn phone. Nice work, Vibro.

Hello all!  As some may know, Luke recently loaned me a demo pair of the new SERA to get my honest feedback on them.  I have preivously spent a good deal of time with both the ARIA and the MAYA (and I've got a custom MAYA as one of my daily drivers), so I hope I can provide a little bit of insight into this new model and potentially set some minds at ease.  I've spent the several days with them plugged into my head pretty exclusively, and I'm ready to share my first impressions.
 
To begin, SERA is a great entry into "high-end" IEMs. The bass is natural and the tone is accurate. Mids are forward, front, and center. Highs are a bit rolled off, with a very small, intimate soundstage. They're a great IEM if you like a warm, mid-forward, and intimate sound.  
 
If you desire treble detail and large soundstages, you'll probably want to upgrade to MAYA fairly quickly. MAYA is basically an ideal neutral, it has a bigger soundstage and brings the highs out that the SERA is missing a bit of. It's a big improvement. Maya is a clear step up from the Sera. That said, SERA is very, very nice, especially for the price.
 
SERA, ARIA, and MAYA all share a very similar house sound and "feel".  They are all accurate at producing believable tone and timbre, and all three share the same great bass that is strong and present, but also quick and never overpowering.  In my opinion, SERA and ARIA represent the two entry sound signatures, while MAYA is clearly the flagship model.  Since all three models share the same great lower end, I'm going to focus on what sets the model apart. 
 
As noted, SERA is definitely mid-focused and has a small, intimate soundstage.  As you listen, you feel like you're sitting in the front row of a small coffee house with your favorite band 3 feet in front of you.  There's really not a lot of width, depth, or height, but positioning is spot on in this smaller space.  
 
The ARIA, meanwhile, takes an opposite approach.  The mids, especially the lower mids, are relaxed to the point of feeling a bit scooped to me.  The highs have energy and are extended, but not to the point of thinness or sibilance.  This gives the overall shape of the sound signature a bit of a "U" feel, and this tuning has had its fair share of controversy (with people who love it and people who hate it).  ARIA has a bigger (wider and taller, but not necessarily much deeper) soundstage when compared to the SERA.  Although it's priced as an upgraded model, I personally really see the SERA and the ARIA as being the two entry-points into Vibro Labs' offerings, rather than the ARIA being a direct upgrade from the SERA.
 
The MAYA, as just mentioned, is clearly the best of the three.   Take the fantastic mids of the SERA, throw in the treble extension of the ARIA, take the same great bass they both share, mix them all together, and then turn it up to 11, and you are left with the MAYA.  There's a slight warmth in the bass, but otherwise the rest of the sound spectrum is fairly even across all frequencies.  There's absolutely fantastic treble energy and extension up top, which allows for a bit better microdetail retrieval and larger soundstages than either the SERA or ARIA.  SERA, ARIA, and MAYA all share the same DNA and are clearly related, but MAYA is definitely my personal choice.
 
That's enough for now about the comparisons between the three models.  Time to talk in a little bit more detail about SERA specifically.  The SERA is a 3-driver, dual bore, wire-up (looped over your ear) design.  The shell is the same universal shell you'll get in the universal ARIA and MAYA.  Unlike ARIA or MAYA, at this time there is no custom-fit option for the SERA.  This shell is 3D printed and is transparent smoke in color.  SERA has a Purpleheart wooden faceplate that looks a lot better in person than it does in the photographs I've seen. 
 
At this point, I'd like to address a few of the comments I saw on the original (though now-canceled) Massdrop launch.  The Purpleheart faceplate actually looks quite good in natural sunlight.  You can see all of the detail and activity in the grain, and you can tell that each faceplate is from a real piece of wood and is thus going to be unique.  I really don't think the pictures do the wood justice, and they look a lot more natural and a lot less like they were an unfortunate 3D-printed mistake (as one comment implied) when you actually hold them in your hands.  The same goes for the 3D-printed universal shell.  It doesn't look like mucuous at all (as stated in another comment), and the example that I have on this demo unit is actually quite clear, uniform, and aboslutely free of bubbles or other defects.  It's a transparent smoke gray, and there's no coloration or heavy distortion.  I think the pictures on the Vibro Labs site do the SERA more justice than the pictures that were on the Massdrop launch, but I think that they definitely look even better in person.
 
As far as value goes, the launch price is a phenomenal value, especially if you are planning on taking advantage of Luke's generous upgrade policy down the line.  While I do enjoy the way SERA sounds, I think that for most people it'll be a stepping stone on the eventual journey to MAYA.  And there's nothing wrong with taking that path OR with choosing to stick with SERA as they are.  In its price class (even at the $400 regular price), I think that SERA is a strong performer.  SERA compares very favorably to another 3-driver audiophile mainstay, the Shure SE535.  I'd say that the SERA has a slightly more intimate soundstage than the SE535, but the mids are more forward and the bass is certainly more present and powerful in the SERA than in the 535.  Both have similar treble roll-off, though I'd say that the SERA has just a touch less of it.  If you generally like the SE535 but feel like it's missing a little something, SERA is your answer.  The Noble 3 has a bit more bass and a lot more treble, but the SERA has much better mids and is overall a lot less grainy.  The Alclair Reference has a touch less bass and a touch more treble, while the Alclair Tour is slightly wider in soundstage and has just a bit more subbass and a touch less in the mids.  My point is, in the same price range and driver-configuration as the SERA, SERA compares quite favorably.  If you want a mid-focused sound signature with a touch of warmth and an intimate soundstage, SERA fits the bill quite nicely.
 
I have been pushing SERA quite hard across a variety of genres and using different sources (portable, phone, DAP, desktop, etc).  In general, I haven't found SERA to be at all sibilant or shouty.  This is very good for me, as I'm almost deathly adverse to sibilance.  It simply ruins the listening experience for me.  This is likely due to the relatively rolled off treble, but in this case it's very appreciated.  I have had no trouble listening to SERA for extended listening periods without fatigue.  In fact, it's even less fatiguing than my custom MAYA, which I already listen to for hours on end on a regular basis.  I have also not felt or heard any changes in sound signature due to output impednace swings.  I've tried sources with everything from sub-1-Ohm to 30 Ohm and I'm not hearing too much of a tonal shift, which is actually quite impressive.  They sound just as great out of my phone as they do out of my high-end desktop sources.  I also have not noticed any weird hissing.  They generally have a very black background regardless of source, and they don't seem picky.  I will also admit that they're pretty easy to drive, and they sound great even when you're blasting the volume on your favorite song a lot higher than you really should be (I will certainly to doing just that).  As far as genres go, SERA is great at classic rock, acoustical, smaller group work, and anything where a small, intimate setting is conducive to the music.  If you're only going to be listening to symphonies, dramatic soundtracks, or overarching orchestral works, SERA might not be the best fit.  But for solo male and solo female vocals, you're going to love them.
 
In summary, I am really liking SERA.  Are they the best IEM ever made?  No.  Would they replace my MAYA?  No to that, too.  Are the a great deal?  Yes, especially at the launch price, provided you like sound signature and like an intimate soundstage presentation.  I think that SERA is great at what it does, and as long as you don't expect them to be something they're not, most people will like them, too.  They're a great entry into the Vibro Labs product line, and I think they're perfect for somebody who is just getting into the hobby, especially with Luke's upgrade program.  I would wholeheartedly recommend the SERA as somebody's first "audiophile" IEMs.  If you're a collector like me, you'll also likely want to pick up a pair because what they do, they do WELL.  If you've already got a few IEMs and you're looking for something to take it up a notch, I'd likely point you to the MAYA as I feel like it's just technically better at what it does.  If you've already got an ARIA or a MAYA and you're happy with them, you're probably going to be happier sticking with what you have than moving on to SERA.  For what they are and how they're priced, SERA is a solid pick and is something that I'd wholeheartedly recommend.