Vision Ears EVE20

EVE 20- A wonderful first concept !!

“A limited-edition universal earphone from VE which is only available for a certain number and only for one year!! Each year a new universal model is going to be released with different concept and tuning. All equipped with the legendary fit of our universal earphones shell. VE will produce a certain number during the year, so it is always limited in number. This year (2020) we start with the EVE20, next year will be the EVE21 and so on…”- BY VE (a little lazy on my side but credits to them for such beautiful way of describing it, that i didnt want to change it at all).
All this has got me very excited for 2021 but this time I am going to look at their EVE 20- the first limited model and I am just going to say it from beginning “I AM IMPRESSED BY THE IEM BUT I LOVE THE IDEA THE MOST”.

DISCLAIMER-- Today I am getting to review the VE EVE20 . This has been provided to me by Vision Ears in exchange for my honest opinion for which I am grateful to both Vision Ears, Amin Karimpour and @suman134 for including me in this tour.

UNBOXING EXPERIENCE

The customs in INDIA are a different issue whole together, so this time it came in this beautiful metal jewelry box write VE all over it. It’s very nicely padded with soft foam, more cloth foam feeling than anything else. The IEMS on the first glance looked really beautiful. They have those Spinfit tips attached to them and a beautiful supple, 4 core cable which is 3.5mm single ended.

BUILD

IEMS-Beautiful looking red faceplate and a beautiful looking olive green or black vines colored acrylic shell, beneath it – it looks great and is really wonderful. Those faceplates have VE and EVE written on the faceplate of left and right iem in silver metal finish. It really looks good but is really a fingerprint lover haha!!

CABLE-The cable is 4 strand, black soft plastic-coated ending on a 3.5mm connector. The cable is soft, non-microphonic and really vanishes with the iem (has the weight of a hair haha). The connectors are 2pin and have a small red circle and a small blue circle on either of them to indicate right side and left connector. It’s similar to VE6XC might I say exactly same even, “if it aint broken, don’t fix it”.

THE STEEL CASE- Its heavy and made up of steel or aluminum chassis probably. It has the VE’s favorite color—Violet and I am loving it too. The inside is laced with soft rubber with like a cloth feel to it. The iems and the cable fits perfectly inside. The only complaint I have is this is BIG and heavy, while it may be best way to save the iems but not at all pocketable haha unless you have massive back pockets or have white coats pockets that I have haha.

FIT- These things have large nozzle about the same size as VE6 XC 6mm. These were not that much comfortable with my medium sized ears and caused a lot of vacuum for me with those added spinfits. I changed to BGVP W01 tips and now vacuum was gone and I got a perfect fit but wasn’t that comfortable to wear for long time. With time I got used to it and it was a wonderful experience from there on haha…

TIPS- The added spinfits are really good but they make them sound a bit boomy for my taste, maybe the fit was bad for me hence the sound perceived. Changing to wide bore tips, there was more of a balance now and better soundstage and refinement. Among them I loved the BGVP W01 and the reverse KZ starline tips were pretty good for a cheap DIY wide bore tip.


SPECS

1. The EVE20 is a 6 BA driver design - equipped with 2 lows, 2 mids and 2 highs.
2. It’s a 4-crossover design with an impedance-25ohms and sensitivity is 120.5db.

Pretty easy to drive haha!! +1 in my book...
PRICE-1300.00 EUR (incl. 19% German VAT)

NOTE- MY SOURCE IS

1. PORTABLE -N6II WITH T01 MODULE, BTR5 AND LG G8X
2. DESKTOP- DAC- N6II WITH T01 LINEOUT OR D50
3. AMP- TOPPING A30 MODDED WITH BURSON V5I D OR TOPPING L30 OR XDUOO MT602(NOT USED HERE FOR REVIEW BUT HEY IT DOES HELP TO ADD A BIT OF TUBE TOUCH)

HOW THEY SOUND FINALLY I KNOW I KNOW haha !!

BASS AND SUBBASS –

1)”DARKER SIDE”- JONNY LANG- Feel the bass drum in just below the vocals- Wow the amount of bass this generates wew, it’s thick, powerful and has a good body. For my testing I never check what the iem has, whether its BA or its DD but this iem being BA, seemed like a lower end DD pretty much. The snares are good with more extension at the end, hence making it have a beautiful timbre associated with it and perfect decay. Cymbals felt having air among it while hit and not a hint of sharpness for me, though a little lacking energy for my taste. It has an excellent way of presenting details in such a way that hihats will feel like 2 plates hitting each other at a time and wow that amount of detail got me hooked. Now it did have the BA characteristics of missing a bit of body in bass but it would give some good DDs a run for their money.

2) FOR SUBASS- NYCTERIS- HANS ZIMMER AND JAMES NEWTON HOWARD – From 0.30min the simple hits of the synth and the timbre from it is really good. Then the 1:37min the further hits and the slow receding sound makes it awesome song to test your sub-bass and check the bass atmospheric feel here.

The rumble this provides is really good!! Unlike VE6 XC which I recently reviewed this doesn’t feel congested at all. It has that air in between the instruments. The whole stage is on single plane though so can’t much say about the stage depth but there’s very very little depth (as in -Y axis) mostly heard from the kickbass drums that feel like coming at you from beneath. The texture is wonderful though and you can really feel the rumble course through you this requires a bit high volume that my normal listening level . The timbre is excellent and the mid bass hits in between with the left side rumble in this music wow!! A great feel and fun to listen to. The timbre is something I would like a bit more, a little more atmospheric feel.

MIDS-
1) VOCALS-
A) FEMALES FIRST (this time ha-ha!!)-

1)SKYFALL-ADELE – A Fav of mine, the reverb that you hear in her voice starting at 0.32 min, with the piano in the mid-right side makes me a fan of this iem. The texture in her voice, the balance of the words and the slight roughness in here voice is all felt thoroughly. The sudden thickness that she imparts which was felt more on VE6 XC was not felt that much here but the airiness is really felt in her voice which felt like missing from the VE6 XC. The drum plate slow strikes with the sticks on the beginning, changing to right side from left at 0.58min and then the whole song hits with all the instruments-WOW!! What a feel!! Especially with the airiness in her voice, the slight revelation of her change of thickness and breath adds a more realistic feel to it. It’s not a lushier-thicker vocals iem but its more in corelation to a perfect balanced (neither lean nor thick) voice, with how the instruments should sound. I likey this!!!

2)TO CHECK SIBLIANCE- MIDNIGHT AT THE OASIS-RENEE OLSTEAD- This vocalist has really sibilant voice but really lean and beautiful voice. Now with this iem it’s a tiny bit sibilant for sure but is it really? I doubt it, given the singers voice is so lean and airy with the ssss she produces should be there, otherwise it takes the fun out of it ha-ha!! So as per me tiny sibilance. But, man the lovely airy voice I dig it with the guitars and all…. LOVELY

B)(for boys ) MALE VOCALS

1)FLY ME TO THE MOON!! – FRANK SINATRA.

Frank has a very thick voice, and it shows really good here with the beautiful single pull of the bass guitar, trumpets, drums and other instruments going around him – a real classic!! Focusing on the Frank voice will show how this is a bit lean but that added air adds a good deal of realism to this iems nature. His voice in this iem is entirely thick from beginning of his note to the very end except at the very ends where did he is out of breath and you can feel it a bit here… The dynamic voice of his made me change the kidneys of this iem so much wew , I wonder if my volume knob will survive of this keeps on . His extension though has more height but less thick a bit …But especially with drums behind the separation is still epic and the clarity this has with differentiation of the notes of cymbals hit and thick voice is still present with each hitting different heights…. In short this is a bit lean but this helps keep things separated

2) FIREFLIES- OWL CITY –

Now the vocalist here has a slight leaner voice and his sss are less very pronounced and there are a ton of ‘s’ in this song. Now this has a tiny of bit sibilance. Getting that out of the way everything else is epic , the leaner voice is really good with hint of air ( which is was missing with VE 6XC but it made me forget tubes ). The voice of the Buddhist starts with a hint of thicker note and then picks up to show his high pitch nature, it’s not too high but you can feel it against the likes of Frank Sinatra. I love this much air in the vocals add a realism to the voice , the reverb from the piano is also great. Now yes with the number of details of going around, nothing gets mixed up and everything is shown not in a forceful way but smoothly (not too smooth though). The air in voice and the change in his pitch , the dynamic nature of this iem comes up real fast. The vocals do extend to the edges sometimes when it’s more solo not when other instruments are playing though Really good extension on the height and width too .. I would have liked to see more energy on the piano though

3) MIDS- HUNTING GIRL-JETHRO TULL; THE WOLF AND THE MOON-BRUNUHVILLE; BONFIRE HEART-JAMES BLUNT; LA BELLE ISLE-GEORGE DAVIDSON; HOTEL CALIFORNIA (LIVE ON MTV)-EAGLES – These are few of the tracks among a whole lot of others, I tried for testing the mids of this iem.

MIDS have a dynamic nature to it and this iem just nails it. The mids are slightly lean but airier and do have that realistic tonality rather than a thick tonality obscuring the others, there’s a good deal of air in between instruments and I kinda dig it haha!!! The beginning of notes has a good deal of definition and distinction to it, the mids of different instruments have that body and feel that really, I like. The ends are distinct too, it doesn’t miss anything . The timbre is really good but I would have loved a bit more extension to make it feel more real. The mids have a forward sound signature overall. The upper mids are airy but somehow really lack a bit of energy for me atleast, feels a little dull for my experience. Now especially the trumpets body lacks for me and piano body notes feel a bit dull for my taste. This might not be as per your experience but for me it’s a bit dull there, Guitars on the other hand with added air in the pulls of strings don’t feel that way so for acoustic solo this is really good!!!

TREBLE – STEAMBREATHER – MASTODON; CIGARETTES IN THE THEATER - TWO DOOR CINEMA CLUB and DO IT AGAIN- STEELY DAN- I use these tracks extensively to test the treble tonal accuracy, positioning, speed and separation.

With wind blowing instruments like flute , trumpets etc , this thing is epic .. You feel the air when it’s being blown in and being blown out and then comes the successful high notes. They have their change of volume too, between each blow and it's so beautifully felt here. It's very dynamic here and is in no way a slouch. The speed of decay is a bit faster than I would like but it helps it here in faster tracks. The speed of the iem to change the notes is really fast and the tiny transients even have an height haha- which helps to easily hear them overall. Now electronic guitars and all synth drums, woahh , the extension of notes either way is really good . This adds that required energy in rock albums and make you wanna headbang just don’t bang your head in real life please . Now coming on hihats and cymbals, epic that’s it. Each hit is registered and easily felt, the extension through the air is also good. The timbre is excellent but doesn’t leave a lingering presence (courtesy of VE 6XC I try to look for this everywhere now). Lower treble would benefit from a little more energy, but then it's might be enough for a lot of people but imo, it needs a bit more. This is really good in these frequency ranges, a little more energy into the upper mids and lower treble would be more epic. One thing I would have liked is a better stage, more on that below .

IMAGING RESOLUTION AND SEPARATION- LETTER/BUBBLES - YOSHI HORIKAWA, TOOLS -CHOCOLATE CHIP TRIP AND THRILLER- MJ

Resolution is really good especially on the slight nuances, small cues and everything is really well seen in the entire listening area of the user. The placement is a bit diffuse per se, you can’t figure out the exact location but you can feel the instrument notes coming from there. Between the notes even, the separation is top notch due to that added air in the instruments it comes up way easier and faster decay helps in that aspect too. Separation between notes is also really good and unlike the VE6 XC this has separation in all the parts of notes from beginning to end and does so also in the congested tracks which is where the VE 6XC lacked. Imaging on the other hand is though very nicely felt, there’s no proper projection in space (z axis) hence its there but very similar to 2D for me. The instruments though for the superb resolution still make you see them either on top or on left or on right!!!

STAGE – combine all the above tracks and you have it haha !!! Lemme be a little lazy

1. X axis- This thing is wide goes just beyond you head. The notes do reach a little wide presentation at the beginning but then lean on
2. Y axis- It's tall there for sure.. Notes have different height and easy to distinguish them from each other. Decay is fast enough and transients are easily felt too
3. Now for (–)Y axis aka depth – This thing lacks that a lot, kick bass has a little but of depth but that’s it!!!
4. Z axis– aka projection or like I say stage depth – Nope this doesn’t have any at all, even though the imaging is good but if it occurs in a straight line on z axis this doesn’t show such at all…

MOVIE WATCHING EXPERIENCE-
Now this is the bane escape scene from the airplane on youtube (a simple search will show it to you). From the starting of the scene, the wind blowing comes off really good!! Then the plane rotor sound which comes through with the camera panning from left to right, requires a bit of work though, the sound comes from left to right, but here its more on the left and middle with more of the sound coming from top rather than front feeling, the lack of projection or holographic stage is felt here. Rest all the parts of video, including the blasts, the bullets wheezing through air everything is excellent…The bass is accurate but has too much body emphasis that it forgets to linger it a little longer…All in all it was a wonderful experience all together haha!!!

COMPARISON- VS SHOZY POLA

PROS OF EVE-

1. Faster decay
2. Instruments have more air
3. Thicker midbass
4. Vocals are more intimate hence more emotional
5. A little wider soundstage

CONS OF EVE-

1. Subbass more refined on POLA
2. Slower but balanced decay adds more timbre
3. Has depth and stage depth too
4. Better upper mids and lower treble energy
5. Better imaging and holographic stage

All in all the one thing I must say is this – These two- without A/B and a blind test, it will be difficult to differentiate them, “Brothers from different mothers haha”

SUMMARY
This iem is a real gem, now everything has it faults and this has its too, but the resolution, separation, airy nature and timbre of the instruments especially adds a thing of realism to music and hence gets my recommendation to buy…considering you have a big wallet haha !!

This vision ears eve20 iem was sent to me as part of a review tour , arranged by vision ears . I m not paid by any one to write anything good or bad. All the expressions are my own.

Specifications
Vision ears eve20 is made exclusively for year 2020 with lot of love and solid technical foundation. It has four-way crossover. This iem has 6 ba drivers ,2 for lows 2 for mids and 2 for highs in acrylic shell.
Impedance-25ohms and sensitivity is 120.5db

packaging
This iem is review unit so all accessories not included. Though it came with very good round metal case which is purple colour and very solid yet beautiful.iems came with stock cable which I feel could've been better for its price point and set of spinfit tips

Fit, Comfort and Isolation
VE EVE20 is very light weight and comfortable.it will disappear in ear for those whome has large ears like me ( Ikko oh10 is very comfortable and fits perfectly to my ears hehe). Isolation also very good with right size tips. Spinfits and fiio fh3's L size stock tips serves me well.i can wear it for very long time of period without any issues.



Sound Impressions
Lows
Despite of being all ba iem this gem has very good low frequency response. Bass quantity is not like some dd/hybrid iems but quality is absolutely fantastic. Bass is punchy ,tight, well extended ,very energetic yet very clean. Decay is short though there is enough sub bass rumble when needed.bass control is very accurate and doesn't bleed in mids which is good thing.eve20 has slightly less bass then ve6xc .



Mids
Mids on this iem is its best part .Very lush,smooth and engaging .both male and female vocals are full bodied. smoothness and clarity is phenomenal .notes has enough weight and very well defined.if we compare eve20 with other vision ears model ve6xc vocals are not as good as vision ears VE6XC though not far behind.



Highs
Treble on this set is not very airy and energetic if compared to other iems but it is slightly laidback with lot of details are there. it's not sibilant at all infact I loved the way it presents treble ,yes I m a bit treble sensitive person.inshort trebles are smooth and pleasing on eve20, but slightly less detailed then ve6xc.



soundstage and imaging
Soundstage is not the best though it is very wide and expansive, tall ,and depth is enough for an iem. Imaging is very accurate and precise ,i can imagine each and every instrument's position. Gaming with this iem is pure joy ,i can pinpoint enemies footsteps , gunshots, direction of bullets etc very easily



Speed and Dynamics
EVE20 performs like champ in this category.eve20 can compete some planar magnetics in speed. punch ,slam , attacks and bites are much more agressive then hifiman Ananda. I don't understand how can this pair perform so energetic and lively.



Tonality and Timbre
In general many all ba iems has that infamous Typical metalic timbre but that is not the case with EVE20. infact this has very good pleasing sweet tonality that reminds me of somewhere between etymotic er2xr and Audeze Mobius.but yes it's slightly different then all other iems I tried out there.



Conclusion
The eve20 is fun to listen iems, not analytical or dry sounding by any mean.All over sound signature is very engaging , cohesive , immersive, energetic and full of Emotions.While watching movies on this I felt all frequencies are boosted, like on steroids except highs. I was literally blown away by its life like , lively ,home theater like performance while watching movies ,and I mean it. It's like personalized mini HT system LoL. All other iems in my collection felt anemic and dull against this set. I really loved this set . thankyou vision ears for letting me audition this piece of gem. should I recommend this ? Definitely yes .



Gear Used For Audition
1) laptop
2) smart phone
3) dd hifi tc35b
4) fiio btr5
5) ifi micro idsd black label

Vision Ears is a pretty well knowned brand from Germany in audiophilia. EVE20 is the first model of their Exclusive Vision Ears cconcept series - "A limited Edition universal earphone which is only available for a certain number and only for one year!" Supposedly, each year a new universal model is going to be released with different concpet and tuning.



I received this EVE20 as a part of an ongoing review tour, for which I would like to thank @Vision Ears . My impressions recorded here are purely of my own. I am under no obligation to sugarcoat my words. I took about a week to listen to it and put forward as honest a review as possible.



Introduction:
EVE20 is a Six BA iem with a pretty straight-forward configuration - Two for Low, Two for Mids, Two for highs. The overall sound signature is claimed to be balanced and musical. We will see below whether the claims hold true.

Build and Fit:
Build of EVE20 is quite solid and compact. There are no unwanted blank space inside the shell, the 6 BA drivers are crammed inside neatly with three soundtubes protruding from them and ending at the nozzle. The nozzle design is quite obviously a three-bore design. The translucent red faceplate raises the appeal even more.
Fit needs some work, though. Even though the nozzle is quite long, the shell is also quite tall, and hence it may push against the pinna for small to medium size ears. I did have some difficulties putting them in and pulling them out. And after around one hoursof continuous usage was feeling slight stress in my ears.



Sound:
On to the most key aspect of the iem. As VE claimed, EVE20 boasts a very musical sound signature, with a W shaped profile with the rightmost arm a bit shorter than others. The sound is quite dynamic yet smooth, has a noticeable warm tonality, and surprises the listener with lots of subtle details.

Low:
EVE20 has a very strong and voluminous low end with a very nice decay. Nice as in it's not too fast to sound dry, and yet it's not too slow to to eat up air. VE has provided enough punch and thump and yet managed to keep everything under control. The focus is slightly more on midbass than subbass, and hence the punches are extremley satisfactory. The midbass punches have a strong presence, the bass notes have considerable weight and body. Textures are very well reproduced. The amount of air moved by the two Low BAs with such power is quite impressive.

Metallica - The Four Horsemen has a quite fast kickdrum that may sound light on some DD (UM 3DT) and hence lack presence, but EVE20 brings out it with authority and gives its own distinct presence in the mix effortlessly. The drum rolls are likewise strong and weighty.
Bass guitars in Muse - Showbiz and Steven Wilson - Pariah sound just enough thick to boast a natural presence while not grabbing the whole attention.

When it comes to subbass, EVE20 is not a slouch either. It reaches deep, and has sufficient weight to the notes. Subbass does not sound lanky and will mostly provide satisfaction to all. However, it still fails to attain the physical presence of subbass. You can clearly hear the thick subbass notes, but you cannot FEEL it in the atmosphere.

The subbass rumbles in Massive Attack - Teardrop has an easily noticeable full-bodied presence. However, in The Dark Knight - Why So Serious from 03:25 the very deep subbass thumps can be clearly heard, but cannot be felt in the atmosphere, the way it supposed to feel. Here lies one of the two chinks in the armour of EVE20.



Mids:
The soul of EVE20 lies in its mids, and hence mids are given a very forward presence here. Somehow, VE was able to create a smooth musical experience without compromising even a shred of detail here.

Lower mids are slightly warm, thick, emphasised, brilliantly textured, and carefully detailed. Even though the notes are quite smooth, absolutely no details are masked. Male vocals and string instruments sound wonderfully alive! EVE20 exhibits very impressive layering of notes also. The emphasis presence here mostly play along with rest of the music very well, but on rare occassions the thick notes may sound a bit invasive.

Leonard Cohen's voice in Hallelujah sounds so natural and emotional that it nearly stopped my breath.
I simply got lost when Metallica - The Four Horsemen came into play. The track had never sounded this soulful and musical before. The rhythm guitars and the vocals normally sound a bit thin and sharp on other iems I have, but on EVE20 they sang with a newly found emotion I never heard before.
However, in Battlestar Galactica Season 2 OST - Prelude To War the cellos, and in Evanescence - Imaginary the rhythm guitars sounded a bit more thick than my preference, and it compromised a bit of airiness in those tracks. Nevertheless, the musicality was still present.

Upper mids of EVE20 is as natural as it can realistically be. There is a very slight hint of warmth here, which only adds to its natural timbre. Brilliant layering of notes has its natural presence here. Notes are clean, very well defined, full of energy, without any hint of sharpness. Female vocals sound energetic, emotional. Violins sound outstandingly musical. I really have nothing to complain here.

Yao Si Ting's voice in Scarborough Fair sounds ethereal, silky smooth. There is a sizzle in her voice that can be clearly felt, not just heard, without any discomfort - which proves VE's impressive prowess in tuning. The background violins sang out unrestrained, withtheir much deserved musicality.
Amy Lee's powerful voice in Evanescence - Imaginary touched my heart in a way it never did before. The emotions conveyed were ample in quantity. It was the perfect blend of energy and smoothness.



High:
Compared to Low and Mid, Highs have relatively slightly less energy, but that does not mean highs sound muted. On the contrary, they are quite clearly present in their own definite spaces. In short, the treble can be defined as detailed and smooth. The smoothness of note make them sound easy on the ear, and yet not a single detail gets lost.
Both lower treble and upper treble have almost equal amount of energy here. Extensions are very good, and there is sufficient amount of air present. The sparkle and shimmer may lack energy a little bit compared to mids, but they are not lost, rather very tactically present in the mix so as to enhance the overall experience rather than grabbing attention.

For testing the highs I chose Steven Wilson - Pariah first. Right from 03:28 the sound expands, background instruments kick in. The upper range instruments here sound brilliant, surreal, yet smooth. The musicality is unmatched, and the expansive presentation can be enjoyed to its fullest.
Metallica - The Four Horsemen is another track which houses a brilliant array of cymbals and hi-hats, which can be quite piercing if the iem is very bright. EVE20 reproduces them with all the details and an added musicality, that makes the experience all the more pleasant.



Technicalities:
As already mentioned under the Mids section, EVE20 boasts a clean and defined layering of notes. The details are aplenty, but what really surprised me was the definition of the notes. The notes are so well defined that they have an almost three-dimensional real feel to them. Also, the rich textures of EVE20 is something to revel in.

The soundstage expands in all direction uniformly: Width, Height, and Depth. Each individual note is cleanly separated from the other. Different instruments and vocals all have their each individual defined position in the holographic soundstage created. Depth of stage is especially noteworthy here, along with the height and width, which contribute to the holographic presentation the most. Plenty of air exists in the stage such that it almost never feels suffocated. The stage is nothing short of Grand.

Comparison:
Vs. Unique melody Mirage - Mirage is another outstanding kilobuck iem from Unique Melody. There is a distinct difference between them regarding tonality: EVE20 has a distinct warm tonality, whereas Mirage is more neutral sounding.
Mirage pulls ahead with its incredibly natural bass. The subbass and midbass have very natural weight, natural decay, and satisfactory thump. Bass of Mirage has very well defined textures and very pleasing voluminous feel to it. EVE20 feels somewhat dry compared to Mirage.
Mirage's mids also sound much more clean and bright due to slightly leaner note body. But that's not to say the separation is better. In fact, EVE20 boasts a more impressive separation. On top of that, EVE20 midrange notes sound much more alive and three-dimensionally defined compared to Mirage.
Likewise, Mirage delivers brighter highs. But EVE20 delivers marginally more detailed highs with more life-like presence.
EVE20 trumps Mirage in soundstage though. The height and depth of stage on EVE20 effortlessly outclasses Mirage, which sounds slightly flatter in comparison. Layering on EVE20 is simply much better as well.

Conclusion:
EVE20 is an outstanding offering of VE. Musicality, Details, Grand Presentation, Liveliness - VE missed nothing. In fact, they almost hit it out of the park with this. Why almost? Because it still lacks in bass, and the mids can become overwhelmingly forward on rare occassions. And hence, EVE20 stops on the eve of being a great iem, never able to cross it.
Honestly, if only these two issues can be addressed, VE will have an assured winner in their arsenal. And yet, as it is , EVE20 is still a brilliant iem at the price range of $1300, and I can honestly recommend it to any mids lover out there eyes closed, if they can handle the fit, that is.

Vision Ears EVE 20

The EVE20 was sent to me as part of a review tour arranged by Vision Ears in exchange of an honest review. The views expressed in this writeup are based on my own experience with the pair over a week of evaluation. I am not paid by anyone to write anything positive or negative about the pair.

The EVE20 is a limited-edition Universal IEM from Vision Ears. The IEM is equipped with 6 balanced armature drivers enclosed in an acrylic shell that is both lightweight and comfortable in terms of fit. Even though the EVE20 is rather large, it has a very good fit, and getting a good seal is not a problem, thanks to the ergonomic shape and medium-sized nozzle.




The IEM has a gorgeous faceplate which gives it a premium look worth its price tag. The EVE20 comes with a bold-looking purple metallic storage case, which again, looks and feels premium. The IEM comes with 3 pairs of Spinfit silicon tips (S / M / L). These tips compliment the EVE20 very well, though, for the purpose of this review I switched to foam tips (personal preference). I personally found the audiophile foam tips from Flare audio to be the best suited for the EVE20. In silicon, I think the SpinFit tips included were really good.

Perhaps my only concern is that the stock cable looks rather flimsy. The cable is good in terms of SQ and is free of microphonics. But considering the price tag, I expected a premium cable, or different cables with balanced and unbalanced terminations, especially since the newer offerings from the likes of FiiO and Dunu come with modular cables at about 1/3rd the price of the EVE20.

The EVE20 has 6 BA drivers, 2 for lows, 2 for mids, and 2 for highs. This results in some exceptional dynamics, the likes of which are rare in an IEM. The depth, height, and width of the soundstage are astounding and can easily rival a good 2.1 speaker setup.




Sound:

Lows:

The bass response of the EVE20 is phenomenal. Even though this is an all BA IEM, the bass felt as good as a dynamic driver, especially in terms of sub-bass rumble. However, the distinct character of a dynamic driver is hard to beat, especially in terms of depth. The depth of the low end on the EVE20 is really good though, with notes having sufficient weight and a very natural feel to it. As mentioned earlier, the dynamics of the EVE20 are fantastic and result in a very immersive listening experience.



Mids:

Perhaps the area where the EVE20 shines the most is in the mids. This is clearly the most enjoyable aspect of the EVE20 and Vision Ears seem to have nailed it to perfection. Vocals, both male and female, sound lush and natural. Instruments too, have a sweet and natural timbre. Tonally, the EVE20 is nothing short of perfection, especially in the mid-range. One thing I’d like to highlight is that there was a perceivable improvement in layering and microdynamics when I swapped the cable from the stock cable to a balanced silver cable.



Highs:

I personally love laid-back sounding gear and EVE20 has a rather laid-back presentation. Hence, the treble may not be as energetic or bright as some of the popular IEMs from Campfire and the likes. However, I think the treble on the EVE20 is adequate in terms of both quality and quantity. The micro-details are excellent and there is no hint of distortion or screechiness even at higher decibel levels.



Psychoacoustics:

As mentioned earlier, the EVE20 has excellent dynamics and has a soundstage that is wide, deep, and tall. I often forgot that I was listening to an IEM and the level of immersion provided by these IEMs can easily rival a good 2.1 speaker setup. In terms of scale, everything sounds life-like and natural. Although the layering of the EVE20 improved with a silver cable, I think this is one area where there is significant scope for improvement. Positioning and imaging are top-notch. The same goes for separation. Perhaps it is this exceptional amount of clarity that left me craving for better layering.



Conclusion:

EVE20 is an excellent IEM that does justice to the price tag. There is some scope of improvement, especially in terms of layering and depth of the soundstage. Nonetheless, Vision Ears has made a beautiful sounding IEM that takes immersion to a completely different level.

Disclaimer : I auditioned the EVE 20 as part of the VE review tour. The opinions are solely mine and is not in exchage for compensation in monetary value or kind.

A soothing balm over the madness that is the pandemic!

I was fortunate to be part of Vision Ears' review tour featuring the EVE20 and the VX6C (in another post later). I will talk about my impressions of the EVE20. There is much that has already been said about the iem, and I will add another to the list.

TLDR : VE EVE 20 is a multi-BA IEM that is still relevant in the realm of 10+ driver iems and holds out on its own well.

Packaging and accessories : The iem came as part of the review tour and was not in the retail packaging, in order to not attract too much custom duties and to keep the shipping package small.

The iem came with a set of spin fits tips and cable ties, in a nice purple metal case, similar to the UM, JH Audio. Very sturdy that protects the iem from any impact whatsoever.

Form and Fit : (4.5/5)

The IEM is all acrylic shell that is very lightweight and does an excellent job in terms of fit. The nozzle is medium sized with decent length. It allows for a decent insert depth, which allows for very good filtering of outside noise. The spin-fits do a great job at providing a comfortable fit. This will easily stay in place for even the most rigorous of activities, indoors or outdoors.

With clear acrylic being filled near completely in the shell, a drop or 2 will not crack the shell. So this will be a sturdy companion for a long time. While it may be outlasted by all metal housing, the acrylic decision allows for very high amount of comfort when worn. +1 for acrylic!

The cable feels a little slim, but is of excellent quality. There is very little microphonics and does not pull the iems from the ears when worn! Job well done.

Sound: (4.3/5)

As with all iems, the fit defines the sound profile of the iem. There can be a significant difference in how it sounds, based on the fit. Some prefer to wear the iems loose, which allows for bigger stage, lesser bass impact and richer treble. A close fit brings in the bass that is tight and detailed, with the stage getting a little more intimate.

Bass : (4/5) - I tip rolled an used a inverse starline. This provided for an excellent fit and brought body into the bass. The bass was tight and detailed. Not much of subbass, but you could feel the impact on a lot of tracks. Laterelus (Tool) had its subbass rumble felt beginning around the 0:30 mark, going into the 1:00. Lovely, tight bass.

Mids : (4/5) - Vocals and cello sounded wonderful with the EVE. With a presentation that is intimate, you could share the stage with the singer. Wonderful evening with Van Morrison sharing stage here.

Treble (4.3/5) - The string instruments were very detailed and present, with a lot of micro details coming forth, including guitar string slides feeling real.

Stage : The sound stage is wide. The instrument placing was excellent. What the EVE missed was the depth and layering. The stage was flat and intimate wth the positioing very accurate. I did miss the depth of the instruments, with a few of them playing in the face (guitars, violins). This does not take away the detail and presentation of the sound. Very accurate and enjoyable. I would have preferred a little more depth in the stage though.

Comparisons
AK & JH Roxanne 2 - The closest that the EVE20 compares to is the JH Roxanne 2. TheEVE20 was able to match the tonality of the 12BA very well. The stringed instruments sounded excellent and was a joy to listen to. Where the Roxanne beat the EVE was in the soundstage depth and layering. The Roxanne was able to place the instruments at a depth in Einaudi's Live version of Lady Labyrinth, with slightly better micro detail retrieval. The compromise with the roxanne is the size and weight of the iem, so it is a fair draw in this case.

Summary : An excellent iem with a very fair asking price for an excellent level of performance! While it is a limited production iem, the engineers have produced an iem that matches well with competition having higher number of drivers!

Hi friends!

Sometimes life is so much like a movie that you tell someone, and in response you will hear “Yes, you made it all up!”. But, believe me, that is why it is the New Year, so that the most wonderful stories happened in reality on these holidays.
So, imagine, on December 31st and only a few hours are left before the chimes, and in general you and your family should have left the city, but, alas, it did not work out. Festive food is being prepared in the kitchen, and you and your children are looking out the window, seeing off the 2020 so difficult for everyone. And then the doorbell rings, the door opens, and the postman presents me with a completely unexpected gift that flew from afar and reached the addressee at the most suitable moment. And this is a real miracle, from which you turn into a child, despite the gray hair and your own young "gang of children" at your side!

Today I will tell you about this miracle. And our wonderful guest has arrived from Germany, his name is EVE20, and these are wonderful IEMs from my beloved Vision Ears brand. Let's first decipher the abbreviation - "EVE20" stands for Exclusive Vision Ears 2020, which means that with this development the company draws a line under its activities in 2020. By the way, EVE20 will be on sale until about the fall of 2021. This is the third model of the brand, produced exclusively in a universal shell. The first UIEM was the Erlkonig model, then the winner of many nominations - Elysium, and now, if I understand correctly, EVE is updated annually.

The EVE20 is built on six BA drivers. The brand's arsenal already has a CIEM with a similar circuit - VE6 and VE6X1 / X2, produced both in the form of CIEM and in IEM, but other components are used there, BA drivers, and, as a result, whose sound is different from the hero of today's review.

It is also worth noting that since 2020, Vision Ears has made it possible to purchase its in-ear monitors in both CIEM and IEM versions. And this is a great event for audiophiles and music lovers all over the world! If earlier not everyone was comfortable ordering CIEM for an individual ear impression, now there is complete freedom of choice.

Well, for those who, perhaps, do not fully understand the status of the company we are talking about today, here is a short excursion into its history. Vision Ears is a well-known and highly respected developer from Cologne in the professional and expert circles, who has been manufacturing high-quality in-ear monitors and hearing protection for many years. For me personally, Vision Ears has an almost cult status and indisputable authority, their CIEM / IEM occupies a special place in my hierarchy of portable sound. Therefore, I rejoice like a child with the release of each new model of their in-Ear monitors, and German engineers tirelessly justify my reverent attitude towards them, amazing me time after time with their creations.

So, the opening speech turned out to be detailed and it's time to finally take on a gift from Santa Claus. I ask you to love and favor - another masterpiece from Vision Ears - EVE20!


Text by Alexey Kashirskey aka Hans Barbarossa





Specifications
Technology Balanced Armature
Driver count 6
Driver Configuration 2 Low + 2 Mid + 2 High
Impedance: 25Ω @ 1kHz
Sensitivity: 120.5dB @ 1mW @ 1kHz
Enclosure material Acrylic



Appearance kit and ergonomics

EVE20 arrived in a pretty cardboard box wrapped in a printed cover dotted with black lines: either it is a plexus of some heavenly web, or an unusually busy intersection with trolleybus tracks - but it looks expressive in any case. And in the center are the bright purple logo of the "EVE" model and the clarifying decoding "Exclusive Vision Ears 2020". Stylish, beautiful and tasteful!







We remove the beautiful cover and see the embossed black box, made in carbon look, with the purple logo of the brand "VE" itself. Inside we find a weighty metal case - "washer", a 6.3 / 3.5mm adapter, a bottle with IEM care liquid and a soft cloth for the same purpose, a sound guides cleaner, an envelope with instructions, a warranty card and an envelope with replaceable protective nets. We unscrew this very round "box" washer and extract the main wealth from it - the EVE20 themselves paired with a removable cable, as well as a package with three pairs of SpinFit silicone tips of different sizes (S / M / L).







Well, the kit, as expected from Vision Ears, is exceptional: there is absolutely everything to use, care for and securely store these IEMs. Go ahead.


EVE20 looks gorgeous! Made entirely of acrylic by IEM. Through the transparent olive shell, you can clearly see all the internal content: BA drivers, wires and acoustic tubes. There is not a single bubble in this solid mass, everything is smooth and clean, you will not find fault. The faceplate is made in a delicate ruby color. On the left IEM the logo of the "VE" brand is displayed in silver, on the right - the logo of the "EVE" model. The workmanship is beyond praise, and what a beauty!








There are six BA drivers hidden inside each IEM: two for low frequencies, two for mids and two more for highs. At the tip of the sound guide there is a protective mesh that can be replaced as it gets clogged (as many as three pairs of replaceable mesh filters included). In the upper part of the case there are connectors for a 2pin cable plug (0.78 mm).






EVE20 is small in size, extremely lightweight and ergonomic. The shape resembles a CIEM made from an individual ear impression. It enters the ear easily and naturally, like a snail into its own shell.


The cable is interchangeable, black, made by braiding, extraordinarily light, soft and elastic. The cable has a Velcro strap for twisting it. TRS 3.5 mm jack straight, gold-plated, 2pin connectors, which allow you to easily pick up another cable with the same connectors for the headphones, if necessary.





In general, my congratulations and respect to Vision Ears! The set and appearance of these IEMs, as always with VE, are excellent! Now it's time to move on to the real magic of EVE20 - to the sound.



Sound impressions

Listening (audio testing) was conducted on: MyST DAC 1866OCU V.2, iFi ZEN DAC+ZEN CAN, Lotoo paw Gold, Lotoo PAW S1, iBasso 220 MAX, QLS QA-361, iFI micro iDSD BL & iFi HIP DAC.

EVE20 played very well with all devices, their "voice" changed slightly depending on the sound source.

I recommend taking a responsible approach to the process of choosing tips, since this affects not only comfort, but also it has a significant impact on the creation of a sound picture.







The sound of EVE20 is thick, plastic, filled with living bodily substance, incredibly euphonious, with excellent handling of macro- and micro-nuances, elegantly boosted low-frequency range, smooth melodious and naturalistic Mids, as well as a clean, graceful and slightly shy high-frequency range.






This is a well-balanced and harmonious way of delivering sound, which at the same time has a thick consistency, like freshly pumped fragrant honey. This is musical molasses, from which in the literal sense salivation flows, and the ear distinguishes in it an infinite number of shades of compositions.


Listening to EVE20, you feel with all its fibers the beauty and charm of sound, as if you are waltzing with a charming muse who circles you, fascinating, and imperceptibly pulls you into the very abyss of musical bliss.








The musical canvas of EVE20 is painted in a solid, beautiful, massive and contrasting manner, with accurate and completely natural reproduction of timbres, in a slightly warm and rich manner.

All listened musical material is presented cleanly, calmly, authentically, juicy and very melodic. The perfect match of the drivers and the complete absence of phase distortion are striking. It seems that these IEMs have one large wideband driver installed, so everything sounds harmonious, seamless and at the same time multifaceted.

Overall, the EVE20s have excellent tonal balance and striking musicality.

The virtual stage is medium in size, it is harmoniously and proportionally lined up both in width and depth, the depth of space is drawn especially effectively.







The low-frequency range is neatly boosted, which adds massiveness, depth and solid support to the Mids. The blow is massive, round, precise and firm, going deep down. The bass is biting, textured, and fast enough despite its neutral-warm tone. He keeps up everywhere and flawlessly weaves into the mid-frequency register, darkening the background and filling the listened compositions with contrast and timbre variety. A clear clap, vibration of a shock - everything is transmitted clearly, accurately and smoothly, without hum and harmful encroachments on other frequencies.

Such extremely precise alignment of all registers and universal flexibility of Lows surprises with every new song you listen to. Where a beautiful and imposing manner is needed, the EVE20 will gently roll through your body in a pleasant, polished, silky, charming bass. Well, if the track you are listening to has mass and pressure, then hold on: they will give you a strong hook and uppercut, and then knock you down with a powerful jab - a musical knockout is guaranteed!


Mids EVE20 is sleek, heady, mesmerizing and adorable. This is a clean, neutral, balanced, rich in timbre, technical and layered manner of presenting the sound. Here, every musical image or sound is clothed in flesh. Strings, piano and vocals sound pure, graceful and unusually lively. This is a comfortable, polished, rich timbre and textured manner, without harshness and distortion. Such a sound is simply created to receive true enjoyment of music; you can listen to it (not even listen, but let it in) for hours. The audio images, as if by the wave of the conductor's magic wand, thickly, layer by layer, lie on the overall, unusually beautiful canvas of the composition: precisely, large and multifaceted. You feel every tremor of the string and vibration of the soundboard with your body - everything is so clear. The pleasure, I tell you, is incredible! It is also worth mentioning the excellent detail of this register.


High frequencies are reproduced clearly and harmoniously, and I personally have no complaints about their quantity and quality. The register is transmitted accurately and clearly, without sharpness and distortion. This is an unusually authentic and maximally correct manner, with good articulation, served in a light, graceful and comfortable manner. Here, perhaps, there are no particularly refined after-sounds and excessive "air", but at the same time the register is played out extremely cleanly, clearly, honestly, with charming modesty. Here, as in other registers, we have complete harmony and harmonious interaction with the entire frequency range in the name of general harmony.






EVE20 can handle any genre of music without a problem. They play well both instrumental music, jazz, electronica, rock, and brutal genres.


Conclusion

EVE20 is a model with the widest range, which can both charm, warm and envelop with affection, and pull you into the ring and give you a bang. This sound has individuality, magnetic charm and lush musical flavor. Vision Ears has once again created a masterpiece: a flawless device with a beautiful exterior and a harmonious, well-balanced, mature sound rich in musical timbres.

Without a doubt, the EVE20 will become one of the most revered and beloved IEM models among audiophiles and music lovers, but I only admire it. It remains only to inform about the price of this charm. You can buy EVE20 on the official website vision-ears.de for 1300 €. As I mentioned earlier, the EVE20 model will be available to order until fall 2021.

If you can afford to fork out and get refined and high-end sound in return, then I highly recommend the Vision Ears EVE20 to purchase. It will be worth it, I assure you.

EVE20 is not only just a new model by Vision Ears, but it’s an actual beginning of a new exclusive lineup. It is equipped with 6 balanced armature drivers, and it’s priced at 1300€.


Sound quality for the price
Rating: 7.5 out of 10.

Build quality
Rating: 7 out of 10.

Value
Rating: 7.5 out of 10.


Packaging

Once again it’s a great unboxing experience by Vision Ears.

Vision Ears really does wonders in terms of the unboxing experience, and EVE20 is no exception. It comes in a rather huge box painted black and purple, with gorgeous texturing on top.

Inside, you’ll find the IEMs themselves, a round metal case which is a treat to look at, and it’s very functional, providing flawless protection.

Except for that, you’ll find an envelope which contains the manual, warranty card, and some stickers. Underneath, there is a special cutout for the microfiber cloth, a 6.3mm adapter, and a cleaner bottle. You’re getting quite a set of accessories, but you can expect it paying that much for a pair of IEMs.

The metal case is a fantastic addition to the package.

Build quality

EVE20 is decently made, but it falls short in comparison to the Campfire Audio offerings in terms of pure quality and the design.

EVE20 is made entirely of acrylic, and to be honest – it doesn’t really impress.
I’ll start with the positives, though. They are very, very light and could be quite comfortable for some (more in the next paragraph). Also, they are free from any air bubbles or imperfections. Vision Ears does an excellent job with acrylic builds…

…but it’s still acrylic, which is quite prone to damages, and it’s simply not really premium. Compared to the new Dorado 2020 or the Ara by Campfire Audio, the EVE20 looks and feels just…unimpressive.

The design is another underwhelming thing – the design is plain, ordinary, and just simply poor. Vision Ears really push the boundaries of the unboxing experience and accessories provided with their monitors. I hope they’ll invest more in the looks and actual build quality of their products in the future.

The cable, on the other hand, is decent. It’s terminated in a 3.5mm jack and uses 2-pin connectors. It is braided and black, which looks good, but it isn’t anything extraordinary. I can’t really complain about it, but there’s nothing to praise either.

They also look quite plain and uninspiring.

Comfort

The shells are big and flat, which may be problematic for people with small ears.

The comfort of the EVE20 is quite similar to Elysium – well, problematic.

The shells are not really thick, but they’re wide, which causes problems for smaller ears. Once again, I’d highly recommend Vision Ears to add a little bit of thickness and shrinking the lateral size of their IEMs – that would make them much more comfortable for people with small/normal size ears.

My ears are of pretty normal size, and the EVE20 is just not comfortable.

Sound

Overall, the EVE20 is a good IEM, but i find its price not really adequate.

The EVE20 aims for a specific sound signature, and it’s obvious from the first seconds of listening. It is slightly laid-back, easy to listen to, and is very mid-centric.

The bass response is a perfect start. It is punchy (for the armature driver), detailed and fast.
The focus is being held on the middle part of the bass, which gives it that punch and kick-factor, but it’s nowhere close to the best dynamic drivers.
Nonetheless, it’s a very good performing bass. It has great proportions and doesn’t feel too light or overdone.
Drum kick has a decent impact, the bass guitar provides a great rhythm to the music, and it’s overall pleasant to listen to. Don’t expect a juicy, big, and roaring bass, which you could get from a DD though.

The midrange is easily the best part of the EVE20. I don’t know how, but Vision Ears seems to really master this frequency.
Mids are lush, natural, and simply beautiful with great timbre. Male vocals are a treat to listen to, but they can lack a little bit of body. It’s quite similar to the Ara by CFA, but the latter provides better microdynamics, layering, and texture.
On the other hand, EVE20 is more relaxed, fuller, and delicate in comparison.
The midrange is aiming for an extreme enjoyment based on that lush, soft, and lovely signature. SYML – Hurt for me really shows how good the vocals are in the EVE20, reminding me a bit of the Audeze LCD3. Of course, they are nowhere close as thick and powerful, but the lushness and richness in timbre are quite similar.


Compared to the similarly priced CFA Ara it’s behind in terms of the sound, build and design.

Treble is laid-back and delicate, but it also lacks air and detail. Compared to the Ara, it’s not on the same technical level, well, not even close.
I can imagine some people calling the EVE20 dark sounding because of the treble response, and well…they’ll not be too far from the truth.
Dark sound signature is not about this type of playstyle though, look at the previously mentioned LCD3 by Audeze. It’s also laid-back and calm, but at the same time, it provides great micro-details and tends to give you a very natural timbre of instruments and vocals. It’s not really the case with the EVE20, which is a bit too dull and just too safe.
The closest resemblance I know will be the Meze Rai Penta, but yet again, Penta has better extension and more lovely color of the sound in the higher octaves, providing a better overall experience.

The soundstage is quite chimeric. It images extremely well and provides a spot-on separation, but the size is not impressive. It’s somehow narrow and shallow sounding, being not only intimate but quite unnatural.
In terms of holography, though, you’ve got a sweet spot between the proper size of the instruments and the air between them.
Let’s put the Hotel California from that wonderful Hell Freezes Over live concert. Every single instrument is well defined and separated, but overall it all feels a bit…shrunken down and limited.
Compared to the Ara it images somehow similar, but the overall size of the stage is vastly different, with CFA providing a much better sense of airiness and that spectacular, huge soundstage effect.


Summary

It Would have been great for half the price I believe.

Reading the whole thing, you must be thinking – well, that was quite harsh, wasn’t it?
Well, the EVE20 is a good IEM, but having that 1300€ price tag in mind, I’d expect a better build quality, design, and more impressive sound. I can’t wait for the EVE21, though, as there is always some room for improvements. I’m in contact with Vision Ears, and they really appreciate good feedback, so let it be my little stone into making the next model better. I’m listening to the Elysium right now, and I know that these guys really can achieve something extraordinary out of an IEM.


Gear used during this review for the sake of comparison and as an accompanying equipment:

• Headphones – Campfire Audio ARA, Dorado 2020, Vega 2020, Andromeda, Lime Ears Aether R, Vision Ears Elysium, Bqeyz Spring 2,
• Sources– Cayin N3Pro, Cayin N5ii, Fiio M15, Cayin N6ii, JDSLabs Atom stack,

This is the third Vision Ears IEM I’ve had the pleasure of listening to on the Head-Fi/Vision Ears Tour. The first two being the Elysium and the VE8. With the VE8’s neutral/warm sound signature and incredible mids, it quickly became one of my favorite IEMs. The Elysium was also very good but the mids fell slightly short of my expectations given its high price. I’ve never heard so many great IEM’s in such a short period of time. Many thanks to Head-FI, Vision Ears, and @Barra for allowing me to participate.



The EVE20 is a 6 BA limited edition release that is only going to be produced through 2020 and then only available as long as they and their retailers have units in stock. The price is 1300,00 € including 19% German VAT. For customers outside the European Union it will be 1092,44 € without VAT. The Head-Fi tour kit only included the case and the iems but from what I’ve seen on the Vision Ears website the retail version comes nicely equipped with a cleaning tool, ¼” adaptor, 3 pairs of replicable wax filters, 5 pairs of Spinfit CP100’s and a Velcro cable. The black anodized, rubber-lined aluminum case looks nice and will no doubt provide adequate protection.

For testing, I used the iBasso DX160, iFi Nano iDSD Bl, and the Shanling M5S. My primary players were Tidal Hifi and Poweramp using FLAC files.



Test Tracks

Dominick Farinacci - You Don’t Know What Love Is
Repercussion Unit - It’s Rediculous
Choir Of Young Believers - Hollow Talk
Uji - Jenga
Frederic Robinson - Acrylic
Doug MacLeod - Break The Chain
Hoff Ensemble - Innocence
Chet Baker - Trav’lin’ Light
Stevie Ray Vaughan - Little Wing
Urban Love - No Woman No Cry
Yosi Horikawa - Wandering
Hans Theesink - Missing You



Design, Comfort, and Isolation

The design of the EVEV20 is very beautiful. The polished, clear resin body has an olive tented glass-like appearance while the ruby red semi-clear faceplate has an almost jewel-like brilliance. The shell is flat and triangular and is simplistic yet elegant. The fit and isolation were excellent and I experienced no discomfort nor excessive noise bleed. The black cable was unexpectedly simple but sufficient. I had no issues with tangling or microphonics.

Sound

The overall tonality is warm and rich. With good technicality, punchy bass, and natural decay, the EVE20 is engaging but is narrow in its presentation likely attributable to its lack of treble extension.

Treble

The treble is detailed but is a little too laid back for my taste and seems to be lacking air and energy. Despite the narrow soundstage, it does have good imaging and I do feel that the treble compliments the rest of the presentation quite well. Poorly represented Hi-hats and cymbals are a pet peeve of mine but that doesn’t seem to be an issue at all with the EVE20 as they sound very natural and have just enough sizzle and resolve.

Mids

Like the VE8, the EVE20 has incredible mids. While there is a noticeable dip in the lower mids it’s ever so slight and it doesn’t seem to affect the presentation at all. Male vocals sound full and textured while cellos and low tuned snares perfectly maintain their depth and girth. The mids are very detailed and have excellent timbre.

Bass

The EVE20 has very good bass, just the right amount in my opinion. The bass is punchy with very good extension. It also has excellent texture, layering, and speed. The mid-bass focus gives basses, kicks, and floor toms the punch and depth they need while not overextending into the lower mids. This is BA bass done right.



Final thoughts

My initial impressions of the EVE20 were mixed mainly due to the laid back treble and intimate soundstage. Also, maybe I should have gauged my expectations bearing in mind that the EVE20 is a sort of concept, limited release IEM. The interesting thing is when I look back over this seven-day experience I can't believe how different I felt about the EVE20 after really spending time with it. I don’t think my impressions of an IEM have ever been so dramatically changed from my first listen to my last and definitely not within a seven-day time frame. If there was an award for an IEM that could change your mind it would definitely have to go to the EVE20. I love wide soundstage and I typically don’t go for darker IEM’s but somehow, in the end, the EVE20 completely won me over. And, although it still may not be one of my favorite IEMs I will remember it as one of the most impressive.


Please check out my YouTube Channel, Audio In Reviews - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcS6DIkGHrgGI_XKAsuytSg?view_as=subscriber

The EVE20 is a limited edition IEM from german manufacturer Vision Ears. The EVE20 is planned to be only available to purchase in 2020 and comes in a universal form factor for $1300 USD through MusicTeck or 1300 euro (including VAT) directly from Vision Ears.

This review demo unit was provided by Vision Ears through Barra's Audio Tiers/Head-Fi Loaner tour.
Package & Fit
The loaner unit sent out did not include the box, and only included the metal round case, a black braided cable and the IEMs themselves. The case is similar to the one that came with the Vision Ears VE8, which is a hefty and very well-built aluminum case that has a screw-on top.

The EVE20 shell is surprisingly very flat with a rounded triangular shape and is one of the lightest premium IEMs I have ever held. The nozzles are long and narrow and come in at an angle that isn't the most ideal for my ear shape but I was able to get them to fit and seal off very well. I wouldn't say these are the most comfortable monitors around, and some may find them troubling to wear.

For my short time with the EVE 20, I used Azla Xelastec SS tips as I found these were comfortable and provided a fantastic seal.



Sound Impressions
The majority of my listening sessions with the EVE 20 came with the Sony NW-ZX507 player and a variety of music choices. I also did use it on the Topping A90 amp hooked up by way of the Schiit Bifrost 2 DAC to my PC.

The EVE 20 is a no thrills sound signature with a very warm and engaging sound that doesn't really have anything that truly stands out. In a sense, I find it a bit boring. It does measure as a very gentle V-Shape sound, but in actual listening, I found it does not sound this way, and sounds a bit like the VE8 but with technical ability, and perhaps an occasional treble jolt.



I'll admit, the first time I put the EVE 20 on, I was very unimpressed. It sounded a bit dark, and little hazy and very boring. While I still find it 'boring' after more hours of listening, I have come to truly appreciate the Vision Ears mid-range sound. It's just succulent and has a magical mix of high coherency and a rich, intimate and mellow melody.

This came to light when I stopped trying to listen to it with every type of music out there, as I found it lacked some of the treble extension and deep sub-bass sounds I want for dance tracks or even my onslaught of jazz and post-rock music, but for vocal tracks from Norah Jones, Tracy Chapman, and James Taylor -- these really shine -- pushing the gentle guitar and piano-based tracks in a small window with their singer-songwriter style music that shifts a lot of the focus to a relaxing and enjoyable listen.

I think this is really helped by how coherent the transitions between the various areas of the frequency response are. It keeps everything in balanced without sounded disjointed.




Like I mentioned, I didn't enjoy the VE8 on Tingvall Trio music. The overly warm and laid-back sound signature didn't provide the sizzle and spark I like with jazz music that has an emphasis on percussion and acoustic bass play. I also did not enjoy it as much with London Grammar's two records. I felt like Hannah Reid's electric voice lacked some of that excitement and strain, and the deeper electronic notes just lacked definition and rumble.

The EVE 20 is plenty punchy though. While it doesn't have a dynamic driver, it does punch and decay pretty naturally for using a series of balance armature drivers.

The biggest issue I did have with the EVE 20 came with the lack of soundstage width, depth and generally just average imaging and resolution. I felt some of the technical performances were under-performing a bit for it's price tag and exclusivity, but I do have to remind myself that the coherency is fantastic. The level of expectation across the board is the VE8, and may be that's a bit too high of a benchmark for something $1000 less in cost.

A BIG thank you to head-fi and Vision Ears and @Barra for inviting me to join the gear tour. This is an opportunity to review gear that I wouldn’t have been able to obtain financially or hear at local shops. So it is an honor to hear another high profile IEM. Here is my attempt at a review

I was a little skeptical about reviewing another Vision Ears product after I was somewhat disappointed in the Elysium and VE8. Has the EVE20 made up for the disappointment?

The EVE20 comes with a nice aluminum case that is well built and feels durable. Also included were Spinfit tips that fit my ears perfectly and I didn't have to look for any other 3rd party tip to roll. The cable feels cheap and lackluster, reminds me of the cable that came with my Noble X Universal and is the same that came with the VE8. Would have liked a more premium cable considering that this is from the Exclusive line.

The EVE20 design and fit were somewhat of a disappointment. To me they look cheap for a $1,600 IEM that is from the Exclusive line. I get the same quality feel of materials from my ADV M5-1D which retails for $400. The Maassdrop Empire Ears Zeus feels like the same quality materials for $750. The Meze Rai Solo $250 absolutely destroys the EVE20 on material quality and feels way more premium. Too me the EVE20 feels like a moderately priced chifi IEM, a disappointment but somewhat acceptable at the price. The design is a universal fit and is not really that comfortable. It has the same flat, stone design of the Elysium that I didn't find to be very comfortable. The nozzle and bore make it easy for tips to stay in place; I didn’t lose any tips inside my ear canal during my review time, unlike the Elysium. In my opinion, the design and materials of the EVE20 just don’t cut it for an IEM of this price point BUT it is 100x better then the more expensive Elysium. I would have thought the build quality and fit would have been a little more "exclusive" and premium considering the Exclusive line the EVE20 come from.

Okay so the design, material and fit is not anything special, how is the sound. First let's take a look at the technology and specs of the Vision Ears EVE20, see link below for more information from Vision Ears.

https://vision-ears.de/premiumline/eve

The VE EVE20 is a 6 balanced armature per side IEM; 2 bass, 2 mids and 2 high.

Overall the sound signature is a fun, punchy bass with well textured, detailed mids and a laid back treble that is all enclosed in an average soundstage that has good depth, layering with excellent isolation and separation.

Bass: I really enjoy the bass on the EVE20 as it fits my personal preference for an IEM. It reaches low into the sub bass but isn't bombastic, the mid bass and upper bass are where most of the punch comes from. The sub bass supplements when called upon. The details are all there and are resolved with great speed and decay. The bass does not roll into the mids at all.

Comparison: The Elysium is bass light, has decent extension with adequate presence and detail retrieval. The Elysium lacked bass authority. The VE8 is punchy and fun along with being full of details. The extension of the VE8 is good with plenty of presence and detail retrieval. Everyone once in a while the bass would get a little confused on busier tracks.

Mids: The EVE20 like the VE8 and Elysium have lovely mids. I really enjoy the texture, tone and timbre of the EVE20. Unlike a lot of all BA IEM that suffer from plasticky or metallic timbre the EVE20 shows no such struggles. The EVE20 has a forward, detailed, natural sounding mid-range. Some instruments can sound a little blunt and lose some attack and decay but it didn't bother me. I just found that the details weren't resolved quite as well as the bass.

Comparison: The Elysium mids have nice vocal presence and are the highlight of the mix. The tones that they portray are engaging and pleasant for the most part. The upper mids are at times too far forward and can sound somewhat hot. But for the most part the tonality and timbre of the mids are pleasing. The VE8 mids are lush and romantic. Vocals have nice tonality and sound natural. Instruments have a crispness to them and a natural presentation. The mids are balanced and cohesive. The only complaint that I have is that the upper mids can be a little bit more assertive on some tracks and can bring along some harshness on random moments but those are few and far between.

Treble: The EVE20 has a laidback, darker treble. The treble is well extended and detailed but lacks a little bit of energy and air. Every now and then I found myself wishing that there was just a little bit more juice in the treble.
Comparison: Elysium lower treble can be hot and too far forward. Details are presented in a somewhat aggressive way at times. The higher treble lacks air and can sound muffled and there is some harshness that appears randomly. VE8 treble is mostly smooth and well extended. On some tracks, like the mids, the treble can be a little bit more assertive and can display some harshness at random moments but those are few and far between. The treble of the VE8 has nice air and presence. Details are presented effortlessly and are very pleasing

Sounstage/Imaging: Average width with excellent isolation and seperation of instruments along with good depth and layering. The soundstage is very engaging even though it is somewhat small. I never found that it sounded cramped or cluttered. The EVE20 soundstage reminded a little bit of the Elysium.

Comparison: The Elysium soundstage is average width but excels in depth and layering. The Elysium does a good job in separating and isolating out instruments and vocals. It is easy to dissect a soundstage with the Elysium. The soundstage of the VE8 is deep and wide and has fantastic separation and isolation of instruments. It is very easy to interpret the layout of the stage with the VE8.

Overall the EVE20 is a pleasant sounding IEM that I enjoyed way more than the Elysium and the VE8. I don’t see any benefit in getting the VE8 or Elysium when I can get an ADV M5-1D for $400 or Meze Rai Solo for $250 or a Massdrop Empire Ears Zeus for $750. BUT I do see value in the EVE20 as it does so much well for the price and brings the VE experience at half the cost of the VE8 and Elysium. I just didn’t get a sense of value with the VE8 and Elysium, to me they sound like a higher mid-level IEM at a high-level price tag. But with the EVE20 priced at $1,600 I am more accepting of them if you are looking for a laidback, chill but detailed sound signature.

YouTube Review:



Gear used:

Mytek Liberty
iFi Audio Pro iDSD
Burson Conductor 3X Performance
Sony NW-A105
Pioneer XDP30R
xDuoo Link
Nextdrive Spectra X

Songs:

https://tidal.com/browse/track/128215119 Sinne Eeg “We’ve Just Begun” - multiple layer soundstage
https://tidal.com/browse/track/77568002 Molly Johnson “What a Little Moonlight Can Do” - female vocal tone
https://tidal.com/browse/track/120190149 Leslie Odom Jr. “Under Pressure” - male vocal tone
https://tidal.com/browse/track/230625 Eric Clapton “Change the World” - soundstage layering and placement
https://tidal.com/browse/track/18016422 Yo Yo Ma “Ecstasy of Gold” - acoustic instrument timbre
https://tidal.com/browse/track/103401770 Adam Baldych “Spem in Alium” - acoustic instrument timbre
https://tidal.com/browse/track/31759874 Tingvall Trio “Beat” - piano tonality
https://tidal.com/browse/track/52532480 Pain of Salvation “Stress” - percussion balance
https://tidal.com/browse/track/98069001 Michael Buble “When I Fall in Love” - orchestral dynamics
https://tidal.com/browse/track/41094997 Patricia Barber “Code Cool” - sibilance check
Christian Scott “New New Orleans” - shouty upper mids
https://tidal.com/browse/track/116415078 Tool “Chocolate Chip Trip” - imaging
https://tidal.com/browse/track/1855831 Hans Zimmer “Why So Serious” - sub bass extension
https://tidal.com/browse/track/89386285 Marcus Miller “No Limit” - bass control
https://tidal.com/browse/track/77646106 Dave Holland Quartet “Conference Of The Birds”- bass check
https://tidal.com/browse/track/132139860 Ilhan Eshkeri “47 Ronin”- orchestra and bass dynamics
https://tidal.com/browse/track/79530261 Hans Zimmer :2049” - sub bass extension

In the interest of full disclosure, I paid full MSRP for the EVE20 + shipping, but VE did agree to sell me the 001 unit, which is reason enough for you to ignore everything below this line as it's obviously nothing more than paid promotion. If you decide to read on accept that everything I've written is pure and objective truth.



I'm not going to be doing too much of a product overview, as the EVE20 has been one of the more discussed IEMs on the market recently - long story short VE are releasing a new limited edition every year who's production will be limited to that year alone. I find it's a pretty cool concept if I may say so, and it certainly gives me something to look forward to. For the EVE20 they decided to do a 6 BA monitor, that shares a fair amount of DNA with the VE8

The build and shape of the EVE20 is lovely - it's a pretty standard acrylic, but it's very well finished, and fits me like a glove. I get perfect seal and it sits perfectly flush in my ears. I might even say that the EVE20 fits me better than most of my customs, but it might be a case of my ears being just right for the EVE20.



Where VE have absolutely outdone themselves is the packaging - it looks and feels absolutely awesome, and the carrying case is really solid - it will most certainly be getting a lot of use in the future. The cable is decent, a bit nicer than 64 cables for example

Where sound is concerned, the EVE20 is a rather pleasant and easy on the ears monitor - it shares a rather substantial portion of what the VE8 offers, and ultimately offers a pretty similar performance. All listening done on the LPGT.

The bass is spot on. It delivers a really good balance between speed and decay, able to both keep up with messy live rock performances and at the same time have the kind of decay that makes beat drops sound especially satisfying. It reaches rather deep as well, but I found that the EVE20 has a bit more of a midbass focus as opposed to the more modern subbass-oriented tuning. There's no bleed into the midrange or bloat of any kind - it's a bold, but at the same time controlled bass response

The midrange of the EVE20 is what I'd consider to be the star of the show. I'm a bit of a texture person myself - that's become one of my main obsessions as of late, and the plasticky timbre that most BA mids deliver simply don't do it for me anymore. The EVE20 is an awesome exception to that case, delivering a thick, forward and detailed performance. Vocals do especially well on it, as the treble presence and extension doesn't affect them as much. Instruments sound a bit blunted to me personally - that's my main quarrel with the EVE20. I am however used to rather bright and extremely resolving monitors so my perception there might be skewed.

This brings us to the treble - the EVE20 has a rather forward lower treble presentation which makes genres such as EDM or hip-hop/rap sound lovely, but I found the mid/upper treble to be somewhat recessed. It does technically have extension, but the lack of presence eats away from the resolution and gives instruments that "blunted" sound as I mentioned above. I don't think this is a necessarily a bad thing in the case of the EVE20, as I found the VE8 universal demo to be extremely sibilant (and so did a few others, including @Rockwell75) - I'm quite glad that the EVE20 didn't take that part of the VE8's tuning.

Where technicalities are concerned, the EVE20 doesn't dazzle, but it doesn't struggle either. It has a good amount of detail and instrumental separation. The soundstage has a somewhat neutral width, where I can't say it's outright narrow or wide - just regular all in all. As stated earlier it goes for a more "natural" presentation as opposed to a highly resolving one



My overall verdict on the EVE20 is somewhat mixed. It's what I'd consider a great sounding IEM, even though the natural tuning isn't one that I usually go for or identify with. In that sense, it gets my stamp of approval, but I would've liked to see something a bit more "out of the box" considering that the concept of the EVE is that VE give themselves full freedom to work with any kind of driver tech, tuning, shell materials and design.

To me personally this feels like a send-off to the VE8 more so than its own, self-standing model. I am certainly excited to see what VE come up with for next year's EVE though