DingDongMonster
500+ Head-Fier
End game? Maybe. Probably. Most likely.

What is your prior IEM experience? Where would you put Ascension among them?End game? Maybe. Probably. Most likely.![]()
Gimme a few moments. I got some work to do. Then I'll write a long ass explanation of what I think about IEMs, cables, dacs and amps. What I think about Aur Audio and why the 3 As.What is your prior IEM experience? Where would you put Ascension among them?
I'm considering retractring from sale, I'm starting to get more comfortable with them thanks to the smallest tips I could find in my drawer, longer usage is still a bit of an issue, but man, they are exceptional... It's such a mature sound, they don't do anything special and might not impress you right away like Mest MK2, but simply everything works here, whereas the longer you listen to IEMs such as Mest, the more you realise how flawed are they. Ascension has been tuned by a skillful man, no doubt.
Do you guys have any experience of pairing Ascension with Questyle M15? I haven't tried any dongles yet, just my desktop setup which is lovely, but not optimized for IEMs, however, I can quite well remember signature of M15 and I think it should be kicking ass combo.
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Wow, thank you for this amazing, comprehensive comment. Looks like you can see a lot of potential in AüR IEMs, but tbh, most of what you are describing is way beyond my interest and budget. Luckily, I don't seem to be very sensitive to cable changes - of course, bad cables are immediately noticeable, but the only time I ever spotted a difference between headphone cables was when I switched stock Mest MK2 (PWaudio) cable to Yanyin Moonlight cable and the whole vast stage collapsed, but that's just because Mest cable makes it even more V shaped, and that creates an impression of larger soundstage. I don't think there's a chance I'll ever spend even $200 on a cable to achieve minor differences, I'm more of a bang-for-your-buck type of guy than minmaxing audiophile. The only time I spent more money than necessary for a minor upgrade was when I bought Gustard R26. I did not regret that purchase, but most people could just buy RME ADI-2 for significantly less and call it a day. Nevertheless, the knowledge you shared is very valuable, so thank you for that!A little about myself. I've been in this hobby for about a dozen years. I am a trader by profession. This means I spend many hours at my desk staring at screens, observing, analysing, and waiting. I find good music allows me to focus for hours on end. While the bad is very distracting. I've never been in professional audio. Though my wife is a show producer and more well versed in the technical and theory part of it. Frankly, I don't care for the technicals. All I care about is, does it sound good to me?
My relationship with Aur Audio is the same as everyone else here. I pay for everything. I have never received anything for free. I have never asked for a discount, but sometimes I am given a small discount when the margins allow. I am not part of an Aur inner circle of hardcore Aur fanatics. If it exists, I am not a part of it. I have never met Abel or spoken to him. I assume he exists because everyone keeps talking about him. I don't know what Aur is planning, planned, plan to plan. Occasionally, I am handed something and asked what is my opinion. It appears I can hear nuances and describe them. This has been tested a few times where I was just handed a box of cables. I could describe the characteristics and rank them in terms of price. Which is no easy feat, since the differences in cables can be minute. My wife disagrees, every time she calls me. I cannot hear her.
My current IEMs are in these 2 boxes. The watch case is the stuff I rotate around all the time. The plastic box contains a whole lot of IEMs, most of which I don't care about, use often, or at all.
These are the sources I own and use. I swap them around depending on mood. I am pretty sure I am an iBasso fan boy at this point.
Those are the stuff I own. As to what I have heard? A lot. Every day is CanJam in Singapore. Lots of stuff from the cheapest Chifi to summit-fi are available. I can't give you a list, because I will be typing for a long time.
What has all this access taught me?
First thing. Very few cheap IEMs are amazing. They do exist but are very rare. What is cheap? Let's just say under US$300.
Second thing. Very few expensive IEMs are amazing. Some are outright crap and just an expensive joke. Many are pretty good. You don't expect me to pay $3000 for good. Good is something I pay $300 for. At 3000. It should be amazing.
Most IEMs are mediocre and overpriced for what they are, or cheap and boring. Which is better than expensive and boring. I honestly have no idea what many of them YouTube reviewers go on and on about.
What then is a good IEM and worth owning?
1. It must sound good out of the box and with a simple chain. A basic cable, a simple dongle, tidal.
2. Cost roughly 1 kilobuck, better if it's under, but not over 2. Anything above 500 bucks, is the margin. Sometimes it can balloon with multiple EST and BC drivers, or some mad lad shoving a dozen more Sonion BAs than needed. Anything out of a few hundred dollars, you're paying for the tuning. So, it better sound amazing. IEMs that cost 5k and sounds like a dog farting exists. Too often.
3. It can scale. A good IEM will level up when you put on a good cable. Then level up again when you slap on a TOTL DAP/DAC/AMP. It's not that sub $300 chifi stuff sounds bad. Most of them are already at max potential out of the box. There is no more upside.
Which is why I highly recommend Aur Audio IEMs. They come at cost with a small margin slapped on. They sound great with a simple chain. When you upgrade your dacs and amps. They start to open up into the next tier. The last part is only possible because good drivers are used.
Cables.
This one is harder to quantify. Good cables worth the expense tend to be very expensive. Cheap cables are never worth it. Lousy cables cause a veil and muddies up the music. A good one allows what is generated from the dac and amp to hit the amazing IEMs you own and turn it into a sonic orgasm. I don't know the reason why this is the case. If you attempt to measure the signals. The variance is negligible. As far as I am concerned, I can hear it. When the sonic difference is big enough. I am willing to pay for it.
Aur sells 2 brands for the upgrades. Flash Acoustics and Zero Degree.
Flash Acoustics. These guys make a lot of cables. Most of them are not accessible to you. From what I understand. The Athena is an Aur special. It was designed sonic wise to beat the Effect Audio Eros S. The only EA Signature series that is any good IMHO, and it cost twice the Athena.
Zero Degree. Another brand most people have no access to. TOTL stuff. They are expensive. So costly, it's not for everyone. Not because they don't sound good. They sound amazing. Especially if paired right. It's just that US1800 for a cable prices most people out. It's not PW prices crazy, and it sounds better than those I tried.
Athena. If you are going to buy any EA Signature series. Stop. Buy this instead.
Asteria. I discovered this one turns the Aetha into a rich and musical party. That rich copper sound works well with many IEMs too.
Eye of Horus 2. There is a price gap and then it jumps into this kilobuck cable. If you have the Aurora. This cable will turn that cheap(ish) Aur IEM into a crazy good one. It's made from some vintage stock. It is copper, sounds like copper, except it's got great dynamics wide staging and treble. Probably the most magical copper cable around. The Aurora on the EOH2 sounds amazing on anything. The Ascension on EOH2 on a TOTL dac/amp sounds insane. I have it on the iBasso D16 and it is out of this world.
Godfall. The 1.8k monster. The best silver cable I have heard. Ever. Cost so much I don't own it. Makes everything sound great. On the Aehta. No words to describe.
IEMs and Cables. The 2 categories Aur sell. They're more like a select shop. Nicholas digging around like a squirrel for some of the best stuff available. Then sell it to you at the best price possible. I am a fan because it always ends up better than expected.
DAP/DAC/AMP
Most people don't arrive at this stage. They buy something affordable and call it a day. If you have good IEMs and cables. The source makes a very big difference. Those new to the hobby focus on acquiring IEMs. Often the logic is that IEMs make the most difference in sound. They then stick the moondrops into a 2 thousand dollar DAP and can't hear a difference. They then go around lecturing on how DAPs don't matter. Bob's your uncle and Robert is your mom's sister. Nothing can be further from the truth. But you can only activate this special power if you already have great IEMs. Not good, but great. Staging, separation, timbre, placement. A word you don't hear often. Layering. You don't hear layering until you hit TOTL. It's not about the power, but the refinement of the sonics.
I am personally a fan of iBasso. They make stuff that sounds amazing. The best thing to do is ask to stick in your IEMs if you see someone carrying a high end one. Then ask them how they justify and why the expense?
This is a journey, it doesn't need to be completed in 3 weeks. Explore, chat, listen to music, and enjoy the hobby.
Almost forgot. The 3As. Aurora, Ascension, Aehta.
The Aurora. A bass and lower mids focused IEM. The bass hits hard and fast. The mids are musical and the star. Usually not my style and that's why I don't own it yet. When you place it on the EOH2. It will melt your brain. I now have one on order. The mystical unicorn Abel is so backed up making Aehtas. I am still waiting.
The Ascension. A W shaped sound signature. It just sounds good out of the box. It's got a natural timbre. A diffusion in the mids makes it a bit dreamy. I find sticking it on a copper cable, rather than SPC will change the signature dramatically and you end up with a new IEM altogether. This one is harder to coax into the next tier. On the EOH2 and D16. It's just spectacular. One of those unique ones that does not exist anywhere else.
The Aehta. The current cream of the crop in Aur's stable. So much has been said I don't know what else I can add. It's amazing out of the box. Put on a silver cable and stuck on the D16. Them BC must be buzzing away because the bass and lower mids are now very textured. Am I using the word amazing too many times?
Start with the Aehta, then Ascension, and finally Aurora.
Aur offerings are not perfect. If you must have air and treble extensions. You will find none of these are going to satisfy you. Abel tends to be treble shy. Not that there is no treble. But he doesn't emphasise the treble. The Aur signature is about the mids. If you are going to buy a single DD for the mids. Stop. Aur have the coherence of a single DD without the compromises.
Alright. That is a lot. I have to get back to watching the screens. Hope my opinions help make your own journey smoother.
Is there any significant difference between stock Ascension cable and Athena?
It was big for meIs there any significant difference between stock Ascension cable and Athena?