All of this is out of my 5.5 iPod, unamped. Most of my audio test tracks are 256 AAC, high quality. I did add a couple that are not, just to see how forgiving a set of phones are. I'm using the Atrio stock bi-flange tips for ease of insertion and removal, since I'm doing this at work.
Jumpin' at the Woodside [Basie/Ellington Orchestras] - Sax sounds good, the bass is a little heavy and doesn't sound that well defined to me. The really high brass parts come through clearly, with decent articulation. As the arrangement gets busier, the bass line seems to be more prominent to me. On the other hand, drum hits are really good. Not the best song for showing these off, I think.
Leaving New York [R.E.M] - Intro sounds great, highs are very detailed and crisp. Early part of the song, Stipe's vocals sound very clear and realistic. As the bass rolls in, the vocals seem to recess just a little bit. They're still well detailed, but not as prominent and seem to lose a touch of energy relative to the strong bass (and really stong bass drum). The impact of the bass drum is pretty amazing -- I've never heard that kind of sound from an IEM.
Down to the River to Pray [Alison Krauss] - Kind of like Leaving New York, good detail on the upper end, but is kind of lacking the energy and excitement that my ER-4P used to have. These phones do really well with the chorus voices towards the end of the song, the various parts are quite distinct.
When the Saints Go Marching In [Monty Alexander] - I'm very impressed... these sound really good with the solo piano. It sounds VERY even all the way across the spectrum. I can hear Monty when he's really into it and grunting along with his playing, and the piano just sounds...like a piano. Very very nice. If the bass is a little heavier than I'm used to, it sounds right... I mean, low chords tend to come out stronger on most pianists' playing anyway. It just sounds right.
Dancing with Kadafi [Infected Mushroom] - Great start to the song. The highs are crystal clear and the bass envelops you, the way it's supposed to. Now, when the driving low bass comes in, it's almost too strong for my ears. It's pretty clean (although maybe a little bit muddier than I'm used to), but it is all around you. Doesn't obscure the highs or mids, which is really nice. I do think it's maybe a little too strong for me, though. My brain feels like it's being slammed on each beat (and I don't know if I like it or not). I keep turning the music down, which is an interesting contrast to the Shure SE310 phones, especially because I don't think these are as sensitive in general. Man, I love this song on good headphones.
Pretty Angry (for J. Sheehan) [Blues Traveler] - This is a tough song, it's one of my favorites and has some killer vocals. The early part of the song is just fine, guitars sound good, piano is present and just fine. Popper's vocals are clear, although maybe a little muted. The bass guitar is a touch strong for my taste, and starts to overpower the vocals a little. The right side guitar sounds fantastically detailed, but volume is just a touch down relative to the drums and bass guitar, unfortunately. That seems to be the theme for this whole song -- great detail, but the volume just isn't quite there for the mid and upper parts. Even the climax of the song has very nice detail -- nothing seemed to get lost, it's just that the bass guitar was the strongest part of the chorus.
Desert Rose [Sting] - Much like Pretty Angry. Sting's voice sounds really good, but the bass line is maybe a little strong for my tastes. It's not drowning out his voice, it's just a little heavier than I would prefer. I am really impressed that I don't feel like the uppers and mids are losing detail, that's unusual in my experience with IEMs. Usually, if one part of the spectrum is too emphasized, the other parts lose both detail and volume. I kind of wish I had a rockboxed iPod right now -- I suspect that if I could drop the low end by a couple of decibels, I would be VERY happy with these.
As a side note, I actually really like these bi-flanges, except the one on the right continually slips out. I have to push it back in every couple of songs. That's very unusual for me, and rather annoying.
When the Saints Go Marching In [Oscar Peterson Trio with Lionel Hampton] - This is a beautifully recorded jazz track, and it actually makes the Atrios shine. Ray Brown's bass line has always been just a touch recessed, and the Atrios bring it back up to match the other parts really well. I liked what the Shures did to this song, but the Atrios are better on this one. With the Shures, some of the musicians' vocal details disappeared a little, with these, that doesn't happen.
Variations on a Theme from Canon in D (live) [David Lanz] - Pretty much just what I had to say on the Shures. There's only so much you can do with this 128k MP3. It sounds okay.
Pass the Peas [The JBs] - Now this song soudns really good. The bass is usually a little recessed and indistict for a funk song, and it's loud and clear here. Horns sound good, and the drums have some good snap to them. As a matter of fact, I don't remember having enjoyed listening to this song so much in a very long time. I'm grooving around a lab filled with hydraulic and high voltage flight hardware testing equipment and not givin' a rat's ass. That's some involving presentation.
Fette's Vette [MC Chris] - Okay, the bass is maybe a little too heavy on this one. It's not troublesomely so, though... either I'm getting used to the sound of these phones or the song could use the enhancement. I have to say... the bass goes LOW on these things. There are some notes that I feel like I'm hearing down in the bass of my skull.
Makin' Bread Again [The Three Sounds] - Sounds really good. Drums are very clear, and the piano sounds very natural. As the song goes on, the piano notes get a little indistinct, but I think that may be a function of this recording. I'm not sure I've ever been able to pick out the individual trills in this song.
Living [Moby] - The strings at the intro of this song sounded really pretty. There isn't a whole lot of bass in the early part of the song, so the clarity and presentation of the mids and uppers comes through well, and they sound really good. I think the Shures have a slightly sweeter midrange, but the better top end of the Atrios make them overall prettier to my ears. When the bass kicks in, it's this big wash of sound. The other stuff is still there, but the bass is THERE. I think the Shures presented this song better as layers of music just because the Atrios let the bass be a little too strong. Again, drop the bass by a couple of dB and this'd be pretty fantastic. The Etys presented this song as very clean and distinct parts playing together, the Shures presented it as intermingled layers with the mids coming through as the dominant part, and the Atrios kind of play it as detailed mids and highs over a wash of bass, if that makes sense.
Check On It [Beyonce] - I think I just damaged my brain. Oh, the bass hits. This song is recorded hot, so it just can't sound that clean. The female vocals cut through the bass well, but oh man, that bass.
I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free [Nina Simone] - This is another older recording from the 60s which is a little lacking in bass in general, so the Atrio sound is well suited for it. The Shures were much better in terms of sound stage and instrument separation, but the Atrios hold up well musically.
I Want You Back (Z-Trip remix) [Jackson 5] - The bass line does overpower baby Michael's voice a bit on this one. The remix is fairly bass heavy, though, and the bass line itself sounds good with plenty of punch on the drum hits.
ABC (Salaam Remy Krunk Remix) [Jackson 5] - Same problem as the song before. Bass is just a bit too heavy for me, seems to rob the vocals and mids on this song.
Wade in the Water [The Soul Stirrers] - Another older recording, another song that sounds really good. The bass isn't overpowering, it's just right. The vocals sound great, very clean and crisp.
Beautiful People [Rusted Root] - This is another song that I'm really critical on. It's very well recorded, with fantastic soundstaging and separation. Unfortunately, it's a song that the Shure win hands down. The Shure soundstage is much better than the Atrio. In addition, this song is kind of midrange heavy, so the Shures really shine. The Atrios just don't seem to give the vocals the energy and clarity that either my ER-4P or SE310 phones did. The bass emphasis really doesn't work for this song.
Screenwriter's Blues [Soul Coughing] - oooh yeah, now this is what I'm talking about. Strong midbass intro, vocals sound great... when the bass comes in, it SLAMS, but that's how the song is supposed to sound. That does make the vocals recede a little bit, but it's acceptable.
First We Take Manhattan [Leonard Cohen] - Another song with a big midbass intro that sounds quite good. Leonard Cohen's voice sounds awesome, like he's standing here with me. The upper end details are coming out very nicely. I would definitely say this is a song that makes these phones shine.
Frankie and Johnny [Sam Cooke] - Great song, but these phones aren't quite ideal for it... Sam Cooke's voice doesn't quite have the ethereal quality that I'm used to hearing from the Shures and ER-4P. Again, I kind of attribute that to the strength of the bass line, which really sounds quite fantastic. Unfortunately, the orchestra and vocals don't quite sound as good. Again, I feel like the details are there, but the volume mix just isn't quite where I like it.
Sacred Stones [The Samples] - A make-or-break song for me. Very well recorded, and when played on good equipment, has some of the most beautiful passages of any rock song I've ever heard. Sean Kelly's voice sounds good in the early going, although most of the instrumentation there is guitar and sporadic drums (which have great presence again, BTW). As the background singers come in and the music swells, the Atrios do a very good job of keeping everything present, I would say on par with my Etys. Unlike the Shures, I didn't feel like Kelly's vocals were lost at any point, they were just as distinct during the crowded portions as the intro. Very nice. The bass is still just a touch strong for me, but I have to give a lot of credit to the mid/high balance and clarity.
The New Messiah [Philosopher Kings] - These definitely have deeper bass than the Shures... the heartbeat sound effect goes LOW. Sounds really good. The piano is very well articulated, and his voice sounds really natural. The only way in which these phones don't beat the SE310 on this song is the soundstage, which gave a really nice enveloping effect on the Shures. With the Atrios, it's closer to your standard IEM experience. I will say that I'm noticing details in the strings in the background that I don't recall hearing before, which is always a credit to the phones under test.
Broken Bridge [Daughter Darling] - Intro piano=good. Bass drum intro=Good. Bass line comes in=a little too dominating for me. Makes me want to turn the sound down, although once I do so... it still sounds good. I do feel like i have to work a little harder to pull the piano and vocals out from the mass of bass, though. Just as an experiment, I tried using the Bass Reducer setting on my iPod, and the sound was remarkably like what I remember from the Etys on this song. Like I said, I think a touch of bass reduction would make these fantastic phones for an Etyphile.
Mount Normal [Blues Traveler] - As I said in my SE310 review, this was the song that killed my Triple.fi 10 Pros for me. I'm critical. It does sound really good with these phones. The bass drum has some real slam, the vocals are coming through nice and clear, and the bass line is well controlled on this song. The piano sounds great. Strangely, I'm almost hearing a touch of sibilance on this song, which is a first. Even at the crescendo of the song, John Popper's voice comes through well.
Hero of the Day [Metallica] - This is the version from the concert with the SF Symphony Orchestra. It's a tough song. Heavy metal guitars and drums, and delicate strings. The bass guitar is maybe a touch too strong, but the strings are coming through very well. Damn do those drums sound good. I think that if you like metal, you might love these phones. They definitely pull me into some songs, and this is one of them. I love that despite the power of the low end, I can listen for the strings and horns of the orchestra and pick them up without problem.
Concrete Schoolyard [Jurassic 5] - After that last wall of sound, my ears need some time to adjust. The snare drum sounds really good, the vocal harmonies come through well. The bass sounds pretty natural on this song. I don't mind the slight heaviness.
Moten Swing [Oscar Peterson Trio] - yeah, these are good small combo jazz phones. Everything Ray Brown does on that bass comes through nice and clear, and it's not taking anything away from the piano or drum parts. Excellent. Doesn't have the instrument placement of the Shures, but the bass sounds a bit better. The high hat sounds maybe a little blurry compared to the Etys, but not enough so that it really bothers me.
Everloving [Moby] - Another song with very little bass in the intro, which pretty much removes my problems with these phones. The detail really is very good, and I would say that they come close to Ety. When the bass comes in, it is a little overpowering, although it does sound very good. I have to work just a touch to pick out my preferred high keyboard melody.
Beautiful People {UPenn Off the Beat] - An a capella version, and it's also a relatively lo-fi MP3. Vocals sound fine on this song, probably because the bass comes in sporadic bursts. I think that's the common thread here... If a song has relatively punchy bass, these phones are good. If the song has multiple bass parts, a consistent line, or other constant low instrumentation, it tends to be a little too strong for my tastes. I love how easy it is to pick out the voices with these, though.
They Don't Want Music [Black Eyed Peas] - Ach, me puir medulla oblongata. Man, does this bass hit. The song sounds good, although the high end sounds almost a little too bright. That might be because I'm used to the Shures. The brass doesn't quite ring the way I'd hope, but I'm not sure that that's in the recording. The vocals come through very cleanly.
Everybody Knows [Leonard Cohen] - Yeah, this is another good one. The bass is a touch heavy, but Cohen's voice is really strong (probably because of his relatively low pitch), so it works just fine. The mandolin sideline sounds just great.
Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof Off) [Parliament] - Another song where the bass is just a little heavy for the rest of the song. Everything else is there, it's just a little too quiet for me relatively to the slamming bass. If I turn it up, that relieves a little bit, but I don't like the volume of bass I'm getting.
Memphis Soul Stew [King Curtis] - man, I love this song. Lots of great instrumentation, all with their own lines. On open phones, everything is really clearly placed. On my Shures, everythign is pretty well placed. On these... not so much. Nonetheless, they're handling it very well musically. Definitely some better detail than my Shure SE310 at the high end, I would say.
Moten Swing [Benny Moten and his Kansas City Orchestra] - This is a recording from the 30s, and not a well remastered one. These phones do very very well with it, actually, since the bass line tends to be obscured, and these bring it out well. The upper end is still good, and everything is clear and crisp.
Wade in the Water [Eva Cassiday] - The Atrios handle the voice well, but the bass is just a little distractingly strong.
And just for you fellow Head-fi types:
The Mission [Van Canto] - This doesn't usually go into my test list, mostly because I just got it, but it came up on a head-fi discussion. A capella heavy metal. Although the bass is still a little heavy, the vocal energy is quite a bit better than the Shure SE310s, as is the detail and vocal separation.
In summary... I liked the Atrio M5 phones quite a lot, except that the sound was just a touch too bass-heavy for me on a lot of songs. The detail and clarity was really impressive, and the bass is great, it's just a little much for me. I'm going to try them with some other tips and see what kind of difference that makes.
Immediately after going through my test list, I switched to my Shure SE310, and I have to say that they sounded VERY mid-forward. The Shure mids are somehow just prettier, the tone is better, but the high end detail just isn't there compared to the Atrio or ER-4P. If I could find a good way to attenuate the low end of the Atrios by a few dB, I think I'd be VERY happy with these.
Other errata: The Atrios are not very efficient. I don't listen loud, but I generally had my volume up around 50-60% (versus 30-40 for my Shures and 25-35 or so for my ER-4P). I'm not a big fan of the memory wire (it's actually too short to be very useful, IMHO). Microphonics are very good. As others have said, they look kind of cheap and cheesy, but I don't care much about that.
In other news, my LiveWires arrived today. They're burning in now, will review them next week.
Jumpin' at the Woodside [Basie/Ellington Orchestras] - Sax sounds good, the bass is a little heavy and doesn't sound that well defined to me. The really high brass parts come through clearly, with decent articulation. As the arrangement gets busier, the bass line seems to be more prominent to me. On the other hand, drum hits are really good. Not the best song for showing these off, I think.
Leaving New York [R.E.M] - Intro sounds great, highs are very detailed and crisp. Early part of the song, Stipe's vocals sound very clear and realistic. As the bass rolls in, the vocals seem to recess just a little bit. They're still well detailed, but not as prominent and seem to lose a touch of energy relative to the strong bass (and really stong bass drum). The impact of the bass drum is pretty amazing -- I've never heard that kind of sound from an IEM.
Down to the River to Pray [Alison Krauss] - Kind of like Leaving New York, good detail on the upper end, but is kind of lacking the energy and excitement that my ER-4P used to have. These phones do really well with the chorus voices towards the end of the song, the various parts are quite distinct.
When the Saints Go Marching In [Monty Alexander] - I'm very impressed... these sound really good with the solo piano. It sounds VERY even all the way across the spectrum. I can hear Monty when he's really into it and grunting along with his playing, and the piano just sounds...like a piano. Very very nice. If the bass is a little heavier than I'm used to, it sounds right... I mean, low chords tend to come out stronger on most pianists' playing anyway. It just sounds right.
Dancing with Kadafi [Infected Mushroom] - Great start to the song. The highs are crystal clear and the bass envelops you, the way it's supposed to. Now, when the driving low bass comes in, it's almost too strong for my ears. It's pretty clean (although maybe a little bit muddier than I'm used to), but it is all around you. Doesn't obscure the highs or mids, which is really nice. I do think it's maybe a little too strong for me, though. My brain feels like it's being slammed on each beat (and I don't know if I like it or not). I keep turning the music down, which is an interesting contrast to the Shure SE310 phones, especially because I don't think these are as sensitive in general. Man, I love this song on good headphones.
Pretty Angry (for J. Sheehan) [Blues Traveler] - This is a tough song, it's one of my favorites and has some killer vocals. The early part of the song is just fine, guitars sound good, piano is present and just fine. Popper's vocals are clear, although maybe a little muted. The bass guitar is a touch strong for my taste, and starts to overpower the vocals a little. The right side guitar sounds fantastically detailed, but volume is just a touch down relative to the drums and bass guitar, unfortunately. That seems to be the theme for this whole song -- great detail, but the volume just isn't quite there for the mid and upper parts. Even the climax of the song has very nice detail -- nothing seemed to get lost, it's just that the bass guitar was the strongest part of the chorus.
Desert Rose [Sting] - Much like Pretty Angry. Sting's voice sounds really good, but the bass line is maybe a little strong for my tastes. It's not drowning out his voice, it's just a little heavier than I would prefer. I am really impressed that I don't feel like the uppers and mids are losing detail, that's unusual in my experience with IEMs. Usually, if one part of the spectrum is too emphasized, the other parts lose both detail and volume. I kind of wish I had a rockboxed iPod right now -- I suspect that if I could drop the low end by a couple of decibels, I would be VERY happy with these.
As a side note, I actually really like these bi-flanges, except the one on the right continually slips out. I have to push it back in every couple of songs. That's very unusual for me, and rather annoying.
When the Saints Go Marching In [Oscar Peterson Trio with Lionel Hampton] - This is a beautifully recorded jazz track, and it actually makes the Atrios shine. Ray Brown's bass line has always been just a touch recessed, and the Atrios bring it back up to match the other parts really well. I liked what the Shures did to this song, but the Atrios are better on this one. With the Shures, some of the musicians' vocal details disappeared a little, with these, that doesn't happen.
Variations on a Theme from Canon in D (live) [David Lanz] - Pretty much just what I had to say on the Shures. There's only so much you can do with this 128k MP3. It sounds okay.
Pass the Peas [The JBs] - Now this song soudns really good. The bass is usually a little recessed and indistict for a funk song, and it's loud and clear here. Horns sound good, and the drums have some good snap to them. As a matter of fact, I don't remember having enjoyed listening to this song so much in a very long time. I'm grooving around a lab filled with hydraulic and high voltage flight hardware testing equipment and not givin' a rat's ass. That's some involving presentation.
Fette's Vette [MC Chris] - Okay, the bass is maybe a little too heavy on this one. It's not troublesomely so, though... either I'm getting used to the sound of these phones or the song could use the enhancement. I have to say... the bass goes LOW on these things. There are some notes that I feel like I'm hearing down in the bass of my skull.
Makin' Bread Again [The Three Sounds] - Sounds really good. Drums are very clear, and the piano sounds very natural. As the song goes on, the piano notes get a little indistinct, but I think that may be a function of this recording. I'm not sure I've ever been able to pick out the individual trills in this song.
Living [Moby] - The strings at the intro of this song sounded really pretty. There isn't a whole lot of bass in the early part of the song, so the clarity and presentation of the mids and uppers comes through well, and they sound really good. I think the Shures have a slightly sweeter midrange, but the better top end of the Atrios make them overall prettier to my ears. When the bass kicks in, it's this big wash of sound. The other stuff is still there, but the bass is THERE. I think the Shures presented this song better as layers of music just because the Atrios let the bass be a little too strong. Again, drop the bass by a couple of dB and this'd be pretty fantastic. The Etys presented this song as very clean and distinct parts playing together, the Shures presented it as intermingled layers with the mids coming through as the dominant part, and the Atrios kind of play it as detailed mids and highs over a wash of bass, if that makes sense.
Check On It [Beyonce] - I think I just damaged my brain. Oh, the bass hits. This song is recorded hot, so it just can't sound that clean. The female vocals cut through the bass well, but oh man, that bass.
I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free [Nina Simone] - This is another older recording from the 60s which is a little lacking in bass in general, so the Atrio sound is well suited for it. The Shures were much better in terms of sound stage and instrument separation, but the Atrios hold up well musically.
I Want You Back (Z-Trip remix) [Jackson 5] - The bass line does overpower baby Michael's voice a bit on this one. The remix is fairly bass heavy, though, and the bass line itself sounds good with plenty of punch on the drum hits.
ABC (Salaam Remy Krunk Remix) [Jackson 5] - Same problem as the song before. Bass is just a bit too heavy for me, seems to rob the vocals and mids on this song.
Wade in the Water [The Soul Stirrers] - Another older recording, another song that sounds really good. The bass isn't overpowering, it's just right. The vocals sound great, very clean and crisp.
Beautiful People [Rusted Root] - This is another song that I'm really critical on. It's very well recorded, with fantastic soundstaging and separation. Unfortunately, it's a song that the Shure win hands down. The Shure soundstage is much better than the Atrio. In addition, this song is kind of midrange heavy, so the Shures really shine. The Atrios just don't seem to give the vocals the energy and clarity that either my ER-4P or SE310 phones did. The bass emphasis really doesn't work for this song.
Screenwriter's Blues [Soul Coughing] - oooh yeah, now this is what I'm talking about. Strong midbass intro, vocals sound great... when the bass comes in, it SLAMS, but that's how the song is supposed to sound. That does make the vocals recede a little bit, but it's acceptable.
First We Take Manhattan [Leonard Cohen] - Another song with a big midbass intro that sounds quite good. Leonard Cohen's voice sounds awesome, like he's standing here with me. The upper end details are coming out very nicely. I would definitely say this is a song that makes these phones shine.
Frankie and Johnny [Sam Cooke] - Great song, but these phones aren't quite ideal for it... Sam Cooke's voice doesn't quite have the ethereal quality that I'm used to hearing from the Shures and ER-4P. Again, I kind of attribute that to the strength of the bass line, which really sounds quite fantastic. Unfortunately, the orchestra and vocals don't quite sound as good. Again, I feel like the details are there, but the volume mix just isn't quite where I like it.
Sacred Stones [The Samples] - A make-or-break song for me. Very well recorded, and when played on good equipment, has some of the most beautiful passages of any rock song I've ever heard. Sean Kelly's voice sounds good in the early going, although most of the instrumentation there is guitar and sporadic drums (which have great presence again, BTW). As the background singers come in and the music swells, the Atrios do a very good job of keeping everything present, I would say on par with my Etys. Unlike the Shures, I didn't feel like Kelly's vocals were lost at any point, they were just as distinct during the crowded portions as the intro. Very nice. The bass is still just a touch strong for me, but I have to give a lot of credit to the mid/high balance and clarity.
The New Messiah [Philosopher Kings] - These definitely have deeper bass than the Shures... the heartbeat sound effect goes LOW. Sounds really good. The piano is very well articulated, and his voice sounds really natural. The only way in which these phones don't beat the SE310 on this song is the soundstage, which gave a really nice enveloping effect on the Shures. With the Atrios, it's closer to your standard IEM experience. I will say that I'm noticing details in the strings in the background that I don't recall hearing before, which is always a credit to the phones under test.
Broken Bridge [Daughter Darling] - Intro piano=good. Bass drum intro=Good. Bass line comes in=a little too dominating for me. Makes me want to turn the sound down, although once I do so... it still sounds good. I do feel like i have to work a little harder to pull the piano and vocals out from the mass of bass, though. Just as an experiment, I tried using the Bass Reducer setting on my iPod, and the sound was remarkably like what I remember from the Etys on this song. Like I said, I think a touch of bass reduction would make these fantastic phones for an Etyphile.
Mount Normal [Blues Traveler] - As I said in my SE310 review, this was the song that killed my Triple.fi 10 Pros for me. I'm critical. It does sound really good with these phones. The bass drum has some real slam, the vocals are coming through nice and clear, and the bass line is well controlled on this song. The piano sounds great. Strangely, I'm almost hearing a touch of sibilance on this song, which is a first. Even at the crescendo of the song, John Popper's voice comes through well.
Hero of the Day [Metallica] - This is the version from the concert with the SF Symphony Orchestra. It's a tough song. Heavy metal guitars and drums, and delicate strings. The bass guitar is maybe a touch too strong, but the strings are coming through very well. Damn do those drums sound good. I think that if you like metal, you might love these phones. They definitely pull me into some songs, and this is one of them. I love that despite the power of the low end, I can listen for the strings and horns of the orchestra and pick them up without problem.
Concrete Schoolyard [Jurassic 5] - After that last wall of sound, my ears need some time to adjust. The snare drum sounds really good, the vocal harmonies come through well. The bass sounds pretty natural on this song. I don't mind the slight heaviness.
Moten Swing [Oscar Peterson Trio] - yeah, these are good small combo jazz phones. Everything Ray Brown does on that bass comes through nice and clear, and it's not taking anything away from the piano or drum parts. Excellent. Doesn't have the instrument placement of the Shures, but the bass sounds a bit better. The high hat sounds maybe a little blurry compared to the Etys, but not enough so that it really bothers me.
Everloving [Moby] - Another song with very little bass in the intro, which pretty much removes my problems with these phones. The detail really is very good, and I would say that they come close to Ety. When the bass comes in, it is a little overpowering, although it does sound very good. I have to work just a touch to pick out my preferred high keyboard melody.
Beautiful People {UPenn Off the Beat] - An a capella version, and it's also a relatively lo-fi MP3. Vocals sound fine on this song, probably because the bass comes in sporadic bursts. I think that's the common thread here... If a song has relatively punchy bass, these phones are good. If the song has multiple bass parts, a consistent line, or other constant low instrumentation, it tends to be a little too strong for my tastes. I love how easy it is to pick out the voices with these, though.
They Don't Want Music [Black Eyed Peas] - Ach, me puir medulla oblongata. Man, does this bass hit. The song sounds good, although the high end sounds almost a little too bright. That might be because I'm used to the Shures. The brass doesn't quite ring the way I'd hope, but I'm not sure that that's in the recording. The vocals come through very cleanly.
Everybody Knows [Leonard Cohen] - Yeah, this is another good one. The bass is a touch heavy, but Cohen's voice is really strong (probably because of his relatively low pitch), so it works just fine. The mandolin sideline sounds just great.
Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof Off) [Parliament] - Another song where the bass is just a little heavy for the rest of the song. Everything else is there, it's just a little too quiet for me relatively to the slamming bass. If I turn it up, that relieves a little bit, but I don't like the volume of bass I'm getting.
Memphis Soul Stew [King Curtis] - man, I love this song. Lots of great instrumentation, all with their own lines. On open phones, everything is really clearly placed. On my Shures, everythign is pretty well placed. On these... not so much. Nonetheless, they're handling it very well musically. Definitely some better detail than my Shure SE310 at the high end, I would say.
Moten Swing [Benny Moten and his Kansas City Orchestra] - This is a recording from the 30s, and not a well remastered one. These phones do very very well with it, actually, since the bass line tends to be obscured, and these bring it out well. The upper end is still good, and everything is clear and crisp.
Wade in the Water [Eva Cassiday] - The Atrios handle the voice well, but the bass is just a little distractingly strong.
And just for you fellow Head-fi types:
The Mission [Van Canto] - This doesn't usually go into my test list, mostly because I just got it, but it came up on a head-fi discussion. A capella heavy metal. Although the bass is still a little heavy, the vocal energy is quite a bit better than the Shure SE310s, as is the detail and vocal separation.
In summary... I liked the Atrio M5 phones quite a lot, except that the sound was just a touch too bass-heavy for me on a lot of songs. The detail and clarity was really impressive, and the bass is great, it's just a little much for me. I'm going to try them with some other tips and see what kind of difference that makes.
Immediately after going through my test list, I switched to my Shure SE310, and I have to say that they sounded VERY mid-forward. The Shure mids are somehow just prettier, the tone is better, but the high end detail just isn't there compared to the Atrio or ER-4P. If I could find a good way to attenuate the low end of the Atrios by a few dB, I think I'd be VERY happy with these.
Other errata: The Atrios are not very efficient. I don't listen loud, but I generally had my volume up around 50-60% (versus 30-40 for my Shures and 25-35 or so for my ER-4P). I'm not a big fan of the memory wire (it's actually too short to be very useful, IMHO). Microphonics are very good. As others have said, they look kind of cheap and cheesy, but I don't care much about that.
In other news, my LiveWires arrived today. They're burning in now, will review them next week.
