[toranku]

Right, more akin to the Atlas but to my ears they lack that warmth that the Lyra and Cascade have in spades. That's why I say sub bass boost as they have the impact and texture in the lowest lows but don't bleed into mids as the other two can exhibit. The Lyra being the worst offender here. I don't find the Polaris nearly as warm as the Lyra which have a bigger hump in the upper lows and lower mids by comparison. I'm willing to bet the Polaris is pulled back in this region as they don't have the same amount of presence here compared to the Lyra when swapping back and forth. Vocals have a different texture and presence between the two. Although I am still trying to nail down those intricacies.

I find Polaris v2 to be very warm...interesting..

 

[HiFlight]

I think this is pretty much going to be the consensus for the IO. This seems to be CFA's answer to have a similar tuning as the MD+ and Ety ER4 family. Makes sense as they're quite competitive given build and accessories which I think gives them the edge unless you need more lows.

And I know this may be an unpopular opinion but I found the staging of the Solaris superior to the Andro. They sound wide, but actually have a good sense of height and depth. They sound very 3-dimensional and all encompassing. The Andros sounded wide, sure, but more 2D like they're on the same plane. They kinda remind me of the HD650/6XX in that regard in how they go about their staging.

Your comment regarding the Andro soundstage seemingly being on a single plane was the main reason I sold mine. The sense of depth in an IEM is what helps give me a sense of realism.

 

[jaydunndiddit]

I find Polaris v2 to be very warm...interesting..

Well, I'm not saying they absolutely lack warmth, they just aren't as warm and mid bassy as the Lyra II. By comparison, you can tell they have a boost in the sub bass region as they can rumble in places where the Lyra can't. This is just my opinion mind you, but the differences sound more stark and noticeable when swapping back and forth between the two. By comparison, the IO sounds much cooler and neutral although it really isn't to these ears.

 

[NewEve]

Well, I'm not saying they absolutely lack warmth, they just aren't as warm and mid bassy as the Lyra II. By comparison, you can tell they have a boost in the sub bass region as they can rumble in places where the Lyra can't. This is just my opinion mind you, but the differences sound more stark and noticeable when swapping back and forth between the two. By comparison, the IO sounds much cooler and neutral although it really isn't to these ears.

Music type, file quality, source and potential EQ and effects do play a role also.

 

[jaydunndiddit]

Music type, file quality, source and potential EQ and effects do play a role also.

Most definitely. But consistency is key when reviewing gear. That's why I make sure they all utilize their stock cables, the same tips, source/gear, and use the same playlist during the early impressions phase. For me, that makes it much easier to pick out their nuances as I take notes and collect my thoughts.

 

[loris615]

There are far more talented and trained ears giving a pretty solid impression of the IOs right now. So far for me they are in line with what a lot of everyone on here is saying. I think for the price, the accessories you get (The cable is fantastic) the campfire fit and form, plus the detailed balanced sound, this is a nice buy. I already know that I'm going to keep mine. For me, the bass is definitely snappy, but not deep. It definitely lacks some of that warmth of a more bass heavy EIM. For me, not a big deal. I think I need to also try a lot more music. I felt in some songs the vocals felt pushed back, but in other they felt more up front. I think this is more a case of the source though obviously. For me, the level of detail and balance seems totally in line for other quality IEMs at this price point, plus you get that really nice campfire presentation that I love.

I'm a video editor per trade, and edit a lot of TV shows with lots of sound effects / ambience/ tons of tracks everywhere. Before they go to mix I have to make sure it's all working the way I want and the sound guy can also do his thing to make it shine. I used my IO's this morning to work on something, and found it did an excellent job separating some really busy area. This isn't a test I can truly replicate, just a nice thing I noticed. It definitely doesn't slack in with cymbals, drums, and other quick and tight instruments.

So far I am very happy.

 

[NewEve]

Most definitely. But consistency is key when reviewing gear. That's why I make sure they all utilize their stock cables, the same tips, source/gear, and use the same playlist during the early impressions phase. For me, that makes it much easier to pick out their nuances as I take notes and collect my thoughts.

Thanks again for all the feedback.

 

[Ziadax]

Got my IO's in the mail today.

Some brief thoughts running it as a Plug n' Play out of my iPhone XS Max with the ALO Litz Lightning cable termination:
- Vocals in the mids and highs are very forward sounding.
- Lows extend well but lack some slam that I'm used with the Andros (<1 ohm O.I) & Comets, possibly an effect of the emphasized mids and highs
- Spinfit tips makes the IO sound a bit brittle and thin, the included Final E tips seem to add some warmth to the overall sound.
- Imaging is surprisingly good, soundstage is realistically wide but not so much that it gives that 'out of your head' effect.
- No surprise here, Andros are still better in practically every way.....except I prefer the red color of the IO over the green of the Andros and am more comfortable taking these outside as an EDC IEM more than a $1100 TOTL set

Overall this reminds me of the HiFiman RE-400 but with better technicalities. I believe this properly builds on what the Orion did well, and people who are fans of the Orion, HD600/650 will enjoy this.

 

[hiflofi]

Got my IO's in the mail today.

Some brief thoughts running it as a Plug n' Play out of my iPhone XS Max with the ALO Litz Lightning cable termination:
- Vocals in the mids and highs are very forward sounding.
- Lows extend well but lack some slam that I'm used with the Andros (<1 ohm O.I) & Comets, possibly an effect of the emphasized mids and highs
- Spinfit tips makes the IO sound a bit brittle and thin, the included Final E tips seem to add some warmth to the overall sound.
- Imaging is surprisingly good, soundstage is realistically wide but not so much that it gives that 'out of your head' effect.
- No surprise here, Andros are still better in practically every way.....except I prefer the red color of the IO over the green of the Andros

Overall this reminds me of the HiFiman RE-400 but with better technicalities. I believe this properly builds on what the Orion did well, and people who are fans of the Orion, HD600/650 will enjoy this.

Those tip effects are usually what I hear with my gear too.
So you'd posit the Io leans "bright" or even brighter just like an Andro would on high OI (1.5+ ohms)?

 

[SilverLodestar]

I got my IO the other day, and I’ve been listening to them for a couple hours now. Some things I’ve noticed that I like and dislike:

Likes:
+Great imaging
+Forward vocals
+Well-extended treble with great resolution and detail
+Nice resolution
+No peaks of terror
+Smooth-ish signature

Dislikes:
-Vocals feel...hollow? Nasally? I’m not sure and I’d like for someone to elaborate a bit more. It almost seems like there’s too much emphasis in one place (~1-2k Hz?) and a lack of emphasis in another place (middle midrange)?
-Instruments can seem odd in timbre
-Bass suffers from lack of depth and impact
-Some songs sound very strange (eg. the rain in the song “Overture” from the Halo 3 ODST soundtrack) while some songs sound pretty good (eg. “What’s the Rumpus?” by Gaelic Storm or “Clattanoia” by OxT)

I’m still getting used to these and I’m still looking for the right tips. The IO are fairly tip-sensitive but they seem to work well with the Symbios (no foam). I’ll keep posting my impressions here.

 

[leaky74]

Received my IO this morning. As my first pair of CA; the build quality and accessories would be considered premium at price points way beyond this.

In terms of sound; I’d echo the consensus here; neutral, slightly forward mids and punchy but slightly subdued in the lower reaches. Overall, very impressed (especially at this price). As an EDC however, whilst isolation and comfort using Symbio tips, is first rate; I think the lack of heft at the bottom end means I might, just might, end up swapping them for the Polaris.

 

[Levanter]

Probably harder to find anyone with these IEMs, but anyone able to compare the IO and Solaris 2 vs JH13 Pro FP and 64 Audio A12 Adel? (Ignoring price differences)

 

[Toom]

Any comparisons between the Andro S and the IO?

 

[Hageatama]

I got my IO the other day, and I’ve been listening to them for a couple hours now. Some things I’ve noticed that I like and dislike:

Likes:
+Great imaging
+Forward vocals
+Well-extended treble with great resolution and detail
+Nice resolution
+No peaks of terror
+Smooth-ish signature

Dislikes:
-Vocals feel...hollow? Nasally? I’m not sure and I’d like for someone to elaborate a bit more. It almost seems like there’s too much emphasis in one place (~1-2k Hz?) and a lack of emphasis in another place (middle midrange)?
-Instruments can seem odd in timbre
-Bass suffers from lack of depth and impact
-Some songs sound very strange (eg. the rain in the song “Overture” from the Halo 3 ODST soundtrack) while some songs sound pretty good (eg. “What’s the Rumpus?” by Gaelic Storm or “Clattanoia” by OxT)

I’m still getting used to these and I’m still looking for the right tips. The IO are fairly tip-sensitive but they seem to work well with the Symbios (no foam). I’ll keep posting my impressions here.

Hey! I actually found someone else who uses the ODST Overture as a demo track! Good on ya, friend! ODST was my favorite Halo both gameplay wise and BGM wise. But, I do agree. As someone who's listened to that track on every piece of gear and every combo of signal chain that I own, the rain did sound odd. I'm not quite sure how to describe it? Just, like maybe some extra reverb I wasn't expecting? It definitely doesn't sound as natural as the MD+ or IE80... I'm going back to my previous post to add my IE80 vs IO comparisons.

*Edit:* Original Post Linked Here

 

[Ziadax]

I feel like those used to the characteristic BA sound will like the IO. But those coming from a decent single dynamic or hybrid may be left feeling disappointed.