[Devon Higgins]

Tour kit 2 is on its way to the next participant. Unfortunately, due to unforeseen issues I was only able to get about 2 days with the Bravado, but here are my impressions:

Bass has a nice thump, with fast decay and extends well into lower depths.
Kanye West - Mercy has gobs of sub-bass and the W9 driver handles this track well. This isn’t some high school kid driving around with a huge subwoofer in the trunk. This is properly tuned professionally installed sound system bass. You get that nice sub-bass rumble. It’s a clean bass with none of the buzz.
Bloc Party - Signs (Armand Van Helden Remix) from the Intimacy Remixed album, about 40 seconds in the vocals transition from high to low in volume and staging. Bravado transitions well. Left-Right stereo imaging

vs Shure SE846
Bravado sub-bass reaches deeper, cleaner

Vs Massdrop Plus
Bravado more balanced. Wider stage w/better separation. Cleaner bass

Mids although smooth are slightly recessed vs bass & treble. I found the Bravado slightly L-shaped, not too surprising with the enclosed W9 dynamic driver handling the bass & the BA handling highs & mids.
Female vocals don't really shine. With artist like Lenka, Regina Spektor & Sara Bareilles I didn't feel myself getting pulled in. Jason Mraz & Colbie Caillat - Lucky, both great vocalists, but I feel like the Bravado doesn't really shine with higher vocal ranges. However, with George Ezra and his baritone voice, I found the Bravado complemented his voice really well. It added a certain richness and warmth that I really enjoyed.

Treble on the Bravado is about what I expect in this price range, that is to say good. At times I wished for more top end sparkle, but I am a treblehead. It is sufficient, but you never quite get that top end sizzle. Bravado has a more consumer oriented signature, which I normally associate with non-audiophile sound, but I confess I am a treblehead. I normally prefer a brighter signature, but I found the Bravado an enjoyable listen.

Initial listening was on the Hiby R6, but my preferred DAP is the Sony ZX2. I recently picked up the Hiby R6 and I’m still a little undecided on whether I like it enough to keep it. The jury is still out on the R6, but I can say I enjoyed the Bravado more than I thought I would. With that said, I REALLY enjoyed the pairing with the ZX2. The ZX2 has a slightly warmer sound, but also an expanded soundstage, greater height & depth, as well as greater separation. After switching to the ZX2 I found myself wondering why I didn't start with this combination.

I normally prefer a brighter signature, but the Bravado is very easy to listen to. It doesn’t have the widest soundstage or greatest resolution, but it’s not meant to. That’s not to say it’s lacking in these areas. As EE’s “entry level” IEM, it’s meant to offer an entry into the Empire Ears family. And it’s a warm welcome into the family. If you love rich bass, the Bravado is your IEM. I can't imagine what the Vantage & Nemesis with their dual-W9 drivers sound like. The Nemesis with its dual W9, 1 mid, 1 high, 1 super high layout, it sounds like it ticks all the boxes that the Bravado doesn't quite. Down the EE X-Series rabbit hole I go.

A note on driver flex. On initial insertion I didn’t experience driver flex. However, with all my IEMs, in order to get a better seal after the initial insertion I normally pull on my ears. When doing this on the Bravado I can hear the telltale sound of driver flex. It’s similar to the sound of a Snapple cap. Not wanting to stress the driver anymore I switched to pulling on my ears while inserting the IEM, but if I go back to my normal routine I am able to consistently induce driver flex. Driver flex doesn't normally damage the driver, but obviously I didn't want to test this. Venting normally helps reduce driver flex, but I can't recall if the Bravado is vented.

With that said, the Bravado is a great "entry-level" IEM and serves as a great introduction to the EE X-Series. I want to thank Empire Ears & @Devon Higgins for the opportunity to listen to these.

~edit - Hmm, didn't realize I had that much to say from just looking at my notes. @Devon Higgins please let me know if you'd like to me to post this as a review. I feel like the only people who really follow this thread are the ones who are part of the tour. Unfortunately, I don't have any pics as I usually reserve the "glamour" shots until after my listening sessions.

Nice thoughts! It does seem like enough material to substantiate a review, so you can post it as a review if you'd like. No worries on the pictures, there's plenty in other reviews.
Also, for what it's worth, I think you'd totally love the Nemesis. It has the same rich, textured bass as the Bravado but with a lot more treble presence and sparkle. It's our brightest signature out of the X Series. It should definitely be on your radar!

 

[rantng]

Review posted - https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/review/211

Thanks again, Devon! The Nemesis has definitely piqued my curiosity.

 

[pinkzeppelincult]

Tour kit is on its way to the next reviewer as of last night! Both IEMs were seriously impressive. I'll post a full review of the Bravado and a few ESR impressions this weekend most likely.

 

[Blueshound24]

Kit recieved, safe and 'sound'.

 

[pinkzeppelincult]

Bravado review is up! My apologies for the delay. Check it out here: https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/empire-ears-bravado.23202/reviews#review-21195

As far as the ESR goes, the imaging is easily the best I've ever heard. Its treble is pretty prominent, which combined with EE's technical detail-squeezing abilities produces something quite extraordinary when it comes to positioning sounds within the stage. The stage isn't enormous; it could stand to be a little deeper, but there's plenty of space. Well-balanced, if not exactly neutral due to the lifted treble.

Comparison to InEar ProPhile 8:
With the ProPhile in reference mode (both switches down), this is a very close match. To some extent that means the ESR wins for being $500 less. However, there are some noticeable differences.

First, both the ESR and the ProPhile are supremely flat, but their frequency responses are not identical: while the ESR has slight treble peaks, the ProPhile has moderate treble dips; while the ESR barely (i.e. to no practical effect whatsoever) edges the ProPhile on bass extension, the ProPhile has greater bass presence than the ESR. Sine sweeps show both monitors as seriously neutral, but when listening to music the ProPhile sounds flatter, warmer, denser, and less sibilant where the ESR sounds crisper and drier. Also of note is that the ProPhile's switches allow it to let loose if you desire while the ESR is only a reference monitor.

Further, the ESR is significantly more sensitive than the ProPhile, which makes it much more prone to hiss. Nor does this result in superior micro-details: the ProPhile easily finds anything the ESR does when volume-adjusted, and neither monitor will challenge any proper DAP for power. Additionally, the ProPhile presents quicker transients than the ESR, which makes the ProPhile feel more competent during rapid or congested passages.

I think the ProPhile is solidly the better monitor, but the ESR sounds 7/8 as good for 2/3 the price, and is therefore worth seriously considering instead.

 

[Blueshound24]

Sorry, I didn't update this right away, but the tour kit is on it's way to the next participant per Devons instruction.
Thanks @Devon Higgins!

 

[ngoshawk]

I am in possession of the Bravado/ESR. Just opened the box. Cheers!

 

[Nostoi]

Can anyone offer a comparison on the Empire Bravado and the Campfire Vega? Both look very compelling. Thanks!

 

[Wiljen]

Can anyone offer a comparison on the Empire Bravado and the Campfire Vega? Both look very compelling. Thanks!

In my limited experience with Vega, I remember them being a superb iem as is the Bravado. I remember the Vega being a bit more detailed in the mids than Bravado. Both can be a bit splashy in the treble and have a bit more energy there than you would expect from a bass-centric model like these two. I do remember the Bravado being a bit more visceral in the bass and really think Empire nailed the in-ear subwoofer with the w9 driver. Also, I had problems with keeping the Vega where it belonged in my ear while the Bravado fit like it was made custom for me. Ultimately, fit, comfort, and bass, I'd take the Bravado, Similar signature with slightly better mids and a bit more detail but at the higher price point - go Vega. For me, Bravado won out (I found a used pair at a good price that made it an even easier purchase).

 

[Nostoi]

In my limited experience with Vega, I remember them being a superb iem as is the Bravado. I remember the Vega being a bit more detailed in the mids than Bravado. Both can be a bit splashy in the treble and have a bit more energy there than you would expect from a bass-centric model like these two. I do remember the Bravado being a bit more visceral in the bass and really think Empire nailed the in-ear subwoofer with the w9 driver. Also, I had problems with keeping the Vega where it belonged in my ear while the Bravado fit like it was made custom for me. Ultimately, fit, comfort, and bass, I'd take the Bravado, Similar signature with slightly better mids and a bit more detail but at the higher price point - go Vega. For me, Bravado won out (I found a used pair at a good price that made it an even easier purchase).

Thanks, this is great - very helpful, indeed. I mostly listen classic rock/metal, but also a lot of classical music. Would you say the bass on the Bravado is sufficiently well controlled so as not to bleed into orchestral music? I like a good level of bass on rock/metal, but it needs to be controlled on classical to retain detail (the bass on the DT770 is a good example of what I have in mind). Thanks again.

 

[Wiljen]

Thanks, this is great - very helpful, indeed. I mostly listen classic rock/metal, but also a lot of classical music. Would you say the bass on the Bravado is sufficiently well controlled so as not to bleed into orchestral music? I like a good level of bass on rock/metal, but it needs to be controlled on classical to retain detail (the bass on the DT770 is a good example of what I have in mind). Thanks again.

Bass is definitely forward on the Bravado, but control is still very good. I think you'll have no issues there. With the classical/Orchestral pieces, I find the Bravado does a better job with Timpani/Kettle Drum reproduction than about anything else in my collection both in attack and decay it has them about spot on which I have found to be a hard one to get right.

 

[Nostoi]

Bass is definitely forward on the Bravado, but control is still very good. I think you'll have no issues there. With the classical/Orchestral pieces, I find the Bravado does a better job with Timpani/Kettle Drum reproduction than about anything else in my collection both in attack and decay it has them about spot on which I have found to be a hard one to get right.

Super, thanks. Will definitely give it a go.

 

[rantng]

I guess the tour is over? Just wanted to give another shout out to @Devon Higgins I should be getting my hands on my own Bravado in a few days. Didn’t expect I’d like it as much as I did being that I normally prefer a brighter signature, but I got pulled in by that deep bass. Hopefully I’ll get a chance to listen to the rest of the lineup at CanJam NYC.

 

[Devon Higgins]

Hello hello everyone!

The tour is finally coming to a close as one set has arrived back at EE HQ, and the other is being returned in a few short days. That being said, I'll be drawing for the giveaway (one participant will be selected to choose either the Bravado or ESR for keeps) after the final review deadlines roll in. The last date to post your review is January 23rd. I'll be drawing for the giveaway on January 30th. Keep in mind that you will only be eligible for the giveaway portion if you completed the review requirement. The length, rating, etc., will not affect your chances of being selected -- it'll be totally random out of all of the eligible users that participated.

Thanks for your support and I hope you all enjoyed your time with the units. Keep your eyes peeled for future EE tours and I hope to see y'all around the thread!

Happy listening,
- devon

 

[Wiljen]

A big thanks to Devon for putting this together! We all appreciate your efforts on our behalf.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time with both of them and I'm sure the other lucky reviewers did too.