So, following on from yesterday's unboxing, I think some early impressions of the Bravado MkII are in order.
First thing that comes to mind is the name of this IEM is very apt...Bravado,meaning
bold, with an
intent to impress. This is very much a bold and, dare I say, aggressive sound, not quite as V-shaped as some have suggested, more a wonky W (wonky because the upticks of the W vary depending on the track, though on the whole the bass elevation is the highest). That's NOT to say it sounds wonky, but it definitely doesn't take any prisoners either.
There's a viscerally to the Bravado II's bass that I haven't really heard in any other IEM. Yes the Legend X comes to mind when you think of 'big bass' in an IEM, but this is something
very different. This is a potent bass, unapologetic, but not OTT either. It doesn't quite have the refinement and control of the Legend X (I guess one Weapon IX+ doesn't quite equal dual Weapon IX drivers), but isn't loose and boomy either. In fact, since we're talking Legend X, other than both having 'elevated' bass, that's probably where the similarities between the two end for me. To my ears this not a mini Legend, maybe superficially but not in tonality or technicalities. It's far more unabashed and wild around the edges than its tuxedo-and-cigars big brother. A lot of guilty fun for sure.
Subtlety is not what the Bravado II is tuned for, in my experience with it so far. I've been burning it in for about 4 days now, but the forward upper mids and strident treble haven't really settled much. This is not a knock on the tuning, mind you, because I know many clamour for this type of aggressive upper mids/lower treble tuning in their sound, and crave the energy it brings to different types of music. So if soft, sweet and relaxing female vocals with dreamy guitars are what you're wanting, this is probably not the right fit for you. Also, by strident I don't mean sibilant; I haven't had any issues with sibilance so far, which is interesting considering the graph peaks suggest otherwise, but I'm not hearing it. Maybe it's the Spiral Dot tips I'm using (for some reason, Final E tips just don't gel well with me at all), but upper range vocals, while sometimes brash, are rarely essy.
Bravado II is basically the IEM you pack in your pocket and bring to a rave, or rather, put in your ears and make believe you're at a rave. Anything with a drop will sound deliciously potent with these, so much so that you really have to be careful not to overdo it, and go easy on the volume, unless you want permanent tinnitus before you're 40. There's plenty of detail too, and the stage, while not Legend X-sized, is still wide enough to let the music breathe.
That's about where I'm at right now. I'm taking lots of notes and will pen a proper review in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, some more pics to enjoy below.
PS. On the issue of fit: if you DO have a Legend X, you should know the Bravado II is quite a bit larger, with a longer nozzle. I understand this is the new Odin-sized shell that Empire is using, and to be honest, I like it less than the Legend's. Bravado almost demands a deeper insert, and I don't like deep insert IEMs much. In fact I use tips just large enough to wedge into the opening of my ear canals and go no further. With B2 this makes the shells jut out of my ears more, and they don't sit flush like the Legends. Here's hoping if and when the Legend X successor arrives,
@Jack Vang and the crew keep the same original shell and shallower-fit design.
When I EQ up the bass I don't have issues with the treble since I'm not listening as loudly, but it'd be nice if some tips could tame the treble a bit and not affect the bass. Do the CP145 do this?
