I had them both for a while Forte and Harmony. The harmony adds a bit more treble detail and a tad more dynamics to the mix. Both would make me happy.
Never heard the Dunu's but quite a few other IEMs.
Here is my review I wrote in October or so... but never got around to publish them (as they never went on sale in my region):
Aurisonics Forte Review
Introduction
Aurisonics
Aurisonics is a Nashville, Tennessee, US based company that produces mostly by hand and it shows. Aurisonics stands for Auris is latin for ear and Sonics is the practical application of sound. A nice name for an audio company. When a mastering engineer founds an audio company, audiophile ‘listen’ hah!! Fire up youtube and search for Dale Lott, he is the founder and CEO of Aurisonics and if you need to see someone standing behind his products - watch him. Check out the Aurisonics website, amazing read for sure.
Manufacture’s Specifications
- Type: in-ear
- Drivers Size: Dynamic: 9.25mm
- Drivers Type: Dynamic Driver & Balanced Armature Hybrid
- Frequency Response: 16Hz to 40KHz
- Sensitivity: 90dB @1mW
- Impedance: 16 Ω
-
Microphone sensitivity:
- Maximum Input: 2/5mW
- Cable: multicore OFC, 1.35mm thick
- Weight with cable: 39g
- Connector: 3.5mm single ended
Design
They are not the smallest in-ears. They have quite a large housing. However, once properly inserted they are comfortable and since they are light, you don’t really feel them.
The Forte is a part of the new line up from Aurisonics. These are the ones sharing the same housing: Eva, Kicker, Forte and Harmony. All of them come with brand new drivers in different combinations. The Kicker has the new 9.25mm dynamic driver and can deliver a nice amount of mids and treble. The Kicker come in a single driver setup. The Forte I am reviewing have a dual driver setup. The same 9.25mm dynamic driver for the mids and the incredible bass from the large dynamic driver and a single balanced armature for the treble and mids.
Style
Well made. and great looking. Take a look at the pics. They are a bit large as mentioned earlier but comfortable and look like they can take quite a beating. The cables are replaceable (YEAH!) and the connector is a standard MMCX cable. So the Linum BAX cable from
samma3a.com fits perfectly. This is not to say that the supplied cable is bad, far from it. Lovely braided cable.
Build quality
Solid plastic, 3D printed and assembled in the US. They are certainly made to last. However, in case something goes wrong the generous warranty will take care of it. Though I don’t think you will need it.
Comfort
Once inserted they are disappearing. You don’t really feel them anymore. However the housings are quite large and bulky. Other headphones have a smaller footprint. The supplied ear tips look funny and at least in my review unit they look cheap BUT they are fitting perfectly well - are nearly indestructible and isolate great. The nozzle shape seem to be extended from the 2.5 so insertion and getting a seal is easier.
Supplied accessories
You will get the in-ears, the braided cable, ear tips and a nice and small travel case for the in-ears.
Sound
General comment
owerful, dynamic, lots of bass, maybe a tad boomy with some tracks but overall an amazing sound signature. Clarity in the upper regions is really well done, thanks to the additional balanced armature driver. This is a earphone that clearly lives on the warmer side but has enough clarity to be considered high end.
Bass
Punchy, full, dynamic. Lots of bass and sub bass. The tagline of these headphones is “hear the bass come to life” and this is what these in-ears do. I love the bass they are delivering. It’s not overpowering by any stretch. If you like rock, heavy metal or electronic music, these headphones are for you.
Mid-range
It’s there and with good presence, giving this headphone a lovely fun signature. Female vocals sound great and full, male vocals are clean and engaging. It’s pretty amazing what Aurisonics has pulled off with this driver combination.
Treble
The treble is clear but gentle. Pretty good for this price range. These might be the only in-ears you will ever need. The treble is detailed but never fatiguing or harsh. You can listen to these headphones for hours without issues.
Sound Stage and instruments separations
Not bad at all. Following the amazing lead of the ASG 2.5 from Aurisonics, the soundstage is nice, deep and wide. Let's call it "appropriate". Not artificially large but just right in my book.
Pros & Cons
Pros:
- amazing fun sound quality
- bass is crazy good
- lovely dynamic bass
- 95% of a ASG 2.5 for half the price
Cons:
- housing can be a bit large for some
- only a limited selection of ear tips supplied
- bass might feel a bit boomy at certain tracks (until you get used to the amount of bass)
Rating
- Comfort 7/10
- Sound Quality 8/10
- Design 8/10
- Durability 8/10
- Value for Money 9/10
Conclusion
When I reviewed the Aurisonics ASG 2.5, I loved them. However, they were a bit above my budget at the time and I had some minor comfort issues, so I didn’t buy them, though I loved their unique sound that was so engaging and dynamic. It makes you tap your toes immediately. Good for me, a solution arrived in for of the Forte. Amazing bass, great midrange and pleasant treble. They seem to have taken all the things I loved in the ASG 2.5 and stuffed it into an easier to wear, more comfortable housing and left out the bass adjust port.
These in-ears will certainly be a hit for Aurisonics. I can’t imagine any other in-ear at this price range that does come close. If your budget allows amount of money to spend on in-ears, give these are long and hard look, they should be on top of your list.