Redcarmoose
Headphoneus Supremus
Fidue Asteroid Dual Drivers In-Ear Earphone
$179.00
>Dual-driver unit featuring one graphene DD unit and one custom-tuned Piezo-electric unit.
>Impedance: 32 Ohms.
>Frequency Response Range: 8Hz-41kHz.
>Sensitivity: 110dB.
>Special Stainless Steel Shells.
>Universal MMCX connector type.
>High-purity SPC cable with 3.5mm termination plug.
While not totally new, the Fidue Asteroid was introduced in June of 2020. Really both a unique idea of combining a PZT and a DD. And yes, it offers all the contrasts you could imagine here. Though my favorite part is how it is the very best of the Hybrid ideas here. That means lows are really low, to where the physicality of the lows is big and deep but never interfering with what the Piezo is doing. I mean it took these dynamic contrasts to kind of balance each other out, and they do. Here the PZT sounds like a lot, really big and bigger than BAs could ever do until you start 2X, 3X, 4X I mean really this midrange is big and eventful. Shimmering into a slightly floating enigma across a whole sea of bass. But when I write this you would think that I am talking about a loss of detail or something, and that is not the case, this PZT is going crazy. I especially note how imaging is fully separated into the stage with my test songs. Here there is a sound that sounds like a dog barking at and even a cat scratching. And because I share a room with 3 small dogs during the day as I write I am noticing these sounds, especially noticing these sounds!
The best way to describe it is fluid. That and fully separated vocals here. The vocals are totally out front like you would guess from a Hybrid. But the biggest thing, the thing that would have me bring to your attention if you were in the listening room, is decays. Yep, more decays than typical BA drivers do, and I am sure I will be focusing in on the decays in the review process. The decay of both the DD and the PZT! But above that is the strings here, that they are floating above the rest fully separated and heard in their own zone.
Note:
Timestamps are for the digital file not the video:
And the crazy part is I’m using the included cable in 3.5mm with the Sony WM1A with MrWalkman’s software. Also I am enjoying the new Penon PAC LStips. But that dog bark…………….it is a device sound that I use to judge separation and delineation. As I am waiting for that sound I hear the great reverberation of the vocals. 03:13 is the sound on the 44.1kHz - 24bit file. The sound is so small but we can judge that we can hear all the rest is accounted for too. Also right at 03:10 we hear an overdub of the vocals where there has been a sss, artificially placed as to be lip expression of the word patience sung at the end. Only it is a separate sung section, and the Asteroid actually performed this, but also separates it out to hear. When he sings “Nature takes her course” we also hear the end of “course” only that emphasis sounds like it was not an overdub. At 03:47 there is the sound of almost paper shuffling and that too is fully separated and given into perception into a separated area of the stage. In many ways I like this better than the way more expensive Virgo A85 I just reviewed. Only because there is an increase in fluidness and a jettison of any BA artifacts. This is the anti-BA IEM for those that want to experience what having no BAs can do to a sound profile. Sure with only two drivers you could be forgiven for thinking that this sound was small, that the soundstage was small, but in no way is that happening. This came after the A85 and I have to say it is different from the A85, same build almost and going with the same form factor, but the nozzles are a hair longer too. The stage may even be bigger, that is what is so much fun, that I may recommend this even over the A85?
The best part too is I didn't even know it was sent to me, the Asteroid just landed on my doorstep.
Note the serial number: 2005 was a great year!
The serial number in on the cable splitter too!
Case!
They fit really good, maybe better than the Virgo A85, plus Asteroid is 11 grams in weight v the Virgo's 5 grams in weight, seems to add to a better fit?
Plus another set of ear-tips on the IEM.
Last edited:
