flinkenick's 17 Flagship IEM Shootout Thread (and general high-end portable audio discussion)

[gLer]

Can confirm that is simply not true. I'm coming to double that amount with the addition of my 5th iem (hopefully the last)

Think how much you can save if you replace them all with the Bird then!

 

[tawmizzzz]

I completely get you. The current get-out price for the hobby is $5999 $6600. If you have it, you can skip all the baby steps, side steps and missteps and live happily ever after.

Ha, if only. I've been craving a second complimentary IEM and am getting irritated at all the new DAP/cable releases but no new flagship IEMs!

 

[twister6]

Ha, if only. I've been craving a second complimentary IEM and am getting irritated at all the new DAP/cable releases but no new flagship IEMs!

You just hold on to your wallet for the next few weeks until HK AV show (the weekend of August 6-8). There should be quite a few juicy surprise announcements

 

[tawmizzzz]

You just hold on to your wallet for the next few weeks until HK AV show (the weekend of August 6-8). There should be quite a few juicy surprise announcements

Anything dark/warm but highly technical with excellent timbre?

 

[jwbrent]

You just hold on to your wallet for the next few weeks until HK AV show (the weekend of August 6-8). There should be quite a few juicy surprise announcements

any hints you can give?

 

[riverground]

You just hold on to your wallet for the next few weeks until HK AV show (the weekend of August 6-8). There should be quite a few juicy surprise announcements

My body is ready but my wallet is nowhere in sight…

 

[KuroKitsu]

My body is ready but my wallet is nowhere in sight…

Just gotta show those cameras who's boss

 

[KickAssChewGum]

Jury is still out on this... hope I get a chance to audition it...

You really should try the Trailli, David. It’s a very special IEM.

 

[gLer]

Ha, if only. I've been craving a second complimentary IEM and am getting irritated at all the new DAP/cable releases but no new flagship IEMs!

No no, you can't pair a Traillii with a flagship. What you want is an all-day listen with great, easy sound you can just kick about with. Because nothing will take the place if Traillii for the special listens. At least nothing that's out there yet. Easier on your wallet that way too.

Anything dark/warm but highly technical with excellent timbre?

You mean like your old LX that I'm listening to right now?

(Mind you, it's not dark, but still...)

 

[ian91]

My friends at the summit, another PSA from budget-fi - check out the GK10 from Geek Wold, a $45 multi-driver (2DD bass and mids, 1BA high, 2 peizo ultra high) IEM. It has supplanted the BL-03 as my go to beater, top timbre and technicalities, especially when amped. As long as you go into it expecting a Traillii-like unboxing experience you won't be disappointed.

I hope to be back at the summit in the next few months with a Traillii re-purchase, *fingers crossed*.

 

[Deezel177]

Hey, everyone! Apologies for how late this one is, but here are my impressions of the much-awaited Oriolus Isabellae. I’d like to thank Andrew over at @MusicTeck for providing the Isabellae at a discounted price for the purposes of this post. And, without further ado, let’s begin!

First things first, I really like the packaging Oriolus have put together for the Isabellae. It’s clean and simple aesthetically, but it’s cleverly accented by loads of little textures. And, the storytelling there with the bird imagery is a nice touch as well. I love the approach and attention-to-detail Oriolus have shown here, and I’d love to see it applied to their pricier IEMs too. Accessories-wise, the Isabellae comes with a cable tie, extra tips, a cleaning tool and a shirt clip; all in a plastic baggie. I personally would’ve liked to see the tips better organised; perhaps, in a little box with posts and separators like Final does. And, if they wanted to go the extra mile, a small case would’ve been superb as well. But, for the price, I think Oriolus put up a very good effort.

Build-wise, the Isabellae has me very impressed. Just aesthetically, I love the clear amber shell paired with the brass faceplate. I think it’s a creative design that genuinely stands out. And, as far as craftsmanship goes, the shells look and feel not only thick, but evenly thick all around too. That, along with some slightly visible print lines, leads me to believe that it’s a 3D-printed shell. And, if it is, I have to credit Oriolus for how clean and clear they’ve gotten that resin. The lacquerwork all around is even and thick as well, which further adds to both its visual appeal and its durability. It's definitely denser-feeling than a lot of in-ears I've handled at this price range, so kudos to them on that. The last bit I wanna mention is isolation. The Isabellae actually lets a fair amount of noise in; worth noting if you consider isolation a priority. At the same time, though, I don't feel as much of that occlusion (or 'vacuum') effect when I have the earpieces in, so it does have its benefits.

Lastly, I have to shoutout the included cable. While it isn’t necessarily anything special in build, it does come with a 4.4mm plug. I don’t know how others are gonna feel about it, but I personally love the inclusion. I appreciate their awareness that the Isabellae is probably going to power users with balanced DAPs. Though it may not be the case for everyone, I personally feel very happy about it, so it’s automatically a point towards it for me.

---

Now, onto sound!

NOTE: These impressions were written after about 50-70 hours of run-in, along with the single-flange silicone tips. I briefly tried the double-flange tips, which I felt made the bass tighter and the stage smaller. And, I also tried one of the smaller silicone tips for a deeper insert, which I felt helped fill out the mids a bit more, but at the cost of stage size.

Oriolus’s Isabellae is an in-ear that primarily sounds vivid, vibrant and crisp. Its main attribute to me is how eagerly notes leap forward and project, and much of that has to do with its expressive upper-midrange and its treble tuning. It’s a prominent treble that, while free of any tinny, metallic or abrasive notes, does impart a good deal of sizzle and zing; important to note if you have certain tolerances or preferences. In this case, though, to me, that bite does feel pillowed by the Isabellae’s single-DD design. While transients certainly jump at you, you never get the sense that they leave the mids or bass behind at all. The warmer, fuller notes that cushion those highs always come in just behind, and they aren’t truncated or outshined either. So, you’re still getting a tonality I’d consider fairly natural.

Now, what is well within the realms of natural would be its texture and pace. Again, I feel the DD helps fade instruments in and out, almost, so that treble lift doesn’t end up sounding digital or artificial. Instruments loom large with power to them; wide-spanning and intimate. And, a huge contributor to that is their tactility or physicality. I’m used to sub-$1000 IEMs having hazy notes that barely stand out from the background, along with dulled dynamics as a result. The Isabellae easily passes that test to my ears. Again, instruments are vivid and they leap off the backdrop; clean-etched and punchy. This also aids separation, as they won’t all congeal into a homogenous mass. In imaging and layering, I’d say it punches around the $1200-1500 range. It won’t blow the minds of those accustomed to $2000+ in-ears, and it's likely more intimate than most staging-heads may like. But, it’s notably more open, better-controlled and better-organised - in how intricately instruments are placed and arranged - than most of its sub-$1000 peers (that I’ve heard), which is no mean feat.

I find the Isabellae’s vocal delivery strong and dynamic. There’s a force to it that, again, when paired with its encompassing size, helps instruments really punch and project. At the same time, though, I do find its tone rather light and airy. There’s a reediness to it, which I feel is because it’s fairly reserved across 1-2kHz, relative to its high-mids. A vocalist like Rachael Price, whose voice is regularly very husky and rich, sounds a bit drier and more stripped-down on a track like Lake Street Dive’s Being A Woman. You don’t hear as much of that deep, weighty support coming from her chest. So, when she gets a bit raspy and growly on the chorus, that (plus the sizzle-y treble) results in a hoarseness that isn’t the most pleasant to listen to. But, on the other hand, I think that leaner, tighter style lends itself nicely to tracks like Jorja Smith’s February 3rd. The lightened vocals and guitars actually add airiness and space to the track, and it helps the sparse hits of bass stand out more as well.

And, once again, despite the leaner, drier tone of the midrange, there’s still that bigness and glow to it that - I assume - comes from the DD. It isn’t a midrange that’s too frail, or quick, or one-dimensional, or compact. There’s still an organic size and swing to it that compensates for the lighter tonality, along with the forwardness and power I’ve already mentioned. So, I think that’ll edge it towards a colouration that’s more subjective (to taste, musical genre, etc.), especially once you consider all the technical merits it’s got going on for it as well. Details and textures, once again, are quite vividly, crisply and cleanly defined here.

Speaking of the bass, it’s probably the Isabellae’s most enjoyable attribute to me. It’s where the in-ear is most dynamic, most resolving and most mature (or complete-sounding), and a large part of that is because of the linearity it’s got from 20-250Hz. It’s a transparent bottom-end that, whether it’s acoustic kick drums or 808s, will render rumble and thump in equal measure, which I personally love. And, the air the treble provides gives it the clarity and room to operate as well. There’s also a natural pace to it that’s enough to showcase its presence and character, but not enough to bleed warmth, so the Isabellae’s instruments remain crisp. Finally, it has a bulbousness and thwack to it too, which helps it cut right through the mix and complement those sizzle-y transients.

It’s worth noting, though, that the Isabellae isn’t a basshead or bass-first IEM. It’s warmer and more bass-y than a more neutral in-ear like Vision Ears’ VE7, but it isn’t gooey or smokey either. The Isabellae is still a primarily clean and articulate IEM. But, again, there's easily more than enough there to stop the in-ear from sounding bright or top-heavy. And, when a track does call for the lows to standout and drive, you can rest assured that this one comfortably will.

All in all, to me, the Isabellae is an in-ear that - in my admittedly-limited experience within the price bracket - is in easy contention for my top spot, especially when it comes to low-end performance, dynamic range, image tidiness and detail. The timbre it delivers, though surely subjective, is one that fans of the DD swing are bound to love; expressive, vivid and encompassing in a pretty evocative way. My only qualms with it would be its drier, lighter, reedier midrange, which doesn’t pair ideally with its present, tizzy, articulate treble. I think it’s very tolerable if you don’t mind a bit of sizzle and air, especially once you throw tip-rolling into the equation, or if you have a source/library that's inherently rich and full-sounding. But, for those who want their mids very lush, meaty and chesty, and their highs liquid-y and smooth, the Isabellae probably isn’t for you. Still, though, it’s a very strong entry at the price point, and it’s one that those who jive with its tone will very likely be happy with.

---

As always, thanks so much for giving this a read, guys! I'll have another IEM review up on THL within the next day or two, along with brief impressions of the Cayin N6ii Tii (or, at least, the R01 board) coming soon as well. 'Hope you all have a safe and pleasant weekend. Cheers!

 

[ian91]

Hey, everyone! Apologies for how late this one is, but here are my impressions of the much-awaited Oriolus Isabellae. I’d like to thank Andrew over at @MusicTeck for providing the Isabellae at a discounted price for the purposes of this post. And, without further ado, let’s begin!

First things first, I really like the packaging Oriolus have put together for the Isabellae. It’s clean and simple aesthetically, but it’s cleverly accented by loads of little textures. And, the storytelling there with the bird imagery is a nice touch as well. I love the approach and attention-to-detail Oriolus have shown here, and I’d love to see it applied to their pricier IEMs too. Accessories-wise, the Isabellae comes with a cable tie, extra tips, a cleaning tool and a shirt clip; all in a plastic baggie. I personally would’ve liked to see the tips better organised; perhaps, in a little box with posts and separators like Final does. And, if they wanted to go the extra mile, a small case would’ve been superb as well. But, for the price, I think Oriolus put up a very good effort.

​

Build-wise, the Isabellae has me very impressed. Just aesthetically, I love the clear amber shell paired with the brass faceplate. I think it’s a creative design that genuinely stands out. And, as far as craftsmanship goes, the shells look and feel not only thick, but evenly thick all around too. That, along with some slightly visible print lines, leads me to believe that it’s a 3D-printed shell. And, if it is, I have to credit Oriolus for how clean and clear they’ve gotten that resin. The lacquerwork all around is even and thick as well, which further adds to both its visual appeal and its durability. It's definitely denser-feeling than a lot of in-ears I've handled at this price range, so kudos to them on that. The last bit I wanna mention is isolation. The Isabellae actually lets a fair amount of noise in; worth noting if you consider isolation a priority. At the same time, though, I don't feel as much of that occlusion (or 'vacuum') effect when I have the earpieces in, so it does have its benefits.

Lastly, I have to shoutout the included cable. While it isn’t necessarily anything special in build, it does come with a 4.4mm plug. I don’t know how others are gonna feel about it, but I personally love the inclusion. I appreciate their awareness that the Isabellae is probably going to power users with balanced DAPs. Though it may not be the case for everyone, I personally feel very happy about it, so it’s automatically a point towards it for me.

---

Now, onto sound!

NOTE: These impressions were written after about 50-70 hours of run-in, along with the single-flange silicone tips. I briefly tried the double-flange tips, which I felt made the bass tighter and the stage smaller. And, I also tried one of the smaller silicone tips for a deeper insert, which I felt helped fill out the mids a bit more, but at the cost of stage size.

Oriolus’s Isabellae is an in-ear that primarily sounds vivid, vibrant and crisp. Its main attribute to me is how eagerly notes leap forward and project, and much of that has to do with its expressive upper-midrange and its treble tuning. It’s a prominent treble that, while free of any tinny, metallic or abrasive notes, does impart a good deal of sizzle and zing; important to note if you have certain tolerances or preferences. In this case, though, to me, that bite does feel pillowed by the Isabellae’s single-DD design. While transients certainly jump at you, you never get the sense that they leave the mids or bass behind at all. The warmer, fuller notes that cushion those highs always come in just behind, and they aren’t truncated or outshined either. So, you’re still getting a tonality I’d consider fairly natural.

​

Now, what is well within the realms of natural would be its texture and pace. Again, I feel the DD helps fade instruments in and out, almost, so that treble lift doesn’t end up sounding digital or artificial. Instruments loom large with power to them; wide-spanning and intimate. And, a huge contributor to that is their tactility or physicality. I’m used to sub-$1000 IEMs having hazy notes that barely stand out from the background, along with dulled dynamics as a result. The Isabellae easily passes that test to my ears. Again, instruments are vivid and they leap off the backdrop; clean-etched and punchy. This also aids separation, as they won’t all congeal into a homogenous mass. In imaging and layering, I’d say it punches around the $1200-1500 range. It won’t blow the minds of those accustomed to $2000+ in-ears, and it's likely more intimate than most staging-heads may like. But, it’s notably more open, better-controlled and better-organised - in how intricately instruments are placed and arranged - than most of its sub-$1000 peers (that I’ve heard), which is no mean feat.

I find the Isabellae’s vocal delivery strong and dynamic. There’s a force to it that, again, when paired with its encompassing size, helps instruments really punch and project. At the same time, though, I do find its tone rather light and airy. There’s a reediness to it, which I feel is because it’s fairly reserved across 1-2kHz, relative to its high-mids. A vocalist like Rachael Price, whose voice is regularly very husky and rich, sounds a bit drier and more stripped-down on a track like Lake Street Dive’s Being A Woman. You don’t hear as much of that deep, weighty support coming from her chest. So, when she gets a bit raspy and growly on the chorus, that (plus the sizzle-y treble) results in a hoarseness that isn’t the most pleasant to listen to. But, on the other hand, I think that leaner, tighter style lends itself nicely to tracks like Jorja Smith’s February 3rd. The lightened vocals and guitars actually add airiness and space to the track, and it helps the sparse hits of bass stand out more as well.

And, once again, despite the leaner, drier tone of the midrange, there’s still that bigness and glow to it that - I assume - comes from the DD. It isn’t a midrange that’s too frail, or quick, or one-dimensional, or compact. There’s still an organic size and swing to it that compensates for the lighter tonality, along with the forwardness and power I’ve already mentioned. So, I think that’ll edge it towards a colouration that’s more subjective (to taste, musical genre, etc.), especially once you consider all the technical merits it’s got going on for it as well. Details and textures, once again, are quite vividly, crisply and cleanly defined here.

​

Speaking of the bass, it’s probably the Isabellae’s most enjoyable attribute to me. It’s where the in-ear is most dynamic, most resolving and most mature (or complete-sounding), and a large part of that is because of the linearity it’s got from 20-250Hz. It’s a transparent bottom-end that, whether it’s acoustic kick drums or 808s, will render rumble and thump in equal measure, which I personally love. And, the air the treble provides gives it the clarity and room to operate as well. There’s also a natural pace to it that’s enough to showcase its presence and character, but not enough to bleed warmth, so the Isabellae’s instruments remain crisp. Finally, it has a bulbousness and thwack to it too, which helps it cut right through the mix and complement those sizzle-y transients.

It’s worth noting, though, that the Isabellae isn’t a basshead or bass-first IEM. It’s warmer and more bass-y than a more neutral in-ear like Vision Ears’ VE7, but it isn’t gooey or smokey either. The Isabellae is still a primarily clean and articulate IEM. But, again, there's easily more than enough there to stop the in-ear from sounding bright or top-heavy. And, when a track does call for the lows to standout and drive, you can rest assured that this one comfortably will.

All in all, to me, the Isabellae is an in-ear that - in my admittedly-limited experience within the price bracket - is in easy contention for my top spot, especially when it comes to low-end performance, dynamic range, image tidiness and detail. The timbre it delivers, though surely subjective, is one that fans of the DD swing are bound to love; expressive, vivid and encompassing in a pretty evocative way. My only qualms with it would be its drier, lighter, reedier midrange, which doesn’t pair ideally with its present, tizzy, articulate treble. I think it’s very tolerable if you don’t mind a bit of sizzle and air, especially once you throw tip-rolling into the equation, or if you have a source/library that's inherently rich and full-sounding. But, for those who want their mids very lush, meaty and chesty, and their highs liquid-y and smooth, the Isabellae probably isn’t for you. Still, though, it’s a very strong entry at the price point, and it’s one that those who jive with its tone will very likely be happy with.

---

As always, thanks so much for giving this a read, guys! I'll have another IEM review up on THL within the next day or two, along with brief impressions of the Cayin N6ii Tii (or, at least, the R01 board) coming soon as well. 'Hope you all have a safe and pleasant weekend. Cheers!

Absolutely awesome and articulate review that resonates well with my experience.

My only qualms with it would be its drier, lighter, reedier midrange, which doesn’t pair ideally with its present, tizzy, articulate treble.

This is something I was struggling to express, but certainly appreciated. The drier presentation has it's benefits, especially with Jazz and string instrumentals.

Also your pictures...it's too early in the day to get me this excited mate. So beautiful.

 

[Deezel177]

Absolutely awesomely articulate review and resonates well with my experience.



This is something I was struggling to express, but certainly appreciated. The drier presentation has it's benefits, especially with Jazz and string instrumentals.

Also your pictures...it's too early in the day to get me this excited mate. So beautiful.

Thanks so much, my friend! Yeah, that midrange timbre will definitely react differently depending on what you're listening to. I like how it sharpens and focuses instruments in the genres you mentioned, and I like how it adds space in more atmospheric R&B or soul mixes as well. Miguel, Kehlani and Mac Ayres come to mind. It'll obviously depend on the production of the track too. I found the drums on Dimas Pradipta's 9 Range Road still had loads of body and weight in spite of that colouration, but the ones on Mark Lettieri's Deep, Vol. 3 ended up a bit too light or clang-y. So, it's something people will or won't jive with. But, that's the nature of IEMs, and listening in general too: Nothing is perfect, so find the one that's perfect for you.

 

[Rockwell75]

First things first, I really like the packaging Oriolus have put together for the Isabellae. It’s clean and simple aesthetically, but it’s cleverly accented by loads of little textures. And, the storytelling there with the bird imagery is a nice touch as well. I love the approach and attention-to-detail Oriolus have shown here,

I for one am a huge fan of simple, compact aesthetically appealing packaging. I received the Cayin Fantasy a couple days after receiving Isa and the contrast in packaging was rather dramatic. The Fantasy came in one of those large, multi-tiered boxes complete with all sorts of layers, bells & whistles all of which will just sit in my closet (generally until I sell it to move on to something else). Oriolus' packaging (and Campfire's) is simple, efficient, effective and beautiful and I hope more companies start to go that route. It's nice being able to display the nice, artistically appealing little boxes, on a shelf in my house. My only personal beef with the packaging/accessories etc. is the lack of an included case.

and I’d love to see it applied to their pricier IEMs too.

Shots fired. That said now that I've received Isabellae and most recently the Reborn my honest suspicion, especially given Oriolus' tendency towards the unconventional, is that the notably unassuming packaging of the Traillii, despite its Himalayan price, was meant as something of a statement suggesting that the tuning & sound quality is the real product and does not need to be bolstered by ostentatious, excessive packaging, bells & whistles etc. Maybe I'm way off but that's a little what it feels like.

Lastly, I have to shoutout the included cable. While it isn’t necessarily anything special in build, it does come with a 4.4mm plug. I don’t know how others are gonna feel about it, but I personally love the inclusion. I appreciate their awareness that the Isabellae is probably going to power users with balanced DAPs. Though it may not be the case for everyone, I personally feel very happy about it, so it’s automatically a point towards it for me.

+1

I find the Isabellae’s vocal delivery strong and dynamic. There’s a force to it that, again, when paired with its encompassing size, helps instruments really punch and project. At the same time, though, I do find its tone rather light and airy. There’s a reediness to it, which I feel is because it’s fairly reserved across 1-2kHz, relative to its high-mids. A vocalist like Rachael Price, whose voice is regularly very husky and rich, sounds a bit drier and more stripped-down on a track like Lake Street Dive’s Being A Woman. You don’t hear as much of that deep, weighty support coming from her chest. So, when she gets a bit raspy and growly on the chorus, that (plus the sizzle-y treble) results in a hoarseness that isn’t the most pleasant to listen to. But, on the other hand, I think that leaner, tighter style lends itself nicely to tracks like Jorja Smith’s February 3rd. The lightened vocals and guitars actually add airiness and space to the track, and it helps the sparse hits of bass stand out more as well.

And, once again, despite the leaner, drier tone of the midrange, there’s still that bigness and glow to it that - I assume - comes from the DD. It isn’t a midrange that’s too frail, or quick, or one-dimensional, or compact. There’s still an organic size and swing to it that compensates for the lighter tonality, along with the forwardness and power I’ve already mentioned. So, I think that’ll edge it towards a colouration that’s more subjective (to taste, musical genre, etc.), especially once you consider all the technical merits it’s got going on for it as well. Details and textures, once again, are quite vividly, crisply and cleanly defined here.

That's a really interesting perspective. I actually EQ my Reborn down a bit at the 2K region and one of the reasons I've been so enamoured with the Isabellae is how much upper mids presence there is without it feeling shouty or stridant. I might fiddle with EQ on Isa a bit (which I haven't yet) in that region and see what happens.

Speaking of the bass, it’s probably the Isabellae’s most enjoyable attribute to me. It’s where the in-ear is most dynamic, most resolving and most mature (or complete-sounding), and a large part of that is because of the linearity it’s got from 20-250Hz. It’s a transparent bottom-end that, whether it’s acoustic kick drums or 808s, will render rumble and thump in equal measure, which I personally love. And, the air the treble provides gives it the clarity and room to operate as well. There’s also a natural pace to it that’s enough to showcase its presence and character, but not enough to bleed warmth, so the Isabellae’s instruments remain crisp. Finally, it has a bulbousness and thwack to it too, which helps it cut right through the mix and complement those sizzle-y transients.

LOVED this description of the bass...i've been struggling to really put it into words but you nailed it. The quality of bass on all 3 Oriolus IEMs I've heard has really caught me by surprise.

Thank-you for sharing! A thorough, articulate, engaging and informative review as always.

 

[HiFiHawaii808]

Hey, everyone! Apologies for how late this one is, but here are my impressions of the much-awaited Oriolus Isabellae. I’d like to thank Andrew over at @MusicTeck for providing the Isabellae at a discounted price for the purposes of this post. And, without further ado, let’s begin!

First things first, I really like the packaging Oriolus have put together for the Isabellae. It’s clean and simple aesthetically, but it’s cleverly accented by loads of little textures. And, the storytelling there with the bird imagery is a nice touch as well. I love the approach and attention-to-detail Oriolus have shown here, and I’d love to see it applied to their pricier IEMs too. Accessories-wise, the Isabellae comes with a cable tie, extra tips, a cleaning tool and a shirt clip; all in a plastic baggie. I personally would’ve liked to see the tips better organised; perhaps, in a little box with posts and separators like Final does. And, if they wanted to go the extra mile, a small case would’ve been superb as well. But, for the price, I think Oriolus put up a very good effort.

​

Build-wise, the Isabellae has me very impressed. Just aesthetically, I love the clear amber shell paired with the brass faceplate. I think it’s a creative design that genuinely stands out. And, as far as craftsmanship goes, the shells look and feel not only thick, but evenly thick all around too. That, along with some slightly visible print lines, leads me to believe that it’s a 3D-printed shell. And, if it is, I have to credit Oriolus for how clean and clear they’ve gotten that resin. The lacquerwork all around is even and thick as well, which further adds to both its visual appeal and its durability. It's definitely denser-feeling than a lot of in-ears I've handled at this price range, so kudos to them on that. The last bit I wanna mention is isolation. The Isabellae actually lets a fair amount of noise in; worth noting if you consider isolation a priority. At the same time, though, I don't feel as much of that occlusion (or 'vacuum') effect when I have the earpieces in, so it does have its benefits.

Lastly, I have to shoutout the included cable. While it isn’t necessarily anything special in build, it does come with a 4.4mm plug. I don’t know how others are gonna feel about it, but I personally love the inclusion. I appreciate their awareness that the Isabellae is probably going to power users with balanced DAPs. Though it may not be the case for everyone, I personally feel very happy about it, so it’s automatically a point towards it for me.

---

Now, onto sound!

NOTE: These impressions were written after about 50-70 hours of run-in, along with the single-flange silicone tips. I briefly tried the double-flange tips, which I felt made the bass tighter and the stage smaller. And, I also tried one of the smaller silicone tips for a deeper insert, which I felt helped fill out the mids a bit more, but at the cost of stage size.

Oriolus’s Isabellae is an in-ear that primarily sounds vivid, vibrant and crisp. Its main attribute to me is how eagerly notes leap forward and project, and much of that has to do with its expressive upper-midrange and its treble tuning. It’s a prominent treble that, while free of any tinny, metallic or abrasive notes, does impart a good deal of sizzle and zing; important to note if you have certain tolerances or preferences. In this case, though, to me, that bite does feel pillowed by the Isabellae’s single-DD design. While transients certainly jump at you, you never get the sense that they leave the mids or bass behind at all. The warmer, fuller notes that cushion those highs always come in just behind, and they aren’t truncated or outshined either. So, you’re still getting a tonality I’d consider fairly natural.

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Now, what is well within the realms of natural would be its texture and pace. Again, I feel the DD helps fade instruments in and out, almost, so that treble lift doesn’t end up sounding digital or artificial. Instruments loom large with power to them; wide-spanning and intimate. And, a huge contributor to that is their tactility or physicality. I’m used to sub-$1000 IEMs having hazy notes that barely stand out from the background, along with dulled dynamics as a result. The Isabellae easily passes that test to my ears. Again, instruments are vivid and they leap off the backdrop; clean-etched and punchy. This also aids separation, as they won’t all congeal into a homogenous mass. In imaging and layering, I’d say it punches around the $1200-1500 range. It won’t blow the minds of those accustomed to $2000+ in-ears, and it's likely more intimate than most staging-heads may like. But, it’s notably more open, better-controlled and better-organised - in how intricately instruments are placed and arranged - than most of its sub-$1000 peers (that I’ve heard), which is no mean feat.

I find the Isabellae’s vocal delivery strong and dynamic. There’s a force to it that, again, when paired with its encompassing size, helps instruments really punch and project. At the same time, though, I do find its tone rather light and airy. There’s a reediness to it, which I feel is because it’s fairly reserved across 1-2kHz, relative to its high-mids. A vocalist like Rachael Price, whose voice is regularly very husky and rich, sounds a bit drier and more stripped-down on a track like Lake Street Dive’s Being A Woman. You don’t hear as much of that deep, weighty support coming from her chest. So, when she gets a bit raspy and growly on the chorus, that (plus the sizzle-y treble) results in a hoarseness that isn’t the most pleasant to listen to. But, on the other hand, I think that leaner, tighter style lends itself nicely to tracks like Jorja Smith’s February 3rd. The lightened vocals and guitars actually add airiness and space to the track, and it helps the sparse hits of bass stand out more as well.

And, once again, despite the leaner, drier tone of the midrange, there’s still that bigness and glow to it that - I assume - comes from the DD. It isn’t a midrange that’s too frail, or quick, or one-dimensional, or compact. There’s still an organic size and swing to it that compensates for the lighter tonality, along with the forwardness and power I’ve already mentioned. So, I think that’ll edge it towards a colouration that’s more subjective (to taste, musical genre, etc.), especially once you consider all the technical merits it’s got going on for it as well. Details and textures, once again, are quite vividly, crisply and cleanly defined here.

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Speaking of the bass, it’s probably the Isabellae’s most enjoyable attribute to me. It’s where the in-ear is most dynamic, most resolving and most mature (or complete-sounding), and a large part of that is because of the linearity it’s got from 20-250Hz. It’s a transparent bottom-end that, whether it’s acoustic kick drums or 808s, will render rumble and thump in equal measure, which I personally love. And, the air the treble provides gives it the clarity and room to operate as well. There’s also a natural pace to it that’s enough to showcase its presence and character, but not enough to bleed warmth, so the Isabellae’s instruments remain crisp. Finally, it has a bulbousness and thwack to it too, which helps it cut right through the mix and complement those sizzle-y transients.

It’s worth noting, though, that the Isabellae isn’t a basshead or bass-first IEM. It’s warmer and more bass-y than a more neutral in-ear like Vision Ears’ VE7, but it isn’t gooey or smokey either. The Isabellae is still a primarily clean and articulate IEM. But, again, there's easily more than enough there to stop the in-ear from sounding bright or top-heavy. And, when a track does call for the lows to standout and drive, you can rest assured that this one comfortably will.

All in all, to me, the Isabellae is an in-ear that - in my admittedly-limited experience within the price bracket - is in easy contention for my top spot, especially when it comes to low-end performance, dynamic range, image tidiness and detail. The timbre it delivers, though surely subjective, is one that fans of the DD swing are bound to love; expressive, vivid and encompassing in a pretty evocative way. My only qualms with it would be its drier, lighter, reedier midrange, which doesn’t pair ideally with its present, tizzy, articulate treble. I think it’s very tolerable if you don’t mind a bit of sizzle and air, especially once you throw tip-rolling into the equation, or if you have a source/library that's inherently rich and full-sounding. But, for those who want their mids very lush, meaty and chesty, and their highs liquid-y and smooth, the Isabellae probably isn’t for you. Still, though, it’s a very strong entry at the price point, and it’s one that those who jive with its tone will very likely be happy with.

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As always, thanks so much for giving this a read, guys! I'll have another IEM review up on THL within the next day or two, along with brief impressions of the Cayin N6ii Tii (or, at least, the R01 board) coming soon as well. 'Hope you all have a safe and pleasant weekend. Cheers!

Nice review. I like your description of the Isa being "vivid." Does that mean bright? I ask because I am listening to Monarch and Odin. In trying to describe the difference in sound, the word "vivid" does seem to fit to me. The Odin is more vivid than the Monarch and I think that is due to its treble response.