uberburger101
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Hi all, I did everyone a favour (myself included and translated this review. It's one of the rare Futuresonics Ear Monitors reviews out there. Hopefully it's understandable enough.
Thank you for your time.
[size=small]Review Proper[/size]
1. Prologue - How he decided on getting the Ear Monitors
2. Making of the customs
I chose Onyx Black from the list of colours, however FS did not allow me to change to Matte Black. Fortunately, the end result was not very glossy. Fit is very good, but sound isolation is not fantastic.
3. Gradual changes
When I first received the EM, I felt the bass was quite undefined but the highs were still coming through. After 50 hours, bass was more defined and the bass lines were coming through more clearly. After 150 hours, all the roughness and lack of definition was gone. Now that all the excitement and hype of having a new toy has more or less died down, I can write the review more rationally and impartially.
(i) Bass
Initially, the bass levels were overwhelming. After a period of burn-in, the excellent quality of bass will definitely satisfy listeners used to dynamic headphones. Powerful, controlled, with excellent layering and texture. The bass on EM has an amazing level of realism, especially with bands.
After hundreds of hours on the EM, the bass amount is still about the same but the slam is more and the decay is crisp and clean. ER4 lovers with the clean, quick and deep bass might not like the quantity and slam of the EM but I prefer it because I feel it is more "natural and accurate".
Compared to the IE8, the IE8 has more bass but is less detailed and shallower than the EM. OK1's bass is a bit too quick and undetailed. Atrio has always been the benchmark for deep bass, and naturally the EM is no pushover in this aspect.
(ii) Highs
Highs are a little on the dark side but not rolled off, very organic with a gentle sparkle. It does not match the PK1 in terms of sparkle and extension. Extension is still decent, treble is darker but the details are still all present. Overall it gives a very complete and balanced picture of the music. EM's treble is very realistic, and it does not give listening fatigue. Speed, decay, and air is all present and accurately reproduced. Strings are produced faithfully and very realistically. Piano sounds very organic due to the full-bodied treble. In comparison, many other IEMs make a piano sound like an electric piano.
Talking about other IEMs, the PK1 has thus far reproduced the grand piano most faithfully. The treble extension of the PK1 and the EM are not very far apart, but what separates the two is how the treble is reproduced. The PK1's treble is quick and clean, while the EM is richer. It's not a matter of which is better, more of a preference.
(iii) Midrange
Of all the IEMs I have tried, the "thickness" of the midrange is about average. Vocals are slightly forward, singer positioning is accurate. Voices are very textured, with a nice decay. Mids do not have excessive colouration, pretty neutral. A husky and slightly "dry" tone to vocals. Perhaps it's because the midrange is slightly thick sounding, female vocals lack that bit of excitement and air but more of a smooth and consistent sound with a nasal quality that is unlike any other IEM. Full-bodied, rich and neutral is how I would describe the midrange of the EM. It definitely does not "WOW" on the first listen, but it still draws you in.
Vocals are mellow with good decay, and the entire rhythm of the song seems to be slower exposing more details. It just envelopes you. The midrange is very coherent with the rest of the spectrums, no overlapping or artificial separation. This is not the most outstanding of midrange, but it is the most organic and natural midrange I have heard.
(iv) Soundstage
Having a semi-open design, the soundstage of the EM is naturally large. On an orchestral piece, all the instruments are accurately positioned, air between the notes, and the music just envelopes you. Some IEMs create a very artificial soundstage and have unnatural separation between the notes. The strength of the EM is in the cohesiveness of the soundstage, everything sounds natural. When I go to a concert, I don't want to hear how far the first violinist from the second, or how far the timpani is from the triangle. I want to enjoy the whole experience, the feeling of the music flowing through you. Even though the EM is only an IEM, it is the only IEM I have that reproduces that feeling so accurately. I do not get this feeling even headphone rigs, but the fact that EM can do this right is quite a feat.
Soundstage of the EM is not like other IEMs I have heard, like SF5Pro, ER4P, PK1. Those IEMs have very good separation (especially PK1), but that is all. The strong point of the EM is in the imagery, when I close my eyes I can imagine the piano playing in front of me. EM's soundstage does not rely on excellent separation, but more of imagery and cohesiveness.
(v) Sound tuning
At present, the market has the following self-tuning IEMs, namely SA6, PFE, IE8 and PL30. EM was the first of its kind, earlier than the abovementioned IEMs. SA6 is a rare balanced armature IEM with both a tweeter and a bass port; PFE using different filter materials; IE8 and PL30 by changing the size of the bass port. EM changes the sound by controlling the amount of air intake.
The EM's sound is tuned with a small plastic bolt on the back of the IEM with different sized holes. The default size is S(mall). When M(edium) is used, there is an increase in bass and treble. However, the overall presentation is darker due to the additional bass muddying the overall sound slightly. It makes for a very bottom-heavy presentation. L(arge) takes this up a notch, and the overall sound is just too muddy. With the complete sealed plug, the bass amount is the least but the sound becomes very constricted. Simply put, just don't mess with the plastic bolts.
IV. After all has been said
The burn-in period for EM (being a dynamic driver IEM) will have quite a few ups and downs while the coil is loosening. Allow about 100-200 hours for the sound to stabilize.
I must say, according to recording studio standards, EM fails. Why so? If you are able to read the response graph, you will feel that the curve is very ugly: 5kHz-7kHz dip reflects recessed vocals. Treble (after 10kHz) is also recessed. Basically, the worst combination for monitoring use. However, I believe the frequency response was deliberate, and we all know frequency graphs do not paint the whole picture. Because I am having a great experience, even if the frequency response is so poor.
Those with sufficient live performance listening experience can easily feel it, sound on live performances can be easily dissipated. Harmonics that can be recorded by a microphone and reproduced by audio systems are in fact very difficult to hear live. High frequency energy dissipates quickly, mids will also have some loss, comparatively, bass the least. Concurrently, imaging in music halls isn't that clear.
As a leading professional system provider, Futuresonics' recognises these occurrences and the EM is their end product. It reproduces what the singer should be able to hear on stage, a sound that has the characteristics of live performances. For example, the more pronounced and the slightly longer decay of the bass; the darker sound signature due to the recessed treble after 10kHz; to allow the singer to sing at a more accurate (to the listener's) volume by slightly reducing 5kHz-7kHz.
This unique design is naturally an acquired taste. Not everyone likes a warm and darker sound, likewise not everyone likes a neutral more analytical sound. Be it neutral or coloured, bright or dark, studio and live, basically all of us will have different sonic preferences. Hence, I believe there will never be an IEM to rule them all, not now, not ever.
V. This should be the end...
I feel what EM is best at reproducing, is live music. Especially so with large scale symphonic works, it's full of body and texture. The EM does not focus on dissecting your music, but instead on playing and involving you in it. This is a very special IEM, it's presentation is different from all the others I own/owned. It just disappears and lets the music take over, a truly wonderful experience. I think I have finally found my end point.
[size=small]Review Proper[/size]
1. Prologue - How he decided on getting the Ear Monitors
2. Making of the customs
I chose Onyx Black from the list of colours, however FS did not allow me to change to Matte Black. Fortunately, the end result was not very glossy. Fit is very good, but sound isolation is not fantastic.
3. Gradual changes
When I first received the EM, I felt the bass was quite undefined but the highs were still coming through. After 50 hours, bass was more defined and the bass lines were coming through more clearly. After 150 hours, all the roughness and lack of definition was gone. Now that all the excitement and hype of having a new toy has more or less died down, I can write the review more rationally and impartially.
(i) Bass
Initially, the bass levels were overwhelming. After a period of burn-in, the excellent quality of bass will definitely satisfy listeners used to dynamic headphones. Powerful, controlled, with excellent layering and texture. The bass on EM has an amazing level of realism, especially with bands.
After hundreds of hours on the EM, the bass amount is still about the same but the slam is more and the decay is crisp and clean. ER4 lovers with the clean, quick and deep bass might not like the quantity and slam of the EM but I prefer it because I feel it is more "natural and accurate".
Compared to the IE8, the IE8 has more bass but is less detailed and shallower than the EM. OK1's bass is a bit too quick and undetailed. Atrio has always been the benchmark for deep bass, and naturally the EM is no pushover in this aspect.
(ii) Highs
Highs are a little on the dark side but not rolled off, very organic with a gentle sparkle. It does not match the PK1 in terms of sparkle and extension. Extension is still decent, treble is darker but the details are still all present. Overall it gives a very complete and balanced picture of the music. EM's treble is very realistic, and it does not give listening fatigue. Speed, decay, and air is all present and accurately reproduced. Strings are produced faithfully and very realistically. Piano sounds very organic due to the full-bodied treble. In comparison, many other IEMs make a piano sound like an electric piano.
Talking about other IEMs, the PK1 has thus far reproduced the grand piano most faithfully. The treble extension of the PK1 and the EM are not very far apart, but what separates the two is how the treble is reproduced. The PK1's treble is quick and clean, while the EM is richer. It's not a matter of which is better, more of a preference.
(iii) Midrange
Of all the IEMs I have tried, the "thickness" of the midrange is about average. Vocals are slightly forward, singer positioning is accurate. Voices are very textured, with a nice decay. Mids do not have excessive colouration, pretty neutral. A husky and slightly "dry" tone to vocals. Perhaps it's because the midrange is slightly thick sounding, female vocals lack that bit of excitement and air but more of a smooth and consistent sound with a nasal quality that is unlike any other IEM. Full-bodied, rich and neutral is how I would describe the midrange of the EM. It definitely does not "WOW" on the first listen, but it still draws you in.
Vocals are mellow with good decay, and the entire rhythm of the song seems to be slower exposing more details. It just envelopes you. The midrange is very coherent with the rest of the spectrums, no overlapping or artificial separation. This is not the most outstanding of midrange, but it is the most organic and natural midrange I have heard.
(iv) Soundstage
Having a semi-open design, the soundstage of the EM is naturally large. On an orchestral piece, all the instruments are accurately positioned, air between the notes, and the music just envelopes you. Some IEMs create a very artificial soundstage and have unnatural separation between the notes. The strength of the EM is in the cohesiveness of the soundstage, everything sounds natural. When I go to a concert, I don't want to hear how far the first violinist from the second, or how far the timpani is from the triangle. I want to enjoy the whole experience, the feeling of the music flowing through you. Even though the EM is only an IEM, it is the only IEM I have that reproduces that feeling so accurately. I do not get this feeling even headphone rigs, but the fact that EM can do this right is quite a feat.
Soundstage of the EM is not like other IEMs I have heard, like SF5Pro, ER4P, PK1. Those IEMs have very good separation (especially PK1), but that is all. The strong point of the EM is in the imagery, when I close my eyes I can imagine the piano playing in front of me. EM's soundstage does not rely on excellent separation, but more of imagery and cohesiveness.
(v) Sound tuning
At present, the market has the following self-tuning IEMs, namely SA6, PFE, IE8 and PL30. EM was the first of its kind, earlier than the abovementioned IEMs. SA6 is a rare balanced armature IEM with both a tweeter and a bass port; PFE using different filter materials; IE8 and PL30 by changing the size of the bass port. EM changes the sound by controlling the amount of air intake.
The EM's sound is tuned with a small plastic bolt on the back of the IEM with different sized holes. The default size is S(mall). When M(edium) is used, there is an increase in bass and treble. However, the overall presentation is darker due to the additional bass muddying the overall sound slightly. It makes for a very bottom-heavy presentation. L(arge) takes this up a notch, and the overall sound is just too muddy. With the complete sealed plug, the bass amount is the least but the sound becomes very constricted. Simply put, just don't mess with the plastic bolts.
IV. After all has been said
The burn-in period for EM (being a dynamic driver IEM) will have quite a few ups and downs while the coil is loosening. Allow about 100-200 hours for the sound to stabilize.
I must say, according to recording studio standards, EM fails. Why so? If you are able to read the response graph, you will feel that the curve is very ugly: 5kHz-7kHz dip reflects recessed vocals. Treble (after 10kHz) is also recessed. Basically, the worst combination for monitoring use. However, I believe the frequency response was deliberate, and we all know frequency graphs do not paint the whole picture. Because I am having a great experience, even if the frequency response is so poor.
Those with sufficient live performance listening experience can easily feel it, sound on live performances can be easily dissipated. Harmonics that can be recorded by a microphone and reproduced by audio systems are in fact very difficult to hear live. High frequency energy dissipates quickly, mids will also have some loss, comparatively, bass the least. Concurrently, imaging in music halls isn't that clear.
As a leading professional system provider, Futuresonics' recognises these occurrences and the EM is their end product. It reproduces what the singer should be able to hear on stage, a sound that has the characteristics of live performances. For example, the more pronounced and the slightly longer decay of the bass; the darker sound signature due to the recessed treble after 10kHz; to allow the singer to sing at a more accurate (to the listener's) volume by slightly reducing 5kHz-7kHz.
This unique design is naturally an acquired taste. Not everyone likes a warm and darker sound, likewise not everyone likes a neutral more analytical sound. Be it neutral or coloured, bright or dark, studio and live, basically all of us will have different sonic preferences. Hence, I believe there will never be an IEM to rule them all, not now, not ever.
V. This should be the end...
I feel what EM is best at reproducing, is live music. Especially so with large scale symphonic works, it's full of body and texture. The EM does not focus on dissecting your music, but instead on playing and involving you in it. This is a very special IEM, it's presentation is different from all the others I own/owned. It just disappears and lets the music take over, a truly wonderful experience. I think I have finally found my end point.
hehe I must say I look a bit weird in public though xD