As distributor of HiFiMan and Sunrise i may say - problem with dfective product in HiFiman not less than in Sunrise
As distributor of HiFiMan and Sunrise i may say - problem with dfective product in HiFiman not less than in Sunrise
(2B11) Creative Aurvana 3
Reviewed Dec 2011
Details: Third-gen enthusiast-oriented IEM from consumer electronics giant Creative Labs
Current Price: $150 from amazon.com (MSRP: $149.99)
Specs: Driver: Dual BA | Imp: 16Ω | Sens: 112 dB | Freq: 10-17k Hz | Cable: 4' I-plug
Nozzle Size: 4mm | Preferred tips: MEElec triple-flanges
Wear Style: Over-the-ear
Accessories (4.5/5) - Single-flange silicone tips (3 sizes), foam eartips (2 sets), cleaning tool, airplane adapter, and hard-shell carrying case with removable cable winder
Build Quality (3.5/5) – The glossy, reflective housings are plastic and feature matte dual-bore nozzles and very, very flexible strain reliefs. The rubbery cable is extremely soft and thin. It never gets in the way but also tends to tangle and doesn’t inspire much confidence in the earphones’ longevity
Isolation (4/5) – Ergonomic housings and fully-sealed design result in above-average isolation
Microphonics (4.5/5) – Pretty much nonexistent in the soft, featherweight cable
Comfort (3.5/5) – The housings are very well-designed – lightweight, smooth, and rounded at the edges; the nozzle is angled well and the soft strain reliefs never make themselves known. However, the sheer size of the housing is uncharacteristic for a dual-BA – it is larger than that of a Westone 4. Those with smaller outer ears may experience discomfort quickly as a result
Sound (8.6/10) – Creative’s third-gen armature-based earphone takes some pages out of the Shure playbook when it comes to more than just design – the sound may be familiar to the Shure faithful as well. The signature is mid-centric and slightly warm. The bass is accurate and controlled but not prominent or aggressive. It is fairly punchy but made to sound less so by the midrange emphasis. Gentle roll-off at the bottom also means that even certain single-armature earphones - the Fischer Audio SBA-03, for example - offer better bass depth.
The midrange is the focal point of the Aurvana’s sound signature – forward compared to the bass and treble, warm, and very smooth. Note thickness is good but the presentation is a bit dry, reminiscent of the ill-fated Klipsch Custom 3. The Fischer SBA-03 has similarly forward mids but sounds leaner, with more crispness and slightly better detailing, while the Aurvana is smoother, thicker, and warmer in tone. It’s a pleasant sound but clearly not one for those in search of a balanced, neutral, highly detailed monitor. Even the dual-dynamic JVC HA-FXT90 has better transparency than the Aurvana 3, as well as more natural tone and timbre.
At the top, the Aurvana 3 is laid-back and very non-fatiguing. Compared to earphones with crisp, prominent top ends – the VSonic GR07, for example – the Creatives sound a bit veiled and even a touch dark. As with the bass, the top end is not so much rolled-off as it is overshadowed by the attention-grabbing midrange. The presentation, too, is defined largely by the balance of the earphones - the Aurvana 3 is not particularly dynamic and rarely sounds aggressive or even energetic. The soundstage is about average in size, albeit quite well-rounded. The space is larger than that of the Fischer Audio SBA-03 and the layering is more convincing. Still, the Aurvana 3 lacks air and openness next to dynamic-driver competitors such as the JVC FXT90 and doesn’t have the same imaging prowess. On the upside, it is very, very efficient – clearly designed for use straight out of a portable player.
Value (8/10) – The Creative Aurvana In-Ear 3 is a solid mid-range monitor that could pass for a consumer-oriented product from Shure or Westone. Aside from the mid-centric sound, which won’t be to everyone’s liking, the Aurvana 3 also filters potential listeners by ear size with its large plastic housings. Sonically, the Creatives have few weaknesses but also offer few memorable traits – a sound that fails to impress at first listen but may just be a cheaper - albeit slightly less balanced - alternative to something like a Klipsch Custom 3 or Ortofon e-Q7.
Pros: low cable noise; competent mid-centric sound
Cons: large housings not comfortable in smaller ears; thin cable
Big thanks to kidcharlemagne for the Creative Aurvana 3 loan
(2A21) ACS T15
Reviewed Dec 2011
Details: First universal IEM from UK-based customs manufacturer and Etymotic Research partner ACS
Current Price: £149 (est. $230) from acscustom.com (MSRP: £149)
Specs: Driver: BA | Imp: 41.5Ω | Sens: N/A | Freq: 16-20k Hz | Cable: 5.5' L-plug
Nozzle Size: 5.5mm | Preferred tips: trimmed MEElec triple-flanges; stock triple-flanges
Wear Style: Straight down or over-the-ear
Accessories (3.5/5) – Single-flange (3 sizes) and triple-flange (2 sizes) silicone tips; hard clamshell carrying case
Build Quality (4.5/5) – The minimalistic design combines tiny, nondescript-looking plastic housings with a Kevlar-reinforced cable. The color-coded nozzles are surprisingly wide for an armature-based set and the cable lacks strain relief on housing entry. It also has plenty of long-term memory character despite being relatively tangle-resistant
Isolation (4.5/5) – Tiny, sealed housings allow for very high passive isolation, especially with the triple-flange eartips
Microphonics (4/5) – Present when worn cable-down; low when worn over-the-ear
Comfort (5/5) – The T15 is one of the smallest IEMs on the market and is remarkably unobtrusive. The only odd design choice is the wide nozzle, which makes the fit slightly less universal than – say – an old Etymotic ER6i. For all but those with the smallest ear canals, however, the T15 will be a fit-and-forget earphone with the right tips
Sound (9/10) – The long-time partnership between ACS and Etymotic Research shows through both in the design and the tuning of the T15. The tiny single-armature monitors produce a very clear and detailed sound over a wide frequency range. They are by no means bass-heavy but the low end has surprisingly good depth and is fuller than that of Etymotic’s flagship ER-4S, though not by a wide margin. The ER-4S, with its shorter attack and decay times, sounds drier and more clinical than the T15 does. The bass of the T15 is still very clean and articulate, however, as expected from a single-armature reference earphone. It is flat in response and possesses enough detail and texture to keep up with the likes of the Audio-Technica CK10 and HiFiMan RE272, as well as to easily beat the cheaper Fischer Audio SBA-03 save for the slightly lower overall bass quantity.
In the midrange, the T15 is neutral and very accurate. Overall balance is excellent and the midrange aggression of cheaper monitors such as the SBA-03 is nowhere to be found. The T15 is undoubtedly a BA-based earphone, crisp and highly detailed – traits that are very obvious in comparison to the softer, more relaxed HiFiMan RE272. However, it is also refined and smooth, not unlike the Audio-Technica CK10. Transparency yields to the CK10 and Ety ER-4S slightly but again the T15 has a marginally fuller, more fleshed-out sound. Still, its sound will not be confused with that of a dynamic-driver earphone any time soon. Compared to the JVC HA-FXT90, for example, the T15 offers far less bass, less natural timbre, and a dryer, less musical sound but makes sizable gains in clarity and resolution.
The highly neutral tone of the T15 does help with overall realism – both the ATH-CK10 and Etymotic ER-4S sound a touch colder and brighter on the whole. The CK10 especially offers more treble sparkle at the expense of the flatter, less fatiguing treble response of the T15. Top-end extension is similar between the three despite the CK10 being a dual-armature earphone. Where the Audio-Technicas do pull away is imaging – while the ER-4S and RE272 both offer a slightly wider soundstage with similarly good layering to the T15, the CK10 is significantly more three-dimensional, with a larger soundstage and headstage and more precise positioning. Compared to the rest of my armature-based earphones, the T15 easily holds its own – the stage is wider and more realistic than that of the SBA-03 and more spherical than that of the ER-4S. It is still very much a monitor, however – maybe not as revealing and unforgiving as an Ety, but not far behind. Simply put, the T15 is for fans of balanced, analytical sound who want a slightly more even-footed response curve to the traditional high-end Etymotic earphone.
Value (8.5/10) – The ACS T15 is an extremely capable universal monitor in a remarkably tiny package. The plain plastic earphones may not look or feel particularly high-end but the comfort, isolation, and sound quality make the T15 one of the best choices in its price bracket both for professional use and for consumers who value clarity, accuracy, and balance over emphasized bass and flashy cosmetics. Ety lovers especially should take note of the T15.
Pros: tiny size, sturdy construction, high isolation, very detailed and well-balanced
Cons: long, memory-prone cable
MEELEC has an unofficial announcement of the MEELEC A161. Don't tell them that I told you guys. It's a secret.
