Aur Audio Neon Pro arrived…! 7weeks since the order but finally!
Basic Spec :
10BA 4 way cross over.
2Bass (Sonion AcuPass 38) + 2 Lower Mid (Sonion 37 ) + 2 Upper Mid (Sonion ) + 4 High (Knowles)
Price is $700-730USD depending on Singapore Dollar Fx Rate. Probably the lowest priced TOTL available for international market so far.
FR
More FR analytics:
OOTB impression:
Extra ordinary amount of air!
Will Do a comparison with Qdc Anole Vx and Neon Pro’s tuning sibling See Audio Bravery later.
▶︎Tuning Switch makes huge difference in bass amount. With all stock cables and ear tips, I like switch tuned off version.
▶︎OMG. Neon Pro is Bravery on steroid. Exactly I expected. Even with all stock and single ended 3.5mm, it is my Endgame for 2023 material… I can try my Bravery setting (PWA Legend II & TRI Clarion ) later to make it “transparent & fragile”.
▶︎TOTL performance without any doubt
qdc Anole VX vs Aur Audio Neon Pro
▶︎They are White elf vs Dark Elf of ancient forest of qdc.
▶︎Bird’s eye view of grand scheme in tuning philosophy of both:
Timbre: VX ( Satin Audio Ares & H570) NP (PWA Copper 28 V2 & H570)
Top Note:
Clairvoyant Finesse (VX) vs
Ultra Clear Mid range (NP)
Middle Note:
Beautiful & Euphoric main body (VX) vs
Extraordinary Resolution (NP)
Bottom Note:
Bass Impact (VX) vs
Bass Impact + Bass Air moving( NP )
Top/Middle/Bottom is not referred to frequency band, it’s more of perception of what comes first and what’s left at the bottom. Borrowing analogy from perfume scent and wine tasting.
For Anole VX, the listening will be “
woah!! What is this resolution! very euphoric tonality. And also great Bass as a BA”
For Neon Pro, it will be
”
OMG, Amazing Mid Imaging! Also extra ordinary resolution. Sonion Bass heaven.“
There are many TOTLs focused on upper range or lower range, but most of them play safe on mid tuning.
Neon Pro is from qdc woods but certainly has lively mid range than original qdc, which brings the magic to NP with TOTL class upper registers and actually best sounding BA bass backing up that mid.
Technical aspect: Tentative ( with PWA Ignis)
Resolution: VX (S+), Neon Pro (S)
Image Focus : VX (S-), Neon Pro (S)
Image Positioning : VX (S), Neon Pro (A+)
Image Depth & Layering : VS (S+), Neon Pro (S-)
Diffusion Field : VX (A+), Neon Pro (A-)
Note Mass: VX ( Slightly heavy), Neon Pro (Heavy)
raison de’tre:
VX = Penultimate Finesse x versatile tuning x scalability (it performs the 100% of what original source / player is able to throw into IEM)
NP = Extraordinary Midrange performance x Best BA Lower Range (Bass~Mid) x Spine Chilling Resolution x scalability
VX or NP? It’s too quick to jump to conclusion, so this is just a tentative note:
After 2 hours of listening to NP, I can still see the orthodox White Elf has better technicality especially in amount of information and spatial expressions. The Dark Elf NP is mean while more mid-range focused so I can hear more emotional nuances from the vocals of NP. Considering NP is 25% of what VX costs, The technical gap is forgivable. Also this is only 60 minutes of first impression, I may find a best pair of cable and ear tips later that may bring NP to par with VX and surpasses in some areas.
NP has better bass and vocal imaging over VX at current state, no need to mention DUNU SA6 the mini-VX.
The “
Spine Chilling Resolution
️ “of NP is a unique speciality. It is resolving but not edgy or harsh. It just chills your spine and very breathtaking.
You get the “deadly resolving but not offensive feeling.
See Audio Bravery vs Aur Audio Neon Pro
▶︎able to simulate my Bravery tuning on Neon Pro with PWA Ignis at 90% for “transparent & fragile” style presentation. Bravery is still better hand on this category. Bravery is good at Thin sounds.
Cable Roll:
PWA Ignis : U-tuning, add mid bass weight, warmth, and more breathable air
PWA Copper 28 V2: Best Balanced Match, natural gain level increase, current pair.
PWA Copper M2: Natural and slight hint on bass weight addituon.
PWA Legend II: mid boosted fun and engaging
Softears Cable: similar cable to PWA, single ended, actually quite good pair! Natural and hint of upper mid boost, may lack some air though.
Linsoul LSC08: U-tuning, good pair too.
Hakugei x See Audio cable : Similar response to Softears cable but it comes with more treble
Hakugei Sea-Elf cable (Kuro?): One of weird tuning, very very hard to explain. It sucks distance between vocal and will put vocal in your head, but it also generates diffusing field, making you feel vocals are singing in your head while you standing on concert hall. Weird! But nothing else does this… Maybe a keeper.
KBEAR Limpid Pro: Ok. upper mid and treble emphasis
KBEAR Hazy : Quite good, natural gain level increase with some bass weight addition
XINHS Graphene 8 core: slight bright emphasis, similar to Softears Cable
XINHS Graphene 16 core: Bright emphasis. Borderline sibilance.
Moondrop Line V: Bright U tuning, Upper 10khz and 20hz sub bass emphasis, nice pair.
Tripowin Mele Stock cable: Not a good pair, I noticed NP’s stock 3.5 cable uses similar cable with Mele, and out of curiosity I A-B tested, they sound night and day, NP stock is one of best matching high visibility with well balanced one, but Mele’s stock cable sound utterly rubbish on NP, it‘s muddy.
Left (NP Stock) Right (Mele Stock)
Even the connectors are similar ones. How come they sound so different? Only difference is the plug
Plug does look high-end finish on NP‘s stock, hmmmm very interesting.
Moondrop Coax Single 6N Crystal OCC: upper mid emphasis with calmer treble and bass, wow vocal booster. For treble sensitive group, this may be a good match. I desire more 15khz+ with NP, if not this would be a good balance, similar to Monarch stock tuning level of treble extension. Excels at spatial expression. I may come back to this cable eventually.
XENNS Cable (Tea stock): It was a bad matching with Tea as it pushes down the already calmer mid Of Tea, it does also pushes down Neon Pro’s mid as an anchoring point, bright tilt from mid. Actually a nice match. Closer to what I’m seeking for NP, a dark elf specialized in forbidden magic (bright neutral with accent in sub-bass and slight scoped lower mid)
Cable roll conclusion.
PW Audio Copper 28 V2, a not excessively overpriced one $89, actually handled Mussorgsky’s heavy brass harmony the best.
https://tidal.com/track/77611296
It handled better than higher end models of PWAs. Great synergy and most natural sounding.
You should be surprised
As many hardcore head-fi members also got shocked how well tuned Neon Pro is.
