Finally ASG2 are in my hands (and ears), thanks to James for giving me this opportunity.
I was especially curious after seeing a heated debate on this forum and comparisons flying back and forth between ASG and other highly acclaimed IEMs.
First of all thanks for this opportunity. This is little time I listen to ASG2 and I can see and hear better now why this baby generated so much fuzz.
I will listen to them till next week and then form an opinion. However a few things I can tell straight away.
First, they are not 1+2 and are not supposed to be, to each his own. Overall 1+2 is very special IEM still holding up well against many classy products.
Second, James review is spot on and very accurately describes ASG pluses and minuses.
Third, this is clearly a monitor type IEM so this unsurprisingly polarised so many people because some people crave about monitor quality sound and others hate it.
Fourth, I find ASG2 pretty interesting sounding and there are some things where this IEM shines in glory, vocal presentations in particular are stunning, put on Dianna Krall (actually I do not like her but that is personal bias) and you will quickly understand what this IEM is all about, vocals are crystal clear and stunningly live like. Bass is well controlled and good enough but some greater separation would not hurt. Trebles are like James described are taking back seat. I wish a bit of fine tuning to blend bit mid and lower bass and increase highs transparency. In fact trebles are well present but I miss bit air and feel cymbals feel bit like withheld from sparkle shine unlike on 1+2.
Fifth, I disagree with people who blame and put down ASG2, what I am hearing pleases me a lot, right now I listen to African chamber music with great vocals and a lot of percussion works and I am liking what I hear. I use Rwak100 without external amp, music material Flac 24/96 and 14/44, will try some higher res later.
As I suspected ASG2 is indeed very interesting IEM which departs from consumer dogmas and brings more professional like sound. This is like pro studio soind, you either love or hate it... As concerns me I love it and ASG does not disappont me. Very intersting IEM for those who like clean, articulate, not aggressive and finely layered sound which comes at expense of some emotionality, stage and slam. I fully can appreciate this phylospohy and I see why Aurisonics made it this way. It will not wow you like 1+2 but ASG2 will dliver goodies aplenty if you prefer attentive listening and want coherency and accuracy first place. Stereo imaging and stage depth are good but not the best and is brought more forward, here again I feel ASG is concentrating more on conveying accurately the musical picture rather than addding anything. Accuracy is the name of the game on this IEM. Bass is great but is a bit overpowering, I breifly tried bass ports and can tell just forget about it, ASG sounds best with bass port fully closed. I use stock cable from Aurisonics but then will try gold silver from Tralucent to see what changes.
Oh, no, nearly forgot, black space is amazingly black on ASG2, damn, this baby really delivers, Buddy Guy experience on them was amazing, more 2D but so intimate that I could not hold back a wide smile. Great...
Very nice product Aurisonics, bravo Dale
NB: funnily I did not expect ASG to be what they are, I would call them stage monitors. They shine on acoustic material and voices do sound really great if not the best of what I heard. Audition begins but initial impressions are positive. I cannot understand what pissed UnityS so much about them. Excuse me for mistakes and misspels but iPad typing is pain in rear and I am lazy to do corrections.
