[REVIEW] Aurisonics ASG-2 & 2.5 (with many comparisons)

[vwinter]

Great impression. ^That^ is going to be my one liner description when anyone asked me for my impression on the 1plus2. It is really resolving not only for the material's mastering/production, but also for the upstream gears. Listening to spotify on my note2 to billboard 100 playlists is not really a good idea!!

Also agree ASG2 compliment it very well while it can use more resolution or refinement on some better produced tracks. Not a bad idea to own both. For a all purpose all genre easy to drive all rounder my vote goes to TG334 (or W4 for those not looking to break the bank).

Oh last but not least, the ASG2 are gorgeously made! Hands down the best looking UIEM imo.

Haha, Thanks!

It's not that billboard 100 stuff sounds bad by any means, It just wouldn't be my first choice for it. I've actually said that the 1p2 is probably the most transparent IEM I've heard in regard to the gear chain, but I don't hear it as being the most transparent to the recording. It's an odd distinction, I know.

I would like to own both.

It's amazing how impressions differ from person to person. Personally I've found the 1Plus2's to be one of, if not the best, all-rounder I've heard. Music just has a "rightness" about it that I've not heard from anything else I've owned or tried. Others I've owned have been able to pull that off on a track or an album but the 1Plus2's seem to accomplish it with everything I've thrown at them.

Something that's really surprised me is how good the 1Plus2's paired with the CEntrance HiFi-M8 sounds using Rdio for streaming playback. I expected that to sound like crap but it's been pretty darn good, obviously not as good as lossless from a Macbook but still quite enjoyable.

I don't necessarily think our impressions would differ as much as our opinions on what we hear would differ. And IMO people listen for specific and different things in IEMs. Something I love or hate about the character of an IEMs sound you could not care less about.

My comments have nothing to do with "rightness" and I'm guessing you're talking about the perceived realism of what you see when you hear through them. It's more to do with being engaged in different ways for different music for me, and I don't think the 1p2 has that range. It's an IEM that I think is "always on" and that's something that isn't necessarily a plus for me.

opinions will differ. the important thing is to have respect for others right to have an opinion.

for me personally 1p2 is top sounding IEM which makes me lazy to hear anything else. however i am well aware there are many great options around and i can see all fair points about ASG2 or K3003 which are very fine IEM and will make many owners happy.

i also agree ASG2 can be a huge compliment to 1p2 and i loved ASG2 a lot and could well imagine buying one later. 

K3003 is another highly interesting IEM which i call a polite version of 1p2. i can well see people, who complain about aggressive 1p2 sound, will find K3003 as a very nice alternative which will be more sweet mellower sounding 1p2. for what is worth we all hear music slightly differently.

what i do NOT like is when people want to overimpose their opinion on others and use categorical forms to peddle their agenda.

have a good day, i am off to wine makers   

You know you can't come in here without posting a music link.

Nice impressions. Can you talk about treble or is that too dangerous? 
 

What specifically would you like to know about the treble? I'll try to answer anything, possibly with another joke. Odds are 3:1.

I think much the same of it as Eke wrote about in his impressions IIRC. It's a massive peak, pretty much on target with the graph posted in the 1p2 thread. I think it's placed very well though and gives cymbals and higher pitched drums very nice sizzle and shimmer. Like the rest of the 1p2 sig though, I found it quite dry.

 

[gnarlsagan]

Haha, Thanks!

It's not that billboard 100 stuff sounds bad by any means, It just wouldn't be my first choice for it. I've actually said that the 1p2 is probably the most transparent IEM I've heard in regard to the gear chain, but I don't hear it as being the most transparent to the recording. It's an odd distinction, I know.

I would like to own both.
I don't necessarily think our impressions would differ as much as our opinions on what we hear would differ. And IMO people listen for specific and different things in IEMs. Something I love or hate about the character of an IEMs sound you could not care less about.

My comments have nothing to do with "rightness" and I'm guessing you're talking about the perceived realism of what you see when you hear through them. It's more to do with being engaged in different ways for different music for me, and I don't think the 1p2 has that range. It's an IEM that I think is "always on" and that's something that isn't necessarily a plus for me.
You know you can't come in here without posting a music link.
What specifically would you like to know about the treble? I'll try to answer anything, possibly with another joke. Odds are 3:1.

I think much the same of it as Eke wrote about in his impressions IIRC. It's a massive peak, pretty much on target with the graph posted in the 1p2 thread. I think it's placed very well though and gives cymbals and higher pitched drums very nice sizzle and shimmer. Like the rest of the 1p2 sig though, I found it quite dry.

Massive peak... Ugh. I don't get the recent hype with giant treble peaks. Pretty sure it's a fad. Would you be kind enough to point me in the direction of the graph so I can have a visual representation of the nails on the chalkboard in my head.

 

[elnero]

My comments have nothing to do with "rightness" and I'm guessing you're talking about the perceived realism of what you see when you hear through them. It's more to do with being engaged in different ways for different music for me, and I don't think the 1p2 has that range. It's an IEM that I think is "always on" and that's something that isn't necessarily a plus for me.

 
Yes, to a certain extent it's about perceived realism, but it's more all encompassing than that. To these ears the 1Plus2's sound balanced with no one frequency drawing undue attention unless the music calls for it, yet it never feels bass heavy or lightweight or dark or bright for that matter. Tonality of instruments sound correct, rich yet not syrupy thick. It's fast yet still conveys a sense of proper decay. I could go on down the list but in the end it comes down to when I listen there's nothing about what I'm hearing that detracts or feels out of place with the experience so I'm more able to lose myself in the music. The reason I feel they make for such a good all-rounder for me is because there's the same level of immersion regardless of genre. In some cases I may have heard a better phone for a particular recording or genre, for instance the Flat 4 SUI can sound amazing with certain albums but then fall flat on it's face with something else, whereas, so far, I haven't found anything that's made the 1Plus2's stumble like that.
 
It seems like it's a balancing act for the 1Plus2's though, they play so close to the limits in some cases that I could see associated equipment pushing them over the edge. Depending on what they're paired with I could easily see them sounding too strident, or too bass heavy, or too thin, or too cold, etc., so I do think there's likely an element of synergy in play as well.

 

[eke2k6]

I agree that nothing on the revised 1p2 sounds put of place. However, I found it lacking in emotion and weight. It can sound great for some songs, then be relatively lackluster for others.
 
The g2, on the other hand, has a tuning that makes it sound out of place for several tracks due to the bass quantity. However, in a lot of tracks, the 1p2 can only dream of doing what the g2 can. That's why the g2 has been my greatest source of frustration and joy in the iem world so far. There are songs that I listen to that make me want to win the lottery and buy everyone I know a pair so they can experience it woth me, then there are songs that I know could sound better if a few tweaks were made.
 
That's why I said in my main review that the g2 is nearly perfection for me. We'll see if the cross valve mod does more to get it there.

 

[vwinter]

Massive peak... Ugh. I don't get the recent hype with giant treble peaks. Pretty sure it's a fad. Would you be kind enough to point me in the direction of the graph so I can have a visual representation of the nails on the chalkboard in my head.

 
It really is on the less offensive side for such a huge peak. Sibilance is there, but a bit less than the G-2 or the Senn IE800. I'm guessing it's because of the placement, but because of it's magnitude it extends to still be pretty high around 10.5k where any IEM will exhibit sibilance if it's a hotly mastered track.
 
Be sure to notice the scaling.

 

 
 
 
 

   
Yes, to a certain extent it's about perceived realism, but it's more all encompassing than that. To these ears the 1Plus2's sound balanced with no one frequency drawing undue attention unless the music calls for it, yet it never feels bass heavy or lightweight or dark or bright for that matter. Tonality of instruments sound correct, rich yet not syrupy thick. It's fast yet still conveys a sense of proper decay. I could go on down the list but in the end it comes down to when I listen there's nothing about what I'm hearing that detracts or feels out of place with the experience so I'm more able to lose myself in the music. The reason I feel they make for such a good all-rounder for me is because there's the same level of immersion regardless of genre. In some cases I may have heard a better phone for a particular recording or genre, for instance the Flat 4 SUI can sound amazing with certain albums but then fall flat on it's face with something else, whereas, so far, I haven't found anything that's made the 1Plus2's stumble like that.
 
It seems like it's a balancing act for the 1Plus2's though, they play so close to the limits in some cases that I could see associated equipment pushing them over the edge. Depending on what they're paired with I could easily see them sounding too strident, or too bass heavy, or too thin, or too cold, etc., so I do think there's likely an element of synergy in play as well.

 
Balanced isn't a word I would personally use because the dips and peaks are clearly audible. I'm not saying that for my tastes that it's a bad thing. I like it for what it is, but it's there. I thought the bass was incredibly aggressive. It also has the impression of being boosted because of the large dip that's dead center across the mids. Don't get me wrong, it's a very well and cleverly tuned sound. It's when something is so good that I tend to look more for possible flaws and specific nuances that don't quite fit. The more you pay, the more you expect, maybe.
 
So it's like you said, there isn't really anything that is audibly terribly out of place, and I agree with that's the case for my taste too. But ultimately, for something this aggressive and specific, as you said about consistency across all genre's they are too consistent and force you into their world instead of the world of the recording or the music, and that makes them less than engaging for possibly everything. You either want to be an observer or a participant. If you like to be an observer, the 1p2 will likely float your boat.

 

[Idsynchrono_24]

Balanced isn't a word I would personally use because the dips and peaks are clearly audible. I'm not saying that for my tastes that it's a bad thing. I like it for what it is, but it's there. I thought the bass was incredibly aggressive. It also has the impression of being boosted because of the large dip that's dead center across the mids. Don't get me wrong, it's a very well and cleverly tuned sound. It's when something is so good that I tend to look more for possible flaws and specific nuances that don't quite fit. The more you pay, the more you expect, maybe.

So it's like you said, there isn't really anything that is audibly terribly out of place, and I agree with that's the case for my taste too. But ultimately, for something this aggressive and specific, as you said about consistency across all genre's they are too consistent and force you into their world instead of the world of the recording or the music, and that makes them less than engaging for possibly everything. You either want to be an observer or a participant. If you like to be an observer, the 1p2 will likely float your boat.

Craziness. I used very similar wording to describe to a certain somebody as to why I, at times, preferred the G-2 to the K3K (a phone we all know I quite enjoy )

"This is how I dfferentiate "engaging" vs. "involving." One will capture your attention, while the other will invite you into its sphere. Like watching a band, vs. participating in one, I suppose."

It'll be very interesting to see what you how feel about the K3K in a matter of days

 

[elnero]

Originally Posted by vwinter /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
Balanced isn't a word I would personally use because the dips and peaks are clearly audible. I'm not saying that for my tastes that it's a bad thing. I like it for what it is, but it's there. I thought the bass was incredibly aggressive. It also has the impression of being boosted because of the large dip that's dead center across the mids. Don't get me wrong, it's a very well and cleverly tuned sound. It's when something is so good that I tend to look more for possible flaws and specific nuances that don't quite fit. The more you pay, the more you expect, maybe.
 
So it's like you said, there isn't really anything that is audibly terribly out of place, and I agree with that's the case for my taste too. But ultimately, for something this aggressive and specific, as you said about consistency across all genre's they are too consistent and force you into their world instead of the world of the recording or the music, and that makes them less than engaging for possibly everything. You either want to be an observer or a participant. If you like to be an observer, the 1p2 will likely float your boat.

You see, this is what I meant about it being amazing how impressions (and experiences) differ, for me, I'm not hearing these dips and peaks the way you seem to. And for me the 1Plus2 involves me in the music on a consistent basis more than pretty much any headphone I've heard, it takes me from being an observer and puts me there. On a recording like Iron & Wine's "Live At Wheaton College" I go from feeling like I'm watching the crowd interaction from a distance to being a part of it.
 
I'm not trying to say I disagree with your assessment, it's more of an observation on how widely varied our experiences can be.

 

[eke2k6]

   
 
I'm not trying to say I disagree with your assessment, it's more of an observation on how widely varied our experiences can be.

 
It could be that yo ujust don't have our baselines. The 1p2 might me the most most involving you've heard. On the other hand, V and I (and idsync) have had access to the IE800, Flat-4, UERM, along with the 1p2. 

 

[vwinter]

  You see, this is what I meant about it being amazing how impressions (and experiences) differ, for me, I'm not hearing these dips and peaks the way you seem to. And for me the 1Plus2 involves me in the music on a consistent basis more than pretty much any headphone I've heard, it takes me from being an observer and puts me there. On a recording like Iron & Wine's "Live At Wheaton College" I go from feeling like I'm watching the crowd interaction from a distance to being a part of it.
 
I'm not trying to say I disagree with your assessment, it's more of an observation on how widely varied our experiences can be.

 
Bolded is what I was trying to say more or less, as opposed to saying varying impressions. It's based on our auditory and mental needs and desires IMO. I wasn't trying to argue either, just elaborating on where I'm coming from.
 
The dips and peaks are there though and the meaurements back it up. You can use an interactive sine sweeping software if you care to. Your individual hearing curve might alter the extent, as might your expectations.

 

[elnero]

   
It could be that yo ujust don't have our baselines. The 1p2 might me the most most involving you've heard. On the other hand, V and I (and idsync) have had access to the IE800, Flat-4, UERM, along with the 1p2. 

That could be but I wasn't limiting it to IEM's, I'm basing what I said on my 11 years of experience on Head-Fi. I've owned a few decent full-sized setups and have had access to quite a few others not listed in my profile. I've also owned a few decent IEM's like JH13Pro's and have also had extended auditions with others not in my profile like the Flat-4 SUI, ER4S and P along with many others.

 

[gnarlsagan]

Bolded is what I was trying to say more or less, as opposed to saying varying impressions. It's based on our auditory and mental needs and desires IMO. I wasn't trying to argue either, just elaborating on where I'm coming from.

The dips and peaks are there though and the meaurements back it up. You can use an interactive sine sweeping software if you care to. Your individual hearing curve might alter the extent, as might your expectations.

I agree sweeps and tones are a good way to find out where peaks and dips lie in an iem's FR. We can talk about how we *perceive* music or sound all day long and never come to any meaningful agreement. Running a few tones and and sharing where one hears any peaks and dips is a much simpler and more direct way to share how we actually *hear* an iem as opposed to how we perceive it.

Plenty of sound signatures can be convincing I'm sure, but if someone says that a they hear a 10dB treble peak at 10k with tones, then they hear that same peak with percussion etc. Are cymbals meant to be 10dB louder than everything else in the recording? Is that more realistic somehow? I'd say no, and I'd doubt the reliability of that person's assessment. (This isn't directed at you vwinter, but to the treble peakers out in the world).

I have a feeling that if a lot of these "totl" iems were a quarter of the price, then we wouldn't be having these discussions...

 

[Mimouille]

It could be that yo ujust don't have our baselines. The 1p2 might me the most most involving you've heard. On the other hand, V and I (and idsync) have had access to the IE800, Flat-4, UERM, along with the 1p2. 

So people are aloud to hear it differently but if it is not like you three, it is because of a lack of reference? Allow me to lol. I have owned and / or extensively listened to 1plus2, tg334, ie800, Kaede, Miracles, Spiral Ear SE5, MH335DW, Sd3 and several others and still place the 1plus2 among the top3. Sure I have not listened to the ASG2, and totally accept that they are more engaging than the 1plus2 TO SOME, but several others who still prefer the 1plus2 do not necessarily LACK THE BASELINE. I found that very condescending.

 

[Mimouille]

The dips and peaks are there though and the meaurements back it up. You can use an interactive sine sweeping software if you care to. Your individual hearing curve might alter the extent, as might your expectations.

Could you have identified the dips and peaks without the graph and without listening to tones? Just listening to music?

 

[kkcc]

I would just say the asg2 engages me in a different way than the 1p2. It is also a subjective thing and I prefer the 1p2 on most genres on most of my devices except the Note2 where the 1p2's advantages in transparency or imaging are lost to the source's limitation. On such source 1p2 can sound cold compared to the asg2. But on the hm901, or with the AKs whether amped or standalone I always find the 1p2 more all rounded for me. I only uses the asg2 for some pop/rock tracks when I want a different sig.

 

[vwinter]

Could you have identified the dips and peaks without the graph and without listening to tones? Just listening to music?

 
Like I said, the tuning is very clever and can mask things.
 
Using such software in my case is not a tool to build impressions upon or tear down products. It's a tool to build understanding of what I'm hearing. You build up a mental database because it's a consistent test across various auditions and ownerships.
 
With that, to answer your question directly, I could hear the dip. The 2k and 4.3k peaks I could generally identify within 500hz. The peak at about 8.5-8.8k is the interesting one. I wouldn't have guessed the magnitude or where it exactly started, but its width I could hear extend to 10.5K because of the specific type of sibilance I heard based on past experience, as an example of the experience based learning I spoke of earlier. Now I could probably identify a similar peak in another IEM in the future because of the specific way it presents cymbal shimmer.