[arjuna93]

  You my friend need to try the 846.

Tried in a shop with my iPhone 5s, wasn't impressed with the sound. However no chance to try them with my home set-up which I use with ASG-22. So comparison wasn't fair.

 

[warrior1975]

Not sure if I missed it or not, but anyone know the difference between 2 and 2.5's?

 

[Nukeshock]

Hahaha hey guys I'm Back!
I wanted to run this by you guys, so I sold both my Ak100 and Ak120 a few days ago. And I got myself the Fiio X5 to replace them and two 64GB cards =P,
Well When listening to Macklemore White walls there is a vocal bit where a female is saying something and I hear well what seems to sound like something rattling... This shocked me a bit and I replayed the part at a high volume to confirm and It was there. I never realised this before. Then I Went straight back to the store to return the X5 and while I was waiting for the sales guy to come with my new X5 I demoed the Ak240 with the same song on my SD card and It was there again!
The same crackling sound?
So I told the guy to return me back my X5 since it was not the player.

OK I never really understood the term Sibilant. Is this the 9khz - 10th that eke mentioned in the review?

 

[zenstep]

Does the ASG-2 / 2.5 play well with bass centric EDM music? what would you say the main focus of this IEM is?
Im considering getting one of these... 
 
 
InEar StageDiver 3s (SD-3s)    ($600)        3 BA
EarSonics SM64                    ($450)        3 BA
Dunu DN-2000                    ($315)        2 BA 1 Dynamic
(Sennheiser) iE80                ($270)        1 Dynamic
(Aurisonics) ASG-2 / 2.5        ($550)    
 
Is there anything else i should consider? >.< so many choices...

 

[a5bud]

  Does the ASG-2 / 2.5 play well with bass centric EDM music? what would you say the main focus of this IEM is?
Im considering getting one of these... 
 
 
InEar StageDiver 3s (SD-3s)    ($600)        3 BA
EarSonics SM64                    ($450)        3 BA
Dunu DN-2000                    ($315)        2 BA 1 Dynamic
(Sennheiser) iE80                ($270)        1 Dynamic
(Aurisonics) ASG-2 / 2.5        ($550)    
 
Is there anything else i should consider? >.< so many choices...

What i think.. compared to ASG2
SD3 has a great upper mid. but, the bass & lower mid kinda harsh. ASG2 has a smoother vocal.
SM64 has great vocal & bass.. but its darker than ASG-2
I never listen to ie80, but from people's review, it got strong taste of bass & if im not mistaken, it also has controllable bass on the IEM, maybe for the price its a better value buy than ASG2. but if you have $550, you should buy ASG2 than ie80.
I never heard Dunu dn2000.

 

[nehcrow]

  Does the ASG-2 / 2.5 play well with bass centric EDM music? what would you say the main focus of this IEM is?
Im considering getting one of these... 
 
 
InEar StageDiver 3s (SD-3s)    ($600)        3 BA
EarSonics SM64                    ($450)        3 BA
Dunu DN-2000                    ($315)        2 BA 1 Dynamic
(Sennheiser) iE80                ($270)        1 Dynamic
(Aurisonics) ASG-2 / 2.5        ($550)    
 
Is there anything else i should consider? >.< so many choices...

I would scratch off the IE80 since the others are a league ahead of it
Dunno about SD-3, SM64 plays well with EDM for sure... ASG-2 hell yes, another great option
TBH, I'm looking at an answer for this myself

 

[Eugguy]

  Does the ASG-2 / 2.5 play well with bass centric EDM music? what would you say the main focus of this IEM is?
Im considering getting one of these... 
 
 
InEar StageDiver 3s (SD-3s)    ($600)        3 BA
EarSonics SM64                    ($450)        3 BA
Dunu DN-2000                    ($315)        2 BA 1 Dynamic
(Sennheiser) iE80                ($270)        1 Dynamic
(Aurisonics) ASG-2 / 2.5        ($550)    
 
Is there anything else i should consider? >.< so many choices...

Shure 846, ASG2, IE80.

IE80 is actually a very good option for EDM and/or rock. For other genres, questionable at times. If you listen to other genres equally as EDM then maybe it's best to look elsewhere. ASG2 is a very good option as well. 846 will cost 2.5-3x as much as the IE80. 

 

[nehcrow]

  Shure 846, ASG2, IE80.

IE80 is actually a very good option for EDM and/or rock. For other genres, questionable at times. If you listen to other genres equally as EDM then maybe it's best to look elsewhere. ASG2 is a very good option as well. 846 will cost 2.5-3x as much as the IE80. 

I'd look at Sony H3 too, since apparently it does have an elevated bass

 

[zenstep]

okay so just to be clear I have 6 questions .. since i haven't heard much about the ASG-2 / 2.5 yet...
 
1. IS the ASG considered a bassier hybrid?
2. Is the ASG-2 / 2.5 considered one of the more famous hybrid IEMs out right now?
3. Are hybrid IEMs considered to be bassier in general considering the dynamic driver?
4. What kind of music are people generally listening to with the ASG-2 / 2.5?
5. Will I be satisfied with its frequency response compared to the StageDiver 3?
6. What is the difference between the ASG-2 and the ASG-2.5?
 
Ive had so many positive responses from helpful people trying to give me useful feedback, thank you so much for your time everyone ^-^
 
If you wouldn't mind addressing each question by number just to be thorough so we don't accidently skip one Id be very grateful!

 

[eke2k6]

  okay so just to be clear I have 6 questions .. since i haven't heard much about the ASG-2 / 2.5 yet...
 
1. IS the ASG considered a bassier hybrid?
2. Is the ASG-2 / 2.5 considered one of the more famous hybrid IEMs out right now?
3. Are hybrid IEMs considered to be bassier in general considering the dynamic driver?
4. What kind of music are people generally listening to with the ASG-2 / 2.5?
5. Will I be satisfied with its frequency response compared to the StageDiver 3?
6. What is the difference between the ASG-2 and the ASG-2.5?
 
Ive had so many positive responses from helpful people trying to give me useful feedback, thank you so much for your time everyone ^-^
 
If you wouldn't mind addressing each question by number just to be thorough so we don't accidently skip one Id be very grateful!

 
1. Yes, not too dissimilar to the Sony XBA-H3 hybrid
 
2. Given the length of the thread, I guess you could say that.
 
3. The thing with hybrids is that you have a LOT of headroom to tune a sound the way you like.
 
4. I listen to everything, but my favorite genres with the ASG-2 are folk rock (mumford and sons), indie, jamaican dancehall and reggae, hip hop/rap, and anything to do with vocals will be stunning on the asg-2.
 
5. I feel the ASG-2 destroys the SD3, as I stated in my review here:
 

 

InEar StageDiver 3​

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I've been really looking forward to this one. 
 
The SD3 is a triple balanced armature phone in a 2-way configuration - 2 bass drivers, and the other handles mids and highs. 
 
 

 
 
It currently retails for 469 Euros at Thommann, which works out to about USD $600, this puts it in line as a direct price competitor to the ASG-2.
 
Build quality wise, this is a very good looking phone. I love the piano black finish, and it seems they put a lot of work into getting it to fit just right despite its size. It's about  25% larger than the ASG-2, but doesn't even feel that way inside the ears. It may ultimately end up being even more comfortable for some due to its smaller nozzle size. It's really physically reminiscent of the TG334, but even better looking (IMO, of course), and has the advantage of using standard Westone style cables.
 

 
 

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As for the sound, this is really one unique phone. I looked into the specs after hearing the phone, and I didn't doubt them at all.
 
This is one of those cases where the drivers used can tell you how the phone will sound. It's not so much that the bass is terribly emphasized, it's just that the sound is tilted heavily towards that region. It lends to a very warm and thick sound. Though the soundstage is fairly large, the center stage feels quite congested because the mids and bass seem to be fighting for the same space. There is plenty of bleed, and the mids can often stand behind the bass. The treble has just enough presence to avoid being called absent. I also find the timbre of some instruments and, like the electric guitar and snare, to be thrown off by this tonality. Some vocals also come off as a bit stuffy.
 
Tuning aside, the technicalities are pretty good. Detail retrieval is there, imaging is there, it just sounds really clouded. It's almost like someone tried to copy the FitEar 334, but took a few wrong turns somewhere along the way.
 
I think the sound could be greatly helped by a few, well-placed strokes of EQ. In fact, I really want to use the same one I used on my ASG-1.2, but I don't have access to my computer anymore.
 
Now, vs the ASG-2...
 
 
 
Compared to the SD3, the ASG-2 is immediately much clearer in the mids, and the bass is a good deal more controlled. It's also more extended in the bass and treble. The key difference here is just how much more air there is to the sound. The lower mids of the ASG-2 are a step back, and the more linear FR allows for so much more space for the sound cues to dance. Vocals are more holographic, the bass is deeper, with a lot more texture (Party Rock Anthem is a good test for this), and the signature is faster overall. 
 
 
Test Tracks:
 
Wish - The Flashbulb
 

 
 
Going from the SD3 to the ASG-2 produces improved clarity on this track, especially with the cymbals and snare hits. The timbre improves slightly, but not as much as I thought it would, given the sound sig differences.
 
 
Limit to Your Love - James Blake
 

 
 
I'm using this track to test for bass control, instrument separation, and timbre.
 
Again, the biggest improvement comes in the form of clarity - not the false clarity that comes with overly boosted treble, but true clarity (whatever that means). There's also greater separation, bass extension, as well as timbre. Gone is the stuffy feeling in the mids and bass. I could "feel" the bass reach further down into my chest, while still remaining tight and impactful. James Blake also did several voice overs in the vocal tracks, and each was more apparent on the ASG-2. 
 
 
 
Thirst - City and Colour
 

 
 
The differences are the same here, but there's the added element of rock guitars. The SD3 tended to muck up the guitars, and just lacked overall bite compared to the ASG-2. Whereas the distortion guitars sounded like buzzing, pulsating instruments, the SD3 made them sound more like phones vibrating on a desk.
 
 
I had a few more tracks in mind, including some of the ones Sinth sent, but it would be more of me repeating myself.
 
 
Conclusion
 
Now, despite how negatively I may have spoken of the SD3, I think it's a good performing phone. I may even venture to say that it's actually be priced accordingly, given the crazy prices of TOTL iems nowadays. It's just that the ASG-2 is that much better. Still, the SD3 has a very distinct flavor to it that may or may not be to your liking. I can personally appreciate it, but I feel like the ASG-2 is a much better option, especially when you take their similar prices into consideration.
 
Carlsan will have his pair back soon, so he'll be able to do his own comparison.
 
 
 

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6. 
 

 

[Cotnijoe]

Agree with the ASG2 > SD3 comment. 

 

[zenstep]

Thanks so much for addressing all 6 of my questions, I just want to be super thorough here and respond to your review with the two IEMs against each other (which by the way im very happy to see) so I can safely single out my ideal choice
 
Before I decidedly put the ASG-2 above the SD-3 in priority rank.. I would like to maybe suggest the possibility that your tastes in music are mostly if not slightly angled toward an earphone with a frequency response more suited to acoustic music (upper end clarity and more high freq timbre). I would infer this based on your selection of music provided in your review. I wouldn't say a single one of those songs would be in the category of bass centric EDM music like most drum&bass music or ambient bass stuff i.e anything in this link (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3u7rbyHOwI&list=PL77cCR7z_EWi1614a-IBi187kNVy-uKl7).
 
That being considered would you still recommend the ASG-2 above the InEar SD-3? 
Its really important to me that there is establish some kind of comparison that is referenced based on the music i listen to or at the very least based on a neutral reference point before I choose one of these 2 IEMs.. and i cant even yet rule out the EarSonics SM64 which ive heard is also a pretty good contender for bass centric music (but lets just focus on the SD-3 and the ASG-2 lol.
 
Thanks so much for helping me to clarify my choice,
 
Zenstep

 

[Sarurururu]

  okay so just to be clear I have 6 questions .. since i haven't heard much about the ASG-2 / 2.5 yet...
 
1. IS the ASG considered a bassier hybrid?
2. Is the ASG-2 / 2.5 considered one of the more famous hybrid IEMs out right now?
3. Are hybrid IEMs considered to be bassier in general considering the dynamic driver?
4. What kind of music are people generally listening to with the ASG-2 / 2.5?
5. Will I be satisfied with its frequency response compared to the StageDiver 3?
6. What is the difference between the ASG-2 and the ASG-2.5?
 
Ive had so many positive responses from helpful people trying to give me useful feedback, thank you so much for your time everyone ^-^
 
If you wouldn't mind addressing each question by number just to be thorough so we don't accidently skip one Id be very grateful!

1. Yes, indeed it possibly has the largest dynamic driver in terms of diameter amongst other hybrids.
2. The most discussed hybrids these days I believe are Dunu D-2000, 1+2, ASG and may be AKG K3003 (since it's a relatively old model).
3. In general, the advantage of hybrids over BA types of phone is because of the dynamic driver.
4. I have ASG 2.5, I pretty much listen to everything including R&B, Metal, Rap to Classicals, and Classicals do require quality bass spectrum to bring out its scale and atmosphere IMO.
5. Sorry, I don't know.
6. Sorry, I don't know.
 
However, assume you are buying a new pair, I wonder if you can still get the ASG 2 since it should be all ASG 2.5 on the market by now. Bare in mind that ASG has relatively large nozzles, for instance, I normally use large to XL tips on other IEMs; as for ASG 2.5, I have to use medium size tips instead.
If your listening preferences are absolutely bass orientated, I would kindly suggest you to forget about those BA phones. Another alternative is to consider DJ types of headphone instead of IEM.

 
Hope these helps.

 

[gnarlsagan]

For bass-centric edm I'd recommend the GR07 BE. In a direct comparison with the ASG-2 I found the GR07 BE much more convincing. Light acoustic tracks though were incredible on the ASG-2. More realistic than most earphones I've heard.

 

[warrior1975]

Really? wow... I was not impressed with my GR07BE at all. I don't think they are even remotely close to my G2.