[Review] Aurisonics Rockets...Endgame.

[james444]

  Otherworldly transparency? Check. Visceral slam? Double check. One of the things I'll probably never understand is why people think stats sound thin or have no bass. You know that linear extension that the UERM has? Think that, but with actual air and palpable weight to it. As much as I love the liquid and articulate low ends of phones like the UERM and the Angie (which has more palpable weight to it down low than the UERM), they just can't replicate that thudding sensation and weight that moving air generates. I've recently heard the HE1000 and I honestly don't think the Stax is all that far behind in bass. I don't find it any less satisfying TBH. Dynamics on the Stax are just excellent, lightning quick attack equates to some awesome slam on kicks, snares and synth bass lines. (Queue up New Order's Low Life or Justice's Cross and it'll make a believer out of you) Treble is a class apart from anything else I've heard, seriously clean, smooth and properly weighted. And you're never gonna get the sort of super aired out, open soundstaging that the 207 offers in any IEM. All in all, think UERM on a larger scale, more air and with better bass/treble and you have a good picture of how it sounds. The single caveat to all of this is that the 207 needs volume to come alive. Listening at lower volumes translates to a meek, small and restrained performance. 

 
Actually, when I heard the 207, 007 and 009 side by side, I thought the 207 was the most dynamic and open sounding of the bunch.

 

[Idsynchrono_24]

Don't worry. Eke's gettin the skinny from me lol. He'll come to a conclusion one way or another since I'll likely forward the R2s along to him and a couple of friends. Eager to give the R2s a spin myself. Do chime in on the R2 thread if you've got any thoughts to share. I've been especially interested in hearing your thoughts since you are a Rocket fan and it's a good benchmark for the purpose of comparisons. 

 

[elvergun]

Great review, eke. 
 
I only wish the Rocket had a removable cable. 

 

[tgx78]

Eke great review. Sorry I just realized that this was not the Aurisonics Rockets thread I started..

 

[tgx78]

Don't worry. Eke's gettin the skinny from me lol. He'll come to a conclusion one way or another since I'll likely forward the R2s along to him and a couple of friends. Eager to give the R2s a spin myself. Do chime in on the R2 thread if you've got any thoughts to share. I've been especially interested in hearing your thoughts since you are a Rocket fan and it's a good benchmark for the purpose of comparisons. 

I am in process of writing a short review/comparison. Cheers.

 

[Idsynchrono_24]

   
Actually, when I heard the 207, 007 and 009 side by side, I thought the 207 was the most dynamic and open sounding of the bunch.

 
Yep, and I thank you for that observation. It was one of the things that pushed me into grabbing a set. I do wanna redact my previous post stating that the 207 is the best phone I've heard. I think it's a three way tie between the LAB I, Angie and 207. The LAB I doesn't quite share the other two's propensity to flaunt their technical abilities, but there is a sense of tactility, weight and presence that it possesses that I've not found in any other IEM to date. That coupled with its boundless depth and impeccable decay means it's the only phone at my disposal that actually "disappears." It's the one phone that I can just toss on and completely lose myself in without thinking of things that plague your typical audiophile such as bitrates, mastering quality, sources etc. It's also probably the only BA based phone I care to listen to classical piano on. Remarkable phone that LAB. I've sorta forgotten what with the Angie and all. Oh and I can get away with this derail cause Eke's thread is about endgames and whatnot lol 
 
Quote:

I am in process of writing a short review/comparison. Cheers.

 
Nice. Lookin' forward to it. 

 

[gnarlsagan]

Eke great review. Tbh recently I was stuck on the ER4S again, and it had me thinking (as it's bound to do) that there's really nothing that can touch them to my ears. They just stand the test of time like nothing else. The mids, treble, and overall linearity are just stunning to me.

Then I put the Rockets in, with the comply tips, and get blown away every time. I think it's the imaging that just really takes it up a notch. Few IEMs match that neutral FR with top tier imaging. One of the greats to me still.

I think we've reached a very similar place in our respective audio journies. I can't picture myself buying anything else for quite some time, especially not another iem. The only full size cans that have my interest are the SR009 and the Ether. Got to hear the Ether on literally nine different sources at the show Newport, and to my ears it's the best can outside of the 009. Probably sounds the most like the Rockets too. Neutral, non fatiguing, yet dynamic with great imaging.

Don't think I've heard the 207. It's on my radar now though.

 

[mochill]

the new harmony might be a true upgrade

 

[EveTan]

I like how the 207 craze is coming back . It's been maybe 1 or 2 years since I've heard so much buzz surrounding them. 
 
More to join the Stax Mafia 
 
Back on topic, I seemed to have developed some kind of ear pressure mismatch which I suppose could be from chronic ear-infection, but idk. Either way, because of this, the Rockets only sound right at a certain position. If the sound tubes shift in any way even slightly, because they sit so deep, the whole soundstage is thrown off and lopside sounding ;(. 

 

[eke2k6]

Eke great review. Tbh recently I was stuck on the ER4S again, and it had me thinking (as it's bound to do) that there's really nothing that can touch them to my ears. They just stand the test of time like nothing else. The mids, treble, and overall linearity are just stunning to me.

Then I put the Rockets in, with the comply tips, and get blown away every time. I think it's the imaging that just really takes it up a notch. Few IEMs match that neutral FR with top tier imaging. One of the greats to me still.

I think we've reached a very similar place in our respective audio journies. I can't picture myself buying anything else for quite some time, especially not another iem. The only full size cans that have my interest are the SR009 and the Ether. Got to hear the Ether on literally nine different sources at the show Newport, and to my ears it's the best can outside of the 009. Probably sounds the most like the Rockets too. Neutral, non fatiguing, yet dynamic with great imaging.

Don't think I've heard the 207. It's on my radar now though.

 
 
You're right lol. I wonder if this is what marriage feels like. When you realize there's nothing more you could really ask for in a person, so you give them half your stuff as a reward for them being so awesome.
 
Definitely. With Idsy's impressions, and the stupid low prices I'm seeing for the 207...I may be set. SR-009 be damned. Especially with James saying he preferred them over the more expensive models.
 

  I like how the 207 craze is coming back . It's been maybe 1 or 2 years since I've heard so much buzz surrounding them. 
 
More to join the Stax Mafia 
 
Back on topic, I seemed to have developed some kind of ear pressure mismatch which I suppose could be from chronic ear-infection, but idk. Either way, because of this, the Rockets only sound right at a certain position. If the sound tubes shift in any way even slightly, because they sit so deep, the whole soundstage is thrown off and lopside sounding ;(. 

 
Test out some TS-500s when you get the chance. I know exactly what you're referring to, and foamies cured that for me.

 

[EveTan]

   
 
Test out some TS-500s when you get the chance. I know exactly what you're referring to, and foamies cured that for me.

Thanks, I'll be sure to check em out.

 

[tusing]

I'm interested in seeing how you guys think these compare to the Custom Art Music Two CIEMs. I have the Rockets, but no other IEM to compare them to. I'm thinking of getting my first CIEMs, but if they will be a downgrade in audio quality, or not much of an improvement, then there's not much point, is there?
 
Thoughts?

 

[mochill]

Maybe wiat for the aurisonics harmony