So, these PMG Audio Apx?
What I look for in my hi-fi listening are products whose general behavior and sound are closest to the sensations of live music. It must be lively, as dynamic as possible, with nuanced transients (from murmurs to extreme violence). The questions of whether it's "neutral" or "straight" or "transparent" don't interest me at all. What I look for are balanced and homogeneous products, both in bandwidth and texture. I'm also interested in "definition" and "resolution": it has to be as high as possible, but still natural. It's like a TV with too high or not enough sharpness. You have to find the right gradient. So I like “on the razor’s edge” products. You also need material, harmonic richness. Overtly analytical sounds don't interest me at all... because they aren't realistic. The same goes for the opposite, when I think it's too "round", or too "warm", or lacking "brilliance" and "bite" (these are purely musical notions by the way) . The stories of "musicality" also seem completely abstract to me...
Anyway, this is what I'm looking for. If a recording, a piece, a track is aggressive, then it should sound like that. If it's soft, well it must sound "soft", if it is... we will understand.
PMG Audio Apx:
Well, we'll move on to the price of the beast... 6000 bucks. Everyone will judge.
https://pmgaudio.com/
For my part, the more expensive a product is, the less impressionable I am and the more demanding and difficult I am. A real bip.
Otherwise, I only judge "in absolute terms", and my barometer is "I have the goosebump" or not. Simple, pure. Stories like "it's very good for the price" or considerations of that type are not mine. It works or it doesn't work, I am affected or not only by what I hear and listen to and feel to. Period. Afterwards yes, there is a qualitative, intrinsic scale but between products that work well, this scale is frankly not that large.
The price, the technologies are therefore first of all informations for me, and what interests me, really, is what remains: the sound of course, but above all the music.
On the other hand, I like beautiful objects, I freely confess. Also the question of ergonomics and comfort are absolutely essential. How does it suit me to have in my hands the best earphones in the world if they don't fit in my ears
For the APX, the object itself is beautiful, undeniably qualitative, made with noble materials (amber for the faceplates)... but I was not touched more than that by the aesthetics. At the same time we had the Aure Elixir and Ringo on the table, and for my part, there is no contest, for these 2 luxury products, in comparison.
On the other hand, a matter of wonder, the APX are... very small !
It's a tour de force considering the number of drivers and the nature of the drivers, it's just extraordinary...
Then, I found the fit to be just exceptional for universal earphones. In any case, with my ear shape, it was like wearing custom-made shoes... For me it's the best fit and comfort I've ever gotten, followed by my Ringos.
Alas, I know that for my friend
@lafeuill it didn't happen like that at all...
Then the sound insulation was excellent. Among the best I have ever experienced with universal earphones, on the same level as my Ringos, who are also on the podium from this particular point of view.
Finally, from an ergonomic point of view, the cable is excellent: thin, super flexible, nothing to say. It is also very qualitative, in terms of the materials used and the quality of manufacturing. On the other hand, at a purely sound level, I have the idea that we can go further, by choosing a few very specific associations.
Sound and lights:
For listening, the stock cable was chosen. Indeed, the 2 pins must be forced "a little" when changing cables and therefore
@gmfg1 asked us not to change cables.
For the DAP, we had on hand the RS8 from
@gmfg1 , the N8II (AB mode) from
@Zeben and therefore the m1p from me.
In all 3 cases, the APX gave a very faithful partition of the 3 daps, a sign of an excellent transparency:
- RS8, the most "soft" (quotes because it's more complicated than that), the most
organic maybe, r2r inside. I found the best marriage.
- m1p the most spontaneous and direct, the most technical, Sabre inside. On the verge of a fault but just on the limit. Ultra vivid.
- N8II at the crossroads, AB load.
In all 3 cases, excellent results in themselves, just different presentations and more or less good synergies. Imo (but there was consensus) the RS8 was the best choice.
For the tips, I used my "endgame" narrow gel cat paws tips (
https://www.amazon.co.jp/-/en/CWU-GECL-Eartips-Isolating-Prevent-Enhanced/dp/B0991RL358) : perfect.
Otherwise how does it work?
Well it flies.
Seriously, it ticks absolutely all my boxes: balanced, bass loud when needed and the opposite when not needed, extreme finesse and refinement (high), openness, true dynamics (rare), crystal transparency, definition and resolution at the max of the max of the max, but without the need to “rig” the target curve : no tuning trickery. It is also remarkable for its coherence and homogeneity. At no time does the idea of listening to a hybrid montage arise.
We also obtain a restitution of great class, of great finesse which recalls the best sedentary systems (we had one a few meters from us all... and which was able to have its "small" effect
) , when it comes to the richness and the realism of the timbres and tones for example.
On the other hand, be careful: formula 1 in the garage...
With the m1p and N8II, the high midrange on certain ranges could be borderline faulty (for example certain intense electric guitars chops). It reminded me of the Final A8000 from this particular point of view (but a way more refined version for the APX, and more natural). It can be
VERY intense. Personally, I love it, and in particular these products on the razor's edge that you have to somehow tame to achieve their quintessence.
From then on, we talked about it, but the idea of testing a few elite cables would undoubtedly be a good initiative. In particular, I think about my Ares S FE would do wonders... the problem is getting one because I'll have to go over my body
I'm thinking of the Yatono Ultimate from Brise which would undoubtedly be a interesting move. Maybe an Orpheus (shielded?), because it's a very (too?) soft but technical sounding cable, very dense and textured (not really my thing, the latter, but the synergies always have the last word
) .
Conclusion :
Well “unfortunately”, it works. Super strong and “in itself”.
It's a sound and musical profile that I would describe as
"reference / balanced / mature / intense but under control / alive".
In short, this product, soundly and musically wise absolutely ticks ALL my boxes... and believe me they are not boxes easy to tick.
The €6,000 question: would I buy them?
No.
I win something and I have €6k on hand, just like this ?
Yes, twice...
Are my current champions ridiculous, ridiculoused, dropped, crushed, pulverized?......................
Not at all.
Oh last thing but not least: they can be drived very easily, super easy load, literally by themselves.
There you go, thanks for reading folks
