[wolfstar76]

Simphonio P Zero



Hey Friends Hope everyone is amazing and having a great week. As promised here are some impressions of the Awesome P Zero by Simphonio.

I recently was afforded the opportunity to demo the Simphonio P Zero single Planar driver iem. This is a set I have been interested in since @Junmoe62 and @Crazeee talked about them on the threads. Below are my observations over a handful of days using Cayin N30LE, LP P6pro Ti99, and Sony WM1Z. I used the stock cable for all demo testing.

I have been a big fan of Simphonio for a while as I am an earbud user and Simphonio makes some really wonderful and totl buds. So I was very much eager to hear this almost $5k set of iems from them. They are first of all quite beautiful to look at. Stock cable works great with the tuning and all testing was done stock, however at the retail of $4,899 I think a better cable should be supplied, ymmv. The fit is superb! Very comfortable and feels premium in the hand. The unboxing experience was totl but could use a little work in the execution. It was a little on the cheap side, athough it looked luxurious it was not well executed with quality of materials used.

P Zero or P0 is a Single planar with a truly balanced tuning across the board. Very much a W tuning with vocals being the focus if I were forced to pick a frequency it highlights. Although bass is nice and punchy with good body, rounded attack and fast decay. Nimble and quick bass definition with great presence when called for. This is a dramatic bass but not the most defined sub bass whilst the Mid bass is beautifully articulated and felt.



Overall, the transients on Pzero are on the more laid back side with more pillow like attack, while having a nice body and smoothness to the notes. Mid notes have a nice reverb which gives the mids a spacious feeling. This is the feeling of being at a small venue, standing in the middle of the show floor. The singer is seemingly singing just to you, while the music ebbs and flows all around you. Which is to say, great imaging and separation. Timbre and tonality tip toe the line of sounding realistic to me. It is almost there but not quite for my personal taste although this is a very minor nitpick as it’s still quite good here for a small planar in ear monitor. Notes are warmish but neither thin nor bright, it’s clear and engaging with Great Analog tone however lacking the very last bit of accurate timbre. The background is very dark and allows for great layering and notes to pop out with ease.

I have not seen a graph but the P0 sounds to me to have a small mid bass boost, slightly pulled down lower mids with more presence in the upper mids while the lower treble sounds nicely smooth and linear the upper treble is slightly rolled off or coming in lower than the upper mids. There is more air in the upper mid range versus the treble. The treble is smooth and nicely textured. I dont hear any peakiness which is a huge plus for me. It is a very easy listening monitor with fairly good Dynamic swings. A set that literally makes me get lost in the enjoyment of listening instead of overly analyzing it for technical ability, etc.



Transient Dymanics are not exceptionally 3D/Holographic but it’s not unexceptionally flat either. It’s somewhere in between having really amazing PRaT. Staging is average height, width and depth. While imaging is totl and resolution is best from the mid bass across through the mid range. P0 has some noticeable limitations in the sub bass lacking depth and articulation. While the upper mids edge on being a bit too much but never crossing over. Micro dynamics are subtle, meaning they are there but one really needs to listen for them while macro dynamics really pop and present powerfully. P0 excels with power. It will take as much as you can feed and the sound opens up further. P Zero is a very coherent monitor and incredibly enjoyable which seems to be the reoccurring theme in this short review.

I completely enjoyed my time with the P Zero and its a tremendous achievement by Simphonio with the tuning they achieved here with a single Planar driver. A true all rounder IMO. The cost of entry here is a bit hard to swallow but its def playing in the same arena as other Flagship Totl/Summit iems which cost around the same or more than P0. YMMV

Have a Great Weekend Everyone

For a planar driver, that's the same price (or similar price) of Susvara.

 

[Alexzander]

That is so true since 54E (5BA + 4EST) and their upcoming 74E (7BA + 4EST) have a more compact internal driver config and shell design in comparison to 622B (6BA + 2EST + 2BCD). I mean, 622B still has a comfortable shell fit (at least to my ears), but might not fit every ear as comfortably as 54E and 74E.

As an example, here is 74E next to 622B:

Please do make a comparison between 74E and Traillii if you review this new Canpur model!
I had a feeling that 54E didn’t fall short compared to the Bird in terms of technicalities but maybe lacked some magic in its presentation.

 

[o0genesis0o]

the question what is most important for you in an IEM: bass, mids, or treble. Perhaps you don't give a sh!t about bass. Perhaps it's the only thing you care about. Or perhaps you find bass, mids, and treble equally important. Some do, most don't.

All three of them. Having all three would be good

Any one of them being wacky would ruin musics in any genre, IMHO. On the other hand, when all three are good and balanced against each other, any kind of music would sound good.

 

[Simpeler]

I have no idea what this woman is singing, but it goes directly to my soul
Sounds so pure, had to share

https://tidal.com/track/356663454?u

(On Canpur 622B)

 

[Rolu]

Folks, there is something that I have been very curious about for a long time.. so I thought that I would ask (with the utmost respect and goodwill) for thoughts from those who understand..

I see that there are quite a few audiophiles (young and old) who listen mainly to EDM, House, Trance and Psychedelic music.. even review and evaluate equipments using said music..

I will try to illustrate my question using my own experience with various genres and sub-genres that I normally listen to and can actually understand (know what to look for, what to enjoy, and what to be critical about in the music)..

To put it simply, I can understand the story and complexities in jazz, pop, R&B/hip hop, opera, rock, heavy metal, classical, and many more.. the most complex of them all, as expected, is classical of course.. but even with heavy metal, I get what the band is trying to convey with their music.. pop music (such as Taylor Swift, Adele, etc) is even simpler where you just listen to the story that they are singing..

But with EDM, House, Trance, Psychedelic, etc.. what is it that I am supposed to look for and receive from the music? What is the story that the musicians are telling me?

Once again I ask this in good spirit and the highest respect to the genres..

Cheers and best of health to us all!

Great question because it makes me introspect! For reference, about 50% of my music is EDM.

First of all, I never evaluate sound signature and timbral accuracy using EDM. The mids and highs are synthetic and hence it's difficult to be sure what sound the DJ was going for.

I do however assess an IEM's extension (on both sides) and dynamic ability with EDM. It's also a great genre to get an idea of resolution and speed as there can be many more little sounds in an EDM track than many other genres.

Next, as I think others pointed out, I view EDM and House very differently from Trance and Psychedelic music. The latter two tend to explore the 'dark side' The first two however even a happy young kid can groove to!

Why I like EDM is because it is universal - no lyrics to decipher, no language to know in advance.

On top of that, it's not 'limited' by the ways that instruments sound in real life, and hence there's creative freedom for a DJ to go for whatever they can imagine.

And the main reason I love EDM so much is because of how it makes me feel. It's no small feat to make a repetitive tune make a whole stadium jump!

Here's a link to Oliver Helden's concert that conveys that feeling so well in the first 2 minutes even:

 

[Amadeo Nospherathu]

It’s Venture Electronics Defiant amp in Gold which to say it’s pure solid copper. It weighs quite a bit and is my favorite amp I’ve used thus far in the hobby. It powers my hard to drive earbuds which is what it was mainly made for. But it sounds stellar; dynamic, punchy, warm with immense head room. With all the iems I have tried there is zero noise and a pitch black background.

Thanks, I'm looking for info. Your description sounds appealing.

 

[jwilliamhurst]

deleted

 

[Valrhona]

Partly to celebrate the anniversary of the Cooler and it has been a while since I posted any work here.
This year has been productive thus far.
Here are six things I made that continue the exploration of resin, as an ingredient in mixed media pieces.
In order of creation, all 2024.

I love the way you play with colour, shape and composition. Amazing. Especially the first and second ones. There were at least 4-6 shades per colour. Simply mood enhancing to look at on the morning commute to work, with a fully charged DAP and some reflective music. Preparing myself for the day ahead. Cheers.

 

[MatW]

And the main reason I love EDM so much is because of how it makes me feel. It's no small feat to make a repetitive tune make a whole stadium jump!

Here's a link to Oliver Helden's concert that conveys that feeling so well in the first minute even:

This looks very cool. Not really my thing but I can see the appeal.

It is interesting, isn’t it, the wide range of music we headfiers listen to. Some listen to classical music and go to classic concerts. EDM is another, very different genre, as you illustrated. I am more towards the rock and metal side of the spectrum. Recently I discovered this band, which I will be seeing in May at a festival in Germany. This video illustrates the vibe that comes with rock and metal concerts quite well. Try to make it to the second half of the video, where most of the emotion kicks in. Looking forward to seeing this band for the first time in a few weeks.

 

[yaps66]

I'm not Korean, but I once listened to this endlessly, so that I could learn how to sing it impeccably, and yes it was to impress a girl:


I wish I could say something noble about the appreciation of music and all that, but honestly, sometimes it's just a biological imperative at work.

Did it work?

I read an interesting analysis once. In the Bible it says "In the beginning was the word...". "Word" basically means "vibration", which produces sound. So what this Bible verse is essentially saying is that sound (like the cosmic "Aum") is the primary and most primal aspect of the manifested/created universe. It is thus that, of all of our 5 senses, through sound in general and music in particular we are able to be stirred, inspired and affected to the deepest reaches of our being. If this isn't a noble pursuit I don't know what is.

Man, that was soooo long ago! Almost thirty years ago!

She's still asleep right now, I'll ask her when she wakes up.

I'm going to vibrate tonight when I'm alone.

This above exchange just made my day and ending with a tummy ache as I could not stop laughing at @PinkyPowers comment!

Since we're in the mood to talk about music - and inspired by @bigbeans recent acquisition of a massively ginormous von Karajan set - what are your Best Compilations for Artist [Re]Discovery?

A selection of what I have been listening to recently.

Partly to celebrate the anniversary of the Cooler and it has been a while since I posted any work here.
This year has been productive thus far.
Here are six things I made that continue the exploration of resin, as an ingredient in mixed media pieces.
In order of creation, all 2024.

Stunning and beautiful. Thanks for sharing!

 

[bukumurah]

Hi Fellas, further on the Electronic music discussion: what kind of IEMs signature/tuning is generally best for the genre?

I mean for IEMs with settings, such as the InEar Prophile8, 64Audio stuff with APEX modules, qdc Anole VX, Vision Ears Erlkönig, etc.. would it be best to use the setting with maximum Bass boost? How about Treble?

 

[Deezel177]

Hi Fellas, further on the Electronic music discussion: what kind of IEMs signature/tuning is generally best for the genre?

I mean for IEMs with settings, such as the InEar Prophile8, 64Audio stuff with APEX modules, qdc Anole VX, Vision Ears Erlkönig, etc.. would it be best to use the setting with maximum Bass boost? How about Treble?

I tend to like U-shaped IEMs with electronic (Anni, Z1R, Loki, etc.). Not only does the neutral midrange positioning give you a more convex, wrap-around-the-head stage, but it also provides the most contrast between the lows and highs. So, whenever the “hits” (as we call it in the band) come in, whether it’s the kick and snare, or the bass and synths, or thumps and crashes, they cut right through and hit hard. Obviously, you also need good dynamic range for that, so the greater an IEM’s end-to-end extension, the better.

The VX is probably the closest to what I’m describing of the IEMs you’ve listed, even though I find its dynamic range a wee bit limited. It’s constantly on the energetic side.

 

[HarveyLowis]

Hi Fellas, further on the Electronic music discussion: what kind of IEMs signature/tuning is generally best for the genre?

I mean for IEMs with settings, such as the InEar Prophile8, 64Audio stuff with APEX modules, qdc Anole VX, Vision Ears Erlkönig, etc.. would it be best to use the setting with maximum Bass boost? How about Treble?

For erlkonig, i didnt recommend for electronic music. Even for setting 1, i dont think it have enough subbass.

Maybe you can try ier z1r, ee evo, rn6, viking ragnar, singularity for that kind of music.

 

[Scubadevils]

I’m keen to offer a voice on the electronic music topic but time has been incredibly limited lately! I’ll definitely add my 0.2c over the weekend… it’ll have an ‘it depends’ flavour

 

[aaf evo]

I finally received the much anticipated Melodic Artification Alter Ego demo last night thanks to MusicTeck. I reached out to them to audition this set after the very positive impressions I heard from friends who attended CanJam SG. All testing was done from the Mjolnir and iPhone dongle. These are fairly easy to drive so I am not noticing a drastic drop off in performance going from Mjolnir to the iPhone nor am I noticing a dramatic improvement outside of imaging and resolution as I go from the iPhone to the Mjolnir.

Unboxing and build quality is quite fantastic. It comes with a cable that reminds me of EA hardware that is fairly supple but not the softest I have used, regardless it does feel great. The IEM is incredibly light and feels really well put together. I've had no issues with comfort and the semi-open back nature makes these things sort of disappear in your ears. The switch is also really sturdy and takes quite a bit of force to toggle, so I can't imagine this would loosen up any time soon or accidentally be switched.

The tonality is essentially neutral with sub bass boost with the switch pushed forward towards your face, or you can pull it back towards your ears and the IEM shifts to a slightly punchier an warmer presentation with both toggles presenting a natural and smooth but well extended treble. I prefer the switch forward to give less coloring to the signature although I find both very usable.

My favorite aspect of the IEM is the bass response. The bass goes incredibly deep with great texturing and has a way of resolving even the lowest Hz without feeling like it's breaking a sweat. I wouldn't describe it as pillow-y, but the attack does feel slightly on the softer side while still maintaining good definition, I just wish it had a bit more kick or oomph down low but I feel the open nature of the IEM is also adding to this perception.

The mid range comes off as natural and fairly neutral with a lovely analogue presentation to it. There's a realistic sense of weight throughout that gives male vocals the body they need and female vocals are more rounded-off and smoother playback that isn't lacking in clarity. The "BA timbre" to my ears isn't noticeable and overall it sounds very pleasant, perhaps lacking in a bit of excitement if anything.

Treble on this IEM is a double-edged sword for me. It's very well tuned and rather inoffensive with a smoother and fatigue-free playback but I wish it had a bit more bite or edge to it as I can't help but hear it lacking slightly in dynamics and slightly struggling a tad on more complex electronic music. However the tuning fits the overall IEM tonality very well and sounds cohesive to the bass and mid range, so I'd say this is a preference thing.

The soundstage feels open but not quite large to my ears which caught me by surprise as I was expecting something really out of head. There's a good sense of imaging focusing a bit more on depth than width, but if you're looking for that type of "arena" presentation where you get the feeling you can rotate your head and look around at the stage, this isn't like that. It feels more organized and focused which is something I tend to prefer as time passes.

Dynamics are fairly decent and not coming off as compressed but if you're looking for those more aggressive swings and really lively sound the Alter Ego doesn't quite go in that direction.

As mentioned in @twister6 review this IEM does have one-way sound leakage. Isolation is great but if you remove them and set them on your desk you will notice more leakage compared to an IEM that isn't using the same open back faceplate. Even though I am a quiet listener I do think this would be an issue for me personally as I prefer to be entirely trapped in my own world and I don't want others hearing what I am listening to. So I'd consider that before taking these in public.

I'm really enjoying this set. This may be a bold claim but the Alter Ego gives me Traillii vibes in how it's presenting music. When you push play on this set it doesn't really do anything to try win your attention, nor do I feel it's got any party tricks. It just feels like really solid, effortless, and musical playback that is hard to not enjoy unless you're flat out wanting something with more flavor or spice. I do not think I will buy this set myself as I tend to look for IEMs that are more lively but regardless I have a really high appreciation for this. With all things considered here for $2500 you're getting a pretty impressive package.