THE REVIEWS

ads

Subscribe to our newsletter.

Sign up with your email address to receive news, updates, and our free quarterly magazine—AudioKeyREVIEWS!

 
MEZE AUDIO ADVAR IEM  - REVIEW
PRODUCT, IEM, HEADPHONES ANDRE MARC PRODUCT, IEM, HEADPHONES ANDRE MARC

MEZE AUDIO ADVAR IEM - REVIEW

The Meze Advars are mini works of art and a captivating display of contemporary industrial design. In the end, we found the sonics to be smooth, rich, detailed, and very engaging. We loved the feel of these IEMs in our hands and in our ears. For us, the Advar is worth the asking price, and well suited for numerous applications. In our estimation, Meze's design is a success. Advar distinguishes itself from its rivals with a wonderful high-end audio experience.

Read More
VISION EARS ERLKÖNIG -REVIEW
PRODUCT, IEM K. E. Heartsong PRODUCT, IEM K. E. Heartsong

VISION EARS ERLKÖNIG -REVIEW

The ERLKÖNIG is a tunable IEM in that it has four settings hidden beneath its faceplates. These settings allow for a certain customization, though I found but one—setting #2—that was musical and with a good measure of bass. But like all of the other settings there was little if any sub-bass reach and a decided lack of tautness and drive across all settings. It was thus the typical Balanced Armature (BA) sub-bass that is seldom satisfying.

Read More
The MMR GÁEBOLG -REVIEW
PRODUCT, IEM K. E. Heartsong PRODUCT, IEM K. E. Heartsong

The MMR GÁEBOLG -REVIEW

The GáeBolg is beautifully designed and engineered. It voice is, without doubt, engineered for lovers of music or music lovers, in that the lower treble and the midrange and the upper bass conjure an intoxicating warmth, that happily abides resolution and clarity and engagement. The GáeBolg may well keep one listening for long hours on end, I can easily attest to that. And yet, despite its lack of sub-bass reach many, I believe, may well find it just their cup of tea.

Read More
NOBLE AUDIO SULTAN -REVIEW
PRODUCT, IEM K. E. Heartsong PRODUCT, IEM K. E. Heartsong

NOBLE AUDIO SULTAN -REVIEW

The Noble Audio Sultan wears a beautiful aesthetic that speaks to a luxury good or, in this case, a flagship IEM. It is, however, very particular with regard to the type of eartips it is paired with and I highly recommend foam (and foam are rarely my first choice) and a stellar source. Properly mated and it will provide for wonderfully satisfying music with very good treble extension and good, thought not great bass/sub bass reach.

Read More
FIIO FD5 - REVIEW
PRODUCT, IEM K. E. Heartsong PRODUCT, IEM K. E. Heartsong

FIIO FD5 - REVIEW

If you’re looking for a flagship IEM but don’t have the money traditionally associated with owning one, then your journey may well end with the FiiO FD5. And one listen, after it is properly burned in, will find you with an IEM of tremendous value and impressive, musical talent.

Read More
PERIODIC AUDIO CARBON REVIEW
IEM, PRODUCT K. E. Heartsong IEM, PRODUCT K. E. Heartsong

PERIODIC AUDIO CARBON REVIEW

The Periodic Carbon ($399) is a minimalist design. There are no frills or fancy packaging or fancy accessories. It is a what you see is what you get IEM and the folks at Periodic Audio like it that way. The Carbon is a bass-rendering champion with few peers, at its price point. So if the Holy-Bass-Head-Grail is what you seek, you will be taken to it posthaste and you will not regret that journey. The Periodic Audio Carbon is very transparent, dynamic, and has lightening fast transients.

Read More
VISION EARS ELYSIUM REVIEW (UNIVERSAL)
IEM, PRODUCT K. E. Heartsong IEM, PRODUCT K. E. Heartsong

VISION EARS ELYSIUM REVIEW (UNIVERSAL)

The VISION EARS ELYSIUM is a very good IEM whose midrange summons transparency and richness and transient speed, that is truly compelling. And its bass, while not the deepest, will please many if not most for its delivered quality, transparency, and its transient quickness. And there are those for whom the ELYSIUM’s electrostatic imbued treble will be manna from heaven, the cat’s pajamas, and quite lovely. And those for whom it will not.

Read More