Favorite Products of 2023: Best IEM: FiR RN6 – Amazing fit, weight, quality, and sound Runner Up: Campfire Audio Trifecta – there’s just something about these Best Cheaper IEM: Campfire Audio Black Star – awesome, my daily driver Runner Up: … Continue reading B&B Best & Worst of 2023
Nonsensical Name – Great Sound Pros: Excellent soundstage/breadth/depthGorgeous ShellGood price/performanceGreat VocalsGreat clean instrumentsAwesome carrying caseGood stock cable Cons: Bass can be muddyDistorted instruments lacking detailPretty mediocre treble Overview: Up for review today are the Sound Rhyme SR8 – which oddly have 14 … Continue reading Sound Rhyme SR8
The Performer8 Performs admirably Pros: Excellent TrebleDecent cableGood MidsDecent packagingGreat Instrument SeparationGood imaging Cons: OK bassUgly color – my opinionMediocre/flat Soundstage Overview: Up for review today is the AFUL Performer8 (P8). This is the latest IEM from AFUL, which is either the … Continue reading AFUL Performer8
Campfire knocks another IEM over the Horizon Pros: Very well-balanced IEMLightweightGorgeous/good Build QualityAwesome Packaging/AccessoriesGood sounding cableGreat MidsGreat LowsGood Highs Cons: Cold – no reallyToo many cablesPriceyA little uncomfortableSibilance Overview: Up for review today is the gorgeous Campfire Audio Solaris Stellar Horizon – which I will refer to as the SSH or Stellar Horizon because that name is way too long. The SSH has 3 BAs, and 10mm 1 DD on bass duty. As always with Campfire, they manage to get some crazy good sound from a small IEM with a small number of drivers. Considering that most companies now use 10+ drivers … Continue reading Campfire Audio Stellar Horizon
Getting Highs with the Viento B Pros: Excellent highsGood midsBass doesn’t overwhelm mids Cons: Brutal sibilanceBass is lacking in quantityBad packagingBad cableBad price/availability Overview: Up for review today is the Hidition Viento B (there are A, B, C, D, and R versions … Continue reading Hidition Viento B
Put Your Hands UP in The Air Like You Just Do Not Care! Pros: Good bass quantity and qualityGreat build qualityExcellent packagingReally nice art on the shellsCompetitive priceDecent cable Cons: Bad mids with bass bleedBass overwhelms the midsHighs are just OK Overview: Up for review today are the Mangird XENNS Up (yeah, I’m not going to capitalize that every time – get over it). These beautiful IEMs come with a 10mm DD for the BASS, 4 BAs for the mids and highs, and 2 ESTs for the ultra-highs. They also have hand-painted shells which is a pretty cool touch. I got these … Continue reading Mangird XENNS Up
Surprisingly Good – With A Balanced Cable Pros: Good LowsGood MidsDecent highsGreat build qualityGorgeous IEMExcellent priceGood packaging with lots of ear tipsCable has a nice feel Cons: Highs can be a bit sharp and sibilantHighs don’t have the best presentation, but that’s not uncommon in this price rangeStock cable ruins the sound from these Overview: Up for review today is the Kiwi Ears Orchestra Lite from Linsoul (linsoul.com). These were generously sent to me for free from Linsoul in exchange for a review – as always this will not impact my usual sarcastic/honest review style, which Linsoul may regret that decision by … Continue reading Kiwi Ears Orchestra Lite
Long Live the Bunny – King of Treble! Pros: Top-tier TrebleExcellent midsExcellent soundstage/Imaging/Instrument SeparationGood quality bassDurable BuildNice cable Cons: Lacking bass QUANTITY, but not quality2.5mm balanced cable with MMCX connectorsSibilance/sharpnessPackaging is minimalist, which can be a plus or minus Overview: Up for … Continue reading FiR VxV
The ~$1K All-rounder Pros: Good BassGood MidsGood HighsGood soundstage/Instrument Separation/ImagingPrice Cons: Mediocre Accessories/packagingSome Sharpness/SibilanceCable is a little microphonic/kinky Overview: Up for review today is the Custom Art Fibae 5. I purchased these with a discount from Musicteck (shop.musicteck.com) in exchange for a review. The Fibae 5 (F5 from hereon because that’s annoying to type) is a tri-brid from Custom Art. It has 1x sub-low DD, 2x mid-flat BAs, and two planar magnetic high drivers. That’s a pretty cool setup – you get the excellence of a DD bass, with their unique take on BA mids and the excellence of planars up top, … Continue reading Custom Art Fibae 5
Meteor goes BOOM! Pros: Great bassGreat looksAwesome accessoriesGood fit Cons: OK cableNot the most detailedNot the best resolution Overview: Up for review today is the Symphonium Meteor. Symphonium is a relatively new player to the IEM game, and this is only their second IEM – the cheaper option at only $600 instead of $1k. That doesn’t mean it’s any less impressive than its bigger brother, just different. The Meteor uses a 4 BA driver setup. I personally think the Meteor is one of the best IEMs under $1k, especially for bass – but ymmv. On with the review! Accessories/Earpads/Eartips (10/10): The Meteor … Continue reading Symphonium Meteor
Bytes & Bull 