EDIT 2023-08-25: If you are not aware, I am selling my own Earbuds, called RikuBuds: https://rikubuds.com/
Disclaimer: I received this review unit for free from Astrotec themselves, thank you very much.
Price: 400 usd
Specifications:
Frequency Response: 15Hz - 40000Hz
Impedance: 150 OHM
Sensitivity: 108dB/1mw (S.P.L at 1KHz)
Rated Power: 5mW
Max Power: 15mW
Accessories:
3 pairs of donut foams (they have crap durability, tears instantly)
2 Ear hook adapter for bud
Ear hook adapter for cable
2 cables
Carry case
Pouch
Cable: 2 cables are included, one 4.4mm copper cable and another 3.5mm SPC cable. Both measures quite bad at 0.92 (copper) ohm and 0.95 (SPC) ohm. They both have ear-hooks (the bud is meant to be worn over ear), metal connectors/dividers and working chin-sliders.
Build: Full metal, high quality. Has an MMCX connector which is very rare for buds. L/R is marked in white text near the MMCX connector on both the units.
Fit: It works, but not as good as regular MX500 shells for me.
Comfort: Not comfortable for me during longer sessions.
Isolation: None.
Setup: Schiit Asgard 3 (low-gain, volume around 9 o´clock), donut foams (not stock since they tear instantly), stock cable (copper) 4.4mm
Lows: Like a typical bud, no sub-bass rumble nor extension, lacking texture. Slower/looser than what is typical of buds, so its not that clean.
Mid-bass: Metallica – fight fire with fire (01:11-01:52), tight and fast bass but lacking texture and quantity, not very good clarity though. The (02:55-03:01) section with the chopper is hearable but not very clean.
Hiroyuki Sawano – Pretenders (01:18-01:47), decent texture but low quantity, is on the tighter and faster side.
Sub-bass: Djuro – Drop that bass (01:15-01:30), no rumble and crap extension (typical of buds), punch quantity is very lacking as well as texture not that fast/tight so its not that clean.
Will Sparks – Sick like that (03:08-03:22), lacking a lot of quantity and texture, not very tight either but decent speed.
Mids: Both male and female vocals are lacking warmth and brightness respectively. The tonality is tuned with versatility in mind, but ends up not being a good match for either. Timbre isn’t that good either while the quality leaves much to be desired in terms of detail and clarity.
Female-vocals: Hiroyuki Sawano – OldToday (01:25-01:52), vocal tonality needs to be a bit brighter, neutral placement, decent detail but timbre could be better. Instrument tonality is good but timbre isn’t that good.
Yuki Hayashi – MightU (01:58-02:55), vocals and instruments needs to be brighter, lacks clarity and detail is decent, timbre needs to be better.
Evanescence – Bring me to life (01:18-01:35), not shouty nor peaky treble.
Hiroyuki Sawano – Crescent (02:07-02:26), shouty and peaky.
Male-vocals: Hiroyuki Sawano – Pretenders (00:57-01:17), good vocal tonality and instruments but clarity and detail could be better as well as timbre.
Hiroyuki Sawano – Scapegoat (00:57-01:17), vocals and instruments could be warmer, not that good detail, clarity or timbre.
Treble: Linkin Park – Shadow of the Day (03:24-03:42), electric guitars lack some brightness and timbre isn’t that good.
Deuce – America (03:03-03:16), imaging and separation can’t keep, ends up being chaotic with fatiguing treble.
Hiroyuki Sawano – Lose (string version) (01:22-01:59), Cello tonality is decent but lacks texture, not that good timbre, lacking detail and clarity. Violin tonality lacks brightness, lacking texture/detail, poor timbre and treble-extension is nothing special.
Hiroyuki Sawano &Z (02:18-02:57), decent tonality, but lacking detail and not that good timbre.
Soundstage: Nothing special.
Tonality: Warm-neutral, tonality is leaning towards warmth, timbre is not that good.
Details: Definitely below average for the price.
Instrument Separation: Definitely below average for the price.
Comparisons:
Earbud: Faaeal Iris 2.0, full foams, stock cable 3.5mm
Bass: Djuro – Drop that bass (01:15-01:30), extends a lot deeper and has actual rumble on the Iris. Punch quantity is higher and more textured, but a bit tighter/faster on the Lyra. Timbre is better on the Iris as well as more tonally correct.
Hiroyuki Sawano – Pretenders (01:18-01:47), a lot more bass quantity and texture on the Iris, a bit faster/tighter on the Lyra. Better timbre and tonality on the Iris with comparable detail.
Metallica – fight fire with fire (01:11-01:52), more bass quantity and texture on the Iris, cleaner on the Lyra due to the lower bass quantity and faster/tighter bass.
Mids: Hiroyuki Sawano – OldToday (01:25-01:52), vocal tonality and clarity are a bit better on the Lyra but better timbre on the Iris. Instrument tonality and timbre are a lot better on the Iris.
Evanescence – Bring me to life (01:18-01:35), less shouty and fatiguing treble on the Iris.
Hiroyuki Sawano – Scapegoat (00:57-01:17), Much better tonality and timbre for both vocals/instruments on the Iris.
Treble: Linkin Park – Shadow of the Day (03:24-03:42), electric guitars are a bit sharper on the Lyra, better timbre on the Iris.
Hiroyuki Sawano – Lose (string version) (01:22-01:59), Cello tonality, timbre and texture are a lot better on the Iris, similar detail. Violin tonality and treble-extension are better on the Lyra similar detail and better timbre on the Iris.
Hiroyuki Sawano &Z (02:18-02:57), better tonality and timbre on the Iris. Similar detail.
Technicalities: Shiro Sagisu – Hundred years war (02:24-02:57), similar width but a lot deeper and more holographic on the Iris. Detail, imaging and separation are comparable. Timbre is a lot better on the iris.
Overall: They are comparable in technicalities, but Iris 2.0 is the better tuned bud and a much better value.
Lyra Nature LE | Iris 2.0 | |
Sub-bass | - | + |
Mid-bass | - | + |
Lower-mids | - | + |
Upper-mids | = | = |
Treble | - | + |
Upper-treble | + | - |
Soundstage | - | + |
Imaging | = | = |
Separation | = | = |
Macro-detail | = | = |
Micro-detail | + | - |
Timbre | - | + |
Earbud: K´s LBBS,
Bass: Djuro – Drop that bass (01:15-01:30), Extends lower and rumbles more on the LBBS. Punch quantity is a bit higher on the LBBS as well as more texture, tighter, faster and much more detailed and cleaner. Timbre is a lot better on the LBBS and has better tonality.
Hiroyuki Sawano – Pretenders (01:18-01:47), a bit less bass quantity on the Lyra, less texture and slower/looser. Lacking detail and clarity compared to the LBBS. Better timbre and tonality on the LBBS.
Metallica – fight fire with fire (01:11-01:52), much cleaner on the LBBS even with a bit more bass quantity on it since it is much tighter and faster.
Mids: Hiroyuki Sawano – OldToday (01:25-01:52), Vocals are much better on the LBBS, more tonally correct, much more detailed, cleaner and better timbre also more forward. Instrument tonality is a bit better on the Lyra (warmer) but timbre, clarity and detail are much better on the LBBS.
Evanescence – Bring me to life (01:18-01:35), shoutier and peakier on the LBBS.
Hiroyuki Sawano – Scapegoat (00:57-01:17), Vocal and instrument tonality is a bit better on the Lyra (warmer) but a lot cleaner, detailed and more natural due to the timbre on the LBBS.
Treble: Linkin Park – Shadow of the Day (03:24-03:42), electric guitars are more tonally correct and with better timbre on the LBBS, but it is a bit sharper.
Hiroyuki Sawano – Lose (string version) (01:22-01:59), Cello tonality is a bit better on the Lyra, but a lot better texture, detail, clarity and timbre on the LBBS.
Hiroyuki Sawano &Z (02:18-02:57), better tonality, detail, clarity and timbre on the LBBS.
Technicalities: Shiro Sagisu – Hundred years war (02:24-02:57), a lot bigger soundstage on the LBBS both in width and depth, more holographic. Detail, imaging, separation and timbre are leagues ahead on the LBBS.
Overall: The LBBS is making the Lyra sound low-rez, very big difference in technicalities, tonality and timbre.
Lyra Nature LE | LBBS | |
Sub-bass | - | + |
Mid-bass | - | + |
Lower-mids | - | + |
Upper-mids | - | + |
Treble | - | + |
Upper-treble | - | + |
Soundstage | - | + |
Imaging | - | + |
Separation | - | + |
Macro-detail | - | + |
Micro-detail | - | + |
Timbre | - | + |
Conclusion: Yeah, uhm. Not recommended. Instead of sending out review units to shillers, use that money to actually do something good….
Cable source: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...zTm4ei7HEfP8AI1zxswrMw2ho/edit#gid=1801072063
Reference/test songs:
If this is the "Refinement" I wonder how terrible was the previous non Limited Edition.