7th Acoustics Supernova

7th Acoustics Supernova

"I don't why I didn't come"




DISCLAIMER:

This was sent by the kind people from 7th Acoustics. I really appreciate their trust, and I also feel sorry for not having to post my review earlier.


This might be my last written review while I'm in my home country. I really like writing but, I just did not have the time recently. Writing a review is more of a literary piece for me rather than a product exposure. It is personal, a way to express my emotions while indulged in music. Let us start



I have my video review here if you like to watch:





WHAT’S IN THE BOX?


The box is pretty standard. You get all the necessities. One thing that I am surprised though is the CEMA cable. Yep, for those who know. It is built pretty well and the pins and terminations feel premium.


You also get a metal carrying case, some cleaning cloth and tools.


It also comes with final audio eartips. I am not sure if they collaborated with Final Audio, but it is nice to have because you get a storage case for your eartips



BUILD and COMFORT


It is a 6BA iem. Seal is really nice and I didnt notice any leakage, at least for my ears.


I got the green abalone and denng I dig it. They look like infused with venom to poison your hearing, in a good way of course..


Honestly, they look and feel premium.

I didnt notice any fit issues


They can't be inserted deeper though, they pop out a bit, but it was nothing to worry about in my use case



SETUP:

-Shanling M3X using UAPP, Hiby ang stock player

-also tried it with Hiby R8ii DAP

-stock cable

-stock white eartips



The Anticipation


The Supernovas are made to order. I hear that customers wait for about 3-6 months before they get their unit.

Well in my case as a reviewer, I think waited for almost 6 months before I got my review sample.


I was dying in anticipation. Reading other reviews online made me very curious. Reading graphs didnt help at all, because we hear through our ears.


The Trial


I have to be honest. Before I got my review sample, I had tried the Supernova from Timmy. I was in Japan in November and I couldnt wait to try them out. It was very brief though because I wanted to reserve my impressions when I get the chance to listen to them much longer. But my first impression of it was, it had so much detail for its price, whilst sounding smooth at the same time.


The Arrival


Alas, I got my unit and immediately spent hours and days soaking with what the Supernovas has to offer.


The overall signature is quite balanced, slightly leaning in the bright side. They are far from being a U/V shaped signature because the mids on these are very pronounced. Vocals pop out literally in front of you(please dont believe this), as if Norah Jones is whispering next to your ears.



The Problem


I enjoyed most of my time with the Supernovas. Really. But there is something about it that bothered me a lot, and I couldnt quite figure out its problem during the first few days of listening.


It's actually the bass from the BAs. Although it has enough presence and punch, it felt limpy. Imagine you being promoted as the manager in your second day of work, but you just don't have the authority haha.


I didnt have any problems with how it resolves details in the lower end of the spectrum. I get decent texture in male vocals, well actually vocals in general sound really great with the Supernovas. Subbass is also reached and very noticeable with enough volume. It's just that, it didnt have that air, the texture and the realism I was looking for.


Don't get me wrong, Softears Studio 4 is one of my reference and I really like the bass on that one. But there is something about the Supernova's bass that prevents me from giving them a praise.



PROS

Great vocal clarity, esprcially female vocals

nice timbral accuracy

the treble extension helps with extracting details

inoffensive tuning. No shout nor shrill

good price to performance ratio when comparing with other TOTLs


CONS

bass lacks physicality

might be too much extension, cymbals sound artificial and lacks body

clean sounding mids, but midbass is preventing it to sound more open

long wait man. Around 3-6 months(Edit: I have been told that is is 30-45 days now, so all good)



SCORING

-Please be reminded that my scoring is always based on its price range.



TONALITY- 2.5

Tonality is balanced but I would like a lesser midbass for a more open sounding signature. The stage isnt as wide because of the bass.


BASS- 2

Maybe its because of the BA bass but I dont feel its physicality. Its just bass.


MIDS- 3

Mids are the one that stands out with these. Vocals and instruments sound as natural as it can get. Very good space around vocals that separates them from instruments


TREBLE- 2.5

Treble extends well but somehow lacks the realism. It can extract details which is good, but for my preference i would have like to a more body to cymbal strikes


TECHS- 2.5

As i mentioned, it can actually extract details that you were unaware of before. Im not trying to say that the details were not there, I'm saying you became aware of it because of its signature. The layering and separation is average. But lacks a bit of realism.. But what this set offers is that, it lays every notes in your mind. If you are a musician, this will be very beneficial it lets you notice every nuance when you are catching notes and chords. I think this can be a good stage monitor, and can even pass as a studio monitor. But not really for music consumption.



FINAL SCORE = 12.5

Rank = A

(generally better than other sets. Very good for the price but the tonality might not match your preferences)




Check my scoring here :


https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/15WhgCgiMzWfF3ccgB8SK5-Cg7m87kpIShtxsyg2u-AI/edit?usp=sharing



GRAB SCORE:

This is easy, I just rate the set whether I would grab them for listening. Very subjective.


- I will never touch this again


- I grab if I remember


- Can be part of my rotation


- I break my rotation and grab this one today


- *** rotation, I’ll listen to these for the whole week


- Im selling everything, I will only listen to these haha.



SUPERNOVA GRAB SCORE: 2


Well yeah. I'm not sure why I didnt even get to 3. It didnt have that convincing power to break my rotation.




COMPARISONS:


Lethshouer OG EJ07

They are priced similarly. The EJ07 sounds more natural especially in the treble. Vocal forwardness is about the same, but it can be too forward at times with the EJ because of the lack in treble extension. Details and air are more pronounced with the SUPERNOVAS. Choose EJ if you are in for a natural sound, choose SUPERNOVAS if you want details whilst being smooth.


Letshuoer Cadenza 12


I know its an unfair comparison especially for its price and driver setup. I'm doing this comparison to tell you that the way SUPERNOVA handles mids is on a TOTL level. I think the clarity is on par with the C12, but the bass and treble just dont have it yet.


Softears Studio 4

Another unfair comparison because of the price difference. I can say that the SUPERNOVAs might be a viable upgrade from the Studio4s, but with double the price? That's up to you. I think the the change in sound is only 5-10%, well maybe 15% at best. Even if the treble of the studio4s dont extend well, I still prefer its natural presentation


Dunu SA6Mkii


Another unfair comparison lol. Sorry sorry, I am confident in comparing sets that I can A/B. Anyhow, the tonality is a bit different because you get more U/V shaped presentation with the SA6MKII. The quality of the treble and mids is pretty close as well. But yeah, it is interesting to note that the SA6MKii, which is cheaper, can actually sound like almost TOTL for its price. Though I have to say that the SUPERNOVAs are more refined and matured sounding



FINAL THOUGHTS:


The 7th Acoustics Supernova is a well balanced set. Bass has enough presence to make your music engaging, but you might miss the physicality of DDs. Mids are astounding for its price. Very nuanced and timbre on instruments are near natural. Vocals sound pleasing and captivating. I didnt hear any shout or shrill. However, the treble is a dealbreaker for me, not that it sounds bad, but I feel like it's extending unnaturally. Cymbal timbre is something I cannot give praise on, but maybe it's just me.


The wait was grueling though, I think I waited about 6 months before I got the unit. but hey I am not complaining. I am just feeling the people who ordered the set. I am pretty sure most of them liked the SUPERNOVAs when they got theirs. Just be mindful that you have to invest emotionally with 30-45 days in anticipation


Having said that, I really was expecting I would have an eargasmic session with the SUPERNOVAs. Probably because I was expecting too much? Or maybe too much treble extension? Or the bass? Or maybe the mix of everything


I was expecting they will blow my load, I mean mind, just like what supernovas do. But as what Norah Jones said, "I dunno why I didnt cum"


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MY LIBRARY:

I grew up listening to 90’s music. Alternative, punk-rock, screamo, rap, Philippine OPM, Anime songs, JPOP, KPOP, metal, reggae and a lot more.

The artists I regularly listen to are:


Rock-Alternative-Metal

Incubus, 311, BMTH, Matchbox 20, The Goo Goo Dolls, Paramore, Polyphia, The Calling,, Babymetal, Metallica, Slipknot, Bon Jovi, Coheed and Cambria, Deftones, Red Hot, Green day,


OPM(Original Pinoy Music):

E-heads, Slapshock, Parokya, Urbanddub, Up Dharma Down, Bamboo, IV of spade, Kamikazee, Rivermaya


POP:

IU, Yoasobi, Yorushika, Milet, Reona, Maroon 5, Coldplay, Bruno Mars, Ed Sheeran, Taylor, Dua Lipa, Oliva Rodrigo, Billie Eilish


OTHERS:

Carpenters, Micheal Learns to Rock, Celine Dion, Bob Marley, Sitti, Daft Punk, Pink Floyed, Earth wind and fire, Amber rubarth, Sia, Yosi Horikawa


I listen to more, but I can’t just list them all here.haha. Just giving you an idea on what I listen.


Thanks for reaching here. Hope you enjoyed reading.


WHERE TO BUY:


Non-affiliate. It's their facebook page


https://www.facebook.com/share/npDizATkznSMXYkP/?mibextid=qi2Omg

7th Acoustics is an Indonesian boutique iem maker, founded by Stephen Synanta in 2020 and has enjoyed meteoric rise since then. I first heard about them in 2021 when one of my Indonesian mates shared his glowing impression on SG8, one of 7A early creations. Early 2022, they released Supernova, their latest totl iem and once again, I heard positive reviews about it. I was keen to audition it but getting one for audition outside Indonesia was almost impossible.

Therefore, big thanks to Stephen and Denny for loaning this Supernova for Aust Tour and the tour organiser @Damz87 for this opportunity.



Supernova is all BA iems with 6x drivers. In general, it has a safe neutral tuning (with slight hint of warmness), however, it manages to be musically engaging.

Quantity wise, Supernova has a decent bass punch. It is impactful enough and capable to inject excitement on the low end of notes, but i doubt it will satisfy most of bass lovers. Unfortunately, it has typical BA bass texture that’s rather pillowy and plasticky. It is missing that DD bass slam. Moreover, the bass is rather loose (ie not tight) and not as well controlled as I would prefer.

Mid for me is the star of the show. Supernova has slightly more elevated lower mid which gives nice warmth in vocal that I really enjoy. Vocal is smooth and has that analog character – while still being authoritative and weighty. Male vocal simply sounds magical with it.

In term of treble, I feel like Supernova is tuned to be on the safe side, maybe abit too safe. The lower treble is pleasant, it does not show any sign of sibilance or shouty. However, some people may find the top end a bit dull. There is noticeably lack of treble extension.


Supernova is a relaxed and organic iem. In term of speed, it puts more emphasis on a more natural decay, instead of being fast and clinical. Musical note edge is rather blunt, which is pleasant for long session listening but at the expense of being less precise and detailed. Indeed, my biggest criticism of it is the lack of refinement in texture and layering.

Comparison:
I do not have a lot of experience with iem in this price range. Closest one that I am familiar is Monarch Mk3 (Mmk3) that costs $200 more.
Mmk3 is a quite different iem than Supernova. It’s more energetic, with better bass texture. Having dd bass also gives advantage of a more natural bass timbre. Mmk3 also has better instrument separation. However, Mmk3 has noticeably hollow mid compared to Supernova, with more forward treble, drier and sounds more artificial.



In summary, Supernova is a superb iem. In my opinion, it’s the best iem under $1k for vocal. Its strength lays on its non-offensive tuning and pleasing sound presentation. Therefore, it an ideal iem for background listening during working/studying. However, it only has average technicality. Therefore, it won’t suit for critical music listeners.

With Supernova, 7th Acoustics has proven themselves to be master in tuning. I am excitedly waiting for their upcoming iem, Asteria which they plan to release later this year to which would compete in totl/summitfi iems market

I had the pleasure recently to audition the 7th Acoustics Supernova as part of a tour, many thanks as ever to @Damz87 for running these tours!

Supernova arrives in a pretty nice package for the price tier. You get a couple sets of silicone tips including Final E’s, which happen to be my go-to tips for universal IEMs, so this is a win in my book. The cable is also quite good, a tight 4-wire braid that is supple, light, and just gets out of the way. The aluminium puck-style case is alright, but the lid feels just a little bit loose when removing it; maybe I’ve been spoiled by the better quality ones that 64Audio and FiR include with their CIEMs as they feel much more precisely machined.

The IEMs themselves are very nice to look at, I’m a big fan of the blue abalone faceplates. The shells are fairly small, the nozzles are just the right thickness for most tips, and I think the vast majority of listeners will have no problem with fit or comfort with these. Supernova uses 6 balanced armature drivers, and like many all-BA sets it is pretty easy to drive well with any source.






A few notes on sound:
Following a fairly typical “neutral-with-bass-boost” type of tuning, Supernova hit me with a very pleasant first impression of bass that is a bit more mid-bass focussed than sub, a warm midrange and nicely extended treble with no hint of peaky-ness or harshness. My own first preference might be for even more mid-bass, but this is a tuning I’m quite happy with.

Technically, Supernova is good if not quite great. Stage has good height if lacking a bit in width and depth, giving it a more intimate presentation with a strong centre image. Detail retrieval is also pretty good for the price range, and has a kind of effortlessness to it that doesn’t make me feel like I need to strain at all to pick things out. This is an IEM that goes more for a smooth, easy-listening kind of sound rather than something with more incisive details.


A few Comparisons:
Dunu SA6 Mk II - The SA6 MkII digs deeper into sub-bass, especially with its tuning switch set to ‘On’. SA6 MkII stage is notably wider than the Supernova, giving notes a greater sense of space around them, and making details pop out more from the background. SA6 MkII treble is a bit more forward, which gives the SA6 a bit more sharpness and makes it feel more detail-oriented vs the silky smooth Supernova. On the flipside, Supernova's more intimate stage and warmer tuning give it a somewhat more engaging feeling. These are both great IEMs at the price-point, and I’d find it hard to pick between them. However I’d probably lean toward the SA6 MkII for its more technical approach and versatile 2-in-1 tuning options, however the smooth, easy-listening Supernova is also quite nice.

64 Audio U6t - Here again, the U6t is quite a lot better in sub-bass, and has a much larger, grander sense of its stage. The U6t sound image is much closer to a perfect sphere around my head, with a fantastic sense of depth. Dynamics on U6t are also notably better, I hear much more contrast between the quieter vs louder passages in a given piece of music. Detail and resolution are also a step up from Supernova, and the SA6 Mk II as well for that matter. U6t is of course $500 more expensive, and diminishing returns is very real in this hobby, but in this case I think you get what you pay for.


Conclusion
Supernova is a fantastic IEM that is probably only really hampered by its availability. I’m hoping the team behind 7th Acoustics are able to ramp up production and distribution of their IEMs, as Supernova shows they’re making and packaging Quality IEMs that I’d definitely be interested to explore more at this sub-1k level and especially above.