Aroma Musical Box Early

Aroma Audio Music Box Early: Ear-ly attractive

Having a motto of "creating a diverse yet aromatic sound", Aroma Audio is a portable audio manufacturer that started from Hong Kong and strengthened its brand as it becomes popular in Japan. Aroma Audio was founded in 2015, so it's not so old in age. Though they've been doing R&D for quite some time which helped them quickly advance and build their own IEMs, amps, DAC, and so on. Currently, they have 3 IEM line ups - Witch Girl series (Witch Girl S / Pro / 12), Music Box series (Early / Twins / Yao), and the newly announced Ace. Today I'll be covering the youngster from the family, the Early.

Packaging

The Music Box series already got their theme clear from their packaging. Early comes in with a wooden box with cushions inside of it, protecting the metal case and the earphones. Other than the earphones, the included accessories are 3 sets of Acoustune AET07 eartips, soft pouch, metal case, a stock cable, and some small paper works. I would have preferred to see more eartips option, but I suppose Acoustune eartips supplement that.

Earpieces

All music box IEMs have transparent resin shells with beautifully crafted metal faceplates finished with vertical hairlines. It has the steampunk looks like Campfire / Acoustune IEMs but more in a feminine style. Early has a hybrid setup, equipped with a single BA and a single 8mm dynamic driver. The earpieces are detachable with terminations of non-recessed 0.78mm 2pins. These provide a very comfortable fit and has a nozzle size of approximately T400.

Cable / Eartip matchings

Early comes with an ordinary black OCC stock cable with an L shaped 3.5mm plug. Better cables are always preferred, though it's understandable enough considering the price. It works out pretty well with various cables, though I found bright sounding cables to match the best as it provides shinier upper frequencies and tightens the bass. The included Acoustune AET08 is the best choice for eartips, so I recommend to stick with them.

Sound impression: Bass

Early goes for a W shaped sound with slightly recessed highs. The bass feels meaty and chewy. The sound ray feels thick and highly packed with density, making the bass bounce with adequate weight to it. The bass has just the right amount - neither boomy or weak. You can expect the bass amount to be similar to slightly V-shaped IEMs, such as TFZ King Pro or Apple In-Ear. It's a very fun type of bass that most people will find it enjoyable. Ultra-lows are also presented well with powerful rumbles. Bass sounds very manly and tough, however Aroma Audio managed to nicely tame the aggressive bass to stay tightly controlled without causing reverbs that may cause the sound to turn murky.

Sound impression: Mids

Mids are located equally or slightly forward than the bass. It's definitely not recessed, however not distinctly popped out to the front, having a natural transition from the bass. I have to give props to Aroma Audio for how they tuned the mids on these. I often found hybrid IEMs on this price range where it feels like BA drivers and dynamic drivers aren't getting along that well - resulting into an odd tone or some sort of distort, especially when the sound flows from mids to highs. Mids sound very organic, soothing, and full. It also feels big in scale, somewhat mimicking a speaker-like presentation. Sibilance doesn't exist whatsoever and maintains that warm, smooth sound signature throughout the mids.

Sound impression: Trebles, etc.

Treble is slightly recessed than the mids however still manages to achieve the tiny bits of details quite nicely as well as those shiny splashes from the instruments. The lows and mids are the main players while treble acts as a pinch of salt on top of them. It also feels like the treble keeps the sound from getting too warm or dark. You won't be disappointed in terms of details, but definitely not for those who are thriving on strong freshness on the highs. Staging is also up to par. Trebles spread out with an adequate amount of airiness from top to bottom while the bass expands sideways, providing an enjoyable 3D feeling.

Verdicts

Early is a great all-rounder that could easily become everyone's favorite. I'm impressed with how the tonality is organic as well as two different drivers showing a seamless harmony. I'm sure those who've experienced Aroma IEMs would know that these are hidden gems. Aroma Audio just began spreading its hands to overseas markets and I hope to see them go active in western countries too. Early is especially a cost-effective IEM and would be a great choice for those who are into SE846-like sound signatures.

Introduction

Aroma Audio is a Hong Kong company that produces iems, dac and amps. For iems, they started out with the Witch Girl series which has a line-up that consists of the Witch Girl S, Witch Girl Pro and Witch Girl 12. Recently, they have launched a brand new series which is called Musical Box. In the Musical Box Series, there are the Early, Twins and Yao. In this review, I will be reviewing the Musical Box Early. I would like to thank Aroma Audio for this review unit. At the moment, you can get it from http://www.aromaaudio.com/ or http://aroma-audio.jp/ .



Specifications

• Driver Configuration: 1 Balanced Armature + 1 Dynamic
• Frequency Response: 20 Hz – 20kHz
• Sensitivity: 100 dB
• Impedance: 10 ohms

Unboxing & Accessories

The Early comes in a wooden box with a paper wrapper that sports the brand name and model name. On top of the wooden box, the brand name is printed on it. After opening the box, there are the specifications card, warranty card, instruction manual, pack of Acoustune AET07 tips, soft pouch and hard aluminium case that contains the iem and cable.







IEM Build & Design

The Early shell is made up of transparent clear acrylic and it has a smooth surface. On the left faceplate, there is the model logo while on the right faceplate, there is the brand logo. Each faceplate has a sleek silver finish with 3 screws. At the back of each iem, there is the model name in Chinese and English on the left and right respectively. Below the model name is the serial number. The nozzle is slightly angled with 2 bores. The fit is good as the iem is able to sit in my ears comfortably. The housing is light weight with good build quality. The Early is aesthetically pleasing to look at.









Cable Build & Design

The cable is a detachable 4 core cable with 2 pins 0.78mm connectors. On the connectors, there are blue and red dot on the left and right side respectively so users can differentiate. The connectors have a black housing. The cable has a memory wire section that is enclosed in a transparent heat shrink tube. It is not very flexible due to the metal inside that helps to form the shape. The chin slider is made up of a transparent tube and the y splitter is made of a soft rubber material with strain relief. The jack is 3.5mm gold plated right angled with strain relief.



Sound Analysis

Lows

The Early has great sub-bass quantity and it is extended well. It operates in a smooth and impactful way. There is depth to it. The execution is confident and provides an engaging listen. The rumble is moderate and provides a nice punch to the overall sound. The bass presentation operates in a musical way and each bass note is expressed with confidence. The mid-bass has a moderate quantity and the slam is delivered with some weight to it. The bass does not exert itself aggressively and may lack the authority for a visceral impact. There is a seamless transition from the lows to the lower mids.

Mids

The midrange is quite clean with a moderate level of transparency. It is being presented in a silky smooth manner. The lower mids has a moderate quantity to it with no nasal and dry feeling. There is a natural presentation and male vocals are being displayed with emotions. The upper mids is quite forward and the control is very tight to prevent it from being shouty. There is a great definition. Female vocals are presented in an intimate and smooth manner. I find the vocals to have an appropriate amount of body and it is expressed effortlessly yet retains great details retrieval.

Highs

The treble is extended greatly and there is no sibilance and harshness. The depth the Early extends to is great and the mastery on the treble showcases its finesse. The crisp is moderate and there is a lack of sparkle for excitement. The amount of air rendered is moderate and it is sufficient to complement the overall sound. It is being presented in such a smooth manner. The treble articulation has a nice definition. There is clarity and overall, the treble is detailed and laid-back for a fatigue-free listening.

Soundstage

The soundstage has a very natural expansion in its width and it is realistic. The magnitude is moderate and the depth has a great amount of space rendered. There is good layering and separation. Vocals and instruments positioning is precise.



Comparisons

Aroma Musical Box Early vs Aurisonics ASG 1Plus

The Early has slightly more sub-bass quantity than the 1Plus with a greater extension. The depth is better. The sub-bass reproduction on the Early has extra cleanliness and the accuracy is better. Each bass note on the Early is being expressed with a moderate weight to it and this helps to bring impact to the sound. The Early has more agility than the 1Plus and decay is more pacey. The mid-bass quantity on both operates in a similar approach but Early has a greater slam. This allows Early to provide a more engaging listen. The bass texture on both is rendered smoothly. The lower mids on the Early has more body and it is capable of tackling male vocals with ease. The boost helps to portray a thick style and male vocals are being expressed with more emotions. The upper mids on the Early has extra forwardness with a tighter control. The Early shows excellent finesse to prevent female vocals from being too shouty. There is good intimacy and smoothness to it. The details retrieval is better on the Early. Next, for the treble section, the Early is slightly more extended and there is a good amount of body to it. There is no sibilance and harshness. Both are being presented in a smooth and detailed manner without any aggression. The amount of air rendered on the Early is slightly more. For the soundstage, Early has a more natural expansion in its width while the magnitude of the 1Plus is greater. The depth on the Early is better with more space.

Aroma Musical Box Early vs Campfire Audio Polaris

The Early has similar sub-bass quantity as the Polaris and the Polaris extends better with more depth. The way the Early presents its sub-bass is different from Polaris. Early approaches it in a smooth style with a nice punch while Polaris operates with a more authoritative approach. The bass texture on the Early is smoother while the bass decay on the Polaris is quicker. Early has a moderate rumble in a relaxing manner while Polaris has a quick rumble. The bass nature of the Early and Polaris is smooth and agile respectively. The mid-bass on the Early has more quantity but the slam impact is greater on the Polaris. The bass reproduction on the Early is cleaner and the accuracy on both is similar. There is more attack on the Polaris with each hit. Bass on the Early takes on a laid-back approach but there is still impact while Polaris exerts its bass rather aggressively in comparison. The midrange on the Early is more liquid than the Polaris. The lower mids on the Early is being presented with extra body and it benefits male vocals better without sounding hollow or dry. The upper mids on the Polaris is more forward but the Early has the edge in its control. Female vocals are easier to listen to on the Early due to its smoothness. The details retrieval here is better. For the treble section, they have similar extension. There is no sibilance and harshness. Polaris presents its treble brighter with more crisp and sparkle. The air rendered on Polaris has a greater amount. However, there is a lack of treble body in comparison to the Early. Early presents a smooth and controlled treble. Lastly, the soundstage of the Early has a more natural expansion while Polaris wins slightly for the magnitude. The depth is pretty similar. The Early has a smooth and controlled sound while Polaris approaches it in a lively manner.

Aroma Musical Box Early vs AKG N40

The Early has more sub-bass quantity than the N40 but the extension of the N40 is better with a greater depth. Each bass note on the Early is presented with a musical feel and there is a nice weight to it. On the other hand, the N40 has a more impactful hit with a faster attack for a lively response. The Early has more body to its mid-bass and the slam has a greater impact for the overall dynamics. N40 has the edge for agility. Bass texture on the Early is rendered more smoothly while the bass decay on the N40 is quicker. N40 approaches its bass in a transparent and clean approach. The lower mids on the Early has more quantity and it sounds fuller than the N40. This is to prevent male vocals from sounding hollow. The upper mids on the N40 is more forward but there is more body on the Early. With the right balance, female vocals are being presented in an intimate yet detailed manner for the Early. It is more capable than the N40 to deliver an organic performance. Although there is slightly more crisp on the N40, there is lack of body and female vocals are slightly shouty. There is just more control on the Early and it displays a matured presentation. Next, in the treble section, N40 has more extension and details retrieval on both is similar. There is more sparkle on the N40 and smoothness to the Early. The amount of air rendered on the N40 is slightly more. Lastly, the Early has a more natural expansion in its width while the magnitude is similar. The depth on the Early is better.

Conclusion

The Early is a superb velvety sounding iem with great finesse and control. It is able to provide a smooth sound capable of delivering vocals with excellence. It has a premium packaging with Acoustune upgrade tips included. In addition, with the combination of silver faceplate and clear shell, the Early has a strong visual appeal. The Musical Box Early is one of Aroma Audio’s latest iems and it delivers with a delightful performance.

For more reviews, visit https://audio123blog.wordpress.com/ .