Astrotec Vesna EVO

Astrotec Vesna EVO - "RESOLUTION on a BUDGET"


DISCLAIMER:
This is a review unit sent by our friends at Keephifi . I want to thank them for reaching me out. I am pleased that they have noticed my work. Well, more like a copium diary tho haha..I don’t really consider myself a “pro” reviewer. I am just a regular dude who likes to share impressions on products that I can try here in JP. Nonetheless, I will try my best to be transparent as possible. Although it is really hard to be purely objective when reviewing. There are many factors that affect listening experience like work load, stress, my mood, and my wife’s mood haha.

Anyhow, let me give a short shoutout to KeepHifi. Yes this is a “kind of” ad for them. It’s the least I can do because I got this unit for free. Consider subscribing to their website for promos and discounts. Their rep is very responsive and they ship pretty quick too.

Other than that, they do not hold any of my opinions. If I like the set, maybe it matches my library and not yours. Cross reference reviews and take my impressions with a boatload of salt. I consider this as my personal diary.

ABOUT THE COMPANY:

It is my first time reviewing Astrotec's product. They recently got a VGP award of VESNA EVO and LYRA MINI earbuds. I know they are the kind of company that takes time developing their products. I admire such company direction.

In their website, the meaning of Astrotec says "an endless pursuit of exploration in acoustic technology and the combination of acoustics and aesthetics"

Now let us uncover this and see..

PACKAGING and ACCESSORIES:



-I have the EVO version which has a removable cable. The Box is small but presented nicely. There is a small pouch included, and 3 pairs of eartips in SML.
-the cable is of really nice quality. They seem sturdy and probably can withstand abuse haha. I do not have the regular version tho, so I am not sure if a 15usd increase in price is reasonable. I also noticed in other reviews that the regular version has that dongle included. The EVO version does not have it.

BUILD and COMFORT:



-Bullet type. They are very light and very solid to feel. I think its made of aircraft grade aluminum alloy.

-They can fit deep depending on eartips. But because of the added weight from the upgraded cable, they dangle a bit if I shallow insert them. So the way to go for me is deep insertion. Tho not as deep as etymotics.
They are comfortable. I have no issues whatsoever.

-They use an LCP driver and is said to be imported from Japan. On their page, it also says “Accurately restore every note as an elf whispering in your ear”
“listen to the bass with weight, graceful midrange, ethereal treble”

Hmmm an elf whispering in my ear and an ethereal treble. This got me hyped really..

SETUP:
-Shanling M3X using UAPP, Hiby ang stock player

-stock tips

-stock cable

-Volume measured and listend at 75-78 dbs.

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.

Sound impression relative to price and performance : 20- 40usd

SOUND PROFILE:

Balanced with emphasis at presence.

Bass is actually not too boosted in them. A little bit north from neutral. Depending on fit depth and eartips, you can turn this into a bass monster or a neutral set. However, I will be reviewing them using stock tips and most of my impressions will be based on that. Going back, they have good texture and detail in the lower region. Good attack and decay that doesn’t smear the lower mids that much. I hear a bit of subbass presence but not as much as midbass. It is quick and not the boomy type.

Mids have very good resolution on them really. It might be the most resolving driver I have heard in this price range. However, the tuning is a little bit different from the usual trend. They don’t seem to have a lot of gain around 2-3k which makes vocals and instruments a bit retracted. It then goes up at presence for clarity. The result of this is a smooth yet detailed listening experience. Vocals are not placed too forward and instrument harmonics and decay seem to envelope them. Imagine you are listening to a live music wherein the vocalist is at the center and the instruments are encircling the vocals haha. Strange setup, nonetheless its not something that can turn someone off, I hope....

Treble is focused at presence and rolls off quite early. There is also not enough air on the EVO that is why it is affecting its soundstage. However, because of the focus around 5-7k, there is ample of harmonics from instruments and perceived detail. They don’t really sound harsh for me. Maybe my descriptor would be “energetic”.

Technicalities are above average. Let us start with the stage, they are not that big and airy. They do remind me of Heart Mirrors, only that the mirrors have an airy one. As for the EVO, reverb does not travel that far but the space is proportional. There is enough height and depth. Width is somewhat smaller. Resolution is really good at this price point. I was expecting a budget performance from them, but I guess I was wrong. I felt that there are enough details in the three main frequencies and I could hear new details from my library, which was surprising really. Imaging and separation are also above average. However, the tuning is really odd for me, they are detailed but unengaging. I can’t explain haha. It’s like everyone is tired of singing and playing music but still doing their best lol. Timbre is on the leaner side, near analytical. Even if there is some midbass emphasis, I find the vocals to be lacking in body at times.

PROS
I thought that the track closer was very detailed on these. The bass, vocals, synths were clear to listen to.

I was able to hear a lot detail on the track BXMXC by Babymetal. It is a very busy track with a lot of synths in the background, but EVO managed to retrieve them. Separation is also commendable

I really hear a lot of nuances in my library. I know that these things are already present in the track if I pay more attention, it is just that the signature and tuning of EVO presents it in a way that you hear them better, So I could hear things that I did not notice before.

In the track “Rude” by Magic, there is a good balance of vocals and instruments. Bass did not come across too much in your face like how other sets would do. Cymbals were not overemphasized with good resolution and timbre.

Bon Jovi’s vocals are very airy on the “livin on a prayer”. The stage was deep as well. Reverbs were realistic without timbral changes.

Female vocals are properly placed, avoiding shout. Taylor, Olivia, Celine etc sound really soothing yet clear

Very good balance of the three frequencies. Like really. I did not really find the bass to be too much nor lacking. The mids are properly defined. Treble is not dark nor too colored. Although it leans a bit on the energetic side, they are not harsh or fatiguing in my ears.

I thought in the track Caribbean Blue by Big mountain, everything sounds even and instruments are not congested. Vocals have enough presence without being intrusive.

very nice guitar harmonics in the track “11am” by Incubus. Also in the track “Dig” by the same artist, instruments were layered nicely and I could track where they are from.

CONS
fundamentals and vocals are a bit retracted on some tracks. It is not that it is hard to hear them, but the staging is a bit different from the usual iems I have tried in this range. It feels likes all instrument reverbs are running around a small space.

too much presence. Like you hear the harmonics but there is not enough fundamentals to support them. For example listening to Greenday’s “basketcase”, the intro riff sounds like all distortion.

vocals and instruments (cymbals, guitar, bass guitar) might not have enough body for some people.

thinnish timbre on male vocals. This may be tip dependent. You can get enough bass if you insert deeper. But they are very far from being warm and analogue sounding.

lacks vocal texture. They sound dry at times and they are very unforgiving to badly mastered tracks. The lack of air and the thinnish timbre all contributes to this small nitpick

soundstage is actually small in them. It is like listening up close in a performance. Notes don’t travel that far and everything seems all in your head.

unengaging. I don’t know why, there is something about the tuning that is “off”, they are detailed, not too analytic, but there is lacking.

hard to drive. I always have to push my volume higher than normal levels to get good sound. If you are getting the regular VESNA, I think they include a dongle, so it wont be a problem.

TIP ROLLING:
I did mention about the bass that changes? Let me just include this here. The vent is located below the nozzle. Almost the same location as with my acoustune RS1. Which means they are fit and tip sensitive. If you use an eartip that will cover the vent when deep inserted, they will be very bassy, like basshead level lol. If the eartip dome doesn’t cover the vent hole, they sound balanced and sometimes neutral on foam tips. So yeah, experiment to your liking and find the fit and tips that sound right for you.
But for this review, I used the stock tips for a proper impression on how this product sounds with its included package.

COMPARISONS relative to PRICE and PERFORMANCE:

CHU
- Chu has lighter bass and has upper mids emphasis. Vesna has some midbass punch, yet smooth sounding. Both are unengaging haha. Well, if you want a brighter presentation, go for chu. If you want good balance of frequencies, go for vesna

EDA balanced
-EDA is more engaging and a fun listen overall, but resolution goes to Vesna, EDA balanced also has more textured bass, clean mids and more treble sparkle. Vesna has better imaging of instruments and fine nuances and details. Pick you poison.

CCA LYRA
-hmmm. Lyra is very musical and has more forward vocals if you are into iku iku., Id give overall tonality to the Lyra because it is more palatable. Vesna offers a good listening experience too but it loses out on timbre and fun. Vesna is more technical and more resolving but the tonality is something you have to get used to.

WHAT ELSE?
Comment down below. I'll try to give a short comparison if I have heard od them.

FINAL THOUGHTS

I am ambivalent with the Lyra. I like its resolution, but the tonality is something I always have to adjust every time I listen to them. The resolution it gives is a surprise and the tonality it offers is something refreshing. I have not tried the regular VESNA. I was given the option to review both, but I chose to only review the EVO because I thought it’s a waste of resource haha.

If the regular VESNA and EVO sounds the same, think the regular VESNA at 20 usd is a good alternative for CHU if you want a bit more bass whilst still having clean mids. if you want more fun bass, go for KZs.

Also, there seems to be divisive impressions on reviewers on both regular VESNA and EVO. Akros also noticed that two of his EVOs graphed differently. I am not sure how prevalent these issues are, or if Astrotec knows about this. What I know is I like the unit I have now.

They are not by any means a giant killer, nor do they dominate the range in terms of price to performance ratio, but they offer a different flavor and approach to your listening experiences.

Is this an EVO-lution? Probably not quite there yet. However, I am excited how the company will make future tuning changes or improvements. Astotrec has already proven themselves with the VGP award of the VESNA EVO and Lyra Mini. They take their time in developing and I am pretty sure they have something up their sleeves.

COSPA RATING: 7.5/10

WHERE TO BUY:
non-affiliate link:
https://keephifi.com/products/astrotec-vesna-evo?_pos=1&_sid=669c25f0f&_ss=r

Greetings!

Today we're checking out both forms of Astrotec's newest budget model, the Vesna.

Astrotec is probably best known for their premium earbuds, as they're one of the few brands still producing products in that niche segment. While they've certainly dabbled in more affordable, sub-100 USD products, the Vesna is their most affordable that I'm aware of. At 19.90 USD for the standard Vesna, and 34.90 USD for the EVO, they're tackling a busy, popular segment that is often full of hype, strong marketing promises, and plenty of solid offerings. The Vesna seeks to bring Harman-style tuning to the masses, affordably. The standard Vesna does this with a fixed cable, and the EVO with a removable cable.

Does it succeed? Let's find out.


What I Hear

Since the standard Vesna and Vesna EVO are tuned basically the same, minus the EVO coming across nearly imperceptibly louder, the impressions here will apply to both. The stock medium tips were also used since they fit me perfectly, and I liked how they sounded. You can bump bass further with something that has a smaller bore and/or softer silicone, like Sony Hybrids, or increase treble presence with a wide bore, such as with the Spinfit CP145.

Vocals are warm and thick, sounding especially good with heavily textured voices. The Vesna works quite well with commentary, audio books, etc. It is also well-suited to both male and female vocals without necessarily excelling with either. Timbre is rich and full with a realistic representation that should please fairly picky users that typically avoid budget gear for this reason. Detail is presented well but lacks fine nuance. It comes across somewhat smoothed over compared to some other single dynamics, but especially hybrids like the KZ ZST X.

Bass on the Vesna is well rounded overall with good extension and sub-bass rumble. Deep notes satisfy with a visceral rumble that should please most users. This is backed by a welcome warmth and punch provided by a full mid-bass region. It has slightly above average speed and texturing which enables it to handle rapid notes without smearing, unless the rest of the track is providing a lot of competing information. In those instances it loses some of it's composure, though still well within acceptable standards for such an affordable product.

Heading into the upper ranges we find the Vesna's focus is on the upper presence/lower brilliance region with just a bit of sparkle added in via a light 10k+ peak. Notes are tight and well-defined with very little splash or slop. Detail and clarity are rock solid, neither lacking nor overblown and veering into a clinical presentation. While lacking character, the Vesna's treble isn't offensive or boring. Attack and decay qualities are handled realistically and are neither too harsh or unnaturally quick. Completely satisfying.

The Vesna's sound stage is quite average with a default vocal position around the edge of the inner ear. From there sounds spread out with a convincing depth, but lack the convincing shoulder width distance achieved by some other products. Given the reasonably meaty note presentation, spacing between notes isn't vast, though it is enough to prevent congestion on all but the most busy of tracks. Imaging is also fairly average with smooth channel-to-channel transitions that feel reasonably precise, but not enough to use for anything but casual gaming. Instrument separation is also average letting you train your focus on individual instruments, but not with the ease I associate with more precise, analytic products. Layering is handled a mite better with tracks showing decent depth.

Overall a pretty darn solid performer in nearly every metric, backed by a well-rounded tune designed to please the masses. I personally prefer more energy in the treble, more forward vocals, and stronger sub-bass presence, yet despite this I found the Vesna to be a near-perfect every day carry companion.


Compared To A Peer

Moondrop Quarks (12.99 USD): Whereas the Vesna tackles a Harman curve tune, the Quarks qualities are more in line with the diffuse field target, which is more in line with my preferences. That said, both take liberties with their target curves resulting in experiences that sway away from expectations. The Quarks does a better job of hanging onto it's sub- presence when compared to the Vesna, yet has a similar level of mid-bass emphasis. This keeps them similarly warm and dense with the Quarks providing a bit more visceral feedback on the deepest of notes. The Vesna's level of punch in the mid-bass is a step up, however. Leading into the mids the Quarks have a more aggressive 3k punch in line with the diffuse field style of tuning that it follows. Some will find this makes them shouty, while I enjoy how it bring vocals further forward when compared to the Vesna. Keep in mind I listen at lower and safer volumes than the average user (typically between 60-70dB) where strong frequency peaks are less problematic. Detail and clarity between the two is quite similar with the Quarks having a minor edge to my ears. The Vesna takes the timbre crown with a warmer, more accurate presentation. Heading into the upper frequencies, both have a pretty mellow presentation. The Vesna produces a bit more energy thanks to more emphasis in the 6 and 10k regions. I really appreciate the additional sparkle and staging space this provides over the Quarks. Speaking of staging, the Vesna provides a mite more width and depth with a default vocal positioning just at the edge of the inner ear. While the Vesna provides a larger stage, the Quarks' leaner sound enables more space between notes. This helps it have the edge when it comes to imaging and instrument separation, while the Vesna offer improved layering. The differences in all of these areas are not drastic though.

TinHiFi T2+ (49.99 USD): T2+ offers better extension and more sub-bass rumble. T2+ has less mid-bass presence leaving it sounding slightly cooler and leaner. Vesna's bass in general is smoother and less textured but with more punch. Mids on the T2+ are cooler and leaner with more detail but poorer sibilance mitigation. In general I find the T2+'s midrange to be a step up from the Vesna with vocals sounding cleaner and more articulate. Timbre is more accurate on the Vesna, however, with the T2+ sounding a touch metallic in comparison. Treble is slightly more aggressive on the Vesna thanks to a stronger upper region peak. I personally don't find either bright or uncomfortable to listen to. Again, the T2+ has the edge in terms of clarity and detail. It's driver also comes across faster and more articulate with snappier attack and decay qualities. I prefer the presentation of the Vesna though, as notes are better defined, lacking any form of splash as heard on the T2+. When it comes to sound stage I find the T2+ to come across wider and deeper, more easily tossing sounds off into the distance. This almost feels exaggerated when listening to the two back-to-back as the T2+s default vocal positioning is closer to the head. Sounds are clearly given more room to move about.


In The Ear The Vesna takes on a standard bullet shape that has been used with earphones at all price ranges, for nearly as long as earphones have existed. Amusingly, when it was initially announced the community called out Astrotec for ripping off the design of the Venture Electronics BIE. Sorry to burst your bubble of toxicity ladies and lads, but the Vesna is much smaller, more attractive, and better built to boot. The only similarities between them are the fact that they're both bullet-shaped, albeit one considerably sleeker than the other.

Common to both Vesna models is the aluminum shell and rear face plate decorated with a plus sign. On the standard Vesna the rear plate is a subtle metallic blue, while the EVO goes for a more eye-catching gold. Stainless steel mesh neatly inserted at the end of each nozzle protects the drivers from dirt and debris, while a prominent lip holds tips tightly in place. Where the two part ways is in the cable.

Fixed on the standard Vesna, the mono-strand cable is well-relieved leading into the earpiece and at the compact straight jack. The minute y-split sees a fairly substandard relief entering the bottom, and nothing up top. Not unsurprising given the inclusion of a chin cinch. The sheath used provides a mostly positive experience given it is flexible and both memory and tangle resistant, but it does transmit more noise from bumping and rubbing than I'd like. I find this a common problem with bullet-shaped earphones. You can mitigate noise by either wrapping the cable up and around the back of your ear, by tightening up the chin cinch, or by using both techniques at the same time for the greatest effectiveness.

The Vesna EVO has a removable cable, and boy is it a good one. A twisted bi-strand design is present, dividing at the y-split as the cable leads up to each 2-pin plug. The jack used it still straight and decently relieved, but is a touch beefier with a light coke-bottle curve to it that makes gripping it easier. The y-split is shorter but thicker with a matte finish and drops all relief. Luckily, a chin cinch remains. I was surprised to see the 2-pin plugs equipped with small strain reliefs. They are also colour coded to denote channel with addition coloured dots in place to ensure you don't plug them in out of phase. A thoughtful and important touch that most brands fair to address. As on the standard Vesna, the sheath is flexible and both tangle and memory resistant, just a hint less in each aspect. On the plus side, noise transmitted from bumps and rubbing is slightly less intrusive, and just as effectively mitigated by wearing the cable up, using the chin cinch, or using both methods at the same time. Personally, I think this cable is worth the price of admission by itself, and certainly of high quality than anything included with flavour of the month brands like KZ, CCA, Blon, NiceHCK, etc. Getting a good sounding earphone along with it is a bonus.

Comfort on both Vesna models is outstanding. They are small, light, and with just the right length of nozzle to ensure a secure fit without it being too deep, or too shallow (for me at least). This is one of those earphones I can wear literally all day since they cause no discomfort or hot spots given their weight distribution is near perfect, and they lack any form of sharp edges. Of course it's always best to take breaks every hour or so to protect and preserve your hearing.


In The Box The Vesna and EVO share mostly identical, compact packaging. On the front of the exterior sheath, each provides a wire-frame style image of the earpieces profile, as well as the rear plate. It is also noted they're using an LCP diaphragm, similar to the S70 true wireless model released late 2021. On the rear of each sheath you find identical product specifications, save for the 2-pin cable on the EVO, as well as frequency response measurements. Removing the sheath reveals the ear pieces tucked into foam inserts with the cables wrapped underneath, and a smaller cardboard insert in which the accessories lay. In all you get:

Vesna standard:

• earphones
• fabric carrying pouch
• ear tips (s/m/l)
• USB-c to 3.5mm adapter

Vesna EVO:

• earphones
• 0.78mm 2-pin cable
• ear tips (s/m/l)

A fairly sparse unboxing experience for each model, but given the price that's to be expected. On the plus side, the tips are of excellent quality and I've felt no need to move away from the stock mediums. The included carrying bag is durable and spacious too. Other brands that dabble in this price range should take note. Lastly, the omission of the type-C adapter with the EVO is a bummer, but only a small one given the quality of the included 2-pin cable. I suspect this will be an issue mostly for North American customers, but just as I experienced with the adapter that came with the Kinera Freya, and the Hifiman RE400C itself, they only work with limited devices. In my case, the Huawei P40 is the only device I have access to that the adapter is compatible with. Your mileage may vary.


Final Thoughts The under 50 USD earphone market has exploded in recent years and is over-saturated with products, most of which are at the very least perfectly acceptable, if not quite good. The Vesna stands out thanks to fair pricing, some amazing build quality, and a well-rounded tune that successfully targets pleasing the greatest number of people possible. Unlike other products that aim for this, the Vesna doesn't sound boring, nor do you have to replace the cable and tips out of the box while being expected to put up with mediocre ergonomics or other compromises. It is a well-thought out, well-engineered product that is more deserving of your money than nearly anything else at this price point I can think of, unless you're looking for a more niche tune of course. Very well done Astrotec!

Thanks for reading!

- B9

Disclaimer Thank you to Astrotec for reaching out to see if I would be interested in reviewing the Vesna duo, and for arranging samples for the purposes of review. The thoughts withih this review are my personal, subjective opinions and do not represent Astrotec or any other entity. At the time of writing the Vesna was retailing for 19.90 USD, and the Vesna EVO for 34.90 USD. You can check it out here; https://astrotecglobal.com/products/vesna

Specifications

Driver: 6mm Dynamic Driver, LCP diaphragm
Input: 1 mW
Impedance: 30 OHM
Cable: High Purity OFC Cable 1.2±0.3m (Vesna) / 2-pin High Purity OFC Cable 1.2±0.3m (Vesna EVO)
Max Input: 3mW
Sensitivity: 102dB/1mw (S.P.L at 1KHz)
Connector: 3.5mm stereo plug
Frequency Response: 5Hz – 22KHz

Some Test Tunes

Aesop Rock – The Impossible Kid (Album)
Hail Mary Mallon – Are You Going to Eat That? (Album)
King Crimson – Lark’s Tongues in Aspic (Album)
King Crimson – Starless and Bible Black (Track)
Supertramp – Crime of the Century (Album)
Infected Mushroom – Legend of the Black Shawarma (Album)
Gorillaz – Plastic Beach (Album)
Massive Attack – Mezzanine (Album)
Fleetwood Mac – Rumors (Album)
Run the Jewels – Run the Jewels (Album)
The Prodigy – The Day is My Enemy (Album)
Tobacco – screw*d Up Friends (Album)
Felt – Felt 2 (A Tribute to Lisa Bonet) (Album)
Michael Jackson – Thriller (Album)
The Crystal Method – Grace (feat. LeAnn Rimes) (Track)
Jidenna – Long Live the Chief (Track)
Skrillex – Ragga Bomb (Track)
Big Grams – Run for Your Life (Track)
Funkadelic – Maggot Brain (Track)
Aesop Rock – Fishtales (Track)