Intro

Empire Ears (EE) are opening 2021 with some new and exciting products. One of them is the ESR MKII, the next iteration of their ESR (“Empire Studio Reference”) in-ear studio monitor. At a retail price of $1099, it sits somewhere in the middle of their studio-collection. This is a markup of $200 over its predecessor.

While the original ESR had 3 balanced armature drivers, the 2021 ESR MKII sports a 5-driver hybrid design including 3 balanced armature drivers and 2 electrostatic drivers. The ESR MKII belongs to EE’s EP Series which is mainly targeted at professionals like musicians and studio engineers.

Specifications

5 Driver, Hybrid IEM Design:

• Universal in-ear monitor
• 3 Proprietary Balanced Armature Drivers - Low, Mid, High
• 2 Premium Electrostatic Drivers - Ultra High
• 4-Way synX Crossover Network
• EIVEC - Empire Intelligent Electrostatic Control Technology
• A.R.C. Anti Resonance Compound Technology
• Impedance: 3.9 Ohms @ 1kHz
• Frequency Response: 10 Hz - 100kHz
• Sensitivity: 111dB @ 1kHz, 1mW
• Handcrafted Alpha-IV 26AWG UPOCC Copper Litz Cable

Disclaimer

My review consists solely of my own thoughts, opinions and impressions of the product. I paid for the tested product, it was not given for free. All pictures were taken by myself unless stated otherwise.


Review gear

• Burson Audio Soloist 3XP / Composer 3XP combo (main testing source)
• Cayin N8 DAP
• Cayin N6 II DAP with E02 module
• Empire Ears Alpha-IV cable (2.5mm balanced)

Music selection/Testing playlist

Voices, midrange, acoustic guitars etc.

Tenacious D - Tenacious D - Wonderboy
Marily Manson - The Pale Emperor - Day3
Chris Jones - Moonstruck
Sara K. - Hell or High Water - I Can't Stand The Rain, Stars
Ana Tijoux - 1977 - Partir de Cero

Channel separation

Tenacious D - Tenacious D - Kielbasa
NIN - The Downward Spiral - Hurt
Johnny Cash - The Essential - Ring of Fire
Stephen Coleman - Westworld Season 2 Soundtrack - C.R.E.A.M.

Soundstage, treble, electric guitars etc.

Alice in Chains - MTV Unplugged - Rooster
Korn - MTV Unplugged - Freak on a Leash
Anneke van Giersbergen - Symphonized - Feel Alive
Howard Shore - The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey - Blunt the Knives

Dynamics, bass, subbass

The Diary - The Gentle Storm - Endless Sea |Gentle Version|
Wardruna - Runaljod: Ragnarok - Tyr
Hans Zimmer - Man of Steel OST - Look to the Stars
Hans Zimmer - Pearl Harbor OST - Tennessee
Ice Cube - Raw Footage - Gangsta Rap Made Me Do It
Andreas Vollenweider - Vox - Enchanted Rocks


Packaging & Accessories

The packaging for all Empire Ears (EE) products is more or less the same which to me makes sense, because it shows consistency throughout their whole range.
You get a very nicely designed white cardboard box with the Empire Ears Logo and the name or logo of your particular product. It’s not too big or small and radiates class and style. It consists of an outer “slider” cover and a sturdier inside box.




Once you open the magnetic flap of the box inside you find a compartment with a quick manual and a “thank you” card from EE congratulating you to your excellent purchase Underneath looms the IEM and cable ready for you to rip out and enjoy the music. A classy drawer underneath reveals an aluminum sheet containing various Final Audio silicon tips to choose from. The great thing here is that Empire Ears not only gives you the standard S, M and L sizes but XS, S, M, L and XL instead, which simply gives you a wider range of tips to match to your ears. As my ear-canals are slightly different in size, it makes it easier for me to get a good fit. However, I would have wished for a selection of foam tips as I generally prefer foam over silicon. The included tips work well though.

Last but not least you get EE’s phantastic Pandora case, a black aluminum capsule to safely transport your precious in-ears. It’s built like the proverbial tank and is engraved with Empire’s logo and the name of your product.


Build quality & Fit

IEMs



The build quality of the ESR MKII is excellent, just as it is with any of EE’s in-ears. I actually haven’t seen any difference in build quality from their entry- to top-level products to be honest. To me, that’s simply a sign that they make no compromise in quality no matter the price. I like that!



The new ESR MKIIs are black with brushed silver faceplate and silver logo which “hovers” above the brushed silver. The design is rather subtle and to me it looks quite stylish and noble. Fit and comfort, at least for my average sized ears is good with a rather long nozzle enabling a good seal. Hence the IEMs do not sit flush in my ears but stand out a couple of millimeters, which is no problem for me.

Cable

EE are using a variation of Effect Audio’s Ares II which they call Alpha-IV or simply A4. You get to choose from 3.5mm single ended or 2.5mm balanced. I always go for balanced but that’s my personal preference. It’s a beautiful, classy and well made cable and I particularly like the sleek connectors and super small y-split. Yes, that cable looks gorgeous in my opinion.

What I don’t like so much is the rigidness of the cable. I have mentioned this several times in previous reviews as for me, flexibility, especially for an IEM cable, is an important factor of good usability. I clearly prefer softer, more flexible cables.
However, cable noise is at an acceptable level / no issue. Soundwise I have no complaints whatsoever. It’s a good cable.

Sound

Now how “flat” and true-to-the-source are these upgraded studio in-ears?

Overall tonality

As the name ESR (Empire Studio Reference) suggests, EE considers this IEM their reference of a flat and uncolored studio monitor. Since I usually prefer their X-Series consumer products as I am not a professional, I did not really know what to expect. I do own their Phantom studio monitor though (which is a lot more expensive) so I had a rough idea of how a “flat” reference studio in-ear might sound. I was both right and wrong.

The overall tonality is indeed nicely balanced and, as far as I can assess, neutral.
No frequency seems to be elevated and I assume the frequency response matches the description of “flat”. Since I don’t do measurements, I cannot confirm this with data. It’s just my impression after spending a week listening to music, watching movies and doing some gaming with the ESR MKIIs.

One thing instantly noticeable is that the ESR MKIIs will deliver the music as it is, meaning good recordings sound good, bad ones bad. But that’s the whole point of a reference studio in-ear monitor, right?

Treble

The combination of balanced armature- and dual electrostatic (e-stat) drivers deliver a nicely detailed and smooth treble without elevation. Strings and guitars to me sound very natural. Since there seems to be no treble elevation, you might miss that typical “sparkle” you’re used to getting from other, more consumer-tuned gear, but that is not true. It’s all there but you need to get used to a very different tuning or rather - the absence of one.

I first noticed with my EE Phantoms, but after a while I really started enjoying the overall quality of a natural frequency response. For long listening sessions, this is just perfect.

Midrange

Vocals, male and female alike, are rendered very naturally and stand out from the rest of the composition without the impression of artificial frequency elevation. Like the treble, the whole midrange is nicely separated and balanced overall.

Bass/Sub-bass

The bass from balanced armature (BA) drivers is very different from dynamic drivers (DD). The response is flat,neutral and tight, which is of course intended. There’s no eardrum-shattering impact and rumble like on the EE Valkyrie MKIIs or the EE Legend X that employ dedicated subwoofers.

This bass response mirrors what has been recorded, no more and no less. Still the ESR MKIIs surprised me in a good way here, because their bass performance is by no means lifeless or entirely free of sub-bass which was what I expected. It’s all there - when it is in the recording. Listening to Jeff Goldblum and the Mildred Snitzer Orchestra’s Cantaloup Island is a joy. I feel like actually attending the concert.

Soundstage

Surprisingly, the soundstage to me seems above average. Live recordings sound spacious while everything in the music - the instruments, the singer(s) the audience - is well separated. I had one key moment when I was playing a game and I suddenly heard a noise from outside. I took off the ESR MKIIs just to realize that the noise had actually come from within the game.
Channel separation/Instrument separation

Channel separation is very good indeed. Instrument separation, depending on the source material, is excellent. You can tell these IEMs were made for professionals that need to be as close to the truth as possible.

Neutrality

The ESR MKIIs are neutral sounding IEMs with a seemingly flat frequency response that present you with what is in the music without leaving anything away and without adding or elevating anything. These are in fact made to analyse music, to dissect music, but - somehow still manage to transport emotion and enjoyment. I can make neither head nor tail of it really. And I mean that in a good way!

Amplification/Matchability/Scalability

The ESR MKIIs are rather sensitive IEMs, they don’t need a lot of amping power to do their work. And since their field of expertise is the faithful reproduction, they will play out their main strength with a neutral source. I found the combination with Burson desktop DAC/Amps a good match in that regard. I can imagine a good synergy with Astell & Kern DAPs too as they tend to be rather neutral as well.

Should you desire to deviate from the path of total truth, you can pair them with less neutral sources. I tried with my Cayin DAPs and enjoyed the bit of warmth and energy the ESR MKIIs gained from this combination. So basically, you can tailor these studio IEMs quite a bit to your current task, which I find quite interesting.

Verdict

Paired with the right source, the ESR MKIIs will give you the truth and nothing but the truth. They are targeted mainly at music professionals, but will certainly fulfill the needs of other users as well. Anyone that prefers a more neutral musical reproduction or simply wants an in-ear for a more relaxed and fatigue free listing experience should find these a very interesting set.

I have enjoyed my week with the ESR MKIIs even though I usually prefer the more fun-oriented type of earphone. Funny enough, I used them even for movies and games and never once missed anything. Never once I felt the need to switch to another set of in-ears. As I said I am not a sound engineer or musician but I do believe these IEMs will certainly please a larger variety of users than just professionals. They are more expensive than their predecessors, but they make up for it with largely improved internals, beautiful looks and most important of all a sound reproduction that really deserves the name Empire Studio Reference.

Other reviews

Empire Ears Valkyrie MKII

Empire Ears Bravado MKII

Empire Ears Odin

Intro

Empire Ears are opening 2021 with some new and exciting products. One of them is the BRAVADO MKII, the next iteration of their best-selling IEM. At a retail price of $799, it marks the starting point of their entire collection. This is a markup of $100 over its predecessor.

The reason why is quickly explained: While the original Bravado had 2 drivers to get the job done, the 2021 model is way more complex being a 4-driver tribrid design.

The BRAVADO MKII belongs to EE’s X Series which is mainly targeted at consumers rather than professionals. Those are covered by EE’s EP, or Empire Professional Series.


Specifications

4 Driver, Tribrid IEM Design:

• Universal in-ear monitor
• 1 Next Generation W9+ Subwoofer - Sub-Bass/Bass
• 1 Proprietary Balanced Armature Driver - Mid
• 2 Premium Electrostatic Drivers - High, Ultra High
• 4-Way synX Crossover Network
• EIVEC - Empire Intelligent Electrostatic Control Technology
• A.R.C. Anti Resonance Compound Technology
• Impedance: 4.0 Ohms @ 1kHz
• Frequency Response: 5 Hz - 100kHz
• Sensitivity: 99dB @ 1kHz, 1mW
• Handcrafted Alpha-IV 26AWG UPOCC Copper Litz Cable

Disclaimer

My review consists solely of my own thoughts, opinions and impressions of the product. I paid for the tested product, it was not given for free. All pictures were taken by myself unless stated otherwise.


Review gear



Burson Audio Conductor 3X Reference (main testing source)
Astell & Kern SP1000M DAP
Cayin N8 DAP
Cayin N6 II DAP with E02 module
Empire Ears Alpha-IV cable (2.5mm balanced)
Satin Audio Medusa II cable (2.5mm balanced)


Music selection/Testing playlist

Voices, midrange, acoustic guitars etc.

Tenacious D - Tenacious D - Wonderboy
Marily Manson - The Pale Emperor - Day3
Chris Jones - Moonstruck
Sara K. - Hell or High Water - I Can't Stand The Rain, Stars
Ana Tijoux - 1977 - Partir de Cero

Channel separation

Tenacious D - Tenacious D - Kielbasa
NIN - The Downward Spiral - Hurt
Johnny Cash - The Essential - Ring of Fire
Stephen Coleman - Westworld Season 2 Soundtrack - C.R.E.A.M.

Soundstage, treble, electric guitars etc.

Alice in Chains - MTV Unplugged - Rooster
Korn - MTV Unplugged - Freak on a Leash
Anneke van Giersbergen - Symphonized - Feel Alive
Howard Shore - The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey - Blunt the Knives

Dynamics, bass, subbass

The Diary - The Gentle Storm - Endless Sea |Gentle Version|
Wardruna - Runaljod: Ragnarok - Tyr
Hans Zimmer - Man of Steel OST - Look to the Stars
Hans Zimmer - Pearl Harbor OST - Tennessee
Ice Cube - Raw Footage - Gangsta Rap Made Me Do It
Andreas Vollenweider - Vox - Enchanted Rocks


Packaging & Accessories

The packaging for all Empire Ears (EE) products is more or less the same which to me makes sense, because it shows consistency throughout their whole range. You get a very nicely designed white cardboard box with the Empire Ears Logo and the name or logo of your particular product. It’s not too big or small and radiates class and style. It consists of an outer “slider” cover and a sturdier inside box.





Once you open the magnetic flap of the box inside you find a compartment with a quick manual and a “thank you” card from EE congratulating you to your excellent purchase Underneath looms the IEM and cable ready for you to rip out and enjoy the music. A classy drawer underneath reveals an aluminum sheet containing various Final Audio silicon tips to choose from. The great thing here is that Empire Ears not only gives you the standard S, M and L sizes but XS, S, M, L and XL instead, which simply gives you a wider range of tips to match to your ears.

As my ear-canals are slightly different in size, it makes it easier for me to get a good fit. However, I would have wished for a selection of foam tips as I generally prefer foam over silicon. The included tips work well though.



Last but not least you get EE’s phantastic Pandora case, a black aluminum capsule to safely transport your precious in-ears. It’s built like the proverbial tank and is engraved with Empire’s logo and the name of your product.


Build quality & Fit

IEMs

The build quality of the BRAVADO MKII is excellent, just as it is with any of EE’s in-ears. I actually haven’t seen any difference in build quality from their entry- to top-level products to be honest. To me, that’s simply a sign that they make no compromise in quality no matter the price. I like that!

The new BRAVADO MKIIs are black with gold logo and some sparkling gold dots on the faceplates. The design update is rather subtle and that’s just fine. I have seen some early prototypes of the MKIIs with a very flashy, daring design that I did not like very much. Apparently I was not the only one and Empire Ears changed it for the final product. The BRAVADO MKIIs went through several iterations design- and soundwise as EE took the feedback of their alpha- / beta-testers to heart. To me personally, as a user experience designer, this is a philosophy that makes this company very sympathetic.

Fit and comfort, at least for my average sized ears is good with rather long nozzle enabling a good seal. Hence the IEMs do not sit flush in my ears but stand out a couple of millimeters, which is no problem for me.

Cable

EE are using a variation of Effect Audio’s Ares II which they call Alpha-IV or simply A4. You get to choose from 3.5mm single ended or 2.5mm balanced. I always go for balanced but that’s my personal preference. It’s a beautiful, classy and well made cable and I particularly like the sleek connectors and super small y-split. Yes, that cable looks gorgeous in my opinion.







What I don’t like so much is the rigidness of the cable. I have mentioned this several times in previous reviews as for me, flexibility, especially for an IEM cable, is an important factor of good usability. I clearly prefer softer, more flexible cables. However, cable noise is at an acceptable level / no issue. Soundwise I have no complaints whatsoever. It’s a good cable.


Sound

Now what can you expect soundwise from the BRAVADO MKII?

Overall tonality

I consider the overall tonality of the BRAVADO MKII on the warmer side with good impact and detail level. I think the goal here was to create an IEM that will play nice with most popular genres and give you some bang for the buck and bang you get for sure.

Treble

The dual electrostatic (e-stat) drivers deliver a slightly elevated but nicely detailed treble spectrum without being harsh or annoying. Strings and guitars sound like you expect them to, maybe sometimes just a little bit compressed and a tad artificial. But that’s really complaining at a very high niveau. There is enough sparkle and shine to make you happy and despite using 2 e-stat drivers, the overall treble presentation is rather tamed than overly pronounced. There are other IEMs that deliver more detail but at a much higher price.

An important factor here is the quality of the recording as the BRAVADO MKIIs are not very forgiving. Excellent recordings sound excellent, bad ones sound, well, as bad as they are. I did not notice any sibilance at all so you should be able to use them as your daily drivers without a problem.

Midrange

Voices, male and especially female ones are a bit pronounced and nicely rendered with a very slight artificiality in the high tones. The upper midrange, just like the treble, seems a bit elevated putting certain instruments and vocals in the foreground.
I suspect an overall w-shaped tuning here, but can’t confirm that with measurements.

Bass/Sub-bass

Once more the excellent “Weapon-9+” subwoofer is providing the necessary foundation for an overall engaging and pleasing sound.

I am listening to Jeff Goldblum and the Mildred Snitzer Orchestra and the sub-bass is providing the necessary warmth and depth to make those relaxed sessions a pleasure to listen to. Switching to Ice Cube’s “Gangsta Rap Made Me Do it.”, the BRAVADO MKIIs punch hard and deep so I can feel the baseline rather than just hear it.

The bass is not overblown but rendered with a certain level of control. Of course, it’s not as massive as with Legend X or as well controlled as on the Odin, but very very enjoyable.

Soundstage

The soundstage seems to me above average. Live recordings sound spacious and you will actually be able to enjoy the “live” experience on the BRAVADO MKIIs. The stage appears more wide than deep. All in all pretty nice for the asking price. I think I am starting to see that this universal IEM is quite universal in terms of music genres too.

Channel separation/Instrument separation

Channel separation is good, slightly above average. Instrument separation capabilities very much depend on the recording quality here. I stated before that the BRAVADO MKIIs playback will simply represent the recording be it good or bad. Nothing added, nothing taken away.

Neutrality

The BRAVADO MKIIs are once more not neutral sounding IEMs as is none of the X-Series products from Empire Ears - and that’s ok, that’s the idea: Get some emotions out of your music because listening to music is all about emotion. (At least for me)

Amplification/Matchability/Scalability

The BRAVADO MKIIs are a bit of a special case I think. Their performance very much varies with different sources and the recording quality. Also they scale well with the rest of the equipment. I dare say that, with the right source, they can punch way above their price point. So when you try them, make sure to try them with different sources if possible.

A very good match is the combination with my Burson desktop DAC/Amps which I mainly use for reviews as I consider them neutral and well balanced.

Cayin DAPs will get you more warmth and bass and seem to have a good synergy with the BRAVADO MKIIs. (And with most of the other EE IEMs I tested). Treble is particularly smooth and detailed here as well. Going from N3pro to N8 shows how the BRAVADO MKII can scale. Color me impressed!

I did a little cable-rolling as well and switched from EE’s Alpha-IV cable to Satin Audio’s Medusa II (259,-$) mainly for usability reasons. It seems a little experimenting on this side could be rewarding too.

As of the time of writing this review, the BRAVADO MKIIs still have below 10 hours of usage, so I will give them a bit more time for either my ears to adjust and/or the IEMs to burn-in, however one might prefer to call it.


Comparisons

Shozy Black Hole ($799)

I am comparing those two for one reason only: the same price. In fact, those are so different that it’s hard for me to compare them at all, but here goes…

Tonality and sound signature could not be more different due to the very different designs: The BRAVADO MKIIs a 4-driver tribrid and the Black Hole (BH) a single dynamic driver (DD) with semi-open-back design. Both are excellent in what they deliver for the money and this one is purely about preference and maybe even the usage situation.

While the BRAVADO MKIIs sound like a very good IEM, the Black Hole sound a bit more like over-ear headphones. While the BRAVADO MKIIs isolate you from the outside world, the Black Hole lets sound from the outside through on purpose.

Treble is certainly more engaging on the BRAVADO MKIIs with their 2 e-stats per side whereas the single DD on the Black Hole delivers a more relaxed treble performance. That is not to say it is missing detail! Detail rendering on both IEMs is pretty much on the same level, just the tonality is a very different one.

Voices tend to sound more natural on the Black Hole whereas the BRAVADO MKIIs have more bass- and sub-bass impact. All in all the BRAVADO MKIIs provide a bit of a warmer sound vs. a more neutral one on the Black Hole. As I said, the overall very different sound signature is making them hard to compare.

Personally, I use both in-ears in different situations, depending on my mood and the use case (on the go vs. sitting at home, studio recordings vs. live recordings etc.) So in the end, you will need to test and decide yourself, I can’t possibly make a decision here as both are very good options in their own right - one is not better than the other per se.


Verdict

I wish I had the original Bravado to compare to and see if/how EE have improved upon their best selling IEM. Unfortunately, I could not get my hands on one although I really tried. So I’m left with summing up my experience with the BRAVADO MKIIs.

From a technical standpoint, I think it’s impressive what Empire Ears have crammed in this IEM for the price. Yes, it’s 100$ more this time around, but there’s a lot more high end-tech in the BRAVADO MKIIs than was in their predecessor.

Fortunately, the technology goes to good use here making the BRAVADO MKIIs another price-/performance champion, just like its older sibling. You get a very good IEM with little limitations that has lots of potential to scale as you upgrade your gear along the way.

Other reviews

Empire Ears Valkyrie MKII

Empire Ears ESR MKII

Empire Ears Odin

Intro

Meet the latest entry in Empire Ears (EE) broad range of in-ear monitors (IEMs), the VALKYRIE MKII. At a retail price of $1599, it sits somewhere in the upper midrange of their offerings.

The VALKYRIE MKII belongs to EE’s X Series which is mainly targeted at consumers rather than professionals. Those are covered by EE’s EP, or Empire Professional Series.


Specifications

3 Driver, Tribrid IEM Design:

• Universal in-ear monitor
• 1 Next Generation W9+ Subwoofer - Sub-Bass/Bass
• 1 Proprietary Balanced Armature Driver - Mid
• 1 Premium Electrostatic Driver - High, Ultra High
• 4-Way synX Crossover Network
• EIVEC - Empire Intelligent Electrostatic Control Technology
• A.R.C. Anti Resonance Compound Technology
• Impedance: 3.0 Ohms @ 1kHz
• Frequency Response: 5 Hz - 100kHz
• Sensitivity: 100dB @ 1kHz, 1mW
• Handcrafted Alpha Hybrid-IV (AH4) 26AWG UPOCC Copper Litz, Silver Litz 4-Wire Cable

Disclaimer

My review consists solely of my own thoughts, opinions and impressions of the product. I paid for the tested product, it was not given for free. All pictures were taken by myself unless stated otherwise.


Review gear

- Burson Audio Conductor 3X Reference (main testing source)
- Cayin N8 DAP
- Cayin N6 II DAP with E02 module


Music selection/Testing playlist

Voices, midrange, acoustic guitars etc.

Tenacious D - Tenacious D - Wonderboy
Marily Manson - The Pale Emperor - Day3
Chris Jones - Moonstruck
Sara K. - Hell or High Water - I Can't Stand The Rain, Stars
Ana Tijoux - 1977 - Partir de Cero

Channel separation

Tenacious D - Tenacious D - Kielbasa
NIN - The Downward Spiral - Hurt
Johnny Cash - The Essential - Ring of Fire
Stephen Coleman - Westworld Season 2 Soundtrack - C.R.E.A.M.

Soundstage, treble, electric guitars etc.
Alice in Chains - MTV Unplugged - Rooster
Korn - MTV Unplugged - Freak on a Leash
Anneke van Giersbergen - Symphonized - Feel Alive
Howard Shore - The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey - Blunt the Knives

Dynamics, bass, subbass
The Diary - The Gentle Storm - Endless Sea |Gentle Version|
Wardruna - Runaljod: Ragnarok - Tyr
Hans Zimmer - Man of Steel OST - Look to the Stars
Hans Zimmer - Pearl Harbor OST - Tennessee
Ice Cube - Raw Footage - Gangsta Rap Made Me Do It
Andreas Vollenweider - Vox - Enchanted Rocks


Packaging & Accessories

The packaging for all Empire Ears (EE) products is more or less the same which to me makes sense, because it shows consistency throughout their whole range. You get a very nicely designed white cardboard box with the Empire Ears Logo and the name or logo of your particular product. It’s not too big or small and radiates class and style. It consists of an outer “slider” cover and a sturdier inside box.




Once you open the magnetic flap of the box inside you find a compartment with a quick manual and a “thank you” card from EE congratulating you to your excellent purchase Underneath looms the IEM and cable ready for you to rip out and enjoy the music. A classy drawer underneath reveals an aluminum sheet containing various Final Audio silicon tips to choose from. The great thing here is that Empire Ears not only gives you the standard S, M and L sizes but XS, S, M, L and XL instead, which simply gives you a wider range of tips to match to your ears.

As my ear-canals are slightly different in size, it makes it easier for me to get a good fit. However, I would have wished for a selection of foam tips as I generally prefer foam over silicon. The included tips work well though.

Josh from EE told me that the tips were meticulously chosen for the best sound- and comfort experience through rigorous testing and since I had a lot of discussions with him, I can see that EE are very dedicated to delivering the best possible product to their customers. I could honestly feel the dedication which, at least for me, makes for a good brand experience.


Last but not least you get EE’s phantastic Pandora case, a black aluminum capsule to safely transport your precious in-ears. It’s built like the proverbial tank and is engraved with Empire’s logo and the name of your product.


Build quality & Fit

IEMs

The build quality of the VALKYRIE MKII is simply excellent. They look flawless with no visible seams between faceplate and in-ear. The VALKYRIE MKII’s look stunning with their so-called “Dragonhide” faceplate which I believe to be more or less the same as on their first iteration.



Fit and comfort, at least for my ears, is good and I get a good seal as well with the included silicon eartips. People with small ears (mine are average) should test first as these are rather big IEMs.

Cable

EE are including their copper/silver hybrid cable Alpha Hybrid-IV (AH4) with this one. You get to choose from 3.5mm single ended or 2.5mm balanced. I always go for balanced but that’s my personal preference. It’s a beautiful, classy and well made cable and I particularly like the sleek connectors and beautiful copper y-split.







I think it suits the VALKYRIE MKII very well. Unlike their Alpha-IV copper cable, this one is actually quite flexible hence wearing comfort and usability are good. Cable noise is reasonably low as well.


Sound

How does VALKYRIE MKII stack up in the sound department?

Overall tonality

This one is a very engaging and emotional in-ear monitor (IEM) rather than an analytical one. It delivers massive impact and very nice detail. The VALKYRIE MKII was clearly developed with pure fun in mind hence it is not for lovers of total neutrality.

Treble

Acoustic- and electric guitars as well as other string instruments sound nice and clear with good, silky smooth detail. I read about a certain harshness and sibilance of the first Valkyrie. That is absolutely not the case here. Like I said, the whole upper frequency range is very smooth throughout, making for a fatigue free listening experience.

There seems to be a slight treble emphasis making certain instruments like strings and guitars stand out. I found it a pleasure to listen to rock, acoustic rock and metal in particular but the VALKYRIE MKII seems to play nice with other genres as well.

Midrange

Male and female Voices are slightly pronounced but less so than the instruments mentioned in the treble paragraph. This can lead to the band/orchestra stepping into the foreground a bit. Good thing is, vocals are never subdued and remain nicely separated. I consider the midrange as rather balanced and unspectacular in a good way.

Bass/Sub-bass

Empire Ears implementation of their next-gen “Weapon-9+” subwoofer does it’s duty in the VALKYRIE MKII and boy, it does so with full force. My first thought was: “This is direct competition to EE’s excellent Legend X!”

Depending on your source, the VALKYRIE MKII’s pump a staggering amount of sub-bass into your ear canals. I noticed this in particular with Cayin N8 and N6II. I actually had to turn down the volume once or twice while listening to sub-bass heavy music. Using a more neutral source like my Burson Conductor 3XR review unit, that bass impact is mitigated quite a bit. Don’t get me wrong: This is PURE FUN indeed. Call it “guilty pleasure” if you will, but I personally don’t use that term, because there’s no guilt involved in enjoying your music, right?

Soundstage

The soundstage is really good for an IEM. In fact, you get a nice sense of space around you and you get an idea about what/who is where in a live recording situation. It’s not overdone though, so more intimate recordings will give you just this intimacy necessary to enjoy them.

Channel separation

Channel separation is very good but not overdone. To my taste just the right amount. Nothing more to say.

Neutrality

The VALKYRIE MKII is not a neutral IEM by any stretch. The massive bass and enhanced treble are designed for pure fun. This is not a dissection instrument but something that wants to move you, lift you to your feet and just enjoy your music.

Amplification/Matchability/Scalability

The VALKYRIE MKII will take the source it’s attached to and use it to full potential. Also, this is one of the few IEMs where different sources do have a big impact on its overall sound signature, so you should certainly test it with your existing equipment. While Cayin DAPs like the N6II or N8 will give you the full blast and glory of VALKYRIE’s Weapon 9+ subwoofers, more neutral DAP’s like the Astell & Kern ones will tame that bass quite a bit, resulting in a more relaxed sound signature.
While testing, the Burson desktop DAC/Amps provided a very good synergy with lots of detail, well controlled bass and nice stage.


Comparisons

Empire Ears Legend X (2199,-US$)

When I first listened to the VALKYRIE MKIIs, I thought “Hey, they sound a lot like the Legend X (LX) for less money. Did Empire Ears incidentally build an inhouse competitor preying on LX customers? Well, yes and no. In fact this is a good example on how memory can betray you and the only way to know for sure is to do a quick memory refresh. Fortunately I had my LX at hand to do so.

Switching to the Legend X, there are some similarities within the family, but the difference is apparent. The LX still delivers the most bass impact regardless of using the “old” Weapon 9 subwoofers, because it actually has two of them per side!

The soundstage on LX is larger and seems almost 3-dimensional. I said it before: The LX is the most intense listening experience with any in-ear monitor I ever had. This can be good and bad depending on what you like.

Let me put it this way: The LX is pure adrenaline pumping through your veins like you’re some extreme sports junky jumping out of a plane holding your breath. The VALKYRIE MKII will give you a nice adrenaline boost too like downhill skiing at high speed always knowing you’re in control. Does that make any sense?

So this is not simply pitting a $1599 IEM against one that’s $600 more expensive and the latter wins. It’s purely about preference.

(One last thing worth mentioning is that the LX is much smaller than the VALKYRIE MKII making it potentially the better option for people with small ears.)

Verdict



The VALKYRIE MKII are actually very very good IEMs for the asking price, in fact I consider them excellent value for the money! 1599,-US$ is by no means cheap, but you get wonderful sound quality across all frequencies with an emphasis on sub-bass performance AND very good detail. You’re in the market for a fun IEM without sacrificing audiophile qualities? Grab ‘em and enjoy the “guilty pleasure”, but pleasure it is.

Other reviews

Empire Ears ESR MKII

Empire Ears Bravado MKII

Empire Ears Odin

Intro


(Cable taken from Shozy Form 1.4)

Black Hole (BH) is the latest in-ear monitor from Shozy. This rather unusual earphone was co-engineered with KOOK™ Electro-Acoustic Engineering Lab (USA). It features a single 10mm dynamic driver, has a semi-open-back design and comes in at $799.

Shozy call it their most advanced In-ear design to date (Q4/2020) and have put a lot of effort and research into creating this unique IEM. Apparently they spent 2 years with tuning and re-shaping to achieve a sound signature and stage unknown for a single-driver earphone to date. We’ll put this to the test in the following review.


Specifications

Single dynamic driver earphone:

• Type : semi-open-back design
• Patented Multiple Separation Technology (M.S.T.)
• Driver：10mm dynamic
• Impedance：16 Ohm
• Frequency response：16 Hz-24KHz
• Sensitivity：105 dB
• SPL：125dB @ 1KHz
• THD (Total harmonic distortion)：< 1% @ 1KHz
• Color choice：Gloss Black/ Gold/ Silver/ Rose Gold
• Termination：3.5mm/ Gold-plated
• Cable length：1.2m

Disclaimer

My review consists solely of my own thoughts, opinions and impressions of the product. I paid for the tested product, it was not given for free. All pictures were taken by myself unless stated otherwise.


Review gear



Burson Audio Conductor 3X Reference (main testing source)
Astell & Kern SP1000M DAP
Cayin N8 DAP
Cayin N6 II DAP with E02 module


Music selection/Testing playlist

Voices, midrange, acoustic guitars etc.

Tenacious D - Tenacious D - Wonderboy
Marily Manson - The Pale Emperor - Day3
Chris Jones - Moonstruck
Sara K. - Hell or High Water - I Can't Stand The Rain, Stars
Ana Tijoux - 1977 - Partir de Cero

Channel separation

Tenacious D - Tenacious D - Kielbasa
NIN - The Downward Spiral - Hurt
Johnny Cash - The Essential - Ring of Fire
Stephen Coleman - Westworld Season 2 Soundtrack - C.R.E.A.M.

Soundstage, treble, electric guitars etc.

Tenacious D - Tenacious D live - Rise of the Fenix
Alice in Chains - MTV Unplugged - Rooster
Korn - MTV Unplugged - Freak on a Leash
Anneke van Giersbergen - Symphonized - Feel Alive
Howard Shore - The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey - Blunt the Knives

Dynamics, bass, subbass

The Diary - The Gentle Storm - Endless Sea |Gentle Version|
Wardruna - Runaljod: Ragnarok - Tyr
Hans Zimmer - Man of Steel OST - Look to the Stars
Hans Zimmer - Pearl Harbor OST - Tennessee
Ice Cube - Raw Footage - Gangsta Rap Made Me Do It
Andreas Vollenweider - Vox - Enchanted Rocks


Packaging & Accessories

The packaging is quite plain and simple: You get a small metallic-gray cardboard box where you find the IMEs and cable inside a gray fabric carrying case.


Only other accessories are a bunch of different eartips. That's about it. I like the fact that this package is small and thus maybe a bit more environmentally friendly. But for an asking price of 799 $, there could be a bit more in terms of a higher quality packaging and maybe a nicer case that just matches the BH’s quality and price a bit more. However, if Shozy decided to put all the money into the sound rather than accessories, I’m fine with it. We’ll find out.


Build quality & Fit

IEMs

Build quality of the Black Hole is very good indeed. The finish is pretty much perfect and the 2-pin connectors of the cable "snap" into the slightly recessed sockets of the IEMs with a little click. Really nice!



Since the Black Hole has a semi-open-back design, the looks are rather unusual with big holes on the back of the earphones. That’s of course a matter of personal taste. I personally love the bold and - to my eyes - beautiful futuristic design of the BHs.

The Black Hole are rather big in-ears, so they will not fit smaller ears. In fact, I wanted to give a pair to my wife as a gift since she loved the looks, but unfortunately, they were just too big for her ears. For my medium sized ears they fit just fine.

With the included ear tips, I don’t get a very good seal, but that’s not the point here since we’re basically dealing with open-back earphones leaking music out and environmental noise in. This is of course intentional and part of the design.
Still, when experimenting with different tips, I managed to get a rather good seal with Flare Audio’s Audiophile Earfoams that I use on most of my in-ear monitors (IEMs).

Cable

The build quality of the stock cable is very good indeed with good flexibility and low cable noise. I do not love the looks too much though. The strands are 3-colored: silver, gold and copper which, in my opinion, makes for a rather flashy cable. The connectors, y-split and plug are polished metal (chrome?) and have some kind of little "bumps" on them. The whole cable looks quite unique for sure and certainly is an acquired taste.



There is another thing though that bothers me a bit more concerning the usability of the cable: While there is a small blue dot on one side of the 2-pin connectors to indicate the direction in which the cable should be plugged into the IEM, there is no such indication on the IME itself. Less experienced people might attach the cable the wrong way, resulting in possible damage to the electronics or at least a bad sound quality. However, apart from the unique design, you get a very good cable.

Edit* One last thing about the cable: The BH’s cable comes standard with 3.5mm trs plug termination. On my special request, Shozy kindly provided me with 2.5mm trrs termination, because I always use balanced output. The option to choose from the most standard connections should be standard in my opinion. (Campfire Audio does the same and their balanced cables start a 149$, so this adds to the price should you want a balanced output.) I gave that feedback to Shozy and I hope they will think about that.


Sound

Now do the Black Holes make up in sound for what they lack in accessories?
They do!

Overall tonality

The Shozy Black Hole provides a very full, immersive sound with a sound stage that might match some full-size headphones. The timbre is more on the musical slightly warmer side than being absolutely neutral. I would not call the BH a “warm” IEM though. I did not do measurements but Shozy confirmed a slight W-shaped signature.

Treble & Detail

Acoustic- and electric guitars are represented in vast detail and it is a joy to listen to acoustic/unplugged music on those beauties. Treble is pronounced but at the same time silky smooth and as to this point, I could not make out any sibilance. Overall, details and nuances are rendered incredibly well not only for a single dynamic driver, but for an IEM in general. Try Andreas Vollenweider’s “Enchanted Rocks” from his “Vox” album and you will know what I mean. Literally, rocks are grated against each other and it feels like someone’s doing that in front of you. Wow! Be aware though that this can make for an intense listening experience and after a while it could be almost too much.

Midrange

Voices are slightly pronounced but never overwhelming in a way that the rest of the band/orchestra would fall behind. I consider the rest of the midrange to be rather neutral and pleasant. Nothing is missing, nothing is overdone.

Bass/Sub-bass

Bass is tight and punchy with a nice sub-bass extension. All in all you get a very nice foundation for the rest of the frequency spectrum. It is worth mentioning that the Black Hole’s bass capabilities largely depend on the source used. When switching from A&K SP1000m to Cayin N6II or N8, the bass/sub-bass presence increased noticeably.

The BHs are not bass monsters like Empire Ears Hero or Legend X that feature specialized subwoofers. They only have 1 driver to do it all. With that in mind, they do a good job in the bass department.

Soundstage

One highlight of the Black Hole is certainly the soundstage: Big and 3-dimensional. It feels like the sound “embraces” the listener. This might be a property of that special “semi-open-back” design, but I can’t tell. It sure is impressive what can be done with a single driver in this particular configuration!

Channel separation

This is another area where the Black Hole excels. Channel separation is very very good and on par with much more expensive in-ears. What more is there to say?

Neutrality

This is certainly not a neutral IEM with its W-shaped tuning. But it’s also not very colored. It depends a lot on the source you’re using too. Like in the review of EE Hero i’d rather describe it as “well balanced” with a nice dose of fun.


Amplification/Matchability/Scalability

The BH surprised me right out of the box with a very full, immersive and relaxed sound on my AK SP1000M DAP. The real shock came when paring the BHs with my Cayin N6II/E02 DAP. Everything just went bigger: More bass, bigger soundstage, simply a more emotional performance overall. I figure the Black Hole IEMs need enough power and might very well profit from a more “musical” source rather than a neutral one like my SP1000M.


Comparisons

Shozy & AAW Pola39 (950,-US$)

The Pola39 remains Shozy’s most expensive offering to date and features multiple drivers including an electrostatic driver for the high frequencies. It features a classic but beautiful resin-made body with a beautiful faceplate.

Despite the Pola39’s use of an electrostatic driver, the treble is much less pronounced than on the Black Hole. It’s a lot smoother with the details being there too but less obvious. The Pola may be the more relaxed experience for long listens, on the other hand, the Black Hole is a bit more engaging and fun.

The midrange representation is, to my ears, quite similar with voices maybe a little less pronounced on the Pola39.

Bass seems less tight on the Pola39 with more sub-bass extension in comparison to the Black Hole. This gives the impression of a slightly warmer and fuller sound on the Pola39. The differences are subtle and more in terms of tonality than total amount of bass.

Separation is very good on both IEMs but soundstage wise, Black Hole grabs the crown due to it’s semi-open-back design.

I have to mention the packaging & accessories here, since the Pola39 came with the most luxurious packaging and accessories of all IEMs I have ever owned. The unpacking experience for me is still unmatched: You get a blue leather box with everything in it and the IEMs sit in a handcrafted wooden case inside. Amazing!







Compare this to the Black Hole and you will be disappointed. But in the end, what should count is the sound, right?

I think both IEMs are very good for their price and ultimately, it comes down to preference which one you might prefer.


Verdict

I have spent quite some time now with the Black Hole and come away impressed. The amount of detail and soundstage rendered are phantastic. Apart from the looks of the cable (personal taste!) and the issue of possibly connecting the cable the wrong way, this is a clear winner and should be a no-brainer for many people.



800$ is a lot of money to spend on an IEM, no question. But what you get is flagship-level sound with a very unique design that competes with earphones well above it's price. In combination with a warmer, more musical source like the Cayin N6II, they punch well above their price. Well done, Shozy!

Intro

Meet the latest entry in Empire Ears (EE) broad range of in-ear monitors (IEMs), the Hero. At a retail price of $1349, it sits somewhere in the middle of their offerings.



The HERO belongs to EE’s X Series which is, as far as I understand, mainly targeted at consumers rather than professionals. Those are covered by EE’s
EP, or Empire Professional Series.


Specifications

4 Proprietary Drivers, Hybrid Design:

• Universal in-ear monitor
• 1 Next Generation W9+ Subwoofer - Sub-Bass/Bass
• 3 Proprietary Balanced Armature Drivers - 1 Mid, 1 Mid-High, 1 High
• 4-Way synX Crossover Network
• A.R.C. Resonance Mitigation Technology
• Impedance: 17.6 Ohms @ 1kHz
• Frequency Response: 5 Hz - 40kHz
• Sensitivity: 105dB @ 1kHz, 1mW
• Handcrafted Alpha-IV 26AWG UPOCC Copper Litz Cable

Disclaimer

My review consists solely of my own thoughts, opinions and impressions of the product. All pictures were taken by myself unless stated otherwise.


Review gear

• Burson Audio Conductor 3X Reference (main testing source)
• Astell & Kern SP1000M DAP
• Cayin N8 DAP
• Cayin N6 II DAP with E02 module
• Empire Ears Alpha-IV cable (2.5mm balanced)
• Satin Audio Medusa II cable (2.5mm balanced)

Music selection/Testing playlist

Voices, midrange, acoustic guitars etc.

Marily Manson - The Pale Emperor - Day3
Chris Jones - Moonstruck
Sara K. - Hell or High Water - I Can't Stand The Rain, Stars
Ana Tijoux - 1977 - Partir de Cero

Channel separation

NIN - The Downward Spiral - Hurt
Johnny Cash - The Essential - Ring of Fire
Stephen Coleman - Westworld Season 2 Soundtrack - C.R.E.A.M.

Soundstage, treble, electric guitars etc.

Alice in Chains - MTV Unplugged - Rooster
Korn - MTV Unplugged - Freak on a Leash
Anneke van Giersbergen - Symphonized - Feel Alive
Howard Shore - The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey - Blunt the Knives

Dynamics, bass, subbass

The Diary - The Gentle Storm - Endless Sea |Gentle Version|
Wardruna - Runaljod: Ragnarok - Tyr
Hans Zimmer - Man of Steel OST - Look to the Stars
Hans Zimmer - Pearl Harbor OST - Tennessee
Ice Cube - Raw Footage - Gangsta Rap Made Me Do It
Andreas Vollenweider - Vox - Enchanted Rocks


Packaging & Accessories

The packaging for all Empire Ears (EE) products is more or less the same which to me makes sense, because it shows consistency throughout their whole range.

You get a very nicely designed black or white cardboard box with the Empire Ears Logo and the name or logo of your particular product. It’s not too big or small and radiates class and style. It consists of an outer “slider” cover and a sturdier inside box.

Once you open the magnetic flap of the box inside you find a compartment with a quick manual and a “thank you” card from EE congratulating you to your excellent purchase Underneath looms the IEM and cable ready for you to rip out and enjoy the music. A classy drawer underneath reveals an aluminum sheet containing various Final Audio silicon tips to choose from. The great thing here is that Empire Ears not only gives you the standard S, M and L sizes but XS, S, M, L and XL instead, which simply gives you a wider range of tips to match to your ears. As my ear-canals are slightly different in size, it makes it easier for me to get a good fit. However, I would have wished for a selection of foam tips as I generally prefer foam over silicon. The included tips work well though.

Josh from EE told me that the tips were meticulously chosen for the best sound- and comfort experience through rigorous testing and since I had a lot of discussions with him, I can see that EE are very dedicated to delivering the best possible product to their customers. I could honestly feel the dedication which, at least for me, makes for a good brand experience.

Last but not least you get EE’s phantastic Pandora case, a black aluminum capsule to safely transport your precious in-ears. It’s built like the proverbial tank and is engraved with Empire’s logo and the name of your product.


Build quality & Fit

IEMs

The build quality of the HERO is simply excellent. They look flawless with no visible seams between faceplate and in-ear. In the past I refrained from anything IEM related that was not metal. I felt that plastics are just cheap. So when first buying an IEM made of resin, I was dumbstruck, as it did not look cheap at all, on the contrary. Same goes for the HERO. They just look classy in my opinion.



Fit and comfort, at least for my ears is very good with rather long nozzle enabling a good seal for me. Hence the IEMs do not sit flush in my ears but stand out a couple of millimeters, which is no problem for me.

Cable

EE are using a variation of Effect Audio’s Ares II which they call Alpha-IV or simply A4. You get to choose from 3.5mm single ended or 2.5mm balanced. I always go for balanced but that’s my personal preference. It’s a beautiful, classy and well made cable and I particularly like the sleek connectors and super small y-split. Yes, that cable looks gorgeous in my opinion.



What I don’t like so much is the rigidness of the cable. When I first removed it from the package, it took me some time to straighten it out. It’s still rigid and, for me, flexibility, especially for an IEM cable is an important factor. I clearly prefer softer, more flexible cables. I gave the feedback to EE and I am curious if other customers had similar remarks or I am the only one.

However, the cable noise is still at an acceptable level / no issue. Soundwise I have no complaints whatsoever. After all, EE tested A LOT of cables. I saw the pictures of their workshop with I-don’t-know-how-many cables hanging and lying around, so here again, they went through a lot of trouble to find the best match.


Sound

Let’s come to the bread-and-butter now, shall we?

Overall tonality

I consider the overall tonality of the HERO as musical/emotional rather than analytical with very good impact and detail. I believe the goal was to create an IEM that delivers a fun experience across various genres. It’s definitely not made to dissect music but rather to enjoy it.

Treble

Acoustic- and electric guitars sound clear and detailed throughout. I really enjoy the representation as I listen to a lot of acoustic guitar music and rock music in particular. There’s certainly no lack of sparkle and detail for sure. I would describe the treble representation as slightly forward/emphasized. Since I don’t do measurements, I cannot back that impression up with data though.

This slight treble emphasis occasionally leads to a certain sibilance, most apparent in “s”- sounds, depending on the music and source (DAC/AMP/DAP) that is used. Sometimes it’s barely noticeable and sometimes it is. It will also depend on how sensitive a person is in that regard.

Midrange

Voices, male and female alike, are just so slightly pronounced and overall quite enjoyable. The midrange to me seems rather balanced and unspectacular in a positive sense. I don’t miss anything and I don’t hear anything special there, apart from the aforementioned slightly forward voice representation. It’s certainly enjoyable to listen to acoustic/unplugged recordings with the HERO.

Bass/Sub-bass

Thanks to the excellent “Weapon-9+” subwoofer that is also found in the Odin, the HERO naturally excels in this department.

There’s not too many IEMs out there with this kind of impact and sub-bass rumble for sure, making orchestral soundtracks, live sessions, Hip-hop and basically any kind of recording with a good dynamic range a treat. If you’re the kind of person that enjoys just having some fun time without worrying about a neutral representation, the HERO will tick all boxes in that regard. It’s almost on a similar level with EEs Legend X here, being (in)famous for punching deep and hard.

Soundstage

I would describe the soundstage on the Hero as rather average than large. Recordings like Alice in Chains “MTV Unplugged” from 1996 feel like you are part of the audience standing right in front of the stage in a small club rather than being in a large theatre. This gives me a more intimate feeling which I quite enjoy. Listening to Anneke van Giersbergen’s “Symphonized” album, the stage is larger but not huge.
I guess it depends on a person's preferences really.

Channel separation

Channel separation is good, slightly above average I would say. I heard in-ears with a much more pronounced separation making for an almost uncanny listening experience at times (EEs own Legend X for example). Again: this is very much up to personal preference. I personally like the HEROs capabilities in that regard.

Neutrality

The HERO certainly is not an in-ear that I would consider neutral. It emphasises bass and treble but leaves the midrange pretty much untouched making for a colorful, fun experience.


Amplification/Matchability/Scalability

The Hero certainly scales well with the source and is not particularly hard to drive. I would recommend using a rather “warm” source over a more neutral one mitigating the effect of the occasional sibilance.

Going from the Burson to a Cayin N8, in balanced mode there is noticeably more bass and sub-bass impact. Moving to tube-output, the bass is tamed a bit and becomes more civil. As one would assume, sibilance becomes less of an issue here as the tubes do what they’re supposed to do. In single ended (solid state) mode, some of the massive energy from balanced is lost, retaining the same overall tonality.

When I first listened to the HERO on my Astell & Kern SP1000M, I did not particularly like the synergy as the Sp1000M, while being an excellent device, has a tonality that leans closer to neutral than, say, the Cayin DAPs. I guess the Burson desktop DAC/Amp sits somewhere in between. That being said, I did listen with the SP1000M with the HERO fresh out-of-the-box, so no burn-in time.

I did a little cable-rolling as well and switched from EE’s Alpha-IV cable to Satin Audio’s Medusa II (259,-$), just out of curiosity. I don’t want to go into details here, but let’s just say that you can tune the sound of the HERO further to your liking with a bit of experimenting on that side.

As of the time of writing this review, the HERO still has below 10 hours of usage, so I will give it a bit more time for either my ears to adjust and/or the IEMs to burn-in, however one might prefer to call it.


Comparisons

Shozy & AAW Pola39 (950,-US$)

The Pola39 at 950$ is somewhat in the price range of the HERO. It features a proprietary 10 mm dynamic driver plus DUAL electrostatic drivers. It features a crazy 10Hz-100kHz frequency range due to the electrostatic drivers. It needs significantly more power than the HERO hence is a bit harder to drive.

The treble is not what you would expect here given the specs but rather soft and silky vs. the much more forward treble on the HERO. Detail retrieval is good on the Pola39 but better still with the HERO. Voices are more pronounced on the HERO too. Both IEMs have a nice bass- and sub-bass impact but HERO just punches a bit harder and goes a bit deeper. I would describe the sound of the Pola39 as more relaxed and laid back vs. the more engaging presentation on the HERO.

The Pola39 is a fair bit smaller than the HERO and also has a more shallow insertion depth making it more suitable for small ears. For my medium sized ears, the Pola39 just disappears after a while making it more comfortable to wear.

Both IEMs certainly have their merits and as often, it comes down to preference or maybe the mood you’re in while listening.


Empire Ears Legend X (2199,-US$)

Switching to the Legend X (LX), there are quite some similarities within the family. The bass and sub-bass reproduction are not that far apart with a slight edge maybe for the LX in terms of impact and tonality. Overall, there’s more bass “foundation” noticeable on the LX, defining the whole sound signature while the bass on HERO is a bit more contained and separated from the rest of the spectrum.

The perceived stage on LX is larger, actually pretty much everything on LX seems larger due to that voluptuous bass elevating everything. Treble on the LX is smoother with pretty much the same detail retrieval than on HERO. There is no sibilance noticeable on LX.

It’s really hard to describe the differences as the basic sound signature is quite similar but also different. The overall experience, at least for me, is superior on the LX. It feels more refined, coherent and effortless which is no surprise given the +850$ surcharge on the LX.


Empire Ears Odin (3399,-US$)

Going to the Odin, this one is just a very different beast from everything else I know.
The adjectives coming to mind are satisfying, effortless, natural. The last bit of artificial tonality is gone, this is pure bliss, really. Yet the inheritance is undeniable.

You get a similar tonality and overall sound signature with HERO. I think it could very well be Thor, the son of Odin. While Thor (HERO) is brimming with energy and enthusiasm and once in a while does something stupid, Odin is just that more well controlled, wise and well matured - it’s perfection. I can almost taste the guitar strings in Alice in Chains “Rooster” on their MTV Unplugged album and it instantly makes me smile.

Again: at 2050$ more, that should be no surprise. Both IEMs are great in their own right and market segments.


Verdict

The HERO is a fun IEM rather than a surgical instrument. Still, there is plenty of detail to be discovered. It inherits some of the DNA from Odin as well as the fun factor of the Legend X. Is it as good as those two? No, but at 1000 or 2000 $ less respectively, I guess that cannot be expected.

The HERO scales well, so “more power” certainly does not hurt and with the right source (and cable), you can pretty much tailor the sound to your liking quite a bit.

Intro

Meet the Odin, Empire Ears (EE) latest top-of-the-line (totl) in-ear monitor.
At a retail price of $3390, it is currently their most expensive offering. The Odin features a crazy 11 drivers per unit including not one but two next-gen Weapon 9+ subwoofers.



The Odin marks the top end of EE’s X-Series which is mainly targeted at consumers rather than professionals. Those are covered by EE’s EP-series, or Empire Professional Series.


Specifications

11 Proprietary Drivers, Tribrid Design:

• Universal in-ear monitor
• 2 Next Generation W9+ Subwoofers - Sub-Bass, Bass
• 5 Proprietary Balanced Armature Drivers - 2 Low-Mid, 2 Mid, 1 Mid-High
• 4 Premium Electrostatic Drivers - 2 High, 2 Super-High
• 7-Way synX Crossover Network
• EIVEC - Empire Intelligent Variable Electrostatic Control Technology
• A.R.C. Resonance Mitigation Technology
• Impedance: 3 Ohms @ 1kHz
• Frequency Response: 5 Hz - 100kHz
• Sensitivity: 108dB @ 1kHz, 1mW
• Bespoke Stormbreaker UPOCC Copper Litz Cable

Disclaimer

My review consists solely of my own thoughts, opinions and impressions of the product. All pictures were taken by myself unless stated otherwise.


Review gear





Burson Audio Conductor 3X Reference (main testing source)
Burson Composer 3XP / Burson Soloist 3XP combo
Astell & Kern SP1000M DAP
Cayin N8 DAP
Cayin N6 II DAP with E02 module


Music selection/Testing playlist

Voices, midrange, acoustic guitars etc.

Marily Manson - The Pale Emperor - Day3
Chris Jones - Moonstruck
Sara K. - Hell or High Water - I Can't Stand The Rain, Stars
Ana Tijoux - 1977 - Partir de Cero

Channel separation

NIN - The Downward Spiral - Hurt
Johnny Cash - The Essential - Ring of Fire
Stephen Coleman - Westworld Season 2 Soundtrack - C.R.E.A.M.

Soundstage, treble, electric guitars etc.

Alice in Chains - MTV Unplugged - Rooster
Korn - MTV Unplugged - Freak on a Leash
Anneke van Giersbergen - Symphonized - Feel Alive
Howard Shore - The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey - Blunt the Knives

Dynamics, bass, subbass

The Diary - The Gentle Storm - Endless Sea |Gentle Version|
Wardruna - Runaljod: Ragnarok - Tyr
Hans Zimmer - Man of Steel OST - Look to the Stars
Hans Zimmer - Pearl Harbor OST - Tennessee
Ice Cube - Raw Footage - Gangsta Rap Made Me Do It
Andreas Vollenweider - Vox - Enchanted Rocks


Packaging & Accessories

The packaging for all Empire Ears (EE) products is more or less the same which to me makes sense, because it shows consistency throughout their whole range.

You get a very nicely designed white cardboard box with a golden Empire Ears Logo and the name Odin written in gold letters on it. It’s not too big or small and radiates class and style. It consists of an outer “slider” cover and a sturdier inside box.





Once you open the magnetic flap of the box inside you find a compartment with a quick manual and a “thank you” card from EE congratulating you to your excellent purchase Underneath looms the IEM and cable ready for you to rip out and enjoy the music. A classy drawer underneath reveals an aluminum sheet containing various Final Audio silicon tips to choose from. The great thing here is that Empire Ears not only gives you the standard S, M and L sizes but XS, S, M, L and XL instead, which simply gives you a wider range of tips to match to your ears. As my ear-canals are slightly different in size, it makes it easier for me to get a good fit. However, I would have wished for a selection of foam tips as I generally prefer foam over silicon. The included tips work well though.

Josh from EE told me that the tips were meticulously chosen for the best sound- and comfort experience through rigorous testing and since I had a lot of discussions with him, I can see that EE are very dedicated to delivering the best possible product to their customers. I could honestly feel the dedication which, at least for me, makes for a good brand experience.

Last but not least you get EE’s classy Pandora case, a black aluminum capsule to safely transport your precious in-ears. It’s built like the proverbial tank and is engraved with Empire’s logo and the name of your product.


Build quality & Fit

IEMs

The build quality of the Odin is, as one can expect, simply excellent. They look flawless with no visible seams between faceplate and in-ear.





The Odin have a very particular look about them: To me, they simply look like jewelry. Even my wife instantly loved the design and declared them the most beautiful earphones she had ever seen. I can only concur: They are gorgeous. They sparkle in the light like gemstones. That look might not please everyone but photos do not really do them justice. You have to see them live to appreciate their aesthetics.

Fit and comfort, at least for my ears, is very good with a rather long nozzle enabling a good seal for me. Hence the IEMs do not sit flush in my ears but stand out a couple of millimeters, which is no problem for me.

Cable

EE have apparently been collaborating with famous cablemakers PW Audio to forge the “Stormbreaker” cable accompanying the Odin. The only termination available is 2.5mm balanced, but you can purchase adapters for 3.5mm or 4.4mm from Empire Ears should you need them.







The build quality is excellent with a little exception. The all-black, fabric sleeved cable looks and feels very good, accented by their special CNC silver Valknut y-split, going very nicely with Odin’s Bifrost faceplates. This is something truly special in terms of visuals and I really think of the whole combination as “wearing jewelry” rather than just an earphone (I usually never wear jewelry).



Flexibility/usability with the Stormbreaker is quite good, remarkably better than with their Alpha-IV cable and cable noise is on a rather low level. However, there are aftermarket cables that do better still. The only thing that is a bit disturbing visually is the transparent shrink tube used for the over ear-hooks. It looks cheap and does not go well with the rest of this awesome cable. I can’t, by the love of me, understand, why they didn’t just use a black shrink tube which would have been almost invisible! Anyways, it’s really not an issue, but a chance to improve those small details in their upcoming products.

All in all, I love this cable and, although I have plenty of replacement options at hand, I would not dare replace it with anything else.


Sound

After dwelling in Odin's stunning visuals, let’s see if those visuals are matched by an equally stunning sound reproduction!

Overall tonality

I consider the overall tonality of the Odin as balanced, effortless, natural and, at least to me, ultimately satisfying. The Odin were the first in-ear monitors to actually match (or even outclass) my high end home stereo system. 1 year ago I would have laughed at such a statement.

Treble

Live recordings of acoustic- and electric guitars sound so live, plain and simple -
I can almost “taste” the strings. The treble in general seems not particularly forward to emphasise things artificially, but it is just so detailed and clean, that single instruments and details in the recordings stand out like they would in a live environment.

In spite of the tremendous detail retrieval, there is no sibilance to be heard at all and my ears are quite sensitive.

Midrange

Like with the treble, same goes for the midrange: Voices, male and female alike are rendered in a very believable way. They stand out but don’t cover the rest of the music. Whereas the Legend X or Hero seem to have a slight emphasis on voices, there seems to be no frequency spike here. I attribute this to the sheer technical qualities and superiority of the Odin.

Bass/Sub-bass

The power of not one but two Weapon 9+ subwoofers means you get enough foundation to support the other frequencies and some substantial punch and rumble to boot. This bass representation is different though from the likes of the Legend X, the (in)famous bass queen in EE’s lineup.

You may be forgiven to think there is less bass here. In truth though, the bass is very well textured and controlled. It just takes some time listening to fully realize and appreciate it. It’s there when needed, it supports and provides a lot of fun without suffocating or bleeding into everything else. It’s probably the best bass quality/quantity balance I have heard in any ear-/headphone yet.

Soundstage

The soundstage on the Odin is not huge but rather quite realistic, I would say.
This is a closed-back IEM and not an open-back headphone. No tricks were used bumping frequencies to “fake” the impression of a large stage, which is completely fine with me. I admire the naturalness the Odin provides here and in general.

Channel separation

Channel separation is very good. It’s not as uncanny as on the Legend X, once again fostering a feeling of naturalness and effortlessness. What more is there to say, what more praise to give?

Neutrality

I am having a hard time evaluating and describing neutrality on the Odin. This is not due to the fact that it’s not neutral but probably because “neutral” to me seems like the wrong term to describe it. I would describe it as the most balanced IEM/headphone that I have ever heard.


Amplification/Matchability/Scalability

The Odin may not need a particularly powerful source in terms of amplification, but definitely one that provides good synergy.

When I listened to the Odin for the first time (after listening to Legend X), I was a bit disappointed. I missed the intensity and boldness the LX had thrown at me, though it had been quite overwhelming at first. So I continued using the LX and the Odin went back into its box. I never suspected the source to be the culprit. After some chatting with Empire Ears and searching various forums, I decided to give it another shot with an alternative source. Fortunately, some DAPs from Cayin were already on my way for testing.

The resulting sound blew my mind. Suddenly the Odin blossomed out and revealed it’s true potential. The synergy with Cayin devices from N3pro to N6II to N8 is just wonderful. Of course, given the Odin is sitting at the top end, the better the DAC/Amp connected the better the result. While the combination with N8 probably represents the maximum possible right now (at a price!), the combination with the N6II was almost as great at a much lower price tag.

Another great match are the Burson desktop DACs/Amps. In fact, this very review was done with the Burson Conductor 3X Reference as I consider it a quite neutral but musical source.

In a nutshell, the Odin profits from a “warmer” more musical source with enough amp power and will scale a good deal with the right source.


Comparisons

Since I lack alternative in-ears that match Odin’s price tag and sound reproduction, comparisons with my other, cheaper gear is rather pointless, I guess. The only thing to come somewhat close(r) might be the Legend X.


Empire Ears Legend X (2199,-US$)

The Legend X is a wonderful, engaging and fun in-ear monitor. It’s bass is legendary and the detail retrieval excellent. The LX has an almost uncanny separation and rather big soundstage for an IEM. I like it a lot!

So where’s the differences that might make you spend a 1200$ surplus on the Odin you ask? It’s all written in one single word really: CONTROL.

The Odin does everything the LX does, but everything, every detail is in balance with one another. There is no bass bleed, not the slightest sibilance, nothing is exaggerated. Everything is pretty much perfect. From what I heard, EE has put a lot of effort in tuning the Odin to perfection rather than making it a show-off. It paid off.


Verdict

The Odin to me is the pinnacle of what can be achieved through hightech and tuning in an IEM.

At the time of this review, I cannot imagine any other in-ear that might sound even better. Of course, there are similarly or even higher priced products out there and I have not had the chance to test them yet. But even if I never will, I am content with the Odin. This is equilibrium for me, period.

Empire Ears Valkyrie MKII

Empire Ears ESR MKII

Empire Ears Bravado MKII

Introduction

After a previous review of the Miter case for FiiO X7 MKII (https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/miter-standing-case-for-fiio-x7-mkii.22841/), I am back with yet another Miter case review.

This time I was looking for a case for my new Astell & Kern KANN player. Again, there are not many options on the market: I found one from Miter and one from Dignis.
I wanted to try both, so I ordered the Dignis directly and got a free sample from Miter for review purposes. Thanks to Joey from Miter to provide me with a blue case free of charge in exchange to my honest opinion.


Disclaimer

I am in no way associated with MITER and confirm that the following review reflects my honest thoughts about the reviewed product.


Appearance/Quality

As mentioned, I received the blue version of the case. It came in a simple yet stylish black box with the MITER logo on top. Again, they did not use any plastic wrap to seal the box, just a plain white fabric pouch for the case inside. Some manufacturers tend to wrap every single piece in plastic which is really not necessary in my opinion.



The case itself looks classy and feels soft to the touch. The build quality is very good. Even if the material used is PU leather rather than real leather, the case sure looks the part.

Also there is no chemical stench/smell which I appreciate. The color options are, as far as I understand, black and blue. I do wish the blue color were a litte brighter and more saturated to go better with the player. My pictures do not exactly represent the real color which is darker. - Please Miter, offer more color options to choose from!

On one hand, I do wish they would offer a real leather option as Dignis does with their case, which is made from high quality leather. It feels a tad more high-end in terms of quality and probably offers a bit more protection. On the other hand, I am happy that no animals had to die for making the case, so I'm fine with it being PU leather.



4/5 points


Fit

The case fits perfectly. Even more so than the one for the FIIO X7 MKII. No complaints at all. The cutouts are accurate and the case offers a certain level of protection, at least against bumps and scratches.







5/5 points


Protection

As mentioned above, protection against bumps and scratches is definitely provided here, though I would'nt dare making a drop test.

4/5 points


Functionality

The case retains easy access to all your players functions while adding an angled stand to it. I believe the idea is that when you are streaming from your player you can place it on the table and operate it without holding it in your hand. Plus it makes for a nice display of your precious DAP.







The stand itself is a magnetically attached flap on the back of the case that can easily be unfolded. Another smaller magnetic flap inside holds everything
in place. The whole mechanism is very neat and works well.

5/5 points


Size/Weight

The Miter case is lightweight and does not add to much heft to the already hefty KANN player. Personally, I could do without the magnetic stand, but it's really not an issue.

5/5 points


Conclusion

The Miter case for the A&K KANN is even better than the FIIO X7 MKII case I reviewed earlier. Again, I hope that MITER will add some more color options in the future and maybe offer an option without the stand.

The MITER cases are available for a broad range of DAPs and other devices on http://miter.co.kr or Amazon.


Overall

Appearance/Quality 4/5
Fit 5/5
Protection 4/5
Functionality 5/5
Size/Weight 5/5

TOTAL 4.6/5 points

Intro

A bold claim.
I was more than a bit skeptical when I read the following statement of the CEO of Flare Audio, Davies Roberts:

„We believe that Flare Pro 2HD generates the highest quality sound ever heard in an earphone at any price point. In fact we are so confident of this, we are offering our first ever Sound Quality Guarantee“.

Sure. Whatever. I had just bought a pair of Campfire Audio Dorados 3 months ago and was very happy and content with them sound-wise. But curiosity was nagging and since they offered a 30-day money back guarantee if not satisfied, I ordered a pair of Flares Pro 2HD.

I was almost sure to send them back. After all I had just spent 999,- Swiss Francs on the Dorados. The Flares couldn’t possibly stand a chance, especially at half the price and an additional DAC/Bluetooth module included. Boy was I wrong!

Disclaimer

I am in no way associated with Flare Audio. I regularly bought the Flares Pro 2HD from their website. My review is solely comprised of my own thoughts, opinions and impressions of the product. All pictures were taken by myself.


Review gear

Acoustic Research AR-M2 DAP
AKG 701 over-ear headphones
Beyerdynamic T51P on-ear headphones
Campfire Audio Dorado in-ear monitors




Music selection

Rock/Metal

Korn – MTV unplugged
Alice in Chains - MTV unplugged

Rap/Hiphop

Ana Tijoux – 1977
Wu Tang Clan – The Saga Continues
Method Man – The Meth Lab
Beastie Boys – Hello Nasty Remastered

Singer/Songwriter/etc.

Andreas Vollenweider – Vox
Mercedes Sosa – Misa Criolla Live

Orchestra/Classical Soundtracks

Howard Shore – Lord of the rings OST
The Witcher 3 OST
The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim OST
Ramijn Djawadi - Game of Thrones OST
Hans Zimmer – Interstellar OST
Johann Johansson – Arrival OST
Harry Gregson-Williams – Metal Gear Solid 4 OST
John Williams – Indiana Jones Collection OST
John Williams – Star Wars Collection OST
Erich Kunzel/Hans Zimmer - Epics

Jazz/Blues

Chris Jones – Roadhouses & Automobiles
Tom Jones – Praise & Blame
Sara K – Hell or High Water
Johnny Cash - American IV


Packaging

Ridiculously spectacular.
This is probably the most pompous box for an IEM. At least I’ve never seen anything that’s even close. You can see it on my pictures and, of course, on Flare Audio’s website. Its exterior resembles the linings inside a recording studio. It’s huge. It’s unique. I like it.







What I don’t like is the fact that it also produces a lot of waste and is therefore not exactly environmental friendly. It’s quite the opposite to say Campfire Audio where you will get a tiny, unassuming (and thus environmental-friendly) cardboard box no matter what the IEMs inside cost.

But still - Cudos for the idea.


Accessories

All you need.

- the IEMs
- the Bluetooth/wireless DAC module
- 3 types of different ear foams
- the user manual
- USB charging cable
- the carry case
- the warranty card
- one spectacular box




Build quality

IEMs

Excellent.
The Rhodium-coated brass housing is flawlessly executed. I also like how the cable is attached to the earpiece - by means of some kind of rubber plate that prevents cable noise and also doubles as strain relief. But yes, the construction does not allow the use of aftermarket cables. And that takes us to the cable itself…



Cable

Mixed bag.
There has already been some discussion about the cable used in the Pro2 HDs since it is the same cable used in its predecessor. People state that it is flimsy, prone to breaking and not worthy of being used on those superb IEMs. People think there should have been a more premium braided cable.



I disagree with most objections:

1. The cable/IEM combination produces the lowest cable noise I ever experienced in any IEM even with expensive aftermarket cables. This is due to the rubbery coating of the cable as well as its termination on the IEMs themselves.

2. Braided cables do often get stuck in zippers. For me this is a big issue. I have, among others, the Campfire Audio Lyra IIs and CA Dorado whose litz cables (150$) permanently get stuck while I’m on the move when wearing a jacket or hoodie. This never happens with Flare Audio’s cable.

3. I like the black/white/grayish look. It is distinctive and does look modern in my opinion.

4. The cable does not feel flimsy at all and does not get tangled easily.

5. The MMCX connectors / 3.5mm plug are high quality.

6. The y-split has a plastic casing and could definitely be more premium. Still feels high quality though.

7. Yes, the cable tends to coil up and is less flexible than i.e. a braided one.

8. It is fastened to the IEMs and cannot be replaced by an aftermarket cable unless you go DIY.

All in all the cable solution has its ups and downs but quality wise you need not worry.


Sound

Highs

Crystal clear.
It does indeed reveal every detail of recordings without being sibilant. Best I ever heard in an IEM.

Mids

Well defined.
Voices are neither recessed or overly focussed but right where they belong. Instruments have volume and body.

Bass/Sub-bass

Oh dear.
It’s simply the most substantial bass in any IEM I have ever heard. For me on par with very good over-ear-headphones. I’m not a basshead though. I believe that bass/sub-bass should give music it’s foundation. It should support and elevate everything that is there. And it does! The music is given room to breathe, to spread, too soar so to speak. The sub-bass can not only be heard, but felt. It will make your arm’s hair stand up.

Sound stage

Natural.
Superb instrument separation. Good impression of the room/stage. There may be IEMs that have a more 3-dimensional feel to them, but this just feels right - at least for me.

Neutrality

Emotional.
If you like flat response and neutral sound - this is probably not for you. The sound produced by these IEMs brings out the emotions in the music you love rather than meticulously reproducing it. To me that’s not a bad thing - on the contrary - it pulls me into the music.

Bluetooth module

Not tested.
As I tend to not/seldom use Bluetooth, I have not yet tested the Bluetooth module. Fellow reviewers praise it for the best Bluetooth sound available. When I find the time, I will update this review accordingly.


Comparison

No match.
As stated in my introduction - I didn’t believe Flare Audio’s claim that „Flare Pro 2HD generates the highest quality sound ever heard in an earphone at any price point.“

Well, I cannot claim to have listened to all IEMs at a higher price point. But as a fan of Campfire Audio I have bought Lyra II (699 $) and Dorado (999 $). In my favorite earphone shop I have also compared Vega (now 1099 $), Andromeda (1099 $) and the new Atlas (1299 $). In the end I decided for Dorado as I liked their musicality more than even the higher priced models.





To put it plain and simple: The Dorados don’t stand a chance sound wise. Flares Pro 2HD win in every regard. The highs are more clear and detailed, the bass, which is no slouch on the Dorados, is just more profound and substantial. As for the mids, especially voices: I feel they are more forward and pronounced with the Dorados but seem more balanced with the Flares. It basically comes down to personal taste.

Others may disagree - for me the Flares have a distinct edge over the Dorados and therefore over everything I heard from Campfire Audio up until now. I plan on comparing them to CA Solaris when I eventually get the chance.

Build quality wise the Flares look impeccable - but time will tell. As for the CA Dorados, they are well built but not perfect. Especially their coating is very delicate and the provided litz cable is prone to discolorations.



Amplification/Matchability

More Power!
The Flares Pro 2HD match exceptionally well with my Acoustic Research AR-M2 whose output is designed for power hungry headphones. With the CA Dorados I always have to use an impedance adapter (iFi iE-Match) or else I get constant noise/hiss plus it’s way to loud. The Flares however seem to profit from ample amplification. I have not (yet) tested with smartphones or other DAPs.



If you are using the DAC/Bluetooth module you need not worry - it will certainly provide the power necessary since it was designed for the Flares.


Verdict

A claim fulfilled.
You already guessed it when you read through my review: I love these IEMs. To me they’re what I was always looking for in an IEM. Build quality flawless, accessories and usability/versatility excellent, sound reproduction top-of-the-line. I could hardly ask for more.

Well, maybe one minor thing: If you order from outside the EU, Flare Audio will not refund you the VAT that is already included in the price of the IEMs. Usually - like many other companies do - you will get a refund for the EU VAT (20%) as soon as you send them the tax-receipt you get from customs in your country. So as it stands - non EU customers will pay VAT twice. As I live in Switzerland this means +7.9% VAT + customs duties which, all in all, amounts to roughly 60+ Swiss francs ( 55+ Euros) extra. So please Flare Audio: Fix this issue to keep it fair for non-EU customers. Beside that their customer service is great as well - responsive and helpful.

I think Flare Audio is a company to watch closely in the years to come. They deserve to be recognized.
I have never before given 5 stars in a review. Here I wholeheartedly do!

MITER Standing case for FiiO X7 MKII

http://miter.co.kr
Price: around 30 US$ on Amazon



Introduction

After doing a review for the new FiiO X7 MKII here on Head-Fi, I was asked by Joey Lee of South Korea based company MITER if I could do a review of
a protection case for named FiiO DAP that they manufacture. Since I was looking for alternatives to the included FiiO case anyway, I happily agreed.
Joey was so nice to send me a grey colored case free of charge for review purposes.


Disclaimer

I am in no way associated with MITER and confirm that the following review reflects my honest thoughts about the reviewed product.


Appearance/Quality

As mentioned I received the gray version of the Standing case for FiiO X7 MKII (there is also a blue version). It came in a simple yet stylish black box with the MITER logo on top.







Fortunately the did not use any plastic wrap
to seal the box, just a plain white fabric pouch for the case inside. Some manufacturers tend to wrap every single piece in plastic which is really not necessary in my opinion.

The case itself looks classy and feels soft to the touch. The build quality is very good. Even if the material used is PU leather rather than real leather, the case sure looks the part. Also there is no chemical stench/smell which I appreciate.

I only wish MITER would add some more color options like red or brown etc.

5/5 points


Fit

The case fits very snug, in fact it took me a little while to get it completely onto the X7 II, but i think that is fine. Getting it off though is a little bit of a hassle thanks to the snug fit.











The holes for the jacks are very accurate, though I am not sure that every jack will fit here. On the picture you can see that my Eidolic mini trrs connector fits just right, but a slightly bigger one might not work here. So I guess you have to test to find out.



I had no issues whatsoever operating the X7's buttons. MITER took a different approach than FiiO with the included case: They left the upper part unprotected rather than the bottom like on the FiiO case. For me personally, it makes sense, since i always had some trouble pushing the power button with the FiiO case.



Protection wise, it's a little bit of a mixed bag.

4/5 points


Protection

If your player would drop and you were still wearing your headphones, it could happen that due to the headphone cable being attached to the lower end, the player could fall onto the unprotected top. Otherwise using the FiiO case, it could as well drop onto the unprotected bottom when you handle it without wearing your headphones. So I guess, the odds for the one thing or the other happening are even.



One thing has to be mentioned though: The MITER case that I received is roughly one millimeter too short on the upper end so that the upper edge of the X7 II is peeking out of the case. I believe that this is a small but important detail that MITER should be able to solve easily. Also they could add a small 90 degree "overhang" on top of just a millimeter or so that would result in an even better protection for the player.

4/5 points


Functionality

As already mentioned, the case retains easy access to all your players functions while adding an angled stand to it. I believe the idea is that when you are streaming from your player you can place it on the table and operate it without holding it in your hand. Plus it makes for a nice display of your precious DAP.





The stand itself is a magnetically attached flap on the back of the case that can easily be unfolded. Another smaller magnetic flap inside holds everything
in place. The whole mechanism is very neat and works very well.

5/5 points


Size/Weight

The MITER case has about the same dimensions like the FiiO case, but is 1mm shorter (the 1mm missing at the top) but around 5mm thicker due to the stand mechanism. It weighs in at 42g while the FiiO case is 30g in comparison.









I think the added weight is not an issue, maybe the additional 5mm may bother you if you should carry the DAP in your pants pockets.

thickness:
25mm MITER case
20mm FiiO case

weight:
42g MITER case
30g FiiO case

4/5 points


Conclusion

As there are not many case options availlable for the FiiO X7 MKII right now, the MITER case is a nice alternative to the standard FiiO case that is included with the player. Also the MITER case adds a stand to the DAP as well as a little bit of bulk which I personally don't mind.

I hope that MITER will add some more color options in the future and fix the small issue with the case being about 1mm too short at the top.

Also I wouldn't mind a real leather version too as well as one without the stand. In the meanwhile I will continue to enjoy using the MITER case
and see how it fares over a while of heavy usage.

The MITER cases are available for a broad range of DAPs and other devices on http://miter.co.kr or Amazon.

Overall

Appearance/Quality 5/5
Fit 4/5
Protection 4/5
Functionality 5/5
Size/Weight 4/5

TOTAL 4/5 points

“Left-hand goosebumps”

Retail price in Switzerland

699, - Swiss Francs which is 100 Francs more than the old model.


Accessories in the box

X7 MK II Player
transparent soft plastic (silicone?) case
faux black leather case with red stitching
an (oddly large) screwdriver for switching amp modules
1 piece of metal cladding for older amp modules
micro USB charging cable
Coax-adapter


Review gear

FIIO X7 Mark II and FIIO X7 (old model) for comparison purposes



AKG 701 over-ear headphones (62 ohm)



Beyerdynamic T51P on-ear headphones (32 ohm)



Campfire Audio Lyra II in-ear monitors (17 ohm)


Music selection

Rock/Metal

Korn – MTV unplugged
Alice in Chains - MTV unplugged
The Doors – Best Of

Singer/Songwriter/etc.

Andreas Vollenweider – Vox
Mercedes Sosa – Misa Criolla Live

Orchestra/Classical Soundtracks

Howard Shore – Lord of the rings OST
The Witcher 3 OST
The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim OST
Ramijn Djawadi - Game of Thrones OST
Hans Zimmer – Interstellar OST
Johann Johansson – Arrival OST
Harry Gregson-Williams – Metal Gear Solid 4 OST
John Williams – Indiana Jones Collection OST
John Williams – Star Wars Collection OST

Jazz/Blues

Chris Jones – Roadhouses & Automobiles
Tom Jones – Praise & Blame
Sara K – Hell or High Water

Rap/Hiphop

Ana Tijoux – 1977
Wu Tang Clan – The Saga Continues
Beastie Boys – Hello Nasty Remastered


Intro

I have to admit it.

I was very skeptical as to what degree the new X7 MK II would sound better than the old one. Sure, I imagined it to be a logical but incremental update you would expect for a predecessor of a flagship device.

That’s why I refrained for quite a while from buying one. Also, I was waiting for a review device promised to me by FIIO. In the end my curiosity got the best of me and I went ahead and bought a MK II when one was suddenly available in a small store in Zurich.

As I said, I really didn’t expect too much of an improvement, but boy was I wrong!

Back home I put the MicroSD card from the old X7 into the new MKII and started listening. After a few minutes I realized that my arms were covered in goosebumps. For me that’s a safe sign that something exceptional is just happening.

Shortly put: The X7 MK II is not a small but a substantial upgrade over the X7 sound quality wise! I would say it punches a whole level above the old model.

In this review I am focusing on sound quality and usability only since I never use any of the many other features of this Player.


Sound Quality

Highs

Crystal clear but not harsh with a lot of resolution

Mids

Voices nicely centered and just slightly elevated

Bass

Substantial but controlled with well-defined sub-bass

Instrument separation

Excellent, the best I heard so far in a DAP

Soundstage

Realistic but not overblown depending on headphones

General Tonality

Neutral but not all analytical.



High-res Files

I would like to take this opportunity to specifically address this matter and I am happy for any feedback from anyone who reads this.

High-res Files have become more and more common and there is obviously a lot of money involved. But does anything above 16bit/44kHz actually sound audibly better?

I have been asking myself that question for quite a while now. Pretty much all my audio equipment is able to reproduce high-res audio. My main audio system has cost me a fortune. I have bought several albums in high-res quality formats. But somehow, I cannot hear any notable difference between the same piece in CD quality and (ultra)high-res. I even have a special test-album where every song exists in a variety of quality-steps up to the highest possible format.

You may now say that my hearing is just bad, but I can assure you that it is excellent. At least I can tell the difference between an MP3 file and an uncompressed/lossless one.

I strongly believe that the recording/mastering of a musical piece defines the quality in the first place and not the ultimate resolution.

The best recordings I possess are from “Stockfish Recordings”. They all are only in CD quality and still way better than any of my (ultra)high-res recordings! As long as you are human and not a bat, I doubt that anyone could hear a notable difference in a blind test.

However, the MK II is equipped with an ESS 9028pro DAC and therfore capable of playing even the most demanding high-res formats.


Comparison with X7

While the old X7 sounds quite sonorous and “full”, the X7 MK II has a similar and yet different tonality. It appears to be a bit leaner first, but at the same time presenting a lot more resolution throughout the whole spectrum.

Highs have added “sparkle”, mids are more clearly separated and lows are tight but at the same time going down deeper with a nice sub-bass roll-off.

The instrument separation is excellent and a lot better than with the original X7. I can hear subtle details that I cannot with the old model which was already very good.

All in all, the sound of the MK II is more detailed and engaging than that of the old X7. You could also say it is more coherent.

I cannot comment about all the streaming features and DAC functionality this device is capable of because I only and exclusively use it in Pure Music Mode.













Amplification

I tested the MKII with 3 different headphone categories: IEM / on-ear / over ear. According to that order the demand for amplification is rising. Even though the AKG 701 (62 ohm) needed roughly twice the power of the Campfire Lyra IIs (17 ohm), the X7 MKII had no problem driving them. I can only assume that you won’t have any issues with most headphones and if so, there is still the option to install a more powerful amp-module form FIIO.


Usability Hardware/Software

Software

With the update to Android 5.1 on the old X7, FIIO introduced a new bright-colored theme rather than a new or revamped UI. The new theme is the default theme on the MKII, but it is possible to switch to the old dark theme.

What changed? Well, I did not realize any changes regarding navigational structure of the UI. As I wrote above, it’s mostly about new colors and icons. Personally, I prefer the old theme which, in my opinion, feels subtler, more refined and overall better fitting the looks of the players.

(1) Navigation works pretty well aside some minor annoyances where I for instance don’t really know how to get back to the album I’m playing when I have navigated to the home menu. I do wish FIIO would have taken the time to really refine the UI so that “dead-ends” like that do not exist in the first place. Beside that the whole UI feels more responsive and fluent than on the old X7.

(2) I realized, that when using 2 SD cards, the second one (32GB Sandisk Pro) isn’t always recognized properly by the player and sometimes the FIIO music app crashes while trying to detect new songs on the card. Formatting it did not improve the situation but I believe this is just a small software glitch that will be fixed by FIIO soon.

Hardware

(1) Button Placement

Here lies the biggest culprit in my opinion and I’m not gonna lie – it’s almost a showstopper for me: The button placement. In contrast to the old model, all buttons on the MKII are placed on the left side of the player.



As a right-handed person, am I really supposed to operate the volume wheel with my forefinger? And the other buttons with all the other fingers like I am playing a trumpet or flute or something?

When grabbing the device with my right hand, it is near impossible for me to not accidentally hit the pause/play or forward/backward buttons. I am trying to actively learn a way to grab the device safely but this is causing some mayor annoyance. Why, FIIO? Maybe they only employ left-handed engineers and/or testers… Well, at least that’s good news for every left-handed person reading this review: This is the best sounding player you will ever find!

(2) Volume Wheel

Another little thing is that the volume wheel’s rasterization is somewhat “mushy”. I would prefer a more defined, “clickier” implementation if you know what I mean.



(3) SD-card slots

While it is definitely nice to have 2 SD-card slots in the MKII, I would have preferred the old solution without the tray/cover. Sure, there is no opening spoiling the appearance of the player like in the old one. Maybe FIIOs designers were also thinking about keeping possible dust out of the device, I can’t say.



For me, it was just easier to simply pop out the card, put it in my laptop to copy new music onto it and put it back into the X7. Plus the transfer speed was substantially better than using the USB cable.

Since I am a UX/UI designer myself as well as a heavy user of course, all those things really matter to me as they will probably matter to other users too.


Bottom line

If you are interested in ultimate sound quality like me, you can’t go wrong with the FIIO X7 MK II.

Honestly, I cannot imagine a device for a similar or even twice the amount of money that would sound (substantially) better. Though I never heard the likes of Astell & Kerns TOTL players…

You are looking for a mobile DAP with high end sound for a still reasonable price (and are left-handed)? Look no further.


Sound quality (50%) 5/5

Functionality (20%) 5/5

Usability (20%) 3/5

Accessories (10%) 4/5


Overall 4.5