Hi there,

I must say that from first hearing of the impending Alien+ some time ago, I was very excited to see what Shozy could come up with.

Having owned the original Alien, a fantastically musical and minimalist player that I used on my daily commute, I was like a kid at Christmas.

Some time later we have the Alien+ and shortly thereafter I have one in my hand.

Firstly, I need to clarify, I gave this unit a 5/5 rating as I believe that the player does exactly as advertised and does it exceedingly well. This does not mean it is not without shortcomings.

The Bad:
The unit is oldschool.
Now while I actually like this, many people these days wan't almost smartphone versatility from a DAP. Heck it is the way we consume media these days.
The unit has no touch screen, no wifi, no bluetooth, no user EQ, no Album art.
This is a no nonsense MUSIC playing machine.

The good of the bad:
What this lack of extra features means is a system that boots in a second.
It means that you can quickly navigate without lag from one screen to another using hardware buttons.
It means all of the electronics in the device are dedicated to getting the best sound to you, and on that front it delivers.

User Interface:
The UI as I stated above is very basic from a user perspective. You are presented with a list of options not that dissimilar to something you would see in Rockbox for those familiar. It is very utilitarian.
Navigation is fast and media is managed or selected from a Folder structure view. This will bother some, however this is how I have used all of my daps, (Even Android ones) so this is of no concern to me.

Getting your dang music on the thing:
Ok so here is a little gotcha moment. The unit will not boot without a MIcro SD card inserted. However it does not host the SD card when plugged into a PC via USB. So you will need a card reader.
Additionally your card will need to be formatted in FAT32, which is easy enough with small cards, but will require 3rd party software for anything 32gb. I used EaseUS Partition Master 12.5 with good results on my 128gb card.

Ok, so I have music, how does it sound:
In a word. AMAZING.
To elaborate, this is a very dynamic, in your face DAP. I has a very immediate sound, but in a good way. I dont feel that it is harsh or glaring, but you are quite literally thrust face first into the details. It kind of reminds me of a Circa 1995 screen saver on my PC.

The HIghs:
The highs are crisp, clean and sharp but I didn't find them overly airy or sparkly. There is a sense of unapologetic realism to them. Crash cymbals CRASH. Leading edges of some guitar sections bite. I absolutely loved listening to metal with this dap as it really carried the aggression without sounding harsh (somehow). With the caveat of Black metal. Black metal sounds terrible on everything and possibly even worse on the Alien +.

The Mids:
The mids really surprised me. Well no, I expected them to be great, in fact it was one of my favourite things about the original Alien. That euphoric or emotional mids. The Alien+ delivers this same flavour but to a slightly lesser degree.
The mids are neither forward nor recessed and sit nicely in line with the higher registers. They are however textured, layered and detailed. Vocals have a real presence that impressed me. Lips smacking, breathing, the texture of string instruments bows vibrating on the strings. Just fantastic.
I was also impressed by the Aliens ability to maintain a real crunch of distorted guitars, yet by intimate and smooth when listening to something like Nora Jones. Switching between Ne Obliviscaris to Nora to Pantera to Diana Krall, it just nailed it. Usually I find I love some sources with one or the other.

Bass:
While the bass isn't elevated, golly it has some slam and control. I think this may be due to the overhead in output power on tap, but even using my Aeons, I was surprised. From my experience with my Ethers and Aeons, from a lot of portable sources they go one of 2 ways, they sound bassy due to lack of power to control the drivers and everything gets flabby, or they sound lifeless and thin. Neither the case with the Alien+ which powered the Aeons to deafening levels on High Gain (there is one level above High).

Comparisons (w/ Aeon):
IDSD BL vs Alien:
The iDSD is one of my favourites. It has a gentle wide spacious presentation that is laced with details and nuances. Add to that phenomenal cosmic power, bass boost, cross feed, pre-amp/line out, line in, etc etc and it is a hard unit to knock.
Objectively I cannot rank one above the other but I can say the following.
When powering my Aeons, the iDSD Black presents a wider more airy spacious presentation. It is less immediate in its delivery. Everything is gentle and easy does it.
I feel also that the mids, while I know are not recessed on the iDSD from using it with other headphones, due to the spaciousness I believe, made the mids on the Aeon take a back seat. This made everything sound a little spread out and non distinct.
Detail on both units is similar, however again more subtle on the iDSD.
Comparatively the Alien has faster bass, more feeling and involvement in the mids and perhaps a slightly harder/harsher high region.
For me with this pairing, the Alien bests the iDSD Black.

Mojo vs Alien (w/ Aeon):
I find the Mojo to do everything the Alien does, but with just a bit more restraint.
They both present a more intimate sound stage than the iDSD and I think that allows them both a bit more focus within the mid range.
I find the mojo just has a softer leading edge on pretty much everything.
For me I prefer the Mojo to the Alien+ with the Aeon. Again though this is entirely subjective.

I will return and add pictures and some more details shortly.

I was recently given the opportunity to review the Campfire Audio Andromeda thanks to the kindness of Ken/ALO/Campfire and D_Marco
It is great to be part of a community that allows such experiences, putting such trust in those also interested in this fine, rewarding but infinitely more and more expensive hobby.
 
Prior to getting my ears around the Andromeda I was also lucky enough to hear the Lyra, Orion and Jupiter from the Campfire line, so I will try to draw some comparisons, however bearing in mind these are from memory.
 
This review will be fairly brief as I do not have a lot to say about the Andromeda.
This is in no way a negative, in fact far from.  I absolutely love the Andromeda in all of its green glory.
 
I will start with the one and only negative I feel is of significance and we will go from there.  But be told, its all UPHILL from there.
If I could pick a negative from my listening with the Andromeda it would be that it lacks a little soul.  Now this is quite subjective I know, however I like my music with feeling.  My favourite IEM of all time is the Tralucent Ref1too.  Yes at times it had far too much bass and was at times too Dark, but with the right source and the right music it just connected with me.  It took me back, it made me feel as though I was living the music.
Now I find the Andromeda (and all of the Campfire line except the Lyra) to technically exceed the Ref1too in most regards.  However if I were given the choice I would take the Transducers with soul every time, even if I do cringe at some genre’s/tracks.
 
NOW.  That seems like a pretty big deal breaker, except, I would buy these in a heart beat.  On-wards and upwards I say!!!
 
Firstly, they are accessorised beautifully.  They come in a far more subtle cardboard box than its lesser siblings.
 It comes with a fantastic leather portable carry pouch that is lined with lambs wool.
It comes with an array of Comply and Silicone Tips that are bound to fit most ears out there and it comes with a fantastic cable.  Not only does this cable look quality, I had zero issues with microphonics when walking to and from work.
 
The build quality is also superb!  The very solid feeling aluminium units are anodized in a perfect shade of green.  Rarely did I wear them in public without getting attention.  Either that or I had something in my teeth.  Probably also green.  It’s always something green.
 
The sound, well in a nutshell is very very very good and well within what I expect from an IEM of this price range. The beauty of the Andromeda is that is sounded fantastic with everything I played through it.  From Progressive Rock, Death Metal, Folk, Jazz, Jazz Fusion, Pop, Acoustic Rock it all sounded perfect.
The highlight for me was the bass.  But at heart, no matter how much I try to lie to myself while listening to my Ether C headphones, I am a bass head.
Are the Andromeda a bass head IEM.  No…. No they are not.  However if you are a bass head with taste, then perhaps these are worth a look as while their bass is excellent and for me the highlight, the rest of the signature exceeds any basshead iem/headphone I have heard.
The Bass:
It punches.  It punches hard.  I was surprised that I was listening to a full BA iem.  The only time I had experienced bass like it from a BA is the TG334 and the 1964 v8/u8.
It has a great thump to it, however it maintains texture and control.  It has a slow decay for a BA driver, however it is more controlled than many dynamic drivers I have heard that manage similar impact and volume.  I thoroughly enjoyed the bass on the Andromeda for its ability to hit hard but sound great with all music.  I have found many headphones that manage to impress me with bass impact and volume, trip up on tracks that simply do not call for so much bass, or are more technical and require a more nimble approach.  No such problem with the Andromeda.
The Mids:
The mids are smooth, in line with the upper registers and present vocals beautifully.  I am not a fan of overly forward mids, particularly upper mids and I found no such traces of either in an offensive way with the Andromeda.  Often I find the mids (and more so the highs) with BA driver iems sound artificial to me.  I play guitar and I like guitars to sound like guitars.  Same for any instrument.  While the Andromeda does lack that euphoric quality I was referring to at the beginning of this review, it does sound very natural and realistic.  I was very pleased with the mid range presentation.
The Highs:
The highs are smooth, extended, detailed and realistic.  What more could you want. I never found them sibilant, even with some punk recordings that are just terrible.  But by the same token, I was never left wanting for more detail.  These are Highs done right!.
 
Comparison:
First lets rank these suckers:
Andromeda>Orion>Jupiter>Lyra.
This is a COMPLETELY SUBJECTIVE RANKING.
Andromeda vs Orion:
The Orion to me was a case of fantastic tuning, limited range.  I personally felt that the tuning of the Orion was bang on with the drivers they implemented.  It sounded natural, cohesive and pleasant.  It did sound a little thin, it did lack extension at both ends and it did lack bass impact.
To me, the Andromeda has everything I wanted added to the Orion.  It has the bass.  It has more body to the sound, giving it more realism and feeling, it has fantastic extension at both ends and just sounds more refined.
While you would expect all of this given the price difference, this is how they compare to me with the Andromeda wiping the floor with my previous favourite Campfire iem.
Andromeda vs Jupiter:
The Jupiter I found technically brilliant.  As I stated in my Jupiter review, it had nice bass, smooth mids and highs, good sound stage and amazing separation.  However it sounded off to me.  Instruments seemed to pop out individually so well, that it didn’t sound like music, it sounded like many instruments individually playing a tune.  Technically I cannot fault that, its amazing really, however from an enjoyment stand point it didn’t invite me into the music, it didn’t make me want to listen.
The Andromeda to me is like the Jupiter with improved and increased bass, a richer mid-range with more body and a very similar top end.  However the big difference being that the music sounds whole again.  Sure if I listen for a guitar I can isolate it and tell you where it is in the array of instruments, but I am being presented with music.
 
I will work on getting some images up and the formatting fixed in coming days.

Hey all.
 
I have recently been fortunate enough to be invited to partake in the Australian sisterhood of Campfire Audio product reviews.  I am humbled and generally stoked to get my hands on some products I would otherwise not be able to afford/listen to in return for my honest opinions.  I have plenty of these so seems like a no brainer to me.
 
I will be keeping this review in the same format as my Lyra review, in aid of consistency and laziness.
 
First cab off the rank for me in this tour was the Lyra and I had some mixed thoughts on the dynamic offering by Campfire.  This was concerning as usually I am a fan of dynamic driver iems, however it just didn’t quite check the boxes for me.  I am happy to put to record that the Jupiter left me much more impressed than the Lyra and we will get to why as we go. 
 
Packaging:
 
** **
 
To me, personally I hate the packaging.  Just like the Lyra, it’s a colourful image of space. It is odd, because I actually like the imagery I just like my packaging minimalistic.  This however has no baring what so ever on the product its self and lets face it, no one is going to buy a $1400au IEM based on the cardboard box it comes in.
 
Accessories:
 
** **
 
WOW WOW WOW.  Once again.  I fell instantly in love with the portable receptacle.  Made from leather, a beautiful tan colour which I can only imagine will look better and better with age like my wallet.  Which would be empty if my credit card was not shared with my wife and master of finances.  I have a thing for leather and wood when it comes to headphones/life in general.  It is the smell and texture and the way it ages.
As the case is the same as that provided with the Lyra “The zip is solid, no fear of wrecking this sucker.  But it is when the zip is open the magic happens.  A majestic opening of automated fashion follows presenting you with the IEMs safely and comfortably perched upon lambs wool.  Like a quality seat cover, I wanted to get in there and snuggle.” – Scott 2016
In addition to the carry case you are provided a set of comply tips in 3 sizes, some silicone tips, some IEMs and the usual kit.   Not an overwhelming amount of accessories compared to something from RHA, however everything you need is there and what is there is of high quality.
 
 
Aesthetics:
 
Cable:   First off, lets talk a little about the cable.  I would have been horribly disappointed had I opened up an IEM from ALO and been presented with a generic Epic style cable.  Let me be clear, I was not disappoint.
The cable is of the tinsel variant and it is just so pliable.  It is super thin, super light and super comfortable.  It also looks sexy as hell.
The only issue I take with the cable is it does tangle VERY easily.  However there are little Velcro do-dads that come with the iems when packaged new that actually work very well and neatly to remedy this.
 
Body:  The shells are built like a tank.  The are made from aluminium this time in favour of ceramic, and while the ceramic of the Lyra felt rock solid, there seems to me to be a little more heft to the Jupiter and personally I like this.  Perhaps it is in my head, but they just feel more sturdy.
 
 
But what about that sound?:
 
I must say that I prefer these to the Lyra by a margin.  While usually I would be drawn to the general tuning of the Lyra over the Jupiter, I felt that the refinement I was looking for in the Lyra was present in the Jupiter.  It has such a smooth and gentle presentation.  It manages to be very delicate.  I liken it to the IE800 in this regard.  No they do not sound the same, however both have a airy, sparkly top end yet it isn’t shrill or fatiguing, it is somehow delivered in a soft delicate way without rolling off or being dark.  I really really appreciate this as I listen to a lot of metal and heavy rock, and while you want the detail up top, it can get your eye twitching with other headphones with similar treble quantities.  No such issue on the Jupiter.
 
The sound stage is intimate, but not cramped.  I found it presented vocals on most studio tracks front and centre with instruments placed appropriately around, however compared to iems like the Tralucent Ref1 which seemingly places you in a concert hall, the Jupiter is more like a storage closet.  Ok perhaps a closet from Dr Who or Harry Potter.  Everything seems appropriately placed and 3d without being “out of head” or alternatively 2 dimensional.
 
Instrument separation was a funny one for me with this iem.  Personally I found the separation to be exceptional.  To its own detriment.  I know others will have differing views, kind of the beauty and trap of this hobby, however I found at times that things sounded so well separated that the sense of musicality was lost.  I could clearly hear a guitar, a bass, a keyboard, drums, vocals.  At times however I felt like while I could hear all of these things so well that I was listening to them individually and not to the combined resulting music.
I quickly scoffed at myself for considering this a negative and put no further thought to it, however I think it subconsciously contributed to my lack of musical enjoyment with the Jupiter.  Ok so that’s harsh.  I enjoyed them, however compared to iems I own, I found myself always critically listening and not getting lost or enjoying the music.
 
Bass: The bass to me is perfect BA bass.  Its elevated, but tight and stays well within the realms of bass and seldom journeys north.  There is plenty of punch and to my ears, more than enough extension to exceed my hearing capability.
The bump in bass however, is placed higher in the bass range where it is most audible to us humans.  While the sub-bass extension is plenty for me, the bass is tapered back to a more neutral level.  To this end I actually prefer the bass presentation of the IE800, which is a little elevated in mid bass, however most of the bass boost is sub bass.  Meaning it doesn’t impose upon recordings that do not need the boost, sounding cleaner, however on tracks with sub bass, generally electronic tracks boy does it kick from seemingly nowhere.  That said, the IE800 is a dynamic driver, thus the comparison is somewhat unfair.  The bass is very very well presented on the Jupiter.  It is not of bass head levels, however I am a bass head and was more than happy with its balance in conjunction with the rest of the presentation.
 
Mids: The mids, like the Lyra but less so, are a little back in the mix.  They are however perfect to my tastes.  Smooth, not brash or aggressive, they are just there.  Like the overall sound of the Jupiter, the mids are gentle, soft.  There is no Grado here.
While the mids are somewhat behind the elevated bass and soon to be discussed elevated highs, there is a bump in the upper mids around the vocal area.  I do not know which frequency, I do not have Freq ears, however the vocals always dance along the top of the mids.  Somehow this is done sans any vocal sibilance, which is both impressive and welcomed.  Every other headphone or IEM that I have heard that achieves this vocal presence results in a left eye twitch from me.  The Noble Savant was an example of this.  I LOVED its presentation.  It was almost euphoric at times, however the bump in the frequency response that caused this amazing sound, also resulted in fatigue for me.
While the Jupiter lacks the emotion of the Savant, it manages to really throw those voices without the ill effects.  10 points to Gryffindor.
 
Highs:  Just like the Lyra, the highs on the Jupiter are elevated.  However I find the highs this time around to be more refined.  They are very ‘light’.  It doesn’t sound thin but neither do they sound hard.  They are very much like the highs of the IE800 to me in how they are presented.  Bags of details, not a hint of harshness.  The only issue I take with the highs is sometimes the emphasis in the treble can make some instruments sound slightly artificial.  I say slightly, I have heard far far worse.
 
 
Comparison:
 
IE800:  Let me start by saying I love both.  I will also say that I still give the nod to the IE800 for my preferences.  However I would buy the Jupiter before the IE800.  Namely because for me there isn’t that much in it sound wise and the comfort of fit and accessories to me make the Jupiter a stellar choice. 
 
The bass of the IE800 hits harder and lower, resulting in a cleaner mid bass, more slam in the sub bass and being dynamic more visceral.
 
The mids on both are polite, back in the mix and not that dis-similar, however I would give the nod to the Jupiter for its vocal boost without any other nasties being introduced.
 
The Highs on both sound quite similar, however the nod going to the IE800 this time due to a more natural sound.
 
The soundstage is more vast on the IE800.  It really does throw a soundstage comparable to a closed can.  I actually liked the more intimate sound of the Jupiter, particularly with its separation capability.  However the IE800 is simply a freak in this regard.
 
Fitment and ergonomics however, well that is a different story.  If you plan on replacing your cable, moving your head, walking, sneezing, blinking, chewing, clicking your fingers, then I suggest you go with the Jupiter, as you will find yourself adjusting/putting the IE800 back in your ears.  The IE800 is truly horrible in this regard and I have no idea what Sennheiser were thinking.
 
 
 
Astell&Kern Rosie:  Last time I compared the Lyra to the Savant.  In keeping apples for apples (price wise) I thought why not compare the $1399 Rosie to the $1399 Jupiter.
So I will say now I love my Rosie.  I would buy it over the Jupiter, however its not as simple as that.
 
Bass:  The Jupiter has more bass than the Rosie on her default setting of zero.  The Rosie bass is tighter, but leaner and faster.  In this position I prefer the Jupiter.  Its slightly slower decay almost makes it sound dynamic compared to the Faster Rosie.
With the bass dial turned up though, I run mine at 2 O’Clock, the Rosie becomes more impactful.  The sound richens up and really adds some body to the low end and presents nicely.
To be honest, even when using the Rosie to my preferences, I would be on the fence as to which to pick from a bottom end perspective.
 
Mids:  The mids on the Jupiter are soft and polite and set back in the mix.  The mids on the Rosie are more aggressive and more in line with the presentation.  In the default position of 0 on the Rosie, I find the mids too thin.  While I find the mids ever so slightly too polite on the Jupiter, I would prefer this to a thin sounding midrange.  Again, after turning the dial to 2 O’Clock on the Rosie, it really beefs up the lower midrange (not bloats) and adds some more body and texture to the midrange, resulting in a favourable midrange for my preferences.  By comparison the midrange on the Jupiter can lack emotion and interest.  With exception of course to the vocal focus on the Jupiter.  The Rosie presents vocals within the music, Jupiter really wants you to hear them seemingly out front.  Whether this is a good thing is entirely up to you.
 
Highs:  This is where things get subjective… Ok ok MORE subjective.  Spoiler alert, I like a darker presentation.
The highs on the Jupiter are more pronounced, clearer, smoother and more refined.  There is a nice sparkle to them and they sound incredibly delicate while achieving this.  All of this at the cost of sounding a little artificial at times.
The highs on the Rosie are slightly dark when comparing to the Mids and Bass.  However they are far from the likes of the ASG2.5 or Ref1 to my ears.  If you were to a/b the ASG2.5 and the Rosie, the Rosie would seem bright.
So the Jupiter is brighter in the highs than the Rosie, the Rosie being darker, however I find neither harsh or too emphasized for different reasons.  The Jupiter is emphasized but delicate, the Rosie is dark but slightly rougher around the edges (But sounds more natural).
I would be in a pickle to pick which I prefer.
 
So….
 
Which would I buy?  For me, the Rosie.  And luckily for me I did before I heard the Jupiter and I am still happy with my decision.
 
Things to consider though:
 
Do you want to be able to change the signature?  If not, that is a big plus of the Rosie gone. 
Do you have small ears?  The Jupiter is a very small iem and while the Rosie is the smallest of the JH Universal range, it is pretty huge.  As a result the Jupiter is also by far more comfortable overall.
Do you prefer a darker bass driven sound or a more delicate easy on the ear detailed sound?
I would never consider one the these better than the other, they are both phenomenal iem’s and I would gladly recommend either.  So there you go, I am fence sitting.  DAMN IT!
 
Conclusion:

I think ALO/Campfire Audio have really stepped the Jupiter up a notch in SQ from the Lyra and produced something that sounds pretty dang amazing, sturdy, Beautiful, sleek.  They have accessorised it with quality items and packaged all that goodness up in a horribly ugly cardboard box.  I had some issues with the Lyra’s asking price considering its sound quality, and mentioned that I think it was its build and accessories carrying the price, I have no such quibbles with the Jupiter.  I think it holds its own against its peers and in this case, the build and accessories are a compelling additional bonus.
 
Excellent work ALO/Campfire audio.  Its an amazing iem.
 
Peace.

Hey all.
 
I have recently been fortunate enough to be invited to partake in the Australian sisterhood of Campfire Audio product reviews.  I am humbled and generally stoked to get my hands on some products I would otherwise not be able to afford/listen to in return for my honest opinions.  I have plenty of these so seems like a no brainer to me.
 
First cab off the rank for me in this tour is the Campfire Lyra.  The lyra or lyre was a stringed musical instrument played in Ancient Crete, or so google would have me believe.  While I see no strings, in short the Lyra certainly is an instrument of great pleasure.
 
Packaging:
 
**INSERT BOX PIC**
 
To me, personally I hate the packaging.  Kind of resembles psychedelic spew.  It is odd, because I actually like the imagery I just like my packaging minimalistic.  This however has no baring what so ever on the product its self and lets face it, no one is going to buy a $1100 au IEM based on the cardboard box it comes in.
 
Accessories:
 
**INSERT LEATHER BOX PIC**
 
WOW WOW WOW.  While the box left me a little concerned about the quality of what contents may be held within, all fears were nullified upon opening.  I fell instantly in love with the portable receptacle.  Made from leather, a beautiful tan colour which I can only imagine will look better and better with age like my wallet. 
**INSERT ARTISTIC WALLET PIC**
Ok, so like something leather that ages well and isn’t my wallet.
And that smell, I love leather.
The zip is solid, no fear of wrecking this sucker.  But it is when the zip is open the magic happens.  A majestic opening of automated fashion follows presenting you with the IEMs safely and comfortably perched upon lambs wool.  Like a quality seat cover, I wanted to get in there and snuggle.
 
**INSERT OPENING PICS OF GREAT JUSTICE*
 
In addition to the carry case you are provided a set of comply tips in 3 sizes, some silicone tips, some IEMs and the usual kit.   Not an overwhelming amount of accessories compared to something from RHA, however everything you need is there and what is there is of high quality.
 
Aesthetics:
 
Cable:   First off, lets talk a little about the cable.  I would have been horribly disappointed had I opened up an IEM from ALO and been presented with a generic Epic style cable.  Let me be clear, I was not disappoint.
The cable is of the tinsel variant and it is just so pliable.  It is super thin, super light and super comfortable.  It also looks sexy as hell.
The only issue I take with the cable is it does tangle VERY easily.  However there are little Velcro do-dads that come with the iems when packaged new that actually work very well and neatly to remedy this.
 
Body:  These are some very premium looking iem’s in the flesh.  I feel that the camera does them an injustice.  Half of their beauty is the feel.  While they do feel a little cold, they clearly do not feel like steel.  It takes a moment then you remember.  These are made from Ceramic.  They are super light, super smooth and very well built.
The nozzle, snout or your preferred name for the appendage designed to deliver the noises into your ear hole, is made from aluminium and I have zero fear of breaking it.  It is rock solid!  HAI FIEV!.
 
But what about that sound?:
 
What can I say, overall these sound very nice indeed.  They have a bit of a V_Shaped signature going on, which I have zero issue with.  In fact as a bit of a basshead I quite prefer V or L shaped signatures.
 
The sound stage is quite large, though not the largest I have heard from an IEM.  It does very well however at instrument placement and certainly doesn’t feel cramped or overly intimate.  To be honest, if baffles me how manufacturers these days are managing to throw such out of head sound from speakers inside my ears.
Instrument separation is not one of the better I have heard in an IEM in the $1000 price range.  The soundstage, Separation and general tonality of these IEMs provides a very natural, yet fun sound, but can sometimes get a bit rich sounding.
 
Bass: The bass is the most present area of the range in these iems.  It is typical of a boosted Dynamic driver bass presentation.  It’s a little slower than your average BA bass, but it has a thump to it that just cannot be replicated by the smaller BA drivers.  While it lingers a little, it is articulate enough to keep up with all but the most complicated passages.
I particularly like the presentation of the lower frequencies as it packs a wallop, but it stays relatively clean, particularly because the boost is to be found in the mid-bass, which can be problematic in many headphones/iems.  While I feel there is a bit of bass bleed into the mids (depending on the tips used and the music playing), it generally stays where it should and thumps away to the beat.
 
Mids: I need to say first off, I am not a fan of forward mids.  I much prefer a neutral midrange presentation.  I think the mids on the Lyra are well presented.  Given the V shaped tuning, they do well to not get lost or appear distant.  Yes they are the least pronounced section of that graph we call truth, but they maintain a presence.  Not to be forgotten.
Male, female and cats voices are all portrayed in a pleasant way.  There is no nasally Fran female vocals, no bloated male vocals and no meows are lost.  However they do sit JUST back in the mix when compared to something like the Noble Savant or any of Grado’s offerings for example.
 
Highs:  The highs, while turned up after concentrating on the midrange, are always polite.  I never caught any sibilance.  In fact I never caught any Sibilance through the entire spectrum.  There is plenty of sparkle and air to the highs, but I would never call them bright.  They have managed to get oodles of detail into the highs without making them strident, fatiguing or shrill.  I really appreciate this.  Over time I have been appreciating more and more detail in the highs, however I am still quite sensitive to overly bright presentations and I think they nailed it.
 
Comparison:
 
IE800:  I must say, as much as I enjoyed the Lyra, for me from a sound only perspective, I must give the nod to the Germans.  I feel the lows on the IE800 reach deeper and lower than the Lyra, while staying more neutral into the midrange.  The IE800 hits harder, lower and doesn’t bleed into the mids.  I find the mids on the IE800 cleaner, though a bit leaner and more neutral.  The Mids on the Lyra being a touch thicker sounding, and while I DO like this, in combination with the warm bass, it made them sound a touch more congested than the IE800.  I am not saying the Lyra sound overly congested, just compared to the IE800 they do.  I find the highs on the IE800 perfect for the rest of the IE800 presentation, however I am equally happy with the Lyra’s highs.
The soundstage is more vast on the IE800.  It really does throw a soundstage comparable to a closed can.  Dare I say it almost as large as some open cans like the LCD2 etc.  The Lyra has ample soundstage for an IEM, however the IE800 has ample soundstage PERIOD.
Fitment and ergonomics however, well that is a different story.  If you plan on replacing your cable, moving your head, walking, sneezing, blinking, chewing, clicking your fingers, then I suggest you go with the Lyra, as you will find yourself adjusting/putting the IE800 back in your ears.  The IE800 is truly horrible in this regard and I have no idea what Sennheiser were thinking.
 
Noble Savant:  The Noble Savant was a bit of a special experience for me.  However for everyday listening I could not choose it over the Lyra.  I think the Lyra presents a far more versatile sound that you could listen to all day.  I think if the Savant had a bit more booty, then I may be singing to a different tune.  The bass on the Lyra wins hands down in every regard.  The Savants bass is nimble I guess, so I could give it that, however it is also quite shy and only comes out on special occasions like your birthday or Christmas.  The mids however on the Savant are magical.  I said above I am not a forwards mids fan, well I make an exception for Grado and the Noble Savant.  There is just something euphoric that I experience when listening to the Noble that simply isn’t there when listening to the Lyra.  The highs however I think are great on both, but I feel the Lyra has the resolution and extension to take the cake there.
Which would I buy?  Well I already have every day cans, so I would probably buy the Savant for those special listening sessions.  However if I were in the market for an all rounder, I would buy the Lyra.
 
I will write comparisons with the ASG2.5 and Tralucent Ref1too when I get a moment in the coming week.
 
Conclusion:

I think ALO/Campfire Audio have produced something that sounds safe, likable, sturdy, Beautiful, sleek.  They have accessorised it with quality items and packaged all that goodness up in a horribly ugly cardboard box.  While I think they do sound very good, I also feel at the price of $1100au, there are other offerings available that provide similar quality sound or better, at the cost of ergonomics and build quality.  I think if this was pitched at $899-$999 It would be a great-good buy, at $1100 for me it has branched into a new level of expectation, for which I think sonically it falls just shy of.  All this being said, it would certainly make my shortlist of suggestions should someone ask me to recommend an iem if they had the money, as as much as we would all hate to admit, its not always about JUST sound.  Its about how we use things, how we see things and how we feel about things too.  Well it is for me.
 
Peace.
 
FORMATTING AND PICTURES TO COME WHEN I AM NOT ON A TRAIN WITH NEAR ZERO CELL RECEPTION

First things first, I would like to recognise DMarco for organising this tour from Oz.  Of course Brannan and the Wizard must also be recognised.  Both for allowing such tours to take place and of course bringing forth a myriad of amazing iem’s for all tastes.
 
My name is Scott and I am an audio-holic.  I have long loved music, ever since I was but a wee child, listening to my dad’s vinyl or my very first cassette over and over until it no longer played.  It was JJ Cale for those interested.
 
Music for me, like most, has pulled me through hard times, made good times great and is my one retreat from the rat race of work and the stresses of busy life.
For me I find my enjoyment of audio equipment weighs heavily on the emotions said gear evokes within me.  I am all about them feels.
This can get very subjective in reviews, so I will attempt to keep the review technical, though I cannot promise anything.
 
Packaging and accessories:
 
These things come locked up like Fort Knox.  They arrived to me in an Pelican style box, within a blue box, within a cardboard box within a postage box.  While it seems a little over the top, it is comforting to know that your investment is safe and sound, snug as a bug when its headed your way.  The Pelican is of good size, unlike the one that come with my ASG2.5 which is too shallow to actually use with the IEMs without risking destroying your cable.  It is padded on all sides and I felt confident that the IEMs would be safe within.
There are plenty of tips to get you rolling, though I had best results with my Ortofon smalls, to get the iems to sit nicely in my strange ears.
The cable provided is one of the better stock cables I have used personally.  Having battled with the Tralucent Silver/Gold cable on my Ref1’s, which was kind of like running fence wire, to my ASG2.5 cable which feels overly cheap, this strikes a nice balance between quality and diameter.  The cable is soft, supple and I really didn’t experience too many microphonics.  I was impressed,
Outside of these critical items you get some Noble Elastic Bands (which IMO are the best ones), a blackhead remover (Ear Wax quick unstick), a Noble sticker for your scooter and a warranty card.
Overall I would give the accessories an 8/10.  Realistically the only things missing are aircraft adapters that I see some offer.  The quality of the provided accessories however is top notch.
 
Aesthetics:
 
WOW.  I was lucky enough to receive the Wizard design universal Savants for this round and I simply did not expect them to look as good as they did.  I have spent far more time scrolling through pictures on the Wizard thread than I care to divulge, however even the best pictures really don’t do these justice, which leaves me wondering how good the full custom/prestige must look. 
*Applause*
The model I received had a green swirl face plate which I don’t even.  Just look.
 

 

 
 
Looks aside I found the fit to be a little hit and miss for me.  I never found them uncomfortable, however I did from time to time have issues with them “pop”ing out of my ears.  It was as though they are a shallow fitting IEM, however at that shallow fit, they simply wouldn’t secure.  If I pushed them deeper, I got a better seal, a more secure fit, but obviously it would then be a battle of ear canal vs cable guide, which resulted in them seemingly popping out at random.  That said, I never found them uncomfortable, so given more time I am sure I could find a tip that suits better for me so take this with a grain of salt.
 
Sound:
 
Well.  This is where I had a love hate with these Savants.  Firstly, I had a preconception I would not enjoy the signature of the Savant.  In the past I have been drawn to dark sounding equipment.  Well usually neutral/analytical source with dark headphones.  I love bass, I am sensitive to highs and I do not generally like forward mids.
Guess what….
The Savant does not have an overly extended or emphasized bass, the mids are not necessarily forward but definitely a focal point, and the highs are quite detailed, though doesn’t extend for days.
Basically they are my worst nightmare signature…  The result…
I LOVED THEM.
 
Bass:  No they do not have an over abundance of bass.  However there is enough to hear the bass represented in a track.  No you wont get that brain melting impact, however it is far from omitted.  I actually found that some tracks it really pumped the bass, however on a bass light track, it does you no favours either.
One of my favourite tracks on the Savant was “Buckethead – Whitewash”.  There is no lack of bass here.
 
Mids:  I am NOT a mids fan.  I like vocals, vocals are necessary, however I like the vocals to be where vocals should be, not overly pronounced or forward.  The mids on the Savant are amazing.  They are so addictive.  I found guitars, acoustic in particular to sound absolutely amazing.  Given a large portion of my music is unplugged, this is where I fell in love with the Savant.
 
They are tuned in such a way that I truly connected with.  They have such an engaging sound, I did not want to put them down.  But here is the catch.  The mids are tuned in a way that I would usually hate.  Somehow the mad doctor has managed to push these mids forward in such a way that is not offensive at all…. With one caveat... 
Somewhere between the mids and highs there is a bit of a rise I believe at around the 4khz region (but don’t quote me, I don’t have golden ears) that I think both contributes to some of the magic to the Savants tuning, but I also found this to be the only reason I would not rush out and buy a pair.  I listen to a large variety of music and while I found this tuning to sound nothing less than amazing with acoustic rock, modern pop, orchestral music, pretty much everything.   Except metal.  Metal made me want to cry.  Its hard to look tough wearing a Cannibal Corpse T-Shirt, listening to music at StarBucks crying into my Frappe.
The thing is, I thought I would be clever and use some EQ and tame that slightly, sounded great with the heavier genres, but lost its magic for the rest of my listening.  However given they sound amazing with 70% of my listening, I am willing to write a leave pass.
 
Highs:  Well, what can I say, aside from the above, the highs are otherwise detailed, smooth and easy on the ears.  In my opinion they are perfectly executed.  Not bright, but bright enough.  Not harsh or edgy in any way and just a pleasure all round.  They don’t extend as far as some other options out there, but remembering that this is secretly a 2 driver IEM, it is amazing how well they cover the ranges and transition from low to mid to eye twitch to highs J
 
 
Pairings:
 
Shozy Alien + Savant:  Wow… Just wow….  I found this to be the most amazing combination for Acoustic rock, Jazz etc.  They Alien’s sound signature really plays to the tuning of the Savant in that it accentuates the Savants magic.  HOWEVER this is both the magic and achilles heel of this combination.  While I have seldom heard something so euphoric as Clapton Unplugged – My Fathers eyes or even Nirvana Unplugged – Polly, by the same token, I have seldom wanted to rip an iem out of my ears as quickly when Ashes of the Wake come on my random playlist.  I definitely recommend at least trying this combination if you can, however I cannot recommend it as an all-Rounder.  Soundstage, instrument separation and emotion are all there in spades however, so if you like your balads, acoustic or otherwise polite music, as Kamahl would say… Do try it.
 
Mojo + Savant:  Where do I start.  The mojo is exactly the kind of source you want for something like the Savant.  Much like I enjoyed the Mojo with various Grado headphones, it is just mellow enough without sacrificing transparency to make the Savant sing.  While the smooth mojo does not tame the Savants peak (for me) it does not accentuate it.  The Savant and Mojo give a truly what I associate with a HiFi sound.  I must clarify when I say HiFi I am thinking a natural sound, a sound I would associate with a pair of stereo speakers, the stereo speakers I grew up with.  Many IEMs go for uber detail, micro detail at the expense of a lack of natural sound.  With the Mojo, the Savant just sounds right.  Everything sounds natural.  As it should be.  Soundstage and air is probably a little more intimate than the Alien, however not in a bad way.  Everything is still well in its place, the pluck of guitar strings, the lips of the singer pursing, its all there, but not glaringly so.
 
 
 
In Closing, the Savant is an amazing feat of engineering.  With its 2 driver (shhhh) design and what I would consider great value in its price range, it’s a no brainer for those out there looking for a new, detailed but musical IEM to get lost in music with. The Savant is a fantastic choice…. Provided you are not a basshead.
I am a basshead.  HOWEVER, I am also open minded and I am currently saving my pennies to buy myself a pair.
I have never been a believer of single role headphone/iems.  I have always opted for the allrounder, and for many the Savant my be that allrounder.  For me it is just SO GOOD at acoustic music that I feel I need it in my collection.
 
I have heard many iems that have better extension, more balanced bass response, more detail.  However none of them can do what the Savant can do.  With the Savant on my very first listen within 10 seconds of “No Excuses” my eyes were closed and my eyes were tapping.  Something I didn’t get from the Angie, Layla, Roxanne, RE1000 etc etc and for me that’s what music is about.
 
Well done sir’s.
 
I will return after my commute to format this review as it looks horrendous however it was written in Word and it appears to have taken all formatting queues from notepad.

First things first:
 
I would like to thank Lin and RHA for the opportunity to test these IEMs and provide my honest opinion of them in return.  It really is great that this community allows this kind of interaction with manufacturers.
 
Secondly:
 
We all hear things differently, one of the curses and beauties of this hobby.  There is so much variation in gear, hearing, preference that it truly is a dynamic hobby.  I refer to this again throughout this review but please make sure if you are looking to buy these, that you read as many reviews as you can.
 
I am 31 years old and I am a noob when it comes to audiophilism.  I love music, I know what sound I like and I spend hours and hours every day listening.  I am not a reviewer, I am not an “Audiophile”, I have just loved music since I was 5 years old, sitting in front of my fathers Stereo listening to Deep Purple, Black Sabbath and Johnny Rivers on vinyl for hours on end.
 
Now for the poorly written slab of dribble that is my attempted review.
 
Build Quality:
 
These things are built like a brick … House.  They are rock solid.  They feel as though they are punched from a solid piece of billet and slapped on a pair of chains.  I was expecting good things in the build department and I was not disappointed.
They are heavy, bold and cold to touch.  All of which I love! 
While the weight seems a little odd initially, once you get used to the ‘lil billets nestling into the old cauliflowers they soon enough fade away, only occasionally to be reminded by the occasional tug on the cable.
The cable is thick and heavy in its own right, which I personally do not usually like in a portable unit.  That being said, the ergonomics are quite good, and given it is not detachable, it is comfortingly sturdy.  I had no real issues with microphonics or other such interference to my musical enjoyment.
 
Accessories:
 
Why I am glad you asked, because we have a treat for you!! Oh, you didn’t ask, well let me tell you anyway.
We have the pair of iems in all of their glory.  Spread out like some majestic phoenix for all to see.
We have the 6 filters (2 installed, 4 in their aluminium containment device).
We have regular silicon tips in all number of sizes, we have bi-Flange, Tri-Flange and foams.  All neatly laid out within their aluminium card designed to seemingly both display proudly and functionally detail more tips than anyone will ever carry.  Handy none the less.
 
In addition to above we also have a nifty faux? Leather carry case.  This is a good size and allows you to store the iems without having to crush them in order to fit them.  This is a nice change in comparison to the hard case that comes with the Aurisonics AS2.5 for example, which one might think from a glance is the better option give its hardshell nature, however it is actually too small and causes many a headache in aligning the IEMs so as not to damage them when closing the vessel.
 
Another nice feature of this case is there are elastic straps within which allow you to nest the Tip card within the case.  While this is nice, to be honest, once I find a pair of tips that work with a pair of IEM’s I tend to only use the one and MAYBE keep a spare pair on hand.  I would have much preferred to see the ability to store the filters in the case, as I am more likely to roll these pending my mood.
 
Sound:
 
Regarding the sound I will give a brief overview of my thoughts, then break it down into various sections to try elaborate.
 
First things first, I wasn’t a huge fan of these IEM’s from a sound perspective.  Which was quite a disappointment given how excited I was upon opening them and seeing them in all their bling glory.  I found that the overall signature lacked a little finesse or refinement.  Just seemed a little rough around the edges.  I found that the details seemed a little glossed over, and while the overall sound was smooth, somehow it gave me the feeling of harshness.  This was something I couldn’t work out, but something I was definitely hearing.  Now I may have been being overly critical of this IEM, as I was comparing it to my Ref1too and ASG2.5, so it may not be a fair comparison, however I my overall comments here are relative to an IEM in its pricepoint.  I have owned many IEMs and headphones from varying price points and my rating and comments will hopefully reflect that of a $300 IEM. 
 
One last thing before I dive into the sound breakdown, I am an unashamed basshead.   OK, so now that I have come clean, lets move on.
 
I tried all 3 filters and obviously my go to was the Bass filter first. 
I felt that this filter’s perceived effect on bass come at the cost of too much detail and refinement loss from the rest of the signature.  I truly thought I would pop this filter in and be done, but sadly no.
 
The Treble filter while adding more perceived detail up top I found to be a little too bright for my tastes.  However this is the point of this filter so I will not say whether this is a good thing or bad.
 
The reference filter I found to be the best match for me.  While I still maintain my above comments regarding the overall signature, this was my favourite tuning.  When needing more bass I used the bass boost feature on the Cayin C5D, however in most cases I just left it off.
 
Ok so onto that sound breakdown I promised.
 
BASS:
 
This little IEM is packing heat.  Is it a basshead iem, I am not sure.  When compared to my Ref1 and ASG2.5, it almost sounds bass light with regard to impact.  However I think this is due to it having less bass emphasis while being tuned and having a driver capable of big bass impact on demand, because on tracks like “Georgio” on Daft Punks RAM album, WOW there is some bass.  In fact I found the bass on these IEM’s to react quite well to Electronic bass, giving big impact and moving quite a lot of air, however on kick drums on say Monuments – Horcrux, the impact just wasn’t there.  Bass extension is overall pretty good too, with soundtracks like Man of Steel maintaining that super low bassline.  Nothing tectonic, but certainly better than many IEM’s I have tried.
The good news is, on the T20, the bass is certainly far more controlled than its younger sibling.  So if that was an issue for you, these are certainly headed in the right direction.
 
MIDS: 
 
I think this is where my main issue with this IEM resides.  To me the mids, while sitting pretty much in line with the rest of the spectrum, seem to be glossed/smoothed over.  This to me made things like guitar (both electric and acoustic), vocals and even to an extent some upper basslines to sound congested and to be honest a mess.  While I liked overall where the mids sat in the mix as in they were neither too far forward or back, I think this is where I got the impression of harshness.  Yes the sound is smooth, but it sounds as though the guitars, vocals and all other instruments residing in the midrange were all fighting for their spot and things just get messy.
Others have reported fantastic midrange separation, so this could have been an issue with the C5d/T20 combination, which I used exclusively, or that I simply prefer a different tuning.  People have reported taking issue with the Midrange of the Tralucent ref1, which I loved personally, so as always, make sure you read all reviews before making your decision if you are looking to buy these J
 
TREBLE:
 
The highs are smooth.  Much like the mids, but I think they are a little better executed.  I don’t get the sense of congestion or harshness from the highs.  There is enough data presented for the sound to be enjoyable and inoffensive, but these are not a detail monster.  If not for the midrange I think I could listen to these for days on end with zero fatigue.  While I prefer a little more detail in the upper registers, I do like the way they were presented.  I would say they are slightly shelved down from the rest of the presentation, but only slightly.
 
SOUNDSTAGE/SEPARATION:
:
The soundstage while not huge, does portray decent width and depth for an IEM.  I think the dynamic drive assists in this to an extent.  However the above average soundstage at this price point is let down by the congested signature.  On very basic passages where the drivers were able to keep up, I was rewarded with a very realistic soundscape and able to pinpoint instruments throughout, however even on a song like Damien Rice – Cannonball, I did not get beyond the intro before things started to get messy.
 
OVERALL IMPRESSION:
 
I think that there are a lot of positives with the t20’s.  Especially coming from the t10 to the t20.  The bass is much better controlled and refined.  I think the overall sound is quite pleasant with a slightly emphasized bass, balanced midrange and slightly less emphasized top end.  I just wish they were a bit more coherent through the midrange to avoid that congestion, or in technical terms “SHMOOSHING” of sound.
 
Would I buy them.  No.  I think they are just a little bit overpriced for the sound quality.  If I were paying for build quality and included accessories then yes, they have it in spades, but ultimately, I am not buying them as a fashion item.  I think if they were around the $200 aud mark I would definitely snap them up.
 
While this is probably an overall negative review, one point I would like to make is these are a definite step in the right direction for RHA and if I were me, I would be keeping a keen eye on the t30 IEM, because if they come forward as far as they have from the T10 to the T20, then the T30 will be a keeper!!!!
 
I am currently on the train tethered to my phone trying to jump in pending reception.  I will upload pics, apply formatting and generally tidy this up when I am home.

Howdy all,
 
I have been meaning to make some time to write this review and tonight I just so happened to fall upon that time.  My wife told me she wanted some time alone to read some book called 50 shades of something…. What ever that means. 
Anyway, it means I get to put some thoughts to keyboard about this great mid-fi priced dap.
 
I was lucky enough to be a step in on the recent (still ongoing) Australian tour of the HUM Pervasion DAP.  You may or may not have heard of this DAP out of China, there hasn’t been a whole lot of hype about it.
 
Before I get too far into my thoughts on the DAP, I would like to thank H20 for allowing me to participate.  This was my first tour outside of my Beyer a200p review.
As it so happened at the time of review I also had a HM901, Cayin N6 and an Alien in my possession.  Which was both a curse and a blessing, as I got to compare the 4, but I also got some strange looks from the boss at work swapping and changing, cursing when I forgot to push out the auto power down timers etc etc.  Some of my co-workers found it amusing.
 
For the most part I reviewed the unit with my Tralucent Ref1’s as these are my only headphones I currently own of quality.  I also briefly tried the HUM with my Sennheiser Momentum in-ears.
Well, to get on with it hey?
I did take a heap of photo's but for the life of me no idea where they are, so I have but one to share that I took the day the device was sent on.
 

 
 
Aesthetics.
 
When I received the unit, it come in an iphone-esque minimalist white box.  Personally I love this.  While I am not an iFan, I do love the quality feel you get with their devices. 
Unfortunately for me though, once I opened the box I felt it took a step down.  I was met with a very plain looking, garish red, chubby android phone, roughly the size of 2 iPhone 4’s on top of one another. 
When I first picked the device up I was surprised by how light it was.  Instantly my mind went to negativity.  But when I gave it a light squeeze, a light shake I had to re-assess. 
This felt like a solid unit in the hand.  It was playing mind games with me.  How could something be this solid, yet be so light. *shrugs*.
 
Next I turned the unit around to get a look at the output’s, inputs etc on the unit.  I was very very happy to see a dedicated LO as well as a headphone out. 
Being the nosey kinda fellow I am I took my headphone jack and popped it into the headphone out.  It was solid.  This thing was pegging back the points.  I was now willing to give it a fair trial...
Until I saw the 2 volume controls.  WTH was my initial thought.   But it actually was a useful addition in being able to adjust small increments with IEMs. 
However most of the time I left the digital volume at max and used the analogue volume to adjust. 
 
Speaking of the analogue volume control.  It is a horizontal disk like volume control that is somewhat stiff.  Obviously so accidental adjustments don’t happen.  However with how powerful the amp is, we had a love hate relationship over the course of our time together with over adjustments in each direction causing quite the fuss.  Anyway, this is me being petty.  It is a great option to have, I just wish the volume for the amp section was done in a different manner.
 
Ok so back in time, I am still looking around the unit (remember I haven’t heard it yet at this point, I just took it out of the box… Don’t know what all that stuff above was about).  Hmn, having come from an N6, ak100ii, hm901, Alien… I am frantically looking for the hardware media controls.  Sadly any track changes you want to make to assert your dominance over your DAP must be done via the touch screen. (Sort of, I will touch on this later).
 
Ok, so in short, I was impressed with a few features, less so about others.  But how does this thing sound….
 
 
Sound Quality:
 
Disclaimer:  I much preferred the sound of the brighter N6 with my Ref1’s, but I will try to be fair.
In short, it sounds great!!!  No its not the sound I prefer when in combination with my Ref1, but it truly does sound good.  The overall sound I would pin down as Neutral to Warm.  Very smooth and musical, but not lacking in detail in any such way.
 
Highs:
 
I found the highs to be smooth and coherent.  There was a nice transition from mid to high and they seemed to extend quite well.  I never felt I was missing any detail in the music.  I found that the music sounded quite natural. 
 
Mids:
 
I thought the mids were quite well presented.  They didn’t sounded thin or brittle, nor thick.  I quite liked both Male and female vocals and how they were presented with enough texture to engage with the music and emotion behind the lyrics.  Personally I felt the bass crept into the lower mids a little, but that again could have been my iems as you need a very strong dap to keep the bass in check on these Ref1’s and any emphasis in the bass region and you are not going to have a very nice day.
 
Lows:
 
I thought the bass hit hard.  It had purpose and that purpose was to make you want moar bass.  Even though you know you have enough, its an all you can eat buffet and you start looking for more.  The bass extended well into the depths of my dentists pockets when I need to have these fillings reset.  However I did feel the bass, as grand as it is, as stated above, had a bit of a hump.  But if I am completely honest, I have not yet tried a DAP employing this DAC that I have enjoyed with these IEMs and this implementation was as good as any I have tried, which puts it in the leagues of the AK100 and for me almost ak120.
 
Soundstage and separation.
 
I know these are 2 different things but how many sections can you put in a review before people just give up on you as a member of the human race….
The soundstage to me was intimate.  I am writing this reflectively (omy now I am writing in past tense… WHAT THE HELL IS THIS GUY DOING?... Now 3^rd person….. DIv/0#) and if I recall it correctly It was intimate.  Left to right were narrow but it had decent depth.  I cant specify height as I only listen to music where people play while standing/sitting, not flying.  But I will update this review when this occurs.
Separation was excellent.  Even in complex passages I never heard the HUM trip over its self in an attempt to escape the tortures of dream theatre, Tool, some twiddly twiddly passages in some Damian Rice songs.  It was always with me and rocking on.  I know a few of you out there listen to Classical and would probably be able to get the HUMs head spinning, but not I.  I was quite impressed.
 
Output power:
 
Well I know this doesn’t really fall under sound as such, but this thing has enough power to start a light truck in a pinch, so you should be fine with most portable headphones and I would imagine even some full sized cans.  I used about 10% tops on the dial for my iems.
Ok, so that wraps up the sound, for now, until I hear the flying band at the very least.  So how was it to use, you know after turning it on, as opposed to the canning I gave it above without even turning it on.
 
 
UI:
 
Let me ask you a question.  Do you like android or are you willing to try and use it?  NO?
Then get a different DAP.  Seriously, this isn’t for you.

The HUM Pervasion employs a stock version of android and has no dedicated music interface like you may expect to see on pretty much every other dap on the market. .. Is this a bad thing?  In my eyes heck no!!!
I have been a faithful android user for many years so for me I was right at home.  What this does is it opens up your player, UI, control, sound options.  The options are so diverse I cant even count them on a centipedes fingers.  You can stream (though the wifi is flakey), you can use google play, you can use Neutron, Playerpro, Poweramp, Noozy…. If its on the market and available for that version of android, then you can have it.  If you want EQ you can, if you want playlists, folder players, movie players, its all at your disposal.
Personally this got a huge thumbs up from me and it also allows such things as being able to use volume buttons for track changes as options within certain players (though I must confess I didn’t try this but have in the past on phones, so perhaps someone else could confirm this)
The UI was smooth, the touchcreen reactive and screen clear and easy to read.
 
 
Ok so whats that, UI, Sound and Aesthetics.  Hmn… how did it compare to the others in the stable….
 
In Short for me.
HM901>= Cayin N6 > HUM > Alien.
This is based on perceived audio quality.
 
 
HM901 VS HUM
 
I find the HM901 to be superior in most regards.  However the HM901 is almost 3x the price of the HUM, so one would certainly expect it to excel.  I used 2 cards in the HM901, the Fen-Li discrete card and the IEM card.  HUM VS IEM card I found the IEM card bright when compared to the HUMs warmer sound.  The 901 presents a wider, airier, more detailed and with more bass control.  Overall a more balanced sound imo, however if you have bright headphones, it may get fatigueing.  Which is one thing I noticed with the HUM… I never got fatigued when listening.
When comparing to the Fen-Li Card, I found they were a little more similar.  Both present in a natural smooth way.  The Fen-Li card has bass impact and control over the HUM, however I felt that the mids on the HUM to be more natural, particularly male vocals, which I find to sound odd on the Fen-Li card.  The upper register I found quite similar on both.  The soundstage again was a bit larger on the 901 with separation being similar.
Fairly impressive considering the HUM is up against the Goliath of DAPs to many.
Regarding usability, while I have no gripes with the 901’s UI, the HUM pervasion blows it out of the water with its versatility and stability.
 
 
HUM VS N6
 
These are 2 very different beasts.  This is almost an unfair comparison as I feel the N6 has the best synergy I have heard with my Ref1.
I felt that the N6 made the HUM sound a little slow in the bass and glossed over in the highs.  I thought the mids were presented differently but I perhaps enjoyed them more on the HUM.  Where the N6 is an aggressive (but refined, I like to think of it as a dx90 but sounds more refined and natural), the HUM sounds more like an ak100.  I find myself wanting to reach for the N6, but an hour later have a rest, when I did reach for the HUM, I would find myself still listening when it was time to go home from work 5 hours later.
 
 
HUM vs Alien
 
I think I am one of the alien’s biggest fans.  I truly do love it.  But sadly, I must say that the HUM bests it in almost all regards.  In fact, I find form factor and simplicity to be the only things on the Aliens side in this battle.  Yet, I find myself reaching for the Alien over the HUM 9/10. Why I hear you ask?  Are you even reading what you are writing?  Because there is something magic about the Alien that is just missing in the HUM.
The highs are clearer and contain more data than the Alien, the mids are smoother and more textured than the alien, the bass is stronger, it has line out, more output power, no dreaded hiss.  It is musical.  So why do I choose the Alien?  I honestly cannot tell you in anyway that involves technicalities.  I simply just love its sound.
 
 
Summary:
 
Ok, so we have established that I don’t like it’s sound, but think it sounds great.  That I love the UI.  That I don’t like how it looks like it will feel, but love how it feel’s.
Since that all makes sense I think I will call it a night.
I will add to this review in seriousness as I get time, but I felt I needed to get some thoughts out there to maybe inspire some other people on the fence to give it a try.
If you loved the AK100, if you love that warmish neutral sound, you like a smooth but detailed presentation, if you like a bit of power in reserve and if you like android, this is a great option and I would jump on it!!!!

Hi all,
 
I will prepare a proper review when I have some time and am not working.
 
In short however, these are superior to any IEM I have personally used for my tastes.
I listen to a vast range of music, but in particular live rock/acoustic/prog rock.
 
There is nothing like listening to Alice in Chains unplugged or Dream Theater and you can literally close your eyes and believe you are there.
 
These are nothing but disjointed thoughts at this stage, however as above, I will construct a meaningful review when I have a moment.

Review to come when i have some time.

Bottom line is, if you can pick these up on sale, they are a good buy for what they are.
 
They are fairly comfortable, have ample bass which sadly lacks a little control.
 
Overall it is a pleasant enough listen for a portable pair of cans.
With some EQ they can sound much better.

First off a little about me.
 
I wouldn't say I am an audiophile as such, though a few of my non music loving friends would tend to disagree.
I merely love music and cannot stand poor audio.  I know what I like in speakers/headphones.
That being said I may steer clear of as many audiophile terms as I can in this review,
 
Conditions/gear for this review:
 
A loud office building
A loud train on the commute
Unique Melody Mentor universal iems
Mr Speakers Mad Dog 3.2
An iPad mini retina 128gb
iPhone 5s
A HTC one m8
A fiio e18
And of course a beyerdynamic a200p that Beyer so graciously allowed me to trial and review.
 
 
 
Music used for this review is a mix of Chesky tracks, some flacs ranging from Nora Jones 24/192, daft punk 24/96 and even some system of a down 16/48.
 
I will also be using some 320 bit rate mp3s from various genres that I listen to on a daily basis.
 
Usually in such a review I would steer clear of mp3s etc however I see this as a portable solution that I am reviewing so in addition to critical reviewing with flacs I will review with the Kind of files a lot of people may pick up off iTunes or Google.play for their mobile device.
 
Ok so where to begin.
 
Pictures:
 

 

 

 

 

 
 
Aesthetics/design:
 
First off, this thing looks amazing.  The build quality is stellar.  Having owned an ak100 previously it was up to the standard I expected.
Looks aside however there are a few niggles in its design.
The volume wheel, though I understand what they were going for with the turn table design, is very hard to turn without the provided rubber pads.  I know they are provided but design wise this seems like an afterthought (and takes away from the look of the device)
When using the provided leather cover the track control buttons can be quite hard to distinguish, not impossible however it does make for some adjustment time.  With the case off this is a non issue.
Now this device is small. I am talking, take how small you expect it to be and halve its depth.  It really is amazing what they can do in such a small package.  This in mind however, it's form factor makes it almost awkward when sliding in and out of the pocket and when using the phone for browsing the internet or games as an example.
The design of the case would have me lean towards this not being meant to be in the pocket so much as on a belt etc while tethered to the phone in your pocket.  This is also a great idea except it makes your headphone cable quite awkward if you are wearing a suit or he like.
I know the above is mostly nitpicking so take it for what you will.
To me when going portable, functionality is almost as important as sound... Almost.
The cables provided work as intended, though don't wow me, but honestly every are USB cables, I am over it.
 
Sound:
 
I will break this into a few comparisons however firstly my overall thoughts on the sound.
 
The sound is crystal clear.  I was truly impressed by the transparency of this little guy.  In comparison to the AK100, it is all but as transparent.  It is not coloured in any obvious way and portrays the music in a very musical, non analytical way, which I guess is a result of good implementation of the DAC Chip used.
 
The bass strong, however not "boosted".  It is tight and detailed with no obvious bleed into the mids.  It extends well and really compliments the Mentors in this regard.
The lower mids, though a little less prominent than the bass, are still detailed and never sound thin.  This is a huge deal for me, as I tend to prefer a thicker (not muddy) sound to a thin, dry sound. 
The vocals I found to be very detailed, being able to hear lips opening and nose breathing from vocalists wasn’t something I had heard on my mobile listening, so this was a pleasant addition to my listening experience.
I found the highs to be quite smooth.  Very refined.  Never sibilant.  I know this has as much to do with the headphones/earphones presenting the music also, however I did not notice any negative impact on treble even when there were clearly more details presented than directly from an iPhone5s, HTC One M8, iPad Mini Retina or Fiio e18.
 
If I could attribute two words to the sound of the a200p they would be "refined" and "mature".
 
Some Comparisons:
 
HTC One vs a200p:
 
When comparing the HTC One and the a200p, one instantly notices a smoother sound from the a200p.  When going back and forth between the 2, the HTC sounds harsh.  Almost offensively so.  I understand one must adjust to the sound of one or another, but repeatedly, when switching back to the a200p, I was happily presented with a cleaner, more articulate sound with a airier wider sound stage, cleaner bass and breathtaking vocals.  Output wise, both devices drive my Mentors to painful levels.  With my MadDogs, after unlocking the volume limit, the a200p was slightly louder, however remained cleaner sounding right the way to the top.
 
iPhone 5s/iPad Mini retina vs a200p:
 
I have combined these comparisons because I believe the iPad and iPhone to sound very similar, however that the iPhone ever so slightly exceeds the iPad sound quality.
When comparing the iPhone and the a200p, while the difference wasn’t as clear as the HTC, it was obvious that the a200p is again more refined than the iPhone.
In this case however, it is better than the iPhone in every regard, but only slightly.  The iPhone has more bass quantity, but less control/detail/texture.  The mids are more recessed on the iPhone, and imo this is one of the clear wins of the a200p.  The treble is much smoother on the a200p, but retains detail besting the iPhone.  The iPhone can be shrill at higher listening levels/upper range, this is not present with the a200.  To me another big win.
The soundstage is bigger and instrument separation is leaps and bounds ahead of the 2 mobile devices.
Volume output on the iPhone/iPad were noticeably lower than the a200p.
 
E18 vs a200p:
 
While these 2 devices share similar features (while the e18 only natively supports android), they are very different products.
The a200p is a much prettier/smaller device, however I would argue that the e18 is actually a more useful form factor.  It slips into a pocket much easier, is easier to attach to a device and also doesn’t add complexity to using the device when in hand.
The controls of the e18 can be used through a trouser leg, volume, bass, gain, track change.  All of it.
That being said, the a200p being used outside the pocket on a belt etc, the controls are equally as easy to reach.
 
Comparing the sound on these 2 is almost like comparing a Bentley to a Camaro.
It greatly depends what you want in a device.
 
A200p Pros:
Fantastic looking device
Firmware works seamlessly with android and apple devices
Refined sound, detailed, more neutral than the e18
Very black background for iem's
Lock button.
Seemingly endless Battery life
NO DETECTIBLE INTERFERENCE FROM MOBILE DEVICE
 
A200p Cons:
Price
Weak amplifier (perfect for iem's however)
Awkward form factor if you intend to use the device it is tethered to.
 
E18 Pros:
Powerful amplifier
All the inputs and outputs you could ever need
Can be used as a DAC, amp or both.
Good form factor for attaching to a phone
Gain and bass boost options if required
Relatively cheap
 
E18 Cons:
Hiss (even on my mad dogs)
Buggy firmware as best I can tell, mine actually goes haywire every time the phone roams.
HORRIBLE MOBILE INTERFERENCE.
Heavy
Not neutral, bass centric sound.
 
Now I know I am not writing a review on the e18 but these are in comparison to the a200p and lets face it, the fiio is probably the closest competition to the a200 at this point in time.
 
If you are planning on using iem's, then my suggestion is the a200p hands down (if you can afford the extra $$).  It has a darker back ground, a balanced sound with fantastic clear detail but remains musical at all times.  I don’t believe the extra features of the e18 outweigh the difference in sound between the 2 devices.
The a200p has  better sound staging, better instrument separation, better upper mids and vocals.  The a200p almost makes the fiio sound dark.
 
HOWEVER if you are planning on using full sized headphones in your travels or you are a complete bass head then you have a tougher decision on your hands.
With my Mad Dogs, there are very few songs I don’t have the a200 at maximum volume to achieve a normal listening level. 
 
All this said however, I have not had the impulse to use anything BUT the a200p over the past week that I have had it.  In fact, I was disappointed to have to a/b it with alternative devices.
 
In closing, my advice, if you have a pair of iem's and you want to go mobile, it is hard to look past this device at its price point.  Some people will argue it is too expensive, but you are imo essentially allowing your phone to sound like an ak100 (sans the impedance issues).  Having the ability to have that sound quality, but still be able to use your music app of choice, stream if you like to, watch videos etc is worth the cost.
If however you are planning on running full sized cans, I would be setting some money aside for more powerful options in the HiFi m8.
 
If however you are poor, have a wife that cripples your audiophilism or are otherwise unable to save $350, then perhaps the e18 is an option for you.
 
Ciao for now.
 
Scott

Review to come with some more time with these.