Context/Disclaimer: I signed up for the EVO tour, and had EVO on hand for 7 days. By participating, I was required to: (1) share my impressions online; and (2) pay for outbound shipping.

Reading Guide: I have structured my impressions in the form of Q&As, featuring questions I had in mind prior to receving the tour unit. I have not added a new question or omitted one to make things look better (or worse).

Question 1: What is the sound signature of EVO?

Overall, I think EVO is a clean and gentle sounding earphone. It sounds "clean" as there is a decent level of clarity and detail; and "gentle" as the edges are softer and more relaxed (at least when compared to ER4S/ER4SR).

The most noticeable difference between EVO and ER4S/ER4SR is the treble. The treble of EVO is more subdued, and has a darker timbre. Switching from ER4S/ER4SR to EVO, I need some adjustment time as I find the higher pitched instruments, such as the violins and the high brasses, to sound quite different. This is particularly noticeable in recording featuring a larger ensemble.

Surprisingly, I didn't find the bass boost to be that stark. The bass is undoubtedly more present, but it is not as tight or as intense as I expected. I was expecting EVO to have both bass quantity and intensity boosted, but I think the boost is more restrained and more forgiving.

What I like best about EVO is how it re-creates the ambience/reverberation in smaller scale recordings. There are moments that remind me of how the sound of the instruments interacts with the concert hall. These moments are more common in chamber recital recordings, as well as some quieter string pizzicato passages.

What I don't really like is the treble. There are two things that I find difficult to love. First, relative to what I am used to, I find the timbre of higher-pitched instruments different. For example, I find the violins a little too metallic, and the violin harmonics a little too coarse. Second, I think the treble somehow more rigid than the bass, and I find the timbre in the higher and lower ends slightly different.

Question 2: Is EVO unique?

I think the reverberation in small scale recordings is quite special. Occasionally EVO reminds me of the intimate sound of the Wigmore Hall, and the dry sound of Barbican. Of course this is very far from a complete re-creation of the ambience, but I think it is quite nice that it reminds me of these little magical moments sometimes.

However, I would not go that far to say I find EVO unique. I'd regard a pair of earphones as unique if I have attached some keywords to it, like I have attached "surgical precision" to ER4S/ER4SR. But don't get me wrong: EVO is good, just that to me, it doesn't have a one-of-a-kind character/characteristic.

Question 3: How versatile is EVO?

EVO is among the more versatile earphones/headphones I have tried.

I enjoy using EVO to listen to solo, chamber, mid-scale orchestral works, and - surprisingly - historical recordings. EVO is quite forgiving when it comes to historical recordings: it is not too dry, or too harsh, or too congested.

EVO goes OK with larger scale orchestral works, but I think it is less of its strengths as things sound a little congested, and the edges are not sharp enough.

Question 4: How comfortable is EVO?

Decent, but can be better. I speculate some (including me) will need quite a bit of trial-and-error to find out the best eartips to go with EVO.

With the eartips provided (S/M/L/XL), I have a seal/depth trade-off. The L-sized tip gives me a good seal, but EVO cannot get deep enough. With the L-sized tip, I can feel the weight of EVO but this has not led to fatigue so long as I am not on the go.

Unfortunately, I have some comfort issues when I am on the go, due to shallow insertion. Smaller tip sizes allow me to insert the EVO deeper, but there is essentially no seal.

The Linum BaX is a big plus in terms of comfort. It is light, thin and flexible, which helps a lot since I wear glasses. However, unlike Super BaX, BaX gets tangled quite easily.

Finally, due to its metallic shell, I am not sure whether EVO is winter-friendly.

Question 5: Will you buy EVO?

I will have to see. I think the price tag is reasonable, but there are three reasons that are holding me back at the moment. First, I will have to find the right eartips, which may not be easy. Second, I will have to buy a Linum Super BaX, since BaX gets tangled quite easily. Third, EVO seems not to fit my listening habits that well. I only use in-ear monitors when I am out. Since I primarily listen to modern (instead of historical) recordings on the go, my ER4S and ER4SR have an advantage over EVO.

However, let me play safe. The impressions I have now are based only on a week-long session using less-than-ideal eartips. I didn't manage to get a deep-enough insertion, so I am not finalizing my thoughts just yet.

Question 6: Other Thoughts?

- Pairing: I find the EVO quite power-hungry. I prefer driving it via my desktop setup rather than my portable player.

- Linum: A number of users seem not to be convinced by Linum's durability. I have been an owner of a BaX and a SuperBaX for a few years and have never had a problem.

- Etymotic's house sound: While EVO still shares some Etymotic characteristics, it is quite different from the ER series earphones. ER2/3/4s are like siblings, whereas EVO is more like a cousin.

Albums Sampled (Label: Title [Catalogue Number]):

ALPHA: Messiaen: Vingt Regards sur le l'infant-Jesus [ALPHA423]
Bayerisches Staatsoper: Mahler: Symphony No. 7 [BSOREC0001]
BIS: Thalberg: L'Art du chant apllique au piano, etc [BIS-2515]
BR Klassik: Shostakovich: Symphony No. 7 [BR Klassik 900184]
BR Klassik: Shostakovich: Symphony No. 10 [BR Klassik 900185]
Chopin Institute: Karlowicz: Violin Concerto, etc [NIFCCD067]
Decca: Liszt [Decca 4851450]
ECM: Brahms: Piano Concertos [ECM4855770]
Hyperion: Bach: Keyboard Patitas [CDA68311-2]
Hyperion: Kapustin: Piano Music [CDA67159]
LSO Live: Bruckner: Symphony No. 6 [LSO0842]
Naxos: Dvorak: Symphony No. 6, etc [Naxos 8.112050
Pristine: Mahler: Symphony No. 9 [PASC389]
Pristine: Bach: Goldberg Variations [PAKM089]
Testament: Schumann: Fantasy, etc [SBT1023]
Testament: Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No. 3, etc [SBT1029]
Warner: Bach: Violin Partitas [Warner 50479]
Wigmore Hall Live: Brahms: Violin Sonatas [WHLIVE0050]
Wigmore Hall Live: Mozart: Piano Sonatas [WHLIVE0061]

My Go-to Gear/Preferences:

Source: Laptop
DAC: Linnenberg VIVACE
HPA: Linnenberg MAESTRO
Headphones: Sennheiser HD600
DAP: Quloos QA361
Earphones: Etymotic ER4S/Etymotic ER4SR/Ocharaku Flat4-KEYAKI Plus
Genre: Solo piano, chamber, and orchestral music