Empire Ears Valkyrie

The Empire Ears Valkyrie is one of the newer IEM models from the company's X-Series of monitors. The Valkyrie is $1599 and is a tri-brid, 3-driver setup with a dynamic driver woofer, a balanced amature, and a Sonion Electrostatic Tweeter (EST) driver. This along with the Wraith are two of the tribrid IEMs that Empire Ears released in 2019.

I joined a Head-Fi tour of the Empire Ears Wraith and Valkyrie and being the last one of the tour, as of writing this, I was quickly sent these two units. I’d like to thank Empire Ears and Barra from Head-Fi for allowing me a chance to try these out.


Accessories & Build/Fit
The Valkyrie comes with in an average sized box with very cool drawer compartments much like the Sony IER-Z1R but on a smaller scale. It comes with a metal carrying case, a nicely braided Effect Audio Eros II cable, and a set of Final Type E tips and cleaning tools. I found the cable to be nicely made and looks attractive, however I did not like how springy it is which makes it a little hard to maneuver and hold in place.

The Wraith and Valkyrie differ a bit in design and size. The Valkyrie has a thinner shell which is a little lighter and easier to wear. It also has a spectacular green/blue/red shell that glows in different lighting, much like oil's rainbow refraction glow in sunlight. My photos in this review do not do it justice. In comparison, the Wraith looks rather boring and bland.



For the review I opted to use my own 4.4mm and 2.5mm balanced cables to make use of my various sources. For the sources, I used a mixed bag of digital audio players and desktop gear. The following are the combinations of gears I tested with:

• Astell & Kern Kann Cube
• Sony NW-ZX507
• Astell & Kern SR25
• Samsung Galaxy S10e
• iFi Zen Dac + F. Audio AM01
• Schiit Bifrost 2 + Schiit Jotunheim

Sound Impressions
The Valkyrie is undoubtedly a V-Shaped IEM with powerful bass and elevated treble. There is no denying that at all. But can I change my perception of V-shaped IEMs? That's hard to say. Most of the time, I can't stand this sound signature because typically the bass is overbearing to the point that it becomes muddy and bloated, and then the treble has such a large rise that it becomes overly shrill and sibilant.

In the case of the Valkyrie, I find the bass to sound really nice to be honest, but the treble is just beyond my breaking point in many types of music I enjoy.



When I first put these things on and strapped on some EDM music, my first initial reaction was, wow I feel like I am at a rave again, something I haven't personally gone to in at least 6 years. Boombastic bass and shrilly treble that made my ears want to bleed. But it's kind of fun too, like a guilty pleasure in some ways.

But, I took them off. And then I tried them on again, with different music. This time some indie rock and bluegrass -- my staple of Civil Wars, Chvrches and Alison Krauss. Chvrches' music had great thundering bass, but with so much emphasis in upper frequencies on their songs, I was a little fatigued right off the bat. With Alison Krauss and Civil Wars, I had a very forward sense due to the amount of string instruments and female vocals at play. Unfortunately with these types of music, I find that the female singers do sound a bit too shrill and too unnaturally bright.

So I removed them from my ears again. Disappointed and wanting to write them off again.

And then I decided, let's try rock music. Playing "Rooster" by Alice n Chains, I found that the V-shaped signature does wonders here with emphasis on the low end bass and metal guitars. Playing Radiohead however was a slightly more mixed bag, since again, I found the treble region to be just a tad too much, and was left with more fatigue.

I took a day off from the Valkyrie. And then slapped them on with rap music. I flipped my Sony ZX507 to Common's Be record, and instantly enjoyed this from start to finish with the Valkyrie. There's not a lot of upper range on this album except the occasional distorted female vocals like in "Testify" or the harmonics of drums, but for the most part, this album plays it simple and with the elevated low end and pinna gain, I actually found this to be a winning combination.

I can't say this is necessarily true for all rap music though, as I do find some bands like The Roots with ?uestlove's drumming to sound a little harsh, but in general, I do find it does well with rap and hip hop music for my taste, and also for the most part electronic dance music, as long as it's recorded pretty well.





Wrap-Up
I really didn't go into a very thoughtful and concise description of my sound impressions on this review as I typically do, but that's because my experience with the Valkyrie is just that way, not typical. I don't know if I really like it -- actually I know I don't really like it, at least not enough for me to purchase it myself, but I definitely see the appeal of this set. It has a fun sound. It's a guilty pleasure, and it has technical chops to carry a sound signature I usually think of Beats or something first.

But the Valkyrie please it well, and there's no bass bloat and no muddy sound for the most part. At least not to the level of my typical expectations of a V-Shaped sound signature. It doesn't do every genre right, and in fact, I can't stand it for most of my normal everyday music, but it does take me back to a younger self where my music tastes were more aligned with stuff that suit this IEM more so than my current everyday listening.

Take these impressions as however you like. I think it's a very pretty and stunning IEM, with a sound signature that isn't for everyone, including myself, but I definitely can see people enjoying this one. For me, I need to the try the Legend X for a guilty pleasure IEM (i.e. bass but less treble).

Note: All listening was done through foobar2000 on Windows 10 routed through an iBasso DX200 (Amp 1) functioning as a USB DAC.

Presentation:

The Valkyrie's signature is subtly but distinctly V-shaped (V for Valkyrie, obviously). The bass and treble are forward of the mids, but they don't drown them out. The tonality leans towards neutral rather than natural, but (with a few exceptions) there's palpable texture throughout the presentation. However, this seems to come at the expense of apparent detail and coherence: the Valkyrie can sometimes lose focus as more and more instruments are added to a mix, and the bass, mid, and treble each have a very distinct reproduction, which doesn't lend well to a cohesive sound. That said, if the Valkyrie isn't always the most resolving, it's still very detailed, engaging, and refined.

Bass:

The Valkyrie's bass is immensely powerful, but despite this, it's poised and balanced, and presents plenty of flexibility and dynamic range. No, it never steps out of the way entirely, but there's still quite a difference between the Valkyrie when it's restrained and the Valkyrie when it's let loose. And when it's let loose, boy does it have something to show. The Weapon IX dynamic can push some serious air, and it seems to enjoy doing so, but it always feels perfectly in control, with snappy decay, and—at least in the Valkyrie's case—enough texture and detail to hear the woodiness of a double bass or the turbulence of a kick drum. The bass is superbly extended and balanced: I detect no difference in volume between sub-bass and mid-bass. However, while solitary basslines are handled with aplomb even if they're quick or complicated, the Valkyrie often has trouble separating overlapping basslines and in such situations can end up muddy.

The Valkyrie's bass is also peculiar in that it doesn't make itself felt as much as heard—to the extent that you can clearly hear the bass coming from the earphones as opposed to in or around your body—and this leads to some unique effects. On the one hand, the bass never colors the overall presentation. Even if it's the loudest, most forward part of a mix, it rarely conceals, and never tinges, the higher frequencies. On the other hand, there's little impact or rumble: the attack is clean, and you can hear down into the depths of hell, but you never get kicked in the ribs or shaken to your soul. This limits fatigue, but it also limits excitement. Dance tracks were puzzling to listen to through the Valkyrie because the basslines were so prominent and yet somewhat lifeless. I felt like I should have been inspired into a frenzy of footwork, but I wasn't even lifted from my chair.

Perhaps I can summarize by saying that the Valkyrie's bass performance is engaging rather than fun. It's big and solid, speedy but not ephemeral, and has plenty of detail, all of which make it a joy to listen to but do not create the primal, chthonic experience you might otherwise expect from its sheer volume. EDM fans beware! (But everybody else rejoice!)

Mids:

The Valkyrie's mid presentation is highly track-dependent, both in terms of quality and positioning. I'd say their primary characteristic is transparency. They're most comfortable taking a (close) backseat to the bass and treble, but they will come forward when asked, and vocals in particular aren't afraid to take the focus. When they do so, however, they feel a little strained and lose some detail, as if somebody EQ'd them just past what the driver could handle. But honestly, it's usually not that noticeable, and I at least prefer this approach to mids which are perfectly rendered but inaudible.

The mids are also by far the most resolving segment of the Valkyrie's performance. Especially when they're on their own or sparsely accompanied, the detail, separation, and speed are excellent. Transient response in particular is among the best I've heard, and timbre is quite good as well, at least with quality recordings. However, because the mids are set back in the mix, none of this is obvious: it only becomes apparent when you pay particular attention to it, and sometimes not even then if the treble or bass are too busy.

In general, the Valkyrie has a better time with instruments than with vocals: clarinets, guitars, pianos, etc. all sound highly detailed and realistic, while voices (both male and female) come across a little flatter and less nuanced, even when they have appropriate body and volume (which is most of the time). The vocal presentation is generally faithful: no artificial chestiness or wispiness, passable dynamic range, but not much in the way of micro-detail or texture. That said, I think it's well more than adequate if utmost vocal realism is a secondary concern for you.

Put simply: if you like a well executed V-signature, the Valkyrie's mids are just dandy, but if you aren't a fan, the Valkyrie probably won't change your mind, even though it's more balanced and refined than most.

Treble:

The Valkyrie's treble is a little rough around the edges. In typical EST fashion, it's present and clear without being piercing, but it's not very forgiving either. Sibilance is noticeable, especially with poor recordings, and cymbals and snare drums can be a little too insistent. Trumpets and flutes sound great for the most part but often lack body and resonance as they ascend into their upper registers. The Valkyrie's treble overall has a slightly thin and brittle quality: it's not offensive by any stretch of the imagination, especially considering I'm particularly sensitive, but I always find myself wishing the treble had a little more roundness and shimmer. Treble extension is excellent, and for the most part the treble manages to make itself heard without dominating, erring on the side of getting lost rather than stabbing through a dense mix. However, I have heard monitors, such as the Unique Melody MEST, that find a happy medium between the two that the Valkyrie can't quite match.

Separation, however, is the biggest problem with the Valkyrie's treble. When there's too much going on in the bass for the Valkyrie to parse, it becomes muddy, but that's not so bad because you just accept that there's a vague mass of bass on top of which everything else can float. When there's too much going on in the treble, on the other hand, everything starts colliding in a much more obvious manner. Each triangle hit competes with each cymbal tap competes with each synth note, and the result isn't pretty. It never becomes strident or sharp, but it's impossible to follow and does become very distracting.

This taken into account, for the most part the treble is well balanced against the mids and the bass, and takes advantage of the capability of the EST driver to maintain a present treble that isn't brazen or obnoxious. It's so close to excellence; it just needs to sort out complicated, intricate passages a little better than it does.

Soundstage/Imaging:

Weirdly enough, the Valkyrie's soundstage is problematically short. It's not expansive, but it's wide and deep enough that you'd expect it to have plenty of space; but, because everything gets squashed onto one plane, instruments run into each other a little too often. If the track is really dense, the Valkyrie can get away with it; but if the track is at all scattered or spread out, the Valkyrie quickly becomes flummoxed. As a result, imaging is fairly mediocre and there is very little air to the presentation. However, when there are few instruments competing for space, the Valkyrie does position them well, taking full advantage of its commendable depth.

Build/Fit:

The Valkyrie is surprisingly diminutive, and the included Final Audio Type E tips are excellent as always and come in the full range of sizes from XS to XL. I don't think anybody should have an issue getting these to fit comfortably. The construction feels solid, and the exclusive Dragonhide faceplate is a real sight. 10/10 from this reviewer.

Comparisons:

Comparisons to the Empire Ears Phantom, Unique Melody MEST, Campfire Audio Solaris 2020, and AAW Mockingbird are coming soon!

Conclusion:

The Valkyrie sounds like a reference monitor on nitrous. Its bass is confidently powerful, its mids won't be bullied into submission either, and its treble is dry and clear. Its detail retrieval is top-notch and it's blisteringly quick all across the spectrum. But the bass doesn't make itself felt, the mids aren't entirely comfortable if brought to the fore, the treble is scattered, and the three characters don't always integrate well. If you're looking for a monitor to hooligan around with or listen critically, or if you're a vocalhead, I would look elsewhere. But in my opinion, the Valkyrie is just about ideal for casual listening to anything that doesn't involve upwards of seven or eight instruments playing at the same time, especially with that magic bass that's so huge without ever being dominant or fatiguing.

I give the Valkyrie 3.5 stars not to say it's mediocre by any means, but to warn my reader that its appeal will be narrow. The Valkyrie offers a very particular and unique signature that won't be for everyone, but if you think it might be for you, I strongly encourage you to give the Valkyrie a ride, because I've never heard anything quite like it.

Introduction

Empire Ears is one of the few, US brands that caters to the hi-fi IEM market. In this niche, most brands tend to do one of two things: Play it safely or go wild with their tunings. Empire Ears happens to fall into the latter category, and it’s done so to a surprising degree of success. To this effect, the Valkyrie is their latest tri-hybrid IEM. It utilizes a DD for the lows, a BA for the mids, and an EST for the highs. The Valkyrie is a wild-ride of an IEM that certainly won’t be for everyone, but is stellar for those it appeals to. Let’s talk about why.



The Tangibles

I’ll mostly let the photos speak for themselves. Empire Ears really knocked it out of the ballpark here, and I love the accessories and overall presentation.

• Good build quality on the Valkyrie itself. The faceplate artwork is phenomenal, and it’s clear a lot of attention and detail went into it.
• Some driver flex when inserting the IEM, it’s loud. Once it’s in, it’s not an issue luckily.
• The aluminum case is super-sound and has a level of quality I’ve yet to see with other brands. I’m seriously considering purchasing one stand-alone for myself.
• Effect Audio Eros II cable

Sound Analysis

Please see here for a full-breakdown of my testing methodology, music preferences and more.

The Valkyrie’s frequency response is characterized by an aggressive V-shape; starting from the low-end, the Valkyrie brings its best to the table. It’s sub-bass centric with excellent extension and the most drawn-out decay I’ve heard of any IEM. You can absolutely hear the subwoofer rumble, the texture is all there. To this effect, I’d consider it visceral, a word I’ve refrained from using in my reviews thus far. No, seriously. Anything EDM or pop, particularly female-vocal stuff, flies real well with the Valkyrie.

Despite making my inner-basshead jump for joy, it’s not all sunshine and daisies. The mid-bass is likewise boosted, but the attack is lacking some bite and takes what I can only describe as a rounded edge. The aforementioned decay also leads to time-domain overlap; it simply lags behind too much. Thus, I find that there is a lack of coherency to the Valkyrie’s low end versus the midrange and treble.

But the midrange also leaves something to be desired. It’s seriously thin, and it especially struggles with male vocals; take for example Blake Shelton, who sounds strained on the Valkyrie. Forget genres like country music with the Valkyrie. That said, things pick back up with female vocals. Some stuff like Taeyeon’s “I” when she hits her high notes are pushing it, but they’re serviceable enough. Moving along to the treble – it’s actually there! Empire Ears has managed to properly implement an EST. Good stick impact and a very slight roll-off, the highs are pretty crisp. They’re also quite elevated, and as a result the Valkyrie has a bright, energetic timbre.

Let’s talk technicalities because the Valkyrie is surprisingly competent given its tonal balance.

• There is some timbral coloration; I wouldn’t call it bad at all though, and it gives the Valkyrie a pleasant, musical warmth.
• Soundstage is decidedly average, bordering on somewhat closed-in. Thus, there is a sense of intimacy that compliments the aggressive presentation. No issues with imaging.
• In pure speed, I’d say the Valkyrie is on the faster side sans the bass response which tends to lag behind (mostly in the sub-bass) as I noted earlier.
• Resolution and detail retrieval are good, but not what I would consider class-leading. In this regard, the Valkyrie clearly falls behind some of the established giants like the 64audio U12t and Sony IER-Z1R. The Valkyrie’s still a “baby flagship” after all.

Most of all, I find that the Valkyrie has that elusive engagement factor in spades. At least for the stuff it plays well with, from the warm, timbral coloration to the intimate soundstage, this thing knows how to put on a show. And frankly, it’s intoxicating. Even going back to my 64audio U12t, which is objectively the better performer, left me wanting something more. Go ahead – call me a dirty basshead. But this is something that I can’t say I’ve found with most IEMs.

The Verdict

When I was a kid, my dad would sometimes take me out for a ride in his sports car. And well, let’s just say he’d push the speed limit a little – OK, a lot – on some curvy streets for fun. I mostly just remember clutching my knees and being shell-shocked, but always knowing that he was still at the wheel. Likewise, the Valkyrie is toeing the line with its tonal balance. And yet, I do think that it manages to just barely stay in control due to its surprisingly strong technical chops.

Let’s be real, this is a niche IEM. The Valkyrie is not a good all-arounder; however, it stands that there is no perfect IEM. And in this vein, I can see the Valkyrie being a great piece to round out an IEM collection or being for someone who wants an engaging, edge-of-your-seat IEM. Empire Ears clearly had an artistic vision when they set out to make the Valkyrie, and I’d say they mostly succeeded. Above all, given Empire Ear’s often less-than-conventional tunings, this is the stuff that gets me excited to see what they can put out – consider me impressed.