IMR Acoustics R1

Introduction

I’ve lived in medieval times before. It’s true! I once did an internet questionnaire about it and watched Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves a few times. Back then, professions had a “smith” at the end, preceded by the one thing people were good at. So I’d probably be a wordsmith, Will Smith would be terribly good at writing wills, Robin Hood would be an Aerosmith, and Ron Sexsmith would likely be king of all the lands.

The medieval-talk was inspired by the steampunk design of the IMR Acoustics R1, which looks like an artifact of that era. Bob James, IMR owner, is the blacksmith and tunesmith of today. While not the most popular Bob (hard when you have Marley, Hope, and “the Builder” occupying top three), he cut his teeth in Trinity Audio, coming up with model after model and becoming essentially their spokesperson in Head-Fi until Trinity went under. He knew his stuff.

IMR Acoustics is Bob’s attempt to hit refresh, start anew, and kick ass again doing what he loves: making boutique in-ear monitors (IEMs) with incredible sound. The R1 is the fruit of his labour, a carefully crafted IEM that, according to the official site hopes to sound like an electrostatic headphone. It is also the only model offered by IMR so far, so R1 is both the entry level and flagship model. You go all in!

The R1 has a dual-dynamic hybrid driver setup: a 13mm ceramic driver paired with a 13mm beryllium driver with neodymium motors, capable of covering a staggering 14-40,000Hz in the frequency range. You might want to ask your doggo for help in this. It also has a dial in each earpiece that acts as ambient ports, and five audio filters to fine-tune the sound signature to your liking.

While not a technological marvel per se, the features alone outweigh the average IEM of any price. IMR is hopefully, having fun and taking things seriously in the IEM game again. Contradictory yes, but ask anyone who loves their job and business meets pleasure, leisure and... treasure I guess?

The R1 retails for £500 and is currently available through IMR’s official website. I thank Bob profusely for giving me the opportunity to review the R1, which was provided free of charge as a review sample.

This review was first featured in Headphonesty.




The soft glow belies the royal ear-smacking the listener is about to receive.



Equipment Used

DAP

• Sony NW-WM1A "K" Modded, FW 2.0
• iBasso DX-200 with AMP8

IEMs

• IMR Acoustics R1
• Acoustune HS-1650CU
• Empire Ears Legend X

Albums Listened

• Bon Jovi – Cross Road
• Daft Punk – Random Access Memories
• Denean – The Weaving
• Ed Sheeran – Divide
• Fleetwood Mac – Rumours
• Lorde – Pure Heroine
• Melissa Menago – Little Crimes
• Michael Jackson – The Essential
• Salena Jones – Salena Sings J-Ballad
• Simon and Garfunkel – The Essential
  

Packaging and Accessories

Sometimes at night, I leave the marital bed and retreat to the study for some furious reviewing. And sometimes, my wife would wake up and come a huntin’. If I was in the middle of an unboxing session and the packaging looked nice, yeah I get off the hook. Otherwise, well...

The R1 packaging would not survive this lol. It’s not an ugly packaging, but it’s obviously aimed directly at hobbyists. It won’t appeal to the casual bystander, or casual wife for that matter. The black and red box does have masculine flair, and the IMR logo is pretty nifty, but that’s about it. I’ve seen much better packaging elsewhere, but let’s move on. I just received an earful from the missus.

After unsheathing the black cardboard cover, an angry-looking red box greets you. Open the box, and the R1 says hello. You get a complete set of accessories too, some I’ll admit I might never use. There are 7 pairs of eartips (4 pairs of grey silicone in S/M/M/L, a pair of double-flanged white silicone in M, and 2 pairs of foam in M/L), a zippered hard case, shirt clip, 6.5mm adapter, cable, and the stars of the show, 5 pairs of audio filters with a metal holder.

For on-the-go use, the zippered case is large enough to hold the R1, cable, and all audio filters in the metal holder. One gripe is the metal holder has a crude finish, reinforcing the DIY aesthetic of the R1 rather than something more polished and high-end.




Assemble troops! Sonic attack imminent!



Design and Build Quality

Like polar bears, the R1 has a polarising design, but for the record I love it. The steampunk, industrial-inspired design speaks to me in different manly languages. The gunmetal colour makes me love it even more. It looks like what knights in glittery armour would wear to pump themselves up before jousting, in the good ol’ days.

The CNC engineered aluminium chassis is chiseled and smooth to the touch, with strong curves and a distinct poise. The dial that operates the port system has a sinister smile ala Watchmen. The R1 is built tough, and looks tough, like Jason Statham in IEM form. Just a brilliant masculine design through and through. I feel like chugging a beer, devouring red meat and wrestling a bear after coming in contact with the R1.



Cable

Since Trinity Audio days Bob is known to make his own cables rather than rely on stock, generic stuff. The 2-pin cable provided is made of Oxygen-free Copper (OFC), sheathed in a thick layer of TPU. From the connectors to the Y-split and the L-shaped jack, build quality is robust and made to stand the test of time (except hungry mouse attacks). However, ergonomics take a big knock.

The cable, being thick and hard to tame, tends to straighten itself. This means hooking the cable around the ear is quite an exercise. You’ll need to use the chin slider and have it pressed against the chin to hold the cable in place. If you intend to switch cables I have more bad news. The 2-pin sockets in the earpieces are 90 degrees rotated compared to other IEMs, so you can only use cables without earguides. Good luck in your quest.



Fit, Isolation, and Comfort

All-metal, I have bad memories of them. I pre-ordered Campfire Audio’s insanely popular Andromeda when it was first announced, and drove out to the post office to retrieve it because I simply. could. not. wait. Putting them on for the first time, I felt despair. The inside edges pressed uneasily against my ears, causing pain and pleasure in equal measure (it sounded excellent lol).

With that in mind, I approached the R1 with apprehension. The edges were smooth, but God the dial that controls the port system has some shiny sharp edges! Sweating, I put them on and... nothing. They sit perfectly in my ears, and the grim anticipation of getting my ears cut did not materialise. I dodged a bullet (more a knife), but can’t help but think that the dial might cause discomfort for others if the orientation was off by just a little.

Of the plethora of ear-tips provided, I was able to obtain the best comfort and seal with medium-sized stock grey silicone. With them, I wore the R1 for hours on end without issue. I do not feel the weight of the R1 in my ears, which despite its all-metal, imposing build, is pretty lightweight. I normally rely on aftermarket tips but not this time.




The “cogs” control the port system. I'm quite sure the O is for obsessive and the C is for compulsive. Smile!



Now, the port system. The dial that looks like a smiley rotates left and right to control how much outside noise enters, effectively controlling the level of isolation. The difference between fully open and fully closed are subtle but noticeable. I tend to leave it fully open for the biggest possible stage size and airiness, forgiving the small amount of outside noise I hear.

Fully closed, the sound becomes more focused and closed-in, although not playing to the strengths of the R1. The isolation is merely average even when fully closed, so I wouldn’t get this for daily commutes. I can think of only a handful of situations where you need the ports closed (library, hospital, ignoring the wife, dog, police). You might have your own reasons.



Sound Quality

With two dynamic drivers of exotic materials, you can be sure I’ll cook ‘em until they’re crispy and give off an otherworldly aroma. The R1 was burnt in with gentle music for 200 hours, giving the drivers a soft massage before dispatching them for full-time duty. After 200 hours it can be argued that the bass became tighter and punchier, while the imaging is a hair more accurate. Don’t dispute me.

The main setup used was Sony WM1A "K" Modded (low gain and Direct Source on) > stock cable > R1. I also took the R1 out for a spin with the iBasso DX200 but prefer the warmth and tonality of the WM1A rig.



Overall Sound Signature

If music paints a picture, the R1 is a bright red ‘V’ sign, expressing a valiant, vibrant tuning, versatile signature choice, vast staging, vivid imaging, and victorious execution. The overall sound signature of the R1 is unapologetically V-shaped, bringing deliciously-enhanced bass and a lifted treble. Another similarity across all filter choices is the epic-scale soundstage, which really can’t be ignored.




The acoustic filter system in a nutshell. Unscrew, rescrew, review.



IMR provides five audio filters to fine-tune your signature choice. The filters carry DNA from Trinity Audio days, and provide variety and play value. They are easy to install and switch, just a matter of screwing in (ooh) the nozzle of choice, which are colour-coded. IMR gave a rundown of each filter’s signature in their website, but naturally I prefer to use my own words.

Black
The meatiest presentation, an ‘L’-shaped signature with super-prominent bass and treble, with mids not too far behind. The midbass is too rounded and bloaty for my taste.

Pink
Like black, still meaty and forward, but with the bass screws tightened, resulting in a classic people-pleasing ‘V’-shape. Fits most genres.

Copper
Bass on steroids. An overload of boominess at the lower regions for maximum warmth. However, bass bleeds aplenty and the overall presentation is congested.

Orange
IMR’s take on the Audeze sound. Treble is rolled-off early and bass not as impactful, resulting in a warm, smooth signature fit for (relative) easy listening.

Blue
The brightest, airiest signature with a midbass scoop and upper mids hump. Closest to neutral, normally my thing but hampered by an obvious metallic timbre.

To Summarise
Bass quantity: Copper > black > pink > orange > blue.
Treble quantity: Blue > black > pink > copper > orange.
My preference: Pink > orange > black > copper > blue.

My favourite filter is pink, and the rest of the sound impressions are written with the pink filter in mind. I also use the orange for lounging sessions and bouts of self pity. Let’s analyse the sound characteristics further.



Bass

The great Muhammad Ali had two skills: floating and stinging. The R1 bass does a bit more than sting, it pummels, but floats away gently as well. Depending on your filter the R1 bass varies from earth-shattering to mildly earth-shattering, and is a highlight of the IEM.

The subbass reach is tremendously low, rumbling and shaking like a trendy bottomless party. It moves air like making nobody’s business his business. The midbass has similar flair, deliciously full-bodied and well-layered. One half of the brain might ask, is this the ceramic or the beryllium driver working its magic? The other half will say “shut up and dance!”

Notes are thunderously impactful, with enough punch in attack to knock the wind out of you, like Ali. The best part is, right after the pummeling, notes decay into a beautiful flutter, airy and delightfully textured. Floats like a butterfly. Strength and agility rolled into one. It’s a gargantuan bass worth savouring over and over again, delicately gentle one moment and mercilessly lethal the next.



Mids

The mids have a tough act to follow, but get a good headstart. Despite the big bass, there is no bleed into the mids (except the boomy copper filter where everything just haemorrhages like an A&E department). The mids are placed a step back compared to the bass and treble, allowing the signature some breathing space and air.

First the good news, the mids are sufficiently transparent, airy and textured. Remember Bob's aim to have an electrostat-like sound? He's one foot in the pond here. You won't miss an ounce of detail, or if you live in Europe, a gram. R1 reproduces detail like it was second nature, and scoffs at lesser IEMs that cannot do the same.

Tonally though, I find them a misstep. While in every filter setting the mids are warmish and congruent with the bass, notes are bereft of fullness and body, especially in human voices. Woman-in-front-of-piano songs lack intimacy and allure, sounding emotionally distant. Voices have a ringing, nasal quality, like I’m listening to the reverb and echo more than the actual note.

Note length is unaffected, but it’s hard to shake off the 30% attack, 70% decay feeling. It’s like having an appetiser then straight to dessert. This is less apparent while listening to instruments, although the timbre veers towards a metallic tinge. I can’t help but think that in the pursuit of an airy, electrostat-like sound, note body and timbre are affected. You can't have it all.




Even amongst the gravel, the R1 just drips testosterone, like Clint frickin’ Beastwood.



Treble

At last we arrive at the treble. Down and on the ropes, Bob cracks his knuckles and proclaims, “showtime”. If the mids employed the rope-a-dope and absorbed all the damage it could take, the treble is the counterattack we’ve been waiting for. This is where the R1 shows its minerals and roars back into contention.

The treble is one for the ages. Airy, dynamic and extended for aeons, no matter what filter you choose you will hear the magnanimous treble clamouring for attention. Notes are delivered to you at hyperspeed, with a shiny, devilish sparkle. It’s like training for an upcoming pageant. Sparkle your way in, sashay, strike a pose, smile, sparkle your way out. Or maybe you’re Prince.

Oh the details, the texture, and the transparency level! It’s like the lid lifted off a boiling pot, or more succinctly a roof blown open. When Pharrell sings “clap your hands if you feel like a room without a roof”, yes he’s just heard the R1 treble. It has the speed and grunt to mine out the most minute of micro-details effortlessly. Attack and decay are precise and on point, cast against a hush-quiet background.

A nay-sayer interrupts, “is it sibilant?” And boy I have to tell you, our tastes might differ. I wallop treble like I wallop chilli, in high doses pretending it’s nothing, although in mortal pain. The treble here is unmistakably bright, and with the blue filter, prone to hisses and harshness. For other filters, the treble is a workhorse and a sparklehorse, with the occasional surprising zing. If you’re after a smooth treble, you’ve got the wrong review.



Soundstage and Imaging

You’re probably a regular working guy like me. Bound by the shackles of a 9-5 job, family commitments, bills to pay, a horrible secret that no one must ever know about, and a hobby to keep you sane. But at night, when you sleep, perchance to dream, everything is possible. The R1 won’t magically pay your bills and set things right (hell, it’ll plunge you further in debt), but listening to it sets you free.

In dreams, when you’re a lion, looking for a gazelle to play with in the plains of Africa; or when you’re Neo, flying across the city where everyone doesn’t know life beyond the Matrix. The R1 recreates this sense of freedom, of wide open spaces yet to be explored, and puts you in the middle of it, ready to play.

The soundstage height and depth are phenomenal, but pale to the awe-inspiring, jaw-dropping width. With the ports fully open (maximum freedom), you hear sounds in and all around you, melding with just a bit of outside ambience that acts like another injection of air. You think, this must be the neodymium motors pushing the sound as far away from your head as possible! I wouldn’t know.

As for imaging, positional cues are easily deciphered in all directions. The layering in the Z-axis is believable from front to back, while L-R positioning is near-flawless. Closing the ports brings the elements of the music closer, and imaging more solid, but nah, I’d rather the massive soundstage please. Your tastes may vary, of course. I’m all-in for the business of bigness.



Comparisons

Acoustune HS-1650CU

I heard the similarly-priced R1 and the 1650CU at an audio show and both wowed me. Unable to decide a winner then, naturally I acquired both for an intimate one-on-one. The 1650CU is one of the latest single dynamic IEMs rolled out by Acoustune, whose parent company Nippon DICS is responsible for creating Pentaconn 4.4mm jacks, so audio products are definitely in their DNA.

If we talk about everything but the sound, the R1 can pack its bags and go home. The 1650CU obliterates the R1 in packaging, design, build quality, accessory set, cable, and that special premium feel (also smell, touch, and even taste) inside and out. But here, sound quality rules supreme, and the R1 can yet redeem itself.




Just… so much bling in the room right now.



Signature-wise, the 1650CU is a warm monitor whereas R1 is more V-shaped. The magnificent R1 bass has quicker, punchier bass hits and decay, with more abyssal subbass rumble. The 1650CU is more midbassy, with thicker notes and a longer decay, which contributes to some warm air in the signature. The R1 takes the bass battle easily, but 1650CU returns the favour in mids.

Heck, 1650CU absolutely routs the R1 in mids. Tone, timbre, euphony, note richness, and most of all realism. Listening to Lorde gave me goosebumps, and I haven’t even begun listening to my diva collection yet. R1 might have the speed and detail levels in mids, but 1650CU sounds too close to the real thing to care.

Both trebles are executed well, with R1 punching air and details left and right, while 1650CU opts for a smoother transition with moments of excitement. It’s more a preference game. R1 takes control in the soundstage, with a bigger stage in all directions and a cleaner background, but more diffuse imaging. The 1650CU has more focused imagery, with fully-formed vocals and instruments.

In short, the 1650CU is able to deliver a more enjoyable, musical sound, with more meat in the bones, so to speak, and crazy-good mids. The R1 on the other hand has a more exciting, transparent and analytical signature complemented with some truly awesome bass.



Empire Ears Legend X

There’s the obvious price difference between the two, but when you talk about bass, the Legend X is never far, in fact he’ll come sprinting. As you might not know, I’ve awarded the Legend X the “Best Bass in the Universe” title, and like Miss Universe, he will spend the year doing humanitarian work and spreading the message of peace and goodwill. Yeah right.




Ace of Bass. All that she wants!



With its twin subwoofers, you can bet Legend X’s humanitarian work more resembles Street Fighter, battling worldwide and summoning Akuma if he accidentally got too good. So right off the bat, his aggressive, bass-first signature will hook you, delivering more slam and rumble than the R1, sounding “dirtier” with a longer decay yet agonisingly addictive.

The R1 for once, has a tighter and more disciplined bass, taking a less is more approach. Its more polite subbass and midbass means cleaner and airier hits, although they still possess thunderous impact. It’s actually an insanely close fight, but for those who know what I’m talking about, R1 has one of the best bass in IEMs, but Legend X, damn, it approaches the speaker realm.

From the mids onwards though, the Legend X truly flexes its muscles as one of the top IEMs in the market right now. He manages to sound more organic and natural while conveying equal amounts of detail as the R1. Notes are fuller and more accurate with lifelike texture, easily overshadowing the R1’s fragile tone and timbre.

As for the treble, Legend X clearly extends as far as R1, but stays pretty even without any particular emphasis. R1 treble while unquestionably detailed, sounds peaky and grainy in comparison. Its tinniness and slight metallic tinge are made more obvious compared to the smoothness and accuracy of the Legend X. R1 is trying his hardest but Legend X didn’t even break a sweat.

R1 does pull one back in the soundstage department. With fully open ports, they sound wider than Legend X, which already has one of the widest soundstages in custom IEMs. They are more or less equal in stage depth, height and imaging capability, but R1 is truly something special for the soundstage nut.

A wise man (ok I browsed the forums again) once said, mid-tier stuff shows you how amazing the top-of-the-lines (TOTLs) are. I tend to agree. The Legend X, while on a class of its own, has a pupil-dilating price tag to match. The R1 performs solidly in its tier, and is without a doubt the value-for-money buy.



Final Words

In any product line, there is a tendency to zoom into three distinct groups: the entry level to reel in the budget-minded or curious; the consensus value-for-money buy because everyone loves bang-for-buck (or just banging); and the top of the line… because you’re worth it <wink>. Everything else, unfortunately, falls by the wayside.

Flagship IEMs nowadays come in at an eye-watering, eye-gouging USD2000 minimum, increasing the need for a new category: the value-oriented TOTL. Something that you can be proud of owning, but will leave your bank account smiling (intact actually, who am I kidding here). Campfire Audio, CustomArt and Lime Ears are proud practitioners of this renegade group.




Verily, this I know. The R1 is a veritable sonic juggernaut.



You can count IMR R1 as one of the products f… I mean bucking the trend of super-costly TOTLs. Truth is, there is plenty to like about the R1. It is a boutique product with a design language that takes getting used to. But once you get past the DIY aesthetic, peel away the rough and tough exterior (figuratively!), the R1 eventually reveals its many charms.

Purely talking about sound, the show-stopping bass, football field-esque soundstage, and stratospheric detail levels will leave many in awe. It has an unabashedly bold sound signature that borders on the epic, and akin to a headphone experience in many ways. The switchable acoustic filters bring welcome changes to suit every mood as well.

The most unique thing about the R1 is the price. At £500 there are hardly any competitors in its price range that offers that much quality. The R1 is certainly keeping much more expensive TOTLs within its sights, and like the Jude Law sniper movie, pulls the trigger when you least expect it. There will be newer, more amazing products from IMR soon, but right now, the R1 deserves accolade and acclamation. Bravo.

Hello, I decided to make a Head-Fi account, so that I could add my opinion to the already well written reviews of the R1's. I will provide a short impression, as I am not practiced in reviewing, and have had precisely one pair of decent IEMs previously - my Ultimate Ears Triple.Fi 10s, which have been with me for nearly 10 years now.

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First, a note on customer service. - I contacted Bob, prior to purchase, to enquire about postage details, etc. (I live in the UK). He responded within a couple of hours, and I found him to be helpful, and pleasant to deal with. My R1s were posted to me the same day, as I had ordered before 1pm. I received them swiftly, and in good order.
For info, I ordered the b+ grade.
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Filter Tips first! (My impressions of the R1 sound are based on using these two types of tip, with no EQ from source, and unless stated, I run them with the vents in the open position).
Having had them for about a week now, listening to them as much as my free time allows. Regarding the tips, I have settled on my personal preferences;
Blue Tips: More airy, flat-type sound, which really accentuates complex, or treble heavy track and recordings, without skipping the reproduction of bass. (More similar to the flat tone of the Triple.Fi10s) These sound astounding on most of my music, but do not fit all of it.
Pink Tips: Slightly accentuated bass, but retaining firmly present mids and highs. These are more of an "all rounder" for me. They fit with the largest part of my music.

The R1 sound -
I was thoroughly impressed with the sound, right off the bat. I find them to be clear and open, and do not find them to over or under-accentuate any elements. What I find more impressive is how the sound is pleasingly full, and detailed, without feeling insistent or aggressive in the ear.
Bass, seems to be produced accurately and quickly. On the occasional electronic track, I feel the need to close the vents, which (I find after a second or two) tightens and accentuates the bass slightly more.
Mids, accurate, and unscooped, with good detail.
Highs, agile and responds well to source. They provide pleasant highs, and when the source contains forward or shrill highs (saxophone, some female vocals, etc), the R1s do not shy away from replicating that.

Overall sound - Clean, natural, and open - with the right amount of force of presence, when required.
A very enjoyable listen. I feel no fatigue from the sound.
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Ergonomics -
Before we begin, let me explain that I have pretty large earholes, so do not suffer from any of the IEM issues our mouse-eared brethren may suffer from!

I find the R1s to be light,so they fit excellently with the large silicone tips, and feel secure in my ears. The only little niggle I've noticed during extended wear, is the length of the metal sheath on the end of the two-pin plug. I find that the long length of them leads to the over-ear cable-bend starting a little higher, and at a different angle, than I feel to be ideal. This means that I'm a bit more aware of the cable, just as it starts to touch the top of my ear. Personally, I'd prefer that sheath to be a bit shorter, and use a heavier cable.

The modules themselves sit nicely in my ear, with no pressure points, or feelings of force in my ear canal.

So, I find these to be very easy wearing, and not fatiguing, by sound nor fit.
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Build Quality -
I have no concerns about the build quality. They feel and look well constructed. I feel no movement between the two halves of the housing, and the vent mechanism feels secure.
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Looks -
If you like shiny things, these definitely fit the ticket! They look both dramatic, and intricate. The little grilles of the vents give me an 'analogue' feel, and remind me of the grille on a bass or guitar cabinet.
(I think I might be more of a sound man, than a looks man?)
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Well, here endeth the ramble.
Hope this has helped anyone who may be thinking about picking up a set.

IMR Acoustics R1
Someting unique...


Introduction:

IMR Acoustics is a relative young UK based brand, which was founded by Bob James with the main goal to create an In-Ear monitor that sounds like an electrostatic headphone, airy, detailed and with a wide soundstage.

IMR Acoustics Official Webpage: https://imracoustics.com/







This review was originally posted on my Review Blog, which I want now to share with the Head-Fi community:

Original Post: http://moonstarreviews.net/imr-acoustics-r1-review/



Disclaimer:

The IMR Acoustics R1 In-Ear Monitor was provided to me by IMR Acoustics as a review sample. As always, I am not affiliated with IMR Acoustics or any third person beyond this review and these words reflect my true, unaltered, opinions about the product.



The Price:

The IMR Acoustics R1 is available on IMR Acoustics Webpage and is sold for around $665.00 USD under the following link.

Purchase link: https://imracoustics.com/products/59884cfc71b0c811009787d0

Warranty: IMR Acoustics is offering a 3 Year Limited Warranty



Package and Accessories:

The IMR Acoustics R1 came in a rectangular red card-box, which is wrapped with a black cardboard cover that sports the IMR acoustics logo and is containing the following items;

• 1 pair x IMR Acoustic R1 Monitor
• 1 pcs x Oxygen Free Cooper (OFC) 2 pin cable
• 3 pairs x Gray Silicone Ear Tips (S/M/L)
• 1 pair x White Silicone Ear Tip (M)
• 2 pairs x Foam Ear Tips (M/L)
• 5 pair x Sound Tuning Filters & Metal Filter Holder
• 1 pcs x Hard Case
• 1 pcs x 6.5mm Adapter
• 1 pcs x Shirt Clip

Design and Build Quality:

The IMR Acoustics R1 is a unique and robust looking In-Ear Monitor (IEM) with a quite different design language. We can divide the IMR R1 into three parts; the main housing, which is made of an CNC machined aluminum chassis with gunmetal paintwork, the sound switch port, which is in silver color and also made of silver painted metal and the interchangeable tuning filter system.




The Main housing sports two screws, the 2pin female connector and left right markings. The sound tuning port (also described as rotating port) sports a markings (“C” for closed and “O” for open) that shows if the switch is in open or closed back mode. They are 5 sets of sound tuning filters that are all in different colors (black, blue, orange, copper and pick), which I will explain later.




The overall build quality is pretty solid, but it doesn’t looks premium like some other competitors in the same price class.




The Cable:

The IMR Acoustics R1 sports a detachable cable with 2 pin connectors that have a diameter of 0,78mm, which are more common than 2 pin systems with 0,75mm diameter. This 2 pin connectors have metal insertions that give a robust appearance.



The cable itself is made of an OFC (Oxygen Free Copper) wire material that has a tick and protective TPU coating.



The cable length is 1.4m and the 3.5mm 24ct gold plated headphone jack has a L angled profile.



This cable sports also a plastic chin slider and a metal Y splitter.



My first complain comes to the direction choice of the 2pin male connector, which makes the use of third party upgrade cables a bit problematic. My second complain comes to the thickness of the cable which is normally a good thing regarding to the protection, but which is a bit annoying if you try to wear the R1 over the ear.



Fit, Comfort and Isolation:

The IMR Acoustics R1 can be categorized as IEM of the larger side, because the solid aluminum housing is pretty big, but doesn’t feel heavy when inserted to my ears. It should not be problematic for ears with an average size like mine.

The IMR Acoustics R1 normally is fairly comfortable, but the cable is a bit annoying due its stiff and thick nature, which is causing to irritation after a while. I have found a solution, when you wear over your ear with the help of an ear-hook, the comfort issue disappears completely. Bad that IMR Acoustics didn’t have included a set of ear-hook to the package.

The Isolation is above average and there is no noticeable or better to say dramatic change, even when the rotating port is in open position.








About the Hybrid Driver Unit:

The IMR Acoustic R1 sports a custom made 13mm diameter Ceramic hybrid driver unit. This ceramic driver is combined with a 13mm dynamic driver that has neodymium motors, which supports a frequency range between 14- 40000Hz to cover the whole audible range of audio.

According to IMR Acoustics; the ceramic driver inside the R1 is not as power hungry like the competition and has a relative low impedance of 32 Ohm.

As mentioned before, the R1 also incorporates a switchable open and close port on the rear of the in-ear monitor to allow changing the staging or isolating from the world outside when required.

In addition the R1 is supplied with 5 audio filters to allow you to tweak the tuning to your individual style. These audio filters allow you to alter bass levels, treble levels and increase midrange response as required.







Technical Specifications:

• Driver Type : 13mm driver featuring Neodymium motors with beryllium diaphragm + Ceramic driver
• Sound Porting : IMR Open and close porting system
• Impedance : 32 Ohm
• Sensitivity : 108 +/- 3DB
• Frequency response : 14 – 40000Hz
• Headphone Jack : 24ct Gold plated 3.5mm Jack
• Connector Type : 2 Pin detachable cable
• Cable Type : Oxygen Free Cooper (OFC) Cable

Drivability (Impedance):

The IMR Acoustic R1 is a relative easy to drive In-Ear Monitor with a rated impedance of 32 Ohm’s and there was only the need of extra volume with the orange and cooper filter.

This feature makes the R1 ideal for the use with portable sources like Smartphones, Tablet’s or DAP’s with a relative weak amplification.






Sources:

a) In Ear Monitor : IMR Acoustics R1, Campfire Audio Polaris

b) DAP/DAC : Cayin N5II, Chord Mojo, Hidizs DH1000, Fiio Q5

c) Albums & Tracks used for this review:

• Jehan Barbur – Yollar (Spotify)
• Minor Empire – Bulbulum Altin Kafeste (Spotify)
• London Grammar – Interlud (Live) (Flac 24bit/44kHz)
• Laura Pergolizzi – Lost On You “Live at Harvard and Stone” (Tidal Hi-Fi)
• Steve Srauss – Mr. Bones (Flac 16bit/44kHz)
• Dire Straits – Money for Nothing (DSD 64)
• Gothart – Jovano, Jovanke (Spotify)
• Otto Liebert & Luna Negra – The River (DSF) – Binaural Recording
• GoGo Penguin – Fanfares (Tidal Hi-Fi)
• Adam Taylor – Colour to the Moon (Flac 16bit/44kHz)
• Casey Abrams – Robot Lover (Tidal Hi-Fi)
• Liquid Tension Experiment 2 – Acid Rain (Spotify)
• Opeth – Damnation (Tidal Hi-Fi)
• Megadeth – Sweating Bullets (Flac 16bit/44kHz)
• Metallica – Sad bu True (Flac 24bit/96kHz)
• Future Heroes – Another World (Tidal Hi-fi)
• Lorde – Team (Flac 24bit/48kHz)
• Tom Player – Resonace Theory “Album” (Tidal Hi-Fi)
• Deeperise feat. Jabbar – Move On (Spotify)

Sound Analysis and Comparisons:

a) Short Description of the Sound Filters according to IMR Acoustics:

• Black Filter : Maximum attack with impactful bass, richer mids and controlled highs
• Pink Filter : Slightly decreased bass from the black filter with the same mids and highs
• Copper Filter : Maximum bass, lush mids and slightly recessed highs
• Orange Filter : Balanced bass and mids with rolled off highs
• Blue Filter : More balanced across the range, natural and airy sound with perfect mid and sub-bass

PS: I have burn-in the IMR Acoustics R1 for a approx 150 hours due the Ceramic Hybrid configuration, which should need more time to show its true potential. I have used the stock gray silicone ear tips, which came inside the package of the IMR Acoustics R1 and the filter in pink color will be my reference filter.



b) Sound Signature and Tonality:

As I mentioned before, the IMR Acoustics R1 has a wide variety of sound tuning filters that can drastically change the tonality and frequency response. The user has the possibility to choose one of the five filters supplied according to his taste.

IMR Acoustics R1 provides a warm, neutral, energetic, full or vivid tone signature and presentation through the filters. Since there is a radical sound difference between the five filters, I will try to compare it with each other.



The Pink Filter:

The Pink filter has a linear bass emphasis and sounds fast, energetic and detailed. It’s very natural with percussion instruments such as drums etc. to be used in metal music. The overall speed and detail representation is quite successful.

The bass amount of the Pink filter will probably not be sufficient for bass heads in music types such as Pop or EDM, but is quite enough for natural instruments. The bass has a good depth display, but the extension is a bit shorter than the other filters, such as black and copper filters.

The midrange of the Pink Filter sounds very balanced, clean, energetic and transparent. Instruments sounding very lifelike and the level of detail reproduction is above its price range.

Vocals are successful and the tonality is pretty natural. The coloration level is very low and the lower midrange sound more balanced than the copper filter.

Female voices have a pronounced emphasis on the upper midrange and sounding spacious detailed and vivid.

The treble of the pink filter have good extension without any remarkable ear piercing. Some Instruments such as woodwinds or bells sounding crisp, detailed and lively.

The only noticeable considerable distress is that the treble sounds sometimes metallic and slightly cold. Otherwise the heights are technically successful.





The Black Filter:

The black filter has the most coloration among all filter and has a V-shaped sound signature. The lower frequency range is dominant and the treble is less detailed compared to the pink filter.

This filter shares a deeper and more dominant lower frequency depth; moreover the bass is more controlled and has a good decay. It’s superior in terms of quantity and depth to the Pink Filter, but can not keep up with its speed.

In the Black Filter, the instruments are slightly positioned in front of the vocals and the male vocals can sometimes mix. However, I have not found such a situation with female vocals. The midrange of the Black filter sounds colored, warm and bright, but the Pink Filter has more detail to offer.

The sound on the black filter is tuned for comfortable listening, but is missing some energy and liveliness, when it comes to the treble presentation. The treble extension and sharpness of the black filter is behind in performance and don’t sounds as airy and clean like the pink filter. In short, the black filter is slightly lacking in airiness and for the brightness, but is an ideal filter for long listening periods.



The Copper Filter:

The Copper Filter has the highest amount of bass among all filters and is perfect for Bass-head’s. This filter is superior in terms of bass depth and amount to the black filter, but the bass presentation dominates the R1 presentation to a high degree.

Although the copper filter is more successful in terms of bass amount, depth and extension than the other filters, but the speed and detail reproduction is inferior to the blue and pink filters.

The mid-range sounds fuller, thicker and shares more body than the black and pink filter. But the mid-frequency region is not as detailed and airy as the pink and blue filters. The most salient feature that is forgiving while listening to female voices.

The treble range of the copper filter is less detailed and forward than the pink and black filter.

While the treble detail could be enough for bass heavy genres, it may not be enough for other genres. The copper is less successful in terms of airiness and spaciousness than the Pink filter, but don’t get me wrong, it doesn’t sounds completely airless.






The Orange Filter:

The orange filter has the warmest sound signature among all filters and sounds thick, full and controlled.

The bass amount and depth of the orange filter is inferior to the copper filter, but superior to the blue and pink filter.

The midrange of this filter sounds more spacious and detailed than the copper. The midrange has also a wider volume than the copper, but the detail reproduction and separation of instruments is inferior to the pink filter.

The treble of the orange filter has the less airiness and extension, and is also suitable for long listening periods.



The Blue Filter:

The blue and the pink filters are the most balanced sounding in this collection. The blue filter has a relative linear and neutral bass character, but is inferior to the pink filter in terms of bass depth and emphasis. This filter is especially suitable for music types that require a high bass speed.

The midrange performance of the blue filter is slightly behind the pink filter, but is superior to the rest in the collection. The midrange sounds pretty neutral, lively, clean and spacious.

Although the midrange is a bit more backwards compared to the pink filter and the

Vocals are not as accentuated as the pink filter. But if we compare it with the rest of the filters it sounds more detailed than all the others.

The treble range of the blue filter is slightly behind the pink filter in terms of extension, sharpness, control, speed and detail, but is superior all other filters.

There are no negative situations like sibilance or mixing and the airiness and freshness of the treble range is also remarkable and successful.

As a result, the IMR Acoustics R1 offers its users a wide range of sound filters, which we could descript as vocal, bass, linear, musical and reference filters.






f) Soundstage:

The IMR Acoustics R1 has in general a relatively large soundstage for an In-Ear Monitor and spreads the instruments pretty well over this stage. The R1 is performing slightly better regarding to depth, but please don’t get me wrong, the wideness of the stage is also pretty good at all.



g) About the Switchable Port:

It is possible to use the IMR Acoustics R1 in open or closed mode, thanks to the wheel pointing to points ‘O’ and ‘C’ on the back of the IMR Acoustics R1.

In open mode, the IMR Acoustics R1 has a larger bass range, especially with the blue filter, but the amount of bass decreases. In closed mode, the bass gains more in speed, depth, volume and emphasis than in open mode.






The Comparison:

IMR Acoustics R1 vs. Campfire Audio Polaris

Both In-Ear Monitors have similar price levels, while the IMR R1 has the advantage to change the sound signature and detail level, which can increase or decrease depending on the selected filter. The Campfire Audio Polaris is generally neutral and has a slightly dry and lively presentation.

The bass lines of Polaris are fast, energetic and accented and will be sufficient for most users except Bass-head’s. Polaris is more successful in the amount and depth of the bass than the black, pink and blue filters of the IMR R1, but shares a slightly lower performance than the copper filter.

The bass of this two IEM’s is pretty fast and controlled, but the speed of the blue filter makes the IMR Acoustics R1 superior to Campfire Audio Polaris.

Both In-Ear Monitor’s are sounding fairly lively and clean midrange. The detail performance of the IMR Acoustics R1 with the pink filter is superior to the Campfire Audio Polaris, while the Polaris performs better than the R1’s copper and orange filters.

The midrange of the Campfire Audio Polaris sounds recessed, while the positioning of the midrange is variable depending of the filter that is used.

Both IEM’s sharing a vibrant, well extended and detailed treble presentation. The detail in the treble range is a slightly better with the IMR Acoustic R1 especially with the pink filter, while the Polaris offers a better detail reproduction compared to the orange and copper filters. Both, the IMR Acoustics R1 and the Campfire Audio Polaris are sharing a good performance in terms of airiness and control in the treble range.

The IMR Acoustics R1 has a slightly deeper and also wider soundstage presentation than those of the Campfire Audio Polaris, while the Polaris has the upper hand for soundstage height.






Conclusion:

The IMR Acoustics R1 is a very capable and flexible In-Ear Monitor with its unique sound switch port and very effective sound tuning filters. This flexibility and the detail level, which is on a level above its price point makes the R1 to great choice, for those who are looking for an IEM with different sound characteristics.



Pros and Cons:

• + High detail level (above its price level)
• + Effortless midrange presentation
• + Great bass response (depending of the filter)
• + Lots of sound tuning options
• + Solid build quality
• + Good accessory package

• – The stock cable is too stiff and thick,
• – Possible fitting problems for smaller ears