Oriolus Szalayi

Introduction

Can you recall the time when hearing a monitor (for the first time) felt like actually striking thunders during a clear day?
It's most certainly one of those times with this one , when i take proud and joy from reviewing such a delightfull monitor that simply ticks every single box for my taste ,so.....right from the begging of this review let me say l really really like this set.
I mean really like it A LOT .....
Oriolus is a well known established company for many headfiers and this model is supposed to be a reincarnation of a previous most successful model from this company the Oriolus MKII (which managed to gather quite a few positive opinions around the audiophile world) only this time we see newest technologies take place and a quite interesting implementation approach using 3 different drivers :
1 dynamic driver for the bass/sub bass
1 planar magnetic for the midrange
1 BA for the lower/upper highs
Let's see how this Szalayi stands up to MKII's reputation.

Disclaimer
Purchased Szalayi with my own money directly from HiFiGO and here΄s a link in case you are interested : Szalayi









SPECIFICATIONS

>14mm Planar Diaphragm Driver.

>High-Performance Balanced Armature Driver.

>10mm Dynamic Driver.

>3D Printed Photopolymer Ear Shells.

>High-Grade Pure OFC(Oxygen-Free Copper) with Silver-Plating Cable.

>Impedance: 10Ω.

>Sensitivity: 110dB/mW.

>Frequency Response Range: 10Hz-40kHz.

>Termination Plug: 4.4mm Balanced.





Packadge / Unboxing / Cable / Fit

Package is pretty simple here (and that has become a tradition many years now for all Oriolus monitors even the most expensive ones like their flagship Traillii )
It is for some time now that a case comes along with your purchase (very simple but does the job pretty allright),(in my opinion regarding the previous models not including any case for this prize you pay and for this monitor its simply unacceptable and a shame for such an established brand like Oriolus
Faceplates of the shells are trully adorable in deep blue reminiscent of the deep ocean just like the unique sound of these monsters.......
as for accessories goes, yοu get three sets of silicone tips in 3 sizes, and some pairs of comply foams, a cleaning brush for the monitor's nozzle and a stylish yellow cloth clipper
Szalayi comes with a nice fabric cable obtaining a recessed 2-pin connection plug, ending in a 4.4 balanced termination.
Fit wise, in my case at least fits like a glove to my extra large ear cavities and having tried several tips (symbio,azla sedna,sony hybrids,Final Audio E tips e.t.c.) in order to find the ABSOLUTE BEST ISOLATION quickly ended up using some Spinfits cause those provided the deepest insert for me, as well as amazing fit and superb isolation .
The included silicone tips are pretty amazing as well ,maintaning the warm tonallity and the original sound character of this monitor.
Anyway considered your self warned guys because this is a real BIG monitor in terms of size ( very close to the size of the UM MEXT) and i consider this would be definetelly an issue for those with smaller ear canals unfortunatelly.





Sound Profile

Gear used for the purpose of this review : iBASSO DX 160 / Shanling M3X / HIBY R5 GEN II
Just for the record.. Szalayi had allready completed a total burn in period of 120 hours before any kind of critical listening.
And to be more specific these monitors need indeed a REALLY LOT OF BURN IN period of time in order to bring up the juice,to reach out to their full potentials and characteristics.
Now to the point.....this is a MONSTER in terms of reproduction and nothing less than that .the sound is full-dynamic,explosive in some cases .The soundstage is beyond limitations here...... we re talking about VAST SOUND FIELD and nothing less than this. BIG SOUND towards any direction out side of your head experience 100% that is...
Me at least haven't heard any other monitor till now with such a tremendous sound stage , with such a tremendous depth of the scene ,with such a tremendous layering and imaging abilities.Once you find the proper fit using the proper ear tips these monsters simply can blow your mind away easily..............
There is a unique 3 dimentional sense of surrounding cyclotic sound up to the point you wont realise where the sound is coming from.......
Imaging is top notch too there,you can easily pin point each and every instrument of the stage and its exact potition there.
Detail retrieval is not the strongest point of this set ,and it souldn't be because their main target is to loose your self inside the music forgetting anything else around you.. Nevertheless details are still there , in the background taking a back seat creating this way a unique atmospheric sense of the recordings.
Another unique thing about this set is that once you turn up the volume there is no way back but only keep increasing the volume all the way up to the end .........The sound remains coherent even at the loudest volume .Constinstency even under extreme high pitched volume is the main characteristic of this earphone. It is the absolute definition of a FUN SIGNATURE SOUND exceeding anyone's expectations....
Have to mention at this point that this set scales pretty amazing with better sources-daps-amps. Needs power to reach its full potential and as long as you have a capable dap (such as DX160-170) everything is going to be just fine but the higher the source - the better the whole experience gets...for example paired with Hiby R5 Gen II (A class amp mode) ends in an even more dynamic presentation of sound with faster attacks and even more natural decays ....so do not be afraid to turn up the volume......it just gets better and better....a complete sonic experience .

BASS
Impactfull at least, BIG & BOLD up to point that categorizes this monitor to the BASSHEAD territory with ease but int the most delightfull way. Transients are fast,decays are too perfect to be true and the bass timbre has a unique analogue feeling in terms of representation of the recordings.It creates an atmosphere not easy to be found in monitors at any price range even the most expensive ones ,Its like you own a very expensive HiFi home set up system and a pair of 3 way floor speakers including sub woofer .
Bass here is not only about quantity but quality as well. Its textured,fully articulated takes you in and makes you forget that you even excist !!!!!!!!!!
Never bleeds into the mids area ,never oveshadowing the rest of the spectrum and capable of producing goose bumps in any track upon it is called for.....
Sub bass is really explosive material as long as it is there in the recordings can easily make you feel under the attack of an earthquake or something.....
It has to be heard to be fully undestanded, the thing that a monitor is capable of such a BOMBASTIC bass representation maintaning such a unheard quality is trully astonishing !!!!!!

MIDRANGE
Spacious enough,lush mellow,liquid and most of all with the correct note weight and natural timbre between others this is where the 14mm Planar Diaphragm Driver takes place and does its magic........
there is a noticeable airy feeling between voices and instruments a balance hard to find at any price range
it΄s almost like you can feel the music rather than just hearing the sound
it exhibits great personality being not to close or not to far away either, just at the right place in the center of the stage
Those monitors have found the right spot between thick and thin mids resulting to a unique and very realistic timbre always enganging and euphoric absolutelly natural is the most right word here....
male and female vocals are represented with passion and intimacy providing a unique feeling of engangement to the listener,never shouty or to close to your face.Its such a delight to hear.
Furthermore, the amount of air, especially in the midrange is really remarkable for any iem at this price, and i would easily compare the airy atmosphere in the mids (which is trully amazing) to UM MEXT which is a more expensive monitor.

TREBLE
Extended and energetic, sparkly but fatigue free at the same time.all the upper region details are there ,not at your face ,at the background moving slowly inside your head filling you gently with all the information present at the recordings.
its an exciting,bright and sparkly treble providing at the same time an absolute fatique free experience suggested for long term listening sessions
Not hot,neither artificial, but natural and resolving even at the most complex passages taken care by a single BA and this and only is a rare thing for this kind of airy reproduction.Not the strongest point of this monitor anyway but does the job pretty well, complementing the other frequencies
cymbals,hi-hats,violins,strings everything here sounds natural and sweet
Absolutelly zero sibilance or hotness.
anyway in this case it is important to select the right tips that can help you avoid any hint of glare there but this is more like nitpicking here....It is an amazing treble all right just not the most noticeable characteristic upon first listening

Suggested test tracks

As an example of this utterly mesmerizing presentation of sound i suggest you take a listen on this track

Sea song - Maria Chiara Argiro

in every part of the FR the Szalayis excels.Physical organs like contrabass, saxhophones,clarinets,drums have unbelievable natural sound and decays,her voice sounds so fluid,so lush, sweet and warm ,real to life, it is a pure delight to listen to...............and as Maria says in this track "this endless blue will ease your mind" a perfect definition for Szalayi s sound.....

....in other cases it is also a superior monitor in more complex,modern electronica synthesis like
4T Thieves's latest record ¨Elder Dawn¨which is a pure delight on this monsterus set,as the lowest frequencies pulsing together,interelating with the rest of the spectrum creating the whole unique and mesmerising atmosphere of this brilliant record from 4T Thieve's genious mind.

4T Thieves - Elder Dawn



Another fine example of Szalayi's superior representation in every part of the frequency range is beyond any doubt the following track:

Ova - Godless


Ova is Elizabeth Crompton's previous act. In this track the amount of lower tones digitally recreated are simply overwhelming.. Despite that one.. the moment her magical voice appears in the track everything turns out pure heaven for the listener.. as her voice stands out so clearly with such an authority and majesty, creating this way such a lush and spacious atmosphere.
Midrange stays here absolutely safe from any kind of bleeding coming from the overpowering lower frequencies. The total amount of ambience created here is simply beyond words....
OUTSTANDING!!!!
I could hear this song 24/7 on repeat using only the Szalayis... An unbelievable magical experience, one that very few monitors are capable of........

BUT...... if in any case someone wants to evaluate the Szalayi's impeccable strenghts definitely has to listen to
this one....
Glass Moon - Leland Whitty

Leland being a long time member of BADBADNOTGOOD modern jazz group , produced an absolutely beautiful solo record last year and in this particular track every physical instrument like double bass is a real treat with the Szalayis....The sound gets immediatelly EXPANSIVE just right from the begging of the song takes you in, absorbs your mind.. right from the very first seconds.......,double bass,flutes,drums,Rhodes etc.... showcasing an utterly natural timbre,true to the original recording, i suppose you ll be 100% surprised of how close to real life this track sounds in terms of correct and natural sound reproduction .

Oriolus Szalayi graph




The elevetad sub bass self does all the magic here and recreating a deeply and utterly oceanic feeling i would say... providing in combination with the overall tuning the sound vastness that this monitor sould be knowned for.
From 20 to 60 Hz every single note has a substantial weight and impact showcasing in the best way the bass lines of each track leading and creating a kind of unique ambience.This is a case where the FR graph pictures melticulously the sound profile of this monitor,where the bass is the main star of the show portraying especially well and correct any physical organ falls into this territory,but its not about quantity here ,its all about quality,every note drops between 20 to 250 Hz is the definition of Naturalism and authentic timbre.
The transition into the midrange as you can tell is smooth as butter and the mild peak between 1k and 2k helps especially female vocals to shine and sound breathy and airy. in other places no strange peaks or dips, everything flows here in perfect harmony.

SELECTIVE COMPARISONS

vs ISN H50

Vocals on H50 are more upfront than the Szalayi and the airy feeling is more noticeable on H50 too. Treble is not the Szalayi's biggest advantage but being a more bass orientated earphone it souldnt be in the first place,resulting this way in a more vast/open sound experience
that Szalayi monster is more prominent in the bass region due to its tuning,with more note weight and it is the more musical one between those two by far....
Regardless that, both are great monitors with H50 due to its tuning and implementation ,being the more airy and linear sounding between the two of them, BUT the OSCAR goes easily to the Szalayi being by far the more refined and qualitive earphone providing an utterly ¨out of the head experience¨to the listener. Soundstage is something the Szalayi should be really proud for...........

vs UM MEXT


MEXT is a warm and bass friendly monitor with a HUGE FUN SIGNATURE closer to the Szalayi than H50..
MEXT is indeed a perfect all rounder, ideal for bass lovers obtaining a huge soundstage,top tier resolution ,fantastic mids and fascinating treble response.
nevertheless i have to admit that I was quite surprised during this comparison cause instantly upon first listen the Szalayi felt much more bigger/deeper/wider sounding with a tremendous soundstage i personally never had to the luck to hear before.........
In terms of airy/spaciousness feeling though this is quite subjective I would say those two are completely on par with the Szalayi being just the cheaper one and thats quite an accomplishment allright.............
in terms of timbre / note weight bot are natural and realistic with note weight being a bit more on theSzalayi's side due to it's tuning mainly.
But.. in the other hand the MEXT being more airy, obtains a touch more open feeling (in the midrange) leaving room for the vocals to breathe....
The Szalayi is more of a darker sounding monitor more "heavy feeling" more bass head friendly if you like...more fun sounding signature if you wish.....
MEXT has been widely promoted for their newest technologies (Bone conducting driver) and the effects of that in the perception of the sound as we know it till now..
but believe me, if i wouldn't to know, between those two monitors (MEXT / Szalayi ) where this bone conductor driver lies, I would suspect the latest (Szalayi) just because it has an ABSOLUTELY THUNDEROUS SUB BASS IMPACT that manages to drug you in so much in that atmosphere not easily explained by simple words and phrases....

vs ISN EST50

EST 50s was to me love at first sight...........Love at first audition if you wish so.....An all time favorite of mine and the closest anyone can get to the Oriolus Szalayi's sound signature and tuninng at the half of the Szalayi's price. ISN AUDIO is a true master as far BASS goes and in this case their flagship EST50s is the perfect proof of what happens when a group of proffesional engineers who happens to love bass frequencies a little more than the rest of the spectrum........... are doing their best effort to bring such a miracle as the EST50s.Here the midrange is taken care by a SONION BA driver which make the mids so ,so ,so, beautifull and sweet ,p to the point where you simply forget how marvelous the bass sounds ,and the treble uses 2 Sonion ESTs micro tweeters so this results in a perfect natural representation of the higher regions.
if it wasn't for the Szalayi's tremendous thunderous sub bass impact and the airy utterly mesmerizing treble reproduction of the EST50s i would call them twins BUT .....this is life ....you win something/you lose something else.....i do love those two equally ,just a hint more the Szalayi being the more vast and big sounding one.Both are amazing earphones at their price and both worth every single dollar. If Szalayi seems to expensive to you i would highly reccomend EST50s at the half of their price being the closest you can get at this signature.

Final words
from my side i cannot recommend enough the Oriolus Szalayi if your preference is a quality fun sounding earphone with HUGE BIG BOMBASTIC SOUND & STAGE then you won't find any better at least at this price point.
It is an absolute TOTL, regardless of any price range,mainly orientated to bass lovers but not only
anyone that prefers musical and natural as well reproduction of sound not focusing too much on the microdetails of the recordings but instead is in search of loosing his/hers self into an ocean of sound sould be consider this monitor for sure.
For me it is in simple words an END GAME monitor of unearthed beauty , a tremendous set of BIG FLOOR SPEAKERS INSIDE MY HUMPLE EARS........
After the first hour of the very first audition with these my first thought was....΄΄who needs a home hifi floor speakers when owns this one?'' not me anyway............................
If Szalayi was a movie.. it would certainly be this one.....

Thanks for reading and have a good time always with your music as your partener........................................

Oriolus Szalayi - Pump up the volume...

Introduction & Caveats

Amazed there are no reviews up for Szalayi (SZA) yet - I guess for many, to include myself, far too busy enjoying them... which gives a hint as to the gushing praise that is to come in this review. Get some caveats out of the way first.

I purchased SZA pretty much on day of release from Musicteck at a reduced price in exchange for a review - always a risk when a new product on the market and no impressions to go on, but being Oriolus, I was pretty confident they will have done a good job and took the plunge. I would like to thank Andrew at @MusicTeck and as always, all impressions are entirely mine.

I am not a professional reviewer, it's my hobby and my passion - I enjoy exploring new IEMs across the price spectrum and sharing my impressions with the community. I lack the technical skills to go deep on some components, but do my best to convey what I hear in a way that I hope is useful.

SZA has a retail price of $919 and is available from @MusicTeck HERE and at the time of writing, there is also a free case available.

SZA Preamble

When SZA first arrived, I was little peplexed to say the least - out of the box, they sounded rather dark and somewhat muddy - I was very surprised, and wondered how a set could be launched sounding like this. I'm increasingly aware of the need to allow drivers to burn-in, and from what I understand, planar need even more time to mature. With that in mind, I hooked them up to my trusty Sony ZX300 which is mostly my burn-in DAP due to the fantastic battery, and left them run for about a week 24/7 - dipping in and out to have a listen and hear how they were getting on. There was a dramatic change over the course of the first few days, and I would argue it still continues a few weeks later... so my advice if you do go ahead and purchase these. 'Please Don't Give Up' at first - they need time to mature, and I think their signature needs time for mental adjustment too.

A nighttime analogy...

You know when you are indoors at night, with artificial light - you can see everything in the building around you - you then step outdoors, and it's a clear night but very dark and no outdoor lighting... your eyes take a bit to adjust, and then you can see stars all over the sky, the longer you look, the more that pop out. That's what my experience with SZA has been like at times as it has opened up - going from that initial 'darkness' to one of great clarity, revealing all of the most subtle details in the recording. This analogy occured to me in the first week or so, and felt it might be useful to note here.

Specifications

SZA is a tribrid IEM, i.e. it has a three-driver configuration which in short are: a dynamic driver for lows, a planar for mids, and a balanced armature for highs.



Unboxing

Anyone who has had an Oriolus IEM before will know they don't go for fancy packaging or lots of accessories - always a fairly minimal affair, even the top-tier Traillii arrives in a plain brown cardboard box! SZA comes in exactly the same packaging as the wonderful single DD 'Isabellae'. I like the packaging ethos they seem to display, no BS and to the point. I do think a case would be nice though and shouldn't break the bank, especially for a set not too far south of $1,000... as noted above, I see there is now a 'free' case supplied via Musicteck, hopefully this becomes a standard.



Upon opening the outer sleeve and box, you are greeted with the SZA nestling in a foam bed -



Underneath the foam layer, you find a selection of accessories: tips (silione in S/M,L / flange M / foam S/M), shirt-clip, cleaning brush, and warranty card.



Cable

The supplied cable is silver-plated OFC terminated with 4.4mm as standard and with a 2-pin configuration. It's a really nice cable, very soft and easy to fold and store. It looks and feels premium. I really love the branded Y-splitter.



Design & Fit

The shells are rather large and at first sight, I thought they might pose a problem for me as I don't tend to get on too well with larger shells. The contours of the shell actually sit very well in my ears without any discomfort - they are very smooth and quite light, with no potentially obtrusive edges or corners. Like Traillii and Isa, the stem are rather short and quite wide which in my experience means I need to take a step down in tip size, allowing for the larger stem diameter - I've tried a number of different tips, but settled for now with Azla Short Standard.



The shells are vented, which means certainly in my case, there is none of the pressure build that can occur with IEMs that do not have a vent - this can be incredibly unpleasant, and I'm happy to report that the vent in this case does it's job.



Also, I love that Oriolus choose a recessed 2-pin connection - it always feels much more secure versus a flat 2-pin. I wish more brands would do this. The below picture should give a sense for the previously mentioned soft contours, with no offensive edges that might cause discomfort.



Sources & Cables

I have mostly used the Lotoo Paw Gold Touch (LPGT) with SZA, Shanling M9 at times too. I have tried a few cables with SZA and have decided on the Penon GS849 for the moment - while the stock cable is nicer looking and more ergonomic, I find the GS849 tightens up the bass with more control, and injects some more clarity in the mids. I've tried a pure silver cable too but found that was too bright and harsh, especially with the LPGT. As a related aside, I've been a bit of cable sceptic - I emphasise 'bit' as I have had a few scenarios where I noted differences, and these are becoming more frequent I guess as I fine-tune my own ability to listen out for specific changes - the silver cable test was night and day vs the GS849, upon switching back to the latter, the brighter/harsh sound was immediately resolved.

SZA pictured below with the Penon GS849 and LPGT DAP.



Listening Impressions - Pump up the volume...

SZA loves a good bit of power - they play perfectly well at lower volumes, but scale wonderfully as you put more power in. Think of them like a sports car on an open road, the more you push the pedal, the more the engine roars and the bigger smile on your face as you feel the surge of power - this is SZA - as you increase the volume, the sub bass becomes even more encapsulating, the lush mids grab hold of you in a visceral and emotive way, treble bites but without hurting...

Overall, the sound profile I would say is somewhat geared towards the lows, but absolutely not to the detriment of mids or highs. While they are technically capable, they certainly lean more towards the emotive engagement by quite a bit - that's not to say they don't deliver good macro/micro details, they do - but not in a reference tuned way, they are not a 'relaxed' or neutral set by any means. For me, it's the sort of set I can reach for and just enjoy my music - not thinking too much about imaging, or pinpointing specific details - just getting lost in the music, and in some cases, for many hours on end.

Bass - Dynamic Driver

SZA has a 10mm dynamic driver to deliver the low end frequencies, and boy does it make it's presence known when called upon. It has a huge, deep sub bass that you can feel throughout your skull and almost down into your body, that visceral delivery that anyone who appreciates bass will seek. It's like a separate sub-woofer, sufficiently distinct also from mid-bass and without any bleed to mids. Mid-bass is has excellent definition and slams with a pounding authority - it has excellent clarity, without any sense of being boomy or overextending itself.

Mids - Planar

The mids are clear, emotive, lush and super-engaging. They have the effortless delivery associated with planar drivers, and handle complexity with great ease - never congested, and well able to deal with faster passages of music. There is a great sense of dimension in the mids, allowing tracks with multiple instruments to play respectfully and yet with great cohesion.

Treble - BA

Treble has good reach and is somewhat 'polite' - it doesn't extend to the furthest reaches in terms of the most distinct 'sparkle' but has good energy and air which again allows good detail retrieval up top, and enough bite to allow cymbals for example to be well rendered and distinct. As always with treble, too much up top can be risky as it can lead to sibilance or harshness - certainly not the case here, I've yet to find a track where that occurs in any shape or form.

Technicalities

The bass emphasis and lush mids probably pull back on the extent to which the micro details are presented - as noted earlier, this is not a reference tuned IEM with a focus on analysing the details - they are there, but they don't scream at you to pay attention, the overall theme is definitely more emotive to my ears - and ultimately, pure enjoyment of music is key, which SZA has in spades. That said - imaging and layering are excellent, if you choose to zoom in, it's very easy to pinpoint specific components of a track, and they all feel 'correct' in terms of their positioning. There is a large stage, which has a real sense of starting in the centre of your head, and emanating out quite a distance.

Track by Track Analysis

I listened last night for about 3 hours straight, and took 6x A4 pages of notes - along with downing most of a bottle of wine. Sounds like hard work?! - Not with SZA, and of course the wine... plus I managed to dispel my own 'myth' with SZA where I felt it was only really suited to electronic music, absolutely not the case - as will be evident here.

Idles - I'm Scum

This is a tough track to crack, and one I now choose in all of my IEM tests. SZA is one of the best I've heard - a high-energy, in-your-face slice of modern punk that during busy passages, can sound very harsh on some IEMs, especially those with a heavy treble emphasis in my experience. At various peaks in the track, there are almost frenetic moments with percussion going full-pelt, guitars and vocals screaming, and bass booming - SZA absolutely nails it - everything is clear, nothing cluttered, harsh or congested. I can pick out each instrument on the large holographic stage, or just listen to them in full cohesive unison.



Julia Jacklin - Don't Know How to Keep Loving You

The song kicks off with drumming and guitars, which sound wonderfully rendered with excellent realism. Julia's vocals are centre, and tipped slightly forward, displaying excellent body and an engaging sense of warmth. Percussion and vocals sit mostly central, with guitars out to the right on stage - bass guitar is more central again, and rumbles with great depth and beauty. Again, instrument positioning is excellent in terms of imaging and layering.



Radiohead - Everything in it's Right Place

I couldn't resist choosing this as my next track as with my various test tracks so far, everything does indeed sound 'in it's right place'. SZA has this fantasic ability to drop you right in the middle of the music - everything playing both inside, and outside your head - plenty of air between each component... lots of space for each instrument to shine. Vocals here are wonderfully rendered, I'm finding Szalayi 'slays' (sorry...) with both male and female vocals, which can be hard to pull off. I've loved this song for many years, adore the full album and heard it countless times - it sounds absolutely excellent here, top marks.

https://radiohead.bandcamp.com/track/everything-in-its-right-place

Max Richter - Summer 1

I'll start with one word in block capitals and in bold - WOW
The planar here executes with perfection: strings rise and fall with wonderful authenticity and authority - my heart literally racing with anticipation as it all unfolds on stage... the lower depths of the orchestra call upon the 10mm DD to do it's job, allowing an excellent sense of depth and subdued rumble.



A Winged Victory for the Sullen - Requiem for the Static King Part 2

I keep wondering what track might come along and derail the SZA steam train... so far nothing, and this gem is no exception. Utterly captivating, spellbinding and gut-wrenchingly beautiful - the instruments spread tall and wide, with such wonderful clarity and emotion - honestly stuff that could reduce me to tears. I've loved this album for many years, and SZA again scores top marks for allowing it shine to it's full potential.



GCOM - Anthropocene

This track kicks off with the sound of rain and thunder - hugely visceral and lifelike. Melodic synths roll-in, displaying that wonderful SZA midrange magic, then our friend the 10mm DD makes itself known as the powerful kickdrum makes an appearance. There is a holographic sound which sounds a bit like a clock ticking, which pans around the stage, hard not to almost roll your eyes while trying to follow it, as if you'll be able to both hear and see it - the track ultimately hits a dramatic climax, which is really quite breathtaking, before winding back down with the same thunder and rainfall as the intro. A very powerful experience, and takes a set like SZA to really capture that sensation.



Matthew Halsall - Life

Yet again, wow. I wouldn't have associated SZA in the last few weeks that would do a good job with chilled jazz like this but I have been very much proven wrong. Such an effortless, and unbelievably engaging and effortless presentation of this wonderful track. All of the instruments are crystal clear, with again that stunning realism - ample room to breathe, and all so utterly captivating (another recurring SZA theme!). Throughout this test, I just want to stop taking notes and just sit back and listen. The strings are forward, sax somewhat behind but this feels like where the musician is positioned on stage - maybe a more intimate venue, a small smokey jazz club. Percussion is somewhat off to the back and again, sounding perfectly lifelike and realistic.



Androcell - Under the Sun

This is an example of music I've been playing the most on SZA, something I discovered early on that really does sound utterly spectacular. The deep reaching sub-bass really works wonders with this genre, and I sort of fell into a bit of a pigeon-hole trap with SZA for a while, telling myself this was it's only superpower - now it's definitely an area where it really does excel, likewise any very well produced electronic music with lots of layers and deep sub bass. The melodic synths, and vast amount of layers sound truly spectacular, it's no wonder I keep reaching for albums in this genre with SZA. I honestly don't think I've heard any other IEM sound as good as with this music - not even top tier IEMs such as Jewel or Traillii.



Tosca - Osam

This is a +10 minute track that features on the latest (excellent) album from Tosca. I love the entire album and it's been on repeat lately, very suited to the summer weather - the sort of album I can imagine playing at a beach bar in somewhere like Ibiza. Anyway, the kickdrums hit with excellent authority and impact - a nice heavy 'thud' which I can feel resonate through my head - a bit of a broken record now but I do have to use that 'WOW' word again here, it sounds bloody incredible... SZA has this wonderful ability to sound detailed, yet fun, emotive and highly engaging.



Conclusion

I guess my enthusiam for this set is pretty obvious if you've read as far as here. It's probably the most unique, and absolutely addictive IEM I've ever heard... but in my experience, it needs a bit of time to settle - as the old adage goes, "good things come to those who wait..." - well let me rephrase that for SZA >>> Great things come to those who persevere. If you buy SZA, and wonder what-the-heck was that guy Scuba waffling on about - please persevere - and btw, this is of course my own individual experience, many seem to love it right out of the box, and I suspect in my case it could be as I'm coming from a lot of listening lately to Aroma Jewel which is more reference and highly-resolving in comparison, and also far less 'fun' - but it depends on what you are seeking. Sometimes reviews can be hard to write, I've actually enjoyed this immensly as I've such huge appreciation for this wonderful IEM... well done Oriolus!