Had the EARS for over a week now, and have some initial thoughts (on the S model):
Sound is a natural evolution of where Flare started to go with the Flares Gold and Pro2HD, merged with the bolder and bassier sound of the E-Prototype. Bass is big but very textured and doesn't encroach on the higher frequencies. Clarity is excellent, pulling a lot of small details into the mix that can get buried or blurred on some IEMs I have.
Staging is large and enveloping, and overall the EARS are extremely immersive, pulling you in to the music very well.
The elephant in the room is the design. The actual barrel design is fine and comfortable, but they stick out from your ears write significantly, and the solid metal faceplate may be serving a purpose for the design, but in terms of economics it just adds a large amount of metal hanging off the rest of your IEMs that pulls them down and out of your ears when you are walking or moving around, especially so given that the "standard" fit is with the cable down. I have large ear cavities, and even with L foams, the fit isn't rock solid in terms of stability, so these lose seal easily and require constant adjustment for me. L in "cable down" mode.
I have discovered a better way to wear them for me - simply swap the cables on the L and R IEMs then swear then upside down in the ear. The channels are the same, the design is symmetrical so there are no fit issues and the cable then routes up and over the ear, helping to take the weight of the shell and keep the seal of the IEMs a lot easier when you agree moving around. To help further in this regard I have signed the tips out for some AZLA Xelastec (which basically glue the nozzles on my ear) and switched the cable for an ALO Audio SuperLitz, using the memory wire to aid in helping support the shell weight.
Sonically these are fantastic, but unless there is a rock solid reason for the outlandish design of the faceplate, that definitely feels like form over function for me here, and detracts from the otherwise excellent wearability and ergonomics of the rest of the housing design.
Sound is a natural evolution of where Flare started to go with the Flares Gold and Pro2HD, merged with the bolder and bassier sound of the E-Prototype. Bass is big but very textured and doesn't encroach on the higher frequencies. Clarity is excellent, pulling a lot of small details into the mix that can get buried or blurred on some IEMs I have.
Staging is large and enveloping, and overall the EARS are extremely immersive, pulling you in to the music very well.
The elephant in the room is the design. The actual barrel design is fine and comfortable, but they stick out from your ears write significantly, and the solid metal faceplate may be serving a purpose for the design, but in terms of economics it just adds a large amount of metal hanging off the rest of your IEMs that pulls them down and out of your ears when you are walking or moving around, especially so given that the "standard" fit is with the cable down. I have large ear cavities, and even with L foams, the fit isn't rock solid in terms of stability, so these lose seal easily and require constant adjustment for me. L in "cable down" mode.
I have discovered a better way to wear them for me - simply swap the cables on the L and R IEMs then swear then upside down in the ear. The channels are the same, the design is symmetrical so there are no fit issues and the cable then routes up and over the ear, helping to take the weight of the shell and keep the seal of the IEMs a lot easier when you agree moving around. To help further in this regard I have signed the tips out for some AZLA Xelastec (which basically glue the nozzles on my ear) and switched the cable for an ALO Audio SuperLitz, using the memory wire to aid in helping support the shell weight.
Sonically these are fantastic, but unless there is a rock solid reason for the outlandish design of the faceplate, that definitely feels like form over function for me here, and detracts from the otherwise excellent wearability and ergonomics of the rest of the housing design.
