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Note that this is a discontinued product. You may want to visit the brand's page here to browse their newer products.
What reviewers think
Bloggers and YouTubers have tried this product—so we've summarized their strongest opinions below. Links to full reviews follow.
Product Strengths
- Comfortable despite being bigger and heavier than typical IEMs, especially after the initial temperature adjustment.
- Produces beautifully musical sound with a focus on essential elements.
- Midrange is emphasized and matches the music perfectly, creating a charming and easy listening experience.
Product Considerations
- High price point.
- Not discreet due to air vents that leak sound.
- May drop out when leaning forward or moving the head rapidly.
- Braided wire tangles easily and is permanently attached.
- Not suitable for electronica, pop, or rock music.
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Vs Final Audio Sonorous X, Piano Forte X sounds less excessive in bass and more refined.
Takeaway: The Final Audio Design Piano Forte X is an impeccably made earphone that is very comfortable to wear despite its looks. It is best for acoustic music and creates a pleasing, unique sound.
What are hifi reviews useful for? (1) Identifying products you should demo in person at a dealer. (2) Learning which products reviewers unanimously praise as the best they've heard (this means they probably are legitimately great). (3) Identifying a product's attributes that satisfy your idiosyncratic needs and tastes. Beyond that, we often discount what reviewers say because they heap praise on most products—and are often apprehensive about publishing strong criticism or comparisons between products. Further, they seldom have more than a few products on-hand, often relying on their memories to compare past products. Always listen for yourself.
All
Piano Forte X
reviews
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An excellent review of a great product
/
Publisher
/
3/1/2022
An excellent review of a great product
Publisher
/
3/1/2022
Video Review
Manufacturer details
Features
Specifications
- Product Code: FI-PF10DCC3 / FI-PF10DCG3
- Housing: Chromium copper alloy (chrome-copper, ion-plated or gold-plated finish)
- Driver: 16 mm large-aperture dynamic driver
- Sensitivity: 108 dB
- Impedance: 16 Ω
- Weight: 38 g
- Cord Length: 1.4 m
- Accessories: Brass carry case
Description
Piano Forte X has achieved the true spatial expression of a live concert hall, something that cannot be achieved with conventional earphones. The sound created contains a beautiful, attenuating vibration unique to the chrome copper material in the earphone, allowing you to feel the pleasing sensation of sound notes lingering naturally.
Release Timeline
Manufacturer Site
Brand highlights
Taking a step back to look at reviewers' thoughts of the brand's entire lineup—not just this product—what stands out most is the following:
- Final Audio is known for its expertise in balanced armature driver technology, crafting single full-range drivers that deliver detailed yet non-fatiguing audio, challenging the common multi-driver approach.
- Final Audio designs their products with specific listening purposes in mind, catering to genres like gaming, binaural recordings, or emphasizing certain sonic qualities like presence and clarity.
- The brand's earphones are often praised for their immersive and spacious soundstages, creating a 3D audio experience that extends beyond the physical confines of the housings.
Select products
Select product comparisons
UX3000
- Positioning: A wireless noise-cancelling headphone designed for premium sound and everyday convenience.
- Description: Features a completely new driver built to withstand the stresses of active noise cancellation while keeping sound clear and balanced. Compared to the wired D series and SONOROUS line, it offers the added benefits of wireless connectivity and portability, making it ideal for small rooms or on‐the-go use with moderate budget demands.
D7000
- Positioning: A premium wired headphone focused on comfort and natural, well-balanced audio.
- Description: Features a driver design using a diffuser technique to enhance treble clarity and maintain a smooth tonal balance. Compared to the D8000pro and SONOROUS models, it is positioned as a cost-effective option with a comfortable fit for users seeking natural sound.
D8000pro
- Positioning: A high-end wired headphone engineered for dynamic performance with enhanced bass impact.
- Description: Uses advanced driver technology with optimized impedance and sensitivity, delivering punchy bass and refined treble details. Compared to the D7000 and SONOROUS units, it offers a more energetic soundstage.
SONOROUS VI
- Positioning: A wired headphone that blends dynamic and balanced-armature techniques to create an expansive sound stage.
- Description: Features a hybrid design combining a 50mm dynamic driver with a balanced armature element and a BAM mechanism to optimize airflow and bass control. Compared to the D series, its integrated driver technology provides a wider, more natural sound field.
SONOROUS X
- Positioning: A prestige, high-end wired headphone that represents the pinnacle of the SONOROUS series.
- Description: Integrates a titanium diaphragm with an integrated machined aluminum front plate and BAM mechanism to deliver crystal clear sound with exceptional realism. Compared to the SONOROUS VI and other D series products, it excels in build quality and sonic detail.
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Avg. Product Price
$1,001-$2,500
Used For Sale
1
Available (Scroll Down)
Brand Popularity
594
of 900+
Badges
Top 50 Brand
Top 250 Brand
Products Listed
55
Founding Year
2007
Our take on the brand
Final is a hifi audio brand known for deep in-house manufacturing control by designing and building its own diaphragm-forming machines and assembly jigs, while engineering products like their D-series headphones for longevity through screw-fastened parts that enable user repairs and future upgrades.
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Brand Page
Our interview with the brand
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What if you spend more?
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Empire Ears
Legend Evo (Universal)
3099
3099
/
12
Reviews
Empire Ears is a hifi audio brand best known for headphones featuring their proprietary Weapon IX 9mm rare-earth magnet "subwoofers" with bass-reflex systems. The company hand-builds synX crossover networks without PCBs, assigning more individual audio bands per driver than any other IEM crossover. They also developed EIVEC electrostatic control to integrate EST drivers with dynamic and balanced armature drivers.
Expand Details
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Product Strengths
- Excellent technical performance and detail retrieval, considered several cuts above other IEMs
- Outstanding imaging performance, with precise soundstage and instrument separation
- The bass response is a highlight, delivering a punchy sub-bass with texture and articulation
- Offers a warmer tonal balance that is easy to get into with a mostly 'neutral' sound
- Bone conduction enhances low-frequency extension, reverb, and detail
Product Considerations
- Large chassis that may be uncomfortable for some users, particularly those with smaller ears
- The subdued treble range may not provide enough energy and sparkle for some listeners
- Stock cable is lackluster in terms of usability due to its plasticky feel, rigidity, and microphonic feedback
- Driver flex (a harmless crinkling sound upon insertion) is present
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Legend Evo delivers a stronger bass impact, depth, and extension than the Legend X
- Legend Evo produces better constructed highs than the Legend X
- Legend Evo shows better clarity than the Legend X, and has more detail
- The Legend X can sound veiled concerning the Legend Evo
- The Legend Evo feels a touch smoother than the Empire Ears ODIN
Takeaway: The Legend Evo is a top-tier IEM with innovative bone conduction technology that creates a unique and immersive listening experience with enhanced bass. It is a great option for those seeking flagship-level performance with a warm, bass-focused sound signature.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Empire Ears is a hifi audio brand best known for headphones featuring their proprietary Weapon IX 9mm rare-earth magnet "subwoofers" with bass-reflex systems. The company hand-builds synX crossover networks without PCBs, assigning more individual audio bands per driver than any other IEM crossover. They also developed EIVEC electrostatic control to integrate EST drivers with dynamic and balanced armature drivers.
Product Page
Product Page
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Noble
Viking Ragnar (Universal Fit)
4000
4000
/
9
Reviews
Noble is a hifi audio brand built around founder Dr. John "Wizard" Moulton, an audiologist renowned for hand-carving custom earphones from exotic materials like wood, carbon fiber, and aluminum instead of standard acrylic, with each ear requiring up to 30 hours to complete. The brand distinguishes itself by using bone conduction drivers across multiple models and bringing rare metallurgical techniques like Japanese Mokume-Gane and titanium Damascus to earphone faceplates.
Expand Details
Our summary
Product Strengths
- Excellent detail retrieval, resolving with the best over-ear headphones, challenging the brain to take it all in.
- Wide soundstage with precise imaging, creating an immersive, holographic 3D image.
- Easy to drive, delivering speed and impact even with low-power sources.
- High level of craftsmanship and build quality, using premium materials like CNC-machined aluminum and Damascus steel faceplates.
- Comes with the Magnus cable, a high-quality 8-core cable constructed with graphene, monocrystalline silver, and copper-silver alloy.
Product Considerations
- Treble can become a bit hot and fatiguing over long periods, but can be mitigated by using foam ear tips.
- Bass presence is more nominal and cohesive, not dominant or overpowering like some bass-head IEMs.
- Fit may be an issue for some due to the larger-than-average size of the IEM.
- Could be fatiguing over time due to sensory overload from extreme detail.
- Some reviewers found that the upper mids/lower treble frequency range could use a little boost.
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Offers a stronger balance of detail, performance, and musicality, a fuller, richer midrange, and better texture and timbre, when compared to the Empire Ears Odin—Odin has stronger holographic separation, an intense sense of vocal performance, and more potential for fatigue.
Takeaway: The Noble Viking Ragnar is a top-tier IEM, offering incredible detail and a wide soundstage for an immersive listening experience. Its build quality and design are exceptional, making it a great choice for those who want some of the best IEMs in the market.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Noble is a hifi audio brand built around founder Dr. John "Wizard" Moulton, an audiologist renowned for hand-carving custom earphones from exotic materials like wood, carbon fiber, and aluminum instead of standard acrylic, with each ear requiring up to 30 hours to complete. The brand distinguishes itself by using bone conduction drivers across multiple models and bringing rare metallurgical techniques like Japanese Mokume-Gane and titanium Damascus to earphone faceplates.
Product Page
Product Page
Empire Ears
Odin (Universal)
3399
3399
/
9
Reviews
Empire Ears is a hifi audio brand best known for headphones featuring their proprietary Weapon IX 9mm rare-earth magnet "subwoofers" with bass-reflex systems. The company hand-builds synX crossover networks without PCBs, assigning more individual audio bands per driver than any other IEM crossover. They also developed EIVEC electrostatic control to integrate EST drivers with dynamic and balanced armature drivers.
Expand Details
Our summary
Product Strengths
- Tremendous transparency, offering a wealth of microdynamics and spatial cues, critical in determining positioning and layering.
- Incredibly clear sound, yet wrapped in a warm, lush, and inviting overall picture.
- Highs are extended, detailed, and wonderfully resolved, easily able to summon the ethereal or holographic when called for.
- The soundstage is quite impressive—deep, wide, with very good headroom, and holographic when called to be so.
- The shell design is comfortable with a short nozzle, and light weight.
Product Considerations
- The treble is a little bit relaxed, and some songs may not cut through the way they need to.
- Amplifiers for this particular headphone are going to matter, and they are going to make a difference between several different amplifiers.
- The bass does not bring the rumble, nor the impact, nor does it reach to the stygian depths of the Holy-Bass-Head-Grail.
- Though the Odin provides for a comfortable fit, it can be uncomfortable for people who have really small ear holes, as the stem itself is quite wide.
- The 'Bifröst' faceplate design might be too flashy for some.
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Vs Empire Ears Zeus: The Odin smashes the Zeus all day, every day, for sound quality, with a better midrange and significantly nixed highs.
- Vs 64 Audio U12T: Odin is at least as good, if not better, in the mids and the bass, and has better punch and slam to the bass frequencies.
- Vs Empire Ears Legend X: The Odin is a much more balanced-tuned IEM.
- Vs 64 Audio Tia Forte: The Odin has a more agreeable frequency response.
- Vs Thieaudio Monarch: The Monarch has a really nice bass shelf, but the Odin has better technical performance and a better frequency response.
Takeaway: The Empire Ears Odin offers an easygoing listening experience and clear sound, and has tight bass response with a great midrange. It could be a great choice for those seeking a warm IEM with finesse.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Empire Ears is a hifi audio brand best known for headphones featuring their proprietary Weapon IX 9mm rare-earth magnet "subwoofers" with bass-reflex systems. The company hand-builds synX crossover networks without PCBs, assigning more individual audio bands per driver than any other IEM crossover. They also developed EIVEC electrostatic control to integrate EST drivers with dynamic and balanced armature drivers.
Product Page
Product Page
Empire Ears
Odin (Custom)
3599
3599
/
9
Reviews
Empire Ears is a hifi audio brand best known for headphones featuring their proprietary Weapon IX 9mm rare-earth magnet "subwoofers" with bass-reflex systems. The company hand-builds synX crossover networks without PCBs, assigning more individual audio bands per driver than any other IEM crossover. They also developed EIVEC electrostatic control to integrate EST drivers with dynamic and balanced armature drivers.
Expand Details
Our summary
Product Strengths
- Incredibly clear and detailed sound, offering a transparent window into the music
- Well-defined, punchy, and high-quality bass response, with good impact and rumble, without being muddy
- Smooth and well-defined treble, avoiding sibilance or harshness, and retaining excellent resolution
- Broad and deep soundstage with excellent imaging, layering, and separation of instruments
- Visually striking and beautiful Bifrost faceplate design
Product Considerations
- The fit may be uncomfortable for users with smaller ears, as the stem is quite wide and the monitors themselves are fairly large
- Upper mid-range can be forward, and at times can be borderline shouty or fatiguing in some tracks
- Treble response, while detailed, might be a little relaxed for some, not cutting through as much as some other IEMs
- Some reviewers found the build quality of the resin shell to be just okay, not feeling particularly premium or durable relative to the price
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Vs. 64 Audio U12T: The Odin has better punch and slam in the bass, while the U12T has a more layered and separated sound with slightly more micro-details
- Vs. Empire Ears Legend X: The Odin is much more balanced and refined compared to the bass-heavy Legend X
- Vs. Fir M5: The M5 has a more forward and clearer treble response and wider soundstage, but the Odin's midrange is more forward and produces a more enjoyable vocal response
- Vs. Empire Ears Zeus: The Odin is smoother with more bass response and a better mid range
- Vs. Vision Ears Elysium: The Elysium brings an analog-like ease to the midrange, but is not a match for the Odin in detail and transient speed
Takeaway: The Empire Ears Odin is a technically impressive IEM with a smooth, clear sound, detailed bass and a striking design. If one is seeking a high-end listening experience where details are clearly displayed in an immersive 3D stage, these could be a great match.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Empire Ears is a hifi audio brand best known for headphones featuring their proprietary Weapon IX 9mm rare-earth magnet "subwoofers" with bass-reflex systems. The company hand-builds synX crossover networks without PCBs, assigning more individual audio bands per driver than any other IEM crossover. They also developed EIVEC electrostatic control to integrate EST drivers with dynamic and balanced armature drivers.
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Product Page
What competes at this price?
final
A8000
1888
/
Released
2019
A8000 is final's flagship model that realizes transparent sound for the uplift that can be gained by listening to music. Development of the A8000 began with reconstruction of physical measurement and subjective evaluation methodologies. Under the subjective evaluation methodology established at the time of D8000's development, the E Series achieved sound quality highly evaluated by many people and became a best seller. With the A8000, a new evaluation index has been incorporated into that subjective evaluation methodology.
Final is a hifi audio brand known for deep in-house manufacturing control by designing and building its own diaphragm-forming machines and assembly jigs, while engineering products like their D-series headphones for longevity through screw-fastened parts that enable user repairs and future upgrades.
Expand Details
Our Summary
Product Strengths
- Excellent clarity and works well with different genres of music, sounding upbeat and uncolored.
- A lot of micro-detail with great control over sudden volume changes, with terrific response speed, while keeping articulation smooth.
- Superior bass with the linearity of the bass, how tight, lean, and linear the bass sounds compared to other models.
- Astonishing in all kinds of ways, giving detail and a sense of presence.
Product Considerations
- Ergonomics aren’t quite as amazing as they look because the shell is on the larger side, and the nozzle is quite short.
- The shells pick up scratches and scuffs fairly easily.
- They were a little bit tiring to listen to in the upper ranges, in some of the tracks it just sounded like the music was getting slightly swamped with just too much treble information.
- Very bright.
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Vs Sennheiser IE 800: Sennheiser is a very distant second to the A8000 in every department, the Sennheiser IE 800 sounded thin and harsh.
- Vs JH Audio Roxans: Technical performance was not as good as the technical performance of the JH Audio, by which the reviewer meant there was clearer instrumentation and clearer vocals on the JH Audios, however, there was just something so good about the bass and the vocals.
- Vs DUNU Luna: More transparent and spacious in sound and a league ahead in picking out brilliant treble detail, while maintaining excellent control of the bass in comparison to DUNU Luna.
- Vs Final B1: Some similarities with the B1, mainly in how the mids are rendered, but with a much faster response speed and a more refreshing treble tuning.
- Vs HIFIMAN RE2000 Silvers: The sound seemed just slightly cleaner in the mids, so the tracks were easier to follow and just slightly less fatiguing with HIFIMAN RE2000 Silvers.
Takeaway: The Final Audio A8000 is worth buying for the great sound quality, the attention to detail that went into making it, and the fact it can work with different kinds of music. It has amazing details and is made well, so one should be happy with it.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Final is a hifi audio brand known for deep in-house manufacturing control by designing and building its own diaphragm-forming machines and assembly jigs, while engineering products like their D-series headphones for longevity through screw-fastened parts that enable user repairs and future upgrades.
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Campfire Audio
Astrolith
2199
/
Released
2024
The latest from the acoustics team at Campfire Audio, Astrolith represents the tip-of-the-spear for IEMs using a pure planar magnetic architecture. Further expanding on Campfire's lineage of planar earphones, Astrolith incorporates two new drivers wrapped in our PPR and AAOI tuning elements. Combining the inherent advantages of planar magnetic drivers with decades of acoustic engineering experiences brings about an incredible new horizon in the realm of planar magnetic IEMs.
Campfire Audio is a hifi headphone brand known for their Tuned Acoustic Expansion Chamber (TAEC) for balanced armatures and Solid Body Design that mounts drivers into a single 3D-printed "engine block" to improve tuning and reliability. The brand has pioneered several unique approaches, such as crossoverless dual-planar architecture, beryllium-PVD dynamic diaphragms, and 3D-printed ceramic acoustic structures. Their Andromeda model long held a reputation as a benchmark reference for hifi IEM performance.
Expand Details
Our Summary
Product Strengths
- Impressive technical performance, clarity, detail retrieval, and resolution due to its planar magnetic drivers.
- Features a new, comfortable, and ergonomic shell design that's also lightweight and durable.
- Includes two upgraded Time Stream Metal cables, providing both 3.5mm and 4.4mm terminations.
- Delivers a strong, extended bass response, with texture and speed, plus a nimble, airy top-end.
- Exhibits a spacious, wide, and holographic soundstage with good imaging and instrument separation.
Product Considerations
- Lower sensitivity might require a dedicated DAP or amplifier for optimal performance, and can sound anemic when paired with just a phone.
- Can be sensitive to source pairings, warmer DACs might wash out the mids and some pairings may bring out sibilance.
- Stock tips might not provide the best seal for everyone, and the stock tip selection is poor.
- Silicone eartips can make the treble sound harsh.
- The mirror-finished stainless steel faceplate is prone to fingerprints and smudges.
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Vs. Campfire Audio Bonneville: Astrolith has superior mids, clarity, detail and transparency, and better treble extension, articulation, and overall resolution.
- Vs 64 Audio Volür: Astrolith offers bigger bass and a more exciting presentation, as well as faster and more resolving sound, but Volür is more accurate overall.
- Vs. Oriolus Monachaa: Astrolith has a faster and more controlled bass with better texture, a more natural and realistic midrange with a fabulous timbre.
- Vs. Elysian Acoustic Labs Annihilator: Astrolith delivers a more robust and organic mid-range with realistic and natural timbre and more defined lower mids.
Takeaway: The Astrolith is a technically impressive IEM with a comfortable design that delivers a powerful and detailed sound. It could be a great pick for listeners who want high-end sound that can play all kinds of music well.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Campfire Audio is a hifi headphone brand known for their Tuned Acoustic Expansion Chamber (TAEC) for balanced armatures and Solid Body Design that mounts drivers into a single 3D-printed "engine block" to improve tuning and reliability. The brand has pioneered several unique approaches, such as crossoverless dual-planar architecture, beryllium-PVD dynamic diaphragms, and 3D-printed ceramic acoustic structures. Their Andromeda model long held a reputation as a benchmark reference for hifi IEM performance.
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HIFIMAN
Svanar
1999
/
Released
2023
SVANAR — HiFiMAN's Flagship Single Dynamic Driver IEM with Over-Ear Detail.
HIFIMAN is a hifi brand known for its planar magnetic headphones that use extremely thin diaphragms and acoustically transparent "Stealth Magnets" to reduce sound distortion. The company pioneered high-resolution portable audio players and creates electrostatic headphones that bring high-end sound quality to more accessible price points, as well as widely renowned flagship models such as the Susvara.
Expand Details
Our Summary
Product Strengths
- Captures the sound of the original Svanar, with a balanced tuning emphasizing bass and treble while maintaining the mids
- Incredible imaging performance, offering a wide, well-rounded, three-dimensional soundstage with excellent positioning and separation—highly competitive, even compared to non-TWS IEMs under $1000
- Has an R2R DAC which permits unreachable technical performance
- Very light and comfortable
- Excellent connectivity and usability
Product Considerations
- LDAC connectivity issues with invasive intermittence and noise cutting
- ANC and Transparency mode aren’t very useful and lack dynamic, delivering leaner dynamic, less musicality
- Plastic build might not be most durable if dropped
- High-frequencies are quite sensible to the source, making it one of the least forgiving TWS
- Hiss is also present
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- The Svanar Wireless is punchier, with better bass detail and imaging, and a wider soundstage, while the Final ZE8000 has a warmer, more neutral sound
- The Svanar Wireless has stronger imaging performance, a wider soundstage, and a better balance between separation and cohesion
- The Svanar Wireless is superior in technicalities and tonal balance, as well as timbre and tone naturalness, and ultimately musicality
- The Svanar Wireless' soundstage is taller and wider but not as deep, since clarity isn’t as sharp and clean, silence being more "noisy"
- The Svanar Wireless has better sound and performs better technically
- The Sony TWS has bloated bass that overwhelms everything else; in comparison, the soundstage and treble performance of the Svanar Wireless is miles ahead, presenting a much more detailed, natural, and sophisticated kind of sound
Takeaway: The Svanar Wireless sounds impressive for wireless earbuds, and it has great connectivity and features. For those seeking high-end wireless sound, these are worth considering.
Video review
Our take on the brand
HIFIMAN is a hifi brand known for its planar magnetic headphones that use extremely thin diaphragms and acoustically transparent "Stealth Magnets" to reduce sound distortion. The company pioneered high-resolution portable audio players and creates electrostatic headphones that bring high-end sound quality to more accessible price points, as well as widely renowned flagship models such as the Susvara.
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Letshuoer
Cadenza
1999
/
Released
2023
LETSHUOER Cadenza is the new LETSHUOER flagship in-ear headphones. It features with 12 hybrid drivers, titanium chassis, six-way electronic crossover five acoustic bores, and 204-strands cable 6N Monocrystalline Copper and Silver Hybrid. Most importantly, it represents the TOP artisanship from LETSHUOER ACOUSTIC.
Letshuoer is a hifi audio brand known for democratizing planar-magnetic IEMs with their S12 model, which brought exceptional technical performance to the $150 price point. The brand sets itself apart through unconventional driver architectures like their proprietary R-Sonic passive filtering module for pressure relief and staging expansion.
Expand Details
Our Summary
Product Strengths
- Praised for its beautiful design
- Very comfortable, almost expected from an IEM based on resin
- Easy to drive due to its low impedance and high sensitivity
- Provides a lot of clarity
- Has a very natural tonality, even with balanced drivers
Product Considerations
- Its design might be too fragile and prone to scratches
- May lack impact and slam for music with a lot of low-octave focus
- Some amplifiers might not synergize well, needing experimentation
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Compared to the Moondrop variations, the Cadenza is preferred for its handling of transitions
Takeaway: The Cadenza is a beautiful IEM with great clarity that's also comfortable to wear. It is an easy to drive IEM, with great potential to provide enjoyable listening sessions.
Video review
Our take on the brand
Letshuoer is a hifi audio brand known for democratizing planar-magnetic IEMs with their S12 model, which brought exceptional technical performance to the $150 price point. The brand sets itself apart through unconventional driver architectures like their proprietary R-Sonic passive filtering module for pressure relief and staging expansion.
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64 Audio
U4s
1099
/
Released
2023
A quad driver hybrid UIEM featuring ground-breaking patented technologies originally developed for our flagship products in order to bring a wider audience closer to their music.
64 Audio is a brand best known for IEMs with highly novel technologies like LID (Linear Impedance Design) circuits that maintain consistent frequency response across different sources, and unique driver configurations, including the industry-first 18 balanced-armature driver U18t and the Solo's single 14.2mm planar magnetic driver with dual Helmholtz resonator chambers.
Expand Details
Our Summary
Product Strengths
- Versatile sound signature, going from bassy to neutral with the use of included tuning modules
- Excellent bass response with a dynamic driver, providing strong texture, deep extension, and impact
- Very good treble extension, air, and sparkle for detail retrieval without harshness
- Expertly captures the 64 Audio character of balancing pro audio sensibilities and a more audiophile-friendly sound
- Comfortable and durable design, with a lightweight anodized aluminum shell and well-thought-out accessories
Product Considerations
- Imaging and instrument separation are decent, but not standout for the price range
- Mid-range may sound a bit thin to some, with a more relaxed upper mid-range that results in vocals being a little bit on the husky side
- The nozzle doesn’t have lip holder and is a bit problematic
- Isolation isn't exceptional due to the apex module
Comparisons (according to reviewers)
- Vs 64 Audio Neo: U4S is preferred due to the U4S being the cheaper IEM
- Vs Thieaudio Monarch MkII: The Monarch is comparatively lean sounding
- Vs 64 Audio U6T: U6T is a little more neutral overall with a stronger technicality, but the U4S injects a little more fun into the sound
- Vs Campfire Audio Andromeda Emerald Sea: The U4S offers a more natural mid-range presentation
- Vs 64 Audio Nio: The U4s effectively undercuts the Nio by a third of the price with comparable sound quality
- Vs Custom Art Fibae 5: If you want technicalities and details, Fibae 5 is superior, if you want a very capable yet slightly musical and mainstream IEM, opt for the U4s
Takeaway:
The 64 Audio U4s is a well-rounded IEM that offers a fun and engaging sound signature with the ability to customize the bass response. With its comfortable fit and excellent build quality, it's a great option for those looking for a versatile and enjoyable listening experience.
Video review
Our take on the brand
64 Audio is a brand best known for IEMs with highly novel technologies like LID (Linear Impedance Design) circuits that maintain consistent frequency response across different sources, and unique driver configurations, including the industry-first 18 balanced-armature driver U18t and the Solo's single 14.2mm planar magnetic driver with dual Helmholtz resonator chambers.
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