Website author headshot
Cameron Oatley
ExtremeHiFi
Website author headshot
Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi

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.

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

Ra-c (21.5)

reviews

[{"title":"oBravo Ra-c-cu EAMT Earbuds Product Review - $21,999.95 NZD","link":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NohM9u76fOY","source":"AB's Sound Advice","datePublished":"2022"},{"title":"oBravo Ra-C-Cu 21.5 earphones review — overluxerious","link":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=da3x8dkM_aQ","source":"AB's Sound Advice","datePublished":"2023"},{"title":"oBravo Ra-C-Cu 21.5 earphones review — overluxerious","link":"https://porta.fi/obravo-ra-c-cu-21-5-earphones-review-overluxerious","source":"porta.fi","datePublished":""}]
An excellent review of a great product
/
Publisher
/
3/1/2022
An excellent review of a great product
Publisher
/
3/1/2022

Manufacturer details

  • Back Cavity: Acacia Wood
  • Shell: Aluminum Alloy
  • Front Cavity: Advanced Ceramics
  • Driver Configuration: 8 mm AMT Tweeter + 16 mm Dynamic Driver
  • Frequency Response: 10 Hz – 45 kHz
  • Impedance: 180 Ω
  • Sensitivity: 93 dB
  • Cable: Pure Silver + Gold-Plated Silver + OCC Copper conductors; Detachable plugs (3.5 mm single-ended, 2.5 mm balanced, 4.4 mm balanced)
Smallest in the world. oBravo's exclusive miniaturization technology True spatial expression. Experience the audio excellence of high-end speakers Top-of-the-line. Supplied with single crystal oxygen-free copper headphone wire Music on the go. First-class portable stereo
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:

  • oBravo utilizes a hybrid driver configuration, combining a dynamic driver for lower frequencies with a specialized Air Motion Transformer tweeter for enhanced high-frequency performance.
  • They are known for crafting their IEM and headphone housings from premium and often unusual materials such as brass, ceramic, wood, and copper, selected for their acoustic properties and aesthetic appeal.
  • oBravo's products often feature a semi-open design that aims to provide a more spacious and speaker-like listening experience compared to traditional closed-back IEMs and headphones.
  • They engineer and patent their own proprietary AMT drivers, including the AMT II, continuously striving to improve the performance and efficiency of their unique tweeter technology.

CUPID (ULTIMATE)

  • Positioning: The entry-level earphone designed for affordability and portability.
  • Description: Features a unique Planar Magnetic Driver that brings clear, bright highs and engaging mids in a simple package. Compared to the Air Motion Transformer models, it offers dynamic sound at a lower price point, ideal for users who seek portable performance without the complexity of higher-end builds.

EAMT-2C

  • Positioning: A mid-range earphone focused on miniaturization and balanced full-range performance.
  • Description: Features exclusive miniaturization and Air Motion Transformer technology that delivers rich spatial sound and precise bass clarity. When compared to the simpler CUPID (ULTIMATE) and the more refined EAMT-1C, it offers a balanced mix of performance and cost‐efficiency for everyday critical listening.

EAMT-1C

  • Positioning: A higher mid-range earphone tailored for audiophile-quality listening on the go.
  • Description: Features refined Air Motion Transformer tweeter and single crystal oxygen-free copper cable that enhance realism and warmth. Compared to the EAMT-2C, it provides a more engaging, full-bodied sound while still staying below the flagship models in terms of price and imaging sophistication.

RA-C (21.5)

  • Positioning: A premium earphone model aimed at delivering lifelike spatial imaging and detailed sound.
  • Description: Uses advanced materials like pure silver, gold-plated silver, and oxygen-free copper wiring that produce crisp highs, warm mids, and deep bass with precise spatial cues. In comparison to the lower-priced models, it offers superior audio balance and critical listening performance.

RA-C-CU (21.5)

  • Positioning: The flagship earphone focused on the highest fidelity and premium build in the lineup.
  • Description: Takes advanced material construction further by providing extremely nuanced imaging and groundbreaking sound clarity through refined use of high-grade conductors. When benchmarked against all other models, it delivers top-tier performance.
See All Products
Avg. Product Price
$5,001-$10,000
Used For Sale
0
 Available (Scroll Down)
Brand Popularity
836
 of 900+
Badges
Top 50 Brand
Top 250 Brand
Products Listed
22
Founding Year
2006

Our take on the brand

oBravo is a hifi headphone and IEM brand recognized for its coaxial two-way architecture that places AMT tweeters at the acoustic center of dynamic drivers, creating speaker-like scale and separation in headphones. The brand features user-tunable airflow systems, aggressive miniaturization of AMT technology, and semi-open voicing that delivers amphitheater-scale staging rarely found in in-ear designs.

Look inside the brand

Brand Page

Our interview with the brand

What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?

What's your approach to customer support?

What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?

What other products pair best with yours?

From our interview with
.
Brand Page

Used

oBravo

No items found.
No items found.

What if you spend more?

No items found.

What competes at this price?

oBravo
Ra-c-cu (21.5)
9722
/
Released
2023
The finest conductor material made of pure silver, gold plated silver, and single crystal copper offers you crisp highs, warm mids, and deep bass.
Check Amazon
oBravo is a hifi headphone and IEM brand recognized for its coaxial two-way architecture that places AMT tweeters at the acoustic center of dynamic drivers, creating speaker-like scale and separation in headphones. The brand features user-tunable airflow systems, aggressive miniaturization of AMT technology, and semi-open voicing that delivers amphitheater-scale staging rarely found in in-ear designs.
Expand Details

Our Summary

Product Strengths

  • Build quality is sensational, handmade in Taiwan, and has thousands of man hours put into it
  • The kit has detachable clickable connections, and high-quality pure copper cables
  • Comes with accessories such as replacement parts for the earbuds, and adapters (3.5, 4.4 for balance, and 2.5 balance)
  • Accessories are beautifully made with wood and good hinges
  • The product features a two-way speaker system inside an earbud

Product Considerations

  • It demands good, abundant power to be driven, due to its specifications of 93dB sensitivity, and 182 Ohms
  • Needs to be burned-in (driven) for no less than 200 hours, and most possibly 300 hours
  • The stock cable has tiny connectors which make it very difficult to connect any wire beyond 26-28awg
  • The outer packaging box seems to be a reformed cardboard box, which is huge and white, and may not be durable in the long run
  • The proprietary MMCX-designed connectors means the cable’s tiny connectors make it very difficult to connect any wire beyond 26-28awg and perhaps a very thin 2 or 4 wire at best

Comparisons (according to reviewers)

  • The oBravo RA-C-CU excels versus the Vision Ears EVE2020 across every parameter, though there is a warmth across the EVE’s midrange via its dynamic driver, that moves it to, at least, competitive with the RA-C-CU and its Neodymium Dynamic Driver
  • There were no aspects between the Vision Ears ELYSIUM and the oBravo RA-C-CU where the oBravo did not excel
  • The oBravo RA-C-CU extends a competitive advantage across all relevant parameters from bass extension to treble extension to transparency to a coherency that holds together through the most complex and dynamic passages to a more expansive soundstage, compared to the oBravo EAMT-2C

Takeaway: The Ra-c-cu (21.5) is a very well-made earbud that gives a sensational listening experience like high-end speakers in one's ears. If one wants to treat oneself with serious earbuds where money is not a problem, this is the way to go.

Video review

Our take on the brand

oBravo is a hifi headphone and IEM brand recognized for its coaxial two-way architecture that places AMT tweeters at the acoustic center of dynamic drivers, creating speaker-like scale and separation in headphones. The brand features user-tunable airflow systems, aggressive miniaturization of AMT technology, and semi-open voicing that delivers amphitheater-scale staging rarely found in in-ear designs.
Website author headshot
Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
Product Page
Product Page
Subtonic Audio
Storm
5200
/
Released
2023
A flagship, reference-level IEM featuring a 9-driver configuration—2 Subtonic SLAM drivers, 5 Balanced Armature drivers, and 2 Electrostatic drivers—managed by a true 7-way CTRL crossover. Built within Grade 5 titanium (Ti-6Al-4V) PVD-coated shells adorned with hand-enameled golden cloud faceplates, and comes with the flagship Nightjar Acoustics Mira cable, plus a premium leather pouch in the Launch Edition.
Check Amazon
Subtonic Audio is a hifi headphone brand recognized for their SLAM dual-armature woofer system, delivering bass extension down to 3 Hz, and their complex 7-way CTRL crossover that splits signals into narrow bands for precise control. Their flagship Storm IEMs showcase hand-enameled faceplates with a two-thirds rejection rate.
Expand Details

Our Summary

Product Strengths

  • Considered by many as having the best sound achievable in an in-ear headphone, making it an exceptional audio experience
  • The sound signature is mostly balanced with tasteful coloration, where the treble imparts a particular element that is potentially preferable
  • The midrange is extremely well done
  • Features unique SLAM subwoofer, woofer, midwoofer, mid tweeter, tweeter and EST technologies
  • Built with Grade 5 titanium, providing sturdiness and high quality

Product Considerations

  • Treble performance can be hit or miss depending on the listener's anatomy and HRTF
  • Requires more power than typical IEMs, potentially draining the battery of portable audio players
  • Shells are on the larger side
  • The included cable is nice, but the chin cinch tends to slide down

Comparisons (according to reviewers)

  • Compared to the Hi-Senior Megafest and Dusk Default DSP, the Storm is an editorialized or enhanced version of those IEMs, particularly regarding bass and mids
  • Compared to the 64 Audio U6T, it has similar balance with similar tasteful colorations, but Storm's bass is more punchy and the upper treble is more to the reviewer's preference
  • Compared to the Empire Ears Odin, the Storm is preferred because the Odin is not as versatile, and the Storm sounds more detailed
  • Compared to the Empire Ears Raven, the Storm is more normal in a good way because the Raven has massive bass and a strange lower midrange resonance feature
  • Resolution, stage and tonality are better on the Storm compared to Grand Maestro

Takeaway: The Storm is a high-end IEM with exceptional sound quality and great build, even if pricey. It could be worth buying for those who want the best possible audio experience and appreciate a balanced sound with unique features.

Video review

Our take on the brand

Subtonic Audio is a hifi headphone brand recognized for their SLAM dual-armature woofer system, delivering bass extension down to 3 Hz, and their complex 7-way CTRL crossover that splits signals into narrow bands for precise control. Their flagship Storm IEMs showcase hand-enameled faceplates with a two-thirds rejection rate.
Website author headshot
Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
Product Page
Product Page
Unique Melody
Mason FS Soleil Tombé
8499
/
Released
2024
The Mason FS Soleil Tombé is a hybrid pressurized bone conduction system crafted with meticulous care. Initially appearing subtle and soft, it reveals its inherent power and dynamism upon closer scrutiny. A fusion of tradition and technology, a collision of classical and rock elements converge in the Mason FS Soleil Tombé — a soulful masterpiece.
Check Amazon
Unique Melody is a hifi audio brand best known for designs that pioneered bone conduction technology in IEMs. The brand combines advanced materials such as silver-palladium alloy bone conduction drivers with 27 ceramic layers and titanium shells. They also created early planar magnetic IEMs and popularized quadbrid driver configurations that combine dynamic, balanced armature, electrostatic, and bone conduction drivers.
Expand Details

Our Summary

Product Strengths

  • Fuller body smooth analog tonality and a neutrally balanced sound signature
  • Naturally resolving treble
  • Expanded soundstage
  • Beautiful, exotic material shells and premium leather accessories
  • Very light weight

Product Considerations

  • The high price is a significant consideration
  • Performance is source pair-up dependent
  • The included PWA First Times Shielding Pro cable has some microphonics
  • Shells are a little bigger in comparison to previous Mason FS models and MM/AP models from Mentor-series

Comparisons (according to reviewers)

  • Vs Unique Melody Amber Pearl, the Soleil Tombé has less bass and is more neutral, allowing for clearer mids compared to the Amber Pearl's stronger bass presence
  • Vs U12T, the Mason FS has better bass impact and texture, while the Mason FS also presents vocals as warmer and fuller, with more atmosphere, while the U12T presents a very clean and clear sound, though it is less energetic
  • Vs Noble Onyx, the Mason FS is warmer, while the Onyx has a larger, more open sound, though the Onyx can be clearer in higher registers but loses clarity in lower registers compared to Mason FS
  • Vs UM Mason FS Le Jardin (LJ), the 2024 model is just $499 more

Takeaway: The Mason FS Soleil Tombé is a very good-looking IEM that provides a unique listening experience with balanced sound and beautiful mids. It is for people that want something different than other products in the market.

Video review

Our take on the brand

Unique Melody is a hifi audio brand best known for designs that pioneered bone conduction technology in IEMs. The brand combines advanced materials such as silver-palladium alloy bone conduction drivers with 27 ceramic layers and titanium shells. They also created early planar magnetic IEMs and popularized quadbrid driver configurations that combine dynamic, balanced armature, electrostatic, and bone conduction drivers.
Website author headshot
Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
Product Page
Product Page
Oriolus
Traillii Japan
6600
/
Released
2023
The Traillii JP is the flagship in-ear earphone from Oriolus. It has a 3-way design equipped with 4 latest-gen Sonion electrostatic drivers and 8 balanced armature 3-way drivers.
Check Amazon
Oriolus is a Tokyo-based hifi brand best known for the Traillii IEM, which achieved near-mythic status at ~$6,000 through its unconventional all-balanced-armature design. Using 8 balanced armatures for lows/mids and 4 electrostatics for treble, it delivers unusually natural bass speed and holographic staging. The brand regularly releases Japan-specific editions and focuses on sound-first engineering over flashy packaging.
Expand Details

Our Summary

Product Strengths

  • The Traillii is the first pair of IEMs that makes the reviewer feel like listening to big headphones in almost all aspects
  • The soundstage and imaging from the Traillii are considered to be world-class
  • The Traillii has a very natural, coherent sound, and the transition is gapless and silky smooth from the bottom to the top
  • The fit is fantastic and close to fitting like a custom IEM

Product Considerations

  • The unboxing experience and included accessories are lackluster, especially considering the price
  • The stock cable has questionable workmanship and is bulky and microphonic
  • The Traillii’s treble response is disappointing and lacks incisiveness
  • The Traillii is a bit more difficult to drive

Comparisons (according to reviewers)

  • The Traillii sounds like the 64 Audio U12T, but has better timbre and a darker timbre
  • The bass does not hit as hard as the Empire Ears Odin
  • The Traillii sounds more balanced and neutral, with better resolution and a smoother connection between bass and treble, whereas Thummim is more bass-oriented and has a V-shaped sound signature
  • The Traillii focuses more on stage, image, and overall coherence, while the Vision Ears Erlkonig focuses more on sound density and macro-dynamic focus

Takeaway: The Traillii offers a natural and coherent sound, with world-class soundstage and imaging, making it a great choice for those seeking a high-end listening experience in an IEM form factor. It is an all-rounder that is talented and gifted, which allows it to play almost anything off of any source/DAP and still sound good.

Video review

Our take on the brand

Oriolus is a Tokyo-based hifi brand best known for the Traillii IEM, which achieved near-mythic status at ~$6,000 through its unconventional all-balanced-armature design. Using 8 balanced armatures for lows/mids and 4 electrostatics for treble, it delivers unusually natural bass speed and holographic staging. The brand regularly releases Japan-specific editions and focuses on sound-first engineering over flashy packaging.
Website author headshot
Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
Product Page
Product Page
Unique Melody
Mason FS Nuit Étoilée
8499
/
Released
2024
Beneath a sparkling, starry sky that whispers in the ears, Behold the novel hybrid pressurized bone conduction system, crafted with meticulous artistry. Embark on a journey of freedom and exhilaration, discovering new sounds with Nuit Étoilée.
Check Amazon
Unique Melody is a hifi audio brand best known for designs that pioneered bone conduction technology in IEMs. The brand combines advanced materials such as silver-palladium alloy bone conduction drivers with 27 ceramic layers and titanium shells. They also created early planar magnetic IEMs and popularized quadbrid driver configurations that combine dynamic, balanced armature, electrostatic, and bone conduction drivers.
Expand Details

Our Summary

Video review

Our take on the brand

Unique Melody is a hifi audio brand best known for designs that pioneered bone conduction technology in IEMs. The brand combines advanced materials such as silver-palladium alloy bone conduction drivers with 27 ceramic layers and titanium shells. They also created early planar magnetic IEMs and popularized quadbrid driver configurations that combine dynamic, balanced armature, electrostatic, and bone conduction drivers.
Website author headshot
Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
Product Page
Product Page

How to buy

Headphones

Search all hifi products

Explore our database of 10,000+ new and 25,000+ used hifi products.