The day I received these IEMs, a week ago, I ran them in using my Epiphany Acoustics EHP-O2Di for about 10-15 hours. Listening to the sound develop the whole time. Over that period, and listening to music on them for about 60 hours with them over the preceding week, the soundstage has opened and they sound slightly better than they did out of the box.
The carrying case that comes with the IEMs is solid, and keeps out dust, and the ¼” to 3.5mm adapter is a nice touch.
Build Quality
The IEMs have a plastic - probably ABS - construction. The drivers are on show behind a little polycarbonate window with an embossed AT logo inside. They’re is solid, and don’t feel like they’re easy to break.
AT’s proprietary A2DC coaxial connector has a very satisfying click to it, and I haven’t managed to accidentally separate the cable from the headphone yet, even after accidentally tugging it a few times.
The part of the cable that goes around your ear is easily pliable with your fingers, but holds its shape well enough when around your ear (I’ll explain why this is important in the next section). The rest of the cable is a standard affair, if not a bit cheap feeling. Rather than opting for more parts, they’ve made the entire cable from a single two wire extrusion. The 1.5m length is a tad long for my taste, as I’m using them with my phone in my pocket most of the time. Personally, I’d prefer a 1.2m braided cable. When you pay £140 for a pair of in ear headphones, you expect a more premium build quality. I’m going to pick up an aftermarket cable when they become available, as I can’t imagine this one lasting for more than a couple of years.
Cable noise isn’t a big issue, as most of the vibration gets absorbed at the top of your ear. The cable is soft enough to not produce much friction on your ear, making them comfortable to wear on long walks.
Fit
The body of the earphone fits snugly into the ear’s concha. Getting the correct fit with these is really important. I’ve seen multiple reviews online that complain about the fit and criticise AT for not including a larger variety of eartips. I’ve really got to agree with them, to a point. Included are 4 sets of standard rubber tips: XS, S, M, and L. The medium tips are slightly smaller than the tips that came with my last in-ears, the RHA MA200 (cheap and cheerful). If you don’t get a proper fit, the headphones sound rather empty. I’d be a lot happier if a couple of sets of Comply tips were included, but that would no doubt lead to a £20 price hike.
Even so, isolation is pretty great. Typing this review right now on a keyboard with MX Brown switches, I can hardly hear them with music playing. Outside, they block noise to an arguably unsafe point - making it a little difficult to hear traffic and people around you. If you are using them like I am, you must be a lot more attentive to your environment. Safe to say, it’s probably not a good idea to use these, or any headphones, whilst driving.
Sound Quality
I have been listening to 320kbps MP3 and 384kbps AAC using both my computer setup and my HTC One M8. The 44 ohm impedance means that I don’t get the static that I did with less resistant headphone on my phone. I listen with HTC’s ‘BoomSound’ (TM INTENSIFIES) turned on to emphasise the bass and treble.
The sound signature is somewhere between the AKG K702s, and the AT ATH-M50s - Lows are punchy, mids are precise and definitely there, and highs are exaggerated. Initially, acoustic instruments sounded slightly artificial, but that’s changed as they’ve been worn in. The artificialness is still evident, but not at all unpleasant. Being closed back IEMs, as opposed to open back over ear headphones, bass in general has more of a punch, and everything sounds more compacted. That’s not to say that the soundstage is small - on the contrary, it’s surprisingly open.
From the first time listening to them, they’ve impressed me. I never thought you’d be able to get such an open sound from something so small. You can clearly distinguish between different instruments and details in the tracks. The stereo imaging is quite impressive. Listening to Venice Queen by Red Hot Chili Peppers, the feedback at the start of the song moves effortlessly from one side to the other, with a smooth border.
They’re excellent for listening to any genre of music. In my opinion, they really shine when playing loud electronic and rock, and they’re sensitive enough to get the most out of classical and acoustic. Vocals sound crisp and clean, and stand out.
Conclusion
At £140, I feel that Audio Technica really have a good set of IEMs on their hands. The quality of the cable is unfortunate, but something I can overlook considering the sound and solid construction of the headphones themselves.
I’m not going to give them a score, because I don’t really have anything to compare them to, being my first pair of IEMs. The soundstage on these is comparable to a lot of over-ear closed back headphones, even ones around the same price point.
Overall, I am rather impressed with them. The first time I listened to them outside, I was walking down the street grinning like a very enthused Cheshire Cat. The sound they produce is enjoyable and fun. I don’t plan on replacing these as my daily driver for the foreseeable future.