The absolute best banger for me of 2023 What a find the PULA PA02 in 2023 is a masterclass of tuning for a fraction of Kilobuck pricing.
Currently on sale for $187 less $25USD
While some ChiFi companies are reaching into very top end prices it’s wonderful to find an incredible cohesive and beautiful tuned IEM with high quality drivers at a super affordable cost.
In the end the sound replay and how much enjoyment you get from your gear matters most.
I honestly think the PA02 is one of the best tuned IEM’s I have ever heard at any price.
Minamilist Packaging Full on Accessories, Case , Cable, Tips with choice of termination with 2 balanced options. 2 georgous shell designs to choose from Medical grade 3D resin shells and shape are well thought out. No driver flex or pressure build up. Extremely well balanced and natural sounding Bass is Organic, textured, impactful, and perfectly blended into the mids mids are Smooth layered and extract a wonderful realistic tonality and Timbre to make instruments and vocals to be spot on. Highs are natural , airy , extended and bring out the nuances and layering you would not expect from this or much higher prices. Stage is wonderful Has amazing depth , width and height with the ability to showcase spacial clues and instruments in thier own space. Not a colaberation to drive up prices or sold for added markup from big distribution companies.
Shell size might be too big for some. Limited purchase options from sellers may not be able to ship to all countries currently. Have to ask for $25USD from seller instead of them just making the price lower.
My first impressions of the Sonic Memory SW2 my first question is where do I get the SM2…A tiny iem with a wood face plate and a superb quality 2pin Kimber Kable with 3.5mm termination.I’m shocked by how much I like the SW2 as its not my usual sound signature in fact it’s quite the opposite but my god its intoxicated me the spacial position of instruments and vocals while recessed and slightly thin are true in tone treble is fantastic, detailed, natural with extention. Bass is by no means big it’s very detailed with a hint of warmth, space between the layered textures. A (DF-neutral)With a slight bass boost using the wood tuning nozzles. In summation a bright technical set with some special sauce I can’t quite put my finger on but I’m looking forward to burning them in to see what more they can give.
Edit I added one of the supplied tuning filters to the wood nozzles and I’m in LOVE significantly boosted the bass and thickened the mids while keeping all the detail and technicals, wide soundstage with depth and good height. Some of the best treble I’ve ever heard For £200 Inc customs tax these are a unique sounding iem that have introduced a completely new sound signature to my iem arsenal and redesigned my definition of natural with a performance that’s frankly ridiculous for an 8mm DD
Got mine a few days ago and gotta say its a home run, pretty much everything i play on it sounds amazing.
The only real room for improvement IMO is the accessories, stock tips are pretty generic and was hoping for a better tips (i switched to Spinfit) at this price range, the cable is decent but still has room for some improvement
Seems like from more conversation tonite the Tuner is like a one man army custom guy named Tan Donghua he is really well know in the Chinese community for the last 15 years.
Sounds like with all the hoopla I made he has hit his ability to make in a timely fashion. So be patient of your ordered one might be a few weeks to ship.
Probably why took over a week before he shipped out for my first set.
I bought a second one tonight as well a red one this time.
I have been listening to the $700 Oriveti OH700VB and the $400 Penon Quattro and would easily pick up this set over both and that’s exactly what I have been doing for just pure enjoyment.
I got my Artti R1 in the mail today, wow that is a great IEM. I completely get why @ToneDeafMonk was raving about it.
My favorite addition of 2023 was the Kailua. If this had arrived two days earlier, they would have beat it out. They are warm with satisfying bass, but still have solid details. Also fantastic stage and imaging.
I also have a Shozy Form1.1 being shipped, so 2024 is starting off with some fun new gear.
Kevin from our group just listening to them know said the same thing and he was quite impressed after listening to mostly the Grand Maestro CIEM that was high praise.
I am just doing my first list to the Kiwiears Fortenza…what a wierd tuning sounds like the BA for the treble is kicking in after the forward mids hit really wierd tuning.
Song number two probably one of the worst cases of coherency I have heard.
BASS…gap…Mids…gap…treble
Can you share your config on the ARTTI R1 ie cable, tips cos I just can’t get the reaction everyone else seems to be getting.
I’m getting dry mids metalic treble and would love to hear what you seem to be achieving
This is an honest request not throwing shade
Minamilist Packaging
Shell size might be too big for some.
