That’ll be the join helping out 
2 Likes
iBasso DX340 running Mango OS, Mango player, and using the 12v DC power source option, takes the FF Grand Maestro with superstage modules to next level.
Wouldn’t have thought it possible, even more spacious stage, and even better individuality and imaging of instruments/vocals.
Loving this…… 
Note: 12v DC has this effect on all iem I’ve tried. Most noticeable on GM than others to date.
4 Likes
Same amping up the amp card and bypassing the battery makes the DX340 super charged.
1 Like
I’ve yet to find a USB dongle DAC that doesn’t benefit from being powered via Y splitter cable (iBasso CB19, etc…), especially with low imp. IEM (<=16 Ohm) instead of just running from a smartphone.
1 Like
Agreed i tried my ONIX XI1 Alpha yesterday to be part of a review only to find out its toast.
That dongle had a rough history 
I don’t do much of the Insta-Chat-Facebook, etc. ‘stuff’ but this one is just too on point to not share
Allergies really mess up my ability to enjoy music
1 Like
Try some mushrooms…no not the magic ones this time 
…Reishi seems to help with all kinds of allergies
1 Like
Here is my Tap1 Pro review.
Not a perfect device but makes up for it with tonnes of power lots of features and great sound.
2 Likes
Bgvp Acoustics Phantom Year of the Snake Special Edition landed and OH what a beautiful IEM.
First Listen Out of the box a really nice all rounder with great stage.
2 Likes
Mail call Mr. Wild Lee the drive behind Venture Electronics Global is trying to make me a Earbud Believer and believes the 150ohm Asura is the one to break me… Paired with the MEGATRON And a few energy cubes!
Looking forward to hearing these!
The Asura sure are lookers.
3 Likes
Wow, those look sleek! Love the design; do they sound as good as they look?
Looking forward to hear what you have to say about them!
Kiwi Ears Airoso - The Steady Hand Play
Kiwi Ears is no stranger to anyone who is an IEM enthusiast. Over the years they have produced many products, a number of which have been standouts such as the great Orchestra Lite I previously reviewed and the KE4 which I also have reviewed and enjoyed.
The Airoso is one of their latest offerings and retails for $129.99 USD at the time of this review. Within its unassuming resin shells, the Airoso boasts a driver compliment of a single custom dynamic driver employing an LCP+PU composite diaphragm and four balanced armature drivers. The four balanced armature drivers are paired off with two for high frequencies and the remaining pair for ultra-high frequencies. These drivers are made to play nice with each other via both physical and RC crossovers. On listening, the implementation of the drivers and crossovers has been done very well as the Airoso does offer a cohesive sound.
The Airoso has some interesting qualities about it including being, in my listening experience, source and tip sensitive. I recommend trying the Airoso with different sources and tips so as to find that synergy that will extract all the performance this iem is capable of. I was taken aback by just switching the source from my beloved Xduoo XA-02 to a Hiby R4 DAP. The difference in apparent warmth and soundstage presentation was obvious. The XA-02 comparatively having a more expansive soundstage while being warmer in tone vs the R4’s more prominent treble and somewhat colder sound. The Airoso was able to instantly relay these differences.
The Airoso can have some prodigious bass output when paired with a source that leans in this direction. I found that a more neutral source was preferred for a more balanced experience. In fact, driven by my “old school” Tempotec Sonata E44 the Airoso sounded fabulous, the E44 having a more balanced signature. What I gave up here was the more expansive headspace heard when driven by the Xduoo source. All this to say the Airoso could need some experimentation to lock in that great sound.
Tuning wise we have a neutralish slight v-shaped, if that makes sense. There is with the low end a mid-bass over sub-bass with a balanced midrange and just a moderate lift in the treble. The tuning is done quite well but its presentation really does depend on the source driving it and of course tip selection.
SPECS:
Impedance – 18ohm
Sensitivity – 110 db SPL/mW
Frequency Range – 20-20khz
Weight – 12g each
Connector – 2-pin
BUILD AND FIT:
The Airoso is a nice looking and well-built iem but somewhat plain compared to many of its competitors. The 3d printed resin shells are well finished and topped off by a smart looking CNC Aluminum plate with company branding. The retail presentation is classic Kiwi Ears being somewhat understated but tasteful done. In addition to the Airoso a carrying case is found and within there are three additional sets of tips and the cable. The cable is honestly pretty basic and has a 3.5mm SE plug but overall quality of the included accessories was good.
The Airoso is a medium sized iem but with chunky dimensions and a pronounced wide nozzle. Some with smaller ears and canals may have fitment issues and may need to downsize their chosen tips. I did not have any problems getting a great fit that was comfortable for long listening sessions.
SOUND:
Bass:
The low end in general is energetic with lots of slam when called for. There is a pleasing thickness to the sound. As previously mentioned, the mid-bass does have more prominence than the sub-bass but make no mistake about it, none are lacking. The mid-bass has a musical density to it and is pleasingly fast and detailed, even more so than the sub-bass. Bass is generally fast with good detail retrieval with one caveat mentioned below.
Listening to “He’s A Carioca” by Eden Atwood the double bass was beautifully present with rich tone and texture. “Angel” by Massive Attack highlighted the Airoso’s bass prowess and control easily relaying the power and texture of the driving bassline.
The caveat here is that the bass quantity and quality is source dependent. This has been my experience with the Kiwi Ears Airoso. On the first source I used, the Airoso had at times an overbearing bass that lacked some definition. In fact, on some tracks the bass did become a distraction. Pairing the Airoso with a capable neutral source quickly changed the bass sonics for the better. This iem really deserves time spent discovering the synergy that will offer the best sound.
Midrange:
The midrange has some warmth to it and is nicely balanced with no harshness. There is a good mix of macro and micro details here with the Airoso having a measure of organics in the midrange that is enjoyable. Male vocals have a smooth yet detailed sound to them with good weight. Famale vocals are expressive but thanks to a controlled pinna gain, come through clean and detailed without added undue emphasis. Tracy Thorn’s vocals on “Protection” by Massive Attack were vivid and engaging. Likewise for Anita Bakers standout vocals on “Sweet Love”.
Transients were managed nicely with fast attack and natural decay. Timbre was good but not class leading. The metrics where the Airoso did stand tall among most of its competitors was layering and separation as well as imaging. The ability of the Airoso to separate musical elements in their own space is impressive for an iem in this price range. “Beautiful Lie” by Vick Lavender is an incredibly busy track with tons of layered percussion. The Airoso kept everything in its place nicely. Well done!
The Kiwi Ears Airoso offers a midrange that is balanced, interesting and layered. Many will find the sound of the mids suits their taste.
Treble:
The treble is reasonably well extended with pleasant quantities of sparkle and air. Detail here is as with the midrange a mix of macro and micro. Treble has a crispness to it but still retaining a natural delivery without overemphasis or harshness.
IMAGING AND SOUNDSTAGE:
The Kiwi Ears Airoso is source sensitive and when properly driven offers a moderately large soundstage with notable lateral dimensions beyond the ears. Height and depth while not as expansive as compared to the width are still notable. On some sources this soundstage does shrink somewhat which as mentioned before makes proper source selection mandatory imho.
There is a roominess to the soundstage that feels unrestrained as each instrument occupies a definite but uncrowded portion of that space. I find this type of soundstage and imaging quite pleasing, in no small part due to its layering and separation capabilities. Instrument placement was solid and well defined within that soundstage.
CONCLUSION:
The Kiwi Ears Airoso will please many. It has a clean cohesive sound that I’m sure more than a few will find much to like about. The Kiwi ears track record of releasing quality products is maintained with the Airoso.
When starting to listen to the Airoso I came from previously listening to one of my favs the Timsok TS-316. The Ts-316 is admittedly a more involving listen being always able to drag me into the music quickly with it’s comparatively more organic playback. That being said, the Airoso in no slouch and it should be noted that the TS-316 is 3x the price of the Airoso.
They Kiwi Ears Airoso offer the listener a cohesive and complete sound experience. It does have some competition in its price range, but stands tall on its merits and gets a recommendation
1 Like
Great review , I for one am happy KiwiEars stepped away from the flashy shells and focused on the sound one of my long standing critiques of them.
Good to see another one from them getting some attention.
1 Like
I must be in the minority: I think the Stardust 4K are ugly as hell. They look like castings that were just pulled from a mold, with no burnishing or polishing.
Maybe that’s the look Unique Melody seeks. If so, bull’s-eye. I think they’re rough looking.
5 Likes
Again, in the minority! I tested the Airoso and was totally unimpressed. Bland look, crap accessories and thin sound, with too much treble energy.
Granted, I could have tip rolled more. But I was so annoyed with the sound signature and overall package after trying a few tips that I gave up.
Not for me at all. Glad others dig them!
2 Likes
That’s my impression of their appearance too.
5 Likes
As mentioned in the review, I did go through a number of sources and tips to get that synergy I was after. Even then this was not a difficult thing to do, I’ve had some mega buck iem in for listening the required much more effort, but it does point to how some earphones may be source and tip sensitive. As for the looks, since I can’t see them when they are in my ears, I even usually listen in the dark, I prefer to judge any iem on how they sound not their looks. YMMV. I will say that the Airoso imho is a competent iem while not being as engaging and organic as I have heard from a few others.
3 Likes
The 3 Canucks we do share a preference for a warmer sound over a dry thin sounding gear thats for sure.
3 Likes