Let’s try this again, shall we?
“My name is Peter Parker and I am the One and only Spiderman”
Well, I’m not Spiderman but I do feel like him after having to repeat the same thing over and over and being shown yet again that there was others. IEMs are so addictive and ever changing. If it’s not your ears that adapt … it’s the burn process and in the middle of all that is the different songs quality and how they play with your IEM. I’ve changed my mind more than a fat man at a all you can eat table. Just when I finish writing one article about one IEM, another reason pops ups to change my mind to something else.
In fact I’ve wrote this same stance before and erased it because I changed my mind only to change my mind again. And chances are I might do it again:). The only thing I will stand on is that every IEM that I’ve wrote about and approved, still deserves that approval even if another has entered the room. So if you bought one of my reviewed IEM, know that they are great no matter what’s the new hotness and or who’s on top today.
Now with that out of way. The performer 5 turned another corner with me with its RLC 3D Frequency tech with of course some burn in process and ear adaption. It’s become so impressive in it details. And just like they mentioned it truly does take on different traits of songs and produces them differently. Songs that have a bass signature that isn’t meant to be strong or upfront … remains in the back and at a level weaker than bass in other songs requiring it to be stronger instead of just making bass sound just like it does on every other song. This was impressive especially for a $219 IEM.
And then the architect of the build of the IEM with its 3d Air pressure system took off big time for me. I get so many migraines overtime in using IEM that aren’t properly vented. And with this P5, it’s the best venting I’ve ever experienced in my life. Something that my A5000 started to struggle with as its venting holes were on the back of the IEM which up against my ear meant that pressure relief wasn’t as effective. And in fact this was the driving force of changing my mind in the whole comparison thing between the two. The A5000 had originally won me over with its bigger Soundstage, which the AFul has a nice soundstage as well, but it was smaller than the A5000. But once the migraine started … none of that mattered.
So then all started adding up. The comfort, bass, treble, clarity, easy to drive power differences, details in mids, and of course that amazing price. So once I started seeing that, the $300 after tax on the A5000 started to get to me. And once that starts the unit typically doesn’t last with me. I have to feel it was worth the coin in performance, looks, and comfort. And the A5000 wasn’t doing enough for that asking price. I personally think it should be cheaper than the Aful, like $159. It’s just too light, cheap feeling and looking, and not very well packaged or presented to be asking for the price it’s asking for. You can get the Kato for $186 which gives you far more than the the Final Audio A5000. So, with the Aful being everything I need it be pretty much and presenting me with comfort, power, looks, and no headaches, there just wasn’t much room for a IEM that was asking for so much for so little.
Tech-N-Things 