This set was provided to me as part of a tour. After the evaluation period, the set was sent further. Many thanks to Aful for providing this tour set.
The Aful Performer 5+2 is a tribrid IEM with an Impedance: 15Ω士20%, Sensitivity: 109dB@1kHz and Frequency Response: 10Hz-35kHz
The configuration is 2DD+4BA+1Micro Planar with the planar driver handling the ultra high frequencies, the 2 DDs the low frequencies and the BAs mids (but not only).
They sell for just over 200 Eur.
The shells are very comfortable, with a semi-custom shape, that is to say is following the contour of the human ear, being sculpted to adhere closely to it. The fit is perfect for me, and the thin nozzle helps with the comfort, making them perfect for long listening sessions. The shells are very light, only tipping the scale to 5,32 g. This is the kind of set I could wear all day, and actually I did.
The provided cable is terminated with a fixed 3,5mm plug. The wire itself is an 8-strand, 144-core high-purity copper cable with silver plating as standard. It has good flexibility and I am happy to say, one of the best cables in this price segment, with zero microphonics.
Inside the generous cardboard box, there is a plastic puck type carry case, spacious enough, but nothing really special, a nice selection of tips, some warranty/documentation, and the IEMs. A decent presentation, that leaves little to be desired. Other brands have managed to include a modular cable in the price, for example.
Sound
The bass is fast and controlled. There is not a huge rumble, but it is in any case sufficient for most genres. The sub bass reaches quite low and it remains nimble with quick decay, so no matter how fast is your music, the next beat will find the drives ready for action. In terms of control, this is also very good, helped by fast transients. It is one of the best tribrids, I have heard. There is an even balance between sub bass and mid bass, with maybe a slight preference for mid-bass. This pays off in music with lots of bass guitar or heavily distorted down-tuned guitars, like most genres of metal. The bass is articulated, with maybe a little less texture than the high-end models, but make no mistakes; this one is punching way above its price. In order to appreciate it fully, I recommend some fast paced music, or something rather melancholic, the likes of Opeth, with the ever-sopresent bass line and the mathematically precise drums.
The mids are the usual mixed bag at this price point. The timbre is rather neutral, but not lifeless. There is enough emotion being transmitted, and the lower mids are clear of any bass bleeding. Guitars have enough grit, without, however excelling at anything, and the voices, in particular male voices sound very natural, with good texture and good spatiality, that is to say they are neither too remote nor too close, just right.
Female voices start to show the weaknesses, namely a slight tendency for shoutiness. As you increase the volume, this becomes quite pronounced, and some genres can quickly become…tiring. Keep the volume down and they will reward you with a very good and balanced sound. There is a little bit of inconsistency in the passage from mids to highs, as if the crossover is maybe not the best. It isn’t the first time I hear this, it has happened before, also with tribrids having a planar for highs. I cannot say if it is a side effect of having a planar for highs or maybe just a limitation inherent to this price segment. It is not bad, just something preventing me from giving them the highest rating. A bit of harshness in the upper mids too.
Treble is in general very good. The energy and the bite are fantastic. Where things go south a little bit is the very high frequencies, some cymbals sound a bit off. If the hi-hats and rides are generally ok, there is a bit of glare in the ride, in particular the bell area. This is a bit annoying, as the rest is just right. It depends a lot on the genre. If you listen to something like Dream Theater, you will hear it. For calmer genres there is hardly any problem. String instruments seem largely unaffected by this issue and have a nice texture. Do not expect that sparkly, shimmery ethereal treble sound specific to ESTs. These are more down to earth with sufficient air, but not really a wow effect.
Stage
Is spacious, without being extraordinary, but it is amongst the best at this price. The width is good, there is some height too, but, unsurprisingly, not much depth. The music sounds outside of the head, which is a bare minimum for me, and they fulfill this with ease. The layering is very good, with bass, drums, and cymbals occupying distinct places in the stage and with very good density of sound. Frankly, I don’t know how much more you can ask for.
I have chosen to compare them with a hybrid, 1DD, 3BAs, namely the Letshuoer Cadenza 4, on sale for 171 Eur at the moment.
Music
Testament – For the love of pain. Fast song where I am looking for the separation between the bass, drums and guitars. There is a mini bass solo overlapping the guitars towards the end of the song. I want to hear this clearly and with articulation. 5+2 does a good job, with above average texture and average details, certainly transgressing its price range.
C4 starts off more aggressively, with a lot of grit in the guitar. That is exactly how I like my metal, chugging like a chainsaw. The C4 has outstanding separation, but it is more audible in the treble. It’s as if its creator put all the energy into making the treble, and mids and bass were just carried over from another IEM. It’s not all bad though, as the mid-bass, while not having too much reach spatially, it is quite detailed. The bass solo is just about less textured than Perfomer 5+2. Based on faster attack and nice controlled bass, I would award this song to C4.
Ultra Vomit – Doigts de metal. Do not be fooled by the funny lyrics, Ultra Vomit is a serious business. Think of it like a hardened Linkin Park…in french. It’s a crowded song, with full band and a lot of rapping. I want to be able to understand the words, hear the clanky bass distinctly and have some roughness in the guitar. There are also a couple of passages of fast double bass drumming; they have to be distinct, not fused together.
Performer is fast, the mid bass and the distorted guitars are perfectly dosaged, I could not have asked for more. In fact, there is very little to fault here, it does an admirable job and the off-timbre of the ultra highs is mostly unrecognizable here.
C4 sounds more open, but also grittier. The pinched harmonics are more pronounced and I have the feeling the words are easier to understand. Towards the end of the song, C4 becomes fatiguing, but not before striking gold with yet another bass guitar crescendo. What it lacks in amplitude makes up in texture.
Moby – where is your pride Has big, closing-in voice, with the L/R effects clear and nicely separated spatially from the rest of the music, floating in a way, over a layer of bass. Lower mids could have been a bit more warmfor this song to reach its full potential. But the Aful is first and foremost a treble specialist, so it leaves me with just a hint of unfulfillment. The rumble of the subbass is very nice.
A hint of sibilance with C4 and overall not the best match for this music. More bass is needed for me here. In its absence, there is a slight imbalance in the upper mids and treble. Just like the Performer, warmth is missing, but the fast pace matches C4’s character, and the overall effect is good.
Stratovarius – Alpha and Omega It sounds theatrical, the way it should, with good layering and good balance. In fact, this is the best I’ve heard the 5+2. Timo’s voice draws the attention from the cymbals and luckily his voice is unaffected by the planar glare. The drum fills are particularly pleasant, being easy the follow the drummer’s movement across the kit.
C4 once again is more open, more outward going, overall brighter. I wouldn’t say it has a larger stage, rather than the limits are less well defined. The voice lacks a bit of body. The drums sound less decisive, making a bit less impact than Aful’s. Despite all these shortcomings, C4 is very engaging and pleasant.
Both could benefit from a touch of warmth and a bass shelf. Because C4 is too open here, my preference goes to the Aful.
Kandace Springs – Piece of me Another song where the Performer hits the sweet spot. Perfect balance, with just enough bass and very detailed treble. Since there is not so much going on, the mids also have some space to shine. The stage has enough intimacy without feeling claustrophobic. If this is the music you listen to mostly, this is a very good IEM at a very good price.
Give it enough space to breathe, and just like Aful, the C4 flourishes, as it is the case of this song. I do hear C4 more V shaped than 5+2, so it comes down to preferences, if you like more mids forward, Aful, if the opposite, then C4.
Jethro Tull – Puppet and the puppet Master
The flute sounds natural, which is such a relief, I was afraid it would sound off, but no, it is correct, as far as I can tell. The voice is close, human and with enough warmth. The stage is the perfect size, enough room for all instruments. On this kind of music it sounds more organic and it transcends its condition offering a memorable experience.
C4 follows the same pattern as before, more open, brighter, but since it is not necessary here, it does not bring much.
Conclusion: a very pleasant experience, with some teething problems that are normal when so much technology is trickling down. While not perfect, it is a step in the right direction. Due to their particular configurationin the highs, I would not necessarily recommend them for metal, my recommendation would go to the much under-rated Cadenza 4, which has better timbre and more textured mid-bass (albeit less of it in quantity), while giving up some ground in the sub-bass department. For rap, hip-hop, the Aful is a good choice, as you don’t want to hear only the rumbling of the bass, but also the words, some instrumentation, which Afulprovides. The clarity in the mids is much appreciated. Slow jazz is another genre that is addictive on Aful, just like pop. But, if you fancy metal more, C4 gets my recommendation.
For genres that are more bassy, like rap, techno, I would happily choose Aful. But, if this is your genre, there is a little known gem, the AAW Z06 that costs about 50 bucks more and shines with bassy stuff. Stay tuned, review coming soon.
Mikaik-audio 