Aful Performer 5+2 VS Kiwi Ears Airoso

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Naming drama aside (P5+2? just call it Performer 7), this Aful packs a quirky driver party: 2DD for low end, 4 BA split across mids/treble, plus a tiny micro-planar for the highest sparkle, all marshaled by Aful’s neat miniature crossover. The shells are lightweight, comfy and prettier than they need to be; the cable feels “don’t bother swapping” nice, with 3.5 or 4.4 options. The box is loaded with silicone tips but no foam—a miss, because the right seal changes everything. Price target sits around $250, which sets expectations high but not ridiculous.

Stock silicone yields a surgical, respectful tuning with bass that skews neutral and controlled. Swap to well-sealing foam or hybrids and feed a juicy source (warm Class A or tubes) and the set wakes up—stage snaps into a cohesive scene right in front, imaging gets laser-etched, and that micro-planar adds a pinch-of-salt treble spice without turning harsh. It’s an up-close presentation—sometimes almost claustrophobically detailed—in the best way: think “men with trumpets in the head,” precise placement, and excellent extension up top. Not as rowdy as the Explorers; more like a surgeon in a Hawaiian shirt—technical, but with a wink.

Practical upside: the clarity and positioning make this great for gaming and even viable for mixing/mastering checks; just don’t crank it into pain territory. Bass stays tight and responsive, treble sails high, and coherence holds. Tip and source matter a lot: with foam + warm power, it sings; with plain silicone, it’s merely polite. Final tally: a confident 8.5/10—doing a lot right at its price, dinged half a point for making everyone do math on the name.

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Kiwi Ears Airoso brings a hybrid recipe that just works: 1DD + 4BA with the dynamic driver clearly doing the low-end heavy lifting while the BAs keep mids and highs clean and balanced. The presentation is warm, musical, and staged with satisfying depth—vocals sit a step back without getting hazy, and the overall image is organized rather than in-your-face. Comfort is on point, the stock cable is light and nicely straight, and the box tosses in a case plus three styles of silicone tips. At around $129.99, the feature set and tuning feel cheekily generous.

On music, the Airoso delivers sub-bass authority without bloat, stellar imaging that pins pianos and cellos in distinct spaces, and treble that’s controlled enough to survive vinyl/tape hiss tests without turning sharp—there’s only a hint of “S” energy on some tracks. Separation through the midrange is strong for the price, and the whole signature has that “sing-along” ease that makes long sessions effortless. Isolation is decent with the right tips, and at about 15 Ω it’s easy to drive from modest sources.

Nitpicks? The look is not a showpiece—plain metal faceplates and a logo font that won’t win design awards. The cable is 3.5 mm only, so balanced users will want an upgrade. Beyond that, it’s hard to gripe: this set behaves like a confident all-rounder with better-than-budget control up top and real weight down low. Value talk veers bold—easily feels like a $160–$200 tuner—so at the actual tag it’s an easy recommend, nudging into “nine-ish” territory on a scorecard.

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Aful Performer 5+2 lands as a hybrid of the beloved Performer 5 and the punchier Explorer. The unboxing is the familiar P5 affair—same case, same style of tips—nothing flashy, but solid. The shell mirrors the P5 in size with a comfy little stabilizing wing that locks in well. No metal nozzle or front filter here, yet tip retention is secure and hassle-free. The flat 2-pin socket is straightforward, and the stock cable feels thick and supple with a reliable chin slider and handy red/blue channel markers. Overall: understated build, great ergonomics, daily-driver ready.

Sonically, this one aims neutral with a very distinct top end—clean, dynamic, incisive. Think switching from black-and-white to color; cymbals and overtones pop with a slightly crunchy/pristine edge that energizes detail without turning harsh on good recordings. Bass isn’t about sheer quantity; it’s about slam and dynamics—quick on the draw, well-controlled, and satisfying when called upon. Vocals sit a notch forward, microdetail is strong, and the overall presentation is coherent, clear, and technical with convincing stage, resolution, and imaging. Not a treble-shy or bass-bombed tuning—more a refined all-rounder for those who want clarity and bite.

Versus the original P5, the 5+2 fixes the missing “air” and soft edges, trading them for crisper transients and better extension. Compared with Explorer (a value champ), the 5+2 brings superior upper-treble reach, detail, and vocal focus. Against Performer 8 and Cantor, it feels more visceral—the P8 is smoother and more relaxed, while Cantor pulls finer microdetail but with less bass slam. Sets like Dino Quattro or J’s Estrella bring bigger fun or treble theatrics, yet the 5+2’s balance and everyday versatility win more often. Net take: a neutral-leaning, highly technical upgrade that stands tall in its bracket—easy to recommend to anyone chasing clarity, speed, and controlled impact over pure warmth or excess bass.

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Solid build for the price: compact metal shells that feel durable, a metal nozzle with a small lip, and a flat 2-pin cable with a working chin slider and clearly marked channels. The accessories are straightforward but good—three tip sets and a surprisingly nice, leatherette-style case. Overall fit is comfortable and the presentation feels a notch above typical budget fare.

Tonally, Airoso is a fun, slightly V-shaped hybrid (1DD+4BA) with punchy bass, weighty mids, and a lively top end. The graph shows a tasteful bass rise to ~300 Hz, a small presence dip around 4–5 kHz, and extra energy through the 6–8 kHz and upper “air” region—peaking near 13 kHz—that can sound brilliant on many tracks yet occasionally spicy for sensitive ears. Note weight, air/space, and overall engagement are strong; however, that treble character can nudge imaging and highs to about 7/10 depending on the listener and fit.

Comparisons paint it as a smart tuner’s set: echoes of high-end shapes (e.g., Annihilator and X-Elise Audio Europa) with less 6 kHz sting and less ultimate air; kinship with the Kiwi Ears Quintet (Airoso has more bass, Quintet’s zing is nearer 10 kHz), and a more energetic, “not boring” alternative to K4. Versus the AFUL Explorer, Airoso brings bigger upper-mid punch while Explorer offers a tidier treble; think of AFUL P7 as a cautionary tale for those sensitive to upper air—Airoso can poke similar nerves if that 13 k region doesn’t agree. At $129—often discounted—this is an excellent value for anyone wanting bold bass, confident mids, and sparkle, with the caveat that treble-sensitive listeners may prefer something smoother.

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Performer 7 lands with a neutral-balanced, laid-back tuning and good treble reach. The presentation is clean and generally safe, though there’s a touch of sizzly “planar-ish” timbre up top. Technicals are solid for ~$200—slightly behind sets like Quintet and Super Mix 4, about on par with Nova. Bass from the dual 6 mm DDs is tight, controlled, and free of bleed, but lacks the slam and rumble of competitors using larger drivers; mids are well separated with decent layering.

The weak spot is vocal extension: a push around 1.5 kHz tries to bring them forward, but a dip through 3–6 kHz keeps them from opening up. Tamer upper-mids help avoid fatigue for rock/metal, yet the modest low-end impact leaves drums and basslines feeling uneventful. It’s a mid-volume set that doesn’t scale well—turning it up accentuates the 1.5 kHz emphasis and treble sizzle. Treble isn’t peaky, just a bit glassy at times; for K-pop the smoother mids can work if less extended vocals are acceptable.

As a value play, there are stronger options: Nova, Chopan, and Super Mix 4 offer better bang-for-buck; for a similar clean/neutral target, Tanchjim Origin sounds more natural with better bass texture and vocal reach, and DynaQuattro adds sub-bass and fuller vocals—none with the planar-ish timbre. Even AFUL’s own P5 is cheaper and more fun, while the Explorer undercuts the price and scales impressively. In today’s crowded market, P7 is a competent all-rounder but not distinctive enough to stand out.

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The Kiwi Ears Airoso (1DD + 4BA) goes for a slightly warm-leaning, smooth presentation with a bit of treble air and contrast. It sits between sets like the EM6L and SLA3: fuller and more contrasty than the EM6L, but smoother and less peaky than the SLA3. Vocals are thicker/huskier without congestion, and treble reaches cleanly for a sense of openness; overall the tuning feels intentional and musical rather than clinical.

Technical performance is solid for the price, though options like Nova and SuperMix 4 still edge it for neutral/Harman value. The Airoso scales well but watch the 8–10 kHz region, which can get lively on energetic tracks—best enjoyed at moderate volume. As an all-rounder it fits pop, hip-hop, ballads, and instrumentals, with the appeal driven more by its tonality than by raw resolution. Versus its sibling Aether, the Airoso is warmer and more colored, while Aether is cleaner and more technical. Think of Airoso as a tasteful upgrade over sets like EW300—better timbre and a touch more air—delivering an engaging, musical listen that’s recommended if this tuning profile hits the sweet spot.

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The AFUL Performer 5+2 (Performer 7 / P7) takes the P5 recipe and adds a second 6 mm dynamic for the lows and a micro-planar for the highs, nudging MSRP to $240. Unboxing mirrors the P5: nine pairs of tips and a decent case, but the accessories feel bare-bones at this price—no foam tips and a non-modular cable, even though the included 8-wire is supple and well-behaved. Build is classic AFUL: 3D-printed resin, blended nozzle (no mesh or lip—watch tip retention), single rear vent, and striking blue-green mosaic shells inspired by Suzhou gardens—cool-wall approved with four compliments to one “meh.” Fit is semi-custom and a touch chunkier than P5; comfortable for most, a conditional pass for small ears. Note a sporadic batch quirk: some units have over-tight 2-pin sockets; exchanges fixed it for affected buyers.

Tuning sits in warm-leaning neutral territory. The dual dynamics deliver punchy, textured bass that rumbles without bloating; guitars and drums carry convincing weight. Mids are the star—rich, full-bodied, vocal-forward without shout, with clean separation and natural tone. Treble from the micro-planar is smooth yet energetic: cymbals and vocal harmonics sparkle, special effects have bite and body, and only treble-sensitives may find hot mixes a bit lively. Technicalities impress for the money—detail retrieval and nuance feel a class up—while stage and imaging are solid rather than showy.

Against peers: the Tangzu x HBB budget pick mirrors the overall tonality but P7 offers higher resolution and more treble finesse; the planar “Heyday” alternative is brighter/faster with leaner bass; versus Performer 5, P7 brings tighter low-end, smoother treble, and better extremes detail; the Fresh-collab competitor pushes vocals further forward with bigger stage but leaner lower mids. Verdict: a versatile all-rounder that suits broad libraries and even content creation thanks to its balanced tonality and detail. Not for bassheads, trebleheads, or strict Harman-lean seekers, and the accessory pack/cable quirk holds it back from a slam-dunk. For roughly $240, though, it’s a brilliant, resolving upgrade in the AFUL line.

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Aful’s Performer 5+2 upgrades the original hybrid with 2DD + 4BA + 1 micro-planar tweeter and lands around $240–$250. The unboxing is practical: three sets of silicone tips, a pocketable puck case, and a soft, nicely draping cable (available in 4.4 or 3.5), though the braid can look a bit loose and the pre-formed hooks run large. The resin shells shift between blue and green under different light; fit is medium-large, very stable, and comfortable once the right tips are found. Note the narrow nozzle without a retaining lip and partially exposed bores/filters—tip grip is key and a little care prevents ear-gunk ingress.

Tonally this leans mild V-shaped: a clean midrange with a confident bass boost, a touch of lower-treble presence for bite, and well-extended air up top. The result is more incisive and punchy than the original P5, with clearer on/off transients that aid separation and layering. Trade-offs show as a hint of gritty/plasticky treble texture on cymbals and brushes—not harsh, but less natural than ideal—while the bass stays tight and exciting.

Against Aful’s Explorer, this sounds brighter, more spacious, and more technical; Explorer plays warmer/denser with smoother treble but less openness. Versus the pricier Thieaudio Oracle MK3, tuning is broadly similar: Oracle is smoother and deeper with a softer attack, while the Performer 5+2 brings more snap and engagement for less money. As a modern mid-tier hybrid, it absolutely still has a place—energetic, spacious, and well-executed—earning a solid four stars.