Aroma Audio Fei Wan VS Empire Ears Raven

Youtube Video Summary

Aroma Audio Fei Wan goes for broke with a dual-dynamic + 10BA hybrid and a sticker price around $4,688. The build is striking: a clear yellow shell with visible drivers and a glossy faceplate flecked with gold, though the shell runs large. The stock 2-pin cable is functional but a bit tangle-prone; the retro-styled unboxing and case feel premium. Minor quirks include occasional driver flex on insertion. Overall fit is comfortable despite the size, and the presentation screams boutique.

Sonically this IEM is all about texture, extension, and microdetail. Bass reaches deep with layered rumble rather than brute “slam,” mids are clean with slightly recessed vocals, and treble delivers air and sparkle without poking the 4–6 kHz zone. The graph shows healthy ear-gain and notable bass, but the magic is off-graph: resolution and overtones that feel world-class. Compared with benchmarks, Elysian Annihilator 2023 still wins on tone and vocal focus, while Fatfreq Grand Maestro and others share the “big-boy IEM” experimental flavor. Sets with shout or odd presence peaks (e.g., Dream XLS, E10/E12, Bonneville) don’t fare as well. EQ can nudge tone a touch “better,” but also trims some of Fei Wan’s special sauce—net maybe a 1–2% improvement.

Verdict: a special, statement-level IEM with second-to-none technicalities, deep textured bass, and elegant treble—tempered by a sky-high price and mids that could use more sparkle for vocal diehards. It slots just below Annihilator overall, earns a guarded recommendation, and absolutely warrants a demo before purchase. For value-minded listeners, options like Letshuoer Hype 10 capture a similar neutral-with-weight idea at a fraction of the cost, while many S–/A-tier picks remain safer bets for most.

Youtube Video Summary

Empire Ears Raven delivers the flagship gloss without pretending to be a value king. Expect deep sub-bass rumble, clean driver control, and a warmer mid-bass emphasis that puts extra weight behind kick drums and bass guitars. That tilt makes Raven a better fit for rock, metal, and live band mixes—grooves hit with authority and instruments carry more body, while treble stays extended without getting spicy or fatiguing.

Against strong $1K contenders, the step up is more refinement than revolution: a roughly 10–15% lift in resolution and texture, not a night-and-day transformation. For pure hip-hop subwoofer thrills, sets with stronger sub-bass focus edge it out; Raven trades some of that in-your-face thump for fuller mid-bass punch and an all-rounder presentation that scales well but isn’t about flexing quantity. Stunning set if the budget is open and rock-first bass weight is the priority; otherwise, mid-tier heavy hitters already capture most of the experience.