Empire Ears Wraith VS Astell&Kern x Empire Ears NOVUS

IEM Comparison: Expert & Community Scores Side-by-Side

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Empire Ears Wraith and Astell&Kern x Empire Ears NOVUS use 7BA+4EST and 2DD+5BA+4EST+2BC driver setups respectively. Empire Ears Wraith costs $3,600 while Astell&Kern x Empire Ears NOVUS costs $5,000. Astell&Kern x Empire Ears NOVUS is $1,400 more expensive. Astell&Kern x Empire Ears NOVUS holds a decisive 4.9-point edge in reviewer scores (3.6 vs 8.5). Astell&Kern x Empire Ears NOVUS has significantly better bass with a 6-point edge, Astell&Kern x Empire Ears NOVUS has significantly better mids with a 4-point edge, Astell&Kern x Empire Ears NOVUS has significantly better treble with a 5-point edge, Astell&Kern x Empire Ears NOVUS has significantly better dynamics with a 5.5-point edge, Astell&Kern x Empire Ears NOVUS has significantly better details with a 5.5-point edge and Astell&Kern x Empire Ears NOVUS has significantly better imaging with a 5.5-point edge.

Insights

Metric Empire Ears Wraith Astell&Kern x Empire Ears NOVUS
Bass 3 9
Mids 4 8
Treble 3 8
Details 3 8.5
Imaging 3 8.5
Dynamics 3 8.5
Tonality 3.9 8.3
Technicalities 4.3 8.5

Empire Ears Wraith Aggregated Review Score

Average Reviewer Scores

Precogvision
Crin

Average Reviewer Score:

3.6

Poor

Show all Empire Ears Wraith reviews

Astell&Kern x Empire Ears NOVUS Aggregated Review Score

Average Reviewer Scores

Audionotions Smirk Audio

Average Reviewer Score:

8.5

Very Positive

Show all Astell&Kern x Empire Ears NOVUS reviews

Empire Ears Wraith Details

Driver Configuration: 7BA+4EST

Tuning Type: Dark neutral

Brand: Empire Ears Top Empire Ears IEMs

Price (Msrp): $3,600

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Astell&Kern x Empire Ears NOVUS Details

Driver Configuration: 2DD+5BA+4EST+2BC

Tuning Type: bass-boosted neutral

Brand: Empire Ears Top Empire Ears IEMs

Price (Msrp): $5,000

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Empire Ears Wraith User Review Score

Average User Scores

Average User Score: n/a

Based on 0 user reviews

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Astell&Kern x Empire Ears NOVUS User Review Score

Average User Scores

Average User Score: n/a

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Empire Ears Wraith Gaming Score

Gaming Score & Grade

  • The gaming score is prioritizing technical capabilities of the IEM (Separation, Layering, Soundstage) and good value.

Gaming Score

2.6

Gaming Grade

D-

Astell&Kern x Empire Ears NOVUS Gaming Score

Gaming Score & Grade

  • The gaming score is prioritizing technical capabilities of the IEM (Separation, Layering, Soundstage) and good value.

Gaming Score

6.9

Gaming Grade

B+

Empire Ears Wraith Scorings

Average Technical & Tuning Grades

Average Tunign Grade

D+
  • Significantly flawed tuning. Noticeable frequency imbalances and unnatural timbre distract from music. Lacks versatility across recordings.

Average Technical Grade

C-
  • Limited resolution; finer nuances are masked. Soundstage feels narrow, and complex passages cause muddiness. Transitions lack finesse.
Bass D
Bass is light and underwhelming. While some faint rumble exists, it lacks punch and authority in any meaningful way.
Mids C-
Midrange is passable but unrefined. Lacks detail and smoothness, with occasional harshness in upper mids.
Treble D
Uneven treble response with noticeable peaks and dips. Can sound both dull and occasionally harsh simultaneously.
Dynamics D
Noticeably compressed dynamics. Musical expression suffers with weak transients and poor contrast between quiet and loud sections.
Details D
Modest detail presentation with significant loss of texture. Nuances are masked and complex passages become congested.
Imaging D
Modest imaging with basic left/right positioning. Lacks precision for center placement and suffers from positional blurring.
Gaming D-
Compromised imaging significantly impacts gameplay awareness. Directional cues often lack accuracy or consistency. Bad value-to-cost for gaming purpose - not recommended

Astell&Kern x Empire Ears NOVUS Scorings

Average Technical & Tuning Grades

Average Tunign Grade

A+
  • Refined execution with coherent frequency integration. Natural timbre reproduction and engaging presentation. Strong versatility.

Average Technical Grade

S-
  • Excellent clarity and detail. Precise imaging and expansive soundstage. Manages complex passages with minimal smearing and good transient speed.
Bass S
World-class bass performance. Perfectly balanced between visceral impact, texture, and depth with zero bleed into mids.
Mids A+
Superb midrange that's rich and resolving. Exceptional transparency and micro-details with perfect vocal/instrument balance.
Treble A+
Superb treble: effortless extension with crystal clarity. Perfect balance of sparkle and smoothness with exceptional detail.
Dynamics S-
Superb dynamic range - powerful yet nuanced. Exceptional transient response with lifelike impact and subtle volume gradations.
Details S-
Exceptional resolution that uncovers the deepest layers. Retrieves even the most minute details while maintaining natural timbre.
Imaging S-
Exceptional imaging with holographic precision. Creates a palpable sense of physical placement with perfect positional stability.
Gaming B+
Respectable environmental presentation favors atmosphere over precision. Detects obvious directional cues while conveying game world ambiance. Bad value-to-cost for gaming purpose - not recommended

Empire Ears Wraith Reviews

Reviewed by: Crin

Crin 4.5 Reviewer Score
C Tuning
B- Tech
A Zeus with almost nonexistent treble and clarity.

Crin original ranking

Crin Youtube Channel

Reviewed by: Precogvision

Precogvision 2.7 Reviewer Score
D Tuning
D Tech
This IEM's name about sums it up.

Precogvision original ranking

Precogvision Youtube Channel
Bass: D Mids: C- Treble: D Dynamics: D Details: D Imaging: D

Astell&Kern x Empire Ears NOVUS Reviews

Reviewed by: Audionotions

Audionotions 8.5 Reviewer Score
Very engaging IEM. Bass extends deep and hits hard and fast, mids are clear and lush with very good weight and tactility. Treble is clear without fatigue. It's a pretty warm IEM but has clarity that you don't usually find with this sort of tuning. Instrument separation is pretty standout. Very expensive. Very large IEMs. And they have driver flex, which is not what you'd expect from something that costs this much. Nonetheless, a very fun IEM. Tour Unit

Audionotions original ranking

Website (Audionotions)

Reviewed by: Smirk Audio

Smirk Audio 8.4 Reviewer Score
A+ Tuning
S- Tech
Excellent bass dynamics and texture. Cold timbre and driver flex. Otherwise excellent technicalities and solid tuning. Cons: Driver flex, cold timbre.

Smirk Audio original ranking

Smirk Audio Head-Fi Profile

Bass: S Mids: A+ Treble: A+ Dynamics: S- Details: S- Imaging: S-

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