Softears Enigma VS Aful Performer 5+2
IEM Comparison: Expert & Community Scores Side-by-Side
Softears Enigma and Aful Performer 5+2 use 2DD+6BA+4EST and 2DD+4BA+1Planar driver setups respectively. Softears Enigma costs $3,699 while Aful Performer 5+2 costs $229. Softears Enigma is $3,470 more expensive. Softears Enigma holds a decisive 1.3-point edge in reviewer scores (9 vs 7.7). Softears Enigma carries a user score of 9.5. Softears Enigma has significantly better bass with a 1-point edge, Softears Enigma has better mids with a 0.6-point edge, Softears Enigma has significantly better treble with a 1.1-point edge, Softears Enigma has significantly better dynamics with a 1.2-point edge, Softears Enigma has significantly better soundstage with a 1-point edge, Softears Enigma has significantly better details with a 1.4-point edge and Softears Enigma has significantly better imaging with a 1.1-point edge.
Insights
| Metric | Softears Enigma | Aful Performer 5+2 |
|---|---|---|
| Bass | 9 | 8 |
| Mids | 8.6 | 8 |
| Treble | 8.7 | 7.6 |
| Details | 9 | 7.6 |
| Soundstage | 8.8 | 7.8 |
| Imaging | 9 | 7.9 |
| Dynamics | 8.8 | 7.6 |
| Tonality | 8.8 | 7.6 |
| Technicalities | 9.5 | 7.5 |
Softears Enigma Aggregated Review Score
Average Reviewer Scores
Aful Performer 5+2 Aggregated Review Score
Average Reviewer Scores
Softears Enigma Details
Driver Configuration: 2DD+6BA+4EST
Tuning Type: Neutral with bass boost
Brand: Softears Top Softears IEMs
Price (Msrp): $3,699
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Aful Performer 5+2 Details
Driver Configuration: 2DD+4BA+1Planar
Tuning Type: Neutral with bass boost
Brand: AFUL Top AFUL IEMs
Price (Msrp): $229
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Softears Enigma User Review Score
Average User Scores
Average User Score:
Based on 1 user reviews
9.5Exceptional
Aful Performer 5+2 User Review Score
Average User Scores
Average User Score: n/a
Based on 0 user reviews
No user reviews yet. Be the first one who writes a review!
Softears Enigma Gaming Score
Gaming Score & Grade
- The gaming score is prioritizing technical capabilities of the IEM (Separation, Layering, Soundstage) and good value.
Gaming Score
7.7Gaming Grade
AAful Performer 5+2 Gaming Score
Gaming Score & Grade
- The gaming score is prioritizing technical capabilities of the IEM (Separation, Layering, Soundstage) and good value.
Gaming Score
7.5Gaming Grade
ASoftears Enigma Scorings
Average Technical & Tuning Grades
Average Tunign Grade
S-- Highly polished technical execution. Excellent frequency synergy creates an immersive experience. Enhances musical content.
Average Technical Grade
S- Outstanding resolution and control. Effortlessly retrieves micro-details, with holographic staging and fast transients. Handles complexity with poise.
Aful Performer 5+2 Scorings
Average Technical & Tuning Grades
Average Tunign Grade
A- Well-executed tonal character. No major flaws with good technical control. Smooth presentation works with multiple genres.
Average Technical Grade
A- Competent technical presentation. Handles separation and detail well in most tracks, with modest soundstage and acceptable imaging capabilities.
Softears Enigma Reviews
9
Reviewer Score
Endgame-level detail paired with great tonality. Exceptional detail, high-quality bass, balanced tonality, and excellent timbre. The bass has a fast decay.Gizaudio Axel original ranking
Gizaudio Axel Youtube Channel
8.9
Reviewer Score
The Softears Enigma is a flagship tribrid IEM using a 12-driver array (2DD+6BA+4EST) with a hybrid 5-way/4-way crossover and an aluminum shell; the package also includes a premium Effect Audio cable. Street pricing centers around $3,699 USD and multiple reviews note the surprisingly comfortable fit despite the larger shells.
Tonal reports describe a warm-leaning, neutral-with-bass-boost balance: essentially an RSV-like midrange with extra low-end weight and smooth lower treble, extending well up top. Show impressions from Precogvision characterize it as “RSV with a dynamic driver and some extra bass,” which aligns with long-form reviews calling the Enigma warm, full, and balanced rather than aggressive.
Technical performance is a strong suit: reviewers note clean separation, high detail retrieval, and stable imaging; the EST tweeters can benefit from capable sources, while isolation is average. Factoring in its high MSRP, the Enigma’s execution is impressive but its value proposition is challenged by lower-priced alternatives (including Softears’ own RSV) that deliver broadly similar tonality at a fraction of the cost.
Aful Performer 5+2 Reviews
8.5
* score normalized
8.5
Reviewer Score
My kind of neutral, improves a lot on my favorites. Jaytiss Youtube Channel
8*
* score normalized
Overall it is sounding more visceral and incisive than the Performer 5.Super* Review original ranking
Super* Review Youtube Channel
7.5
Reviewer Score
A detailed, engaging all-rounder that's exciting without being shouty or harsh. Smooth, neutral tuning with a bass boost, excellent bass quality, clean mids, forward vocals, and sparkly, incisive treble. Great detail. I wouldn’t change a thing.Gizaudio Axel original ranking
Gizaudio Axel Youtube Channel
7
Reviewer Score
check links for more info: Tim Tuned Youtube Channel
6.5
Reviewer Score
Clean, balanced, neutral sound with good layering and tech. Relaxing vocals, but lacks power and last bit of vocal extension. Bass has good controll, but lacks impact. Has sizzly planar timbre in the treble. Safe but forgettable. Jays Audio Youtube Channel
IEMRanking AI
2025-09-07
7.7
Reviewer Score
The AFUL Performer 5+2 (also listed as “Performer 7”) uses a 2DD+4BA+1 micro planar driver array and AFUL’s LC-network crossover plus a 3D-printed acoustic tube system, aiming for clean band splits without smearing. The shell also integrates a high-damping air-pressure balance system, a design AFUL has used across its line. Official listings put MSRP around $229 and outline the same core tech features.
Tonally it trends neutral with a sub-bass lift: bass has solid depth and texture, mids stay relatively linear, and the presence/treble region adds energy without veering into sharpness on most chains. Multiple reviews characterize it as warm-neutral with bass boost or slightly V-shaped depending on perspective, which matches listening notes about a lively but controlled upper end. Sensitivity and load are portable-friendly (≈109 dB, 15 Ω), so it reaches performance without demanding amplification.
Technicalities are competitive for the class: imaging is tidy with good instrument separation, micro-detail retrieval is above average, and soundstage is moderate (more width than depth). Build and comfort are typical resin-shell fare; some users note occasional lower-treble bite depending on tips and recordings, so treble-sensitive listeners may wish to pair accordingly. Overall value is strong at its price, especially if a clean, bass-supported neutral curve is the priority.
Softears Enigma User Reviews
Share your experience and build your personal ranking list.
You need to be signed in to write your own reviewOn one side TOTL Details but on the other side very accurate and non-technical sounding. Softears best but very expensive.
Pros
Great overall tonality. A hidden gem, but expensive.Cons
does nothing wrong, but no special sauce.Aful Performer 5+2 User Reviews
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Pros
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Cons
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