Aful Explorer Review
Intro
Hello everyone, this review is covering the absolute latest from the brand “Aful” called the Aful Explorer ($119). I have a handful of their iems and each one is very well crafted and very well-tuned per the target they were going for. I actually reviewed the Aful MagicOne (MagicOne Review), the Aful SnowyNight (SnowyNight Review), and the Aful Performer 8 (Performer 8 Review) and each review yielded high marks from me. Now, I also own the Performer 5 (Mahir’s Performer 5 Review) which I personally never got around to reviewing, but I feel it is a fantastically tuned set and certainly is high in the ranks within its price point. Actually, I’d say that’s true of all their sets. Each set also houses patented technology, from Aful, which is all made in house. Folks, I cannot begin to tell you how impressed I am with this brand. They don’t copy paste anything else that’s on the market like so many brands do. I mean, everything that Aful produces seems to be pretty unique. At least this is the impression that I get.
Innovative= Aful
Look at the MagicOne. A single BA set that quite literally sounds like it’s got at least a few drivers. Here Aful used their SE-Math Electro-Acoustic Intermodulation Technology and their Nautilus Acoustic Maze Technology which is all done “in-house”. That set is truly remarkable folks. Just the fact that it’s a single BA and sounds so beautiful across the spectrum. Each area of the mix is accounted for. Most notably, vocals are a gem on that set. In fact, I don’t know many “better” vocal sets within the price point. The Performer 5 uses their patented RLC Network Frequency Division Correction Technology. Again, awesome for vocals. Then there’s the great Performer 8, one of my absolute favorite sets under $400 with that particular style tuning. It uses a high-damping pressure relief system, along with the same RLC Network Frequency Division Correction Technology that was used with the P5 but much more complex as it uses eight drivers, a million tubes going every which way as well as other technology that I honestly don’t have the will to extend this paragraph for. The point is, this company is all about innovation and trying new things, thinking outside the box and going the extra mile to develop these techs. It’s very impressive to say the absolute least. The best part is that somehow the price on each is relatively budget oriented in relation to what’s out there on the market and for how much R&D goes into these sets.
Competition
Like any set in the game today, there’s a ton of competition in the market. Every day of the year something new gets released and so it’s even harder for any set to stand out, let alone remain relevant. This is something I say in every review anymore. So many brands and so many great iems vying for your dollar, especially in the $100 to $150 price point. At this range the Explorer is really competing against any and every set no matter the driver configuration. Obviously, I will try to break the Explorer down and see exactly where it fits against the field and try to explain the Explorer as best I can. With that all said, let’s dive into this review. The Aful Explorer…
Non-Affiliated Purchasing Link:
Disclaimer:
I received the Aful Explorer from HiFiGo as a review sample and in exchange I will conduct a full review and feature at Mobileaudiophile.com. I have not received any payment or any other form of compensation for this review. This set is a review sample iem. HiFiGo has not requested to pre-read any review and doesn’t have any control over “what” or “when” anything gets published to mobileaudiophile.com. All thoughts within this review are my own, though please take note that I will always have my own biases. This is impossible to get around. I try to be as objective as my subjective self can be, but this is an opinion piece folks. Thank you to HiFiGo and thanks for reading.
Explorer Pros
-Nice 3D printed full-resin build
-Great design
-One of the better cables in the price point
-Interesting tuning and different tuning
-Smooth, warm, buttery sound
-Organic timbre, great cohesiveness
-Deep & palpable sub-bass
-Mid-bass is all about impact and slam with good definition
-Silky midrange with realistic note weight and good clarity
-Easy treble, non-fatiguing
-Detail Retrieval per the warmer setting & thicker note weight. Better than I would’ve thought.
-Great depth of field
-Imaging is well done on the Explorer
Explorer Cons
-Analytical or neutral lovers may not be thrilled here
-Bass will be too emphasized for some hobbyists
-Could use some more treble energy, lacks brilliance, vibrance
-Technically a step behind some sets. Good for the tuning though.
Gear used for testing
–iBasso DX240 with Amp8 MK2
Packaging / Accessories
Unboxing
Aful usually puts together a fitting unboxing experience per the cost of their earphones. I wouldn’t say they stack up against some of the better brands out there in this regard, but they do well. The Explorer wound up at my door in a regular sized rectangular box. On the box is a sleeve, and on that sleeve is an obvious picture of the cosmos and a multitude of stars and constellations. I’m quite positive that the name “Explorer” has something to do with the Exploring that cosmos. It’s a cool theme and one which extends to the actual appearance of the Explorer itself. Anyways, take off the sleeve and you are met with a black box. Take off the lid and the Explorer will be looking pretty and set comfortably in some foam cut-outs. Next to the earphones is the round case which is also sitting in a foam cut-out. Inside the case you’ll find the eartips as well as the gorgeous cable. That’s about it. It’s a nice unboxing and the quality of the accessories is fairly evident.
Eartips
The eartips provided in the packaging are a strange inclusion. They aren’t bad tips by any stretch of the imagination. Let me explain. The first set of tips (S, M, L) is all white silicone eartips with a narrow bore and a somewhat flimsy flange and a stiff inner stem. Not bad, it’s nice to have some narrow bore tips. Now, the second set of tips is a white silicone eartips with a blue stem. These tips are the exact same size of the other tips. In all ways. These tips are the exact same in every way actually. Same firmness of flange, same firmness of stem, same everything except the inner stem color. Very strange. I would’ve liked to see a good set of shallow fit wide bore tips, or something other than two different types of the exact same eartips. Weird. Anyways, I instead used the eartips which came with the Letshuoer S15. The blue wide-bore tips with the shallow fit. Using those tips, I found that it does help to open up the sound a bit more. Nothing world changing but the fit is also perfect with those tips. I went through quite a lot of eartips trying to find that perfect match of comfort and sonics. The S15 tips did it. I’m sure you can seek out most any shallow fit wide bore tip. Another set which I used was the Tenmak Whirlwind eartips which are also wide bore. Anyways, it was a strange tip selection that Aful handed out here but… oh well.
Carrying case
Also, within the packaging Aful did provide us with a carrying case. The case is smaller, around 3” across. It’s just a small round zipper case but with a very satisfying outer covering on it. It has this nice, almost… microfiber cloth material. It’s a small case and you won’t fit anything more than the Explorer and the cable attached but it’s a case, nonetheless. I would say it’s a good size to put into a front pocket and definitely good enough to throw into a bag.
Cable
One area where Aful gets it right every time is the cable. This cable is a very nice wire. I don’t even know what the color is, like a sand color but slightly metallic, shiny on the outer insulation covering. It’s a very good-looking cable that pairs very well with the deep blue of the Explorer. The Explorer cable is a 2-pin, 200-core, silver-plated copper cable which comes in either 3.5 single ended or 4.4 balanced jacks. It features a nice twist to the cable and is pretty fat in appearance. Really a cool add-on to this packaging and it looks fantastic with the Explorer. Sounds nice too.
Build / Design / Internals / Fit
Build Quality
The actual build of the Aful Explorer is nice. It’s an all-resin, 3d printed shell and housing which doesn’t have any visible flaws (which should be expected). Now, these shells are actually fairly small and so people with smaller ears should enjoy that quite a bit. I see one line vent near the front of the housing and that’s about it. One thing which I noticed when tip rolling is that the nozzle tip doesn’t have a ridge for holding on your eartips and so you have to find tips which will work perfectly for this set. The nozzle itself is about average in length. Nothing too egregiously deep or uncomfortable. Another thing I noticed is that you do not have a metal mesh, or any mesh for that matter covering the nozzle. Anyways, the build is very solid. In fact, 3D printed into the housing is a physical crossover and a 3D printed cavity as well as a shaped resonator designed into the printing as well. This is stuff that can only really be done by way of 3D printing. Very cool.
Design
The design really creates a special look. Aful states that they designed this set after the cosmos which is pretty easy to see. The entire set has a base color that is almost like an indigo to even dark blue with rich coloration happening. The faceplates have what appears to be stars and the look of a galaxy floating around. What it actually is nicely placed glitter arranged in a way that it appears to be a galaxy and then resin overlaid. Truly a gorgeous design. Of course, they did add in their brand name “Aful” right on the front which I really wish they wouldn’t have done. All they really needed was a small print logo somewhere on the side. However, it is tastefully done, I think. Nothing that is a huge eyesore for me. Maybe for you though. At any rate it’s a very nice-looking set with a completely unique artistic design. I absolutely love the blue, my favorite color and paired with the sandy looking cable, it’s a really nice-looking set.
Internals
Okay this is where I have my work cut out for me. Basically, on the Explorer, Aful actually used already patented technology that was used on their previous sets. As far as drivers, Aful went with one dynamic driver and two balanced armature drivers. I don’t know much at all about the dynamic driver. I haven’t seen a driver size, material of construction, or anything really. When I find that info out, I can edit those specs. Now, both of the BA’s are actually the exact same BA used in the MagicOne. The DD is also arranged in line with their RLC Frequency Division Tech as well as their Micro-Resonator Tech. Attached to that special resonator design is an extra-long bass tubing which is supposed to smoothen out the frequency response and eliminate unwanted resonances from the final sound as well as enhances the ultra-highs a bit too. Inside Aful also opted for what they refer to as a “Multi-layered electronic crossover. Folks, this crossover is huge and covers the entirety of the width of the Explorer. This crossover does what a crossover should do and separates certain tailored areas of the spectrum and delineates which driver will take what area and where those areas begin and end. So, there’s quite a bit of tech involved with this set. Will it help the overall sound? I suppose that we shall see.
Fit
As far as fit is concerned, like most iems the Explorer fit me perfectly. I never once had any issues. Now I don’t know how they will fit you but for me it’s great. Like I said, the Explorer is a smaller iem as it’ll likely be great for smaller ears. In fact, I’m quite surprised Aful was able to fit all of the internally while still keeping this one relatively small. Also, the Explorer is a lighter iem without all too much static weight on the ear which does help in wearing comfort over time.
Drivability
The Aful Explorer has an impedance rating of 26 ohms and a sensitivity of 108 dbs/mw. What does this mean? Well, it means that the Explorer should be pretty darn sensitive and should be able to be driven quite well from most any source. I always test every set out on my simple iPad, and I can tell you that I had quite a lot of headroom in volume. However, yes, it is sensitive and yes most anything can adequately drive the Explorer, but to get the most out of this set I would recommend using a more powerful source device. Without question having more power and a more talented source helped to bring out the most in this set.
Mobile Listening
Using a Bluetooth dac/amp like the IFi Go Blu was my first choice when out and about. Rolling through the market with the Explorer in my ears is a nice look, but the Go Blu provides a decent pairing too. I didn’t really hear a huge difference between 3.5 single ended and 4.4 balanced but there was a slight tightening up of the spectrum with seemingly better note definition and the low-end isn’t as boomy. I also love the synergy of this set with the EPZ TP50. The TP50 is (in my opinion) the best (or one of the best) dongle dacs at or around $100. Take the neutral and highly dynamic sound of the TP50 and merge that with the warm velvet of the Explorer and you have yourself a nice pairing. Aful’s own Aful SnowyNight is just as good too. The sound really does bring upon a cleaner sound out of the Explorer. Now, what wasn’t nearly as “fitting” was the combo of the Roseselsa RS9039 and the Explorer. You have two warm and heavier sounding pairings which is a bit too much of one thing for me. I do believe it best to counter the warmth of the Explorer with something brighter or neutral…most of the time. Of course, you may love the gooey warmth and if that’s the case then… do your thang. Having said that, this isn’t always the case as you’ll read in the next section.
More juice
Okay, so I said that it’s best to not pair the Explorer with a warmer source and generally it does help to offset a warm set with a more neutral source. However, the velvet dac chip inside of the Shanling M6 Ultra says otherwise. Friends, the M6 Ultra is ridiculously resolving and while it’s a bit warmer, it’s still a very talented source device. Now out of my daps or larger output dac/amps, I would say that the Fiio Q15 really nailed it for me. The Explorer sounds so clean, still has nice note weight but also has great macro-dynamics when paired with it. So, take that how you will. On all source devices I used the 4.4 balanced and I do feel that more output does help a bit.
What do you need?
I honestly feel that all you should really need is a decently powerful dongle dac and a smartphone, computer, or dap to plug it into. It may be smart to check out some dongle dac reviews and get your hands on a closer to neutral dongle dac. That’s up to you. Maybe you love loads of warm. To each their own. Anyways, this set doesn’t need a boatload of power to bring it to a pleasurable place. Maybe 75 to 100 mw @32. Nothing with huge power, but more does most certainly help. In fact, to get the best fidelity out of the Explorer I would say that more power is required as you can keep feeding them and they seem to keep getting better.
Sound Impressions
Note: I want to preface this entire section by stating that most of my critical listening in which my notes were derived was done using the Fiio Q15. It is just too good paired with the Explorer folks. My Shanling M6 Ultra was used a bit too but the neutral sound of the Q15 really gave the upper regions a hint of spice and dynamics was improved. Also, I listen solely to flac or better files stored on my devices. Also, I did burn the Explorer in for about 3 days and I did most certainly hear a difference. The first difference was in the bass region. When I first listened, I did feel that bass was a hair too involved with the sound. A bit too overbearing. Burn-in didn’t strip the emphasis but it did tighten up the sound down low. There were other subtle changes that aren’t significant enough to spend my time talking about.
What’s it sound like?
Like you’ve already probably gathered from this review thus far, the Explorer from Aful definitely leans to the warmer side of the spectrum. I think you have to consider this an L-shaped tuning with the bass region pumped up above the rest of the mix and the upper-mid to treble region slightly less emphasized. I could also say a U-shaped with a bass boost because the midrange isn’t as pushed back. Perhaps the upper midrange isn’t as energetic and vibrant as I’m used to, but the midrange is not attenuated to any great degree. Certainly not another Harman tuned set. This is a special sounding earphone with an irregular style of tuning. That all said, I don’t feel the usual pitfalls which doom warm dominant iems are pitfalls for the Explorer. Maybe for cheaper and less sonically gifted iems, not for this Aful set. At least not to the extent that I would’ve assumed. Prior to receiving this set I was able to look at a graph and I assumed it would be a slightly more veiled sound, less energy across the mix, less detail as well, less resolve. Those things are only partially true. The truth is, the Explorer is a very talented iem and it just so happens to have a convex and meaty bass region. Beyond that, there is very nice energy and pretty expressive & warm macro-dynamics. Something I’d usually credit to more neutral focused, brilliant and energetic iems. Also, believe it or not, detail retrieval isn’t nearly as bad as I assumed it’d be.
Timbre is nice
One great aspect of this tuning and implementation of the drivers is that the Explorer has a very natural “warm-natural” and organic style of sound. It has that earthy, analog sound that is also very well able to pull out details and even separate instruments in the sound field very well for a slightly thicker note weight. Now, I’m not saying it’s a technical wizard. Not saying that. What I am saying is that the Explorer doesn’t follow the same trend as some of those heavy note weight, warm, and veiled sets that I’m used to with an L-shaped tuning. Especially budget oriented L-shaped iems. That said, the Explorer is still smooth throughout with a more velvet sound and a very engaging sound at that, but it also has an element of crispness when needed and fantastic note definition for a set tuned this way. It has this wholly immersive quality which hedges on musicality first and has some real nice charisma for a warmer sounding set. Don’t sleep on the Explorer’s ability to resolve the subtleties in a track either. It is better than I expected technically. I actually just reviewed the Dunu X-Gizaudio DaVinci (DaVinci Review) which is also a slightly warm sound, and it too bucked the trend. I think it comes down to quality of drivers, quality of the tech that’s used and a smart tuning. To add to that, the timbre is very nice folks. Aful did a nice job.
Not for everyone
This is not going to be the favorite of everyone. Let’s just get that out of the way. For instance, folks who dig the sound of say… the Simgot EA500LM. They usually desire a closer to “neutral” tonality, high energy, and more brightness, open space, airy. Those folks aren’t going to all of a sudden desire milky, weighted, warm and heavy, not usually anyways. This is an acquired taste for many hobbyists. Of course, others have always loved a warmer tilt. So it comes down to preferences always. Personally, I enjoy just about every sound signature and so it was easy for me to see the appeal of the Explorer. This is a wonderfully cohesive sounding hybrid iem with no odd peaks, valleys or odd moments of timbre. Still, the fact remains that not everyone is going to love this sound and I want to get that across from the outset. It’s a very easy going sound which won’t make you want to rip your ears out in agony over any shrill peaks and brightness. This set has a warmly weighted and milky type of note structure which comes across in a lean-lush way. Not too heavy, not too thick, not too veiled and resolution is much better than I would’ve thought and note definition is actually quite great. Folks, Aful crafts nothing without purposeful intent and the Explorer is a testament to that.
Condensed Sound Between the 20’s
Pint-Sized Bass
The bass has a very generous emphasis with a big and heavy weighted rumble, deep, authoritative and even pretty agile for the size. This is a quality bass which you don’t usually see with this amount of emphasis while under $200. The bass has good density. It’s also actually very nicely defined and has the ability to dance through somewhat complicated passages of music without losing that density. For the most part.
Pint-Sized Midrange
The midrange is not overwhelmed in bleed from the bass, but instead there’s just enough spill over to add some weight. Subtly warm, not overly recessed and actually males sound somewhat forward even, great presence in the mix. Females aren’t as spicy/vibrant as most sets tuned to a Harman curve but instead, they are more full sounding, engaging. The midrange has a fantastic organic timbre and does have a nice transient attack through release for the tuning. Resolution is also very nice; details are decent too (which is very good for such a tuning as well), and all of this comes under the umbrella of a slightly warmer climate. It’s a cool sound.
Pint-Sized Treble
The treble has good extension but it’s not a very emphasized treble. Almost linear once it reaches its pinna gain and then it extends rather well. It simply isn’t all that brilliant and luminant. So, the treble may see overly subdued and less energetic for some folks, but it’s also nicely bodied, haptic almost. There’s a give and take there. Definitely not sibilant, peaky or metallic. It’s a non-offensive treble which comes across as a nice supporting role and does fit the intended tuning.
Pint-Sized Technical stuff
Technically the Explorer is nice. Not a detail monster and no it isn’t the king of separation. However, depth of field is great which adds some nice layering, very good imaging and decent enough detail retrieval. We have to be somewhat reasonable about this set and its limitations. The stage is close to the listener, wide, tall and deep. It’s a nice set folks.
Bass Region
Like I’ve already stated, the bass hits with deep authority as it’s tuned with a heavier bass shelf against the lesser rise of the treble region. I would call it tastefully done for a heavier bass. The Explorer carries a very leaden and opaque style rumble which is more sub-woofer like than anything else. However, just because it is a larger quantity doesn’t mean that the Explorer doesn’t have some very nice quality to the rumble and slam. I love the way the Explorer can release all this weight and authority into my eardrum but recover very fast. The transient response is clean, agile, almost ductile in the way it can come and go through different passages of music. The crest of each note is a hint soft, however. This isn’t some rock-hard note outline. There’s a hint of fuzz there. Underneath that outward layer is a rich density and concrete solidity. I hear very nice separation between the mid and sub-bass which is a nice thing to hear.
Sub-bass
The Explorer gets low friends, it can run deep, and it can penetrate very deep within the frequency. Let’s put it this way, if the track you’re playing tells it to go deep… It’ll go deep. This sub-bass forms a nice foundation full of textured and tactile notes. Depending on the track I have noticed some very satisfying and tangible bass notes which render themselves more haptic, to where I can easily feel the sound as well as hear its depths. No doubt the overall sound is colored and skewed with more warmth and weight in-part to this region’s unabashed range and robustness. Listening to “Mancey” by Andrew Bird I find that the Explorer is actually pretty talented in this region. Once the bass drops the Explorer’s depth down low rumbles in a guttural fashion. It’s a low drone and deep haptic vibration. Another track “Shadow on the Sun” by Audioslave features a low-pitched bass guitar surrounded by successive kick-drums, snare pangs, and Chris Cornell’s amazing voice. What I enjoy about the Explorer is its ability to focus this region and separate it from the rest of the melody and the way the sub-bass maneuvers while also feeling as though there’s some air between instruments. It isn’t just some mash of emphasized bass. There’s some nuance there. It’s big, it’s bold, but it’s also quality.
Mid-bass
The mid-bass carries a slight bit less emphasis than the sub-bass regions but by listening you can hardly tell as the mid-bass has the ability to slam with an acute density. Again, this is a ductile style bass region and although it is lifted quite a bit, it also isn’t muddy or boomy. Instead it’s able to dance through even more difficult bass tracks and every modulation and shift very nicely. Obviously, this is not going to be to the transient skill level of a good balanced armature bass or a planar bass, but also, those drivers cannot mimic the organic properties of these DD’s. Aful did a nice job crafting a set with satisfying low-end muscle that has great texture and has a palpable slam. Bass guitars have plenty of actual body to them as in “Groove” by Ray Wylie Hubbard. The bass has almost a crispness to it with very textured and clean notes. Bass singers like Avi Kaplan in “First place I Go” has that sonorous resonance to his voice which is pleasing to hear. Expect a mid-bass that has a very nice impact and which can bang pretty darn hard while staying relatively clean in the process. The only other thing I’d add is that there is a slight spill over into the midrange, enough to give the mids some nice weight and warmth.
Downsides to the Bass Region
The obvious downside is that the bass is the focal point of this set which casts a slight warmth across the entirety of the spectrum. While I think it’s great and sounds great that certainly doesn’t mean everyone else will feel that way. I know plenty of friends who would much rather have an ultra-tight and leaner bass profile that stays in its lane and doesn’t encroach at all into the midrange. In this regard the Explorer is probably a hair polarizing. However, I feel if one were to let that brain-burn kick in then they may find the joy in how well Aful was able to tune this set, including the bass region. It’s big and it’s meaty but that doesn’t mean it has to be muddy. Nice job Aful.
Midrange
The midrange takes on a hair of warmth from the low-end’s emphasis while at the same time sitting somewhat forward in the sound field. I have spoken of the warmth which settles on most of the mix, but I feel that the midrange is actually a nice mix of neutrality and warmth. I’d say that the note weight takes on a more lean-lush type approach rather than straight up lush and heavy. I definitely wouldn’t consider it veiled as usually that’s the first thing I’d think when looking at an L-shaped iem. At any rate, the note attack has a nice crispness to it at the crest of notes and a certain fullness and realism which makes for an organic type of listen. Details come through quite well as the midrange is more resolving than my expectations would’ve believed. Again, not saying that the Explorer is a detail marvel, but it is actually nicely proficient in this area. There is a subtly warm airiness to the sound which is nice for clean separation of instruments. To add to that, I also hear a nice transparency in this region as well. However, to me its best quality is the timbre which is certainly closer to natural than not. I don’t hear sibilance, metallic edges to notes, and I don’t hear any real shoutiness or glare. Definitely one of the benefits of not hiking up that pinna gain to Harman standards.
More energy?
Beyond those things, I should also state that yes, the midrange is good in all of these disciplines above. It is organic, clean, resolving (for the tuning), lean-lush and nicely weighted while technically the Explorer is not deficient to my ears to a detrimental extent. Still, there will most certainly be a number of folks who will want more energy. They will want more vibrance out of this area. I said that the Explorer has almost a warm airiness to it. Well, I will guarantee that there will be plenty of folks who want that feeling of openness accompanied by neutrality and cooler clean air between instruments. Some would rather listen to an analytical style note structure, speed, and detail retrieval. Speaking of details, again, the details are better than expected with the Explorer, but there are definitely iems which handle details and bring them to the surface easier and better. That isn’t the Explorer’s fortay, nor should we expect an L-shaped set to specialize in detail retrieval. There are sets tailored to bring the subtleties to the forefront. Not that the Explorer cannot be that, it may just depend on the genre and track you’re listening to. Plain and simple. Also, much has to do with your source and with the track you are playing. I used the Fiio Q15 almost primarily for critical listening. So bare that in mind as it is definitely a powerful, neutral, dynamic sounding dac/amp which does greatly benefit this set. Please remember that.
Lower-midrange
The lower midrange features male voices which are out front and not as pushed back into the sound field. Males have good weight and authority in most of my vocal Playlist, which is a great thing to hear for this guy. Vocals are important and I have a host of male vocal centered tracks that I love to listen to, especially for reviewing purposes. There’s something to be said for a set that can replay with just the right mix of neutrality & warmth coupled with just the right amount of velvet richness. Noah Kahan in the track “Stick Season” comes across a bit higher in the register but also his voice carries a certain amount of body behind it. Much unlike most Harman derived tunings. Usually, his voice would sound thin and not as enriched. With the Explorer I am impressed at its ability to add density even to higher register voices while not coming across veiled and overcast. Dermot Kennedy in the song “Rome” has a slightly deeper and gruff voice in this song (well, any song). The Explorer is able to pull out the emotional sentiment in this track quite nicely by backing up his vocals with that lower pitch weight along with some light crispness to the inflections in his voice. I don’t hear that edginess that some sets put on Dermot vocals and that’s what I’m listening for. Along with timbre, cadence, agility, and note weight. Perhaps not all males sound perfect but for the most part this style of tuning seems to fit males nicely.
Upper-Midrange
The upper-mids are much more subdued and less energetic, less shimmery and less vibrant than many of the Harman sets on the market. The Explorer doesn’t really have that brighter and more peppy display. To me the Explorer does fairly well but I would want just a hint more vitality and vigor. Maybe a bit more elation in women’s voices. Having said that, I also really do like that women’s voices have very melodic intonations to their vocals and won’t cause me fatigue, while at the same time plumping up the fundamental frequency of each voice with that lean-lush styled milky display. Still, generally, folks will likely want just a bit more of that dynamism in this range. Instruments follow this same trajectory with stuff like strings. I could use a hint more of a snap, more crispness and more bite. Percussion could also use a hint more of a pointed snap. That said, it makes up for it in authority, tonality & timbre.
Upper-mids cont…
Now, this tuning works wonderfully for voices like Adele’s track “When We Were Young”. She sounds slightly weighted, ponderous, clean and emotionally devoted to this track and the Explorer carries her voice very well. Clean lines which wrap her vocals and plenty of emotional body to carry her voice. The melody surrounding her vocals is very well separated and placed very nicely in the sound field as well. To be honest I like the way the Explorer handles females. It’s a slightly different take and it doesn’t come with sibilance; it doesn’t come with harshness, and it provides a nice velvety lean-lush setting for females to exist in when listening with the Explorer. Not bad at all. Now, details in this region are actually pretty nice too. You have decent separation of elements within the stage, and the stage is presented in a way that there is some space between those elements with the Explorer. The note definition is much better than I would have though and resolution follows suit. It’s nice.
Downsides to the Midrange
I feel the number one issue that folks will have has to do with the energy in this region. I realize that some may find it duller than many iems within the price range. You are slightly missing that extra brilliance and sprightly energy attached to a female voice and some instrumentation. Granted, I’m sure that many will adore the tuning here, but I feel that most folks have trained their brains for a more vibrant and energy-riddled midrange. However, I’ve said it a few times that you also don’t have some of the downsides of this extra energy too. You don’t have the annoyance of a shouty set and you don’t have the sibilance which comes with a touch more energy either. So once again it’s a give and take. Also, analytical lovers are not going to be happy with this set at all. This isn’t some ultra speedy and thinly weighted midrange that will blaze through and show off every last detail. It isn’t that to my ears. Again, the Explorer does very well for what it is and to give up some details here and there for a bit more musicality is a good trade-off for me. Give me natural tonality and pleasing timbre any day.
Treble Region
The treble is not one of those which are going to blow your mind in brilliance and at the end of the day it’s not the most emphasized and bright. In fact, the treble will likely sound a bit rolled off to most people. I don’t agree though. Yes, the amount of treble activity is less than some other sets but also the extension into the upper treble is quite nice. Instruments in this region do have a touch more organic of a replay without the forced resolution adding too much of a treble sheen across the region. This is a smooth and very precise treble region, but it simply doesn’t have that snap on attack or edgy bite that some will want. Beyond that, it is able to give some haptic recognition to my senses with at least some feel to the Treble at times. Honestly, this is a supporting actor type treble which fits the overall tuning nicely and I do think that is what Aful was going for. Once again, this is an area where some people find it a little bit too unenergetic and almost dull compared to other iems. That all said, extension is nice. Take a cymbal strike, they usually come through with a solid bodied chisk followed by good harmonics that aren’t tizzed out in treble lustre. So there are good qualities and there are some qualities that won’t fit some folks preferences. That’s pretty much the running theme of every review I complete.
Snappy?
Now, the treble region is smoother and yes it does carry a hint more body and weight, but how does it do with faster and snappier passages of music. The answer is…the Explorer does okay. No, it definitely won’t keep up with the likes of some gifted planars… that’s a given. However, the Explorer isn’t tuned to glide around the micro-dynamic shifts and the transient attack to recover speed won’t be as fast and as abrupt as something actually tuned to do so. That said, the Explorer may surprise some of you in some moments. Billy Strings has some lightning fast banjo play in his track “Ice Bridges” and the Explorer actually… Keeps up. No, it isn’t the kind of treble that comes across perfectly round and etched out against the rest of the mix. However, it is actually decent at commanding faster tracks while keeping that earthy type of sound and not missing out on details completely. Again, this is a supporting role here. Not the main attraction. The treble is tuned to a different target folks. Remember, organic, smooth, warmer, not as energetic up top, thicker note weight, etc. So the fact that the Explorer keeps up at all is pretty great. At any rate, the timbre is great, it’s organic and it exists this way with non-offensive ambitions. You won’t have that shrillness and peaky ear gouging brightness and metallic treble tizz that other sets will have. The Explorer will provide a nice treble which can move at a fairly gracefully and won’t miss much in the process. Also, just because it’s smooth doesn’t mean it isn’t well defined and accurate.
Downsides to the Treble Region
Without question there are treble heads who won’t touch this set. They see warm and non-offensive and run for the hills. So no, not everyone is going to dig a treble that isn’t at least marginally brilliant. I get it too. I’d like a touch more bite and raw snap to instruments and a touch more vibrance to a female voice. However, I wouldn’t give up this nice tuning for a little bit more vibrance. Coincidentally, anything you change will affect everything else and the Explorer has a very nice signature as-is. Very earthy, very clean for that style too. It’s a talented set, just not in the aspects that everyone usually would badge something talented for. Most of all, it’s fun and it’s musical and the treble is a huge supporting actor in that presentation.
Technicalities
Soundstage
The soundstage is quite nice. I don’t say it’s nice because it is the size of a stadium. To be honest the Explorer’s stage is more intimate than anything else. Now, when I say intimate, what I’m actually saying is… It’s pushed forward. The mids are not heavily recessed on this set and so it gives the psycho-acoustic impression that the presence, the sound, the elements on the stage are closer to the listener. This is not a bad thing at all. First off, just because it’s intimate in this way doesn’t mean it doesn’t have a wide sound field. It also doesn’t mean the Explorer’s stage doesn’t have very good depth. In fact, I can say right now that the Explorer has a nicely wide presentation, and the depth is definitely above average at this price. Along with that depth comes nice layering abilities and even some of that subtly warmer air between instruments like I was talking about. It’s a nice stage, it’s full, it’s big and it’s deep, just not pushed back. To be honest, I like this stage better than the other type. Who wants pushed back?
Separation / Imaging
Okay, so now we arrive at separation of elements on an imaginary stage. In my opinion, the Explorer is better than it should be. Not up to the best in the price point. Not even in the running but the Explorer is much better than it ought to be. Again, warmish colored, thicker style note weight, intimate stage too. It all adds up to a set that will blend the sounds a bit. Especially on faster and more complicated tracks. Why then does the Explorer do fairly well? I feel it’s because of its resolving ability. No, it doesn’t resolve anything like the Aful Performer 5 and definitely not like the Performer 8 for example. But it does do well for what it is. It does have some clean note outlines. Yes warmer, yes thicker… but clean. So, separation isn’t bad. Imaging on the other hand is flat out good. Imaging is very good actually. In the same breath I find layering of sounds to be quite well done as well.
Detail Retrieval
Detail retrieval is somewhat of a mixed bag. On one hand the Explorer does very well for an L-shaped tuning. Much better than I would’ve expected. However, I think I’ve said it enough that the Explorer doesn’t match up with sets in the price point that are quite literally tuned to illuminate the small stuff. It just can’t match those sets. I will keep coming back to it though… the Explorer may surprise some of you. There is a cleanliness that the Explorer carries that makes up for a lot of what this type of tuning takes away. However, bass heavy tracks make it very difficult to catch any details and ultra complicated tracks may not be perfect. I said “Ultra-complicated”. Don’t confuse the meaning. This set can handle some more complicated and congested stuff so long as the bass isn’t constantly booming along and so long as it is a track that most sets can resolve decently. Also, the Explorer is quite agile, dexterous and can be pretty nimble, especially in the midrange. No, it isn’t perfect, but yes, it’s pretty darn good. Probably above average when all is said and done.
Is it worth the asking price?
When looking at answering this question in a way that’s helpful to you I will answer it from the perspective of someone who loves this type of tuning. I figured anyone who is opposite from that has already checked out from this review. I highly doubt they are still here reading. Also, I will answer for myself. I’ve said many times in the past that I literally can enjoy and find joy in most any sound signature. I just have to wrap my brain around each one. For whatever reason I’ve been going through a few reviews now which feature warmer iems and so it has been an easy transition into this review. At any rate, the Explorer from Aful is 100% worth every penny.
The Why…
No dancing around this. Yes, there is a ton of competition out there and yes, the Explorer isn’t a technical like some sets which are made to be technical monsters. However, it is a specially tuned set that dwarves it’s issues and subjective gripes with that organic and warm-natural timbre. It has an extremely well-done bass region that’s big, meaty, deep and very well defined for its quantity. The Explorer also has a sonically pleasing midrange that features great presence in the mix, very nice note weight and body, and a transparent sound with clean note edges and a smooth cadence. The treble isn’t going to hurt your ears, it won’t force details upon you in shrill brightness, and it will extend well into the upper treble. The stage is nice, closer to the listener but also deep, and wide. Folks, if this is the sound that you are searching for, and you can’t spend a dime over $120 then without question the Aful Explorer is an absolute steal at this price.
Ratings (0-10)
Note: all ratings are based upon my subjective judgment. These ratings are garnered against either similarly priced sets or with similar driver implementations or styles with the unique parameters of my choosing. In the case of the Aful Explorer ratings below, that would be $100-$150 multi-driver hybrid iems. Please remember that “ratings” don’t tell the whole story. This leaves out nuance and a number of other qualities which make an iem what it is. A “5-6” is roughly average and please take into consideration the “lot” of iems these ratings are gathered against. $100-$150 US hybrid iems is a smaller scope of iems but it’s also extremely competitive, though it’s not out of the question to see a Rating above a “9.0” for example. My ratings are never the same and each set of ratings tells a different story. Each time you read one of my ratings will be unique to that review. Basically, I create a Rating that makes sense to me.
Aesthetic
–Build Quality: 9.1 Built well, all resin & complicated internals.
–Look: 9.6 Very well designed & pleasing to the eye.
–Fit/Comfort: 9.1 Fit and comfort is great for me.
–Accessories: 9.0 Very nice cable, nice case, decent tips.
–Overall: 9.2🔥🔥
Sound Rating
–Timbre: 9.6 Organic, natural, robust.
–Bass: 9.6 Big, authoritative, clean, defined.
–Midrange: 9.2 Musical and engaging.
–Treble: 7.3 Fits the sound, but not treble heads.
–Technicalities: 7.5 Technically fine, better than expected.
–Musicality: 9.5 Hangs its hat on musicality.
–Overall: 8.8🔥🔥🔥
Ratings Summary:
I rated the Aful Explorer against any hybrid iems between the prices of $100 and $150 US. This is a sizable scope of iems that it’s competing against but it’s not colossal in scope. It is fair to say that this price range was going easy on the Explorer. Still, it is the price range that it sits in. We’ve seen a number of banger iems in this range too and many of those I have sitting next to me right now. That all said, I feel the Explorer does stand out in its own way and does have legs to stand on here. Yes, an “8.8” is pretty high, but also… it’s an “8.8” to me no matter how you slice it. This is a very nice sounding set per the tuning and the target that Aful was hoping to meet.
Explain Yourself!
Anyways, the Explorer really shines in the bass department, and it does so due to its sheer cleanliness per the quantity. To have this hard hitting, deep and palpable sounding bass is a sort of rarity at this price I’d say. So, a “9.6” I feel is well worth it. I know, some of you will say “It’s Bloated, too muddy, too big!” Honestly, I would simply disagree. Nothing more and nothing less. Also, we are both right. So, due to the type of bass, I could see someone having issue with my rating on that. I could also see some folks having issues with me over the midrange. Without question there will be those who desire more brilliance, sparkle and effeminate shimmer to the upper mids. I get it too. In my perfect world I’d like a hair more. However, if adding that lustre up top would affect in any way the syrupy, milky and smooth midrange than I’d say… I like it the way it is. When you look at the nice definition, the timbre, the lean-lush weight, the presence in the stage, it all adds up to a “9.2” for me. The other ratings are kind of what they are. Maybe some folks would feel that Technicalities could be a point or two lower or higher but a “7.5” is a good rating and serviceable, above average.
Conclusion
To conclude my full written review of the Aful Explorer, I first have to thank the good folks at HiFiGo for sending me the Explorer in exchange for a feature and full review at mobileaudiophile.com. I’ve said it many times in the past that HiFiGo has never even hinted to me that they’d like me to change my review to suit their needs. Never have they ever requested to pre-read anything and they’ve never once asked me to skew anything, which I can respect. So, thank you HiFiGo and thank you to anyone who decided to read this review. We at monbileaudiophile.com greatly appreciate you clicking the link and staying for a while. We exist only because you all take the time to read our thoughts…thank you!
Other perspectives
Please take the time to check out other thoughts on this set. I am only one person, one mind and that mind is my own. I can be polar opposite to the person next to me. This is one hobby where people have greatly varying opinions. In fact, I dont think there’s another hobby quite like it. We all have different likes and dislikes, different gear, different music libraries, some may hear better than others. It would behoove you to take in other thoughts as $119 is a lot of money for a lot of people and getting as many perspectives as possible will only help. With that, I think I’m done folks. I’ve greatly enjoyed this review period and I am impressed by what Aful was able to accomplish with the Explorer. For those who desire a more organic and warmly tilted sound with bigger bass and a musical nature…the Explorer may be for you and for those people I give my recommendation. I hope you all are well and good. Please take good care, stay as safe as possible and always…God Bless!
