Celest Wyvern Black Remaster Review 

Intro 

Hello, this review and feature covers the latest from the audio brand Celest Audio named the Celest Wyvern Black Remaster ($32). When I was asked to give my thoughts in the Black Remaster I honestly didn’t even have to think about it. I say that because I am a huge fan of Celeste’s Wyvern series of iems. In my opinion, I think it is very important to have actual solid iems for folks who really cannot afford the more pricier iems. Now, the budget world of audio has been on a tear of late with quality budget iems coming out by the week. That said, I truly feel that the Wyvern series are all no-brainer respectable sets with extremely good musical leaning signatures, and they seem to get better with every iteration. However, I think that the name itself kind of gives away the intention with this latest set. No doubt it is in fact a “remastered” version. Now, I’ve had the Remaster with me for roughly about two weeks and it’s becoming very clear that Kinera/Celest has mastered this type of signature using these specific drivers. For those who desire that type of sound, well, look no further folks. 

Kinera/Celest/QOA 

It’s no secret that Celest is the sister brand to the extremely popular and respected Kinera and QOA (Queen of Audio). Furthermore, it’s no secret that Celest has greatly benefitted from this respectable bloodline. From the very first iem that I featured from Celest I was convinced that Kinera’s “budget” brand may be some of the best “budget” products that the audio world has to offer. No doubt there are plenty of very capable brands who create and craft very capable and well done products. That said, has Celest made a bad set yet? Think about it. Also, I’m not talking about a set that doesn’t agree with your preferences. That doesn’t make an iem bad. That just means it doesn’t agree with you. No, I’m talking about a badly tuned, badly crafted iem or other audio product. Friends, I don’t think so. The lineage is ever present. That Kinera family tree has some reach folks. I’ve reviewed a decent number of their iems myself, as well as owned and not reviewed a couple too. What I can tell you is this; they all have been quality products, well thought out, tuned to a specific target, and they all have been very creatively envisioned and conceived. The Wyvern series is a perfect example of this lineage in ultra budget form. Below are some of the Celest products I’ve reviewed of you are curious:

Reviews 

Pandamon, Phoenixcall, Wyvern Pro, Pandamon 2.0, Relentless, Wyvern Abyss, Wyvern Qing, and the very fun Yaksha. Beyond those that I’ve reviewed, my partners at Mobileaudiophile.com have reviewed quite a few more. Feel free to check those out if you’d like. However, the point is that Celest is in a unique position to pull from the rich resources of Kinera. Those resources include the talent, engineering, artists, and top of the line professionals in the audio field. I’m not simply talking about money here. It’s almost a given that if you come across a Celest product that it will be a well done complete product which stemmed from the minds of some very talented people. Certainly worth looking into. 

Unique Process

In every review I speak of the brand which created the product I’m reviewing, and every review I try to speak well of these brands, if possible. After all, they are the professionals who form this audio landscape. They are the people who work behind the scenes so that we can enjoy what we love most… music. Anyways, I’m very interested and intrigued by the process too. What did it take to create these products? Who crafted them, who designed them, and what was the thinking before anything found its way to the light of day. What were the hangups, the issues, how did they work through them? I don’t always get answers. However, I love the process with which Kinera, QOA and of course Celest go about forming their ideas. I absolutely love it folks. Every product that they create is formulated, modeled, and fashioned from a specific theme. Each product has a unique unifying idea and concept to follow. In the case of the Wyvern Black Remaster, Celest assuredly once again pulled from Chinese mythology to shape, visually design, and tune this set to the mythological symbolic essence of Wyvern. 

Wyvern / Yinglong

In Chinese lore, the Wyvern, or Yinglong is represented as a dragon god/deity who apparently created the earth. However, there is a huge backstory to Yinglong and one which is lightly talked about HERE. Celest gives us a quick overview of how the Black Remaster relates to the Wyvern and how this tale shaped the Black Remaster. At any rate, this primordial dragon is said to be a multi-headed and full of wisdom and power. I suppose anything which can create out of thin air is quite powerful. In the case of the Black Remaster you can see where the design falls into line with this legendary dragon. Basically… dragon scales on the faceplates, purple to blue hues and color scheme, dark, bold, reflecting what I’d think a “black dragon” scale may appear like. However, it doesn’t stop at the appearance either because the tuning itself almost speaks of this mythological creature’s personality. I will obviously explain much more on that later, but I have always admired the Kinera/QOA/Celest approach. They evoke the nature and ethos of these beings as much as one can when crafting and creating audio products. Very cool. 

Competition 

However, let’s get back to the Wyvern Black Remaster. After all, this is an audio review. So, forgive me for my interest and intrigue. At any rate, the one thing which stands in the Black Remaster’s way has nothing to do with its build, design, or tuning. Not really anyways. The biggest stumbling block for this set happens to be the other iems sold within its price point. You may or may not realize it but there is truly a sea of very well done iems within the $25-$40 price range which battle for your dollar. I’d say this makes it all the more beneficial that Celest isn’t just creating this set from scratch, but instead they are building upon past success. Like I said, each iteration within the Wyvern series seems to get better or more refined. Is it enough to take on sets like the EPZ Q1 Pro, or the KZ AM16, the Simgot EW200, the Kefine Klean, Roseselsa Aurora Ultra, and the KZ Zenith, along with many-many-more? It’s a tough question to answer when they are all tuned differently. That said, the Wyvern Black Remaster certainly looks the part, and it sounds the part. I think I’m ready to get on with this review. So, without further ado, the Celest Wyvern Black Remaster…

Non-Affiliated Purchasing Links:

–Kinera Audio

–Linsoul

–Aliexpress 

–Shenzen Audio

Remaster Pros

-Build is very nice for $32

-Celest always has well designed iems and the Remaster is no different 

-Smooth throughout, solid note weight, musically inclined 

-Simply a cleaner sound then previous Wyvern series models

-Organic and pleasing timbre, easy to enjoy with no real harshness 

-Bass has solid depth, has the boom, yet stays in relatively good control

-Mids are more transparent, better detailed, and simply engaging 

-Imaging is nice

-Really an engaging sound, pretty fun yet more mature than previous Wyvern models

Remaster Cons

-Could benefit from a hair more treble air and sparkle… not for treble heads 

-Complicated tracks sound like complicated tracks

-Not a technical beast 

Gear used for testing 

–Shanling UP6

–Shanling UA6 

–Ifi Go Blu 

–Hidizs S9 Pro Plus  

–Shanling H0 

–Fiio JM21 

–Hiby R3 Pro II

–Shanling M1 Plus

–IBasso DX240 with Amp8 MK2 

–Shanling M6 Ultra 

–Fiio Q15

-Many not listed

Packaging / Accessories 

Unboxing 

The Celest Wyvern Black Remaster arrived at my home in a small box covered in a colorful (light blues, pinks, purples) sleeve. On the sleeve is a nice picture of a female waifu. In all honesty, the design and artwork is actually pretty cool, though I’m not one to usually enjoy waifu designs. I’m assuming that Celest is marketing this set at a slightly younger crowd. At any rate, the unboxing is clever. You really shouldn’t expect much from an ultra-budget iem as far as the contents or accessories. However, Celest always adds in small surprises, extras, little mementos. In the case of the Black Remaster they add in some nice eartips, a decent enough cable too. However, they also add into the packaging a very neat plastic waifu card with the same exact waifu girl as on the over photo. Sure, it may be a hair cheesy to some older folks, but for the young ones it is a neat addition to the packaging. My 9 & 17 year old thought it was cool. That’s all I need to hear. 

Eartips

Now, the eartips provided with the Celest Wyvern Black Remaster are actually fantastic wide bore style eartips. Celest provides four pairs (S, M, L, L) of gray silicone tips. However, these aren’t just some throwaway pair of tips. I really like these ones and I will certainly be using them. At any rate, the tips are gray silicone tips with a very wide bore, they are shallow fit, and the flange is very firm. Also, the stem is rigid too. I find that these tips really do a nice job providing a seal in my ears as well as drawing out some of those higher frequencies. I really do enjoy them. Now, I did begin to tip roll and I tried every tip in my arsenal, however I just wound up back at the included eartips. Which is saying something folks. I rarely use the included tips with any set. Having said that, I would still recommend you try to tip roll and find the perfect eartips for you, but the included tips are actually quite nice. 

Cable

This brings us to the cable. So, Celest offers a regular ole’ budget style cable. Nothing really special about it except that it does its job, it works. The cable provided is a very skinny all black wire with a twist braid. Very lightweight. To be exact, the included cable is 2-pin, 3.5 single ended, and it’s made of 4-core 4N oxygen-free copper material which is said to help with conductivity. Again, the cable provided does the job it is supposed to do. However, it isn’t the prettiest cable I’ve ever seen. Granted, I don’t know how much one expects out of a $32 iem? I mean, this cable blows the doors off of just about any KZ cable which comes with basically any KZ iem. There’s some perspective I suppose. However, I did cable swap with this set. First off, I wanted a 4.4 balanced cable and so I obviously couldn’t use the included cable. I actually went with a 4.4 balanced KBear Expansion 24-core cable in white/blue. I really like the pairing as the Expansion doesn’t pull and tug on the Black Remaster or pull them from my ears. Also, they sound really nice together as well. So, while the included cable is perfectly fine and works as intended, I do feel that a quick cable swap does help the Black Remaster become as good as it can get. 

3.5 or 4.4

Before I jump out of the cable talk I should specify that the Black Remaster can be ordered with either the 3.5 single ended cable (with or without a mic) or the 4.4 balanced cable. Both the “Tide” and “Moss” colorways are available. So, if you’d rather go with a balanced connection (like I like to do) than you can just order that cable when purchasing. 

Build / Design / Internals / Fit 

Build Quality 

Once again the Wyvern Black Remaster is made out of 3D printed resin material and once again the build is pretty much flawless. You don’t see any burrs, no odd seams, nothing jagged, or sloppy. Not with Celest, they do everything proper and always their builds are good for the cost. I should add that in Celest’s promotional material for the Black Remaster it states that Celest increased the acoustic cavity by up to 15%, which is a fairly large difference from precious iterations of the Wyvern series. Now, the Black Remaster is a medium sized iem so I really don’t feel that even “small ear gang” folks will have problems. The nozzle is about medium (average) length, and the nozzle is about average width too (6mm). Other than that, Celest adopted an all metal nozzle rather than the same 3D printed style. They also state that they added an appropriate length to diameter ratio along with metal mesh front damping  which is said to improve phase coherence. 

Design

As far as the actual design goes, Celest once again hit it out of the park with one of the more beautiful designs that I’ve seen under $50. Truly a gorgeous set. At purchasing you can actually choose between two different colorways with either the “Moss” or “Tide” variations. Both are absolutely striking with different hues of blues, purples, pinks and they all bend to the light and refract the light differently. Once again, Celest took their example from Chinese mythology as they tried to capture the essence of the Yinglong dragon deity. Obviously the dragon scale design was replicated beautifully on the faceplates as the shells are completely blacked-out. Just an absolutely striking look. Easily one of the more attractive artists rendering of a set of earphones as I’ve seen under $50. Each faceplate was meticulously made using different minerals. One is made using lapis lazuli and the other is made using malachite. Also, as gorgeous as the design is, it’s also very simple. There’s nothing too extravagant here. It’s a simple design yet with beautiful coloration. Kudos to Celest. 

Internals 

Like I said earlier, Celest chose to go once again with a single 10mm LCP dynamic driver. However, this LCP driver is actually the newer version “2.0”. What they did this time is add a nano layer of composite material which not only is more rigid, but also better damping material. Celest claims that even after 500 hours of use this driver will not distort and will hold its structural integrity making it a very capable and durable driver. Beyond the driver, Celest claims that they remade the resonance chamber as well adding a nice pressure boost for deeper lows. If you ask me this is a lot of work and effort that Celest is putting in for a $32 single DD iem. Hence why I applaud this company as much as I do. 

Fit / Comfort 

This is another area where I really have zero issues whatsoever. The actual fit and comfort is very nice for me. Of course, this doesn’t mean that the fit and comfort will be good for you. The only thing that I can assure you is that the size, body style, and ergonomics are all very much inline with other iems (fairly normal), if not much better. Again, the nozzle isn’t too long or too short, and it comes in at a good ergonomic angle. 

Drivability / Pairings 

As far as the drivability, the Black Remaster is rated at 32 ohms and a sensitivity of 105 db’s. As one might and should expect, this set is very easy to drive from most any source device, anywhere. I’m telling you folks, I have a ton of super weak sources solely for the purpose of testing sensitivity. Every review I tell you that I use my old Android phones with a 3.5 single ended port. I also use a few very weak Bluetooth adapters like the KZ AZ20 and the AN01. Also, I always check every set with my super weak Amazon no name dongle dacs. I do this for those of us who don’t have and cannot afford a more expensive source device. Also, what brand would make a $32 iem that is hard to drive? The answer is nobody. So yes, the Black Remaster is very easy to drive. If all you have is a phone with a 3.5 se port then you’ll be good to go. Now, this doesn’t mean that with more power or better sources the sound won’t come across better, tighter, and more defined. I say that because the Black Remaster does come across a little bit better using better and more powerful sources. As one would expect. 

Source Pairings 

To my ears, so long as your source hovers around warm/neutral to neutral you will be fine. The Black Remaster is not a picky set. I’ve used it extensively with too many sources to name here and not once did I throw them out of my ears from any strange timbral interactions from any of those sources. To take that even further, I didn’t hear any source device in my collection which sounded “bad” to my ears. If anything, I’d say that “in general” devices which are closer to neutral sound the best to me with the Black Remaster attached. However, I go against my own advice by saying that my warm Shanling M6 Ultra sounds the best to my ears. Lol. Still, in general I seem to rather go for a more neutral source with some sprightly energy. You may be totally different than I am. My best advice is… use what you have and the Black Remaster will likely sound just fine. It has that warm/neutral tonality and the Black Remaster really doesn’t have any exaggerated parts of the spectrum which can be influenced even further by a source device. If that makes sense to you. 

Sound Impressions 

*Note:  before I dive into the sound portion of this feature review, I first want to speak on a few things which may or may not be important to you. First off, I did burn in the Celest Wyvern Black Remaster for right around three full days. I don’t think it changed anything all too much except for one thing; the bass didn’t have that original less controlled sound after burn in. It tightened up and felt more prominent to my ears. Beyond that there really wasn’t much in the way of changes. Also, I listen mainly to flac or better files which are stored on my devices. My Android audio player of choice is UAPP (USB Audio Player Pro), Hiby Music Player & Poweramp. I also use non-Android daps as well. Lastly, I swapped cables to the KBear Expansion 4.4 balanced cable for the entirety of critical listening. 

What’s it sound like? 

The Celest Wyvern Black Remaster is what I’d call a slight variation of the same basic Harman inspired tuning that we’ve seen in this series thus far. However, in my opinion this is the most mature sounding set of the series. With some caveats that I’ll get into later. Still, it’s probably the most refined in the series thus far. What I mean by that is the Black Remaster certainly has the best note definition, clean note presence, and less fatiguing replay thus far from the series. To me the Black Remaster is a set which I can hit play and never have to worry that I’m going to get my ears assaulted from harshness. Okay, accept for some slight upper-mid glare in the right tracks, but those instances are few and far in between. In truth, the Black Remaster blends musicality and laid-back refinement very well with upgraded note structure and note control. You see, this set is not some huge macro-dynamic set with loads of tonal contrast. It’s more even keeled, more clean-lined, and the Black Remaster can take high volume listening much-much better without odd timbral issues. No doubt we have the new updated driver to thank for that as well as some of the other new tweaks that Celest has done on this set. 

Less fun? 

Having said all of that, I could most certainly see how some folks may take issue with some of the changes. For one, the Black Remaster is not quite as traditionally “fun” as previous versions. I say that because it isn’t quite as bass forward and the treble seems to be dialed back a bit. Also, it’s more neutral sounding, more balanced to a degree, less enthusiastic and energetic, less smooth, more crisp, probably more detailed but again… less… fun. However, I’d also make a case that there will be many people who feel that this adaptation of the Wyvern series is much better and more refined. It all comes down to your own subjective preferences. As with all iems of every price range. Now that I’ve blabbered on long enough, let’s talk about the signature. 

Signature…

To my ears the Celest Wyvern Black Remaster is what I’d call a slight V-shaped set. I say that because it does have a robust sublevel bass emphasis as well as a fairly vibrant upper-mids boost. In fact, I really don’t hear a huge recession at all in the midrange. Perhaps a hair in the lower mids, but I still hear plenty of clarity there too. I’d say the Black Remaster is a mostly neutral sounding iem with a sub-bass boost. Once again, I’d say that the Black Remaster unquestionably follows the Harman Target with certain small deviations. The sound is pretty clean and clear with enough low-end warmth and rumbly weight to move a meaty bassline. The Black Remaster also has a fairly smooth signature. Yes it does provide some crispness when needed, but for the most part this set carries the rhythmical and smooth fluidity of a musical iem, yet without the weighted warmth which usually accompanies a more musical iem. Honestly, this set is fun without the hangups which usually plague a “fun” budget oriented set. Also, before I dive into each 3rd of the mix I do need to reiterate that we are talking about a $32 iem. Already I can tell you that the Black Remaster is very-very good in relation to other sets in its price point. However, like anything, regardless of price, the success of this set will come down to the subjective preferences of you. 

Bass Region 

The low-end has some gusto folks. It has some meat to it. Well, to an extent. Celest made sure to dial it back just a hair to add a bit better clarity in the midrange. For what it’s worth I feel that they succeeded in that. This is a bass region which has a fairly taut transient attack-through-decay, very clean for the price, as well as well defined. Again, for a $32 set. At any rate, this is the type of bass region which will bring it when a track calls for it. It shows up in a track which features boosted bass. However, that low-end is not going to overly color the rest of the mix. Basically, if a track has a hard bass drop; the Black Remaster will reciprocate. If you have a meaty grumbling and grungy bass guitar; then the Black Remaster will sound grumbling and grungy. It’ll never cast a veil or intrude into the midrange to a fault. The bass wasn’t tuned to smoothen out rough edges either. Also, I really do like the timbre in the bass region. The Black Remaster’s lows have that hard edged slam to it. The bass doesn’t sound fuzzy, soft, or pillowy to my ears. Yet the timbre sounds somewhat natural, less forced, with a healthy prominence that won’t oversaturate the mix. Honestly, it’s tastefully tuned for such a low cost. 

Sub-Bass 

The most potent area if the lows happens to be the sublevels. That is without question. The sub-bass really does have a meaty and robust haptic note delivery that you can most certainly feel. However, it isn’t just that you can feel the bass. Actually, the sub-bass sounds very well controlled. This isn’t just some boosted region cheaply tuned into a budget set. No way. Celest knows what they are doing friends. What they did is smartly tune the bass to have some very nice note definition. There’s some balance tuned into this bass. Like I said, it doesn’t oversaturate, it doesn’t cloud the mix, it doesn’t muddy up the mid-bass, it stays in its lane. Nothing sloppy at all. Granted, tell that to the person who detests bass. They may not agree with me. That said, this is a budget set and it does have to have some fun about it. Well, the sub-bass delivers that. Just about every bass guitar sounds on point, guttural, full-bodied, and they sound deep enough in pitch as well as palpable enough that you can feel it. Very solid for the cost. In fact, it sounds better to me than any Wyvern series set thus far. It has slightly better precision and dexterity without dropping the emphasis back too far, or too much. It’s bigger and more hefty than moderate, yet nowhere near basshead levels. Again… It’s tasteful. 

Mid-Bass 

Now, the mid-bass was actually dialed back a bit more than I would’ve thought. However, I do feel that Celest was answering some of the criticisms of some of the other Wyvern series sets which were a hair too one-noted at times. Perhaps just a tad less concise and compacted in note definition. Celest cleaned up the region very well. Now, just because they dropped back the emphasis a bit doesn’t mean it can’t boom with some authority. It absolutely can. However, it only performs that weighted slam when a song presents such a thing. Let’s put it this way, in the track “The Hardest Part” by Washed Out I hear a very heavy rolling bassline which serves as the foundation to this track. Therefore, the bass acts as the foundation because the track called for it. What the mid-bass doesn’t do is add unnecessary warmth. It doesn’t create a veil and it doesn’t steal clarity. Having said that, the mid-bass does encroach a bit into the midrange. I happen to like the amount of spill-over. Though I’ll cover that in a second. Lastly, the mid-bass has some nice macro details for $32. Transients aren’t slow and the note delivery isn’t wooly, laggy, or hazy. This is a relatively clean mid-bass folks. Really it’s nice for those who want a slightly more mature low-end sound, yet who also don’t want to lose out on that bodied slam. 

Downsides to the Bass Region 

The biggest gripes that I know will come are from those who like the more atmospheric resonant boom of past Wyvern sets. Also, bassheads will most certainly not be cool with this set. Trust me bassheads; there are about a hundred other bass hefty budget oriented sets which will rattle your eyeballs. Not the Wyvern Black Remaster. At least not to the level that you want. Again, this bass is tastefully tuned. Just enough emphasis to create a dynamic balance with the upper midrange. Just enough forward presence to command just about any track which displays it and just enough projected warmth to add a touch of body to midrange notes. I think the bass is actually smartly tuned and those who enjoy it will really enjoy it. We all know who this bass isn’t for. 

Midrange 

Okay, this is not what I was expecting to say but the midrange is actually very nicely tuned and may just be the best part of the Black Remaster. I said earlier that the midrange has a touch of a recession in the lower part of the mids. Well, I kind of take that back, maybe. You see, the presence in the midrange is so nice and for the most part the midrange sounds almost forward, creating an intimate sound field. Also, clarity in the midrange is great folks. I’m not saying it’s some detail beast, because it is not that. Nor am I saying that you will be amazed at its airy and effortless note separation. It won’t do that to the level that some analytical heads would like. What makes the midrange nice is the prominence of vocalists and instruments, the organic style timbre, the nice semi-rich note weight, the musicality, as well as the Black Remaster’s ability to exhort all emotion from any track and cleanly play back that info to the listener. All things considered, the Black Remaster’s midrange is pretty nice for the cost. 

Lower-Midrange 

When listening intently at the lower midrange on the Black Remaster, it is abundantly clear that Celest wanted to keep this area pretty well clean and mostly uncolored by the low-end. For all intents and purposes, I definitely feel that they succeeded in that. I said earlier that there is a slight recession in this area and I stand by that. However, a slight recession almost doesn’t matter when it has good clarity and a semi-rich note body like the Black Remaster’s lower midrange has. We reviewers use the word “presence” all the time to explain our thoughts and most of the time it is the only good word to explain what we are hearing. I use it all the time. The point is that the Black Remaster has a low-midrange which has just a touch of warmth, slightly rich, solid clarity for $32, and very nice…”presence”. However, I don’t want to oversell here. I am speaking on a budget iem. That said, Celest tuned the Black Remaster to handle male vocalists nicely. Timbre is organic, there’s no odd coloration, decent enough energy to not sound dull or boring. Males sound nice. 

Upper-Midrange 

Now, the upper mids are certainly more forward, more intimate, but also more energetic too. I have noticed a couple tracks that began to show signs of glare due to the somewhat steep pinna rise, but for the most part the upper mids carry a reasonably nice and organic glide into this region. Also, the Black Remaster’s upper-mids show off nice note control. I say that because I don’t hear anything overly sharp or edgy, nothing metallic or grainy. The upper mids still have a smoother demeanor with a very pleasing cadence and rhythmic quality to them. I find this throughout the entire midrange actually, but females and upper midrange instruments certainly have just a touch more air, more vibrance, and an ever-so-slightly more note edge crispness. To add to that, detail retrieval begins to show up from the macro to the micro near the upper mids as well. However, what I enjoy most is the way females come across almost embossed against the background with an anterior position and centered perfectly in the sound field. Female vocalists come through with a nice semi-rich fullness to their vocals (most of the time) and every bit of emotion is quite easily drawn out of every track as well. In my opinion, the Black Remaster has the best female vocals out of the Wyvern sets that I’ve tried. 

Downsides to the Midrange 

The one real technical issue that the Celest Wyvern Black Remaster has in the midrange would be that there is a slight glare at times. The pinna rise is boosted around 12-13 db’s which is a hair more than the most lifted area of the bass region (9-10 db’s). No doubt there are moments that may come across a hair too forward in the upper area of the mids. Having said that, the Black Remaster also keeps its composure a bit better than I would’ve guessed. I suppose it all comes down to your tolerance level. I guess the only other thing I’d add is that the upper mids almost act as the brilliant region in this set. It’s the upper-mids to lower treble which provides any levity to the rest of the mix (for the most part). You’ll notice in the graph that the treble rolls off with a slow descent down from the peak at the upper midrange. Besides that, I’m sure analytical heads would not enjoy the Black Remaster. However, I would think that the majority of the Audio world should be able to listen to the Black Remaster’s midrange and confidently say that it is very nice for the cost. 

Treble Region 

Now we get to the treble region, which really is one of the least aggressive treble displays within the Wyvern series (that I’ve heard). Having said that, the treble is also one of the more talented of the series too. Of course, this is a $32 iem here. Despite that, for a budget single DD iem Celest did a fine job of making sure that the Black Remaster fits the overall tuning of the rest of the mix very well. The reason I say it’s one of the better treble displays of the Wyvern series is because the Black Remaster’s highs have better note body, and more dense note contour. Also, even though there is less intense luminance and brilliance up top, I still hear some nice definition, and transients are not slow either. No doubt, you have to keep your expectations in check a bit, but the treble is clean for being as held back as it is. Just like the midrange you’ll hear a very smooth treble, nothing abrasive at all. However, with that smooth sound you also won’t get the high resolution details as well as some sets which are tuned to draw out the subtleties. I think it’s an easy sacrifice in exchange for good timbre and a more musical presentation. Having said all of that, there’s no doubt that the Black Remaster could use a bit more emphasis up top as Celest tuned this treble to be very easy on the ears. Perhaps too easy. Those folks who enjoy their treble with some brilliance will likely be let down. Still, go ahead and crank up the volume and it’ll make little to no real difference in how well controlled the Black Remaster’s treble comes across. No crazy distortions, no crazy sharpness, nothing sibilant either. 

A nice balance 

Let’s be honest though, the treble on the Black Remaster is one which you could say is rolled off a bit early. I personally don’t feel that this is a huge problem either. There are many-many fans of a warmer, rolled-off, less intensive, and less fatiguing treble. I am one of those people “at times”. When I want a bit more treble sprightliness I know that I will not get that with the Black Remaster. Simple as that. The treble is tuned in a way that your average casual listener will pick this set up and easily enjoy the sound without any ringing of the ears or harshness. Also, to be fair, the treble on the Black Remaster does carry a nice balance too. Let’s put it this way, I don’t hear suffocating warmth across the spectrum and the Black Remaster is a mostly neutral sounding set. It doesn’t sound too rolled off to me. 

Expect Musicality 

Once again, you won’t hear every last detail with the Black Remaster and you won’t hear perfect treble bite in every treble note. You aren’t going to be able to pick apart every last secondary harmonic and you won’t catch every last breath in the microphone. The bonus is that you also won’t be concentrating on petty details when you are soaking in your musically focused Black Remaster. It’s all about preferences. I suppose I should also add that in treble heavy tracks the Black Remaster performs much better than one would think. I’m telling you, the sound is not too warm, it isn’t veiled, it isn’t murky, at all. The sound is clean, and it’s clear, and the sound has good articulation of treble notes. It just isn’t boosted to the stars. Now, don’t expect to have class leading treble extension and don’t expect to be wowed by the Black Remaster’s sparkle and shimmer. Expect musicality, and expect some very solid timbre. Honestly, the treble fits the overall tuning very well. It may not be for everyone, but for whom it is for… they are going to really enjoy this set and the treble will be a key reason for that. 

Downsides to the Treble Region 

You already know all the downsides because I literally just listed them off. But, in case you forgot, I can do this again. So, treble heads… just keep on walking, this one ain’t for you. The treble is what some may consider rolled off too early and it really isn’t the most sparkly, airy and shimmery treble. The Black Remaster’s highs won’t necessarily add any of that fun and energetic liveliness to your music. This treble is laid-back, easy on the ears, and it is a very much non-offensive style treble region. No doubt about it, this type of sound is not for everyone. However, I would think far more folks would very much enjoy this treble tuning rather than not. 

Technicalities 

Soundstage

The overall soundstage is about what I’d call average. Well, as far as the width is concerned. There is no way to get a definitive and quantifiable measurement of a psycho-acoustically rendered stage within one’s head space, but my best guess is that it’s about average. There is also some depth of field as far as front to back intelligibility is concerned. What I don’t hear is some 2D flat plane of sound in front of me. There is some dimensionality to the sound which is saying something for a set costing under $35. The only other thing I could add is that the stage is also rendered more intimate. Meaning, the sound feels closer to me, rather than an oval in front of me. I happen to enjoy this quite a lot, especially for vocal centered tracks, yet I could see how some folks could feel differently. Overall, the stage isn’t bad at all folks. I definitely wouldn’t say it sounds congested to my ears. Nothing sounds closed in or too muddled together. 

Separation / Imaging 

Now, sound separation also isn’t bad at all. There are some qualities which play against the Black Remaster though. For instance, the Black Remaster is a budget $32 single dynamic driver earphone. Also, it is not tuned analytically at all. This is a musical and melodic sounding set with a smooth cadence. The Black Remaster thankfully wasn’t tuned for perfect precision. There’s some smooth edges on this set. However, I also wouldn’t say those edges sound blunted either. The Remaster has some crispness, it’s very clean across the board, and transients are not laggy or slow. What I’m trying to get at is that for a musical sounding budget oriented single DD iem the Black Remaster fares much better in sound separation than other similarly tuned iems. However, do not expect perfect distinction of every note outline. Imaging is actually even better as I have zero issues picking apart where each instrument is coming from or where it is on the stage. Having said all of that, in bass heavy or bass dominant tracks I would definitely expect some masking of sounds. I’d also expect to find separation and imaging take a hit in those tracks. Still, overall not bad at all. 

Detail Retrieval 

I’d basically echo what I said in the last section. I think that detail retrieval is good for the tuning, for the driver configuration, and for the price. No doubt there are plenty of iems tuned differently which can draw out micro-details better and with more accuracy, but for a musically tuned sound the Black Remaster has nothing to be ashamed of. No you won’t hear every bit of minutiae in every track. Especially in bass focused tracks or tracks which are heavily congested. However, the clarity of the Black Remaster does help tremendously in providing better detail retrieval than I would’ve guessed. 

Is it worth the asking price? 

This is almost a silly question. Friends, this set costs $32. I feel that the cost benefit and price to performance qualities of the Black Remaster far exceed the price tag. I almost don’t even want to dignify this question with an answer. Um, yeah, the Celest Wyvern Black Remaster is easily worth the asking price. In fact, I feel that many people are going to pick this set up and enjoy them for years to come. Like I said earlier in this review, there are plenty of solid choices under $50.no doubt about it the Black Remaster has some heavy competition. However, competition doesn’t take away how nicely made, nicely designed, and nicely tuned the Black Remaster is. 

The Why… 

Because the Celest Wyvern Black Remaster is easily one of the best built resin sets under $50. The build is so clean, so smooth, and the design is absolutely striking. Once again the artisans at Celest created a beautiful faceplate design that eclipses what we are used to seeing at this cost. Also, remember that Celest/Kinera/QOA all craft and create their products to a theme and I found that the Black Remaster almost perfectly aligns with the overall character of that theme. Yet it will always come down to the sound when speaking on the worth of any audio product. I think we can all agree on that. The Black Remaster has a nicely balanced style of musicality where it isn’t too rambunctious, or too energetic. The Black Remaster doesn’t come with a basshead low-end or brilliant & airy highs either. What the Black Remaster has is a mature version of fun. Great organic timbre and very nice clarity throughout. I consider it the most refined variation of the Wyvern series thus far. It carries some deep & penetrative lows, a semi-rich, forward and melodic midrange, as well as an easy-going and non-offensive treble makes this set one of the easier iems for long listening sessions. For $32 this set is an absolute no-brainer in my mind for anyone who enjoys a more musically gifted sound on a budget. 

Conclusion 

To conclude my full review of the Celest Wyvern Black Remaster, I first have to thank the awesome people of Kinera for providing the Black Remaster for review. I thank you very much. I also want to thank you, the reader, for taking your precious time to actually read my thoughts about this set. Always my greatest hope is that my thoughts help you in making a purchasing decision. In fact, that is the hope of everyone at Mobileaudiophile.com. The only other thing I want to say is that I do hope you check out other thoughts concerning the Celest Wyvern Black Remaster. We are all so very different in how we take in the sounds that we hear & there are no two perfectly alike. What I enjoy, the person to my left may not enjoy at all, and that’s okay. No doubt it’s one of the things which makes this hobby the most awesome of all hobbies. So, please check out other reviews before purchasing. Beyond that, I think I’m done friends. So, please take good care, stay as safe as possible and always… God Bless!!