Brand’s house sound

Studio 4 might be one of the top rising stars of Softears till date. Softears is a very well-known brand for it’s philosophy towards neutrality. They always provided music with out most honesty in their IEMs. Not only that but they managed to make this tuning very enjoyable throughout the years they are in the business. They discarded the thought that “Neutrality is boring”.

What I like about the brand

The best thing I like about this brand is its commitment to the research and development of each of their products. They don’t release products left and right saturating the market even more. Each of their product be it Softears Twilight or RSV is beautifully crafted and well-researched. This continues with Studio 4 also.

Disclaimer

Studio 4 was provided to me by ConceptKart. They always provide me equipment for review. They haven’t influenced me anyhow to say anything good or bad about this product. All thoughts and opinions are mine alone. Take a look at this product on their website.

Softears Studio 4

Price Competition

It retails for about $449 worldwide. At this price point, there is a huge number of IEMs to challenge it. I think it competes extremely well in the market right now, making it a glowing option to consider while purchasing an IEM even after 1 year of its release. In this price point, AFUL Performer 8 is another contender to consider & I will compare it at the end of the review.

Philosophy of the IEM

The philosophy behind this IEM is pretty straightforward. It is neutral as its name suggests. But neutrality can be unforgiving where this IEM stands out in the crowd. Even though it is neutral, there is nothing about this IEM which is boring and non-captivating. Bear in mind that I always write reviews after I am well passed my honeymoon phase. 

Tech Specs

This IEM consists of four BA drivers made by Softears itself accompanied by a three-way crossover. But I dare you to judge this IEM based on the driver setup it has. Housed in a very stealthy resin 3D-printed shell. The cable along with this IEM is pretty sturdy and easy to manage without having too much memory as such. 

Package

Softears Studio 4 comes with a very strong and sturdy pelican case which is waterproof. IEMs are covered in mini pouches to keep them scratch-free, which is a great addition to the packaging. Although ear-tips are provided but I reviewed them with Divinus Velvet tips for the comfort it offers. 

Design

The IEM shell is one black pebble with lettering of “Softears” & “Studio4” on each of them. I very much like the stealthy look of the IEM. It blends perfectly in crowded places and doesn’t seek attention from people around. The shell is small enough in-depth, unlike RSV.

Build Quality

The build quality seems pretty solid. The sets are neither heavy nor light. They provide confidence as such that a few drops might seem fine. Although I haven’t drop-tested it myself overall they seem very sturdy.

Initial Sound Impression

Studio 4 welcomes you with a very lifelike sound with a very accurate soundstage. The first thing when you put them in your ear, you will notice how accurate they sound. Remember I told you that it doesn’t sound boring? I will give you the bass so much so that is beyond what I expected from a neutral set. The midrange is extremely good and natural. Each and every part of the midrange is very tasteful. The treble is very neutral too. You won’t find any sharpness, not it will sound dark anyhow.

Comfort & Fit

So far Studio 4 is not comfortable for me due to only one reason. Pressure build-up due to no ventilation. Being an All-BA set it doesn’t need ventilation and ventilation might screw up its SPL. Although a careful insertion is always preferred with a good enough tip selection. If inserted with jaws open it eliminates most of the pressure build-up.

Tip Rolling

It does change its sound due to different tips but it is not as evident. The nozzle is big enough to send vibrations directly to your eardrums without interfering with the tips in most cases. However, note that the pressure buildup avoidance is a big reason to tip roll.

Objective Sound Impression

Bass

There is a very subtle 4db sub-bass extension in the 20hz. And it makes an arch through the midrange. Typically I don’t like this midbass elevation but in this IEM this works beautifully. There is a contrast between subbass and midbass but it is not enough to make it sound separated of any sort. It might seem that the decline from 100hz would contribute to the thinness of the midrange or it could lack any warmth in the lowermids, but this is not the case fortunately. The warmth is there and it doesn’t sound thin anywhere. 

Bass overall is better than I expected to be honest. First of all the drivers might sound like not much but trust me on this, it feels like a cohesive DD nonetheless. It is enough snappy to maintain the speed of the attacks and the falloff is slow enough so it doesn’t feels like it is rushing to deliver bass. The gradual falloff is very analogue like and won’t feel like there is anything jumps out to you. In one word it is very cohesive and well-controlled while reaching deep.

Midrange

At 200hz there is a dip noticeable in the frequency response which is not noticeable at all. This might’ve contributed to the overall thinness of the IEM which is not at all present. It is extremely neutral and the vocals shine in their separate places. There is also a hump starting at the 1khz and a sudden drop-off. Which is a very wise thing to do to increase the soundstage while maintaining the warmth. The Eargain peak is also fully extended with a very nice touch after 2.5khz, making the overall sound smooth.

Overall the mids are the crux of this IEM. It is so well-tuned that it can easily compete with higher-end products in the market if mids are the only thing you are considering. The timber of this IEM is excellent for the price to say the least. Every instrument sounds good with this IEM, every instrument sounds life-like. No hint of nasalyness and hunkiness can be spotted anywhere. The vocals are beautiful for both males and females. Full of texture and warmth as well as airiness when needed.

Treble

After 4khz the treble is very inoffensive. There are dips here and there and there are no peaks that could feel unpleasant. The dip in 6k is a brave choice since it consists of some harshness in most of the genres. Although the dip after 9khz can be fixed to give it a more shimmering feeling that could really benefit the sound overall for a treble head like me.  Rest the extension is there and air can be felt but it is not overloaded. In short, the treble is very safely tuned and well-refined.

For me, the treble felt a little less. As a neutral-tuned IEM I would’ve liked a more revealing nature of the treble. On the opposite side it handled poorly recorded songs very well and with ease. The poorly mastered tracks are nowhere sounded harsh and peaky, not tracks with great mastering sounded jaw-dropping due to the safe tuning.This kind of treble would be very good for someone who is treble-sensitive.

Subjective Sound Impression

Resolution

The resolution of this IEM is above average. The surprising thing about this IEM is that even though the treble is not elevated too much it is still producing contrasty details. From certain cues to trailing edges everything is prominent.

Soundstage

The sound stage is not very big but it is very well executed. It revolves around your head in a sphere and no claustrophobic nature I felt there. This created an overall personal feeling while listening to any song, The voices do come from the front and are well positioned. It adapts to the song very well, if the number requires a big sound stage it will get big if it requires a personal sound stage it will also provide that.

Imaging

Imaging is above average too. The separation is there between the instruments but they are not pinpointed although easily localized.

Drivability

The drivability is moderate. It can run through sub $30 dongle DACs easily but upgrading sources would result in a more weighty, textured and well-defined sound throughout the frequency range, especially the mids and lower end of the spectrum.

Conclusion

Few IEMs in this hobby can do everything. Neutrality, which provides true to the mastering. Forgiving enough to make everything sound good. Low end enough to satisfy EDM/Hip-Hop. Mids that could make the timber extremely pleasant to listen to. Treble to satisfy both sensitive and treble head. This IEM covers everything. I couldn’t recommend this enough.

Comparison

AFUL Performer 8

Resolution is slightly better in P8 (Mainly because of Psychoacoustics). The bass sounds better in Studio 4. The midrange is a bit more weighty on Studio 4 too. Treble is the main factor to consider while choosing any one of these. P8 is snappy and full of treble, be it air or extension, where Studio 4 is very controlled and subdued than the P8. 

You can’t go wrong with any one of these. If you prefer extended and elevated treble then go with P8 if you want a reference grade treble go with Studio 4.

RSV

RSV is more mid-forward, more rolled off in the treble. Details and resolution are better in Studio 4. Timber is a hint better in RSV. Both suffer from air-pressure build-up and fit and comfort is better in studio 4. They inherit the same DNA so nothing much else to dissect about.

Pros

• Midrange
• Timber
• Resolution

Cons

• Air Pressure Build-up

NON AFFILIATED LINKS

Buy Softears Studio 4 – in India

Buy Softears Studio 4 – Outside India