Softears is a company from China founded in 2017 and this is their cheapest iem Softears Volume. It’s made of 3 drivers with hybrid design with an unusual work of R&D which they are apparently good at. Let’s see the details below in it’s review which is done with silicone tips supplied within its box. Foamies will surely alter the sound to warmer and more bodied.
Pros__
Organic genres are what it excels at
Clarity, seperation and 3d imaging is very high
Neutrality that lets you meld in music
Cons__
Scales with power. It needs power to launch it’s BA drivers
Tuning doesn’t let electronic bass genres to shine
Slightly uncomfortable
Box, Softears Volume and the cable
We have a big and green box with 3 packs of different tips inside. Units are welcoming you in the first place and beneath them lies filter cleaning brush and cloth, storage box, some documents and the black braided cable.
Softears Volume has transparent chassis and green metallic backplate. It’s size is noteworthy. Not suitable for small ears and it is needing refreshing from time to time because even the medium ears can’t get it interested filling the concha completely. The nozzle has some length and finishing with 2 bored ending. Not the usual pig nose design we are used to.
It’s cable looks sturdy with braided design and sizeable connectors. L and R makings are made of blue and red colored discs.
Driver: 10mm Dynamic + 2 Balanced Armature
Impedance: 5Ω @ 1kHz
Sensitivity: 123.7dB/Vrms@1kHz
Effective frequency response: 20- 20kHz
Frequency range: 8- 40kHz
THD:< 1%@ 1kHz
40/100 of dx300 is netting in a moderate to high volume and balanced sound signature. 55/100 is high volume for it. And with that high volume, I am hearing a relaxed yet enthusiastic sound. Presentation is forward too. But returning back to 40 is shifting the presentation to laid back.
However the live on stage transparency is not that high. BUT extensions are marvelous with texture and details and these fast extensions are contributing to the great 3d imaging. With the buttery experience in smooth jazz, it looks like a well spent $285 considering it’s performance and box ‘and contents.
When it comes to dubstep, I am having strong basses and a hint of sub bass with trebles nearly controlled so splashes are kept at bay = not particularly tiring. However it wouldn’t be my first choice if dubstep was my only music.
The Electro Suite is resembling the areas it’s pretty good at. Even with 40/100 of dx300, you can have eargasm with the live symphony because of the natural bass and the electrical effects and the separation of all.
Polyphia Playing God is a fantastic and fulfilling experience with a perfect balance between analytical and musical sound signature. And this is what I call professional. Guitars are clearly separated and the drummer is doing it’s work behind. Bossa nova part is full of musicality yet guitars are clearly separated and the drummer is double kicking beneath all
☆ Just to do a quick look at the impedance factor issue (?) our friend Bhaskar pointed out, I started Limehouse Blues (my 1st ref track) on my ipod nano 6 and ipad pro 2015. Nano 6 is a source that is maybe %80 weaker than a dx300 and Pro 2015 is 7 years old but, surprisingly the overall sound quality is not drastically worse than with dx300’s save extensions and other technical parameters. The only moment we face that driving issues are in these photos. With the cheapo dap, the sounds is almost (not completely) deprived of warmth hence the gentle of smooth jazz and background presence+resolution is nearly none. Extensions are rolled off nearly instantly. In android smartphone it’s requiring the volume level of 85/100 to reach 40/100 of dx300 and even tough the warmth is present and extensions are okay, background resolution is zero and the big bad bad muddy bass is killing the joy of smooth bass. I lived the drastically worse with those puny sources..☆
Softears Volume Review Conclusions
You know there is a saying like “it scales with power”, Softears Volume is another example of it. The hybrid and 2BA of it are waking up with power. But given enough power of dx300 or i devices, the SQ is reaching to it’s limits and the DAC in your source is playing a heavy role. That’s why you should enter Softears world with a power supply at hand. It was the same in Dunu Vulkan too which was no joke.