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Empire Ears Legend EVO - Complete Review by Josh Chan
Starting today, guest authors will post their impressions and reviews of products here on the blog. I would like to let our customers have their say even more in the future. So anyone who would like to share a review or impressions of a product here is welcome to do so!
First up is Joshua Chan, a fellow audiophile and customer of Audio Essence. Thank you Josh for your review!
Introduction
Hello everyone,
I was lucky enough to be able to test a demo of the Empire Ears Legend EVO (EVO) from Audio Essence / @TomKorn. I was able to listen to it for about 10+ hours (Thanks TOM x1000!!). The device I received had already been burned in for 50 hours. I realize that I have not yet reached the 100 hour threshold, so my impressions may change at a later date.
I am quite a newbie to the world of IEMs and only started this hobby in 2021. However, I would like to share some of my first experiences with the EVO.
Disclaimer: These are solely my thoughts and opinions and may not reflect the experiences of others. When it comes to music, I enjoy listening to a wide range of genres, from EDM, Hip Hop, RnB, Pop/Rock, Kpop to Classical. My test artists include Illenium [Fallen Embers Album], Avicii [Wake me Up], Arty [Avalanche], Dem Franchize Boyz [Ridin Rims], Eminem [You Don't Know], Linkin Park [One More Light REMIX ft Steve Aoki ], Fallout Boy [My Songs Know What you Did in the Dark] and Hans Zimmer [Batman Dark Knight and Inception (!)].
Source
I used the Cayin N6ii Ti with R01 board. For starters, I used the standard Final E earbuds and Genesis cable, but later I rolled the earbuds and cable a bit. To play music, I used the USB Audio Player pro app with Bit Perfect Mode and Tidal.
Comparison of the IEMs
During my testing I paired the Legend EVO with the ODIN, the Valkyrie MK II and my memory of listening to the Legend X OG compared.
Overall impression
The Legend EVO is the most notable IEM for bass fans at the time of writing. It gave me the best bass experience of any IEM without compromising too much on the overall sound quality. Empire Ears has really hit the nail on the head with this IEM because they have somehow managed to create an IEM that has such a deep bass response and is still capable of other sound frequencies like the mids and accentuate highs. There's also an incredible soundstage and a high level of detail reproduction.
The bass is the star of the show. The quality, texture and quantity of the bass is incredible. These IEMs were designed to bring out the best bass and they succeeded. For me personally, the mids and highs are a bit muted, but in the right place to emphasize the bass. Overall sound quality is a series of compromises, and Empire Ears has definitely struck the right balance.
Based on the materials included (ear tips, cables, etc.), I would rate the EVO as follows (10=best):
- Bass: 10/10
- Mids: 9/10
- Treble: 9/10
- Imaging: 9/10
- Soundstage: 9/10
General sound signature
The general sound signature of the EVO is that it is a bass-focused IEM.The bass is significantly more present than all other frequencies, and it is anything but neutral. It's definitely an IEM that's fun and immerses you in the music. There is a GIANT amount of bass.
PRO TIP
I first listened to the EVO right out of the box and then again 50 hours later when I did Demo device received. When I first heard the EVO I wasn't a big fan of the placement of the mids and highs as I felt they were a little recessed. After recording, the mids and highs improved significantly.
Out of curiosity, I connected Odin's Stormbreaker cable to the EVO. In my opinion, and based on my own sound preferences, this was the best sound experience I've had with the EVO, and in recent memory with any IEM other than ODIN. The mids and highs were now a little more present, while the bass presence of the EVO remained. That was pure MAGIC.
Bass
Bass...is...KING.
The bass in the EVO is supported by two W9+ Dynamic Drives (DD) and a Weapon X (WX) driver. The combination of all of these elements results in a remarkable bass response that I have never heard in an IEM. Overall I would say there is fantastic bass texture, quantity and quality. When the bass is needed, it turns up to full power, and when it's not needed, it fades into the background, but not so much that it drowns out the rest of the sound.
The bass structure and depth is always present when needed. When listening to "Hans Zimmer - Why so Serious (Batman, Dark Knight Album)" you can clearly feel the different levels, textures and depths of the bass. All bass drivers push and pull when necessary on low bass notes and give the instruments additional spice - you can literally feel the guitars being strung.
The introduction of the Weapon X has taken the bass of this IEM to a new level, and you get a truly booming effect. When listening to "Linkin Park / Steve Aoki - One More Light Remix" the sub-bass goes to unexpected depths. I had a similar experience when listening to "Arty - Avalanche". There is a fantastic bass drop in "Illenium - Crazy Times". the final bridge of the song. With the EVO, the bass drop here is wonderful as it dives deep and manages to keep the background electric guitar in place on the hip hop classics "Dem Franchize Boyz - Ridin Rims" and "Eminem - You Don't Know" the bass drop at the beginning of these songs is incredibly dense, with a great deal of punch and THUMP. Despite all the bass presence, it doesn't overpower the other sound frequencies very and doesn't result in a muddy sound. Overall, the bass in the EVO is really amazing. Interestingly, the presence of the Weapon Heights
To my surprise, the mids are very well detailed given the strong bass presence. Instruments and voices are well placed and fit naturally into the overall sound. I'm very happy with this tuning, but I can understand that some people would prefer the mids and highs to be a little more forward or a little more lively. This becomes very clear, for example, if you first listen to the ODIN and then immediately switch to the EVO. In my opinion, the tuning is so impressive that you can really hear the details of all the instruments and voices without them being too "lost" in the bass.
Illenium combines many different instruments in his EDM tracks, similar to Avicii in "Wake me Up". In Avicii's "Wake Me Up" you can really hear and feel the guitar while the bass thumps in the background. The vocals are pleasant and well placed in every song I listened to. For more technical titles, e.g. B. Hans Zimmer, the instruments sounded fantastic, and thanks to the fantastic imaging and soundstage you get a truly immersive listening experience.
For rock/pop music, I played "Fall Out Boy - My Songs Know What you Did in the Dark" and found EVO played this song very well. Electric guitars and voices sounded fantastic and well placed. The additional bass in the background gave the song more body and energy. If I were really picky here, the bass might be too much for some, especially when comparing it to the ODIN.
In terms of the highs, I felt like they were too much compared to the mids and bass were a little more relaxed, but since it's a bass head IEM, it was where it was supposed to be. It's important to note that some may find the mids and highs too relaxed or slightly reserved. In my opinion they are placed where they need to be and therefore fit the overall sound signature of the EVO. I did not detect any sibilance with the EVO.
Soundstage and Imaging
The soundstage and imaging of the EVOs are excellent. The soundstage is definitely wide, providing enough space in terms of width and height to really understand what's going on in a piece. The imaging is also impressive and the EVO offers the listener a detailed experience. The EVO is definitely a technical IEM.
Comparisons
EVO vs. ODIN:
In my opinion, these two IEMs are impressive in their own way and have their similarities and differences. They complement each other very well and will coexist perfectly in anyone's IEM collection.
The biggest difference between the two is that the ODIN has a much more prominent sound characteristic in the mids and highs and less bass compared to the EVO. The bass quality is very similar to my ears, but with the Weapon X in the EVO you get significantly more sub-bass and quantity.
However, when it comes to sound reproduction and imaging, the ODIN and the EVO are more similar than many people think. The EVO's soundstage is almost on par with the Odin, regardless of bass presence. The ODIN still has the edge when it comes to soundstage, imaging and technical features - but only just.
With standard earbuds, cables, etc., I prefer less bass-heavy music with the Odin, such as B. classical music, but that depends on your preferences. With the Odin, for example, all the details in classical music are reproduced with enough bass emphasis. However, there are also people who prefer classical music or film soundtracks with more bass presence and depth, and therefore the EVO is more suitable.
For bassier genres like EDM and Hip Hop, the ODIN is a fantastic IEM, but the EVO gives these tracks that extra "thump." At the end of the day, it all comes down to personal preference.
EVO vs. Valkyrie MK II:
No one has mentioned this comparison before and I thought it would be interesting to bring it to the forefront.The Valkyrie MK II is a V-shaped IEM, but in my opinion it is not a classic V-shaped IEM where the sub-bass drowns out everything, but rather a technically refined V-shaped IEM where the mids and highs also have a chance have to shine. The Valkyrie MK II is one of my favorite iEMs for bass-heavy music due to its energy and the positioning of the mids and highs throughout the sound signature. In my opinion, the EVO takes a leaf out of the Valkyrie MK II and improves everything it does exponentially (x1000) - bass quantity and quality, sound staging and imaging are taken to the next level. When you combine this with my comments comparing the ODIN, the EVO takes some of the ODIN's DNA in terms of sound staging and imaging qualities and you get a fantastic bass head IEM. This isn't to say that the Valkyrie MK II is a bad IEM, in fact it's a fantastic IEM, it's more that there are some similarities between this and the EVO that you might not be aware of.
EVO vs. Legend X:
I have experience with the Legend X OG and in my opinion the Legend EVO is a clear upgrade over the Legend With the Legend X OG I felt that the sub bass was a little too present and in places where it didn't need to be. The EVO fixes this and controls the sub-bass. The soundstage is also wider and the imaging capabilities are definitely better in my opinion.
Experimenting with different earplug cables
Earplugs
I tested the EVO with the standard Final E Tips, CP 155 and JVC Spiral Dots. I used sizes M to L. In my opinion, the EVO requires a tight fit around the nozzle to allow proper use of the Weapon X bone conduction system.
Without a tight fit around the nozzle, the effect of the Weapon X is weakened and therefore reduced. With that in mind, the CP 155 has a looser fit around the EVO muzzle and therefore doesn't get the best bass out of the EVO. The JVC spiral nozzles are slightly better, but still don't produce the same amount of bass as the Final E Tips. The Final E Tips therefore have the best bass reproduction and therefore the best sound out of the EVO.
Cable
I have tested many cables with the Legend EVO. Specifically, I listened to the EVO with the stock Genesis cable, the ODIN Stormbreaker, and the Satin Audio Chimera II X8. Overall, the best cable for me was the STORMBREAKER.
With the Stormbreaker, the mids and highs were given a bit more prominence, resulting in one of the best listening experiences I've ever had with an IEM. For my ears and sound preferences, there was a perfect balance between the mids, highs and GIANT amounts of bass. It was a pleasure, and the Stormbreaker kept its place on the EVO for a while.
Of course the level of detail and staggering doesn't reach the level of the ODIN, but that's not what the EVO is made for anyway, as they are different in this respect. What I appreciated most was that the highs and mids came forward enough for my sonic preferences. The Genesis cable gave the EVO its most unique sound signature, and it was definitely a good pairing.
The Satin Audio Chimera II X8 is a copper and silver cable that had an interesting effect on the EVO.The mids and highs came forward very slightly and the bass quantity and quality was still present, but the soundstage and imaging was reduced compared to the Genesis cable and Stormbreaker.
As for the quality of the cable, So the Genesis cable is really comfortable to use, even if some might find it a bit stiff. It doesn't bother me or cause problems with cable noise, but I have had experiences with other cables (e.g. from PlusSound, Satin Audio, PWA Stormbreaker) that are smoother to handle and use.
Fit
The Legend EVO is a BIG IEM. It is the largest IEM that I know of in the Empire Ear product range. The shell itself is larger than the Odin, Valkyrie MK II and Legend X OG, but the nozzle length is slightly longer. The EVO fit my ears well and I was able to wear them for 3 hours without any pain. This may be due to the Final E-Tips, which provide a better fit on the EVO compared to deeply inserted ear tips (e.g. CP 155). If you have problems with the fit of ODIN, I think you will also have problems with EVO. It's best to try them out yourself.
Other considerations
Right out of the box, the Legend EVO didn't sound like I expected. The bass was a bit bloated and the mids and highs were attenuated. As time passed and I listened to the IEMs past the 50 hour mark, it sounded like a new IEM to me. The mids and highs came forward and into place, and the overall sound signature was improved. It is important that you give these IEMs some break-in time before attempting to fully appreciate what they are trying to achieve.
Technical data
- 2 W9 + subwoofer
- 5 precision balanced armature drivers
- Weapon X Bone Conduction Ultra Driver
- 9-way synX crossover
- Two-line architecture
- ARC Resonance Reduction Technology
- Impedance: 4.5 ohms @ 1kHz
- Frequency response: 5Hz-35kHz
- Sensitivity: 103dB @ 1kHz, 1mW
- Empire X PWAudio "GENESIS" Ultra Pure OCC copper cable, 4.4 Pentaconn connector
Conclusion
The Empire Ears team has created one of the most impressive IEMs to date. Although the EVO is tailored towards bass players, it is definitely an IEM that can be admired by all audiophiles. If you love BASS BASS BASS BASS, you'll love the Legend EVO.
Well done - @Jack Vang !! Finally, I hope you enjoyed my first review of the Legend EVO and I hope to post more reviews of other Empire Ears IEMs like the ODIN in the near future.
By Joshua Chan
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It's evolution, baby: Empire Ears Legend Evo unboxing and first impressions – Audio Essence