Acoustune HS1501AL and HS1551CU earphone reviews – Industrial Immersion
Acoustune HS1501AL- HS1551CU
$450
Pros
- Striking design with precise solid build quality
- Rich velvety bass, full bodied signature, very musical/accessible, no sibilance
- Excellent stock cable, great tip selection and carry case
Cons
- Specific fit positioning required to ensure comfort
- Memory wire on cables would be handy
- Transparency and micro detail may be lacking for some
Build Quality, Cables, Tips and Ergonomics
What can I say from the moment there were pictures available of these I was mesmerised by the unique industrial design style.
In person they are even more impressive than the pictures convey, with the matt sheer of the colours reflecting light of the well machined contours. The small screws attaching both shell sides add to the futuristic cyber feel of the design as well as providing easy access for maintenance in future if needed. I was tempted to undo the screws and look inside but resisted as these are on loan and don’t want to destroy them. However I am very tempted….
Below is a video displaying the shells from all angles, so you get more of a feel of the 3d shape of them:
The shells have a solid metal build quality and a reassuring weight to them, I can’t see these breaking anytime soon.
Machining is precise and design style is very appealing/sleek. Even though the colours are a little vivid they do not feel too ostentatious and the bold colours add to their appeal.
Nozzles are protected with metal mesh and the MMCX earphone ports fit cables securely with no cut outs or glitches.
The stock cable supplied is one of the best we at earphonia.com have seen supplied with earphones in the sub $500 tier and really have a quality finish to them. We experienced no microphonics and the connections were always secure and tight. The jacks have strong flex re-enforcement and these look like they can take some serious usage. If Acoustune decide to sell the cable separately I suspect depending on pricing they will get a strong demand for these as an aftermarket cable. One thing that would have been welcome is memory wire on the left/right MMCX connectors to help with precise positioning.
The right angle jack and the 4.4mm straight jack fit tight and was secure with all the players we tried.
I was initially worried that even though these look fantastic the fit might not be suitable. When I first tried these one of the screws at the top right outer side was pressing against the outer mid part of my ear (the Pinna) and was quite sharp and uncomfortable, I was using the smallest tips supplied. I then changed to the the medium sized tips and the fit was then perfect.
If the cables had the addition of memory wire that could ensure further precision on the fit, however I managed to get an excellent fit once the correct tips for my ear size/depth were selected. I also achieved an excellent seal to ensure fullness of signature.
I know other manufacturers with bold metal designs, e.g. Campfire audio, have released other revisions with smooth rounded edges in the past, however I am confident that with the correct tip depth/selection, these Acoustune earphones should result in a great fit for most.
For reference Acoustune are also releasing a custom earphone, the HS1500 later this year.
With the carry case, fantastic cable and quality tip selection the team at earphonia.com feel this package is excellent with little room for improvement.
