Vision Ears Debuts Prototypes of Unreleased Flagship IEM at CanJam 2023

Vision Ears Debuts Prototypes of Unreleased Flagship IEM at CanJam NYC 2023 

German IEM powerhouse Vision Ears is debuting two prototypes of their next generation in-ear flagship at CanJam 2023. Attendants have been asked to provide feedback and preferences in exchange for a chance to win an EVE20 in a raffle that will be held at the end of the day.

Vision Ears is staying pretty tight lipped on the specifics. No name has been revealed yet; in fact, driver configuration remains a mystery as well – sorry to the Vision Ears rep who I tested with my questions.

Their final aesthetic design appears undecided so far, and the Vision Ears rep was quick to point out that this was very far from the final design. Both prototype IEMs had ambiguous wrappings, and I’ll simply refer to them as “Red” and “Blue” for now. The fairly rough look is an exciting testament to the early stages this next generation flagship is in.

I had the chance to try both Red and Blue – admittedly not for very long, as I didn’t want to be a jerk who holds up the line. So, here’s a very cursory overview that I want to transparently state was based only on 5 to 10 minutes of listening with each. Also, keep in mind: these will sound and look different when they’re finally released, Vision Ears brought them to CanJam 2023 explicitly looking for feedback.

Vision Ears Mystery Flagship “Blue”

Alright, get over the look: like I said, these are drafts Vision Ears wanted feedback on.

Fit

The fit was seemingly identical for both units, and a familiar style from Vision Ears – something along the lines of what we saw with the Phönix. Fairly deep insertion with a shell that fills up and rests flush against the outer ear. Rounded edges that make wearing it pretty comfortable and secure. So far, so good.

Sound

Again, my time was limited so I can’t go into the full blown details like I usually do. So, here are some general notes I jotted down:

-Sound signature seems defined by its subs and deep mid bass, which left a great impression on me. Really heavy subs: the kind that you feel in your throat and in your forehead. Detail was great here – distinct low end timbres entirely present and detailed, not getting squeezed out and losing definition from an overabundance of low-end amplitude. I noted the subs in the column “things I liked” on the Vision Ears feedback slip.

-If I had to guess, somewhat of a “V” shaped tuning going on here. It’s the higher end of the treble that stuck out to me, particularly on snare drums. Their mid-range “thump” wasn’t as present as the sandier sound of the snares – a sound I would call “tinsel-y.” I noted this trait on the column “things I didn’t like.”

-Tom-toms sounded awesome. Emphasis in their low end decays paired very well with their tappy transients getting boosted in the highs. Also put in the column of “things I like.”

-Imaging was somewhat linear, but surprisingly the times I did feel depth it felt like parts were coming from behind my shoulders. Imaging characteristics usually take longer than a couple of very short listens to really expose themselves, so take this for what it is.

Vision Ears Mystery Flagship “Red”

Fit

Seemingly the same as “Blue.”

Sound

-Very full and powerful sound, more evenly and realistically balanced than “Blue.” Less thunderous rumble in the low end, but has a punchy and impactful bass slam, which I noted in “things I like” on the feedback slip.

-Mid range is well balanced and pretty even – some combination of warm and neutral. Did not have the issue with snare drums that I heard in “Blue.”

-High end was perfectly present but not particularly emphasized – more about maintaining realism.

-Overall a very full and realistic balance with light warmth.

-Imaging was pretty impressive, more vivid than “Blue” – immediately felt a deep stage opening in front of my face.

Overall

Both units have different versions of the house sound that one might expect from Vision Ears. The Blue struck me as building off the Vision Ears EXT Elysium with its distinctly heavy bass and boosted highs. The Red was a little more like the Phönix with it’s more well-rounded and full, impactful balance. My preferences had me checking “red” when I was asked to answer which one I preferred, but like I said, Vision Ears is taking this feedback back to the drawing board to continue work. I’m left curious as to what final form these mysterious prototypes will take – and more importantly, if I’ll win the EVE20 raffle.

Alright, back to Can Jam.