Vision Ears VE7 Review – Universal IEM for Performers and Audiophiles

Vision Ears is one of many IEM brands now catering to both performers and the audiophiles. Their luxury IEMs come in both custom and universal fits, with the universal fits gaining popularity given their lowered prices and thus wider accessibility. I checked out the VE8 a while back and was quite wowed, and wasn’t sure whether to expect something similar from the VE7, or a completely different story. Running for $1,692, let’s see what the VE7 has to offer. 

What’s in the Box

• VE7 IEMs
• Hard Metal Case
• Spin Fit Ear tips
• Braided Cable with 0.78mm Connectors and 3.5mm Termination
• 3.5mm to 1/4” Adapter
• Cleaning Brush
• Cleaning Cloth
• Vision Ears in Ear Cleaner Solution
• Dry Caps

Look and Feel

The VE7 are a stunning IEM, far above most in the looks department. These are one of the few IEMs I’ve seen that give companies like Kinera, who specialize in hand-painted IEMs, a run for their money. The reflective, metallic backing shifts between different mixes of green, red, yellow and orange as the light hits it, creating a sunset-like contrast with their translucent, dark blue body. These are truly a sight to behold. 

The VE7’s fit is standard for universal IEMs these days, and is a molded ear shape I’ve seen used in various iterations by many manufacturers. It’s a popular style because, well, it works. It’s big enough to fill the ears and create a tight, snug fit, and has very smooth, curved edges to make sure no areas have an unpleasant angle that might irritate the skin. 

Design

These use 7 balanced armature drivers, 2 for bass, 2 for low mids, 1 for high mids, and 1 for “super high.” They have an impedance of 12 Ohms.

Soundstage

The VE7 have a very realistic, natural soundstage. While it feels holographic, its dimension does not often push past the point of organic sounding width. This makes them great for getting an accurate, comfortable picture of any song, mix, project, or performance. Listening to Hannah Cohen’s album Welcome Home, background vocals levitate lightly among an expanse of fluttering keys and twangy guitars. The VE7 excels in separation, eliminating any sense of crowding or stuffiness from mixes, allowing you a clean slate to explore various textures and timbres on. These are a great IEM for opening up a song without over-shooting the mark and injecting a disjointed amount of air between layers. 

Lows

While the VE7 have a fairly neutral, semi-flat tuning, their low end is the biggest exception to this. While it is not boosted heavily, it is given more flair than the mids or highs. This low-end still follows the same direction of natural, organic sound heard on the VE7’s soundstage. It’s not intensely extenuating or formatting, keeping a conservative grip on the low end to give it some breathing room. The VE7 won’t rumble, but perhaps they’ll purr a bit. These have a more rounded punch on their lows, that focuses its impact lower down, going for a more guttural attack than something super high-low focused. 

Mids

The mids on the VE7 may have been my favorite part of them. They manage to bring substantial presence without giving a very obvious push to any particular frequency range. Listening to Nicolas Godin and Kadhja Bonet’s new collaboration “Love Theme,” the VE7 gives a commanding, fluid warmth to the vocal performance. The string section is brought forward and cut in very small pockets to make sure none of its flavor is sacrificed. These are great for those who want some calming saturation in their mid range, the type that softens the blow instead of sharpening the blade.

Highs

The highs on the VE7 receive the most warmth and smoothing of any area. While they  retain a surprising amount of shine despite their noticeable coloring, they still supply a subtly darkened, subdued brightness. This ambient high end is the finishing touch to the VE7s very forgiving, placid sound signature. In the world of warm, less-intense highs, the VE7 pulls its weight well in terms of not sacrificing definition. These achieve detail in a more sophisticated, nuanced way than just extenuating the 16kHz area to highlight detail-packed texture. 

Overall

The VE7 has reaffirmed my love for Vision Ears, who’ve rightfully gained their reputation in both the live performance industry and growing audiophile hemisphere. The VE7 do a good job of knowing their mission and completing it with expertise and elegance. Those who want a tame, warm IEM that is far from timid and packs a punch should definitely keep the VE7 on their radar.

You can purchase the Vision Ears VE7 at Audio46