Summary of "in-Ear Fetish Review \\ 7th Acoustic Supernova IEM"
Product overview
- Product: Seventh Acoustic Supernova (in-ear monitor — 6 BA drivers)
- Price during review: $850
- Origin: Indonesian brand (per reviewer)
- Loaner included a Versus Audio aftermarket cable (very blue weave, permanent 4.4 mm plug). Reviewer praised the cable’s quality and said it influenced his value judgment.
Key features & physical notes
- Six balanced-armature drivers.
- Shells described as “bulgy/fat” for a 6BA design.
- Attractive finish; brand logo and model/serial are laser-printed on the shell but are hard to read in normal use.
- Loaner was paired with aftermarket cables; Versus Audio cable will apparently become the new stock cable.
- Tip sensitivity: sound changes noticeably with different tips (reviewer tried Render and DUNU SS tips).
Sound signature & listening experience
- Overall: smooth and technically competent but emotionally uninvolving. Reviewer characterized the tuning as “boring,” lacking excitement or “magic.”
- Vocals: somewhat soft and distant compared with other IEMs the reviewer prefers — singer can sound further back.
- Treble: occasional slight treble lean with one tip set, which disappeared after switching tips.
- Bass: capable of carrying bass notes well on certain techno tracks (some tracks sounded big), but not consistently impressive — not bass-forward or exciting overall.
- Soundstage / imaging: neither dramatically wide nor notably immersive; perceived distance in vocals.
- Fit & tips: fit and tip choice matter; reviewer uses DUNU SS as a neutral fallback and initially used Render tips.
“Technically competent with a smooth presentation, but emotionally flat — not enough ‘ooh’ moments.”
Pros
- Clean, smooth, technically refined presentation.
- Attractive shell finish.
- Loaner’s Versus Audio cable looked and felt solid; cable quality contributed to the positive aspects.
Cons
- $850 price feels unjustified given the sound; reviewer found it underwhelming for the cost.
- Emotionally flat / lacking excitement.
- No clear sonic identity or standout characteristic.
- Poor legibility of the printed model/serial on the shell.
- Shell design is bulky for the driver count.
Comparisons & context
- Z’s own Defiant (his ~$100 IEM collab): described as a “glass of water” neutral; reviewer felt it delivered more engagement and sometimes outperformed the Supernova emotionally for its price.
- Kiwi’s Astrals (under $400): called “perfect” for the reviewer’s tastes and implied to outperform Supernova on value/performance.
- Broader note: reviewer was unsure what sonic approach to expect from an Indonesian brand, and contrasted perceived trends among Western and Chinese vendors.
Scores & numerical impressions
- No formal numeric score given. Reviewer joked about giving a very low score (“one”) then “rounded up to 200” because of the nice cable — an informal remark underscoring a poor value-for-money view.
Miscellaneous notes
- Loaner cable is a permanent 4.4 mm from Versus Audio; reviewer likes its color and build but dislikes the weave style.
- Render tips are being remanufactured into “Render Pro” (foam + silicone, wide bore) — noted as a side comment about tip availability.
- Reviewer prefers blind/controlled listening and avoids reading other reviews; he accidentally read one line that primed him to expect “smooth.”
- Reviewer could not find manufacturer listings/colors on the brand website.
Reviewer / viewpoint
- Reviewer: Zospanter (host).
- Summary stance: a technically smooth, well-built IEM that is emotionally flat and does not justify the $850 price given available alternatives. The Versus Audio cable was the loaner’s only major redeeming element.
Concise verdict / recommendation
Not recommended at $850. The Seventh Acoustic Supernova is well-built and technically clean, but its emotionally uninvolving tuning and lack of a clear sonic identity make it a poor value at this price. If you want more musical engagement or better price-to-performance, consider cheaper alternatives such as the reviewer’s Defiant collab (~$100) or Kiwi’s Astrals (under $400).
Category
Product Review
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