At this time, we assessment the AFUL Cantor Flagship IEMs. The retail value is $799 USD.
Disclaimer: HifiGo offered us with the AFUL Cantor for this assessment. As at all times, I’m right here to share my trustworthy and unbiased expertise with the product.
Based in 2018, AFUL (aka AFUL Acoustics) started its journey with an professional acoustics staff devoted to advancing audio know-how. In Chinese language, it interprets to “致音,” which implies “Final Sound” or “Pinnacle of Sound.” By 2019, the staff had developed prototypes with revolutionary circuit topology and acoustic buildings with the purpose of enhancing conventional BA designs. By way of steady technological development, AFUL secured three patents in 2020 and commercialized its S&E Math know-how in 2021, receiving recognition from the Chinese language Academy of Sciences and help from the Suzhou Municipal Authorities.
At this time, AFUL continues to push the boundaries of micro-acoustic know-how, bringing a mix of distinctive improvements to every of their merchandise. Their upcoming mannequin, the Performer 5+2, will quickly be reviewed on Headfonia, so preserve a watch out for that. For extra info on their earlier fashions, you may try my colleague Berkhan’s evaluations of the Performer 8, Performer 5, and the Magic One IEMs; simply click on on the names to learn extra. For those who haven’t but seen our Aful Explorer assessment, I extremely advocate studying it.
The Cantor
Let’s get to immediately’s spotlight: the Cantor. It’s the flagship of the Aful firm, that includes 14 balanced armature drivers per aspect together with an intricate acoustic setup together with a number of waveguides, 3D printed tubes, resonance optimizers, and the Aful’s RLC community know-how that we’ve got additionally seen utilized on items like Performer 5 and Performer 8.
The applied sciences utilized in Cantor are a end result of ideas that Aful has been R&D’ing since its inception. Subsequently, our expectations have been excessive. The Cantor is obtainable on HifiGO for $799 USD. Let’s try the highlights and soar into the assessment with out additional ado.
Specs & Highlights
Configuration: x14 Balanced Armature Driver (per aspect)
Impedance: 20Ω
Sensitivity: 106dB/mW
RLC Community Digital Crossover
Nickel-Plated Brass Nozzle
Patented Twin-Channel Acoustic Maze
Anti-Resonance Cage and Waveguide
Direct Drive Topology Know-how
Multidimensional Frequency Division Structure
4Braid 5N OFC Cable with 2-pin 0.78mm
Cable Termination 3.5mm or 4.4mm (Not Interchangeable)
Packaging & Equipment
The AFUL Cantor is available in a field with its title written in chrome letters on the highest. The entrance of the field includes a picture of the Starry Evening faceplate design, set towards a easy background with small informational badges depicting the Cantor’s key acoustic ideas.
On the again, the specs are offered in each English and Chinese language. After eradicating the illustrated sleeve, you’re offered with a navy blue field with a leather-textured end. Upon opening it, the primary issues that catch your eye are the faceplates of the earphones and a navy blue leather-based zippered case with the AFUL emblem. The inside of the zippered case is lined with mushy brown velvet, giving it a luxurious and splendid really feel. All of the equipment that include the Cantor are saved inside this case. These embrace a pliable, fabric-jacketed 4-braid cable with chrome accents, a person’s guide, a guaranty card, a cleansing brush, and 4 plastic instances, every containing a distinct ear suggestions set.
In whole, there are 12 pairs of ear suggestions, with every set divided into S, M, and L sizes neatly organized in particular person plastic instances. Concerning the ear tip supplies, other than one set of froth suggestions, the remainder are constituted of silicone. Nonetheless, the wall thicknesses of the silicone suggestions differ, which implies they might affect low-frequency copy otherwise. The bore openings are comparable throughout the silicone suggestions, whereas the froth suggestions have a barely wider mouth. A small observe based mostly on my expertise: because the wall thickness of the ear suggestions will increase, their capability to transmit decrease frequencies additionally tends to enhance. Equally, the sound typically turns into hotter because the mouth diameter decreases, and the low frequencies really feel extra dense and emphasised.
I might have appreciated to see an interchangeable cable that features each 3.5mm and 4.4mm connectors, particularly for a flagship product. This would offer extra flexibility for customers who swap between totally different sources. Aside from that, the accent package deal is trying good and full.
Design, Construct High quality & Match
The Aful Cantor is obtainable with two totally different faceplate designs and a single shell shade. It is available in two designs named Starry Evening and Marine Echo. I assume that Starry Evening attracts inspiration from Vincent van Gogh’s masterpiece of the identical title, as this faceplate incorporates the colours and tones from the portray. Glittery gold accents merge with deep and light-weight shades of blue, making a cohesive design. Marine Echo, alternatively, has a extra understated aesthetic, that includes a shiny and gilded faceplate. Each faceplate designs complement the shell’s deep blue shade fairly harmoniously.
There are a number of particulars that catch my eye in Cantor’s design, essentially the most uncommon being a vent-like opening on the again of the earphones that resembles a dynamic driver air flow port although Cantor makes use of balanced armature drivers. Because it doesn’t have a dynamic driver, I believe that this port is both a stress aid vent or a part of the acoustic design. Certainly, after carrying the earphones for a number of hours, I discovered Cantor’s stress build-up administration to be a lot better than that of a completely metallic, portless earphone just like the Symphonium Crimson. I wouldn’t say it’s fully absent, however it’s been optimized fairly effectively for a shell of this dimension.
Since we’re as regards to the shell, let’s dive deeper, as that is significantly necessary for potential consumers. Contemplating that the Cantor homes 14 drivers on either side, the shell is definitely very well-designed. Inside, there are acoustic waveguides, that are complicated buildings as positive as 0.15mm, printed utilizing high-resolution, high-precision 3D printers.
While you have a look at the translucent shell underneath brilliant mild, you may see that there’s not even a pinhead of empty house inside. Naturally, the parts that take up essentially the most house within the shell are the woofer BAs and the acoustic waveguides.
When it comes to shell dimension, the Cantor falls into the “L” class in my regular dimension comparability. To assist with comparability, the shell dimension is barely greater than the Hype 10, which I classify as “ML”. For additional reference, “L” is across the dimension of the Oriolus Monachaa, and “M” can be the Mega5EST. An instance of “S” can be the Aful Explorer.
Nonetheless, the form of the nozzle makes it tough to make use of with aftermarket suggestions. As somebody who firmly believes in tip-rolling, I couldn’t resist testing a couple of well-liked ear suggestions, just like the Divinus Velvet and Tangzu Tang Sancai. The Sancai suggestions felt a bit free for the reason that nozzle isn’t significantly broad, whereas the Divinus suggestions didn’t enable the Cantor to be inserted as deeply as Aful recommends. This shallow insertion prompted a rise in shoutiness round 5kHz to 8kHz, making the Cantor sound brighter and extra aggressive than with the inventory suggestions. Finally, I needed to give in and revert to the included suggestions, shushing the tip-rolling monster residing throughout the depths of my audiophile soul.
Match is a little bit of a combined bag, primarily due to the nozzle’s eccentric shape. The Cantor wants a deep insertion to sound its greatest, so utilizing the included tricks to obtain a strong, deep seal is crucial. Aful suggests aligning the nozzle’s finish with the tip of the metallic tube for the optimum listening expertise, and I discovered this recommendation spot-on. With out this depth, you’ll encounter the identical shoutiness I discussed above.
For context, I’ve massive ears with a large and deep concha and a large outer canal, so I not often run into match points with bigger IEMs. Nonetheless, for those who battle with becoming flagship fashions from ThieAudio, you may discover the Cantor’s match equally difficult. It’s a giant monitor. Regardless of the dimensions, the passive isolation is great, and I may put on the Cantor comfortably for lengthy durations of time. I had no points with Cantor’s match throughout my time with it. I’m nonetheless carrying it as I’m typing these phrases, and it’s been 7 hours of continuous work with none discomfort. Thanks, genetics, I assume.
I additionally discovered that SpinFit suggestions work moderately effectively with the Cantor, however needless to say sound might differ based mostly in your ear canal’s form. SpinFits usually bump up the decrease treble for me, which isn’t perfect, however they might be a strong possibility for many who like SpinFit’s match and sound. When it comes to sound, they carried out higher than the Divinus and different ear suggestions I examined, due to an analogous stem design to the inventory suggestions, which permits the brass nozzle to take a seat flush on the high.
Finally, I recommend experimenting, however the inventory suggestions provide a great selection with 4 sorts to select from, so that you’re prone to discover a snug match amongst them. I genuinely recognize the design of the Cantor. Aful has managed to pack a outstanding quantity of intricate parts right into a shell that not solely seems elegant but in addition feels well-made.
The assessment continues on the subsequent web page. Click here or use the soar under.
Page 1: AFUL, Cantor IEMs, Packaging & Equipment, Construct, Design & Match
Page 2: Sound Impressions & Know-how Inside, Comparability, Final Phrases
Trending Merchandise
