Introduction
Can you recall the time when hearing a monitor (for the first time) felt like actually striking thunders during a clear day?
It's most certainly one of those times with this one , when i take proud and joy from reviewing such a delightfull monitor that simply ticks every single box for my taste ,so.....right from the begging of this review let me say l really really like this set.
I mean really like it
A LOT .....
Oriolus is a well known established company for many headfiers and this model is supposed to be a reincarnation of a previous most successful model from this company the Oriolus MKII (which managed to gather quite a few positive opinions around the audiophile world) only this time we see newest technologies take place and a quite interesting implementation approach using 3 different drivers :
1 dynamic driver for the bass/sub bass
1 planar magnetic for the midrange
1 BA for the lower/upper highs
Let's see how this Szalayi stands up to MKII's reputation.
Disclaimer
Purchased Szalayi with my own money directly from
HiFiGO and here΄s a link in case you are interested :
Szalayi
SPECIFICATIONS
>14mm Planar Diaphragm Driver.
>High-Performance Balanced Armature Driver.
>10mm Dynamic Driver.
>3D Printed Photopolymer Ear Shells.
>High-Grade Pure OFC(Oxygen-Free Copper) with Silver-Plating Cable.
>Impedance: 10Ω.
>Sensitivity: 110dB/mW.
>Frequency Response Range: 10Hz-40kHz.
>Termination Plug: 4.4mm Balanced.
Packadge / Unboxing / Cable / Fit
Package is pretty simple here (and that has become a tradition many years now for all Oriolus monitors even the most expensive ones like their flagship Traillii )
It is for some time now that a case comes along with your purchase (very simple but does the job pretty allright),(in my opinion regarding the previous models not including any case for this prize you pay and for this monitor its simply unacceptable and a shame for such an established brand like Oriolus
Faceplates of the shells are trully adorable in deep blue reminiscent of the
deep ocean just like the unique sound of these
monsters.......
as for accessories goes, yοu get three sets of silicone tips in 3 sizes, and some pairs of comply foams, a cleaning brush for the monitor's nozzle and a stylish yellow cloth clipper
Szalayi comes with a nice fabric cable obtaining a recessed 2-pin connection plug, ending in a 4.4 balanced termination.
Fit wise, in my case at least fits like a glove to my extra large ear cavities and having tried several tips (symbio,azla sedna,sony hybrids,Final Audio E tips e.t.c.) in order to find the
ABSOLUTE BEST ISOLATION quickly ended up using some Spinfits cause those provided the deepest insert for me, as well as amazing fit and superb isolation .
The included silicone tips are pretty amazing as well ,maintaning the warm tonallity and the original sound character of this monitor.
Anyway considered your self warned guys because this is a real BIG monitor in terms of size ( very close to the size of the UM MEXT) and i consider this would be definetelly an issue for those with smaller ear canals unfortunatelly.
Sound Profile
Gear used for the purpose of this review : iBASSO DX 160 / Shanling M3X / HIBY R5 GEN II
Just for the record.. Szalayi had allready completed a total burn in period of 120 hours before any kind of critical listening.
And to be more specific these monitors need indeed a
REALLY LOT OF BURN IN period of time in order to bring up the juice,to reach out to their full potentials and characteristics.
Now to the point.....this is a
MONSTER in terms of reproduction and nothing less than that .the sound is full-dynamic,explosive in some cases .The soundstage is beyond limitations here...... we re talking about
VAST SOUND FIELD and nothing less than this.
BIG SOUND towards any direction out side of your head experience 100% that is...
Me at least haven't heard any other monitor till now with such a tremendous sound stage , with such a tremendous depth of the scene ,with such a tremendous layering and imaging abilities.Once you find the proper fit using the proper ear tips these monsters simply can blow your mind away easily..............
There is a unique 3 dimentional sense of surrounding cyclotic sound up to the point you wont realise where the sound is coming from.......
Imaging is top notch too there,you can easily pin point each and every instrument of the stage and its exact potition there.
Detail retrieval is not the strongest point of this set ,and it souldn't be because their main target is to loose your self inside the music forgetting anything else around you.. Nevertheless details are still there , in the background taking a back seat creating this way a unique atmospheric sense of the recordings.
Another unique thing about this set is that once you turn up the volume there is no way back but only keep increasing the volume all the way up to the end .........The sound remains coherent even at the loudest volume .Constinstency even under extreme high pitched volume is the main characteristic of this earphone
. It is the absolute definition of a
FUN SIGNATURE SOUND exceeding anyone's expectations....
Have to mention at this point that this set scales pretty amazing with better sources-daps-amps. Needs power to reach its full potential and as long as you have a capable dap (such as DX160-170) everything is going to be just fine but the higher the source - the better the whole experience gets...for example paired with Hiby R5 Gen II (A class amp mode) ends in an even more dynamic presentation of sound with faster attacks and even more natural decays ....so do not be afraid to turn up the volume......it just gets better and better....a complete sonic experience .
BASS
Impactfull at least,
BIG & BOLD up to point that categorizes this monitor to the BASSHEAD territory with ease but int the most delightfull way. Transients are fast,decays are too perfect to be true and the bass timbre has a unique analogue feeling in terms of representation of the recordings.It creates an atmosphere not easy to be found in monitors at any price range even the most expensive ones ,Its like you own a very expensive HiFi home set up system and a pair of 3 way floor speakers including sub woofer .
Bass here is not only about quantity but quality as well. Its textured,fully articulated takes you in and makes you forget that you even excist !!!!!!!!!!
Never bleeds into the mids area ,never oveshadowing the rest of the spectrum and capable of producing goose bumps in any track upon it is called for.....
Sub bass is really explosive material as long as it is there in the recordings can easily make you feel under the attack of an earthquake or something.....
It has to be heard to be fully undestanded, the thing that a monitor is capable of such a
BOMBASTIC bass representation maintaning such a unheard quality is trully astonishing !!!!!!
MIDRANGE
Spacious enough,lush mellow,liquid and most of all with the correct note weight and natural timbre between others this is where the 14mm Planar Diaphragm Driver takes place and does its magic........
there is a noticeable airy feeling between voices and instruments a balance hard to find at any price range
it΄s almost like you can
feel the music rather than just hearing the sound
it exhibits
great personality being not to close or not to far away either, just at the right place in the center of the stage
Those monitors have found the right spot between thick and thin mids resulting to a unique and very realistic timbre always enganging and euphoric absolutelly natural is the most right word here....
male and female vocals are represented with passion and intimacy providing a unique feeling of engangement to the listener,never shouty or to close to your face.Its such a delight to hear.
Furthermore, the amount of air, especially in the midrange is really remarkable for any iem at this price, and i would easily compare the airy atmosphere in the mids (which is trully amazing) to
UM MEXT which is a more expensive monitor.
TREBLE
Extended and energetic, sparkly but fatigue free at the same time.all the upper region details are there ,not at your face ,at the background moving slowly inside your head filling you gently with all the information present at the recordings.
its an exciting,bright and sparkly treble providing at the same time an absolute fatique free experience suggested for long term listening sessions
Not hot,neither artificial, but natural and resolving even at the most complex passages taken care by a single BA and this and only is a rare thing for this kind of airy reproduction.Not the strongest point of this monitor anyway but does the job pretty well, complementing the other frequencies
cymbals,hi-hats,violins,strings everything here sounds natural and sweet
Absolutelly zero sibilance or hotness.
anyway in this case it is important to select the right tips that can help you avoid any hint of glare there but this is more like nitpicking here....It is an amazing treble all right just not the most noticeable characteristic upon first listening
Suggested test tracks
As an example of this utterly mesmerizing presentation of sound i suggest you take a listen on this track
Sea song - Maria Chiara Argiro
in every part of the FR the Szalayis excels.Physical organs like contrabass, saxhophones,clarinets,drums have unbelievable natural sound and decays,her voice sounds so fluid,so lush, sweet and warm ,real to life, it is a pure delight to listen to...............and as Maria says in this track "this endless blue will ease your mind" a perfect definition for Szalayi s sound.....
....in other cases it is also a superior monitor in more complex,modern electronica synthesis like
4T Thieves's latest record ¨Elder Dawn¨which is a pure delight on this monsterus set,as the lowest frequencies pulsing together,interelating with the rest of the spectrum creating the whole unique and mesmerising atmosphere of this brilliant record from 4T Thieve's genious mind.
4T Thieves - Elder Dawn
Another fine example of Szalayi's superior representation in every part of the frequency range is beyond any doubt the following track:
Ova - Godless
Ova is Elizabeth Crompton's previous act. In this track the amount of lower tones digitally recreated are simply overwhelming.. Despite that one.. the moment her magical voice appears in the track everything turns out
pure heaven for the listener.. as her voice stands out so clearly with such an authority and majesty, creating this way such a lush and spacious atmosphere.
Midrange stays here absolutely safe from any kind of bleeding coming from the overpowering lower frequencies. The total amount of ambience created here is simply beyond words....
OUTSTANDING!!!!
I could hear this song 24/7 on repeat using only the Szalayis... An unbelievable magical experience, one that very few monitors are capable of........
BUT...... if in any case someone wants to evaluate the Szalayi's impeccable strenghts definitely has to listen to
this one....
Glass Moon - Leland Whitty
Leland being a long time member of BADBADNOTGOOD modern jazz group , produced an absolutely beautiful solo record last year and in this particular track every physical instrument like double bass is a real treat with the Szalayis....The sound gets immediatelly
EXPANSIVE just right from the begging of the song takes you in, absorbs your mind.. right from the very first seconds.......,double bass,flutes,drums,Rhodes etc.... showcasing an utterly natural timbre,true to the original recording, i suppose you ll be 100% surprised of how close to real life this track sounds in terms of correct and natural sound reproduction .
Oriolus Szalayi graph
The elevetad sub bass self does all the magic here and recreating a deeply and utterly
oceanic feeling i would say... providing in combination with the overall tuning the sound
vastness that this monitor sould be knowned for.
From 20 to 60 Hz every single note has a substantial weight and impact showcasing in the best way the bass lines of each track leading and creating a kind of unique ambience.This is a case where the FR graph pictures melticulously the sound profile of this monitor,where the bass is the
main star of the show portraying especially well and correct any physical organ falls into this territory,but its not about quantity here ,its all about quality,every note drops between 20 to 250 Hz is the definition of
Naturalism and
authentic timbre.
The transition into the midrange as you can tell is smooth as butter and the mild peak between 1k and 2k helps especially female vocals to shine and sound breathy and airy. in other places no strange peaks or dips, everything flows here in perfect harmony.
SELECTIVE COMPARISONS
vs ISN H50
Vocals on H50 are more upfront than the Szalayi and the airy feeling is more noticeable on H50 too. Treble is not the Szalayi's biggest advantage but being a more bass orientated earphone it souldnt be in the first place,resulting this way in a more vast/open sound experience
that Szalayi monster is more prominent in the bass region due to its tuning,with more note weight and it is the more musical one between those two by far....
Regardless that, both are great monitors with H50 due to its tuning and implementation ,being the more airy and linear sounding between the two of them,
BUT the
OSCAR goes easily to the Szalayi being by far the more refined and qualitive earphone providing an utterly ¨out of the head experience¨to the listener. Soundstage is something the Szalayi should be really proud for...........
vs UM MEXT
MEXT is a warm and bass friendly monitor with a
HUGE FUN SIGNATURE closer to the Szalayi than H50..
MEXT is indeed a perfect all rounder, ideal for bass lovers obtaining a huge soundstage,top tier resolution ,fantastic mids and fascinating treble response.
nevertheless i have to admit that I was quite surprised during this comparison cause instantly upon first listen the Szalayi felt much more bigger/deeper/wider sounding with a tremendous soundstage i personally never had to the luck to hear before.........
In terms of airy/spaciousness feeling though this is quite subjective I would say those two are completely on par with the Szalayi being just the cheaper one and thats quite an accomplishment allright.............
in terms of timbre / note weight bot are natural and realistic with note weight being a bit more on theSzalayi's side due to it's tuning mainly.
But.. in the other hand the MEXT being more airy, obtains a touch more open feeling (in the midrange) leaving room for the vocals to breathe....
The Szalayi is more of a darker sounding monitor more "heavy feeling" more bass head friendly if you like...more fun sounding signature if you wish.....
MEXT has been widely promoted for their newest technologies (Bone conducting driver) and the effects of that in the perception of the sound as we know it till now..
but believe me, if i wouldn't to know, between those two monitors (MEXT / Szalayi ) where this bone conductor driver lies, I would suspect the latest (Szalayi) just because it has an
ABSOLUTELY THUNDEROUS SUB BASS IMPACT that manages to drug you in so much in that atmosphere not easily explained by simple words and phrases....
vs ISN EST50
EST 50s was to me love at first sight...........Love at first audition if you wish so.....An all time favorite of mine and the closest anyone can get to the Oriolus Szalayi's sound signature and tuninng at the half of the Szalayi's price. ISN AUDIO is a true master as far BASS goes and in this case their flagship EST50s is the perfect proof of what happens when a group of proffesional engineers who happens to love bass frequencies a little more than the rest of the spectrum........... are doing their best effort to bring such a miracle as the EST50s.Here the midrange is taken care by a SONION BA driver which make the mids so ,so ,so, beautifull and sweet ,p to the point where you simply forget how marvelous the bass sounds ,and the treble uses 2 Sonion ESTs micro tweeters so this results in a perfect natural representation of the higher regions.
if it wasn't for the Szalayi's tremendous thunderous sub bass impact and the airy utterly mesmerizing treble reproduction of the EST50s i would call them twins BUT .....this is life ....you win something/you lose something else.....i do love those two equally ,just a hint more the Szalayi being the more vast and big sounding one.Both are amazing earphones at their price and both worth every single dollar. If Szalayi seems to expensive to you i would highly reccomend EST50s at the half of their price being the closest you can get at this signature.
Final words
from my side i cannot recommend enough the Oriolus Szalayi if your preference is a quality fun sounding earphone with
HUGE BIG BOMBASTIC SOUND & STAGE then you won't find any better at least at this price point.
It is an absolute TOTL, regardless of any price range,mainly orientated to bass lovers but not only
anyone that prefers musical and natural as well reproduction of sound not focusing too much on the microdetails of the recordings but instead is in search of loosing his/hers self into an ocean of sound sould be consider this monitor for sure.
For me it is in simple words an END GAME monitor of unearthed beauty , a tremendous set of
BIG FLOOR SPEAKERS INSIDE MY HUMPLE EARS........
After the first hour of the very first audition with these my first thought was....΄΄who needs a home hifi floor speakers when owns this one?'' not me anyway............................
If Szalayi was a movie.. it would certainly be this one.....
Thanks for reading and have a good time always with your music as your partener........................................