Astrotec Vesna : The Cheapest LCP IEM

Pros :

• Great details
•  Surprising performance for the price
• Generous package

Cons :

• Shell may be prone to scratches
• The build is not that robust
• Microphonics
• The included dongle does not work.

The Astrotec Vesna is IEM by the company Astrotec. This is the first IEM I have from this company and would love to give my honest opinions about it. The Astrotec Vesna costs around 20 USD (around 900-1000 PHP). The Vesna is the cheapest IEM with the LCP Diaphragm that is recently showing a good reputation in the audio community.

DISCLAIMER: I have no affiliation with Astrotec, I am not receiving money or any type of incentives for the duration of this review. This will be an unbiased and honest review.

/ packaging / 

The package of Vesna is very generous. It comes with a carrying pouch, two extra pairs of tips, and a Type-C to 3.5mm adapter for some reason it doesn't work with my LG G8.

Astrotec Vesna package

The Vesna is a 6mm dynamic driver, LCP diaphragm IEM with 30ohm impedance and 102dB sensitivity. The Vesna has two variants, the regular non-removable one, and the Vesna EVO with a 2-pin detachable cable. I have the regular Vesna with a non-removable high purity OFC cable which a certain someone managed to purchase for me for around 600 PHP.

Astrotec Vesna nozzle

The design looks very cheap but well made with a good teal accent on the faceplate. The Vesna also needs enough power to play at its optimal performance, the G8 and Walnut V2 are powerful enough to drive this IEM.

DEVICE TESTED:
LG G8
Zishan U1
Zishan AD III
Walnut V2
Abigail DAC Dongle

/ sound / 

LOWS: The bass is clean, and detailed but is lacking in dynamics. This is not recommended for total bassheads. It doesn't have that certain "oomph" that will satisfy those who wanted elevated bass on their ears. It still has a nice impact and leans toward a natural approach rather than taking an aggressive
take on the bass.

MIDS : The mids are the shining star of the Vesna, the mids are natural, clear, and clean. Vocals are done good with excellent details, higher mids are crisp and airy. It may be harsh at times when playing with a low-quality file. I suggest playing high-quality files to hear all those accurate details. For 20 USD the mids
are quite good.

HIGHS: The treble region is open and airy. It is rich with details without offering any form of unnecessary harshness, and sibilance. Vesna's treble is what makes it different from other chi-fi brands that produce harsh, sibilant, and unnatural treble.

Imaging and Soundstage :
I can say, the Vesna has good imaging overall. Instruments and vocals are easily distinguishable. The soundstage has average width but for 20 USD, Vesna is a great competitor overall.

FINAL SCORE

Overall, the Vesna is yet another good beater IEM if you are on a budget or would just like to use something so your other IEMs won't get worn out easily. When I first auditioned the Vesna I was surprised how this IEM can go toe-to-toe with IEMs costing more than the Vesna. For sub-40 USD, hands down, Vesna takes home the bacon on this one.

I never really liked the quality of IEMs below 20 USD since most of them are sibilance galore and just suck. I do have a favorite on the sub-1k IEM which is the CCA CRA which delivers great sound despite being a 10 USD IEM. Other than the CRA and the Astrotec Vesna, I took a hard pass.