SOFTEARS STUDIO 4 - A Pure Sonic Experience

HifiGo just gave us the opportunity to send in another solid in-ear monitor. I am no musician, or expert in the music field but the Softear Studio 4 is one heck of an in-ear monitor. It is a quad-balanced armature IEM which is advertised to be designed for monitoring, musicians, and other activities that might benefit from its flat sound signature.

DISCLAIMER:

• I have no affiliation with Softears and have not received any monetary compensation during or after writing this review. HifiGo provided this unit to me in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
• As a non-professional reviewer, I aim to use simple terms that can be understood by both beginners and experts in the hobby.
• Please keep in mind that the opinions expressed in this review are subjective and based on my personal experience with the unit. I encourage you to try the product yourself to form your own opinion.

PACKAGING

The packaging of the Softears Studio 4 is nothing interesting and the inclusions are barebones. While the sound quality might be impressive, I find it hard to justify the high price of this package. However, it does manage to cover the essentials without lacking or providing something grandeur.

What's inside the box:

• Softears Studio 4 in-ear monitor
• 3 pair of eartips
• 1 extension cable 
• 1 3.5mm female to 6.5mm male 
• 1 cable
• Cleaning brush
• Case
• Some paperworks

BUILD QUALITY

The Studio 4 features a sleek and minimalist shell crafted from high-quality resin, giving it an elegant and polished look. There is nothing more for me to say, Softears just wanted to keep things simple and let the sound speak for itsef.

SOUND

The sound of the Studio 4 might not appeal to the masses since it has its own niche market, primarily to cater the likes of musicians, sound engineers, singers, and etc. The Studio 4 has a clean neutral sound signature and I personally have a preference for warm sounding earphones; I pretty much enjoyed Studio 4's clean nd accurate performance.

BASS

The Studio 4 has excellent bass control, delivering a punchy and fast-attacking response when you need it. However, it's worth taking note that this is not an IEM known for its overwhelming bass and may sound lean to some listeners who prefer a meatier bass.

MIDS

The midrange has a pleasing, natural texture. It maintains an almost flat position in the sound spectrum, without feeling too forward nor recessed. The vocals come across as natural and clean, while instruments like acoustic guitars sound accurate, close to realism, good attack, and possess a subtle warmth in their texture. The upper mids never produced any unnecessary peaks or exhibit any harshness.

TREBLE

The treble is exceptionally smooth, safe, and non-fatiguing. Treble-heads may find the extension to be somewhat lacking in energy and air. Nonetheless, it manages to maintain clarity and impressive detail retrieval, even though it sacrifices some of the energy, airiness, and sparkle typically associated with more a pronounced treble.    

TECHNICALITIES:
Soundstage: The soundstage has good focus on width and depth which did not sound poorly resolving and messy. It is wide enough to provide ample space for vocals and instruments without struggling on complex tracks that I tried with it.

Imaging: Vocals and instruments are easily distinguishable. Presentation and placement is very accurate which is very helpful in tracking down different elements on one track. This level of precision greatly assists experts, such as music engineers, in dissecting the different sounds present in an audio recording.

TEST TRACKS

CONCLUSION

Pros:

• Neutral sound signature
• Punchy bass
• Minimalistic design
• Outstanding technicalities

Cons:

• Barebone inclusions, eartips feel cheap specially for this price point
• May sound dry or lean to those who prefer a fun, meatier, sound profile

While I know to myself  that I may not qualify to thoroughly evaluate these in-ear monitors for sound engineering and intricate audio tasks, I can certainly provide my insights as a reviewer. In my assessment, these in-ear monitors exhibit commendable neutrality. Although they may not achieve the same level of pristine and diffuse neutrality as the Etymotic brand, especially to the likes of the Etymotic ER4SR. Overall, these in-ear monitors stand out as an impressive benchmark for discerning listeners who prioritize neutral sound and critical listening.