Greetings!
Today we're checking out one of the
mid-range models in the Fearless lineup, the S6 Rui.
The last few years have seen Chinese
audio manufacturers really take off, and they're not slowing down.
With brands like Knowledge Zenith absolutely dominating the budget
sector, it was only natural for other markets to see massive growth
too. For 150 bucks you can get a feature rich and very impressive
sounding earphone that makes you question why you'd ever considering
spending the same amount or more on something from a mainstream
brand. Fearless Audio, established in 2012, seems to be taking the
same approach but with the mid-tier market. For the sub-500 USD price
tag the S6 Rui commands, you are getting a whole heap of performance
and quality for not a lot of money... to some.
Let's take a closer look at why this
earphone should be high up on your list of gear to get in 2019.
Disclaimer:
Thanks to Lillian with Linsoul Audio
for arranging a complimentary sample of the S6 Rui for the purposes
of review. All thoughts within are my own opinion based on time
listening to the S6 Rui and do not represent Fearless, Linsoul, or
any other entity. At the time of writing, the S6 Rui retailed for 389
USD. Note that the S6 Rui can be heavily customized (for an
additional fee) so if you're not a fan of the design seen here, you
can easily swap to something more your style. Check it out here:
https://www.linsoul.com/product-page/fearless-audio-s6rui-IEM
Source:
The S6 Rui was paired primarily with my
TEAC HA-501 desktop amp with either a ZiShan DSD or HiFi E.T. MA8
providing source duty. I find a lot of BA-only iems a poor pairing
with my HA-501 due to their high sensitivity causing an intrusive
background hiss. That is not an issue with the S6 unless you crank
the damping factor all the way up. For mobile use my Shanling M0 was
recruited for source duty and proved a fantastic pairing. Note that
while I listen most of the time at quite low volumes, the S6 Rui
really comes alive at moderate to high volumes. Those of you who tend
to listen loud will get more out of this earphone than those than
listen quietly.
Personal Preferences:
Specifications:
- Driver: 6 balanced armatures (Sonion bass x2, Knowles mids x2, Knowles treble x2)
- Frequency Response: 15Hz - 20Hz
- Sensitivity: 113dB/mW
- Impedance: 20ohms
- Isolation: 26dB
Packaging and Accessories:
The S6 Rui arrives in a very downplayed
cardboard box with little in the way of flourishes. The lid contains
a simple outline of face plate with the Fearless logo in the top left
corner while the side contain nothing. Flipping to the pack you find
some specifications and a QR code. Lifting off the lid you're greeted
to a long plastic protected by a flexible cardboard insert. Inside
the case are the earphones and accessories. In all you get:
- S6 Rui earphones
- 8-core 0.78mm 2-pin braided cable
- Hard plastic carrying case
- Shirt clip
- Velcro cable tie
- Whirlwind tips (s/m/l)
- Single flange silicone tips (s/m/l)
- Foam tips (white, blue, and red)
- Cleaning brush
- Aluminum information plaque
Build, Comfort, and Isolation:
The S6 Rui doesn't do anything
particularly new and special with their materials and body style, and
that's a good thing. The acrylics feel amazing with that telltale
softness to the touch that is typical of quality plastics. Since it
is clear, you can see the layout of the drivers, the painfully
accurate soldering job, the compact 3-way crossovers, as well as the
sound guides and Knowles-style filters within them. There are no
bubbles, or imperfections to be found anywhere. This particular
example of the S6 Rui has a silver tinsel/wire face plate and
visually it is quite stunning, especially when looking at it up
close. The way the Fearless brand name and logo float above it is
sweet too, and it does float as evident by the short shadows cast
when tilting it in the light. It all looks extremely clean, tidy, and
frankly quite impressive. Fearless has done an amazing job with the
construction and visual style of the S6 Rui.
The cable impresses too with it's eight
core, braided design and attention grabbing silver colouring. The
sheath feels fairly tough but still retains good flexibility, though
sharp bends do reveal some memory in the form of kinks that remain.
They can easily be straightened out though. Another nice plus is that
the sheath is not at all sticky so the cable doesn't catch on your
clothes or skin, sliding smoothly over it instead. All of the
hardware shares a consistent polished steel design which is
refreshing. Other cables seems to pull from a generic parts pins and
lack a cohesive look. The 90 degree angled jack is fairly beefy but
has a 3mm extension to accommodate cases, and a stubby, strain relief
that won't really do anything, not that a cable like this really
needs it anyway. The tubular y-split tapers in at the edges drawing
focus to the laser etched Fearless “W” logo imprinted on it.
There is no strain relief entering or exiting here. Fearless
thankfully eschewed memory wire for preformed ear guides which look
to be made from heat shrink. The curvature is natural and it is just
stiff enough to keep the cable in place during activity without
causing issues with friction around the top of the ear. The 2-pin
plugs are the only area I can draw criticism. The plugs are longer
than the recession in the ear pieces so they stick out a bit leaving
them susceptible to damage from bending. The blue ringed metal sheath
surrounding the left plug is also screwed further down the plug
leaving the cable looking a touch lopsided when installed. 99% of
people wouldn't notice this, nor would they care if they saw it, but
for someone like myself that like things to be uniformly mirrored, it
is a little irritating. Now that I've noticed it, I can't unsee it.
Also, while the pins fits in tightly, the right ear piece is prone to
detaching unexpectedly. I have no idea why because it feels very
secure, but it's happened a handful of times over my month or so of
testing so it must be mentioned. Thankfully the ear piece has only
ever fallen onto carpet so there has been no damage, as evidenced by
my images which are almost always taken shortly before the review is
written and posted. Nice to show any wear and tear a unit could pick
up during testing since I try to use stuff as a daily whenever
possible.
Thanks to a very ergonomic design,
likely crafted from overlaying hundreds of ear impressions like many
other brands have been doing as of late, the S6 Rui is a very
comfortable earphone. However, as is usually the case with this style
of shell this earphone is on the large side. It does contain 6
drivers per side and the accompanying crossovers, hardware for the
2-pin cables, and some filters after all. Still, as long as your ears
aren't too small the S6 Rui is probably going to fit you like a
dream, locking naturally into the outer ear to provide a stable, ear
hugging fit. Another plus is that despite being a sealed design, the
feeling of pressure you often get with sealed designs is absent, for
me at least.
With 26dB of isolation, the sealed S6
Rui should be completely suitable for use in noisy areas. Using it in
the local coffee shop was wonderful since I didn't have to increase
the volume to drown out the chaos around me. The same could be said
on a recent trip I took to a nearby city as a passenger in a noisy
truck. Tossing on a set of the included foam tips makes things even
better. Those who like to take their premium gear with them into the
outside world will find the S6 Rui a solid companion.
Sound:
You're sitting on a beach in the middle
of the ocean. The sun bathes you in it's rays of glorious life giving
vitamin D. A salty, calm ocean breeze washes over you. This really is
utter bliss. And the Fearless S6 is right there with you, caressing
your ear holes to the soothing sounds of Dragonforce. What does this
have to do with anything? Nothing really.
The S6 Rui has a mild u-shaped
signature to my ears. Treble sees a meagre bit of elevation with a
refreshingly even balance of presence and brilliance regions. Lower
treble finds itself in a classy place, like Jim Douglas in “Herbie
Goes to Monte Carlo”, with there being enough emphasis to provide a
detailed sound that falls just short of being analytic all while
avoiding the pitfalls and potential for harshness that go along with
exaggerated boosting. Upper treble is much the same. It provides a
grounded but airy note presentation with a silvery sparkly and
shimmer to relevant notes. There is no harshness or anything overly
aggressive going on with the S6 Rui's treble. It's easy on the ears
but still very technically competent and with the snappy decay you
expect from a balanced armature.
The midrange is full and engaging with
strong vocals that peer through the mix despite not being jacked up
and shoved forward as other earphones try to do. The clarity is
stellar with a fair amount of micro-detail cutting through and
pricking at your senses. This is the type of earphone that invites
repeat listens of familiar tracks thanks to it's ability to represent
everything available, so you might catch something you've missed in
the past. It's a very honest and unbiased presentation with wonderful
timbre that doesn't favour any particular frequencies, unlike
something such as the RHA CL2 with it's stratospheric upper mid boost
that nearly throws the entire presentation and timbre completely out
of whack. But some people like that. If you do, the S6 Rui probably
isn't for you.
The S6 Rui's low end is fantastic.
Extension is very good for a balanced armature allowing it the
ability to move some air and provide a decent bit of rumble. Sure, it
rolls off earlier than many dynamics. BUT, at the same time it also
extends further and provides a more impactful, engaging experience
than many other dynamics. As with other aspects of the signature, the
bass find that solid middle ground and makes it home. It sits in a
favourable position being a little more emphasized than is considered
“ideal” from a measurement perspective, but not so boosted so as
to be called bassy or bass prominent. This style of presentation is
very versatile since the S6 Rui can skip from genre to genre without
the bass being overbearing or underrepresented. Add to that good
dynamics and texture along with a realistic, not overly quick decay,
and you have yourself some high quality bass.
The S6 Rui has a solid sound stage too,
displaying a fair amount of width and additional depth. It can toss
sounds away from the head and immerses you in music, just not quite
as well as some other earphones I've heard. The depth to it's staging
is where the magic happens giving music a very dynamic, multilayered
feel. This is supported by some impressive separation that ensures
your music is congestion free. Imaging is also fantastic with crisp
and accurate channel to channel transitions. Radiohead's “House of
Cards” is a particularly enjoyable track with the S6 Rui and does a
great job of showing off all of the above-mentioned aspects.
Select Comparisons:
Fidue A85 Virgo (399.00 USD): The
Virgo's triple driver hybrid setup has a much more mid-focused sound
with roll off at either end. This makes it great for vocals and
certain genres, but compared to the S6 Rui feels constricted. The
S6's treble provides more shimmer, sparkle, and air thanks to a more
prominent upper region. The Virgo's emphasis in the lower treble
helps it with raw clarity and gives it an edge in mid-range note
definition. The S6 Rui's mid-range is warmer and less forward with
less detail but more accurate timbre. Bass on the A85 is slower with
more mid- and upper-bass focus. Sub-bass quantity and extension is
lacking, even compared to the S6's use of an armature where the Virgo
is using a dynamic. The S6 is more textured too. Sound stage is
surprisingly close with the Virgo feeling a touch larger and more
open, but lacking the depth of the Fearless. Imaging, layering, and
separation are all more prominent and accurate on the S6 Rui.
Build is split imo. While the Virgo's
metal shells are immaculately crafted and drop dead gorgeous to look
at, so is the S6 Rui. The two companies simply went about creating
amazing looking and feeling products in completely different ways.
The S6's cable is nicer though, looking more suitable for the price
range while also handling better. Fit for me is also better with the
Rui, though the Virgo's smaller, lower profile shells will certainly
be more universal across a wider variety of users. Isolation easily
goes to the sealer S6 Rui. The Virgo is heavily ventilated and has a
very shallow insertion.
Overall I prefer the S6 Rui. The Virgo
is a good sounding earphone but the limited end to end
extension/emphasis leaves it feeling lacking compared to the S6 Rui.
On the other hand, some will undoubtedly prefer it's more laid back,
mid-heavy presentation.
Astrotec Delphinus5 (500.00 USD): The
Delphinus5 is one of my favorite iems so the S6 Rui is coming in on
the backfoot. That said, I am surprised at how well it holds up to
Astrotec's flagship which as I understand has few fans. Both are
hybrids with the D5 featuring one less driver per side; 5 vs. 6. The
D5 runs with all Knowles while the S6 Rui combines Sonion low-range
with Knowles mid and high range drivers. I'm not a huge fan of
Knowles low range drivers since I've been finding them outpaced by
the low range drivers found in the KZ armature-only models. As such,
I was not surprised to find myself enjoying the S6's low end more. It
hits harder, digs deeper, and in general feels more engaging. The
D5's low end gets the nod for texture and control, however. The D5's
mid-range is more forward and articulate than on the S6 Rui, but is
also colder and a bit less natural sounding thanks to a timbre that
comes across more dry. Treble on the S6 Rui extends further and puts
more emphasis on the upper regions while the D5 extends just enough
to ensure you're not missing anything, and tosses emphasis at the
lower treble. As such, the S6 Rui is brighter and more shimmery, but
the D5 feels more forward and detailed. Imaging, layering, and
separation is where the D5 always shines and it's no different here.
The S6 does a better job than most of moving sound around in a
realistic manner, but the D5 simply does it better. I feel like I'm
surrounded by my music with the D5, something the S6 Rui falls just
short of achieving. While I still like the D5 more, the S6 Rui
provides a different experience and when in the right mood, can't be
replaced by the D5.
In terms of build, this is basically a
repeat of the Virgo comparison. A gorgeous acrylic design with
flawless construction vs. a stunning aluminum gem, perfectly
executed. While both are very comfortable, the D5's smaller size and
rounded interior is superior. I like the D5's cable but the stiff,
memory prone copper cable doesn't perform as well as the S6's plush
offering. Isolation is quite close too with the S6 Rui pulling
slightly ahead. Either would be suitable for a commuter wanting to
bring with them a TOTL listening experience.
Overall I prefer the D5, but I wouldn't
hesitate to recommend the S6 Rui over it. While the D5's flat tune is
great from a technical standpoint, I can easily see someone finding
it stuck up and boring next to the S6 Rui.
Final Thoughts:
While certainly not inexpensive to most
of you out there (myself included), I still consider the S6 Rui a
flat out bargain when compared to more expensive gear I have on hand.
Not only does it hold it's own in terms of tuning and technical
competence, but it is built just as well or better, has a stellar
cable, is comfortable as all heck, isolates well, looks amazing, and
comes with a great kit of extras.
The packaging could be flashier I
suppose, but as of late people seem not to care about stuff like that
unless it smells wonky and then watch out! Hey, at least it's
spacious and completely recyclable. Woo! The right ear piece
detaching at random is more of a valid concern, though easily
addressed by lightly bending the pins towards each other. You
shouldn't have to do it, but unless you go Hulk on the pins it's a
very easy and low risk fix. Other than that, criticisms of the S6 Rui
are as tough to find as Waldo's most challenging adventures
If you're looking for a premium product
and don't want to drop 500 USD to 1,000 USD on a unicorn, the S6 Rui
is well worth an audition so you can see how good it is, then
afterwards going home with one. This is one of the few products I've
reviewed that is absolutely worth saving up for.
- B9Scrambler
***** ***** ***** ***** *****
Some Test Tunes:
Aesop Rock - Skelethon (Album)
Daft Punk - Random Access Memories (Album)
Elton John - Yellow Golden Brick Road (Album)
King Crimson - Lark's Tongues in Aspic (Album)
King Crimson - Starless and Bible Black (Track)
Supertramp - Crime of the Century (Album)
Infected Mushroom - Converting Vegetarians (Album)
Infected Mushroom - Legend of the Black Shawarma (Album)
Gorillaz - Plastic Beach (Album)
Massive Attack - Mezzanine (Album)
Fleetwood Mac - Rumors (Album)
Run the Jewels - Run the Jewels (Album)
The Prodigy - The Day is My Enemy (Album)
Tobacco - F****d Up Friends (Album)
Felt - Felt 2 (A Tribute to Lisa Bone) (Album)
Post a Comment