Audiofly AF1120 mk2: A flagship of a different sort - Ngoshawk reviews
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Audiofly AF1120 mk2: A flagship of a different sort.
Pros: Very good timbre.
Good fit.
Sound, which will not offend.
An “affordable” flagship.
Very nice overall.
Very nice case.
Cons: Cable is not the best.
Build quality not, TOTL.
Maybe too neutral for some, as in it does not offend?
AF’s version of flagship may not be for everyone… Audiofly AF1120 mk2 ($850usd): A flagship of a different sort. 4.25 stars
Define
“flagship.” Kansas-Mt. Sunflower is a “summit,” on a different level,
and so should AF1120 be considered a flagship in that same verbiage.
Initial: Upon arrival, I checked to
ensure all was well and good. It was and gave a quick listen.
Immediately, I realized that this to me was the better offering, and
more to my liking than the AF180. With a bit darker signature, and
better clarity, the timbre of the AF1120 immediately shown through. Very
good bass, with good air between the notes lent itself to a quite
pleasing signature, or one that fit my tastes. In conversation with @Wiljen,
we noted how many of today’s product indeed sound good, and the gap is
getting smaller these days, which makes our job enjoyable but harder.
Those of us with good ears can indeed do an admirable job of discerning
those decreasingly smaller discrepancies. Then there is me, with my
ears. I have to work harder to discern those differences, but as a
result, my critical listening skills have moved forward a bit. Enough to
make differences known and enjoyable in pursuit of those.
Thanks to Michelle with Audiofly for allowing @Wiljen
to send over the AF1120. This earphone was loaned for the purposes of
review and will be returned. All thoughts within this review are my own
subjective opinions and do not represent Audiofly or any other entity.
At the time of writing the AF1120 MK2 retailed for 849.99usd: https://audiofly.com/shop/AF1120 MK2-mk2/
Meze Rai Penta ($1099)-from review Shozy x AAW Pola ($850)-from review Shozy x AAW Pola39 ($1050)-from review 64Audio U8 ($950) Campfire Audio Jupiter ($700)
Cayin N6ii Dethonray DTR1 XDuoo X10Tii/iFi Pro iDSD
Songlist:
Los Lobos- Disconnected in New York Mark Knopfler-Laughs And Jokes And Drinks And Smokes Santana w/ Mana- Corazon Espinado twenty one pilots Regional At Best, Trench Tedeschi Trucks Band Big Head Todd & The Monsters-Beautiful World Mark Knopfler-Down The Road Wherever
Coming
a satin black box not unlike what Clear Tune Monitors does, the box
looks quite good. With writing on all sides there is a plethora of
information to be had. A nice picture of the AF1120 covers the front,
while the back has all pertinent information. A too small to see
frequency graph along with tiny print adorns the top left, while an
exploded drawing covers the right. Specifications and items included
cover the bottom 1/4 of the back. Nicely done, but print is too small.
Taking
the top off and you reveal thick hard foam cradling the IEM’s and
cable. The lower half carries the pelican-like case. Inside are all of
the other details such as extra tips, shirt clip, etc. Not a bad
presentation overall and one in which you can live knowing the AF1120 is
protected well.
Fit-n-finish:
The cable is white
with a Cordura covering, which is darn near indestructible. It even has a
very good tactile feel to it, and with strain relief fits over the ear
well. The Audioflex cable lays well, too. Above the y-splitter though,
there is no protection with the Cordura and as such both wires on each
side seem a bit thin. But with a tight wrap, you need not worry too
much, for the lay of the cable is such that the upper part stays
protected.
The IEM itself is made from two halves of
kidney-shaped plastic and a long skinny nozzle. The same diameter as the
AF180, the nozzle has a “dip” on one side of the end, just like the 180
as well. I am not sure why, but it does help when putting tips on. The
plastic is clear so one can see the electronics inside, which are neat
and tidy. Each side is also labeled with the model number, serial number
and either “L” or “R” for the respective sides. Fit isn’t the best, and
less than I would hope for a flagship let alone one that costs $850usd.
Will mentioned this in his review with hopes that Audiofly would move
to injection molded plastic or something of the sort, which would be
more befitting a flagship. I agree. But, once you hear the critter, most
of that can be forgotten thankfully.
Sound:
The AF1120mk2 has a very
pleasing sound overall to me. Slightly warmer than the AF180mk2, with a
fuller sound as well; the 1120 fits my musical tastes more closely. That
could be why I like it more as well. Not so long ago, the driver war
pushed the number into near astronomical limits. Thankfully, as
companies realized this was not a good long-term strategy, they dialed
back that number to a more reasonable level. I for one am glad since
this allowed those companies to focus on the sound rather than compete
for numbers.
With six BA drivers, two each for bass/mid/highs,
the 1120 can focus on the crossover network and fine tuning of each set.
And the “tri-combo” works well together. Neither forces themselves to
the front, except for the mids a bit to me. But this is not a bad thing,
no. Vocals tend to be in front, like they would be on stage so giving
the listener that sense makes for a good sound. Add in enough bass push
to make for a pleasant tie down to hold everything in place and you have
the makings of a very solid IEM at the sub-$1000 price point.
Control is the name of the game down low. The bass
does not reach especially deep, but this is amongst the better control
of an IEM I have had inhouse for a good longish time. Lack of thump is
made up for in quality. There are times I love my Legend X for its pure
thump, but other times a bit more control is wanted. And here the
AF1120mk2 accommodates nicely. Playing well with the other sounds, the
bass does not draw attention to itself, it merely provides the support.
So far so good.
Moving higher though and we reach the star, the mids.
Here the quality detail can be heard easily. And it is very, very good.
Clarity lends itself nicely as a result, but not quite as clean as
others. The warmer side of life tends to do that. But it is quite good
as well, and I do not miss that extra cleanliness. For with that, you
often get a feeling of “antiseptic.” Here there is no such thing. None
of the shoutiness happens here that could occur from the “too clean”
sound. And for that I am thankful. Rosa Lee from Los Lobos
could easily descend into a cacophony of unruliness without the slight
warmth provided by the tuning here. And as such, the mids are the
central focus, the star of this presentation. This is the kind of mid
sound one would wish could be transferred to other IEM’s instantly, so
that you do not miss the sound. Kind of like a plug-n-play amp on
certain DAP’s.
And thankfully, the treble
is of sufficient quality to not bother me with too much up top. Good
energy without becoming grating, biting or too sparkly makes this
reviewer happy. I am able to turn up Chuco’s Cumbia
sufficiently to keep my tiring ears happy without too much bite. Ever so
slightly dropped at the top, this makes for a very pleasant flagship.
This is not about so much detail that you cannot enjoy the sound but
more about actually enjoying the sound. Of the ones listed
below in the comparison section, this is the most tolerant top end, and
the one I enjoyed the most. Good stuff, indeed.
Soundstage/separation/instrumentation:
Thankfully
this enjoyable sound carries over into the soundstage, which while as
bit wider than some, is not so wide that the separation suffers.
Sometimes a headphone can have too wide of a soundstage. One
where the instruments do not work in concert together. On the AF1120mk2
though, you need not worry. Wide enough to accommodate everyone
but not tall enough to make you think of a high vaulted concert hall.
More small venue, and that intimacy is not claustrophobic in the least.
When solos on Van Morrison tracks call for it, there is room to be
heard. When the whole of Los Lobos gets going, there is indeed room for
all to jam.
Individual instruments do not fight for space, nor
separate from each other as noted in the previous paragraph. Melding
together like sound engineer envisioned I would imagine is an apt
description. The pluck of bass cello on March Winds In February
can clearly be heard and give that firsthand intimacy of experience.
Van Morrison’s voice does become a bit harsh, but that is the nature of
this track and a good part of the album. Conversely, Joey Alexander’s
piano staccato on Warna sound wonderfully sublime. A bit dark
(due to Tidal), but nonetheless quite compelling in presentation. Giving
the AF1120mk2 a good mark for cross source and cross platform, this
does.
Comparison:
Audiofly AF1120 mk2 ($850) v Meze Rai Penta ($1099)-from review:
After
hearing the Empyrean, the Rai Penta would be in a tough place to come
close. Ultimately in my mind, Meze did not take the same chance they did
with the Empyrean. As a result, I think they missed a tremendous
opportunity. Don’t get me wrong, the Rai Penta is quite a good unit, but
it is kind of like the jack of all trades. Does many things, but not
with anything standing out as its preemptive favorite. I do like how it
performed overall, with that sublime middle of the road sound, but I
could have used more bass to give it a bit more soul.
The AF on
the other hand performs well, especially the mids. These are quite good,
and the match for the Rai Penta. If it was on sound signature alone, it
would be a tough draw. Fabulous mids, with a slightly warmer tilt and
quite competent sound, the AF1120mk2 would be a good choice. If you want
a critter who’s build is second to none, with a sound characteristic
that does all admirably, without showing off in any direction, then the
Rai Penta would be a good choice. I will admit, that both appeal to me
and if I had to choose one, I would fret and froth over the decision for
a good long time.
Audiofly AF1120 mk2 ($850) v Shozy x AAW Pola ($850)-from review:
This
one is easier. To me, the AF1120mk2 is what the Sozy/AAW should have
striven for. The older AAW W900 is one of my all-time favorites. It was
also one of my first forays into a TOTL. It deserved its place among the
top. But here, the Pola falls short, doing nothing above average to me.
I was uninspired. For the price, this would be an easy decision. The AF
wins across the board (to me).
Audiofly AF1120 mk2 ($850) v Shozy x AAW Pola39 ($1050)-from review:
This
is a bit more difficult. The Pola39 is what the Pola should have been,
and the Pola39 then should have moved towards the W900. The bass on the
Pola39 is among the best controlled and reaching of pretty much
any unit at this price. Extraordinary control makes for a foundation
upon which the rest builds. And does so well. I really enjoyed the
Pola39 and did spend the majority of my time using it over the Pola.
That said, the AF1120mk2 can hold its own very well here due to the
wonderful sounds of mid and control of bass. Lonely Streets defines all that is good in the AF1120, and I have to pause to raise the volume on the N6ii.
Audiofly AF1120 mk2 ($850) v 64Audio U8 ($950):
An
older friend purchased due to @Glassmonkey’s wonderful review, I still
pull this one out for comparisons and the quality of bass. A very
different signature than pretty much everything else from 64Audio, I
love the way the bass is handled. Pure thump and deserving of its
pedestal in the basshead hall of fame in my book. What it lacks in
overall quality, it makes up for in 64Audio quality of thump and a
velvet smoothness of character. This is a fabulous sound. Mids fall well
behind the AF, but the U8 is pulled out by me for an old school good
time of bass and rock-n-rock. A purchase I do not regret.
If you
want an overall excellent signature, the AF1120mk2 is well ahead. But if
you pine for a bass unit, which might even make the Legend X blush in
jealousy, then the U8 might be the way to go. And from what I hear that
sound was tuned into the A8, a cult favorite.
Audiofly AF1120 mk2 ($850) v Campfire Audio Jupiter ($700):
The
Jupiter was at one time Campfire Audio’s “flagship.” Then the Andromeda
came along and stole the show. Weird of fit, and a sound signature not
for everyone, the Jupiter fell by as others moved along. If overall
signature is what you want, then it isn’t even fair. The AF wins. But if
you want a bit more character with mids (specifically vocals), which may be
a bit more round then the Jupiter might work. If I had the two
side-by-side, I would most likely bring home the AF every time. But
sometimes I still pull the Jupiter out just for a listen.
Sources:
The XDuoo x10tii/iFi Pro iDSD
was the unit I used the most, and to me the trio fit extremely well
together. Providing a detailed sound from the XDuoo, paired with the
tubeness of the iFi made for a complimentary package. One, which worked
very well and again received the majority of my listening time.
If portable is what you want, the Cayin N6ii
is hard to beat for me. Providing a warm sound, with excellent detail
aided the AF in strutting its stuff. The mids came across clean and
clear. Not crisp, but airy and detailed. I could listen to this
combination all day and not fatigue, even at high volume.
If you want to add pure detail to the sound, then the Dethonray DTR1
is where you should go. This combo gives the AF that extra air, which
can be missed between other sources. Call this the complimentary pair
that bring different talents to the table and work well together. The
Sonny & Cher of the group. This would be a fabulous on the go
pairing and one in which I did that several times.
Conclusion:
It is often hard to
follow others who have reviewed the product, for you might feel you
cannot hear what they did, or you do hear the same things and do not
want to plagiarize or grab their verbiage. But here is a case where I
walk side by side with the other reviewer in hearing pretty much the
same. The mids are fabulous. The overall signature is one, which has few
peers at this level with regard to musical detail save maybe the Rai
Penta. This is a very good sounding musically detailed IEM with
excellent timbre. Of those mentioned above, it probably is the most
musical. It isn’t perfect though. At this price, sub-par build and a
cable, which mimics a 1970’s Kirby leave a bit to be desired. There is a
certain other company, which has build quality such as this. But it has
a very devote following. My hope is that Audiofly and especially the
AF1120mk2 will garner that same respect when it comes to sound. It would
be deserved.
I thank Audiofly for the loaner, it is a wonderful unit, with some flaws, which can be ironed out. I also thank @Wiljen for sending the critter my way in the trade. Please give the AF1120mk2 a listen. It is enjoyable.
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