Today we are looking at a 1BA IEM from Alpha Omega which is the Epsilon.
Alpha Omega IEM is a IEM company based in Sarawak. From what I have seen on their Facebook and Instagram, they seem to have quite a reputation over there. They do re-shelling and they have their own product line as well.
What is the Epsilon?
Epsilon is a full range Single BA IEM. The driver is from Denmark. It cost 599RM which is about $200SGD so it won't break your wallet.
Packaging:
As you can see, this is the packaging
with a foam cut out in it and there is a case.
And in that case you have the Epsilon.
It is quite well protected so I don't have much to say. Nothing too fancy but not lacking in any way.
The case seems to do its job well.
The cable is Alpha Omega own 8 Strands Silver Plated Copper Wire 5N Single Crystal Copper. It does the job well, doesn't get tangled and its quite durable. It does look like one of the cables that KZ just recently released though.
Build, Durability, Fit and Isolation:
Ok for the build, I have to say its ridiculously big. Theoretically, if it is big, provided that it can fit in your ear, you would get better isolation since the fit is tighter, which was the case for me. But after a while, it gets really uncomfortable. In fact, this is actually almost the same size if not bigger than the Moondrop blessing 2. I say its ridiculous because its a single BA IEM. There's no need for it to be so big. Durability wise, I can say the shell looks quite thick, its not resin filled but its quite sturdy and can handle a few knocks here and there. But the connectors of the unit I received were already loose. When I contacted Alpha Omega to ask about it, it seemed like the previous customer might have damaged it during testing. The only solution to this would be to switch to MMCX connectors, switch to recessed 2 pin connectors as the default option, or switch to another 2 Pin manufacturer to increase durability. Or make sure it is better taken care of. I'll leave that up to them to decide.
Sound:
For this review, I used my own tips and didn't really try cable rolling since the connector was already loose so I will update this review later on after discussing with Alpha Omega.
I must say, I was pleasantly surprised when I first tried the Epsilon because it is so well tuned. The Epsilon leans towards the upper frequencies since it is a single BA IEM so you can't really get a good low and high from it. It's either one or the other. That doesn't mean it is bad though. It has fantastic vocals and is quite a decent all rounder.
Bass:
I wasn't blown away by the Bass honestly because I heard better but considering that this is a Single BA IEM, it is by far already quite above average. I can even say that this is one of the better implementations of a Single BA IEM's. The bass here is really punchy, tight, well textured and fast. Roll of is also very natural. In a nutshell, it is just well controlled. The mid-bass is punchy and manages to keep the Epsilon fun sounding. The sub-bass roll off is also very nice. It sounds very natural and I don't find anything odd. Doesn't sound artificial like some IEM's. It gives a realistic sounding replication of drums.
Mids:
Here is the highlight. Vocals have good clarity. Both Male and Female vocals sound lovely on the Epsilon. For a Single BA IEM, I can say it is quite impressive. It doesn't get shouty and reveals a resolving amount of detail in the midrange. It is also very smooth sounding and for some reason helps me to relax. Not much to say here but it is certainly very well done.
Treble:
The treble here is just fantastic. I wouldn't say that it is perfect, but you can't really fault it given the driver configuration and the price. A single BA vs the likes of the QDC Anole VX which has 10BA. This Epsilons treble is already one of the better ones. I recently tried the BGVP NS9 and the treble was so lacking . Worse than the Epsilon and it has 7BA's. The Epsilon has fantastic treble extension. Cymbals sound crisp and crystal clear. It's not overly boosted and sounds realistic. I like to use the Epsilon when I play the drums just because I like how the cymbals sound on the Epsilon. There is no harsh peaks and sibilance at all. Because the Epsilon excels in this aspect, I think you can consider this a bright IEM.
Staging, Instrument placement:
The soundstage is quite wide and has got quite a bit of height and good depth. Instrument placement is precise and easy to pin point where it is coming from. It doesn't sound cramped.
Conclusion:
While I personally don't think the Epsilon fits my tastes exactly since I prefer a bass with more quantity, I think it will be able to satisfy most peoples needs since it is quite a decent all rounder that excels in certain aspects. The Epsilon is indeed a competitive IEM in terms of sound and pricing compared to some other brands I have seen like Custom Art and their Fibae Black.