:
Great accessories (oh, that suitcase!!!!)
Neutral tuning (to my ears) so the amp/Dac/Dap can influence the sound
They upscale with decent desktop gear beautifully (HUGE transformation)
Staging is wide and round (holographic)
Separation is excellent
:
On some gear, they can be a bit “too” neutral (safe)
The cable is quality but a tad stiff and difficult to work with
Snappy new name in the EAA lineup. Looking forward to a new “look” too on the next set
Preamble:
I was looking for some small change down behind the sofa to get myself a coffee, and I felt a box……I pulled it up and almost fell over. It was a beautiful black box with ‘Genesis’ and ‘Elysian Audio’ audio written on it, with a picture of 2 beautiful looking iems.
How did it get there you ask? The Aural Archangel?? Beelzebubian forces manipulating their evil?? The storks?
Someone must know……
Well, I exclaimed “Bugger me!!” and opened them up.
Ear Acoustic Audio will NOT be getting a favourable review just because I found these behind my couch……
I like to add on all my reviews –
I’m listening with my ears, not yours.
I’m listening with my gear, not yours.
I’m listening with my love of audio, and not yours. YMMV…..
Now let’s get our aural hands dirty.
Gear:
For the review, my portable gear consists of my trusty Fiio M23 DAP and for desktop, the new Fiio K13 R2R (https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/fiio-k13-r2r.28471/reviews#review-41026) with the new xDuoo DP-10 Streaming transport (https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/xduoo-dp-10-streaming-transport.28869/reviews#review-40995).
I will also add the Aune N7 headphone amp, decoded by my SMSL VMV D2R Dac and my Eversolo DMP-A6 streamer as source.
Unboxing and first impressions:
EAA have produced a fancy large black box with 2 windows peering into 2 special metallic cards, one with the limited number iem this is, and one with my name on it (and who knew my name was “Amanda Huggenkiss”?).
Lift the lid and the iems look beautiful and shiny on the left and we get to open another box.
In it, is a gorgeous little suitcase and hiding in it, a box of lovely tips and a very good quality (assumption at this point) black braided cable with a 4.4mm termination. Hallejulah.
Plenty of tips, a large manual and that suitcase…I love it!
I do have to laugh at the inner lid of the box as it quite boldly states the “Alcoholic Secret Key, Unlocking the Realm of Immersion”……I thought, Oh shiizen, there’s a little flask of whisky inside. I was disappointed.
Playlist:
Blue Mountain – When Heaven Falls Down & Hell Freezes Over - album, 2026
Symphony Of Sweden – Stand My Ground – album, 2026
David Guetta (feat Bebe Rexha) – I’m Good (Blue)
Balu Brigade – Sideways
Tones and I – Dance Monkey
Michael Jackson – Beat it
Ozzy Osbourne – Crazy Train
The Important Stuff:
The Genesis retail for $249 USD and utilise a single flagship 8.3mm titanium dome + diamond-coated suspension-diaphragm dynamic driver.
They have an impedance of 38 ohm and a sensitivity of 110db/mw. They boast a 0.78mm Litz Coaxial Silver-plated Oxygen-Free Copper cable with 48-Strand Braided Sheilding.
These behemothic bejewelled beasts are huge, shiny and sparklicious…… I appreciate the nozzles, as the tips are easy to swap out.
I’m not sure about the cable. It’s a thick, braided number with lovely terminations but it’s a tad stiff and non-flexible. It’s also a bit microphonic, but inaudible with music playing. It may soften/smooth out overtime. Let’s hope.
They aren’t too large or hefty that they don’t fit well, they do. And the stiffer over-ear section works to their advantage, keeping them in place. They feel very secure.
I’ve been listening to a lot of new music lately (thank the Christmas holidays Gods!).
In particular, Blue Mountain, a Swedish hard rock outfit new to me, and a new album by a band I listened to a few years back, Symphony of Sweden, called Stand My Ground. Both excellent bands AND albums.
I used the entire albums to do a lot of the listening for this review.
Straight up on Blue Mountain, we get an Ozzy Osbourne-inspired riff (Crazy Train). It’s a hard rock guitars/drums/vocals style and it’s a great listen on the Genesis!
Bass isn’t deep but it’s there. The bass guitar is audible but not earth-shaking. Mids are just right in the mix for me. They aren’t forward or recessed either. And treble again, isn’t overbearing at all but there’s plenty of detail and clarity.
I’d have to guess these are very neutrally tuned. I’ve reviewed 2 previous EAA iems, and loved them. These are tuned completely differently to those (https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/earacoustic-vsa-max.28304/reviews#review-39929
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/ea...-ear-earphone-iems.28160/reviews#review-39554).
Guitars are natural and sound exactly as they should. Drum kicks and high-hats are snappy and clean but not crisp or sibilant. It’s quite a relaxed tuning so far.
Keyboards kick off on When Heaven Falls Down (Ode to Mange), and they are detailed and resolving. Bass guitar has a bit more oomph on this song.
I tried all 3 sets of tips and came back to the ones already on the iems. I couldn’t tell a big difference between any of them to be honest.
Everything is cohesive and well-delivered. Natural and realistic timbre from electric and acoustic instruments is what I’m hearing.
Staging is very good. Separation of sounds is excellent though. I can easily pin-point the instruments in the song and on Common Sense – guitars start out wide left and right. Vocals are centred and guitars are left and right. Drums seem slightly behind me so there is some holographic staging. Separation is excellent.
I read on the website that these are “Vinyl” sounding and quite analogue in presentation.
And that is what I am hearing. There doesn’t seem to be any boosts in any frequencies (to my old ears), it’s quite neutral. But this doesn’t mean boring. Mids are just buttery smooth for me and there is still plenty of treble energy (energy probably isn’t the correct word. Maybe presence is a better word. I don’t actually feel like I’m missing any detail, but it does sound slightly warmish.
Onto Symphony Of Sweden. Stand My Ground is just a beautiful melodic rock album.
Now, bass here is much more present so I am guessing the mixing on the previous album was less bass-prioritised. The bass guitar is much more audible and balanced. They still aren’t bass-canons but bass is more dynamic. Mids again are just lovely and smooth. Vocals sit right in the middle and are not too close or intense.
There is some decent treble presence but it does still have that warmth to it. Synths and guitars are clean and clear but not in any way harsh or bright.
I will try the Genesis on the Fiio K13 R2R Dac but my guess is that it may enhance the warmth.
A more clinical or technical Dac may be needed to add a bit of spice to the treble (although I don’t feel I am missing out).
Staging is again wide and round on the title track Stand My Ground.
On the third track – SHE – Always The One, synths, guitars and vocals are all separated well in the mix and all around my head.
The sound is natural, with no digital harshness or artificial quality. Tones are rich and warm.
I’m old and need a certain level of treble but I am actually really enjoying the newer iems coming through of late, without that crisp upper-end or borderline sibilance.
I’m preferring that all-roundedness, where bass isn’t always HUGE, and treble isn’t sparkly or sharp.
And this is what the Genesis are giving me.
I’m gonna bust a move on the dance-floor next.
I’m Good (Blue) is an electronic lover’s paradise. And wow, this hits HARD on the Genesis.
Bass is super-punchy and dynamic. It goes down but not to sub-bass levels. But the mid-bass is excellent and as full as Big Uncle Bobby’s sock on a hot day (he’s got chronic gout…..).
Treble is clean and snappy and resolution is first-rate. Mids are just right.
Sideways is again a heavy-hitter on the Genesis. Bass does go quite deep and has authority and control. Nothing bleeds.
Vocals are just right and separation is wide and spacious. I can pinpoint everything with ease.
Another great track for the Genesis.
Dance Monkey is exactly the same – it’s exciting, fun, toe-tapping and bass is deep and energetic here.
Probably the best bass I have heard yet on these bad boys.
And Tones voice is just right. Plenty of detail, clarity and very natural. Lovely.
I switched over to the xDuoo Dp-10/Fiio K13 combo. I was right. The warmth of the R2R was just a tad too dark. But bass increased in depth (not by much) and quality. It had more presence. Staging also increased a tad. Mids remained and treble was a hair shy of the AKM Dac of the M23.
Over to the Aune N7 and SMSL VMV D2R. Now this is an AWESOME combo. Staging again increased all around, not just left to right. On Yosi Horikawa’s Bubbles, this is a lively, exciting and punchy listen.
Resolution has increased as has staging. Everything is crystal clear. These are new iems (not that the old ones were bad!!).
On Beat it by Michael Jackson/Eddy Van Halen (Vale Ed-man), staging and separation is marvellous. It’s snappy, clean, exciting and full.
I’m finishing with a fav. Crazy Train (Vale Ozz-man and Mr Rhoads….).
Randy’s guitar is lighting up my aural internals. This is a cracker on the Genesis. It’s punchy, hard-hitting, dynamic and everything sounds great!!
A quick comparison:
The DUNU 142s are the same price but are a tribrid as opposed to the Genesis’ single DD.
Aesthetics are tied – I love both, as is fit and weight. They’re both big Berthas (hey, that’s my cousin!!!!).
Both are very decent quality cables but the stiffness of the Genesis cable leans me towards the 142s from DUNU.
Accessories and packaging go to EAA with ease. I LOVE that suitcase!! And the personalised name plaque was a nice touch, although my name’s not Ms Huggenkiss.
Soundwise, this is very interesting, as we have 2 very competent iems.
DUNU’s 142 has lovely airy extended treble and is a fun iem with good quality bass. Mids can be a hair forward.
Staging and placement are very good.
The Genesis have a slightly warmer treble (on my Fiio Dap (surprising) and K13 R2R). But on the Aune N7/SMSL D2R, they opened up and started kicking some aural butt-pie!!!!!!!!
Bass was deeper with better quality and quantity on the Gens, treble brightened up substantially and allowed to spread their wings.
Staging and placement on the desktop setup really brought them alive. It was wide and round and every sound was pin-pointable and identifiable in my skull.
Mids were smoother on the Gens too, so overall I preferred the Gens, especially on my Aune N7/SMSL D2R.
Conclusion:
Well it was a good start from EAA. Great packaging (love the suitcase!), tips to roll and a quality cable (although still too stiff).
They sounded very good on the Fioo M23 Dap, albeit a tad neutral (nice change though). They became a tad too warm on the Fiio R2R (not surprising), but bring out the big guns (Aune N7 amp and SMSL VMV D2R Dac) and these things threw off their compression socks and slippers, opened their flannelette robes to reveal a………..oh hang on -wrong type of review……..well, to reveal an upbeat, energetic, dynamic and punchy side with really good staging and separation. Bass dove south, treble travelled north, and the midrange hung around the local pubs, trying to get a free pint.
I give them a solid 4/5.
Thanks to someone (???) for leaving them under my sofa, I’m still pinching myself. I’m really enjoying watching where EarAcoustic are going.
My only advice would be to bring us something completely different looking (I feel these are very close to the SPA Ltd. Ed. Snake version in aesthetics). Wow us EAA, send us crazy!!!!
And thanks again readers for sticking with me, it means a great deal!!!
