AFUL - Explorer

'without too harsh highs' definitely not, they're a bright set i'd consider aful explorer actually for a hybrid option

What would you say the upper mids/treble is like on the Luna? I’ve got the Aful explorers and I like the overall warmth of the set, but I want something with better detail on the upper minds/treble. I listen to a lot of breakcore and the Explorers feel sort of low res in that region

I have the Explorer so I'm very interested in hearing your comparison between those two.

I love my Explorer with the S&S, it's my top choice. I have tried Zeos Render, Penon orange, Nicehck C04, Zhu Rhymes bamboo, kbear coffee and have always gone back to the S&S. Having said that, eartips are very personal choices for different people so just stick with whatever feels best for you.

https://preview.redd.it/dtek5ukvlonf1.jpeg?width=4080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b4eeb391a93df7a691f698dc0fd4c2abc91f1798 Aful Explorer Onix Alpha XI1 Tripowin Zonie 4.4 Dunu S&S A 4.4 cable is a must if pairing the Explorer with the Onix Alpha, a very noticeable improvement in soundstage over the stock 3.5

I have all three IEMs, the Kefine Klean is good for $49 and if you change the stock cable it improves the bass and treble becoming warmer if using the Nicehck GTC5 cable. The Lesthouer S08 is a very good warm planar IEM I think is a really good option with the 25% discounts on Amazon US it comes out at around $66, but check the forums on Amazon it says frequently returned there are users who report problems with the right earbud, I have not had any problems, they sound very different from the Kefine Klean, the sound is somewhat dark with soft and detailed but not extended treble. The best for my personal taste is the Aful Explorer but it is the most expensive $119.99, it has a very organic warm sound, with good bass and detailed and sweet mids with a narrow but very musical presentation and the treble is somewhat attenuated with a certain level of detail. Any of these IEMs are wonderful but if you have the money go for the Aful Explorer if you like the warm signature and good musical representation.

Of all the IEMs I have, for some reason, the one I like the most is the Aful Explorer. I also have the Kefine Klean, Kefine Delci Ae, Sivga Que, Kiwi Ears Airoso, Lesthouer S08, Simgot EW300, Hidizs MP143, and MP145. All of these IEMs have a somewhat neutral, warm signature, but they all have excellent, very different sounds. I recommend the Aful Explorer, it's the best without a doubt. I won't tell you about the Hidizs MP145 because they're too big and can have adjustment problems if you have a narrow ear canal. Another thing I recommend is that you play with different types of cables and eartips, they can make a difference.

I have the ISN H20 and they're wonderful, better than many more expensive IEMs. My absolute favorite is the Aful Explorer, followed by the ISN H20, above the Lesthouer S08, Hidiz MP145 and MP143, Kefine Delci AE, etc.

The Aful Explorer is the go-to when people want warm, smooth sound

AFUL Explorer is not new. Not even close. I’m skipping a wordy lead up and unboxing by hitting a few main points. - Love the case. Puck style with a zipper. The suede material to the case is very nice to the touch. - The cable is ok. Not cheap feeling but I chose a 3rd party cable as you can see in the photo. - Eartips. Good enough selection especially if these are your first IEM. I chose to use a set of modded tips (I’ll get into that a little further down) The photo does NOT do these IEM justice. I was taken aback when I opened up the box and able to look at the IEMs in person. The rich blue tones with the sparkles really is eye catching. These are not a large IEM and likely to fit most ears. My only issue with the build. Same issue i have with the Performer 5+2, as well as Truthear Hexa. There is NO FILTER at the nozzle. The openings to the sound tubes are completely “unguarded” which triggers my paranoia. This may do the same for some of you also. MY solution is to use ear tips that are equipped with “gunk guards” I chose AZLA SednaEarfit tips, specifically the ASMR Max. I like these shorter ear tips on my IEMs because they provide a deep ear fit. As I mentioned before, this specific set of tips are modded. I have used foam from a set of foam ear tips to fill the space under the umbrella or cap. Resulting in a short, filtered hybrid tip…perfect for my use and sound preference (with this set) Sound: The Explorer is a revelation. I’ve seen and read up on every review I got my hands on before buying. Each review said the same things… “warm” “smooth” “relaxing” “unique” I wholeheartedly agree with all those opinions. I think what does get missed is the details these can still reveal in a well mixed/mastered track. The soundstage is not wide, but the imaging is still superb. The bass is quite obviously notable. However, I prefer a bit more bass with this warm presentation. This is where those short hybrid tips come into play. The deep insertion plus the foam helped bring more “warmth” to the table. The resulting sound is NOT muddy nor was the treble veiled (which goes back to the details and imaging) The mids, specifically vocals, some of the tracks I listened to…the vocals seemed a little recessed. Enough for me to take notice, but not enough to prevent me from enjoying the music with this set. The Explorer IS that nice warm IEM you can sit on the couch or in bed to relax to. Is it my first choice if I want to do some critical listening? No. Is it a set I’ll pick up to vibe with my tunes…ABSOLUTELY. They perform well across genres: rock, pop, hip hop, edm, METAL! They are smooth and warm enough that JPOP and K-POP can be enjoyed at higher volumes without fatigue. Film scores (the good ones…😅) can come across as cinematic, particularly Hans Zimmer’s F1 and the two Dune sound tracks. The warm lush sound is not my preference for classical pieces nor jazz pieces. BUT, that’s just me. I really enjoy the vibe this set brings. It is my go-to for my listening session before I go to sleep. Definitely a good set to add to your collection if you have several others. If this is a prospective first set…then it’s a safe first purchase. Especially if you’re coming from TWS that are quite generous in the low end.

Peeps here touched on it. A GREAT IEM now…will still be a GREAT IEM in 20 years (if the unit lasts that long) Koss and Sennheiser each have headphone models and designs that have been popular and even revered for over 40 years. That said…IEMs like Truthear Hexa and/or Mega5est will have staying power because of their reputation at their “hyped” peak. I think AFUL Explorer will be one of those IEMs that will be talked about for a long time. It has a very warm, smooth, relaxed tuning (treble) that is not common at that price point. Am sure there are fans of kilobuck or expensive mid-fi IEMs that have their favorites that they’ll swear will stand the test of time. The IEM space is quite young still. Yes, musicians and artists have been using IEMs for a long time…but for those of us using IEMs for music/gaming it is still a young development. Good luck with your collection journey. Consider using a watch box to store and display your IEMs (if you are into that)

If you have a pair of the wider bore that comes with zero red/hexa are great on the explorer

Explorer is a snoozefest in comparison to Defiant, but good for long sessions. I mean, Explorer is unique, but can be really boring even on your favourite tracks. Defiant is always engaging, less warm than Explorer, less flooded with bass but more punchy. Also more separated and organic to me, with better vocals. But Explorers scale very well with loud music. For me it asks for too much volume until it's considered fun. For some genres they could be the choice.

Aful explorer hands down. They are small, sound terrific, and usually go for less than 90-95$. Also they are beautiful to look at.

Agreed, absolutely love mine too

I've listened to all except KE4, and base on what i thought: 1. If you like bass than the others: Aful Explorer with "L-shape sound signature" (on small volume). If you crank up volume to medium-high, sounds will much better but still focus on bass, especially subbass. 2. Harman enjoyer: Truthear Nova/Supermix 4 with "Harman/U-shape sound signature". SM4 will have more subbass than midbass, but doesn't bleeding to mid. Uppermid/female vocal sounds really good. Treble also, and feel it somehow better than Nova. If you like the "rumble" in your ears, you'll prefer SM4 than Nova, although both of them are Harman sound signature. 3. Less bass, vocal more sparkle than Harman: KE4 with "Meta/JM-1". Although I said I haven't listened KE4, but I experienced some higher "kinda" have same sound signature, like Softears Volume S/Thieaudio Hype 4. Sounds nearly perfect to me, not too much or too less bass, but vocal really shines overall. Treble reached enough height to not become too harsh like the name "meta". 4. Least bass of all with higher treble is S12 Pro. Cuz of Planar driver, the bass isn't really have much quantity, but it has good control, hit really tight, and decay very fast, which is not good for basshead. Treble is what it did best, it perfectly fit if you like listen to some genres with treble focus like orchestra or sth related. But if you like, you listen to many different genres, I recommend you choose Ziigaat Odyssey. Unboxing experience/packaging is very bad cuz they spent all money to the iems itself. Thats why it sounds good. If this will be your first iems then I recommend you should buy few cheap iems first to find out your liking. Tangzu Wan'er 2 for Vocal, Kinera Celest Wyvern Abyss/Wyvern Black Remaster (will release soon) for Bass, and Moondrop Lan for Treble. From what I learnt, the number of drivers is not the factor decides that iems is good or not. Look at the KZ, dumped in a hell lot of drivers, and it still sounds like dogshit to me. Compare to Aful Magicone, which uses only one BA driver, but it can make none of the bullshit KZ with the same, even higher price range can mess up with Magicone. Or higher we have Softears Twilight which is my future target, have only one Dynamic Driver at price 800$, but it still have a lot of respect from many audiophiles. Even higher? Sennheiser IE900, 1500$, still 1 Dynamic also.