Review: AIAIAI Swirl

AIAIAI Swirl review:

Driver

Unit Size 10 mm

Plug

Angled Stereo Plug 3.5 mm

Speaker Impedance

16 Ohm

Speaker Sensitivity

105 +/- 3dB

Maximum Power Input

20 mW

Frequency Response

20-20KHz

Microphone Sensitivity

-42 +/- 3dB

Microphone Directivity

Omni-directional

Style
Over the ear, straight down

MSRP: $97

Packaging, Accessories and Build Quality:

These come in a very plain box, that opens to the side with a slide out box with the IEM’s inside. Specifications can be found on the side of the box.
Inside you will find the IEM’s with foam tips attached, also included are 4 pairs of silicone tips, which are very soft, I did not like the foamies that were included, and I usually like foam more than silicone. Not a wide array of accessories, which is a shame, no carry pouch or anything like that included.
These feel like very solid IEM’s, the cable is very thick, the y-split is very large and made of very solid rubber, the cable below the y-split has a coiled section, I’m guessing so you don’t pull on y-split if caught on something. The housing is very sturdy, the only complaint is the lack of proper strain relief on all these parts, the jack is hard plastic, with no rubber strain relief. Overall these feel like they should last a long time.

Comfort and Isolation:

Once you have achieved a good seal these are comfortable, but the thick cable can be a pain sometimes, as it is heavy if you wear them straight down, if worn over the ear this is not a problem. The isolation on these is not actually that great, they do block out moderate sound, but i would pick a different pair for public transport or use in loud places.

Microphonics and Driver flex:

Microphonics are not a problem with these, there is very little when worn down, and none if worn over the ear. Driver flex is a different story though, these suffer very badly from driver flex when inserting or refitting, which i find quite annoying.

Microphone:

The microphone and controls work fine and seem to be good quality, the buttons are not plasticy, and have a good click to them when you press them.

Sound:
Here’s the part you’ve been waiting for.

Lows:
Very pronounced lows, deep, good texture, albeit sometimes boomy. the bass is not fast enough for heavy metal or very bassy tracks, but that is expected of a dynamic driver based IEM. These work well with dance music, rap and others. The lows are quite punchy while maintaing good extension and rumble, and good definition, although sometimes the lows are not as tight as the should be.

Mids:
The mids are well balanced, but warmed up by the lows, they are not very detailed. i really don’t know what else to say, as they are not up front and aggressive, nor recessed, they could be described as laid back and warm, with nice presence. both male and female vocals sound fine on these. I could detect no sibilance in the upper mids.

Highs:
The highs take a backseat somewhat, they are present, but not upfront, they are just there. No sparkle, nor real detail or definition. I would describe the highs as quite bland, nothing special about them. These could use a boost in the highs. The one good thing about this is that these are fatigue free and are suitable for long listening sessions.

Soundstage, Instrument Separation and Imaging:
Soundstage is nothing spectacular, these is some airyness but not enough for any real 3D imaging. Instrument separation is very good, it is easy to pick up all the different sounds from different instruments. Imaging is good also, left-right panning is good, and lets you hear where the instruments are coming from.

Overall:
These offer a sturdy build quality, comfy fit and good sound but i think the price is a bit high. There are better options out there for cheaper, but if your looking for something sturdy with a non fatiguing sound, with good bass then you will like these. If you want a more balanced sound, with good detail, i suggest looking elsewhere.