iBasso Epitome Flagship IEMs Review – Absolution Of Musical Qualities
iBasso Epitome is the $3499 USD flagship pair of IEMS with a hybrid driver configuration that will likely take the crown for the first part of 2025 best IEM. It features one of the most complete configurations ever seen, with 20 drivers playing for each ear, 8 Soniton EWST Drivers, 10 Sonion BA Drivers and 2 Knowles BA Drivers. Today we will review the Epitome and also compare it with other flagship IEMS including Ambient Acoustics MAD24 (3500 USD), Dita Audio Perpetua (2999 USD), Final Audio A8000 (2400 USD) and FIR Audio NE4 (2299 USD).
Introduction
iBasso is best known for their high-end flagship DAPs and DAC AMPs, but today we review something completely different, their first true flagship pair of IEMs Earphones. While their DX320 MAX ti is still the world’s best music player, iBasso only made more affordable Earphones so far. You can grab iBasso products from Amazon, Aliexpress and other stores for electronics, as they are widely available. It is best to purchase from authorised channels for warranty, but iBasso products have some of the lowest failure rates for any electronics in the whole world.
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Product Link
Amazon – https://amzn.to/466fg6u
Aliexpress – https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_c45urZML
Build Quality – Design
The premise is that Epitome will be a front-row seat to the musical performance, packing the powerhouse driver array and resin shells that will look as incredible as they sound. Playing on this note, Epitome comes with 20 drivers playing for each ear, and the configuration includes 8 Sonion EST Drivers, 10 Sonion Balanced Armature Drivers and 2 Knowles Balanced Armature drivers, coordinated by a 5-Way Crossover.
With shells made of Hypoallergenic medical-grade resin, and a 5N Mono Crystal Copper cable with interchangeable plug system, featuring 4.4mm balanced, 3.5mm single ended and a type-c plug, Epitome surely looks impressive. The reason for going with this driver setup is that iBasso tries to blend the precision and sparkle of the Electrostatic drivers for treble with the precision of BA drivers for bass and midrange.
Starting with the treble, we have 4 Sonion EST drivers singing together in the 10 kHz – 20 kHz range, basically the upper treble and ultra high-end extension. A Dual High-Frequency Knowles BA Driver combo is singing the 6 kHz – 12 kHz range, for a bridge between the midrange and the treble. Two Sonion Dual Drivers handle the 3 kHz – 6 kHz range, for clarity, instrument separation and upper midrange presence. A pair of Dual Sionion Mid Ba Drivers will handle the 400 Hz – 3 kHz range, for a rich vocal performance, and one Dual Sonic Low-Frequency Ba Driver produces a tight and clean bass.
Something that is not immediately apparent is that Epitome comes with two cables, one being the high-end cable with modular connectors, and another relying on a new alloy created with silver plated wire, offering an excellent sonic performance, but which has not undergone durability testing yet, so it is a gift for Epitome, but it is not part of the warranty scope. Technically, Epiomie has a low impedance of 17 OHMs, and a rather high SPL of 113 dB / mW. With a promised frequency response of 20 Hz – 20 kHz and a weight for each side of 6.2 grams, Epitome looks like a proper flagship that we will put through all our tests.
Subjective Usage
iBasso Epitome has superb comfort and fits my ears like a wonder, offering extreme passive noise isolation of around 25 dB to 35 dB depending on the frequency. They have a higher quality resin in the build than most IEMs, and the fitting feels more ergonomic, contact with my ear is more natural, and Epitome just feels nicer than most IEMs inside of my ears, offering a better fit too.
Cable quality is extraordinary for both cables, and I highly suggest that you experiment with them, they both provide top comfort and sonic quality. Fitting is a medium fit, with a natural sized bore, and Epitome feels warm after it has been inside of my ears, which is a good thing, as it does not have a cold metallic shell that usually feels uncomfortable.
Furthermore, Epitome is incredibly easy to drive, not overly sensitive to source noise and will work really well with basically any source out there. They look fairly stealthy but beautiful, the transport case is excellent and Epitome is generally made like a proper true endgame flagship. Cable conducts zero microphonic noise, there is no driver flex and no handling noise with very little void while wearing them.
Sound Quality
Pairings – iBasso made the Epitome rather easy to drive, so source power was never an issue, but with the price tag, expected resolution and everything else Epitome implies, I decided to match it with a multitude of sources, including FiiO K17, Audioengine HXL, Shanling Onix Beta XI2, Surfans F35 Music Player DAP, Shanling M7T, iBasso D17 Atheris, Burson Playmate 3, Rose Technics RT-5000, and Luxsin X9.
As expected, Epitome is very easy to drive and will work well with low-power sources, but needs clean power and it is sensitive to source hissing and background noise. iBasso makes the best sources I heard with the Epitome, including D17, DX340 and DX320 Max Ti. You can get away with a dongle DAC AMP, the best I’ve heard being iBasso’s own DC04U DC 04 Ultra, which sounds best for an entry-level dongle DAC AMP.
Overall Signature – Epitome is the top end of linearity, precision, clarity and impact. This is the ultimate word in refinement and yet it manages to be slightly waxy in textures, producing a sound that has very little hard edge, fatiguing elements or harshness, and instead going for a really enjoyable tonality, with an extreme definition. Epitome is literally the epitome of musicality blended with resolution. While all companies try to do something like this, I had a vague feeling iBasso might manage to do it, as Epitome delivers a higher resolution and detail compared to all the the previous smoother sounding flagships, all while having a tighter, more precise impact, and keeping the presentation mostly linear.
Bass – Bassline starts at sharp 20, 20Hz that is, but it is not an overly expressed bass, instead staying absolutely true to the mix and recording. This is very different from V-Shaped tunings that give all music a bit of extra bloom, with Epitome actually rendering the song precisely as it was mixed and mastered. Skirless and EDM tracks have plenty of low-end, rumble and deep bass, while rock and metal feels shallower, with much less infrasound information. Epitome is truly honest, precise and delivers a clean image of what the song should sound like. I initially yearned for more, but Epitome helped me appreciate the different styles, quantities and qualities of bass in each track, offering honest insight into each song that I love.
Voicing And Midrange – Epitome is a vocal sounding pair of IEMs, it always renders the information in music, allowing each track to shine with bold vocals, rich instrumentals and superb clarity. Epitome renders strong contrast, revealing details and it is the best IEMS with a more relaxed sound for complex to very complex music, including complex technical death metal, but also sweeter and softer pieces in Jazz style. Classical with large orchestras are a real treat with the Epitome. Epitome can render a song regardless of how complex it is, they can reveal strong instrument separation and they revel in the highest of resolutions possible.
Treble – Top end is smoother, relaxed and silky. Although there are drivers dedicated to the top end, Epitome is laid-back and paints a happy picture, tends to hide harshness and metallic resonance, giving music a pleasing, amiable sound that will make bands like System Of a Dawn or Infant Annihilator sound pleasing, even down to be enjoyable on a joyful weekend. Treble extends nicely up to 20 kHz, and you can hear all the top end air, but it doesn’t sound forced or piercing, rather it is atmospheric and a genuine piece of the whole song.
Dynamics And Textures – iBasso Epitome has a slightly waxy texture, with a natural dynamic range, zero compression, and strong contrast. Textures are on the more relaxed end of things, and produce a slightly softer presentation that gives music a fluid and pleasing tone. Dynamics are impressive, and Epitome stays true to the recording, it shows which tracks had a more aggressive compression applied, but Epitome is a forgiving pair of IEMS and will not punish a bad recording, quite on the contrary, allowing music to shine even when the audio engineer pushed the boundaries of digital processing a bit too much.
Loudness Saturation Gradient – As expected from a flagship IEM, Epitome has top consistency, it sounds the same regardless of the volume level, always consistent, but they also don’t change very much across different sources. On the slightly less positive end of things, as Epitome is quite easy to drive, you really have to be careful not to push the volume too loud, and if coming from most IEMS to Epitome, you have to make sure to adjust the volume or they will start playing really loud. They are not overly sensitive to source quality, but can scale with a high-end source, so there’s a rather big difference between a dongle DAC AMP and iBasso DX320 MAX Ti.
Soundstage – Epitome has utmost instrument separation and precision without feeling analytical. This is aided by a combination of a softer and smoother presentation, excellent resolution, and strong layering, together with a soundstage that is natural, wide but not scattered, allowing Epitome to project music laterally and in the depth plane with zero bounds and compression. It is rather impressive, natural in size, but separated as if the actual live instruments were playing right in front of you, right then and there.
Comparisons
iBasso Epitome vs Dita Audio Perpetua – (3499 USD vs 2999 USD) – Dita Audio Perpetua is likely the only pair of IEMs that is slightly more comfortable than the Epitome, as they have a somewhat smaller shell which feels more comfy. This being said, while the cable of Perpetua is of a higher quality, it is not as flexible nor as easy to replace, so Epitome wins for comfort in general. Package is great for both, both have equal passive noise isolation and leakage, give or take. Driving the Perpetua is a bit harder, while the Epitome drives more easily, but it is more sensitive to source noise and quality. Sonically, Perpetua is smooth, full and rounded, different from all the other Dita Audio IEMs. Perpetua is as natural, transparent and enjoyable as the Epitome, both are easygoing for the ear, with no fatiguing elements, but Epitome has a higher resolution and it is better at revealing macro and micro details. Epitome is generally much better for a more relaxed listening experience. While I enjoy both a lot and Epitome is technically superior, it is also less colored, so for a bit of U-Shaped, smoother textures, Perpetua is still relevant and can be a good alternative, while Epitome is a less colored, more vocal and sonically more precise pair of IEMs.
iBasso Epitome vs Ambient Acoustics MAD24 – (3499 USD vs 3500 USD) – In the body and the shape, MAD24 is much bulkier, and comes with a far more basic cable, but they do come with a nice transport case. Generally, Epitome wins quickly for the package and presentation, cables and quality of it all, while Epitome is also much lighter, more convenient and more comfortable, easily winning for wearing. Both have equal passive noise isolation, equally low leakage, and both are equally easy to drive. Sonically, they are actually quite similar, but Epitome is more transparent, has a higher resolution, it is more precise, and creates a more cohesive, richer sound. MAD24 is warmer, smoother and sounds bigger, more dramatic, slightly more colored, having less precision. Soundstage is larger, more precise with a higher instrument separation as presented by Epitome. Generally, right now for a pair of IEMs with a large number of drivers, Epitome has a better performance, but MAD24 has a specific sweet and warm tuning coloration that you might enjoy.
iBasso Epitome vs FIR Audio NE4 – (3499 USD vs 2299 USD) – Build-wise NE4 looks impressive but is a very open design, it has much less passive noise isolation and far more leakage than Epitome, which leaks very little and isolates rather well. Epitome is far less sensitive to source quality and will sound excellent with most sources while NE4 needs specific sources to really sound good. While both have a nice package, Epitome has two cables, two transport cases, and it has the more complete package. Sonically, Epitome is far more natural and more balanced, as NE4 is aggressively V-Shaped and has a sharp, splashy treble. I actually like the treble of Ne4 a lot as Epitome sounds a bit too relaxed and too laid-back for me, but both are nice in their own way. Epitome is a more transparent, more general listening experience, works better with a varied selection of music, while NE4 is a heavily colored tuning that for me works really well for Metal, Rock and EDM, whereas Epitome is much sweeter, richer and more musical sounding. While soundstage is good for both, Epitome has a higher precision, increased instrument separation and lower scattering, Ne4 sounding larger, but more scattered, less separated and more all together.
iBasso Epitome vs Final Audio A8000 – (3499 USD vs 2400 USD) – Final Audio A8000 is considerably harder to drive, but not much less sensitive to background noise, being both hard to handle for the source, and also sensitive to the noise of the source. A8000 is larger, harder on the ears as they are not using resin shells but instead metal, making Epitome a much lighter, easier to drive, and more fun to use pair of IEMs. Passive noise isolation is higher on the Epitome, and leakage is much lower. Sonically, Epitome is much more mid centric, but also far less fatiguing. A8000 is an incredibly sharp, bright and fatiguing, harsh and easily resonant pair of IEMs that has a metallic treble, but extreme resolution. It acts like a harshness detector, needs specific music to be enjoyed, while Epitome works well with all music and draws forward the beautiful parts in music instead of forcing you to hear something predetermined. Epitome sounds more precise, has a higher instrument separation, better impact and more bass as well as sub-bass extension. This makes Epitome the generally better choice for most listeners.
Value – Conclusion
iBasso Epitome is currently one of the flagship IEMS with the highest price point, but I can easily give them a full thumbs up for value, thanks to including two cables, rounded metal case, soft transport case, six types of ear tips, and iBasso’s excellent warranty. Of course, the biggest part in terms of value comes from the excellent sonic performance, resolution and clarity that iBasso was able to pack inside such a small and convenient package.
Award – For their excellent voicing, rich package and precise sound, along with the support of the company making them, I have to give iBasso Epitome an Audiophile-Heaven Hall Of Fame award. They are simply that great, and I see them as a must hear, must purchase, must use and enjoy kind of IEMs that you will be delighted to listen to.
While usually you can’t have everyone, iBasso Epitome delivers on all promised grounds, they have the clarity, resolution and overall quality to be asking the price tag they have, they sound really sweet, vocally rich and cohesive and if you didn’t know, you wouldn’t be able to tell that they’re using a multi-driver setup. In fact, the only thing that gives away the 20 Driver combo is the outstanding revealing ability, as otherwise the sound is practically perfect and iBasso Epitome is today a fully recommended purchase in our review and one of the best IEMs money can buy.
PROs
- Beautiful and dreamy, with a comfortable shell
- Two cables included in the package, both super high-end
- Two Transport cases included in the package
- Ultimate clarity and precision, vocal richness and a cohesive sound
- Superb sound and overall clarity
- A precise soundstage with exceptional instrument separation
- Ultimate purchase, currently the top dog in the IEM world, out of everything I’ve heard this year
- Really natural despite the revealing ability and analytical nature of the BA sound
- Huge headroom, reacts well to EQ and you can fine tune them
- Also responds well to source change and to eartip rolling
Cons
- Price can be a barrier for most customers
- Not overly basshead or sharp, free of color and generally very transparent, won’t impress at first as much as those with a more dramatic sound tuning
Product Link
Amazon – https://amzn.to/466fg6u
Aliexpress – https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_c45urZML
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Full Playlist used for this review
We listened to more songs than those named in this playlist, but those are excellent for identifying a sonic signature. I recommend trying most of the songs from this playlist, especially if you’re searching for new music! The playlists are different for Spotify, Tidal and Youtube, and based on the songs I enjoy and are available on each!
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_cjBXGmwSHSdGcwuc_bKbBDGHL4QvYBu
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5J3oloz8Riy9LxEGenOjQ0?si=979ba4f082414be7
https://tidal.com/browse/playlist/330fd544-8e5b-4839-bd35-676b2edbb3d5
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