7th Acoustics Proxima: 1BA ($110)
In the IEM scene today, it's pretty rare for new entries to the 'budget' market to be outside the Chinese mainland. Having learnt that 7th Acoustics had such an offering, it was only natural to jump at the chance to try a boutique's company product. Even more so, the company was already making small waves with their recent release of the more expensive Supernova. For these two reasons alone, out came the credit card. This quick impressions post will cover the main sound qualities of the Proxima, what genres it excels in (or not), and caveats for potential buyers.
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| Clear shell with all the internals visible |
Proxima build
It isn't exactly what you would consider premium, given how many full metal or resin IEMs appear at lowball price ranges. That said, it could probably handle a few rough knocks here and there, and has the advantage of not instant cracking unlike resin should you drop it on the ground. Cable is serviceable, feels a little like the default cables that older brands provide in the past (e.g. Unique Melody, Hidition, Kumitate Lab). The major gripe I have with the shell is the lack of a eartip lip to keep eartips in place. Moreover, the default eartips are triple flanged, which suggest a deep fit. Needless to say, the triple flanged tips slipped right out when I was removing the IEM from my ear, and it took me a good few seconds to remove the eartips from my ear canal. Not the most pleasant of experiences. I've feedbacked to 7th Acoustics about this, since there will most certainly be instances of eartips getting stuck in ear canals.
Sound (Tldr: It's IEF neutral)
Lows
As expected, the bass is pretty much linear and lacking both punch and slam. For whatever bass is present, it decays quickly. This includes both subbass and midbass. With such a linear response, there is zero bass bleed into the midrange, which is extremely appreciated. That said, any instruments living in this region sound less full compared to other sets. Overall, a breath of fresh air from most budget sets following the conventional safe tuning route. There simply isn't much that exists here to pick on.
Midrange
As you would expect, the midrange is crystal clear and clean. This region leans neutral, while somehow not sounding overanalytical like the Blessing 2. Piano notes, strings, winds all sound natural, while horns can sound slightly anemic when reproducing lower notes. The easiest way to put this to the test is to throw an orchestral track at the Proxima. Vocals however, are probably what makes the Proxima stand out from other IEMs. Both male and female vocals are forward, a rare but logical outcome since instruments on the low end aren't as prominent. Album tracks with falsettos hit differently from other IEMs, and in an indescribably good way. On the contrary, deep chorales are not going to sound as full, which makes this IEM a double edged sword.
Highs
For a single full ranged BA, the highs are well extended even when compared to hybrid sets. The result is an overall neutral-bright tonality that reproduces pretty much every instrument's harmonics except the very uppermost extensions of cymbal strikes. The exception is evident on any treble-heavy track containing snares, hi hats and the lot. I find the treble region to be smooth without any strange peaks or fluctuations. It's not exactly airy though, which is probably for the best since the highs are already bright enough.
Technicalities
Highly subjective of course, but to my ears, the Proxima has the best instrumental/vocal separation of any IEM around this price range. Imaging is also good, both laterally and in depth. Clarity is no slouch either, and it can handle the most crowded of genres, albeit sacrificing the bass impact required for quite a few genres. Overall, the Proxima excels in this department, and rivals reference sets in the $300 range.
Conclusions
Is this set for everyone? Hell no. The tuning is niche, and appeals more to people who love instrumentals and vocals. It isn't perfect, with clear flaws when you throw genres like rap or blues at it. Where I enjoy the Proxima's sound include slower pop tracks, electronic (yes), vocal-heavy tracks, and instrumentals. If you enjoy brighter tunings, or seek high clarity listening experiences, then do consider this little oddball.
Tracks used
ギターと孤独と蒼い惑星 - 結束バンド
3 seconds rule - 岸田教団&THE明星ロケッツ
ray - Bump of Chicken
Level - やなぎなぎ & THE SIXTH LIE
Liyue - Yu-Peng Chen
Begin the Operations - Shingo Nishimura\
Crossover - Fear, and Loathing in Las Vegas
Score
7.5 (B)
Value: S (but NOT safe to blind purchase, check your preferences first)
Personal enjoyment: 8
Pros
- Overall imaging and clarity
- Niche tuning (both a pro and con)
- Price to performance
Cons
- Build structure that does not support wide bore tips
- Devoid of bass impact due to niche tuning
- Very genre dependent with low appeal to most
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