Soundz Avant Review

The Soundz team has a great expertise in the field of hearing aids and audiology because the brand is a sister company of Earmedical, an experienced and pioneering company specializing in the field of hearing rehabilitation and hearing protection, founded by Mr. Alexios Papatasios. Mr. Papatasios is a graduate of the “Department of Computer Science and Engineering” at the University of Thessaly in Greece. He has studied “Professionals in Hearing Health Sciences” at the International Hearing Society IHS – Michigan America. He is also a graduate of the Post-Educational Program of “Audiology – Neuro-otology” at the Medical School of Athens. You can find all information about Soundz here.

We all know that a lot of in-ear monitors and headphones originally made for the pro-market are equally suitable for audiophile or casual music listening. The Neumann NDH-30 and Shure in-ear monitors just spring to mind. Most, if not all, existing Soundz earphones are also good for general music listening but now the company is expanding their line with new models to reach deeper into the audiophile community. Two such products are the brand new, 8-driver Flame and their flagship, the 10-driver Avant which is the subject of this review.

This is not my first experience with Soundz since I had the privilege to be the first reviewer to test their earphones and namely the Ultra and the previous flagship, the Nova, two models that are now discontinued.

Soundz Avant

The Avant is Soundz’s flagship in-ear monitor that features 10 balanced armature drivers per side together with an advanced 4-way crossover that is meticulously tuned to offer a musical and utterly enjoyable listening experience. The company informs us that the Avant is the ideal companion for both on-stage performers who desire nothing else but ultra-high fidelity and music lovers who pursue an enveloping and captivating listening experience.

The actual driver configuration is 4BA drivers for the lows and mid-bass, 2 BA drivers for the upper mids and 4 BA drivers to handle the high and ultra high frequencies. All drivers are made by Sonion, the famous European company that is based in Denmark.

Soundz also employs some unique and innovative features for the best possible sound quality, including the crossover that uses a highly efficient and complex technology to maximize performance of the drivers and eliminate issues such as phase shifts, THD and channel matching.

The Immersive Mode

The Avant comes equipped with the newly-developed Immersive Mode, a feature that alters the internal impedance of the circuit and acts as an analog bass boost. The function is engaged by a micro-switch at the faceplate. The company informs us that when left to OFF the Avant features the stock tuning with a more neutral low-end response where the bass leans towards flat with only a minor emphasis. Switch it ON for a slightly elevated bass response that adds a layer of extra warmness but very carefully applied so as to prevent overpowering of the low frequency band.

Soundz Flex Fit Pro™ technology

The Avant is offered in both universal and custom editions. The company scans, designs and prints the ear impressions using a new process of 3D printing technology for the most comfortable custom in-ear monitors available. One unique feature of the custom edition is the Flex Fit Pro™ technology. Custom in-ear monitors offer the best possible fit but sometimes stiffness of the sound tube that enters the ear canal and temperature build-up can be deal breakers that spoil the experience and prevent prolonged use. To prevent this, Soundz has introduced the Flex Fit Pro™ technology that employs a revolutionary flexible resin material in each custom in-ear monitor stem. This unique resin is fully adjustable to ear canal temperature within a few minutes of use, becoming cooler, softer and considerably more comfortable compared to conventional custom molds.

Fit

The review sample is custom-made and as such it fits like a glove and offers excellent passive noise attenuation that can be as high as -35dB. The Flex Fit Pro™ technology works wonders, at first the stems might feel a touch stiff and uncomfortable but after about 15 minutes the resin compound gets warmed by the ears internal temperature so it becomes softer and adjusts to the shape of the ear canal. The result is that the Avant is so comfortable that after a while you just forget that you are wearing it and the ear shells feel like a natural extension of your ears.

Build quality and appearance

The lightweight ear shells (8g each) are made from a medical grade and hypoallergenic resin compound. Their thickness is 1.4mm, a reinforcement made to offer greater impact and shock resistance. The Soundz Avant is highly customizable and the user can choose ear shell and faceplate colors while there is the option to engrave your favorite logo at the faceplate. During the checkout you can also choose what type of cable you want, you can get your name engraved at the case, buy a wax cleaner kit and order the Soundz total care support that covers unlimited repairs of damage due to wax or debris, one time repair of total damage and one time replacement of the cable if it gets damaged. The Avant comes also with a 24 months manufacturer’s warranty as a standard.

Cable

The Soundz Avant features a detachable cable with 2-pin, 0.78mm connectors and recessed sockets in the ear shells for maximum protection and longevity. The cable is the Ethos MKV premium upgrade cable from the famous manufacturer Null Audio. It is a silver-plated copper UPOCC cable in Litz 5 configuration with 50% larger single-strand and larger overall wire cross-section than the previous generation for reduced impedance and more effective signal delivery. It has an ultra-clear, flexible and durable insulator with premium CNC fabricated aluminum hardware. The cable is designed with portability in mind, Ethos has a unique architecture with braids further encapsulated in a clear jack. This cable carries little memory effect and possesses ultra-flexible physical presence rendering it is perfect for use on the go and on stage. You can order the Avant cable with either a 3.5mn or 4.4mm termination plugs.

Accessories

The accessories include a waterproof, aluminum round case with 3mm wall thickness for maximum impact protection, a cleaning cloth, a cleaning brush and a shirt clip. The universal edition comes equipped with three pairs of silicone and three pairs of hybrid ear-tips with silicone at the exterior and foam in the interior.

Power requirements and associated gear

The Soundz Avant is rated at 16.2Ω impedance with 105 dB/mW of sensitivity thus it is an easy load that doesn’t require much power but at the same time it is very sensitive to source noise. It also scales extremely well so the use of a high quality source is a prerequisite in order to get the best out of the Avant. For most part of the listening tests I used the FiiO M15S, the iBasso DX320 and the EarMen Angel.

Listening impressions

With the Immersive Mode OFF

The Soundz Avant has a rather neutral tuning that slightly leans towards brilliance and is complemented by a high level of technicalities, a successful and well implemented combination that is guaranteed to satisfy even the most demanding critical listeners. The overall transparency and source fidelity are on a master class level but at the same time the Avant doesn’t have that sterile, boring and analytical character that a lot of reference in-ear monitors have. The Avant is very revealing of both source and recording quality but it is not ruthlessly punishing as it will not further accentuate any deficiencies or add any artificial traces that are not already present. Of course it doesn’t do any favors either so better be prepared to use your best and most favorite gear. The Avant is like a shiny mirror, it will expose both the good and the bad parts of your chain and is not going to add any character of its own or further color the sound. A good example of the supreme transparency and fidelity of the Soundz Avant is how well it showcased the timbral uniqueness of the iBasso DX320 amplifier modules that I have used during the review.

The sound signature is that of an almost neutral bass response that doesn’t roll off at the sub-bass, present and not recessed mid-range that has a touch of a well realized upper-mids emphasis and a treble that is mildly brilliant but it never becomes harsh or fatiguing. 

The frequency response of the low-end is on a reference-neutral level in the way that all low register instruments are reproduced with accurate tonality both in their fundamentals and overtones. Balanced armature woofers are becoming better and better, the low-end of the Avant combines the famous BA clarity, tightness and definition with thundering dynamics that remind of large dynamic drivers. The truth is that the bass is not that physically impactful and visceral, as it would be if it had used a dynamic driver, but still the Avant is surprisingly imposing. The texture is a little lean and not that full bodied but it compensates with excellent layering, perfect timing and fast recovery between rise and fall with complete absence of echo and bleeding into the mid-range.

Speaking of the mid-range, it is mostly balanced but you can’t fail to notice an upper-mids emphasis that adds a “Hi Fi” flavor to the sound and extra presence to this part of the region but thankfully it doesn’t provoke sibilance and is not fatiguing. The overall tonality is very convincing, instruments and voices are reproduced in a realistic and natural manner with plenty of harmonic variety and colorful overtones. Some of them are heard as more prominent than the others but the overall tonal balance is satisfying and nothing sounds out of tune. Clarity, definition and articulation are amazing, the Avant is resolving and refined, not only in the mid-range but for the whole frequency range.

With four high quality drivers for the high and ultra high frequencies it is not of a surprise that the treble is extra resolving and refined too with uncompromised extension. The clarity is amazing, you can hear every last note and reach deep into the recording but the Soundz Avant has the cunning ability as not to sound too analytical, boring or clinical. The treble is sharp in it’s definition but not aggressive, luminous and brilliant but not bright and by no means harsh or edgy even when you raise the volume too high. The tonality is mostly accurate and realistic, note decay is not that fast so higher register instruments are reproduced with good weight and don’t sound too thin or overly shimmering. The timbre is not completely absent of some artificiality, especially in the brilliance range, but this is something that is not always present and gets only noticeable in bad quality recordings or bright sources. Driver integration is excellent, the sound is thoroughly homogeneous throughout the whole frequency range without audible tonal shifts.

The Soundz Avant rewards the listener with a truly wide and open soundstage that is distinguished by the most precise imaging and a spacious arrangement of the performers no matter how many they are. You can pinpoint every single instrument and tell from exactly where the sound is emanating but this happens mostly on the horizontal plane and to a lesser extent at the vertical. The Avant has a grand presentation that fits very well large scale works and is also very communicative of the recording venue ambience.

The Avant is a great match for most kinds of music as long as you understand that it is a reference and critical listening tool and as such might not sympathize with some genres or not suit specific listening habits. Of course there is no need to mention how perfect it is for listening to classical music. One work that I really enjoyed is the ballet “Dante” by the contemporary composer Thomas Adès.

The sound signature described above is with the Immersive Mode set to OFF. But what happens when we switch it ON?

With the Immersive Mode ON

According to the brand marketing literature the Immersive Mode is supposed to be a bass boost. Right? Wrong! This function works the other way around by subduing the treble rather than actually boosting the bass. If you set the switch to ON you don’t have to be very attentive in order to realize that what happens is a discreet decrease in quantity from the upper-mids all the way to the brilliance range. The curve is evenly downsloping so there are no peaks or dips that could get the tonality messed up.

The actual low-end frequency response and it’s technical behavior remain exactly the same as with the stock tuning but now the bass is perceived by the listener as more present and intense. Actually I would rather say that the Avant now sounds warmer and a bit darker rather than more bassy. 

The effect of the Immersive Mode is double, not only it warms things up and gives the illusion that the bass is more present but it also makes the Avant to sound smoother and less brilliant in the treble, the timbre becomes slightly more natural and the overall tonality more realistic while artificiality is reduced to the bare minimum. I have to admit that I much prefer the Immersive Mode for listening to classical music but there are other kinds of music or listening preferences that might benefit from the stock tuning. So this is a clever and well implemented function that gives the Avant two different and easily distinguishable sound profiles to choose your favorite one.

In the end

With the Avant, Soundz has managed to craft a reference listening tool that is not devoid of musicality. An earphone that combines master class technicalities and neutral tuning with plenty of emotion rarely found in similar products. With a pro-level fit and comfort, excellent build quality, great passive noise attenuation and a very competitive price, especially for the custom edition, the Soundz Avant is a true flagship that has absolutely nothing to fear from similar products of the mainstream competition.

According to Virgil, Laocoon, the Trojan high priest in the Troy war, is supposed to have said “Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes” or “I fear the Greeks even when bearing gifts”. This is far from the truth when it comes to the Soundz Avant and it ought to be reversed as “Trust the Greeks (Soundz) when bearing gifts (The Avant)”. Or in plain English, just give the Soundz Avant a try and you will be surprised by its sonic performance and the actual value for money. Soundz is not very well known at the time being but, trust me, in the near future everybody is going to be talking about them.

Test playlist

Copyright – Petros Laskis 2023.

+ Neutrally balanced
+ Extremely technical yet musical and engaging
+ Natural and realistic timbre
+ Class leading transparency and fidelity
+ Resolving and refined 
+ Very expansive soundstage with pinpoint imaging
+ Two different sound profiles with the press of a switch at the faceplate
+ Available both in universal and custom editions
+ Lightweight and very comfortable thanks for the unique Flex Fit Pro™ technology
+ Excellent passive noise attenuation
+ Excellent build quality and after sales support
+ Shock resistant construction
+ High quality cable by Null Audio
+ Sturdy and waterproof aluminum case
+ Fully customizable appearance and proudly handmade in Greece

- The bass is slightly lacking in physical impact
- Slightly lean texture
- The highly transparent and revealing nature requires careful matching
- A modular cable would be much welcomed