Sound Quality
The Aya Audio Siren is one of the representatives of the bright sound character. It has a flat and linear response with a definitive treble reproduction. It’s technically a very capable IEM and I’m personally surprised by the performance. It’s like the original HD800; bright, crisp, and sometimes a bit edgy here and there. But it has excellent resolution, sound stage, and transparency for sure.
The Siren has a great sound stage width but the depth is not as good. So the presentation is left & right, but the 3D feeling is a bit lacking. However, this is not bad for Classical for instance, so like everything else, this depends on your preferences and genres.
Resolution is very impressive and I think together with overall transparency, this is the strongest feature of the Siren. Timbre is good but it’s a bit thinner than I would’ve liked. Lastly, the Siren has excellent dynamism.
Aya Audio Siren
Bass
The Siren has a subtle and light bass response. There’s not much rumble, kick, or punch. It gives a highly resolving bass with great control and speed, but the quantity is low and the bass has a linear character. The definition of the bass is very good though. But sometimes the Siren needs a certain mid-bass warmth to shine even more. However, the mid-bass is also laid back so this bass response reminds me of the Eytmotic ER-4 series (not the XR model).
Aya Audio Siren
For certain genres like Jazz and Classical, this bass character works very well because it allows you to pick out each instrument with ease. It creates a very spacious atmosphere with a wide and perceptible staging. But if you need more bass and warmth, this is not your type of presentation.
Mids
Well-defined mids here and very good tonality. The mids are quite clear sounding with excellent separation. However, because there’s not much mid-bass quantity, the body is a bit missing here. I would’ve liked a bit more full-bodied and warm presentation in this area. The note size is a bit small in that regard.
Other than that, I think the mids are excellent in the Siren, especially when it comes to vocals. The vocals are crystal clear with good definition and transparency. It’s beautiful to listen to vocal-oriented recordings. I especially liked the transparency in the mid-range. The small details are very impressive for the price here.
Aya Audio Siren
Treble
The treble is very bright in the Siren with good definition and extension. It’s also articulated and nicely separated. But in busy tracks, the treble tends to be a bit mixed and congested. This doesn’t happen usually but happens to depend on the recording.
So the treble is a bit aggressive and forward and it’s the focal point of the Siren. If you like to hear your cymbals in front, then this is your answer. While I think this presentation is a bit over the edge, I think there are people who would like this certain character. Once again, there’s a good resolution and transparency here, a strong suit of the Siren.
Aya Audio Siren
Synergy
I would recommend pairing the Siren with the likes of Dethonray Honey H1, Chord Mojo, and Shanling M8. You shouldn’t go with analytical and bright-sounding sources. The Honey H1 is especially a good match. The common point of these devices that they’re warm-sounding, mid-bass focused, and full-bodied sources. That way you can feed the mid-bass warmth to the Siren and have an excellently balanced presentation.
The IEM needs a bit more power than most IEMs out there, and it scales well with the devices that have a strong output power. Keep that in mind.
Conclusion
To me, the Aya Audio Siren is a great IEM but it needs some improvements here and there. The nozzles should’ve been longer for a better fit, and the sound should contain a bit more bass and body, as well as a more controlled treble. The IEM already has excellent resolution, clarity, sound-stage width, and transparency. It’s a great IEM for Jazz and Orchestra listeners.
I think after this model, they can easily improve the next one with a more cohesive, a bit more controlled IEM. If they also keep the price around the same level, then they can create a very competitive IEM in this price range. I’m looking forward to their next model for sure.
Aya (Facebook here) for a limited amount of time (until further notice) is also giving Headfonia readers a 10% discount using this code: “#SirenxHeadfonia“. You will need to mention it to them when ordering the Siren. Next to that Aya will also give our readers the option to upgrade the already-nice Hakugei cable to the more boutique and refined cable from Ranko Acoustic (which will go retail for $170$)! You know what to do!
