Build Quality
Gae Bolg’s build quality is excellent. The face plate detail is impressive and the overall finish is sturdy, yet stylish. The Gae Bolg has a smooth surface with rounded edges and that of course helps in the comfort department.
The 2-pin connectors sit perfectly flush in the body and the nozzle id perfectly incorporated in the unit’s shell design. The only surprising thing here to me is that there is no (mesh) filter at the end of the nozzle to keep out earwax. On inspection, I was just in time to save a piece of earwax from going into the nozzle. So do watch out for that.
For the rest the Gae Bolg is really well built, as it should be at this price level.
Fit, Comfort and Isolation
The Gae Bolg is a universal type IEM but MMR has tried to make it as comfortable as possible.
MMR has raised back plate platform and it is supposed to function as a cushion, sitting tight against the concha for better comfort. The angle of insertion and the nozzle design has also been recalculated and it should offer a better insertion and isolation.
The fit and comfort of an IEM of course is very personal. In this case my right side perfectly fits, while my left ear isn’t as welcoming. The nozzle size is average but the length is quite long, so the Gae Bolg in my case sticks out of my ears more. This will of course depend on the shape of your ears, and this isn’t any different for other universal models.
Comfort wise I’m never the biggest fan of universals except for some tiny models such as the Beyerdynamic Xelento just to name one. In general I would say the Gae Bolg is normal ins ize and it should fit most ears without problem. In my case the left ear piece does start hurting my ear canal rather quickly however. The right side doesn’t bother me at all, so it’s probably my weird ears.
Isolation-wise, the Gae Bolg performs as you’d expect and it’s quite on par with the market’s average. Some IEMs block out more noise, others block less. I haven’t had any issues there really, and my wife was also quite please I answered to her for once. So these block out enough noise, but still make it safe to walk around the city (and not upset your wife or girlfriend).
Sound General
According to MMR, the Gae Bolg has the following sound characteristics: “Linear acoustics. Delivering an immersive sound and beautiful spatial imaging. It presents an impeccable intimate presentation”.
For the most part I agree to that statement, so let’s check it out. The part on sound was done with a selection of different DAPs together with the silicone tips and the standard cable that the Gae Bolg came with (so always in single ended mode).
I don’t know if there is a measurement graph available, but I do understand where the linearity comment is coming from. The lows and mids for the most part are linear, though we feel there’s a small dip near the upper mids, with a small peak back up for the low treble. The mid but especially the higher treble is more rolled of. Because of this tuning, there is an emphasis on the early treble and it makes the vocals more exciting, with a more to the front presentation. They’re quite energetic.
Gae Bolg has a good, natural amount of body and mids and they perfectly connect together. The treble part is a bit lighter, and it is very easy on the ear. The amount of body in the Gae Bolg makes it musical and very engaging. The low and is really nice and pleasing, but more on that in a bit.
Sound stage-wise the Gae Bolg isn’t the most wide sounding set of IEMs. There is enough spaciousness to keep the presentation airy, but it is a more closed intimate delivery and not the open kind of wide delivery. This doesn’t mean this is a bad thing, it’s just a type of presentation, shared with many other IEMs. The most important fact here is that the intimate tuning is perfectly executed, and as a result it sounds right and not closed in at all. The depth, note decay and layering from top to bottom is just good, there are better performing IEMs on the market in this regard. It’s give and take.
Gae Bolg is clean sounding, but the general delivery is more to the smooth and warmer side of the spectrum, though not overly so. It’s perhaps also somewhat darker sounding – as in a lower clarity level – but it perfectly matches with the smooth and relaxed tuning. With its soft though natural presentation the Gae Bolg is easy to listen to and that for long periods, I haven’t experienced any listening fatigue.
It’s very easy to enjoy the tuning of the Gae Bolg and it really draws you in with its musicality and great vocals. At the same time you will probably find it works better with some types of music. With 12000 songs on my memory card, I found the Gae Bolg to be perfect for say 85 to 90% of my songs. Gae Bolg is great with guitar work (very impressive) and male vocals, while female vocals can be a bit more difficult.
The Gae Bolg has a good stereo image and the left-right balance is quite nice. In very short (TL;DR) the Gae Bolg is a natural and smooth sounding. It’s engaging, musical and really easy to enjoy and listen to, but it has it’s own character in regards to higher mids, vocals and the treble section. Make sure to have a good seal and use the perfectly fitting tips for the perfect sound.
The part on sound continues on page three of this review. Click here.
