Today we share our review of the oBravo Clio IEM, which is selling for £1,799 GBP.
Disclaimer: oBravo provided me a Cupid sample after we met at the High-End Munich show, the sample does not need to be returned.
oBravo
It’s been almost 5 years since we last featured the Taiwanese oBravo on Headfonia. Now oBravo is back with a series of new IEMs and in this review we will be looking at the Clio in-ear.
oBravo are renowned for their high end, luxury, boutique earphones and headphones that provide the user with unique technology and exceptional build quality. If you’re not familiar yet with the oBravo brand, you can read more about their ideas and philosophy here and here.
“Music, to me, has a palpable heartbeat, it’s a living thing. Music brings together the very best that sounds have to offer, and that’s why it’s so intoxicating. It evokes uproarious laughter and floods of tears alike, tirelessly keeping everyone’s innermost secrets.”
Next to the new Clio series, oBravo has 3 other IEMs in their line-up: The Ra, the Venus and the Cupid, which we reviewed back in 2019.
oBravo Clio
The oBravo Clio according to the brand, is the IEM with the smallest 6mm AMT (AMT6) driver in the world. oBravo in the Clio combines it with a 9mm NDD Dynamic driver. Clio sits between their planar Venus and AMT eamt-2 earphones.
Clio is named after the Muse of History and, according to oBravo, offers the ultimate auditory feast with larger dynamic drivers. The Clio comes in two versions, the regular and the signature edition. The regular Clio sports a pure silver/silver plated OCC copper while the Signature version uses the cable that was developed for the flagship Ra earphones. It has the finest conductor material made of pure silver, gold plated silver and single crystal copper. oBravo states it produces crisp highs, warm mids and deep bass. Both versions have a detachable 3.5mm/2.5mm/4.4mm connector.
Utilizing oBravo’s 6mm AMT transformer tweeter alongside a large 9mm neodymium dynamic driver, Clio offers best in class sonic performance and incredible levels of detail often unobtainable from alternative technologies.
Clio has been introduced as an entirely new entity in the oBravo earphone lineup. oBravo feels the Clio offers everything people love about the oBravo sound signature in a luxurious anti rust plated enclosure. With Clio being the goddess of music, song and dance, oBravo felt it fitting that it be a more detailed and have a more involving presentation rather than being the fun signature found with its sibling, such as Venus and Cupid.
We in this review are looking at the Signature Clio version, not the regular one. You can read more about the oBravo Clio on its dedicated web page here.
Technical specifications
Brand: oBravo
Technology: AMT Tweeter, Dynamic
Material: Brass
Colour: Titanium
Audio range: 20Hz~40kHz
Sensitivity: 105dB
Impedance: 16Ω
Versions: Original, Signature
Design, Build quality, Cable
The Clio comes in a pretty white box with a magnetic lid. After opening the box, the first thing you see is a welcome note, sitting on top of a black oBravo labelled cleaning cloth. Underneath you will discover the beautiful IEMs, with carrying case, the different connectors and the adapter. On the second level you will find the silicone tips. The cable and Comply foam tips are stored inside the carrying case, which also holds a small tip pouch.
Clio’s build quality is excellent, as we expect at this level. The stunning brass enclosure has been beautifully finished in a luxurious blue-ish anti rust coating. You in the pictures can clearly see the shells are made from separate parts, but it looks much nicer in reality. The canals are quite short and they’re perfectly termination with a lovely mesh grill at the end of the canal.
Developing on from Cupid’s design, oBravo managed to flush mount their proprietary oB-MMCX connection into the Clio. Do take this into account if you want to use an aftermarket cable. Just to be clear, as this is the regular Clio version we’re looking at, its cable uses the finest conductor material made of pure silver, gold plated silver and single crystal copper.
All-in-all you get a very complete package, with a gorgeously designed and finished IEM, a nice set of tips, an easy to use case and multiple cable termination options. oBravo scores well here.
Comfort and Isolation
The Clio is a universal IEM but it is small in size so it fits quite well in my smaller ears. The ear pieces are light, as well as the cable so there is no downward pull with this IEM. I find the Clio to be comfortable with both the silicone as well as the foam tips, but I will take foam over silicone each time for what comfort is concerned.
Isolation wise these IEM are what you can expect form a universal set of inears. Sound will leak in quite a bit, though less so with the foam tips. If you want the very best isolation, I still recommend going full custom.
Price & Accessories
The oBravo Clio doesn’t come cheap and it’s selling for £1,799 GBP for the regular version. The Signature versions sets you back £200 GBP more. For that price you do get a very nice package containing the following:
– 1.2m MMCX cable (proprietary)
– 3.5mm/2.5mm/4.4mm connector
– Silicone Ear tips S/M/L
– Comply Foam Ear tips S/M/L
– Small tip bag
– Spare connectors
You can buy the oBravo Clio directly from oBravo or via the UK dealer here.
The review continues on the second page with the part on sound. Click here or use the jumps below.
