Technical Performance
First and foremost, PlusSound Allegro is a highly resolving IEM. It has a treble lift with reasonably wide, but studio-type staging with a somewhat sterile approach. It expands the extension into the treble range and gives high-end notes more energy and sharpness with more focus. But there’s a high resolution over the whole spectrum and sharp imaging. The soundstage could’ve been wider and more spacious though. The stage is bigger than average, but I expected a tiny bit more there.
Overall, the new Allegro is a good example of properly-made flagship IEMs. There’s fantastic resolution and transparency, together with separation and layering. It’s fabulous to hear those micro details, extending highs and dynamic mid-range which is very clean.
The balance and coherency are very good, although it’s a bit bright in treble and fat in the bass, both can be resolved with foam tips. It’s almost as if the Allegro is tuned with foam tips in mind. There’s a very sharp presentation and imaging. It gives a very clear picture of the whole recording, with great positioning and definition.
When you pair up the Allegro with flagship sources like Hugo 2, HiBy RS8, or A&K SP2000, you experience top-end technical performance, and Allegro can certainly fight with the best the market has to offer.
Comparisons
The EE Odin is one of the most recognized IEMs in the 3K$ range. It has a flashier design versus the more premium and elegant design of the Allegro. Allegro has the better build quality without a doubt, but its fit takes time to adjust. Odin, with its more conventional design and shape, is much more straightforward.
Sound-wise; Allegro’s mid-bass is fuller, and Odin has more sub-bass definition. I think the Allegro has the better timbre, whilst the Odin has the more impressive bass, especially in terms of rumble. However, I think the bass in the Allegro is a bit more realistic and musical, and it has a better mid-bass texture to me.
The mid-range is where Allegro shines with excellent definition, transparency and tonality. In comparison, Odin’s mid-range is laid-back and less in your face, but its vocals, especially in the upper mid-range, are brighter and more aggressive. Lower mids have better timbre in the Allegro, whilst the upper mids are more impressive in the Odin. Treble-wise both have a bright delivery, and Allegro differs with different ear tips of course. But the Odin has more air and space in the treble range with a smoother delivery, but the Allegro has a slightly better extension. However, its lower-treble response is sometimes a bit too bright depending on the recording and the choice of ear tips.
Allegro has a similar stage width, whilst Odin has the deeper one. So this one comes down to your choices and source materials.
We’ll have the Viking Ragnar from them soon, but Noble created an impressive monitor with the Kublai Khan nevertheless. It has a great dragon motif in its design, and just like the Odin, it has a conventional shape/materials. Allegro is a bit heavier with its aluminium shells, and again, you need time to get used to it in terms of fit.
Kublai Khan has a bone-conduction bass driver, so its bass delivery is massively different from the get-go. The bass of the Noble is very deep, and very well separated from the mid-range. Allegro’s bass, especially the mid-bass region, is more connected to the mid-range, with a fuller and denser tonality overall. So it feels more musical and coherent than what the Noble offers.
In the mid-range, the KK brings more air, with more space on the stage. Allegro has more body, and overall a better and more natural timbre. Lower mids have more emphasis in Kublai Khan, and the upper mids are a bit more subdued compared to Allegro. When it comes to treble, KK is more effortless and it has more breath and air, with a less aggressive delivery. KK also has a wider and more spacious soundstage, whilst Allegro stays more connected and more rounded up. Allegro is the more musical IEM with a natural delivery. KK is the more spacious, airy IEM with an effortless approach, especially in treble.
Conclusion
The new PlusSound Allegro is certainly a flagship IEM with TOTL technical performance and musical delivery. It performs better than I expected and presents a very musical sound with great body, balance and coherency. The treble response could be improved, because of its dependency on the ear tips, but the rest of the performance is simply excellent.
It creates a sound that has a high-level resolution, transparency and clarity. It gives an accentuated and bright treble response with great extension, and clean mids with good musicality, sharpness and definition. Bass is enjoyable too, and while not being neutral, it impresses with its texture. If you seek warmth, musicality, euphonic tonality or bass response in a good soundstage, then it would be very good for you to check out the Allegro.
Page 1: Intro, Packaging, Build Quality and Design
Page 2: Fit, Sound
