Vision Ears EVE20 Review

Sound Classics

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The amount of bass, its presence and its delivery is not heavy but it’s not light either. With a good portable player and FLAC file, bass is full and will come in with a kick and punch when needed. Bass is present in a neutral amount but with enough oompf and depth to keep the EVE20 engaging and fun to listen to. This is not a bass heavy IEM though, it’s quality over quantity in this case. When needed bass will reach down very low, but it doesn’t have the same sub rumble as say the VE8 has. The EVE20 is more civilized in this way, but realistic, precise and engaging at the same time.

Bass at all times is fast, tight and fully in control. If you want “more” you can always switch to comply foam tips as these will get you more body and bass presence. I find myself switching tips on the EVE20 quite regularly depending  on the music I’m listening to, the DAP in use and my state of mind. Bass layering is good but not the most pronounced or detailed, as explained in the previous chapter. Sometimes I’m listening to the EVE20 and then I start wondering if the bass presentation isn’t too light. That’s until I switch to the next song and one of Dr. Dre’s songs start playing with impressive bass. EVE20’s bass is both technically strong as well as musical, and that’s always a great combination.

Vision Ears EVE20

Bass connects perfectly to the mids and they share the same characteristics when it comes to body, impact and presentation. For me the mids are where EVE20 really shines with extraordinary timbre, sweet texture and realistic voices. The mids have great dynamics and deliver the perfect mix of musicality, detail and naturalness. They’re presented in a spacious way with excellent detail retrieval and separation. The amount of air in the presentation is just right. The mids are technically strong but they come delivered in a musical and slightly smooth way, but not overly so. Both female and male vocals will impress as well as guitars, piano and so on. You just get such a lovely timbre and with the Linum cable (see later) the mid texture is simply very impressive.

The critic in me says that note decay and note extension/decay in the mids could be even further improved, but it’s not that the EVE20 is lacking in this regard either. As a matter of fact, these are the things that immediately improve when using a nice aftermarket cable such as the Effect Audio Leonidas and the Linum Music or Vocal cables.

EVE20’s highs are energetic and clear and they extend well. They perfectly connect to EVE20’s lovely mids and they perfectly contrast the bass section. I really like EVE20’s treble texture. Treble is clear, fast and dynamic and it never sounds too sharp, sizzling or sibilant. I think the treble presentation in the EVE20 is nice but at the same time it’s safe. It’s far from offensive but energetic and it will please many ears. At the same time if you’re into super extended and explicit treble, the EVE20 might sound a bit soft or “regular” to you. But in general I think the tuning – looking at the bass and mids – sits just right.

Vision Ears EVE20

Sound Balanced

The EVE20 comes delivered with a 3.5mm single ended cable and all of this article’s impressions except for this specific part, are with a single ended cable. The balanced cable I chose for this quick comparison is the Effect Audio Leonidas in a 2.5mm termination. The source used is the PAW 6000.

What strikes you in balanced mode is how the sound stage widens and the airiness becomes bigger. At the same time the depth/layering improves and the treble becomes even more energetic. For some this might even be too much. The downside of the medal is that you lose a tiny bit of bass and especially mid body. To me it depending on the music sometimes also sounded too wide and spacious and because of that it sounded less natural.

As a result I always listen to the EVE20 in single ended mode, but you just might how the EVE20 changes with a balanced cable and source.

Aftermarket Cables

As said, all of the impressions on the EVE20 were done with the regular cable and I don’t want to come with an EVE20 cable rolling guide but it’s clear that the EVE20 can profit from a nice aftermarket cable.

I have tried many different copper, silver and even gold plated cables with the EVE20 and while they all change the sound in their own way, I settled for a very transparent cable: The Linum Music. Of course your preference might be different but for me it really brings out the strong technical performance of the EVE20 and it even improves the note texture and decay. For me this is the perfect combo.

Vision Ears EVE20

Driveability & Sources

With its 120dB sensitivity and 20Ohm impedance, the EVE20 really doesn’t need any extra amplification to get correctly driven but let’s check out how it performs with some different sources. The only source I got some hiss from at volume level 0 is the Mojo. The EVE20 with all other sources was dead silent at all times.

The Lotoo PAW 6000 was our favorite DAP of 2019 and it’s very musical with a full bodied sound from top to bottom and a softer and warmer presentation. With the EVE20 that logically results in full bodied sound from top to bottom, great bass, warmer mids and easygoing treble. At the same time the EVE20 manages to keep a very good level of detail retrieval and dynamics. The result is a warmer and full sounding, but precise and musical EVE20. I was impressed with the layering and depth in this combination, as well as the overall stereo image and airiness.

From the Astell&Kern SP2000 you with the EVE20 get great precision and a very high level of detail rendering. The amount of bass and mid body in this combo is lighter and the bass impact isn’t as big as with the Lotoo. This is a very strong combo when it comes to technicalities but it isn’t the fullest sounding and has least impact. This is more the typical reference and neutral tuning where clarity, detail, precision and dynamics come before everything else. It’s one of my favorite DAPS, but for EVE20 to sound best with it, I always turn to foam tips .

The newest Earmen Sparrow offers both balanced as well as single ended sound from the “dongle” and it has a neutral tuning with great ESS Sabre detail retrieval. In combination with the EVE20 that results in a fast, tight and precise sounding combo with great dynamics and precision. The amount and the impact of the bass is lighter here compared to that of the Lotoo and EVE20 combo. This tuning is more neutral, but as said before the EVE20 has a very musical and slightly smooth mid presentation and that’s what you get here. Clarity, precision and clarity is what shines here.

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