Astrotec Vesna Review (1) – Best In Class?
Pros — Cohesive sound of surprising quality; clean notes; excellent tuning; metal build, decent accessories.
Cons — Stock tips too small for some ear canals.
In this Article
Executive Summary
| The Astrotec Vesna are warm sounding iems with astonishing sonic qualities considering their $20 price. |
Introduction
Another $20 piston-shaped single dynamic-driver iem? Don’t we have enough of these? No fancy faceplate, no detachable cable, no ear hooks? The cool kids have already stopped reading this. But, wait! These are good, so good that even a guy like me who has seen it all uses them. You better read on.
Astrotec’s parent company dedicated to acoustic research was established 20 years ago, the current branding exists since 2011. Their first earbuds and earphones were released in 2012. You may have heard of their Lyra earbuds and the Delphinus series iems. The brand is better known in China were it is regarded as belonging to the 10 best domestic earphone brands.
Vesna is the poetic word for spring in some eastern European countries. And, yes, spring is coming (in Canada) as I write this. So, no coincidence that this earphone is released in…yes you guessed it. Let’s see whether the Vesnas keep what I promise.
| NOTE: this is an analysis of the Astrotec Vesna, and NOT of the more expensive Astrotec Vesna EVO with detachable cables. According to forum rumours, the “plain” Vesna sounds better than the EVO…we are on the right track. |
Specifications
| Drivers: 6mm Dynamic Driver, LCP diaphragm |
| Impedance: 30 Ω |
| Sensitivity: 102 dB/1mW (S.P.L at 1KHz) dB/mW |
| Frequency Range: 5 Hz – 22,000 Hz |
| Cable/Connector: fixed |
| Tested at: $19.90 |
| Product Page: Astrotec |
| Purchase Link: Astrotec Official Store |
Physical Things and Usability
In the box are the earphone with fixed cable, a set of eartips (S/M/L), storage bag, a USB-C dongle, and the paperwork. The dongle does not work with any Mac device (iPhone of MacBook) and appears to be designed for Android and Windows devices.
There is also a version with 2-pin detachable cable available, the Vesna EVO version.
The earpieces are well made of “airplane-grade aluminum alloy” and feature a prominent nozzle lip to keep the eartips in place. They feel substantial between my fingers and not budget like. The diaphragm used is Japanese LCP (liquid crystal polymer). The cable is spindly, not rubbery, and without microphonics — and therefore good for me.
The comfort/fit of the cylindrical earpieces is as good as expected, as this shape is not (much) in contact with the concha. Isolation is not great. The 30 Ω Vesna work well with my iPhone SE (1st gen.).
Tonality and Technicalities
| Equipment used: MacBook Air | Earstudio HUD 100 (low gain) with AudioQuest JitterBug FMJ | SpinFit CP145 eartips. |
The Vesna have a warm, (relatively) rich signature with a realistic attack and an overall surprising sonic quality. Sure, they are still budget earphones but their overall cohesion is pretty good and they are attractive and engaging to my ears/brain.
No, the bass does not dip particularly deep – its merely ok – but it is as tight as my wallet. Not the biggest rumble down there and the slam may a bit on the polite side. No midbass hump, no sub-bass hump. The bass is agile and warm. Best actor in a supporting role. Not bad at all.
Vocals are the big surprise…they are intimate, articulate, have decent note weight and the notes are well defined and rounded, too. Exceptional quality at this price point. Yes, you can turn the music up and the voices remain smooth and are not stabbing you in the chest…or rather eardrums. A huge asset. Typically, budget iems are lean and piercing in the midrange, these are not. Therefore, no shoutiness either. Hurrah!
Treble is non intrusive. Cymbals may sound metallic and energetic, but they still keep some subtlety. Extension into the lower treble is very good but resolution is not the greatest.
Stage is reasonably wide, not very deep, and also not too high. Imaging and spatial cues are outstanding for its class, attack is delightful: no harshness, nimble, very pleasant on my ears. Separation, layering, and resolution are also very good for the class. I would like to repeat: note weight and note definition both stick out. Timbre is also great: everything sounds natural.
Looking back, the combination of a warm signature, a speedy, non-syrupy bass, and smooth, silky vocals creates an overall very pleasant listening experience for me.
Astrotec Vesna Compared
The Vesna is the best <$30 iem I have heard in a long time – and they may be a valid successor to the discontinued Moondrop Crescent. The similar looking Venture Electronics Bonus IE is way too sub-bassy in comparison, and therefore blunter sounding at its low end, although it also has an overall organic timbre.
The $25 Tripowin Leá lacks dynamics, and cohesion in comparison, though it has a more impressive build with detachable cable. It is harsher and aggressive sounding in the midrange.
The Vesna, I say it again, can be turned up to the hilt without sounding piercing or aggressive.
Concluding Remarks
Well, another $20 earphone withe non-detachable cable and piston-shaped earpieces. But hey, this one is more cohesive than any of its siblings I have tested (through its flatter tuning). It does essentially nothing wrong, not even remotely. On the contrary, it is an engaging, enjoyable listen for me, even with much higher-priced iems in my drawer. The Vesna’s will go in my glove department for use at the supermarket.
Until next time…keep on listening!
Disclaimer
The Vesna was provided unsolicited by Astrotec – and I thank them for that.
Get the Vesna directly from Astrotec or their from Astrotec Official Store.
Our generic standard disclaimer.
You find an INDEX of our most relevant technical articles HERE.
