The Softears Volume S is a hybrid IEM featuring one 10mm dynamic driver, one 6mm passive radiator and two balanced armatures
retailing at 319 euros in the EU. There is some really stiff competition around that 300 to 400€ price region so let
find out how it fits in.

Unboxing & accessories:

The Volume S comes in a rather large somewhat premium looking black box. The IEMS are well secured in foam and
generally the unboxing experience feels quiet generous. A high-quality leather case, two sets of silicone tips,
a tuning tool, cleaning cloth, a metal serial card and of course a modular 3.5/4.4mm cable which also looks
and feels premium but sadly has two major issues, the first issue with the cable it is prone to microphonics
and the second problem sometimes i felt tinny static discharges on the skin of my ear which i have never experienced
with any other cable in the past. So in the end i could not use the cable at all.

Design, Comfort & Build Quality:

In terms of comfort the Volume S is really in easy fit for my ears, the provided ear tips are really great no
complains there. The build quality is also excellent, although very lightweight the IEMS feels very solid, the
shell consists of black resin and the faceplate is made out of CNC-machined aluminum and carbon fiber.
Altogether it looks very modern and elegant. Backed into the faceplate there is a switch which allows two
different tuning modes (low and high-impedance). To be honest i briefly tried to switch between the different
modes but to me the high-impedance mode is useless, i didn't like it at all so i left it at default low impedance
mode for all my listening.

Power Requirements & Pairing:

In terms of power these IEMS are very easy to drive no special requirements here, however they can scale up
when used with higher gear. So for pairing a nice DAP or Portable DAC/AMP would be a great companion.

Sound Impressions & Comparison:

The Volume S has impressed me very much right from the beginning, it has a sound signature that i really like,
the treble is very well tuned it is on the safer side, it never sounds harsh or agressive but still retains
very good detail especially for the asking price, the mids are slightly elevated giving instruments and vocals
nice texture without exaggeration and the bass, well it is simply fantastic, it is fast, has impact and rumble
when called upon also here without overdoing it. In terms of soundstage and imaging capabilities it performs
very well too and is totally in line to what can be expected in this price range.

Comparing against other IEMS, the Aful Performer 5+2 gives some serious competition to the Volume S, it comes
in at a slightly lower price tag (80€ less) and is one of those sets that i really enjoy quite a bit. There's
really not much separating both IEMS when compared side by side and i would really have a hard time choosing between the
two, to break it down in terms of fit & comfort the P5+2 would take the win, when it comes to soundstage
and imaging the Volume S is slightly ahead, but overall it is really a close call and there is no clear winner
here. Than there are two other newer contenders that could pose a serious threat for the Volume S, the ZiiGaat
Horizon (329€) and the Kiwi Ears Orchestra II (349€), so all three IEMS competing at a similar price.
From the first impressions with this newer sets i feel that the Orchestra II is superior when it comes
technical performance and liveliness, it has noticeably more energy in the treble and hits harder in the bass,
but it seems to have two major flaws, i'm having a hard to get a good fit and sometimes i get significant ear
pressure issues so i guess i will have to experiment with ear-tips in order to draw final conclusions here.
The Ziigaat Horizon is another very promising set and a strong contender in this price range from my first
impressions it is a very technical IEM that has some great treble extension and is very detailed, it is
also very spacious. Fit and comfort is on the same level as with the Volume S, where it falls a bit
short is in the bass department, it lacks a bit of that bass punch that the Volume S has, what i also
felt is that due to increased amount of treble sometimes i get a bit of listening fatigue compared
to the smoother presentation of the Volume S.

Conclusion:

To summarize i think that the Volume S is e very nice set. It delivers a great performance
and is a very comfortable IEM that is suited for long listening sessions where you can emerge into
your music. The package is great but the stock cable sucks and that's really the only complaint
that i have. Other than that the Softears Volume S is a no-brainer and deserves a serious consideration.
As e replacement cable i use the Linsoul Tripowin 16 Core Silver Plated (2-Pin 0.78-4.4 mm, Dark Green)

Specs:

Driver: 1x DD, 1x Passive RAD, 2xBA
Tuning modes: Low & High Impedance switch
Impedance: 9.8 & 31.2 Ω
Frequency Response: 8Hz–40kHz
Shell: Resin, Alloy, Carbon Fiber
Cable: high-purity, oxygen-free copper wire
Connector: 2-pin
Cable termination: 3.5mm or 4.4mm plug options
Weight per side: 5g