Soratune from China is a newcomer hailing from China with a great enthusiastic team with experienced members from around the scene and they are related in some way with the giants, Letshuoer. Making their debut here is their all new Soratune YI01, tuned for casual listeners and professional gamers that puts clarity first along with a more immersive and accurate soundstage presentation. Though being marketed as a gamer’s choice IEM, they are no slouch in their high fidelity sound as well for the high quality drivers used as this is where we come in. Soratune has kindly sent us a sample of the YI01 for an honest take and we are truly grateful for the opportunity given. Will the YI01 hold their place as a high quality sounding IEM in this ever growing market? We shall find out here.
Functions & Specifications
Before we start the review, here are the specifications of the Soratune YI01;
- Driver Unit: Double dynamic (10mm+8mm)
- Impedance: 9Ω(@1kHz)
- Body : CNC Aluminum Alloy
- Total Harmonic Distortion (THD): ≤1%(@1kHz)
- Sensitivity: 101 dB/mW(@1kHz)
- Frequency Response: 20-20kHz
- Cable Specification: 1.2m silver plated wire Standard 0.78mm
- Plug: 3.5mm without Microphone\Type-C with Microphone
The Soratune YI01 can be purchased directly at the Amazon, AliExpress and more platforms will have this set available worldwide;
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DF52931X
Packaging & Accessories
The packaging here is neat, straight to the point and professionally packed with a premium feel. They packaged it in simplicity as also the goal here is to reduce waste as a trend to help the planet one way or another and I do stand by producers who do this as the packaging is stored most of the time and it is redundant after that especially with lower priced gears. They have a mechanical punk theme that looks futuristic and inside we are greeted with 6 pairs of eartips with 3 sizes(3 pairs narrow bore, 3 pairs wider boy), a nice hard case with their signature neon branding, some paperworks, a nice 4 core cable and the head unit itself. Good, neat packaging that is worthy of their asking price.
Design
The design here has the futuristic punk design that is edgy with a small round stamp of their brand. It has 2 different colour choices, black or silver, and the one with me is in the silver. The shell is made from CNC aluminium alloy with precise cuts that have a mild matte finish and they are durable, lightweight and solid. They do look very well put together with a unique, original design that looks fresh and cool. Even though they possess a rather edgy, angular build, they do have great ergonomics and fit very well in my ears without any issues.
Inside the YI01, we have a dual dynamic driver with a mix of a 10 mm and 8 mm dynamic with a rather low 9 ohms of impedance.
The nozzle has a medium to long nozzle with a metal mesh at the tip.
There are 6 multiple vents on each side at the back that serve as a breathing vent for the dynamic drivers and they are triangular shaped with metal meshes. Another vent for pressure relief is at the inner side of the body. The YI01 has a good venting system and they don’t have any driver flex.
The YI01 has a flush type of standard 0.78mm connection with a slightly tight connection which is great. The YI01 comes in a rectangular fabric case with their brand name in neon green and they aren’t the usual off the mill casing as it is well made.
The cable has 2 choices where the user can choose from. First is the normal 3.5mm standard cable and another is a USB C cable and they are slightly pricier. The USC C is a normal DSP cable but they do sound decent and have adequate driving power for the YI01. Cable material is made from oxygen free copper with silver plating and they have 4 cores of cable and braided tightly with a good tensity suitable for everyday usage.
Gears Used for Comparisons
Fiio Q7
Questyle M15
Hiby FC6
FiiO BTR7
Intime Sho DD
Letshuoer S15
Letshuoer DZ4
TangZu Xuan NV
RHA MA750i
Hiby Lasya
Rose Technics Star City 5 Pro
Moondrop A8
Dunu EST112
Truthear Zero RED
Songs list
Tone and Presentation
The tone of the Soratune YI01 is a mild V shaped that have a mild recessed mids with a boosted bass and a strong highs that gives an energetic, immersive sound quality that is fun to listen too. The tuning here is actually pretty good for their amazing overall clarity and they have a near field sound that is intimate but isn’t as wide versus the dual hybrid competitors out there. There is some warmth in the midrange with some minor coloration and they surely aren’t a cold sounding set. The semi open back of the YI01 does give the set an airy presentation that makes them sound rather big and blends well with their intimate tuning.
Soundstage
The YI01 soundstage here is pretty good in their price range with a wide, deep stage and along with their airy sound, they are spacious for an IEM. Height here is mediocre though but still acceptable for their price range. One thing to note is their holographic soundstage that is accurate and they provide a good realism suiting for gaming as advertised. Sound placement is accurate and makes music sounds more immersive making the YI01 a good overall performer be it music, gaming or movies. Headroom is a medium sized room that doesn’t feel boxy in any way thanks to their semi open back design.
Separation and Timbre
Separation is superb with a wide separation and a clear left to right stereo sound that possesses no crosstalk issues. Coherency here is also superb for a dual dynamic setup and both of the drivers blend harmoniously as if a single dynamic driver is implemented. Timbre here is slightly piercy with a warm breathy sound that has a great amount of energy in the low and higher frequency. The YI01 does have a mild brightness to their timbre but isn’t overly bright and they sound natural that is usually derived from a solid quality dynamic driver.
Drivability
Rated at a mere 9 ohms at 101 dB sensitivity, the YI01 is easily driven from any source and they aren’t as sensitive to picking up as a balanced armature driver setup. The YI01 is easily driven from any source with ample volume and their scalability is meagre which may be a pro or cons as they do sound mostly the same with any source but easily enjoyed anywhere, anytime. They are a forgiving type of sound that doesn’t really show flaws in recordings which may not suit critical listeners or for monitoring purposes. A higher bitrate file will have the usual improvements of depth and clarity but not a night and day difference.
The Bass (Low)
The bass here, driven by the 10mm single dynamic driver is and they have a neutral bass that is warm, agile and accurate with decent amount of details. It has a good authority with a mild dose of mid-bass lift that presents a strong and tight slam that isn’t too overpowering and may suit some light bassheads that seek a slightly stronger bass performance but isn’t for hardcore bassheads. They also have a good fast pace of bass that gives a punchy, energetic bass that is capable of playing a wide range of genres including EDM, jazz, Hip-hop and metal. Bass texture here is good with a clean imaging without any muddiness and they don’t bleed into the midrange. The bass extension here is good but not great as they do have a quick roll off that on certain records renders the bass a little low on their boominess but it is marginal. Sub-bass extends deep with an average amount of rumble and I do find the mid bass lift is more evident than the sub-bass amount which on certain bass heavy tracks will sound a little hollow.
The Mids
Midrange has a warm, slightly bright tone with a mild recessed sound partly due to the emphasis at the low end and a slightly boosted treble. The midrange here has a decent amount of micro and great macro details retrieval but possesses superb clarity as sound coming out from the midrange is clear as day. Body in the midrange is leaning towards a thinner side but isn’t too acute that causes music to sound too dry. Resolution here is great along with good transparency as music sounded vivid with some mild colouration while staying mostly true to the original intended sound. Vocals have a decent brilliance and they are well balanced suiting male and female vocals respectively but due to their slightly thin mids, I do find the vocals on the YI01 isn’t their forte but leaning more towards instrumentals. There is also a good amount of space here in the midrange and they are accurately placed as they are tuned more towards gamers, this will help them identify the whereabouts of sound easier.
The Highs
High range has slightly boosted highs and they sounded neutral with a good extension that gives the high more air. Details and clarity here are great with a good piercy sparkle that has some crisp decay to them. The high range here does bring some balanced armature type of high range that is fast, clean and resolving without any weird, unnatural timbre. Transparency on the high range is superb as they are accurate and doesn’t really incur any metallic or plasticky high range that usually plagues lower end dynamic drivers. There is a mild spike towards the 8 kHz to 10 kHz region but it is mild and it gives some extra bite into music producing an energetic presentation of the high range. The overall high range here isn’t too piercy but it may be a little too spicy for treble sensitive users. Sibilance is not a problem in my usage and fatigue doesn’t really set in quickly with normal loudness, in fact, I do find the high range rather smooth, free of major peaks, shout or sibilance. Treble here has a good mild intensity that produces a lively overall sound that is fun to listen to.
Comparisons
VS TangZu Xuan NV
The TangZu Xuan NV is a collaboration product with HBB that also houses 2 dynamic drivers in blood red design and they all have a fully resin IEM as opposed to the full metal design of the YI01. Fit on both is comfy but the Xuan NV does hug the inner ear better giving more isolation while the open back design of the YI01 does give more air. The Xuan NV is priced slightly above the YI01. The YI01 does have better packaging but the Xuan NV comes in their high end eartip, the Tang Sancai.
High range
Highs on the YI01 have a slightly bigger amount with a better bite for a livelier presence and they have more energy. Both high ranges have great amounts of clarity and detail along with good resolving sound but transparency on the Xuan NV is more natural and smoother. Both have good extension extension but the YI01 does have slightly better air
Midrange
Xuan NV midrange has a more balanced sound and has a slightly forward sound than the slightly recessed midrange of the YI01. Details are on the YI01 side and it does sound clearer. The Xuan NV does have a more spacious feel versus the YI01 that is more intimate. The Xuan NV does sound thicker with a little more coloration than the YI01.
Bass
Bass on YI01 is tighter, faster and sharper while the Xuan NV has a more meaty bass response that has better presence than the early rolled off bass of the YI01. Sub-bass on Xuan NV dives deeper and has a bigger rumble marginally. Details and clarity of the bass in the Yl01 is slightly better but the Xuan NV bass does have better impact though isn’t as agile.
Soundstage
The soundstage on the Yl01 does sound bigger but both sound very airy.
VS Truthear Zero RED
The Zero RED is a collaboration IEM with Crinacle and they are a flexible sound signature that has a good bass response with a rather balanced sound signature. They are priced almost the same with the Yl01 but the packaging of the Yl01 is more complete for their hard case and better cable. Overall, they do go head to head with each other albeit with different signatures but the YI01 does sound more fun and energetic for my ears.
High region
The highs of the YI01 does have a more sparkly and sharper versus the balanced highs of the Zero RED. Details and clarity seems to be better here on the YI01 but the Zero RED does possess a smoother, more natural highs. Zero RED extends slightly better with a slower roll off but both sets are airy.
Midrange
Midrange on the Zero RED has a thicker, warmer and more forward presentation while YI02 has a more spacious mids. Details and clarity does sound better on the Zero RED but the YI01 has a slightly better upper mids brilliance and make the vocals on YI01 livelier. Zero RED does have a more accurate timbre here.
Bass
The amount of bass on Zero RED has the lead in the extension and they have a more accurate slam with a more evident mid bass lift versus the mild roll off bass of the YI01. Sub-bass in both sets is similar in depth but the Zero RED does rumble deeper and stronger. Details and clarity does side on the YI01 as they are clearer and more agile.
Soundstage
Soundstage height is similar but depth is better on the YI01 but only marginally.
Synergy
Hiby FC6
Hiby FC6 is a simplified version of the Darwin R2R architecture that is Hiby’s creation all packed in a portable audio dongle form. They have a smooth, analogue sound that is lush and organic with a good technically in their sound and they match the bright sound of the energetic YI01 pleasantly making the YI01 sound fuller. They only have a 3.5mm single ended output but have an adequate power delivery that is enough for most IEMs out there but the YI01 is easily driven so no issues here.
Bass sounded has a more meaty sound with slight details and clarity increase. The bass has better imaging capabilities and is more textured and that makes the overall bass sounds more enjoyable. There is some mild increase in the mid bass amount but not much. Sub-bass remains the same but they do possess a deeper and stronger rumble.
Midrange sounds slightly thicker that eliminate the recessed mids mildly preserving their intimacy. Vocals sound smoother on the upper mids and sounded more natural with a more transparent sound. Resolution also seems to be better as they sounded more vivid with an increase in their coloration.
High range is leaner here as well as in their treble intensity while retaining their crisp decay and lively sparkle. Details and clarity is better as they do add some extension and air here making the high range less fatigue.
Soundstage has seen improved width and height with the same size headroom.
FiiO Q7
The Q7, a monster of a transportable DAC amplifier that makes its debut in 2023 and they are still the flagship in the Q series in FiiO. They are equipped with the famed Sabre ES9038pro dac chip with dual THX 788+ chipset that boast a maximum of 3000 mw power with the DC power supply. They have a bright to warm sound that has tons of power to drive any IEMs and most of the headphones around. The synergy here actually brings out the fullest potential of the most of the IEMs I have tested as it provides a much better stable driving power and with its well balanced sound, the Q7 matches gears rather easily. The YI01 scalability here is marginal but they do have some minor perks in the clean source provided.
Bass has a cleaner sound that has a slightly mid bass lift than usual. They have a better sub-bass extension with a slightly deeper rumble. Details and clarity has a slight increase and they sound airier with a meatier bass response. The Q7 also provided a better air in their extension giving a slightly fuller bass.
Midrange has better transparency making the midrange sound more natural and they are slightly more intimate with a more resolving sound. The midrange also does sound warmer and lusher than usual. There is some brilliance added in the upper midrange that gives a slightly livelier vocals.
Highs has the same sparkle but has a better extension along with some extra crisp sound added . Details and clarity stayed the same but they do have better air. Treble here has some added intensity giving a slightly more energetic sound but may incur more fatigue in the long run.
Soundstage height and width is better with a wider, airier sound overall.
Who Is It For?
Well, as advertised, the Soratune YI01 does hit the spot for gamers for their immersive yet big sound with good accuracy and superb clarity that is important for FPS games to spot enemies incoming. They are well tuned and the YI01 suits music listening quite well for their fun, energetic sound that is no slouch in technicalities. They aren’t really suited for heavy bassheads but adequate for most situations with their clean, tight and agile bass. They aren’t a vocal driven tuning but for those who yearn for an musical, fun sound, the YI01 is well suited for that. Treble amount here is actually on point that it is suited for treble sensitive folks while still retaining their liveliness. Be it gaming, movies or music, the YI01 is actually a very versatile IEM ready for any situation.
Final words
Soratune has surely come in with a bang with their Yl01 and though marketed as a gaming IEM, I do find that their tuning is well cooked with their experienced team that it is a chameleon of an IEM for their versatility. They have superb immersion, accuracy, energy and a great soundstage to top it off suiting a wide range of music genres. Build here is solid with an original design that is not a simple off the mill design and they do hold their place in this price range rather steadily. The only setbacks I do find are their slightly recessed mids and a mild rolled off bass but in this price range, they are not a deal breaker. My hopes are high with the Soratune as I do find their passion is there while having a sprinkle of uniqueness in their product and they are a brand to look at in the coming years. Winner winner chicken dinner Soratune! I would rate this product 4 and a half over 5 stars
Pros
- Solid aluminium alloy build with good design
- Comfortable
- Great overall clarity and detail
- Good cohesion
- Punchy, accurate bass
- Natural, piercy timbre with excellent separation
- Lush, spacious midrange
- Mild coloration for a fun sound
- Good overall resolution and transparency
- Great sparkly, crisp high range
- Smooth, extended highs
- Good treble amount
- Wide airy soundstage
- Easily driven
- Versatile sound signature
- Nicely priced
Cons
- Upper midrange peak
- Recessed midrange
- Midrange slightly thin
- Lack a wide dynamic range
- Not suitable for monitoring
- Bass rolled off a little early
- Sub-bass rumble a little weak
- Vocals lack body
