Introduction
FloAudio, the dark horse of the budget realm, has been making respectable IEM that have honestly been surprising me with their superb build and design along with a unique house sound that in my opinion is being overlooked in the portable audio section. They currently have the Calla and the Lily that we covered a few months back and they have a rather special tuning that impresses me in a good way along with a wallet friendly price. They are currently one upping their game with a new 6 balanced armature IEM that boast a same professional tuning and build aptly named the BLUELOVER and it has certainly caught my attention for their same beautiful design knowing FloAudio’s dark, warm house sound, the BLUELOVER is a product that I anticipate much. How will they fare with these top gun specifications? We shall find out
A shout out for FloAudio for providing this set of BLULOVER for an honest take. Do visit their official store at AliExpress as they do have a plethora of special deals and coupons always available.
Functions & Specifications
Before we start the review, here are the specifications of the FloAudio BLUELOVER;
- Driver: 6 Balanced armature (2 for bass, 2 for mids, 2 for highs)
- Shell: 3D printed thick full resin shell
- Cable: 2 core OFC, 0.78mm QDC type connectors to 3.5mm(angled)
- Eartips : 3 pairs small bore silicone eartips
- Frequency Range: 20hz – 20khz
- Impedance: 24 ohms @ 1hz
- Sensitivity: 111dB/mW
Retail Price & Where to Get
The FloAudio BLUELOVER can be purchased from FloAudio AliExpress store exclusively and it took less than a week to arrive.
Purchase Link : https://a.aliexpress.com/_mMnhOo0
Packaging & Accessories
Packaging here is simple with a basic designed box that users can select the amount of accessories that comes with the BLUELOVER, same goes to the other models as well with a different price range. A smart move for them to allow users to choose what they wanted to lower down the price
Design
The BLUELOVER has a slightly larger full in-ear design than the previous models but still has a snug fit along with a lightweight IEM making them suitable for any usage. The resin used is a high quality, antibacterial resin that is thick and very well polished. The faceplate design is a true unique eye candy as they have blue iridescent streaks like comets behind a clear translucent faceplate with a semi translucent black body.
They are a fully closed IEM typical of a balanced armature IEM and they do possess a vacuum type insertion that might cause discomfort due to pressure buildup. The front tip has 3 bore holes that correspond to a 3 way crossover for the 2 balanced armature each for the highs, mids and bass and a metal nozzle mesh to prevent dust from entering. The balanced armature seems to be a custom tuned armature that FloAudio did not specify.
Cable that comes with the BLUELOVER is a basic 0.78mm QDC type pin. They are a 2 core OFC cable that has an angled 3.5mm connector that is pretty basic. Users can select a better quality 8 core braided cable in their package with a slightly higher price.
Gears Used for Comparisons
FiiO M17
Questyle M15
FiiO BTR7
Letshuoer D13
FloAudio Lily
Tangzu Heyday
BQEYZ Winter
Hidizs MD4
Moondrop A8
Unique Melody 3DT
Dunu EST112
Songs list
Tone and Presentation
The tone of the BLUELOVER is a ‘L’ shaped signature that has a boosted bass that sounds organic and musical. It is a slightly darkish analogue, warm tone that possesses a good resolution with adequate overall details and clarity. It has great extension on the lower region with smooth inoffensive highs along with thick midrange notes that are fatigue free, suitable for treble sensitive users. The BLUELOVER is a fun sounding IEM that isn’t too clinical tuned for genres such as Hip-hop, jazz, EDM and instrumentals. Vocals are intimate and lush but they do lack brilliance to give a livelier presentation.
Soundstage
Soundstage that the BLUELOVER is an intimate type that has mediocre width and height even at this price. They have accurate positioning that sound holographic and wide with a medium sized headstage. Air is good but they do lack a wide soundstage.
Separation and Timbre
For a 6 balanced armature iEM, they are actually tuned quite coherent with all the frequencies working and blend well in harmony. The bass is slightly overpowered that might push the midrange behind but it is not a coherence problem. Timbre is organic and warm with no metallic timbre that plagues a badly made balanced armature, in fact, they have a timbre that actually mimics a dynamic driver especially in the lower frequencies similar to their previous IEM, Lily.
Drivability
The BLUELOVER is rated at 24 ohms with a 108db sensitivity which is average for a balanced armature set and they do not need much power to push their volume but they do scale well with a good source. An addition of an impedance adapter might also push the midrange a little more forward and reduce the bass amount in my setup. With a mediocre, basic setup, they might sound a little veil in their midrange, making them sound a little blurry. The BLUELOVER do not pick up hiss well due to their lower sensitivity and in return, they are not revealing flaws present in a badly mastered track which can be a plus for streaming users but not for those who use them as a monitoring IEM.
The Bass (Low)
The bass present in the BLUELOVER is an authoritative, strong bass that is boosted in their mid bass as well as their sub-bass. They have a dynamic-esque bass slam that does not sound like a balanced armature bass. They are boomy but still able to sound pretty decent with good details and transparency but they do lack a good texture and clarity. In their price range, I do think that their bass performance does hold their ground and there is no bleed present in their presentation but due to their boosted signature, the midrange will sound a little distant from the bass on certain genres like rock and pop. Sub-bass extension is deep and they possess a good rumble that sounds immersive and quite enjoyable. Overall, a strong bass that might suit light bassheads out there while still possessing a good degree of details and control.
The Mids
Midrange here is a recessed type of midrange that has a neutral sound signature. They are thick and warm sounding with good macro details and clarity along with a good resolution but they do lack a great micro detail retrieval ability. Transparency is good but some music like vocals might sound a little veil but mostly on low quality source like a basic bluetooth receiver. There is a slight coloration in their midrange but it doesn’t sound unnatural, instead they are quite organic here making music quite fun to listen to. Their lower midrange has a very slight roll-off and that does make the midrange have a small gap with the bass but it is quite minor and doesn’t really bother me. Vocal performance is good but not great as they excels mostly on male vocals but lacks brilliance in high pitch on female vocals. They are more suited for instrumentals and EDM genres as they are intimate and have an immersive sound that is just fun to listen to. Overall, they possess a thick, warm and organic midrange that is fun to listen to but some users might find them a little recessed and lack bite or brilliance.
The Highs
High range on the BLUELOVER is a flat signature with a neutral sound that sounds smooth and inoffensive. They have a laid-back style of presentation that possesses no shout or peak in any manner but still able to deliver a good clarity with all the details intact. Sparkle here is great, typical of balanced armature highs without any harsh present but I do find that they lack a crisper performance here as they do lack top end brilliance here. Extension is good with an airy performance and they sounded quite full without any major roll off at the end. Treble here is a toned down intensity and they have a mild energy of sound to them making the high range not as aggressive and inoffensive which is great for treble sensitive users. Overall, a smooth and capable high range that has all the details and extends pretty well but they lack crispness and brilliance making the high range sounds a little dull at times.
Comparisons
VS Hidizs MD4
The MD4 from Hidizs is a very capable multi BA that is equipped with 4 balanced armatures and has 2 tuning switches that add to their versatility. They have a very well balanced overall sound and they cost around 30 to 40% more than the BLUELOVER. The MD4 is packaged much better and complete along with a metal build. This comparison is made with MD4 on the treble switch which is my favourite.
High range
Highs on both of these units is similar with a flat laid-back style that is smooth and inoffensive with the MD4 having a slight edge in their crispness. Both have good detail retrieval but the MD4 sounds livelier.
Midrange
BLUELOVER mids are thicker and warmer while the MD4 has a flatter midrange. Details and clarity is slightly better on the MD4 but vocals on the BLUELOVER sounds lusher and fuller. Resolution on both is similar but the MD4 has better transparency.
Bass
Bass on the BLUELOVER trumps the MD4 in quantity but the quality in performance is typically the same with the MD4 having more control in their presentation. Sub-bass extension is deeper on the BLUELOVER but the MD4 overall bass has better texture and sounds more accurate.
Soundstage
The soundstage on MD4 sounds a tad bit wider and taller with a similar airiness along with the same small to medium headroom.
VS Ultimate Ears UE900s
The classic multi balanced armature IEM from the now discontinued UE900s from Ultimate Ears was released nearly 10 years ago. They have a 4 balanced armature setup with a 2 way crossover that is highly praised for their amazing transparency and accuracy.
High region
The highs on the UE900s have a crisper and better sparkle amount but they are a little on the dry side. Details are the same but clarity on the UE900s is better. Highs on the BLUELOVER is smoother and more forgiving overall.
Midrange
Midrange on BLULOVER is thicker, more organic, lusher and fuller than the thinny midrange of the UE900s. Details, clarity and transparency is better on the UE900s. Both have good resolving capabilities but the UE900s is slightly better here.
Bass
The amount of bass on the BLUELOVER is bigger, more energetic and goes deeper in the sub-bass versus the slightly recessed bass of the UE900s. Details and clarity here are the same on both but the BLUELOVER sounded more organic and have a dynamic bass versus the pure balanced type of bass on the UE900s
Soundstage
Both have a similar soundstage width and height but the BLUELOVER sounds a tad bit airier.
Synergy
Questyle M15
The Questyle M15 is my staple daily dongle DAC/amplifier as they are able to sound pure with Questyle’s signature direct current amplification and I have been a sucker for this dongle since the day it was launched. They are a neutral to bright sounding device for a portable usage with a great extension on both ends and possess none of the usual Sabre chip glare.
Bass sounded cleaner and less boomy with details increased. Though still strong in their bass, they are very much controlled and sound much more textured. Sub-bass has remained mostly the same but they are cleaner.
Midrange is clearer and slightly more forward than usual while retaining the warmth and thickness. Vocals sounded livelier and lusher.
High range has a sharper sparkle but they still lack a crisper presentation. Amount of treble has increased and they are more fun to listen to.
Soundstage has seen improved depth, width and height but it is not significant.
Overall, quite a good pairing for a portable usage as they give the BLUELOVER a livelier feel to them.
FiiO M17
The ultimate transportable brick of FiiO’s digital audio player line, the M17 with 2 ES9038pro chipset with 2 THX788+ amplification inside and they sound like what a good source should sound like. This pairing will decide the scalability for the BLUELOVER.
Bass has been stepped up in terms of their texture and they are cleaner, clearer overall. They improved quite significantly here as they are more controlled and clearer making the other frequencies more evident.
Midrange has a more balanced performance along with a more detailed presentation. They have a slightly brighter signature and that makes up for a more complete vocalisation while still keeping their lushness.
Highs is a little more forward and has a faster pace along with a little energy added giving more life to the music. Details and clarity is a step up and they sounded way better than all the sources that I tried on hand.
Soundstage height is better with a wider sound overall but they are still sound closed but possess a bigger headroom sized soundscape.
Scalability here is quite good with a more controlled overall sound but they do not benefit from raw power from the M17.
Who Is It For?
The BLUELOVER is a recommended product for those who seek an immersive sound that isn’t too offensive and bright as they are a little dark sounding with an immersive sound. They have a dynamic bass performance with a balanced armature cleanliness that works for most of the mainstream songs but not really suitable for acoustics and live music. Treble sensitive users might love the BLUELOVER as they have a smooth treble that is not piercing while still sounding technically good. For gaming and movies, they are perfect as they have an accurate positioning along with a good immersion.
Final words
FloAudio in my opinion has been overlooked for their amazing products as they are very consistent in their production. With 3 IEM released, they seem to possess their own house sound of a dark, warm and bassy sound that is able to hold their ground in their technical department while having an eye for beautiful design and a solid build. They are a fun signature that isn’t offensive, instead they offer a smooth overall sound that has great resolving capabilities. Though their soundstage might be a little small and they lack some refinement in their high range, they are priced very competitively and will go toe to toe with other brands within this price range. Another job well done FloAudio showcasing their enthusiasm and talent.
I would rate this product 4 over 5 stars
- Good overall price vs performance
- Great build with a beautiful design
- Organic sound
- Smooth, laid-back signature
- Solid, high quality dynamic-esque bass
- Sub-bass extension
- Thick and warm midrange
- Immersive sound
- Great resolution
- Smooth inoffensive highs
- Lack brilliance
- Average micro detail retrieval
- Slightly overpowered mid bass
- Closed soundstage
- Not crisp enough in highs
- Not suitable for monitoring
- Midrange lack transparency
