Introduction
I guessed that you have already heard of the Alpha Omega custom IEM makers from Sarawak, Malaysia as we have covered most of their products including their recent collaboration with Hill Audio, the Voyager. They have been burning midnight oil for months on end perfecting their flagship, the Omegon and they are proud to release the MK2, which is an overhaul of the well praised flagship. They retain their 4 balanced armature and dual electrostatic tweeters but have implemented an internal Apex tuning system that they have created in-house and they promised a much wider sound along with a better, stronger bass response. I am truly stoked for this new iteration of their flagship and hope to be blown away as I once did with the first Omegon. So let’s get started with the review.
Functions & Specifications
Before we start the review, here are the specifications of the Alpha Omega Omegon MK2;
- Drivers : 4 balanced armatures + dual electrostatic driver with 3 tuning switch and all new internal APEX system
- Shell: Resin moulded with iridescent scales
- Frequency response: 20-20000 Hz
- Impedance: 32Ω
- Sensitivity: 104dB/mW
- Cable length: 1.2m
- Socket type: 0.78mm 2 pin
- Cable: 4 core Silver plated monocrystalline copper cable
- Termination: 4.4mm (other terminations can be requested)
Retail Price & Where to Get
The Alpha Omega Omegon MK2 can be purchased at Alpha Omega Custom In Ear
Official Website : https://www.alphaomegaciem.com/
Packaging & Accessories
I have only received a demo set from Alpha Omega but they have stated that it will come with a nice packaging that consist of a high quality hard case, 3 pairs of Reecho AET07 eartips which is lind of similar shape and softness to Acoustune AET07 ones, 1 pin for adjusting the tuning switch, a 4 core silver plated OCC cable and the IEM. They are a custom IEM maker, so they are more focused on producing a high quality, handmade product to suit your needs.
Design The unit now comes in a clear resin body with an iridescent scales that mimics a fish scales along with their brand logo in gold. They are simply premium looking to be honest and they are hand polished to perfection as they are smooth all around.
The shells are made from high quality resin that feels premium and comfortable on the ear. They are on the thinner side of a resin IEM but they do feel solidly made.
The fourth tube in the Omegon MK2 is their own in house proprietary technology, which is called PCC system (stands for Phase Correction Channel System), the main function is to redirect the phase of the woofer, so that it will not cancel out the phase of mid driver that causes muddying and congesting sound on the mid-bass area. It also allow the MK2 to have a deep and dynamic slams of bass and sub bass while retaining the clarity and separation of the mid region details as the redirecting sound is out of the congested phase.
The tuning options have remained mostly the same with the top of the in-ears fitted 3 tuning switches that provide 9 different types of tunings that really have a big effect, almost night and day, on the sound similar to the MK1. The switch basically similar to MK1 where switch one is increase the sub-bass, switch two is change the mode or crossover of bass driver to make it more warm and lively And switch 3 is increase the treble amount.
The cable included is a 1.2 metre, 4.4mm 4 core 2 pin 0.78mm gold plated plug and they are a silver plated OCC cable that is a little stiff. They have an all metal slider, Y-splitter and plugs. It is indeed a high end cable as I do feel a big increase in clarity, details, brightness and soundstage when used on other in-ears in my collection.
Gears Used for Comparisons
FiiO M17
Questyle M15
FiiO BTR7
Dunu EST112
Moondrop A8
Rose Technica QT9 MK2
Unique Melody 3DT
BQEYZ Winter
Tangzu Heyday
JVC HA-FW 01
Songs list
Tone and Presentation
The tone of the Omegon MK2 is a mild dark and warm tone with an organic, natural sound presentation that has a high degree of technicalities in all their frequencies. They have a very well balanced neutral signature with a well boosted bass and a very well extended, airy electrostatic type of treble. They possess a very wide spectrum of sound that extends on both ends that almost has an ear buds type of sound in an IEM form.
Soundstage
Soundstage that the MK2 provides is huge for an IEM as they possess a deep, wide and tall 3D soundstage that is one of the biggest improvements from the MK1. They are able to give an airy presentation with a big headroom, quite similar to an open earbuds form. They are actually very enjoyable with live music as they are wide and manage to have pinpoint accuracy, producing a holographic sound presentation. Truly one of the best soundstage I’ve heard in an IEM form.
Separation and Timbre
Separation is superb on the Omegtron as they are finely tuned to showcase every single layer of music clearly without any congestion. They are very resolving in-ears that give music a transparent sound without any added coloration. The bass and highs are a tad bit focused here and mids are a little overshadowed but only on certain setup and genre. Timbre sounds perfect and spot on as they have a natural sound on instruments and vocals alike with the perfect amount of intensity to sound musically fun.
Drivability
Rated at 32 ohm with a 112db sensitivity, they are not hard to drive per-say, but they need some juice to perform at their best. They are super sensitive and will easily pick up noise like a typical balanced armature in-ears. The Omegtron is quite forgiving in the files you feed it on and they sound great on low or high resolution files or choosy with the gears you are using but they do scale up quite considerably with better source.
The Bass (Low)
The bass has truly matured into something that I truly enjoy as they now possess a dynamic, punchy bass but still retain a clean balanced armature texture. Though stronger than the MK1 in their mid bass lift, the MK2 still managed to have all the clarity and details fully intact without any incoherency or bleed present. They have a tight bass punch that is clean and clear while having a good pace making them an energetic bass response. It is a bass lover’s delight but bassheads might not be satisfied as they lack authority. Sub-bass is good for their flagship price, they are quite behind some flagship dynamic driver IEM like the Beyerdynamic Xelento, albeit it is deep and rumbles adequately. You may choose to play with the tuning bass switch but that for me only makes the bass slam a little boomy. Overall, they hit the spot for me as they are superbly cooked tight bass that sound fun but retraining a clean and pure presentation.
The Mids
Midrange that the MK2 brings is actually quite similar with the MK1 as they are a neutral type of midrange that has some warmth and a slightly dark tone but has a slight increase in their overall clarity. Macro details are superb with a thick tone that makes them sound lush and intimate along with an increased ability in their micro details which is another upgrade from the MK1. On some dark based setup, the midrange might be a little overshadowed as the bass and treble might be a little too strong for the midrange to keep up. The MK2 has a slight coloration to them without sounding unnatural and has a top tier resolution that competes with IEM in this tier. Vocals are very well balanced with male or female vocals sounding soulful and intimate along with a spacious, airy presentation. They are not a clinical type of midrange, but rather a soothing, relaxing type of midrange that immerse yourself into the music.
The Highs
The high performance frequency has a neutral tone that has a mild forward signature that possess the sweetness of an electrostatic tweeter. They are very well tuned to bring out the tweeter full potential as when compared with my other sinilar electrostatic IEM, the MK2 does sounds more textured with a crisper decay. They have a superb sparkle that is natural that is slightly aggressive but never offensive which brings more life into the music. Details and clarity here is sublime, typical of a well implemented electrostatic tweeter and they sound crystal clear without any peak or harsh present. Treble has a strong intensity but still managed to sound smooth, which is an amazing thing but some treble sensitive users might find them a little too intense. Overall, they are a very well tuned, strong high range that brings a livelier tone to the music.
Comparisons
VS Dunu EST112
The Dunu EST112 is a tribrid IEM that houses 1 dynamic driver, 1 balanced armature with a similar dual Sonion electrostatic driver with the Omegon MK2. They are priced competitively with a price that is half the MK2.
High region of the Omegon is a tad bit bigger and has a better presence with better sparkle. The EST112 treble has a lower intensity and they are smoother but the MK2 sounds livelier with more energy.
Midrange of the MK2 sounded thicker and had a better resolution while the EST112 midrange sounded thinner but had a slight edge clinically. Vocals on MK2 sounded lusher, intimate and possessed more body than the cleaner vocals on the EST112.
Bass quantity on the MK2 has the upper hand in their cleanliness, clarity and a tighter impact. Their dynamism is similar even though the EST112 is a dynamic driver driven, the MK2 is able to match the sound. Bass slam on the EST112 sounded a little more natural with a deeper sub-bass response but they lack texture versus the MK2.
Soundstage on the MK2 is wider, taller and deeper with an airier presentation.
VS Moondrop A8
The 8 balanced armature IEM from Moondrop that is in my hall of fame of a well tuned flagship worthy sound. It has a very well balanced tone with a superb resolution that sounded sublime with any source. They are half the cost of the Omegon MK2 but they do lack the caveats of tuning and electrostatic flavouring present on the MK2.
Highs on the MK2 is a sweeter type of highs that gives more presence along with a stronger, energetic presentation. Details and clarity is also better on the MK2 along with a more evident, crisp highs but the A8 seems a tad bit smoother.
Midrange of the A8 has a slight edge in resolution but clarity is better on the MK2. Both possess a thick tone but the MK2 sounds lusher and more spacious. Vocals on the MK2 sound more well rounded with a more intimate feel.
Bass on the MK2 has a better slam similar to a dynamic driver and they also extend better in their sub-bass. The clarity and details is also better on the MK2. The A8 has a slightly loose slam versus the tighter slam on the MK2.
Soundstage in the MK2 is wider and taller than the Omegtron and they are airier with a bigger headroom as well.
Synergy
FiiO M17
The flagship of FiiO’s DAP, the M17 is a beast when it comes to driving power and they are packed with all the features like a swiss army knife. They have massive driving power and also a well controlled sound for in-ears with their low gain.
The bass the M17 is able to give the MK2 is good as they sounded cleaner and clearer with an extension in their sub-bass region. Details are also improved but in a slight way. Bass seems to possess a slight increase in their energy as well.
Midrange sounded more neutral and had better transparency overall with vocal notes clearer while still retaining a lush, intimate performance. Spaciousness remains the same but they seems to sound more holographic.
High range has been polished out a little and they seemed to sparkle a little better and they are indeed smoother but incurring no fatigue in my listening sessions.
Soundstage is truly expansive here with them sounding truly holographic and accurate while retaining their massive width and height along with an airy presentation.
Questyle M15
The Questyle M15 is the king of dongle DAC/amplifiers for me that has the best performance for neutral heads out there. They are powerful with the current amplification and have loads of power to drive even full sized headphones. They are a neutral to bright sounding signature with no harshness present typical of a well tuned ESS based dongle.
Bass on the MK2 has the same quantity but the quality increases as they sounded tighter and clearer overall. Sub-bass seemed to be deeper with better extension and a cleaner rumble but only mildly.
Midrange has a more forward presentation with a thicker sound and they sound more fun while retaining their high quality midrange.
High quantity remains the same but they seem to have a sharper sparkle and they might be a little piercing for treble sensitive users now. High range has a slight extension making them slightly airier.
Soundstage has remained mostly the same with a slightly wider sound.
Who Is It For?
If you have money to spend and want no frills in your sound quality, the Omegon MK2 is for you as they truly possess a true top of the line sound quality. They are for purists that want more zest in their music as they do provide a fun, energetic overall sound but still have the control and top class technicalities. They are a swiss army knife in sound as the tuning switch does make a big difference to cater your needs. They are certainly not for bassheads as they lack the authority of a bass cannon but instead provide a true, pure dynamic bass that is clean, clear and accurate. They are also not suited for those who like a brighter tone as I do find the MK2 leans slightly towards a darker signature.
Final words
Alpha Omega has truly listened to the feedback from the MK1 as I do find they are lacking in their bass and soundstage. They are a true significant upgrade to the MK1 as I really do enjoy the MK2 and they are probably the best IEM in terms of performance for my preference beating out offerings from the likes of 64 Audio, Unique Melody and others to be my top pick of a top of the line IEM. Yes they are expensive, but you do get a no hold bars type of back breaking innovation that works wonders with tuning switches that is just the cherry on top and let’s not forget to mention their creation of an APEX tuning build internally. A true enjoyable in-ear monitor indeed and a job very well done Alpha Omega and you have created a true classic that will stand the test of time.
I would rate this product a solid 5 stars.
- Top class technicalities
- Great build with a beautiful design
- Perfect, matured tone with accurate timbre
- Great overall details and clarity
- Energetic bass and treble
- Sub-bass extension
- Thick and warm midrange
- Immersive overall sound
- Great resolution
- Strong but controlled high range
- Superb soundstage
- Accurate and holographic
- Sub-bass depth can be slightly improved (nitpicking)
- Highs can be crisper (nitpicking)
- Expensive
- For the price, a higher end quality cable is more presentable
- Midrange a little dark (preference)
- Quite thin resin shell
