Sound Impressions: Bass / The Advantage of DD over BCD
Bolide carries Starry Audio’s signature tuning: warm, smooth, and lush – but with bigger impact in all aspects. Perhaps the naming of this IEM was inspired by its bass, as Bolide’s bass response is arguably the biggest strength. The bass is all about lushness and depth; the bold, clear bass dives down to the ultra-lows effortlessly and cleanly. Bass has a meaty, full-bodied response with creamy, rich timbre that oozes with quality. However, it’s clearly different from other popular basshead IEMs that use bone conduction.
So what’s the key difference between bass from a dynamic driver and a BCD driver? Bone conduction drivers have the upper hand for creating holographic, immersive bass response – though they also carry the vulnerability of sounding artificial or boomy. Dynamic drivers are the classic choice of all time, especially for bass response. Dynamic drivers require powerful components and refined tuning techniques to tackle BCD’s performance. However, once done, dynamic drivers have the potential to sound incomparably more natural and organic. This long preliminary is what explains Bolide’s DD-based bass, as it’s one of the finest bass I’ve heard from a dynamic driver.
The bass quantity is strong enough to be considered V-shaped, but it doesn’t get snappy or bombastic as many basshead IEMs would do; Bolide keeps the lows butter-smooth while ensuring tightness. It has a slightly slower roll-off, keeping the bass adequately relaxed and roll-off but never gets muddy or loose. The sub-bass is slightly shy of being a basshead IEM, though those who prefer cleanliness and depth would sure appreciate this tuning; Bolide dives deep and bold as it can get.
Sound Impressions: Vocals / Timbre
Bolide is about making the listening experience effortless but incredibly detailed. Having such a strong emphasis on the lows could’ve compromised the upper-end clarity, though tackling that has been Starry Audio’s specialty ever since Syzygy. Mids have a dark, warm presentation – this would usually make the vocals sound dull or veiled, though Bolide somehow does an impressive job packing micro texture and layering details. Those who are sensitive to trebles yet still want that TOTL performance, Bolide would easily be the best choice I could think of now – along with Nostalgia Audio Pendragon.
Another key factor of Bolide is its vocal placement; unlike many modern IEMs do (where they have the mids pulled a lot closer to the ears), Bolide keeps the vocals in their natural space and phasing. Those who prefer the deliberate ear-whisperer (MEST Fortune, Admire Acoustics Nova, AME Raven, etc.) may find Bolide’s vocals to sound recessed; Bolide’s mids create near-perfect phasing that sounds natural and “original” – something that you’ll hear from a well-tuned, single dynamic driver.
Sibilance or noticeable dips sure don’t happen from Bolide, as it keeps a smooth, stable flow across the mid-range. Bolide doesn’t do much of that common upper-mid shine that gives the vocals extra crispness – which may be a deterring element for those who want shiny mids. However, Bolide’s “rule of sound” is what makes the vocals as organic and consistent as they can be.
Sound Impressions: Treble / Soundstage
Although mids have been packed with details and resolution, the absolute fatigue-free nature innately makes the upper-end duller compared to the crisper-sounding IEMs – and this is where trebles step in. The trebles are the ones that make up the necessary shine and technicality. Of course, Bolide’s spirit of keeping the sound smooth and fatigue-free still continues – yet highs pour in with refined, airy treble particles that are crisp but smooth. I know I’m spamming the word smooth for this review, though it’s for a valid reason. Bolide is the smoothest-sounding IEM I’ve tried so far (that has TOTL performance and doesn’t compromise details, I mean).
Highs are slightly more emphasized than mids but only slightly – Starry Audio has done a great job organizing the sound by not just front/back distancing, but also by distributing the altitude of low/mid/high. Highs aren’t aggressively pulled forward, though highs sit on the top shelf of the headroom and sprinkle down the sound, enabling clean separation without boosting the quantity a lot. Extremely harmonious and organic here. Speaking of headroom, the soundstage that Bolide creates is pleasingly large – it doesn’t exaggerate, though the sheer mass, dynamics, and depth that the bass generates make the sound immersive, spatial, and expansive. Bolide respects the tidiness, yet nonetheless the soundstage size is on the top rank.
Next Page: Flagship IEM Comparisons (Palavox Dark Knight / Starry Audio Yozora / Campfire Audio Andromeda 10) & Verdicts