Sound Impressions: How did they create this Bass only using BAs?!
As the name suggests, Storm formulates a large, energetic W-shaped sound signature. Let’s first talk about the bass. I must say that Storm has one of the largest basses I’ve heard for an IEM. This “largeness” differs from simply boosting the thickness and quantity. While making such boosts will make the bass strong, the bass feels congested, lumpy, and dull. Storm has a massive bass in sheer size and weight. It’s also a high-density bass that is both tight and meaty, having all the good ingredients for making a quality bass.
Not only does Storm’s bass surpass most flagship IEMs in sheer size and weight, but also in the way the bass is presented. Storm delivers a strong, intensive bass without the need to try hard – it just never sounds overpowering, although the bass is crazy intensive. If the ordinary basshead IEMs are like a guy shouting and putting his entire energy into doing a single bench press, Storm lifts twice the weight with a full set and doesn’t even need to flex the muscles while doing so.
Continuing on the Bass Performance…
Storm has an adaptive bass that is agile in strike and retrieval, but also knows when to let reverbs take their time. The sub-bass is a tad linear than I expected, being similar to those that are gently v-shaped. Because of this, while being a musical IEM, Storm also has a reference-like tuning, keeping the bass flow thoroughly consistent in thickness. The massive weight being easily transported to the ears offers an even stronger basshead sensation, but without tiring the ears. I must also mention the bass extension on these, as they are very close to perfection. The bass extension and depth are incredibly good. Ultra-lows are average in quantity, but they rumble with unprecedented clarity and resolution.
However, while all the other strengths of Storm I’ve mentioned are already extraordinary, the one real strength of Storm’s bass has to do with the vibration. The bass vibration that Storm offers is like no other IEM – it’s not just the sound but also the physical feel. You could feel the vibration of the bass rumbles and the ultra-lows dropping down to the abyss.
A vibration that is so clear, heavy, and deep. Storm breathes in life and realistic dynamics to the bass through these vibrations. If you’re a basshead, it is nearly impossible not to fall in love with the love. The rather scary part is that Storm will be just as seductive even if you’re not a basshead, as the bass is too clean and high-quality.
Pinnacle of Headroom & Sense of Space
Needless to say, the soundstage and mid-range performance are impeccable. There was a good reason why the nozzles were so thick. Perhaps these IEMs are by far the closest you can simulate a headphone’s feeling from an in-ear? Storm has an unprecedented soundstage, in both scale and depth. There are also other IEMs with large headrooms, yet not as roomy as Storm. Even within the summit-fi range, there are only a very small number of IEMs capable of creating an open-ended headroom in all directions – side distance, field of depth, ups and downs, all at once. Storm is one of the very few that made it happen. Though Storm is iconic even among those summit-fi IEMs that qualify because of the soundstage, Storm isn’t only vast but closer to a limitless feeling, as if viewing towards the horizon.
Another reason why I find its soundstage extra special is how the overall sound remains calm while also playing it so dynamically. I suppose it’s because the drivers are tuned to create the perfect synergy so that they don’t interfere with each other. There’s also a generous spacing between the three ranges (low/mid/high) to prevent a cloggy sound.
Storm-powered Vocals, Equipped with Perfect Accuracy
Similarly to the bass, the sheer size of the vocals feels massive. Storm also has a very consistent and flat mid-range, and having this flat imaging paired with Storm’s massive vocal size, the listening impression becomes quite similar to listening to a full-sized headphone. Vocals rush in with great force and dynamics, yet so neat and organized. As expected, the resolution is the best of the best. Vocals ooze with clarity, yet not by overheating the brightness. Storm instead aims for pure resolution, where the texture grains pop with crispness without getting dry or choppy. Throughout the mid-range exists a breezy transparency, offering an open-ended and airy upper headroom.
The vocals are very pronounced, yet interestingly, the mid-range isn’t too much extruded from the bass. Vocals feel more like it’s on top of the bass rather than forward, creating an extremely harmonious synergy between the lows and mids. Because of this, Storm also creates a seamless transition from the low ends to the higher frequencies. Vocals are neutral in thickness, but the massive scaling makes the vocals full and rich as it is. Storm beautifully treats both male and female vocals without particularly favoring either side. The stability in timbre and brightness is kept with pure perfection, keeping the nuance the same throughout the range. There aren’t any hints of audible tone overlap or sibilance.
Extensive, Blissful Trebles Proving their Next-Level Tuning
The thick and deep bass oozing from the ultra-lows gave enough warmth to the sound. How about having some refreshments to cleanse the aftertaste? Storm swiftly brings you to a wide concert hall with its treble presentation. The trebles have amazing resolution and extension, yet Storm makes it look easy. Storm has a clean, deep-black background ready for the trebles to play, hence the high frequencies remain fatigue-free even after long listening. Trebles don’t get overheated or sibilant.
One thing I’ve noticed from high-end IEMs with multi-driver tweeters is that the trebles have strong clarity, but they sound somewhat congested. They sound great, but I could also sometimes feel that the trebles are plowing through the narrow sound tubes. Or I could feel the trebles are a bit choppy or “too technical” than the lower frequencies. However, I couldn’t sense any mismatch in intensity, timbre, or staging.
Trebles on Storm feel roomy and extensive. I’ve been mentioning these elements throughout this review that may sound repetitive, yet being large and roomy is all about the Storm that exists throughout the sound spectrum. In terms of positioning, the highs aren’t recessed nor extruded, but they’re instead spread across the upper headroom. Storm’s high frequencies are very spatial and analytical but remain smooth and harmonic, allowing you to sit back and relax while Storm serves you all the possible details.
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