CELEST PHOENIXCALL: Migration Towards Innovation
Avian migration is one of nature's wonderful phenomena as some species of migratory birds are doing some long distance flyway by following some specific travel path either in regular and irregular patterns due to seasonal changes as it is also their indicator for breeding and finding new feeding grounds. The scene of flocks of divine birds that are heeding the call of Fenghuang, the divine nine-headed Phoenix is quite astonishing to visualise on how these birds were doing while they are migrating towards the deep forests of southern mountains. This scene was inscribed in The Classic of Mountains and Seas which was an ancient Chinese myth composed of 18 sections which was allegedly written around the early Han dynasty era.
This is actually my third review on a Celest Audio product, I already introduced the Celest Audio from my previous reviews as they are known to be Kinera and QoA's sister company. Celest Audio takes some inspiration from Chinese mythology as their thematic concept of their products.
Celest Phoenixcall is their latest product as they try to enter the hybrid driver configuration segment. Its transducers consist of three types of drivers; dynamic drivers, balanced armature driver and a newer type of driver, flat panel drivers that simulates the capabilities of a planar without needing more power.
Here's the breakdown on how drivers were implemented. The new generation 7mm dynamic driver will solely handle the low frequencies, the two balanced armature drivers (probably a new generation of Bellsings) handles the midrange up to some parts of the treble region and then a dual flat panel drivers for the ultra-high frequencies. The said configuration of three types of drivers will produce a very potent bass, tonally accurate midrange and then, a smooth and cleae treble response to give an overall natural yet bright sound. These drivers are also connected to acoustic tubes for better passive frequency response.
The drivers are encapsulated in a high quality acrylic resin and it takes a modified UIEM-style shape as its form factor. It has beautifully crafted faceplates with a design of flock of birds on the horizon. It uses a proven 0.78mm 2-pin connector for its detachable mechanism just like all Celest and Kinera products.
Celest also included a good quality cable as its stock part. This cable is an 8-core, 5N silver-plated copper with a metal alloy on its plug jacket with 3.5mm SE termination plug. It's bright colourway seems to match the colours of the shells.
Celest Phoenixcall is quite comfortable to wear into my lugholes as I didn't experience any discomfort issues as it also seals and isolates well from outside noises. I can even use it for long listening sessions.
Like its sister Kinera, Celest Phoenixcall has a remarkable product presentation as it is one of these brands strongest assets. The included accessories were well-organised and some of them are compartmentalised inside the packaging box. The physical packaging box are incredibly gorgeous as it purple-coloured accent is really an eye catcher that could be a good display centrepiece.
Here are the following accessories inside:
■ a pair of Celest Phoenixcall IEM.
■ 8-core stock cable.
■ a circular shape, PU-leather zippered storage case.
■ Three (3) pairs of Celest vocal ear tips in different standard sizes.
■ Three (3) pairs of Celest balanced ear tips in different standard sizes.
■ Metal alloy bookmark/pendant with Fenghuang design.
■ Paperwork like instruction manual and a pamphlet about the product.
Despite the multi-driver layout of the Phoenixcall, this set is actually so easy to amplify that even a smartphone or tablet can give a sufficient power output for fuller and lively sound.
Celest Phoenixcall has a V-shaped sound signature with ample warmth on its tonality. It has elevated lows, a notch midrange and inflated highs.
(This graph was provided by [USER=516219]@baskingshark[/USER], credits to him)
LOWS/BASS:
Even with elevation on the low frequencies, I don't still consider it as a basshead's preferred bass quantity. It has a very tactile, incisive and thumpy bass response which I consider it as satisfying in my cup of tea. It appears that it is more focused on mid-bass rather than sub-bass as it gives more texture and emphasis on certain bass instruments like viola, bass guitars, bass trumpets and bass kick drums. It also gives some darker pitch on bass-baritone vocals. It also important to share that it has a slight bass smearing across the midrange frequency.
Sub-bass presence is somehow decent as I fairly feel those faint rumbling coming from instruments like synthesisers, octabasses and drum machines. On the mid-bass part, it gives a firmer resolution on some instruments and vocals. Violas have full and rounded sound while bass guitars have earthy and rasping sound from them, and then on bass trumpets have a fuller and somewhat a "chocolate-y" timbre. Then on bass kick drums, it has a menacing and thudding sound for I also tested some extreme metal tracks with insanely fast double bass kicks. On bass-baritones, it has an adequate depth just to give that dusky and dark tone nature of these particular vocals but I feel that it needs more heft and depth to project it in a natural way.
MIDRANGE:
The initial impression when I'm listening to this set, I instantly noticed the recess presentation of its midrange as some instruments and vocals are a bit behind on the audio mix. But due to a tad bass bleeding from the low frequencies, it added some inherent warmth to affect the timbre of some vocals, especially on male vocals like baritones and tenors, female vocals like contralto and low register mezzo-sopranos, and other instruments like strings and brasses.
On male vocals, baritones have a warm and lush tone from them, especially from Eddie Vedder, Rob Halford and Jimi Hendrix, while a steeler and richer tone of a Kavilierbariton vocal like Dmitri Hvorostovsky. Tenors have brassy and ringing ambient from their vocals as l listen to the great three tenors (Pavarotti. Carreras, Domingo). Same with other tenors in modern music genres like Little Richard, Prince and Freddie Mercury. Countertenors have a rather agile and smooth vocal quality. On female vocal types, Contraltos have a sufficient rich but I observe that it has a lack in both dark and deep as they sound a bit lean as I'm particularly familiar with the vocal tone and texture of singers in this vocal category with the likes of Annie Lennox, Anggun and Toni Braxton. Mezzo-sopranos have a velvety and smooth but they have this transparent and hollowness that I noticed it gives less dynamic and engaging sound from the singers like Andrea Corr, Alanis Morisette, Sharon Den Adel and even operatic types like Cecilia Bartoli and Elena Obraztsova. Sopranos somehow fares better on this one as it is very flexible to all soprano types from dramatic to coloratura as they sound pretty energetic and spacious to have that gleaming and silky tone.
On instruments, especially on strings like acoustic guitars, violins and even harp. Guitars have a rather "buttery" tone and lots of overtone which doesn't give that crisp and lingering bright tone that a guitar should sound like as I listen to Scorpion's guitarists, Rudolf Schencker and Matthias Jabs on their respective guitar lines on their seminal tracks like "When The Smoke Is Going Down and "Still Loving You. Violins seem to have a warmer and austere sound as I prefer lively and vibrant sounding ones. Then on the harps, they sound mellow and blurring at the same time. Brass instruments sound quite excellent as trumpets sound full and brilliant, while horns have a warm and velvety sound then on trombones have this intensity and powerful tone. Percussive instruments with the likes of toms, field drums, marimbas and snares, toms have its punchiness and resonant sound, then on field drums, thet have these warm and sombre sound while marimbas have velvety although a bit hollow sounding, and then on snare drums, it has hard and rustling sound from them. On woodwinds, instruments like flutes, saxophones and clarinets, a wafting and mellow tone on the flutes while saxophones and clarinets have these melancholic and soft sounds from them even on different registers. Then on chordophones like pianos, they have a warmer to balanced tone from it.
HIGHS/TREBLE:
The treble response of Phoenixcall is definitely on a brighter side. It has some emphasis and observable boost at the upper midrange to give a definition on percussive attacks and vocal emphasis albeit there are some instances that it might be a little bit discordant and a tad shrilly to the point fatiguing to some treble-sensitives folk. It has a capable presence treble that is able to project some sense of clarity and crispness.
Cymbals have a good amount of glistening and resonant sound of itnwhile the hi-hats have that life-like sound reproduction as they have those those shortened buzzing sound. And Celestas have mellow to bell-like tone from them. It has an ample amount of sparkle and a moderate brilliance airy extension.
SOUNDSTAGE, IMAGING AND OTHER TECHNICALITIES:
As I estimate its overall sound field dimensions, it has average to above average lateral size while it has a good height reach and depth that gives me a reasonable moderate spatial headroom within my aural sphere.
On imaging projection, it presents me a concave-like, stereo panning as I was able pinpoint the exact location of instruments and vocals with noticeable gaps and spacing and and fairly decent layering as I noticed some layers of instruments tonal dynamics within its sonic canvas.
Cohesiveness of multi-drivers set-up appears to perform pretty well as it micro dynamic driver able to deliver a faster transient response while the other drivers performs pretty well too as it manages to give a tonal detail and harmonics.
It has a competent resolution capabilities as it has quite solid fundamental on notation attacks on macro-dynamics with decently good micro-detail retrieval on how it contrasts the perceived noises from other dynamics to extract some details and nuances from an audio track.
PEER COMPARISONS:
HIDIZS MS3
● This is hybrid driver IEM in a very competitive pricing just like the Phoenixcall. While it takes a more convention hybrid configuration as it has typical 1 dynamic driver and dual balanced armature drivers but it uses a more premium balanced armature drivers which is Knowles and all metal construction for better durabilty. Both have excellent product packaging and quality and quantity amount of inclusions but MS3 take a more utilitarian approach in its overall product presentation.
● As for tonality, MS3 is more versatile due to its detachable nozzles system that you can choose a certain type of sonic profiles from V-shaped to a bright U-shaped. In general it has a more robust and solid bass response, a more natural and tonally correct midrange and a brighter and airier treble (silver filter). Both have similar technical performance but MS3 edges a bit on resolution capabilities.
KIWIEARS QUARTET
● Another comparable set to the Phoenixcall, it has typical hybrid driver set-up as it has dual dynamic driver and dual balanced armature drivers of similar design (I speculate that both BAs of these sets are of Bellsing). But the difference is that it has a tuning switches which I will elaborate it later. Both have similar materials on their shell chassis but QUARTET takes a more traditional UIEM form factor. It also has fairly good product presentation but its stock cable is somewhat a less premium one compare to Phoenixcall's cable.
● As for tonality, despite of its tuning switches, it still has a warmer U-shaped sound signature. It has a more authoritative bass response but an untidy one, too warm midrange that affects the tonal qualities of some vocals and instruments and then, a darker and dull treble response with meagre
treble air and sparkle. As for technicalities, it has inferior sound/speaker stage sizes, poor layering capabilities and blunted note definition on micro-details.
This is definitely an innovative approach from Celest Audio as they try to implement new technologies from the advances to technological innovation in portable audio industry and it looks that they aren't afraid to take a risk that they are venture out from their bubble. They want to prove that you can have a tri-brid set-up IEM with impressive product packaging and good quality inclusions at reasonable price.
Despite of some minor issues like inaccuracies on the tonal aspects on instruments and vocals as it sounds either too much and in sparse quality, its competent technical performance will be its leverage and counterweight of those some tonal insufficiencies that the Phoenixcall have. If you want a fun, engaging and relatable sound with gorgeous shells that you can proudly display it, then this is it.
Celest Phoenixcall is now available at HIFIGO, you can check out the provided unaffiliated link down below:
★★CELEST PHOENIXCALL - HIFIGO★★
And also, here's my review on other Celest products:
SPECIFICATION:
MODEL: CELEST PHOENIXCALL
IMPEDANCE: 32Ω
SENSITIVITY: 103dB
FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 20Hz – 40KHz
CABLE LENGTH: 1.2M
PIN TYPE: 2-PIN CONNECTOR (0.78mm)
PLUG TYPE: 3.5mm
DRIVER UNIT(S): (1) DYNAMIC DRIVER + (2) BALANCED ARMATURE DRIVERS + (2) FLAT PANEL DRIVERS
PROS:
△Gorgeous and exemplary resin shells and its aesthetics.
△Good quality stock cable
△Well, since this audio brand is quite related to Kinera which is well-known for excellent product packaging presentation, Celest also put an effort of product presentation.
△ PU-leather storage bag
△ Fun, engaging and enjoyable tuning
△ Punchy and incisive bass response.
△ Clean and transparent midrange.
△ Shimmering, crisp and sufficiently detailed treble response.
△ Capable imaging presentation, good separation and layering aspect.
△ Competent resolution capabilities for its price.
△ Moderately airy with ample sparkle on the brilliance part of treble region.
CONS:
▽ Certainly it has a recessed midrange presentation.
▽ Some oddities on some vocals and instrument when it comes to timbre and tonality.
▽A tad leaner female vocals' pitches particularly on contraltos and mezzo-sopranos.
▽ For bassheads? Not really, despite on some graph inputs on it.
Some Tracks Tested: ( * = 16-bit FLAC, ** = 24-bit FLAC, *'* = MQA, '*' = DSD, *'= .WAV)
Alison Krauss -When You Say Nothing At All *
Jade Wiedlin - Blue Kiss**
Led Zeppelin - When The Levee Breaks **
Mountain - Mississippi Queen *
Queen - Killer Queen **
Guns N' Roses - Patience *'*
Eric Clapton - Tears in Heaven '*'
Sergio Mendes- Never Gonna Let You Go '*'
Pearl Jam - Daughter **
Roselia - Hidamari Rhodonite *
Assassin - Fight (To Stop The Tyranny)*
Celtic Frost- Visual Aggression *
New Order - Blue Monday *
The Corrs- What Can I do (unplugged version) *
Jimi Hendrix Experience - Voodoo Child *
The Madness- Buggy Trousers *
Metallica - Motorbreath **
Mariah Carey- Always Be My Baby *
Destiny's Child - Say My Name *
Malice Mizer- Au Revoir *
Mozart - Lacrimosa *
New York Philharmonic Orchestra - Dvorak- Symphony 9 " From the New World." *
Eva Cassidy - Fields of Gold (Sting cover)*
Michael Jackson - Give In To Me *
Exciter - Violence and Force *
Diana Krall - Stop This World **
Debbie Gibson - Foolish Beat *'*
The Sisters of Mercy – Lucretia My Reflection**
Suzanne Vega – Luka **
Lauren Christy – Steep *
Ottoman Mehter - Hucum Marsi *
Diana Damrau - Mozart: Die Zauberflöte*
Type O Negative - Black No.1 *
Felix Ayo - Vivaldi: Presto **
Three Tenors - Nessum Dorma *
Mercyful Fate - Witches' Dance *
P.S.
I am not affiliated to CELEST AUDIO nor receive monetary incentives and financial gains as they provide me a review unit for an exchange of factual and sincere feedback from yours truly.
Once again, I would like to send my gratitude to LVY YAN of HIFIGO for providing this review unit. I truly appreciate her generosity and trust towards me and other reviewers.
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