Golden Ears: I\O Audio Volare IEM Review

I\O Audio is a new brand aiming to launch with a bang. Its first product, the I\O Audio Volare is certainly impressive. At $599, it features a tribrid design consisting of one dynamic driver, four balanced armatures, and four electrostatic drivers.  This type of configuration is found in some of the highest-end IEMs on the market and usually starts north of $700 and extends into the multiple thousands. Certainly Golden Ears territory, it still manages to feel like a good value in the category it’s competing in. If you’re looking for a grat balance of punchy bass and sparkly treble, this is a great set to consider. 

Specifications

• Current Price: $599 (Shenzen Audio)
• Driver Configuration: 1x 8mm custom dynamic driver, 4x  full-frequency balanced armatures, 4x Danish-imported SONIC high-voltage electrostatic drivers.
• Dynamic Diaphragm Material: Silica Gel Suspension Birch Dome Dynamic Diaphragm
• THD: THD @ 1kHz<1% (94dB)
• Sensitivity: 123dB/Vrms (@1kHz)
• Impedance: 2 Ω±10% (@ 1khz)
• Frequency Response: 8Hz-40kHz 
• Effective Frequency Response Range: 20Hz-20kHz 
• Frequency Crossover Structure: 4-way electronic crossover, 3-way physical nozzle crossover
• Cable: 8-strand oxygen-free copper, silver plated

I\O Audio Volare — First Impressions and Key Features 

The I\O Audio Volare is an impressive first entry from a brand new company. Available at Shenzen Audio now and first teased around a week ago, the set has garnered a decent amount of hype.  Without anything prior from the brand to go on all we had was the imagery showing it was clearly a beautiful, if understated, pair of IEMs. But, as any good enthusiast community will do, the bread crumbs and rumors of different projects throughout the years stirred wonderment and conjecture about what it may turn out to be.

Well, the weight is over. I\O Audio is intended to be a premium brand but this first release also emphasizes value. Now, it might seem strange to say that a $600 pair of IEMs is a good value. But, when you look more