AAW ASH - The Burning Desire

Advanced AcousticWerkes aka AAW, is a Singapore-based HiFi IEM brand. AAW has a rich catalog of exquisite IEMs. The latest entry in its collection is much awaited Ash.

The IEM has a stunning look with a fiery faceplate and name ASH etched in fire. Deep red in the IEM body is highlighted with shimmering  golden flakes. The name Ash seems apt for an IEM that looks like burning in fire and exuding the brilliance contained in it. The earpieces are bulky but lightweight. They have a degree of panache that will make you look twice.

These come along with a braided-copper stock cable that ends with a 2 pin connector and 3.5 mm jack and adorns a metallic Y-splitter . The set also has a stylish blue carry case which is quiet spacious and premium looking. Other than that the usual items one would expect from an IEM this range are all part of the set including eartips, adapter etc.

Sources:

For this review the unit has been paired to A&K SE100 (ES9038 Pro), Shanling M6 (AK4495EQ) and Cayin n5ii without any other amplification on portable setup.

Disclaimer: 

I have received  as part of review circle sent from Goldfinch acoustics in exchange of honest reviews. All impressions of sound are subjective to my own listening and my sources and is based on my experience with IEMs of similar hardware configurations and price range. 

Pros:

1. Excellent tonality and coherence 

2. Full bodied and weighted sound

3. Good extension in highs and lows

4. Energetic higher mids

5. Decent imaging and separation

Cons:

1. Sub-bass feels missing at times

2. Struggles a bit with complex tracks

Highs:

Talking about the highs of AAW Ash I would say they have definitely a sense of emphasis to them. The overall treble response is boosted but not at any point it feels sibilant, harsh or fatiguing. 

The lower treble is very intense and can be little harsh for vocal oriented music but on the other had if one has a darker source then this part will shine out exceptionally. In classical music its very pleasing to listen to AAW ash as it brings out the complex signatures and characters of cymbals and strings. Cymbals sound bit louder and closer but on the other hand sweet and non-fatiguing.

The separation is very good in the treble region. Air on the other hand bit lags here but not to the point where one starts missing it. 

Mids: 

Now coming towards the mid-range, the lower part of mid and middle part of mid frequency range feels fuller and very coherent. The high mids are I would say feel bit energetic and have quite emphasis as a result of which the instruments such as electric guitars/piano feel very rich and brings forward the attack. 

Mozart - Symphony No. 9, the high mid emphasis and very good separation brings out the this very realistic and aesthetic character to it.  I would say this IEM performs exceptionally well for jazz and classical music.

Vocals tends to sound bit closer and bit louder and have a good weight to them. The overall tonality and presentation is very much intimate and can take jazz to next level. 

Lows: 

Lows are very well tuned and have a sense of naturalness to them. Although the bass hits deep and fuller but overall low frequency range  doesn’t give any impression of being boosted.  The entire focus somehow seems to be on the mid bass, as a result the sub bass feels shy at various occasions. There is no bleed of bass in mid-range and overall feels quite coherent and natural. 

Teriyaki Boyz - Tokyo Drift (Dj Kantik Remix) sounded very pleasing, well it's not something one can bang one's head onto but very much relaxing. All the beats and drops have proper extensions and not at any point of time felt overly boosted or mellow.

Technicalities:

AAW Ash has very good separation which brings things forward. Very good at capturing complexity of different instruments. But this suffers a bit when given very complex tracks but not to the point where it will spoil the certain experience. An easy example of it would be Aadat track of Nescafe basement season 5.

The soundstage width has been done nicely with a very good sense of depth. Hight is also good given nice extension to high and low frequencies.  The tonality and the coherence is best I have seen in this price range. I enjoyed listening to Mark Knopfler - Brothers In Arms (2007 Berlin live session) on it very much.

Final Verdict: 

In a nutshell, AAW Ash has a very good natural and musical sound. The overall frequency spectrum is coherent with good extension in highs and lows. The tonality is extremely good, with weighted vocals and soothing high and mid range. The bass response is fuller, It is like best for relaxing not banging your head, I mean after a very hectic day of work or travel this is exactly what one wants to listen to. The soundstage and separation are also very nicely done. It is indeed a great option for those who are into jazz and classical music, and given a darker source brings out the best in them.