What's the Best FlipEars IEM for me in 2024?

FlipEars is an IEM company founded in the Philippines by singer/songwriter Aries Sales. With a “music first” philosophy, Aries sought to use his experience as a musician to create products which could help both audiophiles and musicians on stage connect with the music on a deeper level. With their lineup having been newly revitalized for 2024, does FlipEars have something in their lineup that’s right for you?

FlipEars IEMs

FlipEars IEMs share a number of common features across their full lineup. Whether you buy the $2250 Artha Argentum or the $599 Aether, you get an excellent silver-plated copper cable, premium Eletech Baroque eartips, and a spacious travel case, bundled in a large attractive retail box. Another key feature provided on Aether, Artha, and Artha Agentum is FlipEars’ tuning switches. The tuning switches allow you to add a bass boost (on any of the three) or a HF boost that shifts the emphasis in the highs from the upper mids further up into the treble.

Aether - $599

FlipEars lineup starts with Aether, which features a fairly simple four balanced armature driver setup with a 4-way crossover that puts one driver each for subass, bass, midrange, and treble. Aether’s base tuning is very close to Harman Neutral, with just a little bit of added air in the treble, but the bass boost switch adds a big broad boost from the subbass into the low mids.

Aether doesn’t present a massive soundstage, but the imaging maintains a nicely rounded three-dimensional feeling. The presentation of detail is also very strong – especially considering the price point – and the presentation of timbre and tonality is excellent for an all balanced armature IEM.

Zurq XXIV - $1099

FlipEars next step up is a 7-driver tribrid that takes things in a more technical direction: Zurq XXIV. Zurq delivers a fast resolving sound that evokes the Empire Ears Odin. The two “Fire Woofer” dynamic drivers deliver powerful and impactful bass, that’s also refined and well-controlled. The mids demonstrate natural timbre and clear detail and layering. While the treble is fast, resolving, and slightly forward in the mix.

Zurq XXIV evokes the Empire Ears Odin, with fast, technical treble and a low-end that knows when to hit hard, and when to stay out of the way of the mids, allowing for excellent clarity. The imaging and soundstage are a step up from Aether, offering a similarly three-dimensional stage, but with a more spacious feeling, and stronger holographic separation between instruments.

Artha - $1699

Out of the box, Artha offers a clean, clear, detailed sound, with a nice-sized soundstage, coming from eight balanced armature drivers with a 4-way crossover. The detail and separation make it a great pick for as a stage monitor for musicians, but it may come off as slightly dry to audiophiles. However, Artha’s two sets of switches give you the choice to turn up the detail and air to the next level with the high frequency enhancement, turn up the low end impact and dynamics with the bass boost, or turn on both switches to get the best of both worlds.

Aurora XXIV - $2099

Aurora XXIV starts with the same tribrid concept as Zurq XXIV, but adds three more balanced armature drivers, and elevates the performance to the next level. You get the same powerful dynamic attack from the dual Fire Woofer drivers, and the same clean, crisp highs, but now the stage is expanded and the detail greatly enhanced. Aurora doesn’t feature a tuning switch, but has bass that lands somewhere in between Zurq’s stock and bass-boosted tunings.

Aurora’s imaging is one of the key features that help elevate the sound. Bigger and more three-dimensional than Zurq, the weight and body to instruments is excellent as well. Aurora XXIV offers a highly immersive, truly holographic imaging experience.

Artha Agentum - $2250

Artha Agentum takes Artha’s either balanced armature structure and balanced tuning and elevates each element of it to the next level. Starting with the standard tuning, Agentum injects a slightly stronger sense of musicality and engagement, and as you add the switches, they feel more impactful than on Artha. The bass boost hits just a touch harder, and the high frequency switch adds a little more bite without feeling fatiguing.

The build is an absolute work of art. The Sterling Silver shell is unlike just about anything else out there, and the engraving gives Artha Agentum the aura of fine jewelry rather than that of a typical audiophile product. Put it all together and Artha Agentum presents as a true flagship caliber IEM.

The Bottom Line

From the strong price/performance ratio of Aether and Zurq XXIV to the flagship beauty of Aurora XXIV and Artha Argentum, FlipEars presents a very strong lineup of IEMs. The tuning switches on several of their models add an extra layer of versatility as well. If you’re looking for IEMs that feature incredible sound and push the industry forward with innovations that go beyond just “more drivers,” FlipEars’ lineup might have just what you need.