Atrio M8 earphones: iPhone / iPod accessory review

iPhone/iPod Accessory Review: Atrio M8 earphones
Reviewed by: Bill Henderson
Future Sonics Inc., Ear Monitors ® & Atrio ® professional earphones
Price: $199

I’ve been listening to quite a few earphones and headsets lately getting ready to review all of them. And one thing has become clear in regards to comfort level. Two things, actually… there is the physical comfort of the earphones themselves and there is the musical comfort of the sound. More on that later.

A little history here is needed. My first pair of earphones were a cheap Sony set which still sounded way better than the earbuds that came with the iPod (we’re talking pre-iPhone days).

I would wear them for extended periods in the hot summer while doing yard work, but in order to drown out the lawn mower, I had to set the volume too high. Not good.

Then I won a pair of XtremeMac FS1’s developed by Future Sonics. I first tried them with the supplied earpieces The fit (and sound) was horrendous. No bass, shallow mids… awful. Then I tried the foam tips. My world changed. It was as if I had been partially deaf and had my full hearing restored. It was that dramatic. Not only that, my volume button was turned down by half.

Which brings us to the Future Sonic’s Atrio earphones. Future Sonics brought their FS1 technology in house and now produce the successor to the FS1s themselves. If you are not familiar with FutureSonics, it’s understandable. They are a low profile company dedicated to the professional musician who need custom-fit earphones for stage use. These people are among the best at what they do. And now they are producing a consumer model: Atrio.

The M model looks very similar to the FS1 on the outside. In other words, it won’t win any beauty contests. But inside, everything has been upgraded. The Atrios don’t use armiture technology (the kind used in hearing aids) like Shure, Westone and Ultimate Ears do. They use what is called dynamic drivers. Simplified, it’s like a tiny speaker in your ear. And while there are pros and cons on both approaches, there is no mistaking the quality of sound the Atrios produce.

The fit of these earphones is very nice. These are not the most comfortable pair I have, but are in the top 3. I can wear them for hours and not have any physical fatigue. To me, they are painless to wear. And that counts for a lot. What good are great sounding earphones if you can’t wear them for longer than a few minutes?

How do they sound? Fitted with either the redesigned silicone or foam tips, the sound is warm, and – here’s that word again – comfortable. The only way I can describe it is that they sound like your favorite analog LP album vs a digital version of the same music. The digital version may be technically more accurate, but the analog version has presence. There is some rustling sound on the wires when bumped, but I’ve gotten used to it.

Now I could write all day about highbrow audio terms to show off how much I know, but in the end, it’s listening to the music that matters. And it’s the music where the Atrios really shine. They don’t look like something you show off to your friends. And at $200, they are certainly not cheap, but once you hear them, you know where the Future Sonics money went. It wasn’t the advertising. That may explain why you may not be familiar with this brand. But professional musicians know who Future Sonics are. And professional musicians don’t put up with garbage.

The Atrios come in four identical models: The m3, m5, m8 and m9 (who names these things?). The only difference is the color. Also included are a sturdy carrying case and many different sized silicone and foam tips as well as a cleaning tool.

If you can afford them, and you are not out to show cool you are with the latest ear fashion, then you will absolutely love these earphones.

Score:
9/10

Tags: Accessory, app, case, earphones, iPhone, Mac, O2, OS, review

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