AFUL Performer 8 IEM Review
AFUL Audio surprised us earlier this year with the launch of the Performer 5 and is back again with its latest release, the AFUL Performer 8. Taking its name from the eight drivers (one dynamic, seven balanced armatures) in each side, the Performer 8 dials up everything that we like about the P5 and delivers a sound that’s outstanding for music and games and is comfortable (and stylish) to wear over long listening sessions.
We would like to thank HiFiGo for providing the sample for this review and the photography used throughout.
The AFUL Performer 8 are the second-ever pair of IEM (in-ear monitors) released from AFUL Audio. The company, founded in 2018 and whose name means “prosperity” in Chinese, has a mission of delivering exceptional sound quality at more accessible price points. Its first product, the Performer 5 , was released near the beginning of this year at $219.99 and is now $199.99 . It’s clearly choosing the middle of the pricing range to deliver its accessibility and in doing so sidesteps the incredible competition below $200 that has sprung up over the last several years.
The Performer 8 takes its name from the eight drivers embedded inside each earpiece. For the bass, it uses an 8mm dynamic driver (DD) with a “biological diaphragm.” I believe this refers to a biocellulose driver , which is known to have excellent speed characteristics, perfect for high-quality bass. There are also seven balanced armatures in each side. Two support the DD in the bass region and cover the mids. Two more focus explicitly on the mids. The final three are dedicated to the treble.
A common question to IEM newcomers is why an IEM would need so many drivers. The first thing to know is that IEMs don’t need masses of
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