Proprietary AFUL BA drivers
While most 1BA earphones don’t have much to say about specs other than the presence of a single BA driver, the Magic One has a lot more going on for the interior. First off, Aful designed a proprietary BA driver that is superior to the BA drivers available in the market – particularly for the frequency range and timbre.
The Maze Looks, SE-Math Technology
Another highlight of Magic One is the “SE-Math” technology. SE-Math allows Magic One to achieve better extension for the trebles, by structuring precise and complex acoustic structures, which are maze-like tubes that can be seen on the inside. These precisely calculated sound paths result in a cleaner, crispier treble response.
Since the SE-Math has covered the high end, it’s now time to overhaul the low end. For enhancing the bass response, Magic One once again applies the SE-Math technology but for the rear-cavity, equipping the IEM with another unique internal structure. Inspired by the shape of the Nautilus, the structure is designed with log and ultra-thin tubes that allow the custom BA to deliver precise, powerful, and accurate bass.
Sound Impression: Lows
Magic One has a mild w-shaped sound signature. The bass quantity is in the neutral range, drawing about 20% elevation from being flat. It scales quite largely in size and doesn’t reveal those rawboned basslines like some flat IEMs do. The bass is snappy while delivering good color and extension, overall very rich for a single BA. The rumbling takes place quite deeply with pleasing density and thickness, yet still within the neutral range. The slam itself isn’t bombastic and energetic as some solid 12mm dynamic driver would offer, but still solid.
The slam feels well-bodied and impactful enough that feels like it’s more about the sound signature than the driver type. If you’re into the Astell&Kern or mild-bass IEMs, the bass of Magic One would actually be more pleasing than those with dynamic drivers. This is surely different from the standard single BA bass most people heard.
Sound Impression: Mids
Now for the vocals. The mid-range was even more impressive. Generally speaking, the most critical disadvantage of single BA was that you could feel the sound simply “bleeding out” through a single small pipe, resulting micro-sized soundstage and imaging. However, in the case of Magic One, the story heads for a very different path.
The vocals are large, expansive, and spatial. It holds great resolution and depth that forms its unique, spatial headroom. Magic One has impressive depth, soundstage, and dynamics for its price. I don’t mean it while giving it the “single BA handicap” but under objective measures. The vocals are mildly multi-layered accompanied by pleasant airiness. It has a neutral brightness that mildly sheds a cool tone. Mid-range flows stably throughout the range without noticeable sibilance, dips, or spikes.
Sound Impression: Highs, etc.
Another area that single BAs suffer from is separation. The single BAs just often can’t manage separation so well, which is particularly evident in the upper ranges. Though as for Magic One, it does not disappoint on trebles either. Highs are crisp and accurate in tone. Not dull nor harsh. The textures are very well-tamed, smooth, and refined.
The timbre is also spot-on, keeping a neutral yet lively tone. Quantity-wise, it’s gently reduced than the vocals, taking place more as a supplementary than being the main star. The treble notes are quite precise in separation – it doesn’t overdo or lack in details. The soundstage isn’t necessarily vast but it is still roomy. The feel is similar to a decent-sized studio room.
Verdicts: The possibilities of single BAs
I’m a fan of single-driver IEMs yet this was usually limited to dynamic drivers or planars. I do enjoy some single BA drivers but mostly because they are a classic pick that draws out the music simplistically or because they bring back old memories of mine, not because they were superior in sound quality. Some may be quite decent in sound quality, yet their limitations were always there – until Magic One appeared.
During the HKAV show earlier this summer, I actually had a chance to listen to Magic One before its launch. The funny part is that, after auditioning, I had no clue this IEM was using a single BA until the booth representative told me, nor did I expect the price to be this affordable. Now that I’ve had a proper listening of these, I’m confident that Magic One squares up to multi-driver IEMs within this price range while offering a totally unique charm of sound. The sound is soothing and rich, yet has that one-driver naturality that multi-driver IEMs simply struggle to follow up with. The tone and feel are different from what a single dynamic driver would create, and it’s different in a way that makes Magic One even more unique. If you’re looking for an all-rounder budget IEM that sounds comfortable, coherent and has that BA-crisps, Magic One is the magic wand that gifts you what you wish for.
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