Intro:
This is a review about the universal fit version of the Atlantis. I clearly prefer UIEMs over CIEMs.
Sound:
Used gear: only low impedance gear.
Used tips: largest included silicone tips.
Tonality:
Compared to an in-ear that is tuned absolutely diffuse-field flat in the lows, such as the Etymotic ER-4S/SR, the Atlantis’ bass elevation is about 7-8 dB, and about 4-5 dB compared to the Ultimate Ears Reference Monitors that are fairly neutral as well.
A tuning based on the “case of the missing 6 dB” (, whether debunked or not,) with just a little extra quantity also comes into my mind.
Around 700 Hz, the lows’ emphasis starts to climb gradually and reaches its zenith around 100 Hz while the area between 200 and 100 Hz already carries certain fullness.
The bass remains with unchanged levels down to 40 Hz and, in the real sub-bass, rolls gently off below (instead of quickly) wherefore the Atlantis appears less midbass-focussed (/”dominant”) than the Westone W4R, although with a preference of the midbass, too, although its (the Atlantis’) bass elevation is more even.
So the bass can build up some punch, pressure and body but never appears overdone in terms of quantity, which is subjectively also mainly due to its speed, control and tightness.
The lows that are already heading a bit into the somewhat warmer and smoother direction consign these genes to the midrange to some degree. The area of the fundamental range/lower midrange tends into a somewhat warmer and fuller direction too despite not being overshadowed by the lows by any means.
The transition from the lows to the mids can be definitely described as very well made and the Atlantis’ lower midrange is also slightly less full than the W4R’s.
Compared to many other Asian in-ears, NocturnaL Audio (fortunately) chose to go without the popular “clarity lift” of the upper midrange around 3 kHz and tuned the Atlantis for a neutral upper midrange that sounds tonally realistic and authentic with hint of moderate warmth from the lower mids.
In the area between the upper mids and shortly before the upper highs, the Atlantis shows great tonal similarities to the UERM and delivers a pretty neutral presentation in this area. Just like the UERM, the Atlantis also features a very mild recession of the middle highs when carefully listening to sine sweeps and comparing it to Etymotic’s ER-4 models, although it is considerably more direct and less relaxed in this area than the majority of in-ears.
Around 7 kHz, I can spot a moderate accentuation of the highs that is rather broad than narrow and therefore never harsh, sharp or unnatural. Sibilance or sharpness are not present and this elevation is a good bit milder, broader and more realistic compared to the UERMs’ upper treble spike (which is its only flaw) that can be a bit too sharp when a note hits it exactly.
Above 13 kHz, the Atlantis’ super treble rolls off – which means that there is not that much subtle glare in the super highs although the extension is definitely sufficient and also clearly exceeds the more expensive Shure SE846’s upper treble extension.
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Tonally, the Atlantis’ sound signature somewhat reminds me of a mixture of the Westone W4R (midbass), Brainwavz B200 [the original one, not the v2 with removable cables that is tuned entirely different in the lows] (sub-bass up to the central midrange) and Ultimate Ears Reference Monitors (central midrange up to short before the upper highs). If you imagine the Atlantis as a brighter tuned [first-gen] B200 with a little less fullness, along with the UERMs’ treble without their narrow peak in the upper highs – then this is pretty much the description of the tonal tuning of NocturnaL Audio’s quad-driver in-ear.
And to mention another in-ear in this comparison, the tuning of the Atlantis is also not all that unlike my Campfire Audio Andromeda's, with the exception that the Andromeda carries some sharpness in the upper highs below 10 kHz whereas the Atlantis doesn't, and that the Andromeda is somewhat more laid-back in the lower and lower central treble. Yeah, except for the unfortunately discontinued Brainwavz B200 (the original one with black injection-moulded housings and non-removable cables), my Campfire Audio Andromeda is probably the closest match to the Atlantis in terms of tonal tuning, with the NocturnaL IEM having less darkness in the highs than the B200 but lacking the Andromeda's sometimes borderline treble edge tendency.
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The Atlantis’ tonal tuning is well made and appealing – the in-ear offers a pleasant, not overdone dose of bass and warmth with a little fullness in the lower midrange, along with a natural vocal area and neutral upper mids. The treble is even as well and the mild elevation in the upper middle/lower upper highs appears well-dosed and never sharp or sibilant.
Instruments sound realistic and also wind instruments’ and the percussion’s timbre, especially cymbals, is spot-on and realistic. This is exactly what you would expect from a well-tuned in-ear.
Resolution:
NocturnaL Audio’s quad-BA in-ear Atlantis offers a level of details that actually lead me to thinking I had an in-ear in the four-digit price range in my ears – more intense and longer listening finally confirmed this impression and a price somewhat above the Ultimate Ears Reference Monitors, based on the Atlantis’ technical performance, would be definitely and easily justifiable since NocturnaL’s four-driver model is very convincing when it comes to speech intelligibility, true transparency without using tricks (such as purposefully placed elevations in the mids and highs), along with an easy-going and light-footed appearing treble that separates single notes precisely and without any harshness.
The in-ear’s bass carries the typical tightness, resolution and high speed, paired with a hint of texture and body, which you would expect from a good and precise BA woofer implementation. In their character, the Atlantis’ lows remind me of my Ultimate Ears Reference Monitors when it comes to quality (the Atlantis however carries somewhat more quantity).
Looking at the detail retrieval in the lower frequency range, it appears as this area wasn’t as resolving and detailed as the midrange and treble.
This is mainly because the mids’ and highs’ resolution is already very high and that the Atlantis’ details and speed plus transients in the mids and highs carry a subtle effortlessness and brutal accuracy with single notes being separated very precisely wherefore the bass, that evaluated on its own is absolutely comparable to the UERMs’ when it comes to quality, appears a little less resolving than the mids and treble that definitely exceed what you would expect for the price.
Bringing my Campfire Audio Andromeda into the game, there are few areas where the Andromeda is probably a notch ahead in terms of perceived resolution/transparency, whereas there are others where I see the Atlantis at an even level or even a smidgen above. Either way both in-ears are technically very capable and don't lack resolution and precision at all.
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What NocturnaL Audio has developed with the Atlantis is definitely quite remarkable and applause-worthy.
Soundstage:
The Atlantis especially convinces with its very good and precise layering capabilities when it comes to the spatial reproduction. Single layers on the z axis can be spotted precisely and also remain this precise and well-separated from each other when fast and complex music is being played.
While the soundstage is more or less good upper mediocrity when it comes to width (the basis leaves my ears with about the width of two fingers), the Singaporean quad-BA in-ear offers at least just as much spatial depth wherefore it sounds very three-dimensional and spatially authentic.
Therefore it sets itself apart from many multi-BA in-ears in the sub €500 range that are strong on the technical side as well but usually don’t manage to portray the same level of spatial precision and three-dimensionality.
Other positive aspects that are worth to be mentioned are the capability of displaying emptiness and the good separation and positioning of instruments that leave little left to be desired although the now discontinued Ultimate Ears UE 18 Pro (that however lacked a bit of balance in the midrange to become really interesting for me) is on an even slightly higher level when it comes to these aspects.
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In Comparison with my Ultimate Ears Reference Monitors:
The UERM have got the flatter, more neutral bass. The midrange timbre of both in-ears is quite similar and very comparable – the Atlantis only has the somewhat warmer lower midrange compared to the UE.
Except for the upper highs where the UERM appear sharper and harsher due to their peak, both in-ears have a very similar treble response. As a result of the more even upper treble, the Atlantis sounds somewhat more realistic/authentic in the highs while the UERM extend somewhat higher and have got more sparkle.
Concerning the bass/lows, both in-ears are absolutely on the same level to my ears when it comes to detail retrieval, tightness, control, speed and texture.
Things are different in the midrange and treble though, as NocturnaL’s quad-driver in-ear manages to offer the even higher resolution than my UERM, which makes it the first in-ear in my inventory that, despite costing less, excels the overall resolution of the UERM (the FLC8s also managed to do that, however solely in the midrange while the UERM were still audibly ahead in the highs, lows and in terms of spatiality). Chapeau.
Depending on the recording, the UERMs’ soundstage is even slightly larger in my ears, however just by a small margin. The localisation of instruments is comparably precise on both in-ears, with a very small advantage for the NocturnaL, while the Atlantis is somewhat superior when it comes to instrument separation and also manages to portray the somewhat more precise and better defined “empty” space between and around single instruments and tonal elements.
Conclusion:
NocturnaL Audio's Atlantis is a fantastic in-ear that is offered at a moderate and very reasonable price given its level performance. Flagship territory while still in the three-digit price range? Absolutely.