Great in Gunmetal - Astrotec NG30 Review

Introduction: Astrotec is a name that is not unfamiliar to us at this point. In fact on this very site, I have reviewed their flagship IEM the AM850 here. The AM850 was an interesting IEM that had a very upscale look, with an attractive fun tuning. The model we have here is somewhat of a little brother, the NG30. This particular model from them plans to compete in the ever busy "budget-fi" category at a retail of $30. Does Astrotec live up to the precedent that was set by the AM850 that it seems to inherit some DNA from, given the similar packaging, build, and internal components? Will it be able to hold up with the growing competition in this price range?

Disclaimer: Astrotec provided me with the NG30 in exchange of a honest evaluation. All thoughts are my own and I received no monetary incentive for this review. I do not have to return the NG30 to Astrotec.

Specifications:

10mm Dynamic Driver Unit

DuPont multi layer coated diaphragm

CCAW Light mass voice coil

16 Ohms Impedance

110db/1mw Sensitivity

Frequency Response 8Hz-27KHz

Packaging and Accessories: The NG30 comes in typical attractive Astrotec packaging,  the box and the design isn't unlike what you would see in more fashionable audio stores, the front has an image of the IEM with some graphics, while the back contains specifications of the unit. The minor touches like the loop on the top to hang from retail display racks, and the Astrotec sticker serving as a seal show the attention to detail that is shown in the design of their products. Opening the packaging reveals the IEMs in a cut foam mold behind a plastic screen. Underneath the foam you can see the warranty card, the attractive gray leather pouch with a magnetic clasp, and the tip and earhook selection, ranging from S/M/L silicone eartips and 1 pair of foam eartips. Overall the packaging looks premium, while the included accessories also have a premium feel with the soft touch materials, and classy touches as well as foam ear tips that for the price are very welcome inclusions.

Build and Fit: The NG30 follows in the similar design aesthetic of the AM850 with a aluminum shell in a dark gunmetal finish, and simple red accents on the rear of the barrel where a simple geometrical engraving breaks apart the bare shell aesthetic. The cable is in line with the AM850 with a similar look and feel, with the biggest notable difference being the text on the Y-split. SPeaking of the Y-split, both that, the chin cinch, and the barrel of the L-plug are plastic cores with an aluminum shell with the same gunmetal. Build is good, it feels solid in hand, and while the color matching of the shell paint isn't perfect, it's nothing glaring for the most part, and what parts are normally seen are classy and clean. As with the AM850 the same caveat with the cable being on the rubbery side persist, but those issues are even easier to look past given the price point.

Sound: As always I've listened to the NG30 extensively and with a nyriad of devices ranging from the LG G6, OnePlus 5T, FiiO Q1 Mk II, ifi xDSD, Hiby R6, and straight out of my laptop audio. The NG30 is very easy to drive and I doubt any modern phone would have trouble powering it. The overall signature presented is a warm and smooth L-shape with well extended and forward bass, slightly recessed mids, and treble that exhibits a light brightness that manifests in a rather mild manner. 

Bass: The bass on the NG30 is the star of the show. It has above average subbass extension that leads to bass drum kicks that hit firm and then will decay slowly, lending each bass hit to have an organic full timbre and a natural texture that appears can add the extra oomph needed in many songs. The recording of Daughters by The John Mayer Trio starts with a deliberate drum beat, that fills the sound field very well, and in that song the drum beat becomes accompanies with both bass and lead guitars after a few seconds, this brings us perfectly to the midbass. The midbass exemplifies similar characteristics to the subbass, slightly slower without being lethargic, so when the the bass guitars enter, it slowly spreads and lingers and as the note decays it has a very good textural aspect, especially when the note reverberates as many bass notes in slower songs do. Combined the bass provides a full experience that will please even moderate bassheads, especially those looking for a more typical bass tonality.

Mids: The vocals on the NG30 are a bit tricky. On their own on mostly vocal centric songs, particularly "I Will Follow You Into the Dark" by Death Cab for Cutie, the vocals are actually quite well defined, there's enough definition there that I definitely wouldn't call the vocals disappointing, in fact they were pleasant upon discovering it, the problem herein lies because once you add a bass guitar or bass drum, the vocals start to get left behind and just fall back from the low end. It's a similar story with instruments, listening to Alter the Ending by Dashboard Confessional, the vocals don't sound too thin, but even the acoustic guitar can have more prominence, the instrument reproduction however was another pleasant surprise especially the lower mids. Upper mids are quite nice having enough energy to cut through the bass, but again somewhat at the expense of some vocal prominence.

Treble: The high frequencies are a little bit boosted over the mids, but only ever so slightly. There doesn't seem to be much sibilance being produced. There is a mild and pleasant crisp sparkle you can hear on guitars, violins, and piano tracks, like on "Belle of the Boulevard" enough to stop the signature from being too dark. Cymbal hits are quite nice, and it's not harsh. However while there is some bite to the treble, there isn't much in the way of air in the sound.

Presentation: The overall resolution of the NG30 across the frequency range is above my expectations, from the texture of the bass, to the vocals and instrumentation. Once they commingle however there can be times where it gets a bit too busy for its own good and the gains in resolution are lost to the difficulty in layering and separation. In more relaxed song this isn't an issue however. Stereo separation is good, slightly extending outside the ear, however height and depth are only average. To get the most out of the NG30 the rule of keeping it on the simpler side definitely applies.

Conclusion: I quite like the NG30. It has a very pleasant signature, that many will find attractive, and resolving capability that I wasn't expecting. Together the build, sound, package and accessories provide for what the casual listener that wants an upgrade from their daily driver prepackaged IEMs. It's classy but still simple, the only thing that this could use would be an inline mic and some controls. Other than that I can't think of much considering that the NG30 will only set you back $30. It's a good deal, and definitely beats a lot of the stuff you might see hanging on retail shelves. So if you are in the market for something relatively affordable, that doesn't sacrifice aesthetics, build or accessories, with a mainstream friendly sound that isn't muddled, the Astrotec NG30 is definitely worth a look.