7th Acoustics Supernova Review . The Gentle Blast

Reviewing this gorgeous looking iem by 7th Acoustics Supernova. I get the chance to test this and give a review all thanks to a tour group in my country.

Disclaimer: Everything written here is my own honest, purely subjective opinion fueled by nothing but genuine enthusiasm for the hobby. No bias just one egg's unfiltered take. I'm not an expert, just a girl who's still in her shell trying to crack this hobby open. Take it with a grain of salt.

The iem that I will be reviewing is from a company from Indonesia. 7th Acoustics is founded by Stephen Synanta, an acoustic engineer who is a fellow enthusiast. Their most recent released another boutique TOTL iem in 2024, the 7th Acoustics Asteria, naming it after a goddess of nocturnal oracles, falling stars, and divination. The company slowly is growing, developing and expanding worldwide after it gained popularity within their local community. I’m actually really excited to see more from 7th Acoustics and what they can offer in the future.

The Packaging:

• Supernova In-ear Monitor Earphones
• IEM Aluminum Alloy Case
• Final Audio Type E ear tips (SS, S, M, L, LL)
• 7th Acoustics standard ear tips (S, M, L)
• 4.4mm Copper Cable
• Warranty Card
• Microfiber Cleaning Cloth
• Sticker
• Limited 1.5 Years Warranty

The Goods:

7th Acoustics Supernova is a handmade iem from medical grade resin body, which gives its tough smooth feels and the faceplate is made from real abalone shell. The abalone shell shines and shimmers splendidly. *pun intended*. It gives character and accent that makes it stand out. There are various available colors available which are violet, light blue, blue, red, black, natural and of course the green one, where each color has its own beauty. They added a logo of a supernova apart from their own logo on the left candy. Cema Acoustics provided a great cable for this iem, thick and flexible. And I love the Final Audio Type E full size eartips inclusion. I’ve been looking for a full size Final Audio Type E eartips but I cannot find one yet.

7th Acoustics Supernova, a flagship iem, is a 6 BA iem, dual Sonion vented bass, Sonion mid + uppermid, Knowles treble + upper treble. This will be further broken down.

The Comfort:

This is one of the most comfortable iem I’ve tried. Even with its size, you can barely feel the weight. Of course, using the correct ear tip size contributes mainly on the fit.

The Sound:

Just like a supernova, the 7th Acoustics Supernova bursts giving the initial sound, having the vocals the actual star followed by treble then the bass that slowly fades. I recon that not all songs are best fit for the iem. This is not a all-rounder iem.

Sound Signatures:

The Bass

7th Acoustics uses dual Sonion vented bass balance armature to give life to the bass. Sub bass gives out a controlled punch with natural decay. While listening to this test tracks, there are some songs that have recessed bass. I’m used to using iems with modern tuning, full, meaty, boosted, rumbling bass which made the sub bass of this iem feel underwhelming. When I use the right music to test it with, I slowly understand why these vented woofers were chosen. Although, this may not be a fast and aggressive sounding bass, it delivers excellent breathable airy quality. This makes the bass more natural with realistic texture.

The Vocals

This is where the IEM shines. It delivers lushness and smoothness that blends beautifully into the overall music. Using the Sonion mid and upper-mid BA drivers, it aims for a natural timbre in the lower midrange, carrying warmth. While it successfully avoids sibilance, I noticed the vocals thinning when transitioning from falsetto and soprano down to lower registers. You will notice a veil in the 2kHz–4kHz range, which comes across as very relaxed while helping to reduce sibilance. When this happens, the instruments overshadow the vocals entirely. A very dramatic transition can be heard from chest to head voice. Male vocals come across as commanding, while female vocals can turn wispy in that range.

...and The Treble

With the help of the Knowles treble + upper treble BA drivers, it prevents the muddiness that the others may contribute to. It makes the instruments sparkle when needed and suppress or remove sibilance when needed. It doesn’t produce that “glare” and gives enough shine and shimmer to showcase cymbals and hihats. Supernova is known for mellowing the treble to avoid fatigue.

The Separation and Imaging

Separation is average, yet the blend stays clear of any haze. The vocals and instruments have different positions but seems like they are very close to one another while still recognizable. 

The soundstage can only extend at a certain length, stretching beyond its higher boundary will thin out the sound. You sometimes get a sensation of listening or talking in a sound proof studio. Very intimate and while still experiencing a warm balanced presentation. 

On busier tracks, the primary instrument leads the parade while the secondary instruments barely keep up from behind.

The Verdict:

Overall, I find the 7th Acoustics Supernova a very smooth neutral bright listening gear that has a burst of lush and character with the fitting genre. It gives of a natural vibe rather than artificial boost on sounds. It shows features an intimate soundstage I believe this is perfect for Jazz, Lofi and some Pop music with male vocals. 

Throwing my amplifier into the chain created a double warm situation, pushing the Supernova just a touch too sweet for my taste. Listening straight from my DAP alone hits the spot perfectly.

The Tracks:

• if I'm lucky - Chelsea Jordan - lush, smooth, thick vocals, midrange soundstage
• Queen Mary - Francine Thirteen - wide soundstage, thinner highs pushed vocals backwards
• Ocean Motion - Takedake, John Kaizen Neptune - noticeable natural decay and separation
• Cake by the Ocean - DNCE - thin highs on vocals are overshadowed by instrumental
• Green Tea & Honey - Dane Amar, Jereena Montemayor - unable to hear proper separation. Female vocals being overshadowed by male vocal on duet
• Kilby Girl - The Backstreet Lovers - sub bass showcased well. good imaging
• Pompeii - Bastille - thin highs
• Line Without a Hook - Ricky Montgomery - imaging can be better
• Flight of the Bumblebee - Nikolai Rimsky - Korsakov - secondary instrument is barely heard. cannot keep up with the speed
• William Tell Overture - Gioachino Rossini - needs better separation

Headfi: Eggproject Review Headfi