Yes, Beat Audio is making earphones now. Actually, we experimented with some headphone designs over a decade ago, but those were more like passion projects—barely sold, just pure fun. After all, our entire team is made up of audio enthusiasts, so tinkering with earphones came naturally. Later, for various reasons, we shifted focus and dedicated ourselves to crafting upgrade cables with a distinct style. Now, over a decade into the industry, we look at the overwhelming choices on the market and can’t help but think: if we were newcomers today, how would we find what truly resonates? Sometimes we ask ourselves—what is Hi-fi really about? For us, impressive specs and high prices don’t guarantee a perfect fit. Sometimes, perfecting the simple can be more moving.
Back in the day, veteran audio lovers likely experienced various single-driver earphones. Those classic models and their sound signatures are etched in memory. Now, we’re returning to that origin. After nearly a year of R&D, we’re launching a single balanced-armature earphone. Some may find it odd—in an era chasing novelty—to release a single-driver model. However, we believe there are newcomers eager to start their audio journey with simplicity, and experienced audiophiles looking to return to purity.
The earphones’ design continues our brand’s “ViewPort” aesthetic. Simply put, a cylindrical surface is carved with grooves forming differently sized rectangles—each like a window, a unique perspective on the world. Just as reality can be viewed through countless lenses, our product offers a distinct view into the beauty of music.
In terms of sound, this earphone fully expresses the charm of a single balanced-armature. Many who’ve tested it say it doesn’t sound like it has just one driver. While multi-driver setups have merits, a single driver eliminates crossover issues, allowing seamless blending across frequencies. As a company with over a decade of cable expertise, we understand how crucial wiring is. After extensive testing, we paired it with our original Prima Donna 4-core upgrade cable—unleashing the driver’s potential effortlessly.
Another major advantage of a single-driver earphone is its compact size. No more worries about discomfort for smaller ears or hesitation when sharing with others due to fit issues. From its size to its look, we believe this is a product that will appeal to all.
As our first officially released earphones, we made sure the accessories reflect our dedication. Inside a metal case, you’ll find a genuine leather pouch, a pair of MMCX to 2-pin adapters, and a Type-C to 4.4mm female audio cable. The leather pouch breaks from the common round shape—it’s practical, feels great, and ages beautifully. Since our cable is exceptional, we included the MMCX to 2-pin adapter so you can try it with other compatible earphones. Also, with most music streamed from smartphones nowadays, the Type-C to 4.4mm DAC interconnect cable allows you to enjoy high-quality sound anywhere, anytime.
Listening with Leo's switch tuning 'ON', if I were to describe it in one sentence - very coherent, natural, musical tuning with top tier technicalities in the best possible way. If you are looking for a top tier all-rounder, look no further than the Pentara. With the amount of drivers and crossovers, it is impressive to achieve such technical details and tuning at a truly flagship level. Buy with confidence if this is what you look for
Pronounced and very high quality, tight, punchy, textured, controlled bass. Mids with enough warmth, emotion, note weight. Never thin or analyctical. Treble that provides clarity, detail, and air without sharpness and fatigue for me. Very deep and wide soundstage that expands like a sphere. Excellent resolution and imaging. No congestion. I do not have issues with anything in the frequency range that I can fault personally like I do with other IEMs. Everything just sounds right. Nothing sounds artificial or weird. Not recommended for bassheads seeking for more bass but rather for those that want neutral-warm leaning sound with pronounced and elevated bass.
UM's tuning switch '1' leans slightly less bass quantity, more clarity, and opens up the soundstage a little bit
Two different tunings that are noticeably different but useful from each other rather than being inferior. Easy to use the switches that compliment each other with tacticle sound
90% of the time I will prefer the switch on with Leo's tuning because it invokes a lot more emotion and dynamics with the elevated bass and warmth in the mids. Just my preference
Fairly easy to drive but scales with power or better DAC/AMP
Only major gripe I have is that the stock cable sucks tbh. Not ergonomic, heavy, stiff, minor microphonics, emits a minor sinewave hiss with my DAP as a USB DAC which I do not have with other cables. Recommend using a better cable up to user's choice
I notice that the treble does get a little spicy with poorly mastered songs with elevated treble though that is fairly rare
Lack of accessories and unboxing experience is not a big deal if you are ultimately chasing the sound anyway
As a self-proclaimed Astell fan and current owner of an SP3K, I hesitated quite a bit before upgrading to the SP4K, wondering if it was a halfway point (like an SP3.5K). I also wasn't particularly interested in an open-source Android system. Fortunately, I decided to take the plunge. The SP4K has turned out to be a complete surprise, to the point that it's the best DAP I've ever heard in terms of sound quality. A huge soundstage, bass with a texture I've never experienced before, and an astonishing level of detail. A total success.
These punch way above their price point. Very good bass for ba drivers that doesn’t make me miss dynamic drivers. Great technical performance, extended treble but not harsh. Love this set!
