In-Ear MonitorOverreview

Softears Volume S

A warm-neutral reference all-rounder with class-leading bass and vocals — the arguments are all about the treble, the resolution-for-price, and that second impedance mode nobody asked for.

13 sourcesUpdated
$319Typical US price

Score aggregates reviewer opinions across topics.

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Softears Volume S

The short version

What to know.

A ~$319 hybrid IEM (a 10 mm dynamic driver plus a passive radiator and two balanced armatures) voiced, in its main low-impedance mode, to a warm-neutral, reference-leaning signature that sources repeatedly call coherent, musical and non-fatiguing rather than sterile. The near-unanimous strengths are the low end — dense, deep and unusually well-textured, widely rated among the best bass in its price bracket (though not basshead quantity) — plus rich, natural, intimate vocals, a premium accessories package with a modular 3.5/4.4 mm cable, easy drivability, and a light, ergonomic (if large) shell that's comfortable for long sessions. Where reviewers split: the treble reads as smooth, safe and gently rolled-off to most, but energetic enough to occasionally turn sharp on bright or loud tracks for others; resolution is class-leading to some and merely average-for-$319 to others; the soundstage is intimate to nearly everyone; and the high-impedance mode is widely dismissed as thin and unnecessary, with the low-impedance tuning treated as the 'real' Volume S. Build draws mostly praise with a lone 'cheap resin' dissent, and the stock cable is a recurring gripe for its microphonics.

About this product

Softears' ~$319 hybrid successor to the 2022 Volume — a 10 mm silicone-diaphragm dynamic driver paired with a 6 mm wool-paper passive radiator and two balanced armatures (marketed as a quad-driver '2DD+2BA'), in a 3D-printed black-resin shell with an aluminium-alloy and forged-carbon-fibre faceplate. A Japanese Copal switch toggles two tunings via a 'bus impedance' trick: low-impedance (9.8 Ω, the balanced 'main' voicing most reviews use) and high-impedance (31.2 Ω, leaner and brighter). Ships with a modular 2-pin cable (3.5 mm + 4.4 mm). Distinct from the original Softears Volume and the pricier Softears RSV / RS10 / Studio 4.

The Softears Volume S arrived in the last days of 2024 as the follow-up to Softears' well-liked original Volume, and quickly built a cult reputation as one of the sets to beat around $300. It's a hybrid — a 10 mm dynamic driver backed by a passive radiator for the low end, plus a pair of balanced armatures — wrapped in a matte-black resin shell with a silver-and-carbon-fibre faceplate and a small physical switch that flips it between two tunings.

It borrows its house voicing from Softears' pricier reference monitors and lands close to Crinacle's JM-1 target, which is why so many reviewers reach for words like coherent, reference and all-rounder. It's also widely, and warmly, argued over: near-total agreement on the bass, the vocals, the build and the comfort sits alongside real disagreement about how the treble lands, how resolving it really is for the money, and whether that high-impedance mode is worth anything at all.

A good fit for

  • Listeners who want a coherent, warm-neutral reference all-rounder that stays musical rather than clinical
  • Bass-quality seekers who value texture, depth and control over sheer quantity
  • Vocal-focused listeners who prize natural, intimate mids
  • Buyers who want a premium package — modular cable, accessories, all-day comfort — around $300
  • People driving IEMs straight from a phone or dongle

Think twice if

  • You want an airy, sparkly, treble-forward tuning with lots of top-end energy
  • You're a basshead chasing sheer sub-bass slam and quantity
  • You have small ears or want the smallest possible shell — this one runs large and protrudes
  • You judge a set mainly on last-word resolution per dollar — some find it only average for $319
  • You want a wide, out-of-head soundstage
  • You expect a silent stock cable — plan to swap the microphonic paracord one

The reviewer consensus

Agreement &
disagreement.

2 / 12topics divide opinion
bassdynamicstonalitymidssoundstageimagingcomfortbuildisolationvaluetrebledetail
2 Strong agreement8 Mostly agree2 Divided opinions

Common ground7

  • Class-leading low end for the price — a dense, deep, well-textured dynamic-driver-plus-passive-radiator bass (quality over sheer quantity).
  • A warm-neutral, coherent, reference-leaning tuning in the main low-impedance mode that most call musical and non-fatiguing rather than sterile.
  • Rich, natural, intimate vocals — the midrange is a highlight for many listeners.

Points of contention5

  • Treble character: smooth, safe and gently rolled-off to most, but energetic enough to turn sharp on bright or loud tracks for a minority.
  • Resolution for the money: genuinely class-leading (even besting pricier sets) to some, only average or lackluster for $319 to others.
  • The high-impedance mode: widely seen as thin and unnecessary next to the low-impedance 'real' tuning — though a treble-loving minority prefers it and one reviewer praises both modes.

A closer listen.

12 topics · 2 divided
Left: criticalRight: positiveTighter lines: more agreement

Tonality

PositiveMostly agree
Reviewer sentiment9 supporting sources
CriticalNeutralPositive

Band: opinion spread · Dot: weighted average

In its main low-impedance mode, broadly agreed to be a warm-neutral, reference-leaning tuning that most call coherent and musical rather than clinical — several sources note how close it sits to Crinacle's JM-1 target. The lone real dissent hears the balance as inconsistent. The second, high-impedance mode leans brighter and thinner and is the more contested half.

“In low-impedance mode, the Volume S features a warm-neutral profile with a nice bass emphasis while maintaining a balanced tuning.”

Nihal, Headfonics

“one of the only IEMs I’ve ever encountered that I’d say earns the designation of “neutral” from top to bottom.”

Listener, Headphones.com

“The Softears Volume S leans towards a sub-bass boosted neutral reference tuning, but it’s not sterile or flat”

Twister6

“It’s a perfectly imperfect set with a focused midcentric sound but incoherent and messy tonality.”

kesobie, AudioNotions

Measured

Measured on Crinacle's B&K 5128 (ITU-T P.57 Type 4.3) database in both modes, the low-impedance voicing tracks close to the JM-1 target — a sub-bass-boosted neutral with roughly balanced sub- and mid-bass and a touch of extra upper-bass warmth; the high-impedance mode adds treble and leans out the low end.

Link to this topic

The hardware

Specifications.

Checked

Design

Type
In-ear monitor
Drivers
1 × 10 mm dynamic (silicone diaphragm) + 2 × balanced armature1DD + 2BA

Electrical

Impedance
9.8 Ω
Sensitivity
124 dB/V≈ 103.9 dB/mW
Frequency response
8 Hz – 40 kHz

Connection

Cable
Detachable
Connector
0.78 mm 2-pin (recessed)community-sourced: socket depth
Plugs supplied
3.5 mm, 4.4 mm balancedmodular

Figures are for the low-impedance mode most reviews use; high-impedance mode reads 31.2 Ω / 114 dB/Vrms. Manufacturer-published figures, not measurements · from hifigo.com. Socket depth not published by the maker — community-sourced from hands-on reviews: headfonia.com, headfonics.com.

Follow the evidence

Sources 13

1–6 of 13 sources

Read with context

Limitations & method.

As of

What to keep in mind 6

  1. This is a read of where opinion sits in 2025–2026; the $300 hybrid IEM field moves fast, and newer rivals keep shifting the value math.

  2. Almost every reviewer listens in the low-impedance ('main') mode, so most impressions of 'the Volume S' describe that voicing — the high-impedance mode sounds meaningfully different.

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