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Oriolus Szalayi
Vivid, enchanting sound in pursuit of ultimate musicality
Szalayi - Oriolus's first planar magnetic 3-way hybrid with a fast 14mm, 2μm thin driver membrane, continuous the brand's tuning methodology to fuse authentic vocal experience with extreme micro-detail retrieval power that could extract all subtleties within the music.
Meticulously tuned to preserve and bring out an astounding level of details from the recording, Szalayi captures immersive timbre, energies, and subtlety in any instrument brought to its deep stage. The smooth, tenderly, and naturally articulated vocal, has exceptional balance with strong bass and airy vocal extending up to 40kHz.
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Professional Reviews 88/100
Nicely Roasted
Sound Quality
91/100
Fit Comfort Isolation
78/100
Build Accessories
78/100
Value for Money
94/100
Oriolus Szalayi delivers thunderous sub-bass with real punch, then counters it with lush vocals, cohesive planar-led mids and a remarkably holographic soundstage. Tone Deaf Monk praises its deep, dimensional presentation, while Amplify Audio Reviews highlights the hard-hitting dynamics and warm, expressive musicality that help this tribrid stand apart.
What Reviewers Are Saying
Pros
Deep, authoritative sub-bass combines slam and growl without making the presentation sound thin.
Exceptionally cohesive tribrid tuning delivers warm, meaty vocals, accurate mids and strong dynamics.
Wide, holographic staging offers convincing depth, height and sharply separated images.
Large shells are reported as comfortable, provided a suitable tip and seal are found.
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Cons
Its abundant bass-forward tuning will not suit listeners seeking a neutral or lean presentation.
Upper treble is smooth rather than especially airy, so dedicated treble enthusiasts may want more extension.
The stock cable drew criticism for its fabric wrap and clear ear hooks.
SOUND QUALITY PERFORMANCE 91/100
Reviewers describe an unusually accomplished bass-forward presentation: powerful and emotionally engaging, but still warm, detailed and well integrated through the mids. Its standout spatial presentation and hard-hitting dynamics make it especially appealing for listeners who want a big, enveloping sound rather than a lean reference tuning.
Bass
95/100
Bass is the defining attraction, described as deep, punchy, authoritative and available in copious quantity. It is principally sub-bass focused, yet reviewers still hear convincing slam, growl and enough mid-bass weight to avoid thinness.
Midrange
91/100
The midrange is praised as stellar, detailed and tonally accurate despite the substantial low end. Vocals are said to be notably meaty, warm and wet-sounding, with male voices in particular coming through beautifully.
Treble
88/100
One reviewer calls the treble sparkly, detailed and a standout, while another finds it deliberately restrained in the upper-air region. The result appears smooth and non-painful for treble-sensitive listeners, though not the airiest presentation at the price.
Resolution Separation
87/100
Resolution is described as very decent, with phenomenal stereo separation on well-recorded material. A reviewer also notes that more expensive sources can reveal greater resolution and separation, suggesting strong performance rather than an unquestioned class leader.
Soundstage Imaging
94/100
The Szalayi receives particularly strong praise for its holographic staging, with width, depth and height that one reviewer finds unusual among planar-equipped IEMs. Another hears a wide stage and sharply separated placement of lead instruments, drums and vocals.
Dynamics Coherence
95/100
Reviewers repeatedly praise the hard-hitting, punchy dynamic expression. They also find the three-driver arrangement exceptionally well stitched together, with no perceived dissonance or loss of coordination on complex tracks.
FIT COMFORT ISOLATION PERFORMANCE 78/100
Reviewers find the relatively large shells more comfortable than their size might suggest, but a reliable seal is important to realizing the intended bass response. Long-term isolation performance is not meaningfully covered in the supplied reviews.
Seal Stability
86/100
A reviewer advises ensuring a good seal with shallower insertion, making tip choice and placement important. The other reviewer reports that multiple listeners had no fit complaints with the supplied and alternative tips, which is encouraging for a larger-shell design.
Comfort
90/100
The Szalayi is directly described as super comfortable. Although its shells are somewhat large, one reviewer experienced no discomfort and reports similarly positive reactions from several people who tried it.
Isolation
50/100
The supplied reviews say little about passive noise attenuation in daily use. A proper seal is discussed, but there is no direct comparison of its isolation against other IEMs.
Assessments of Build Quality, Usability, and Overall Propositions.
Build Accessories
78/100
The package includes silicone and foam tips, a cable clip and cleaning tools, offering useful options for finding a secure fit. However, one reviewer is seriously disappointed by the fabric-wrapped stock cable and its conspicuous clear ear hooks; the reviews otherwise say little about long-term shell and connector durability.
Value for Money
94/100
At roughly $890-$900, this is a substantial purchase, as one reviewer stresses. Still, another says it has outlasted numerous flagships in their collection and punches hard above its price, which is emphatic praise for its competitiveness in the sub-$1,000 class.
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