The first time I saw the ARTPICAL Gabriel, I was drawn in by its looks before I even had a chance to listen—I assumed it was a successor to the Michael. After talking with the staff at the booth, I learned that it was actually just a step-up IEM under 2,000 RMB. Setting sound aside, just the exterior—the same “wing” design as the flagship, the meticulous craftsmanship, the beautiful colour schemes (red, green, purple, and several other options were on display at the time)—did not look like something costing around a thousand yuan at all. After I heard it, I couldn’t help asking their engineer, “Are you serious?” Simply put, I personally think this ARTPICAL Michael is an IEM aimed squarely at flipping the table: flagship-level exterior design and craftsmanship trickled down, plus excellent sound performance—another IEM under 2,000 RMB whose entire ethos is to out-compete everyone else.
After actually getting the production version of the Gabriel and examining it closely, its craftsmanship is indeed somewhat “simplified” compared with the Michael: for example, the layering of the feathers on the faceplate is not as rich, and a gold aluminium alloy mid-frame separates the shell from the faceplate, so it is no longer a unified exterior finish and no longer has gradient colour treatment—the cost is certainly not as high as that of the Michael. But the Gabriel also has its own characteristics and strengths: the “feathers” on the faceplate have a strong three-dimensional effect, creating a floating visual impression; the ring of gold in the centre and the text symbols above it also enhance the visual splendour, and together with the launch gold-and-silver-grey colourway, a sense of the angelic sacredness and magnificence arises naturally. Most importantly, the moment you see this exterior, even a somewhat experienced audiophile can immediately tell whose product it is—for ARTPICAL, achieving this effect in just two or three years is already remarkable.
In addition, the Gabriel’s cable maintains the same visual style as that of the Michael: a silver-white cable body paired with metal connectors. Its distinctive design language has not been glossed over just because this is a product priced in the low four figures—it still offers a high degree of recognisability. Furthermore, given its positioning, the Gabriel’s cable features an interchangeable plug design. Besides the 3.5mm and 4.4mm specifications commonly used by audiophiles, it also includes a USB-C plug with a built-in DAC chip, making it convenient for entry-level users who do not have a HiFi player or a portable DAC/amp to listen to music directly from their phones. Of course, as a value-focused model priced in the low four figures, the Gabriel’s packaging and accessories are on the same level as the sub-1,000-RMB Raphael, and it lacks a bit of the sense of ceremony found in models such as the Lightbringer and The Other Shore Silver Wing, which are priced above 2,000 RMB.
The Gabriel’s driver configuration consists of dual balanced armature drivers for the midrange and three micro planar drivers—one handling the treble and two handling the bass. I find this three-way crossover design quite reasonable, and in terms of actual sound performance, there are no issues with imbalanced energy distribution or the naturalness of driver integration. ARTPICAL is quite seasoned when it comes to sound tuning, while also possessing its own distinctive aesthetic in stylistic expression. The Gabriel’s timbre sits between the Michael and the Lucifer—thicker than the former but not as thick as the latter. In aspects other than the midrange, it is more like the Michael, pursuing a large soundstage, high technical performance, and high resolution. At a price in the low four figures, it is unquestionably a sound with strong technical competitiveness.
In terms of its sonic framework, the Gabriel continues the family’s high-end approach of emphasising a sense of space and soundstage scale. Whether in width, depth, or height, it presents an open and three-dimensional soundstage, giving it a natural advantage with music that prioritises live reproduction, such as live recordings and classical symphonies. In dynamics, too, it carries on the flagship character of the Michael, reproducing large dynamic contrasts well and rising to big, explosive passages. Transient response is moderate in speed, with a good sense of presence, fully accommodating the playback needs of pop-oriented tracks. The Gabriel strikes a good balance among resolution, separation, and sonic thickness: it has ample technical presence without becoming so “clear” that emotional expression is lost. In terms of timbre, the Gabriel has no obvious warm or cool bias; while maintaining a relatively neutral sound, it uses tuning to create an excellent sense of musical atmosphere.
In terms of bass quantity, the Gabriel is ample without being excessive, with rich elasticity and sub-bass extension that ranks among the better performances at this price point; overall it delivers excellent weight and authority in the lower end, creating a thoroughly enveloping atmosphere—an important criterion for all-rounder listeners and fans of pop-oriented music alike, conveying the “power” of low frequencies without ever sounding stiff or rigid. In the midrange, the Gabriel’s vocals are fairly thick and full; although it does not take the purely lower-midrange-focused route of the Lucifer, its vocals feel more full of “human warmth” than those of the Michael, with excellent expression of vocal thickness for both male and female voices, well-presented subtle details, and—more importantly—imaging that retains a strong sense of body, positioned sensibly within the overall soundstage and kept at a moderate distance rather than pushed too far back. At this tier, it is roughly the type that can handle everything and make everything sound good, and it is clear that ARTPICAL has taken full care to tailor the Gabriel to the listening experience of pop vocals. The Gabriel’s treble is very stable, with powerful extension; it is smooth and transparent while free of noticeable harshness, and it delivers both treble resolution and definition of note outlines in full, with some suppression of treble harshness applied to make the overall presentation smoother. The treble timbre still emphasises thickness and a grounded sense of weight, maintaining consistency with the overall character while also giving the Gabriel its own recognizable sonic identity.
There is no need to worry about pairing the Gabriel at all—it is also very friendly to newcomers just getting into the hobby. A dongle DAC costing a few hundred RMB can easily bring out more than ninety percent of its sonic potential, as its demands on output power and control are not particularly high; it is an IEM with a very high floor. Even when using the included USB-C plug for direct phone playback, it has no trouble with a pop-oriented library, delivering both fullness and a basic sense of openness.
Clearly, the Gabriel is ARTPICAL’s high-performance, versatile wired in-ear earphone aimed at entry-level and step-up audiophiles, while also appealing to tech enthusiasts and non-audiophiles thanks to its excellent looks and built-in USB-C plug. In that sense, the Gabriel can be considered a “double champion” in both looks and sound—after all, who doesn’t love an earphone that is both good-looking and good-sounding?
Source：巡洋艦3rd
