Published: 3rd September 2024

Soranik: A Vietnamese Company at the Forefront of IEM Innovation Driven by MEMS Technology

Hieu Tran, CEO & Co-founder of Soranik Vietnam, shares his insights of adopting micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) speaker technology for a new product series.

In 2023, Soranik, a Vietnamese-based company that manufactures in-ear monitors (IEMs) selected USound as a supplier of MEMS speakers. Soon after, two MEMS-based IEM series were successfully launched. Soranik’s MEMS-2 and MEMS-3S series are “breaking the boundary of sound reproduction”, offering superior audio quality and the most creative designs.

First CIEM brand in Vietnam

Soranik was born as the first and only custom IEM manufacturer that caters towards Vietnamese audiophiles and artists for more than a decade. “We wanted to create the first CIEM brand in Vietnam, serving the Vietnamese community,” explains Hieu Tran, CEO and Co-founder of Soranik.

Catering towards audio enthusiasts and artists in Vietnam and internationally, Soranik prioritizes audio quality by exploring new techniques and components for its products. “Back in 2017, we experimented with titanium tubing and the products were sold to Singaporean clients back then.

Later in 2019 we were among the first on the market to implement EST drivers from Sonion and the DES (Dual ElectroStatic) model was very welcomed by the local community,” he added. “In 2022 we tested tubeless designs that helped with our tuning of MEMS speakers.”

Finding the right driver

Soranik selects its IEMs drivers carefully. The sound quality of each speaker is evaluated to find the best frequency response. Screenings are carried out by measurements and actual listening tests. Once the speaker quality is confirmed, Soranik assesses whether it can be stacked in a multifold design or if it is better off as a standalone unit. Moreover, the unit must be small enough, the electrical properties have to be similar to that of other speakers, and the speaker must be easy to handle for a streamlined process.

Adopting a promising new technology

MEMS drivers are at the forefront of countless product innovations. From over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids to Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) compatible headphones, the tiny components have enabled the production of life-changing devices. As with any new technological innovation, manufacturers often hesitate to be the first to adopt them. Perhaps they may be skeptical towards their benefits or they may fear that they will come across many challenges in incorporating the new components into their designs.

“I knew about MEMS speakers back in 2021, though the first impression was that such technology requires some tremendous adjustments to the current design of most music devices on the market,” states Mr. Tran. “However, after trying MEMS speakers, especially the Conamara (speaker), in person, I was convinced that the sound quality the technology offers far outweighs its shortcomings. With that in mind, we started making the MEMS series monitors that use MEMS speakers at their core.”

A few challenges did come along the way, but Soranik’s team was able to overcome them. Mr. Tran explains that these challenges were connected to the voltage ratings of MEMS speakers, which differ from the ones of conventional speakers. “Soranik’s solution was to design a unique driving unit to solely serve our MEMS earphones. Not only does the unit meet the technical requirements by the MEMS speakers, it has to sound good at the same time,” he added.

USound’s support also contributed in adopting the technology in a seamless, straightforward way. “USound was the first MEMS manufacturer I reached out to, and it has been a great help receiving technical support from the USound team. Thanks to that we saved time designing our MEMS product lineup rather than constantly testing.”

USound Conamara vs. other MEMS speakers

In an effort to find the best performing component, Soranik’s team tested various MEMS speakers, with USound’s Conamara offering the best sound quality, while providing a compact solution; a crucial aspect when designing lightweight and ergonomic devices.

“USound’s MEMS speakers excel in midrange frequency reproduction. We have tried several MEMS speaker products and so far the Conamara from USound offers the best vocal rendering, far surpassing conventional speakers. Not only the sound quality, but the Conamara’s miniature form makes it convenient for us to assemble the earpiece,” he concluded.

Hieu Tran, CEO & Co-Founder at Soranik Vietnam

Hieu Trung Tran, with a background in mathematics and statistics, founded Soranik in 2015 as the first custom In-Ear Monitor manufacturer in Vietnam.

He is also a music enthusiast, with a long history of working closely with local professional artists and performers.