Punch Audio Martilo Review — Bass and Beyond

Pros: 

* Thunderous yet clean bass — powerful, textured, and well-controlled

* Non-fatiguing, energetic treble with great detail and air

* Natural-sounding mids with good clarity and vocal texture

* Excellent driver control for a basshead IEM

* Very good technicalities: imaging, stage, and resolution

* Easy to drive but scales beautifully with power

* Fun, unapologetic tuning—perfect for bass lovers

There’s a new contender in the ever-growing IEM scene, and they’re not playing it safe. No Harman-neutral graphs. No “balanced for everyone” disclaimers. Punch Audio is coming in hot—and with their debut release, the Martilo, they’ve made their mission loud and clear: this one’s built for the bass-hungry.

While most new brands tend to ease into the market with safe, inoffensive tunings aimed at pleasing the masses, Punch Audio has taken a bold first step in the opposite direction. They’ve planted their flag firmly in the low-end territory, embracing a sound that’s not just tuned for bass, but crafted with a clear understanding of what makes bass engaging, emotional, and—let’s be honest—addictive.

The Martilo isn’t made for the spreadsheet-obsessed reference crowd or the clinical detail chasers. It’s designed for people who crave physicality in their music. For those of us who don't just want to hear the subbass—we want to feel it ripple through our chest, to feel that slam behind every kick drum, and to have our heads gently rattled by a perfectly timed drop. Whether you’re deep into EDM, hip-hop, dubstep, or even cinematic scores with earthshaking percussion, this is a set that isn’t shy about delivering the full-bodied, immersive low end many IEMs avoid.

And yet, what makes the Martilo so exciting isn’t just the power—it’s the control. The folks at Punch Audio didn’t just crank the bass dial to 11 and call it a day. There’s refinement here, restraint where it counts, and a surprisingly mature approach to crafting a bass-centric sound that still leaves room for vocals, mids, and treble to breathe.

So yes, bassheads, rejoice—but don’t mistake the Martilo for a one-dimensional boombox in your ears. This is a new breed of basshead IEM. One that respects your cravings, but also respects the music.

The name Martilo which sounds like Martillo which literally means “hammer” in both Filipino and Spanish. Fitting. From the very first listen, it doesn’t just tap the bass—it slams it down like Thor on a mission.

Whats in the box? check out my quick unboxing video of the Martilo:

Here are some photos i took showcasing build, design and shell shape of the Martilo.

Sound Performance:

Bass
Let’s be honest—if you’re checking out the Martilo, it’s probably because you’re chasing that low-end fix. And trust me, it delivers. Big time.

The subbass here isn’t just something you hear—it’s something you feel. It digs deep, with that kind of floor-shaking rumble that makes 808s, dubstep drops, and cinematic percussion feel absolutely massive. It pressurizes the space around you, almost like you’ve got a tiny subwoofer strapped to your head. But what’s really impressive is how tight and controlled it is. It doesn’t bleed into the mids or get all wooly and loose like a lot of bass-heavy sets tend to do. There's no bloated overhang or low-end fog—just clean, satisfying thunder.

Moving into the midbass, this is where the Martilo brings the punch. It hits with real authority—you get that satisfying slam and physical impact, but it’s paired with solid texture and clarity. It’s fast enough to keep pace with the layered kick drums and quick basslines in house, techno, or even complex rock and metal tracks. There’s still enough body to make it feel full and weighty, but the transient response is so well-tuned that it never gets congested or overwhelming.

That’s the thing—this isn’t just bass for bass’s sake. The Martilo isn’t trying to win a volume war down low. It’s tuned to give you impactful, musical bass with a level of control and finesse that you don’t always expect in this category. Sets like the Deuce, Hades, Rosefinch and Legato might bring the rumble, but the Martilo adds refinement to the equation. It's not just about throwing low frequencies at you—it’s about how cleanly and deliberately it delivers them.

At the end of the day, this is bass done right. Authoritative. Textured. Tastefully executed. If you love your low end but don’t want to sacrifice clarity or balance, the Martilo hits that sweet spot.

Midrange
The midrange on the Martilo is handled by two balanced armatures—probably one tuned for the lower mids and another for the upper mids—and the result is a presentation that’s fast, clean, and pleasantly articulate. It's got a slight lean toward brightness, especially in the upper mids, which isn’t usually my personal preference, but here it actually works well. It adds just enough energy to keep vocals and instruments feeling lively without tipping into harsh or shouty territory.

Vocals, in particular, sound really solid. Female vocals come through with great clarity and a subtle sparkle that gives them a bit of that “live performance” vibe. Male vocals are slightly less weighty than I’m used to, but they still carry good body and presence. What impressed me most is how nothing feels buried—even when the bass is doing its thing and slamming away, the mids stay intact and coherent. You’re not reaching for the volume knob to “find” the singer in the mix.

Instruments sound clean and well-defined too. Guitars have that crisp bite, pianos sound snappy without being thin, and everything from horns to synths carries its own space. There’s a certain agility in how the Martilo handles fast midrange passages—nothing feels smeared or congested, which is honestly a rare feat for something this bassy.

There’s also a touch of warmth in the lower mids that helps keep everything grounded. It prevents the tuning from sounding cold or clinical, and gives vocals and instruments just enough weight to feel natural. Whether Im enjoying some Norah Jones or getting into some of The Weeknd’s moody R&B, the mids felt engaging, textured, and very listenable.

Is it the most lush or emotionally rich midrange I’ve ever heard? No, but for a bass-forward IEM, it’s shockingly well-tuned. The fact that it can pull off this level of clarity and balance without being overshadowed by the low end is a big win in my book.

Treble
Martilo doesn’t just bring the bass, it actually balances it out really well. Treble duties here are handled by a micro planar driver—yep, that’s right. A planar in the treble. And honestly? It’s one of the things that gives the Martilo its edge.

The first thing you’ll notice is how fast and clean the highs sound. There’s a crispness and precision to the way crash cymbals and hi-hats tick, and strings resonate. But what really makes it special is that it doesn’t try too hard. It gives you detail and extension—enough to make things feel lively and engaging—but it never crosses into that sharp, fatiguing territory. No harsh peaks, no weird metallic zing, no sibilance. Just smooth, energetic treble with a nice open-airy feel.

There’s also plenty of air and space up top, which helps open up the whole sound signature. That openness is what keeps the Martilo from sounding overly dense or congested, especially considering how much bass it’s packing down low. The treble gives it lift, and that contrast is what makes everything feel well-balanced—like a proper V-shaped tuning that’s fun without being shouty.

It’s kind of like having a massive subwoofer in your room, but with enough tweeter presence to keep the sound clean and detailed. Whether you are listening to electronic tracks with sparkly synths, acoustic music with lots of string plucks, or modern pop with layered production, the treble holds its own. There’s even a good amount of microdetail that peeks through now and then—nothing too clinical, but enough to make you go, “Wait, I never noticed that little background effect before.”

Overall, the treble on the Martilo is one of its strongest suits. It completes the sound—not by standing out too much, but by doing exactly what it needs to: balance out the beastly low end with clarity, speed, and a touch of refinement.

Soundstage & Technicalities – More Than Just a Blunt Tool

Here’s where the Martilo starts to surprise you. You’d expect a basshead IEM to be all slam and no subtlety—but this one actually shows up with some solid technical chops.

Let’s start with the soundstage. It’s wide and fairly immersive, with a nice lateral spread that gives your music room to breathe. It’s more left-to-right than it is deep front-to-back, but there’s still enough layering going on to avoid that flat “in-your-head” feel. It doesn’t try to fake a massive 3D hall, but it does a good job at creating space—especially for electronic and ambient genres where atmosphere matters.

Imaging, on the other hand, is where the Martilo really punches above what you’d expect for a bass-centric set. Instrument placement is clean and easy to follow. Panning effects glide smoothly from side to side, and you can pick out different elements in the mix without much effort. It’s precise enough to make gaming or movie watching enjoyable too—not just music.

Then there's the resolution. While it’s not reaching the insane micro-detail of kilobuck multi-BA setups, it’s still very respectable. You won’t get that surgical level of retrieval, but nothing feels blurred or veiled either. Details come through naturally, especially in the upper mids and treble, and the Martilo manages to stay clean even when the bass is doing its full-throttle rumble. It’s not just throwing mud at the wall and calling it “fun”—there’s actual clarity and control behind the impact.

So yeah, while the Martilo might come across like a heavy-handed bass hammer at first glance, it’s got finesse under the hood. It’s not just here to pummel your ears—it wants to impress a little too.

Drivability — Easy, But Loves Power

The Martilo is easy enough to drive with your average dongle or DAP, and it already sounds punchy and full straight out of the box. But if you really want to unlock what it’s capable of? Give it more juice.

Pair it with a powerful source—like a proper portable amp or a high-gain DAP—and the entire presentation opens up. You get even deeper bass, more slam, wider stage, and an extra dose of sparkle and dynamic range. It’s like the Martilo levels up into boss mode.

What It’s Like to Listen – More Than Just a Bass Cannon

I’ve been spending a lot of time with the Martilo especially on genres like downtempo, deep house, and lo-fi house—and this set gets it. It really nails that low-end rhythm and atmosphere that makes electronic music so addictive. The bass isn’t just there to be big—it moves with the beat, pushes the groove forward, and gives the entire track this warm, immersive weight that pulls me in.

It actually reminds me a bit of the 7hz Legato, but if someone put it on a strict training regimen and pumped it full of steroids—in the best way possible The Martilo has more energy, better technical control, and a bass response that hits harder, faster, and cleaner. You still get the fun, body-moving slam, but it’s more refined, like the difference between a bar fight and a professional boxer landing clean hits.

But here’s the thing that really surprised me—it’s not just a one-trick pony. A lot of basshead IEMs start to fall apart when you feed them something slower or more delicate. Not the Martilo.

I’ve tested it with jazz, R&B, soul, and even a few orchestral soundtracks, and while the tuning is unmistakably bass-forward, it handles these genres with surprising finesse. Vocals in R&B tracks still feel intimate and textured, horns in jazz come through with that clean brassy bite, and orchestral scores—especially those with big timpani and cinematic low-end swells—sound massive but still emotionally dynamic.

It’s like the Martilo knows when to punch and when to pull back. The treble and midrange tuning helps keep the whole presentation balanced, so it never feels bloated or overwhelming. You can still hear subtle brush strokes on snare drums, delicate background harmonies, or the airy decay of strings trailing off into space.

So yeah, it’s built for fun. It’s designed for music that moves and slams. But it’s also got enough nuance and range that you’re not locked into just bass-heavy playlists. Whether you're into ambient textures, riding the groove of deep house, or sinking into a slow jazz at 2AM, the Martilo adapts and delivers. And that, to me, is what makes it so special—it’s not just about bass, it’s about musical enjoyment across the board.

Final Thoughts: Hammer Time! :)

The Punch Audio Martilo is a love letter to bassheads, but written with way more finesse and attention to detail than I expected from a debut release. It’s not just a sledgehammer—it’s a precision-engineered mallet, delivering skull-rattling low-end with actual control, resolution, and musicality.

In a market overflowing with safe, Harman-neutral clones and clinical tunings, the Martilo is a refreshing reminder that fun doesn’t have to mean sloppy. If you’re after an IEM that can shake your soul and still let you enjoy your vocals and highs, this is a seriously compelling buy.

Link: https://www.linsoul.com/products/punch-audio-martilo?srsltid=AfmBOoqCk19Q7sJmoMCqEEcK9rYYBm4at6X7UJV2JX7ruyzxeqkIhk8G