Chodi
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Jun 17, 2012
- Posts
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I have both the K10U and the new Kaiser Encore universal. Many have asked for this difference so here I post my impressions. I must say that the K10U is a masterpiece in itself and it has maintained a level of performance which has been reviewed over and over as one of the best (if not the best) overall iem's. John has worked to perfect what is already a world standard for perfection. The K10E is more of an evolution of the K10U than a completely new product. There are differences that will be obvious but I do want to emphasize that the two products are related in sonic performance however the K10E (Kaiser Encore) has two qualities that will be immediately evident. On the K10E the midrange has been improved clarity and tonal balance to blend seamlessly with the bass and treble in a more refined way than the K10U. This allows for an added tonal honestly in the midrange that to my ears is a breakthrough in overall performance for an iem. The sonic character of the original K10U is maintained but the midrange has added clarity and presence. The fantastic quality of the K10 bass is still present but it now blends more seamlessly with the mids creating a harmonic integrity that is a perceptible level above the original K10.
The second obvious difference with the K10U and the Encore is the sound stage. While the K10 was certainly one of the best at producing the impression of a real sound stage the K10 Kaiser Encore takes that to a new level. The out of head experience is unmatched in any iem that I have owned or heard. We have all heard and read about the difficulty in producing a sound stage that is believable with an in ear monitor so I won't go into the limitations. The difference in the ability to produce a believable sound stage for any iem is a real challenge compared to traditional full size headphones. There are anatomical reasons why it is such a challenge to produce a coherent out of head experience with any in ear monitor. Clever designers have managed to accomplish this to varying degree. The Kaiser Encore in my opinion sets a new standard in this department. The out of head sound stage image is breathtaking. There is no other way to describe it. The K10U was excellent in this regard by comparison to existing iem standards. The Kaiser Encore create it's own standard on a new level. If you are like me and consider sound stage presentation important than the Kaiser Encore is your iem.
Will the new K10E retire my K10U the answer is that in most cases yes it will. If you own the K10U you can take heart that you own one of the best iem's ever produced. The K10E is an incremental improvement on an already outstanding product.
