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D marc0's Journal: My Head-fi Journey

Jan 18, 2014 at 5:16 AM Post #91 of 562
vlenbo said:
  I loved the dunu vs h200 comparison, right next to the quad vs mh1. I though the quads would win it, and I had a feeling that the dunu did some things better than the h200. You lucky dawg, and you're possibly going to get the noble 4 or nuforce, these are happy times for you and everyone here!
 
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Cheers mate, enjoy your precious iems. 
 
P.S. The sony md1r mod is a new thing for me, I didn't think it makes that much of a difference in sound, but reading your before and after thoughts made me want to purchase the mdr and do the mod, but....I already bought a headphone that should about match or beat it, 
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 I'll never know though, dang budgets!
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Thank you! It gives me great pleasure when you guys find my review helpful. It inspires me to do more 
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Well, don't worry about not getting the Sony MDR1r. There are more new headphones now that sound a lot better for lesser or same price. Check out the Sennheiser Momentum, Philips Fidelio L2, KEF M500, Takstar Pro 80, and many more...
 
Jan 18, 2014 at 5:18 AM Post #92 of 562
12. Tralucent Audio 1Plus2 (original version) mini Review
 
 

 
 
A few months into this hobby I started reading more about TOTL IEMs and since then I've been wondering how good/different can those IEMs really be? I couldn't comprehend why audiophiles spend thousands of dollars on them when I personally find myself content and happy with my H-200 at the time. I figured there's only one way for me to understand them... and that is to hear a TOTL IEM myself.
 
I am very fortunate, that Tralucent Audio gave me the opportunity to audition and finally hear my first TOTL IEM. Just for the record, the most expensive IEM I've ever heard prior to this was the Astrotec AX-60 (AU$399) and for a full-sized headphone was the Sennheiser HD800.
 
 
SETUP:   Colorfly C3 > Tralucent Audio T1
               iMac 2011 > Stoner Acoustics UD110v2 > Tralucent Audio T1
               16/44 FLAC and 320kbps MP3
 
NOTE: 
This is the original version of the Tralucent Audio 1Plus2 and is no longer available. I believe the current model is a revised version with a better dynamic driver, further tuning refinement, and shell improvements. 
For more info: http://www.tralucentaudio.com/shop/index.php/tralucent-audio-1plus2-hybrid-universal-iem.html
 

 
 
BASS: I am not a basshead but I truly appreciate good bass whether its forward or linear and the 1Plus2's bass quantity sits comfortably in between. True bassheads will still find the bass satisfying because it digs really deep to produce a sub-bass with great rumbling texture yet not overwhelming. Mid bass is a bit recessed for my liking but it doesn't take away from the overall presentation because the bass still sounds tight and punchy. I just personally prefer more bass guitar presence in most songs. Layering is technically great providing rich bass tones just oozing with fullness throughout the entire low frequencies. Speed and decay are perfectly tuned to my preference and that is fast speed with minimum delay in decay. I didn't have any problem listening to heavy metal bass kicks because the 1Plus2 keeps up really well. Details in the bass lines are easily heard most of the time but I did find however,  the detail retrieval is a bit better on the H-200 when things get really busy with bass guitar riffs. I can still hear the detailed bass lines on the 1Plus2 but the H-200 just produces those riffs clearly with ease. NOTE: I think this has been fixed with the updated version because Tralucent Audio apparently replaced the dynamic driver with a better one. So even if I haven't heard the updated version, I'm confident that the revised 1Plus2 is at par if not better than the H-200's bass performance.
 

 
 
MIDS: This is the second time where I couldn't find something wrong in the mid section from an IEM; the first time was with the AX-60. To be honest, I can play any song in my library... even set it on shuffle mode; and enjoy every single one of them with the 1Plus2. Vocals and guitars are just sitting neutrally linear to my ears. I can't truly tell if there's any dip or peak but what I do know is I don't have any complaints. Unlike the H-200 which can be a bit edgy in the mids with some songs, and the DN-1000 sounding a bit too smooth with some female vocals. What impresses me with the 1Plus2 is the level of detail in the mids. I can hear details with ease that there's no need to make an effort to look for a certain instrument in the background. As a matter of fact, because the vocals in general are not upfront; the instruments are clearly heard all over the place and envelopes the vocals nicely.
 

 
 
HIGHS: The treble is quite nice and smooth on the 1Plus2. Rarely did I detect any sibilance and when i did, it was very mild that it didn't matter. I did find it a bit dry thus timbre is quite affected especially when cymbals come into play. They sound a bit thin for my liking but nothing of major concern. Again, detail retrieval is superb and I can easily hear thin sounding instruments that you don't normally hear on average IEMs. What sets the 1Plus2 apart from other detailed IEMs is its ability to produce the same or more detail without sounding harsh or fatiguing. I can listen to the 1Plus2 for hours at a time and never get tired or fatigued.
 

 
 
SOUNDSTAGE: The 1Plus2 can present a stage wider than the DN-1000 and nearly as wide as the AX-60. It is impressive because the 1Plus2's instrument placement and separation are the best I've heard in an IEM. There wasn't a song in my library that sounded congested on the 1Plus2. This is a very well tuned IEM in my personal opinion.
 

 
 
CONCLUSION: As my journey in this hobby moved farther; owning and auditioning other mid-tier IEMs brought a realisation that no matter how minute an improvement is, the impact on the overall sound is what really matters. Now that I've personally heard a TOTL IEM, my realisation is further confirmed! If I quantify the strengths of the 1Plus2 and compare them against my mid-tier IEMs, the difference isn't really that far fetched. In some areas, my preferences even swayed in favor of the other mid-tier IEMs. Despite all these, I'm surprised that I actually find my enjoyment with 1Plus2 significantly better than all the other IEMs I've tried. I do admit that this is very subjective and I am truly just relaying my personal experience. 
 
I may have praised the 1Plus2 but it isn't a lost cause for the mid-tier IEMs either. My satisfaction goes both ways: 1. I got to appreciate mid-tier IEMs even more because they sound so good in spite costing barely half of TOTL IEMs. 2. My experience with a TOTL IEM was such a pleasure because I love music! I personally think that the Tralucent Audio 1Plus2 was made to enjoy all kinds of music. I definitely enjoyed every moment I placed them in my ears. An experience that I will never forget and has become my new benchmark for the best sounding (musically) IEM in my books. 
 
Now for the real question at hand: Is it worth paying so much money to enjoy your music? It really depends how you value the overall experience. Reminds me how I always tell my friends on what really matters: "It's the journey... not the destination."
 
Special thanks to Gavin of Tralucent Audio for letting me review this unit and to @H20Fidelity for making this happen!
 
Jan 18, 2014 at 5:43 AM Post #94 of 562
Great work d marc0! You seem to really like them.

We are happy to let you take the unit and experience a top of the line hybrid.

With that said please no-one else start asking d marc0 questions about buying or demoing this unit as it's no longer for sale and been discontinued by Tralucent. Mark and I are close friends here, this opportunity was purely for him on a personal basis to experience. a top of the line hybrid and form point of reference for future gear.


Cheers,
H20
 
Jan 18, 2014 at 11:58 AM Post #95 of 562
Awesome write-up d marc0! But you made a big mistake listening to them... you may very well now be infected with TOTL-itis. Best of luck to you lol!
 
Jan 18, 2014 at 12:03 PM Post #96 of 562
IMO listening to TOTL iem's keeps everything is perspective
You've listened to best, now you can judge every other earphone/headphone accurately
That's why I'm doubtful of random's hyping up cheap IEM's when clearly they haven't tasted the finer side of audio... 
 
Sick review dmarc0! 10/10
 
Jan 18, 2014 at 4:16 PM Post #98 of 562
Nicely done...I've had the nagging feeling for a while that digging around in the mid-range headphones may be a never ending search, 1 is great in the mids, one does great soundstage, some to a few things well, but in terms of 'getting closer to the music', it may be worth while to just go for broke (literally) and splurge for something higher end, which may take that emotional step forward. Now, the problem is, there are quite a few in this range as well, and just buying to try is not feasible, so how to decide between these, Heir, many other top of the line headphones.
(another FIRST WORLD PROBLEM!!!)
 
Jan 18, 2014 at 4:26 PM Post #99 of 562
doctorjazz said:
Nicely done...I've had the nagging feeling for a while that digging around in the mid-range headphones may be a never ending search, 1 is great in the mids, one does great soundstage, some to a few things well, but in terms of 'getting closer to the music', it may be worth while to just go for broke (literally) and splurge for something higher end, which may take that emotional step forward. Now, the problem is, there are quite a few in this range as well, and just buying to try is not feasible, so how to decide between these, Heir, many other top of the line headphones.
(another FIRST WORLD PROBLEM!!!)
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I'm not sold on wanting a TOTL iem yet. If I never listen to one, then I might have a chance. At first I was wanting to find "the one", which led me to getting the CKS1000's, H200's and M200's, and I always thought that I'd be keeping one and selling the others. But I am very satisfied with all three - they all sound great to me, and I really enjoy having the different signatures for different genres or just for when I want a change. I'm sure I'll be singing a different tune down the road, but for now I'll just keep those damned TOTL's away from my ears lol!
 
Jan 18, 2014 at 4:27 PM Post #100 of 562
nehcrow said:
  IMO listening to TOTL iem's keeps everything is perspective
You've listened to best, now you can judge every other earphone/headphone accurately
That's why I'm doubtful of random's hyping up cheap IEM's when clearly they haven't tasted the finer side of audio... 
Click to expand...

 
Good points.
 
Jan 18, 2014 at 8:32 PM Post #101 of 562
waynes world said:
I'm not sold on wanting a TOTL iem yet. If I never listen to one, then I might have a chance. At first I was wanting to find "the one", which led me to getting the CKS1000's, H200's and M200's, and I always thought that I'd be keeping one and selling the others. But I am very satisfied with all three - they all sound great to me, and I really enjoy having the different signatures for different genres or just for when I want a change. I'm sure I'll be singing a different tune down the road, but for now I'll just keep those damned TOTL's away from my ears lol!
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Probably the most damaging IEM I've heard that makes it hard going back to mid tier is the revised Tralucent 1plus2 (not the one reviewed above). The revised version not only excelled technical and detail ability that it pushed even further into the music bringing out 'emotion' one that could almost make you cry or become teary, a new level of absorbing music. Once I experienced that some of my tracks haven't sounded the same since, because my other IEM can't do that. Not even my $650 Hybrid.
 
Jan 18, 2014 at 8:46 PM Post #102 of 562
h20fidelity said:
Probably the most damaging IEM I've heard that makes it hard going back to mid tier is the revised Tralucent 1plus2 (not the one reviewed above). The revised version not only excelled technical and detail ability that it pushed even further into the music bringing out 'emotion' one that could almost make you cry or become teary, a new level of absorbing music. Once I experienced that some of my tracks haven't sounded the same since, because my other IEM can't do that. Not even my $650 Hybrid.
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I know I sound like a broken record but I agree with you on mostly all points that I can remember you wrote about the 1p2 except the emotion part. That was the one thing
I just didn't get with them. They are extremely good (besides that same treble spike that every single TOTL IEM seems to have lol). I just want to offer up that different perspective rather than truly disagree with you. And it's probably entirely based on what we each look for on a fundamental level in sound.
 
Jan 18, 2014 at 8:50 PM Post #103 of 562
kahaluu said:
  Very nice review. Might have to purchase these in the future. Never considered purchasing another phone that cost over $1000 since owning the JH13 and JH16. These might be an exception though.
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Thanks! Yes, the 1Plus2 is definitely something. I could just imagine how good the revised version sounds... but have you also looked into the Noble line-up?
 
Originally Posted by waynes world /img/forum/go_quote.gif

Awesome write-up d marc0! But you made a big mistake listening to them... you may very well now be infected with TOTL-itis. Best of luck to you lol!
 
 
I'm not sold on wanting a TOTL iem yet. If I never listen to one, then I might have a chance. At first I was wanting to find "the one", which led me to getting the CKS1000's, H200's and M200's, and I always thought that I'd be keeping one and selling the others. But I am very satisfied with all three - they all sound great to me, and I really enjoy having the different signatures for different genres or just for when I want a change. I'm sure I'll be singing a different tune down the road, but for now I'll just keep those damned TOTL's away from my ears lol!
Click to expand...

Cheers wayne! I'm actually lucky coz even if my desire for a TOTL IEM is VERY strong, I just don't have the funds to afford it. 
wink_face.gif

 
nehcrow said:
  IMO listening to TOTL iem's keeps everything is perspective
You've listened to best, now you can judge every other earphone/headphone accurately
That's why I'm doubtful of random's hyping up cheap IEM's when clearly they haven't tasted the finer side of audio... 
 
Sick review dmarc0! 10/10
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I totally agree with your point. It's the best thing I've taken from the experience. Cheers mate!
 
 
UPDATE: I'm happy to share with you guys that I've joined the Unique Melody 3X Australian Tour so expect another awesome review and comparison of this promising hybrid IEM.
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Jan 18, 2014 at 8:55 PM Post #104 of 562
vwinter said:
I know I sound like a broken record but I agree with you on mostly all points that I can remember you wrote about the 1p2 except the emotion part. That was the one thing
I just didn't get with them. They are extremely good (besides that same treble spike that every single TOTL IEM seems to have lol). I just want to offer up that different perspective rather than truly disagree with you. And it's probably entirely based on what we each look for on a fundamental level in sound.
Click to expand...


Well, I really felt the emotion from them personally, that was only using Colorfly C3  and Studio V units as sources. It wasn't every song, wasn't like I was swept away with every track like an instant orgasm but if the timing was right in the right environment with the right track it was certainly there for me and there times the emotion found me rather than looking for it. I guess it depends on your outlook on life, what you've experienced (in life) where you are in life,  your age, many psychological factors. For me the 1Plus2 dug past detail and technical stance, bringing out a new meaning in songs. Others report the same thing, I think Lee gets it quite a lot. Other report it using Studio V units. So for each person is different, it was certainly there. A combination of being overwhelmed and absorbed.

Something like this song with very strong vocals and already a firm meaning. This track here simply will not sound the same, the impact and depth.





Just out of interest what source were you using for your demo period?
 
 
Jan 18, 2014 at 9:45 PM Post #105 of 562
I had the 1plus2 for a while and whole they were awesome I wasn't completely sold on them. The mids were overly recessed for my taste.

They were however the best IEM that I have heard but at this point in time I would rather invest it into a nice headphone setup.
 
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