d marc0
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Dec 19, 2012
- Posts
- 2,443
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- 2,300
"Perhaps the most subjectively balanced in-ear monitor Dr. John has designed thus far, Savant is a detail-oriented IEM with a solid low-end and clean highs. Savant is an expert at playing a large variety of genres well, making it a versatile addition to any collection or standalone piece."
> Universal Wizard option: http://nobleaudio.com/en/shop/universal/wizard/
> Prestige CIEM option: http://nobleaudio.com/en/shop/prestige/
Specifications:
- > Impedance < 30
- > Detachable cable w/ industry standard two pin configuration
- > Signature Noble universal form factor
- > Rose gold plated pentalobe screws
- > Wizard-signature on right shell
> Universal Wizard option: http://nobleaudio.com/en/shop/universal/wizard/
> Prestige CIEM option: http://nobleaudio.com/en/shop/prestige/
Introduction
The "Savant" name can be associated to a person who knows a lot about a particular subject. According to Dr. John, "A Savant is usually a sleeper... and 'unexpected, unassuming being' that can perform tasks at amazing levels. The price point of the Savant makes it unassuming... when compared to other top-of-the-line IEMs in the market right now. But what the Savant does... is unexpected and done at amazing levels, especially at this price point."
Noble Audio's new offering was introduced in May 16, 2015 and made available by pre-order, scheduled to ship at the end of June. Latest updates reveal that the pre-ordered batch has been shipped to their lucky owners. So it's just about time to put up a dedicated thread for this exciting new product from Noble. What makes it more intriguing... the driver configuration is kept a secret. Noble fans are stuck with guesses: Is this a "baby K10"? 5 drivers? etc... At the end of the day, what's really important is the sound quality. Hopefully this thread will help bridge the gap that Noble fans want to fill.
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Which tips worked for you best? Personally I find the blue core stock tips and Meelec M9 biflanges excellent for my tiny ears.
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REVIEWS and IMPRESSIONS:
Sorensiim - Sidekick or Superhero? Your call.
Uchihaitachi - Great IEM at a Great Price!
WCDchee - Balanced, neutral, yet musical
Steve Guttenberg - Stunning clarity
Warrenpchi - http://www.head-fi.org/a/head-fi-buying-guide-in-ear-headphones#user_noble_audio_savant
Cotnijoe - I'm In Love!
Brooko - The driver tuning on the Savant is truly exquisite.
Daduy - Best IEM i've heard so far, rivals full size headphones.
Djscope - Jack of all trades, master of...
Piksnz - You can't go wrong with this IEM at this price
Loquah - Like an HD800 in IEM form
H20fidelity - Savant, quite a stable diet indeed
Twister6 - Touched by a Wizard!
Emtymt - Great IEM to start if you're looking to migrate from a full sized headphones
Fnkcow - A competent jack-of-all-trades
Marshal Banana - Baby K10? Nay
Musiclvr - Transparent in nature yet musically engaging
D marc0 - Black on Black: Comparing the Noble Savant to the Stagediver 2
Marcus - Headfonics: Noble Wizard Savant Review
Svyr - Very Palatable Tuning
Wyd4 - An amazing feat of engineering.
@avitron142 - Does its job well, but let down by some issues.
d marc0 - first impressions; Savant / Noble 4 comparison
@H20Fidelity - first impressions
@Wyd4 - audition impressions; review impressions
@Simon T - Savant / PR comparison
@svyr - review impressions
@djvkool - review impressions
AUSTRALIA - NEW ZEALAND Tour
Noble Audio is kind enough to provide a universal Savant review unit. This unit will be sent to a number of reputable Aussie and Kiwi members for review. Each member will have the unit for 10 days excluding transit times and I'm hoping that the transition from a tour member to another will go smoothly. I believe everyone is already familiar with the tour guide so there's only one request I'd like to ask: "Please treat the tour unit like it's your very own..."
Tour Members:
New Zealand
@Brooko (Paul)
@daduy (Yudi)
@piksnz (Sayan)
Sydney AUS
@H20Fidelity (Luke)
@DJScope (Igor)
@vhsownsbeta (Paul)
Melbourne AUS
@Loquah (Lachlan)
@svyr (Vlad)
@Wyd4 (Scott)
@emptymt (Michael)
Western AUS
@djvkool (Vic)
@fnkcow (Kevin)
Tour Rules:
- Treat the review unit like it's your very own and have fun!
- Upon receipt of the review unit, you must post acknowledgement in this thread.
- Feel free to post your initial impressions (first thoughts) during your time with the review unit.
- Full reviews are required in this tour and must be completed within 2 weeks of sending the unit onwards to the next member. Please post in the Review Section and paste a link on this thread.
- The review unit must be sent to the next member with tracking and signature. (express post)
- If anyone in the current list withdraws from the tour, I'm more than happy to accept a replacement subject to approval (based on feedback and reputation).
You may contact me via PM for clarifications and concerns.
Special thanks to @FullCircle and @bangkokkid.
-
Sorensiim - Sidekick or Superhero? Your call.
Uchihaitachi - Great IEM at a Great Price!
WCDchee - Balanced, neutral, yet musical
Steve Guttenberg - Stunning clarity
Warrenpchi - http://www.head-fi.org/a/head-fi-buying-guide-in-ear-headphones#user_noble_audio_savant
Cotnijoe - I'm In Love!
Brooko - The driver tuning on the Savant is truly exquisite.
Daduy - Best IEM i've heard so far, rivals full size headphones.
Djscope - Jack of all trades, master of...
Piksnz - You can't go wrong with this IEM at this price
Loquah - Like an HD800 in IEM form
H20fidelity - Savant, quite a stable diet indeed
Twister6 - Touched by a Wizard!
Emtymt - Great IEM to start if you're looking to migrate from a full sized headphones
Fnkcow - A competent jack-of-all-trades
Marshal Banana - Baby K10? Nay
Musiclvr - Transparent in nature yet musically engaging
D marc0 - Black on Black: Comparing the Noble Savant to the Stagediver 2
Marcus - Headfonics: Noble Wizard Savant Review
Svyr - Very Palatable Tuning
Wyd4 - An amazing feat of engineering.
@avitron142 - Does its job well, but let down by some issues.
d marc0 - first impressions; Savant / Noble 4 comparison
@H20Fidelity - first impressions
@Wyd4 - audition impressions; review impressions
@Simon T - Savant / PR comparison
@svyr - review impressions
@djvkool - review impressions
AUSTRALIA - NEW ZEALAND Tour
Noble Audio is kind enough to provide a universal Savant review unit. This unit will be sent to a number of reputable Aussie and Kiwi members for review. Each member will have the unit for 10 days excluding transit times and I'm hoping that the transition from a tour member to another will go smoothly. I believe everyone is already familiar with the tour guide so there's only one request I'd like to ask: "Please treat the tour unit like it's your very own..."
New Zealand
@Brooko (Paul)
@daduy (Yudi)
@piksnz (Sayan)
Sydney AUS
@H20Fidelity (Luke)
@DJScope (Igor)
@vhsownsbeta (Paul)
Melbourne AUS
@Loquah (Lachlan)
@svyr (Vlad)
@Wyd4 (Scott)
@emptymt (Michael)
Western AUS
@djvkool (Vic)
@fnkcow (Kevin)
Tour Members:
New Zealand
@Brooko (Paul)
@daduy (Yudi)
@piksnz (Sayan)
Sydney AUS
@H20Fidelity (Luke)
@DJScope (Igor)
@vhsownsbeta (Paul)
Melbourne AUS
@Loquah (Lachlan)
@svyr (Vlad)
@Wyd4 (Scott)
@emptymt (Michael)
Western AUS
@djvkool (Vic)
@fnkcow (Kevin)
Tour Rules:
- Treat the review unit like it's your very own and have fun!
- Upon receipt of the review unit, you must post acknowledgement in this thread.
- Feel free to post your initial impressions (first thoughts) during your time with the review unit.
- Full reviews are required in this tour and must be completed within 2 weeks of sending the unit onwards to the next member. Please post in the Review Section and paste a link on this thread.
- The review unit must be sent to the next member with tracking and signature. (express post)
- If anyone in the current list withdraws from the tour, I'm more than happy to accept a replacement subject to approval (based on feedback and reputation).
You may contact me via PM for clarifications and concerns.
Special thanks to @FullCircle and @bangkokkid.
d marc0
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Dec 19, 2012
- Posts
- 2,443
- Likes
- 2,300
The Savant Wizard Version Unboxing (new Noble packaging)
Courtesy of @twister6: http://www.head-fi.org/products/noble-audio-savant/reviews/14407
Arrived in a gift box package, you can get a sense of premium quality just by feeling the texture of the box material with a swirled pattern and a glossy black "NOBLE" with their signature crown symbol. The box also had a Wizard signature stamped on the sides which added a nice custom touch to the packaging. There is no spec or any other details about the design or accessories, just a mysterious "Undisclosed balanced armature configuration", the one I have mentioned about before. With the box cover off, you will see a genuine Pelican 1010 case which contains the product and all the included accessories.
It is very rare to see Pelican case with Universal IEMs which became a signature "case" for CIEMs. I just assume that Noble Audio is trying to keep packaging similar between all of their models to simplify the logistics. But either way, it's just a nice bonus with a superior protection when packing your UIEM/CIEM along with other accessories. For everyday use when you don't need this extra carry on protection, Noble also included a velvet draw-string pouch with a company logo/symbol. Other accessories include a carabiner clip for Pelican case, a cleaning tool for the shell, 2 rubber bands for securing external amp to your DAP, a pair of "crown" stickers with Wizard signature, ownership info card, and lots of eartips.
A cleaning tool is another accessory associated with CIEMs, and it's actually very useful for CIEM-like 2-bore nozzle design of NS, though you do have to realize that silicone eartips will keep away the nozzle from digging into your earwax. And speaking of eartips, Noble went all the way with a whooping 4 sets. You will find a hybrid red stem S/M/L set with a more springy cap (my favorite for the best isolation), another hybrid blue stem S/M/L set with a softer cap and a narrow bar across the bore opening (like in Senns eartips), a set of S/M/L dual flange silicone eartips, and another set of S/M/L soft memory foam eartips (not Comply). The correct selection of eartips is very important with NS to ensure a better seal which improves a low frequency performance and provides earplug quality isolation. I found Savant to provide one of the best passive noise isolations among other universal IEMs I’ve tested in the past.
Overall, this is a decent selection of accessories for a premium set of headphones. If I could offer a suggestion, it would be to make rubber bands bigger since they would be too tight for any modern DAP/amp combo and to use genuine Comply tips because the included ones don't have silicone core thus prone to rip.
The Savant Universal Version Unboxing (old Noble packaging)
"Noble is committed to continuously improving its products." The current packaging is only 2/3 the size of the original box. see Noble 4 unboxing for comparison CLICK HERE!
Savant Serial No. 216
Upon opening the box you're greeted with Noble stickers and pouch.
The Noble "pelican-style" case.
What's inside... a whole bunch of "goodies"!
The Wizard's signature as promised.
The Savant Wizard Design universal
Courtesy of @twister6: http://www.head-fi.org/products/noble-audio-savant/reviews/14407
Arrived in a gift box package, you can get a sense of premium quality just by feeling the texture of the box material with a swirled pattern and a glossy black "NOBLE" with their signature crown symbol. The box also had a Wizard signature stamped on the sides which added a nice custom touch to the packaging. There is no spec or any other details about the design or accessories, just a mysterious "Undisclosed balanced armature configuration", the one I have mentioned about before. With the box cover off, you will see a genuine Pelican 1010 case which contains the product and all the included accessories.
It is very rare to see Pelican case with Universal IEMs which became a signature "case" for CIEMs. I just assume that Noble Audio is trying to keep packaging similar between all of their models to simplify the logistics. But either way, it's just a nice bonus with a superior protection when packing your UIEM/CIEM along with other accessories. For everyday use when you don't need this extra carry on protection, Noble also included a velvet draw-string pouch with a company logo/symbol. Other accessories include a carabiner clip for Pelican case, a cleaning tool for the shell, 2 rubber bands for securing external amp to your DAP, a pair of "crown" stickers with Wizard signature, ownership info card, and lots of eartips.
A cleaning tool is another accessory associated with CIEMs, and it's actually very useful for CIEM-like 2-bore nozzle design of NS, though you do have to realize that silicone eartips will keep away the nozzle from digging into your earwax. And speaking of eartips, Noble went all the way with a whooping 4 sets. You will find a hybrid red stem S/M/L set with a more springy cap (my favorite for the best isolation), another hybrid blue stem S/M/L set with a softer cap and a narrow bar across the bore opening (like in Senns eartips), a set of S/M/L dual flange silicone eartips, and another set of S/M/L soft memory foam eartips (not Comply). The correct selection of eartips is very important with NS to ensure a better seal which improves a low frequency performance and provides earplug quality isolation. I found Savant to provide one of the best passive noise isolations among other universal IEMs I’ve tested in the past.
Overall, this is a decent selection of accessories for a premium set of headphones. If I could offer a suggestion, it would be to make rubber bands bigger since they would be too tight for any modern DAP/amp combo and to use genuine Comply tips because the included ones don't have silicone core thus prone to rip.
The Savant Universal Version Unboxing (old Noble packaging)
"Noble is committed to continuously improving its products." The current packaging is only 2/3 the size of the original box. see Noble 4 unboxing for comparison CLICK HERE!
Savant Serial No. 216
Upon opening the box you're greeted with Noble stickers and pouch.
The Noble "pelican-style" case.
What's inside... a whole bunch of "goodies"!
The Wizard's signature as promised.
The Savant Wizard Design universal
rmullins08
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- May 12, 2014
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Got mine on Wednesday. Using them with Redwine Audio AK100S, ALO Rx.
Been very pleased with them. Great soundstage, instrument separation, and effortless listening so far. Listened for about 3 hours with 0 fatigue, and only stopped because I needed to get to sleep.
Been very pleased with them. Great soundstage, instrument separation, and effortless listening so far. Listened for about 3 hours with 0 fatigue, and only stopped because I needed to get to sleep.
d marc0
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Dec 19, 2012
- Posts
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- 2,300
Which tips worked for you best? Personally I find the blue core stock tips and Meelec M9 biflanges excellent for my tiny ears.
rmullins08
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- May 12, 2014
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- 98
I've done best with the large red tips. I've tried comply foam tips and wasn't a huge fan. I was always a big fan of the tri-flange with my old Etymotics.
nybroker
New Head-Fier
- Joined
- May 19, 2015
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I am impressed for the price-
Huge soundstage vocals are one of the best i have heard- Bass is very good not killer thats why i have the Merlins being made as my first CIEM
I think these 2 will compliment each other very well
IEM is super comfortable non-fatiging at all can listen for hours
I am using the red medium tips with best success- Would like it to go a little deeper- i will need to experiment with other tips im thinking the sqishy type as they seem to go deeper in the canal-
Isolation is not as good as a CIEM
Huge soundstage vocals are one of the best i have heard- Bass is very good not killer thats why i have the Merlins being made as my first CIEM
I think these 2 will compliment each other very well
IEM is super comfortable non-fatiging at all can listen for hours
I am using the red medium tips with best success- Would like it to go a little deeper- i will need to experiment with other tips im thinking the sqishy type as they seem to go deeper in the canal-
Isolation is not as good as a CIEM
nybroker
New Head-Fier
- Joined
- May 19, 2015
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- 11
ahh yes the Ety tri flange- That IEM hurt my ears quite often this is much more comfortable
- Joined
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Thank you @d marc0 for creating this thread and arranging the tour for our friends down under!
Should be a lot of fun, there are lots of Savants out in the wild now.
Should be a lot of fun, there are lots of Savants out in the wild now.
daduy
100+ Head-Fier
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Whooaa, thanks for including me d marc0 this is a such a nice surprise! 
piksnz
100+ Head-Fier
Thank you for including me. Looking forward to it.
- Joined
- Jan 30, 2011
- Posts
- 13,315
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Marc
Thanks mate - really looking forward to it. Can you make sure that Noble aware that I don't get back into the Country until the 23rd. Ideally delivery on 24th or later would suit fine
Thanks mate - really looking forward to it. Can you make sure that Noble aware that I don't get back into the Country until the 23rd. Ideally delivery on 24th or later would suit fine
DJScope
Headphoneus Supremus
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Wow! They look absolutely amazing! Now this is something that I'm excited to try.
groovyd
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Jun 29, 2012
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Woot! Just got mine and they are going through burn-in at the moment but from what I have heard they blow my ER4s away. Also much more comfortable so far but I too have yet to figure out which tips are best. I don't even know which size is best let alone color. The small blue and red can actually go into my ear canal somewhat similar to the ER4s but no where near as deep while the larger tips fill more of the outer ear. I assume the deeper in they go gives better bass? They have plenty of bass for me no matter what coming from the ER4s so that isn't really the big issue for me with the Savants. To me they sound great all around just need to find my fit.
Someone mentioned some JVC Spiral Dots being good but at that price I think I need to know which size is right for me before dropping $60 on mistakes.
Oh and my ER4s are for sale if anyone is interested
Someone mentioned some JVC Spiral Dots being good but at that price I think I need to know which size is right for me before dropping $60 on mistakes.
Oh and my ER4s are for sale if anyone is interested
Loquah
Headphoneus Supremus
Thanks for the invite!! Can't wait too see how they compare to their big brother K10s!
groovyd
Headphoneus Supremus
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Stock cable vs. Westone cable I had with my ER4s? Think the Westone is the keeper, just seems to not wrangle around so much like the Noble cable does. Difference in conductors?
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