[FOUNDERZERO]

I’d rec it at 2k enthusiastically.

Likewise. Cable, source gear and tips are going to make a big difference with this set. Once you have those aligned, it can easily compete above its price.

Maximum bass setting is easily my favorite. The DIVA '23 is an unreal achievement for a 6 BA set.

 

[Smirk 24]

Likewise. Cable, source gear and tips are going to make a big difference with this set. Once you have those aligned, it can easily compete above its price.

Maximum bass setting is easily my favorite. The DIVA '23 is an unreal achievement for a 6 BA set.

Indeed. I’m currently trying to get the cable pairing right. The Diva is a great set.

 

[AoiMomo]

I’m not really hearing a lack of resolution that’s being talked about here. It’s not Kublai Khan or anything but it’s more than satisfying me.

Diva is a SICK set. Love it.

In terms of resolution after I've listened to mine for quite some time I think I can try to elaborate a bit. Diva 2023's overall sound signature can be kind of described in one word, clean. It has a very clean sound signature, details are very well cleaned up and gives you this incredible clarity in vocals, but at the same time it cleans out certain micro details that end up making some reproductions, especially for live music, to sound not very realistic, and you kind of lose part of the live feel from it. Overall it makes the sound a bit contained and controlled + slightly artificial, where as IEMs like the Campfire Andromeda are better able to convey that live-feeling. (I've also referenced with my Focal Utopia (old version) and noted the same difference with the Diva.)

For example, the below recording of a live this singer sang in, near the 3:30~5min mark there's a bit where the singer shows a lot of wild emotions and he kind of lets go of the control on his voice a bit, on the Diva while you can get the emotions from the singer it's all kind of still well contained and you can kind of feel the voice wasn't like 100% let out for some reason. It's like you are expecting just this little bit more of a "release" from the sound that the Diva just never ends up giving you. In comparison the Andromeda was not as restricting and lets the voice out, with its faults and recording issues and all. The Diva in this regard kind of masks part of it, which makes it sound more like a recorded song than live. Compared to the Utopia, while an unfair comparison, the Diva was not quite comparable in sounding natural in live performances.

(Note yes I understand this live's pretty poorly recorded and there's a lot of times where the singer actually blows out the mic, but this actually is a pretty good example to show what I was talking about.)


Note that this is more evident in live recordings, and I honestly don't notice this issue as much in non-live recordings. Though sometimes I still do notice that the vocal being a bit more processed and contained than usual, live or not.

Likewise. Cable, source gear and tips are going to make a big difference with this set. Once you have those aligned, it can easily compete above its price.

Maximum bass setting is easily my favorite. The DIVA '23 is an unreal achievement for a 6 BA set.

Yeah, I've noticed that the Diva does change according to sources a little bit, possibly due to its very low output impedance of 4ohms. While the difference isn't huge like with my Campfire Andromeda (that sucker's sensitivity is actually more annoying than anything else), it does pick its sources just a little bit. With the Eros S cable, I find that the Diva actually pairs best with my Cowon Plenue Mk II out of all the gears I have, the bass is much more lively and contains a bit more depth than the other sources I use which kind of flattens it a bit, didn't notice too much difference elsewhere. But this is also in line with what I've experienced with low output impedance IEMs in general, as my Andromeda would sound lean vs sources that has too high of an OI and too bassy vs sources that has too low of an OI. If I remember correctly it likes it best around 2 ohms of output impedance or something like that... Idk what would be the "golden" OI for the Diva but it definitely liked my 0.6ohm OI plenue MK II vs my 3ohm OI plenue P1 more, at least from hearing the bass from both sources.

 

[shaunbr15]

yeah that's the part i had issue too, i overtwisted just a little bit and it stayed there without coming loose anymore. Unless you mean it's sliding out from the pin on the Diva? In that case might be a QC issue you should let them know they might be able to send you replacement assuming u still within warranty.

I'd be wary of plated cables in general (not sure how gold plated sound) as they can sound a bit brittle and thin, but yeah let us know how it goes I guess.

Curious to know if you’ve tried liquid links westlake with the diva 2023? I can get it in the pentaconn ear connections. I love the blue color, but don’t want to get it if it doesn’t pair well

 

[AoiMomo]

Curious to know if you’ve tried liquid links westlake with the diva 2023? I can get it in the pentaconn ear connections. I love the blue color, but don’t want to get it if it doesn’t pair well

I see that it's a pure silver cable, so you're likely to get a small bass impact reduction with boost in the treble/ possibly mid frequencies. The sound might get tightened up a bit more than vs a copper cable, so if that's what you're actually wanting from your Diva 2023 then I'd say go for it, if not then I would say probably stick with copper cables, but not the ones that are plated silver as those I think are probably the worst pairing for the Diva out of the three.

One thing to note though is that while I haven't tried every silver cable in the world, my pure silver cable made my Diva 2023 sound a little more sterile compared to the stock copper cable, for people who wants less coloration in their sounds this might be a plus but I think it might detract a little from the characteristics of the Diva 2023. So it's all about what you want to do to the sound of the Diva 2023. If you like your bass I'd say stick with copper cables but possibly get one that has more wires (like 8 wire ones), I don't know if it works for every cable but I do seem to notice a slight boost in overall energy from 8 wire cables vs the 4 wire ones on the Diva 2023.

The Eros S could also be an interesting in between with its copper + silver hybrid.

 

[shaunbr15]

I see that it's a pure silver cable, so you're likely to get a small bass impact reduction with boost in the treble/ possibly mid frequencies. The sound might get tightened up a bit more than vs a copper cable, so if that's what you're actually wanting from your Diva 2023 then I'd say go for it, if not then I would say probably stick with copper cables, but not the ones that are plated silver as those I think are probably the worst pairing for the Diva out of the three.

One thing to note though is that while I haven't tried every silver cable in the world, my pure silver cable made my Diva 2023 sound a little more sterile compared to the stock copper cable, for people who wants less coloration in their sounds this might be a plus but I think it might detract a little from the characteristics of the Diva 2023. So it's all about what you want to do to the sound of the Diva 2023. If you like your bass I'd say stick with copper cables but possibly get one that has more wires (like 8 wire ones), I don't know if it works for every cable but I do seem to notice a slight boost in overall energy from 8 wire cables vs the 4 wire ones on the Diva 2023.

The Eros S could also be an interesting in between with its copper + silver hybrid.

Thanks so much for your detailed reply!

 

[amosamayo]

@Smirk 24 Do you have a comparison of the Moondrop Blessing 3/S8 with the Diva? I think the S8 and Blessing 3 are a compelling, and cheaper alternative to the Diva as their FR graphs are pretty similar below the 4k range. Except that for the treble region, the S8 and blessing 3 seems to be more the Diva. Are the s8 and blessing 3 brighter than the Diva?

 

[Smirk 24]

@Smirk 24 Do you have a comparison of the Moondrop Blessing 3/S8 with the Diva? I think the S8 and Blessing 3 are a compelling, and cheaper alternative to the Diva as their FR graphs are pretty similar below the 4k range. Except that for the treble region, the S8 and blessing 3 seems to be more the Diva. Are the s8 and blessing 3 brighter than the Diva?

I never had/heard the Blessing 3 but I did have the S8 for a while so I’ll share some comparisons.

The Diva and S8 share some similarities, notably their lean and sweet tonality/timbre and a well-extended treble. I think the S8 is *slightly* more shouty in its upper mids.

The S8 and Diva are about equal in detail resolution which is remarkable since the S8 is a fraction of the Diva’s cost. Where the Diva pulls away is in its bass and dynamics.

The S8 bass is below average in just about every way - texture, slam, punchiness, transients, you name it. It’s also somewhat lackluster in its macrodynamics. The sense of excitement/emotional impact that builds with the scaling of volume is missing somewhat from the S8.

The Diva on the other hand has above average bass and has a 3-way bass switch as well which is useful. It’s dynamics are also great.

I’d argue the S8 is slightly better with microdetails as the Diva can sound a little smoothed over in this area. The S8 is a great IEM that sounds good and is still a good value today.

Another IEM you might consider that has similarities to both the S8 and Diva is the Monarch MK3. It has that lean, sweet timbre, the best bass of the three, and is the most detailed. It’s price is between the S8 and the Diva at $1000 USD.

The MMK3 treble can be bothersome so keep that in mind, but I was able to fix it with ear tips.

 

[amosamayo]

@Smirk 24

I think in terms of upper mids, the Diva might still have the upper hand?
In terms of overall resolution and technicalities, which might be better, of those iems you mentioned?
Do you know any other Diva 2023 alternatives?

 

[Smirk 24]

@Smirk 24

I think in terms of upper mids, the Diva might still have the upper hand?
In terms of overall resolution and technicalities, which might be better, of those iems you mentioned?
Do you know any other Diva 2023 alternatives?

It's close, but yes, I'd say I like the mids of the Diva over the S8. The mids of the MMK3 and the Diva are the same for my preferences I think.

The MMK3 is the most technically competent of the three. It's slightly more resolving than the S8 and the Diva and has the biggest soundstage. It images better too. The MMK3 and Diva are about equal in dynamics. The MMK3 treble is the least safe IMO.

Soundstage size from smallest to largest: S8, the Diva, then the MMK3.

When I think of Diva alternatives, I think of IEMs that have a similar tonality/midrange first since that's the hallmark (to me) of the Diva. Of the IEMs I've tried/owned, the S8 and the MMK3 are the only IEMs that remind me of the Diva in these respects.

I have the MMK2 coming in today but I'm hearing the tonality is more neutral than colored.

Maybe you can look into the Supernova but to me, its upper-mids were recessed (which I didn't like) and its timbre was nice, but different. The Supernova's timbre is thicker and honeyed which is different from the lean, sweet, and euphoric timbre of the S8/Diva/MMK3. The Supernova is the least resolving by far.

 

[Smirk 24]

I gave it a longer listen and I think the Conti is better than the Ares S 4W overall with some minor trade-offs. I think ultimately it comes down to whether the listener prefers the timbre of the Ares S 4W and is willing to trade techs or vice versa.

I have a feeling the Ares 8W may be it though I've been wrong many a time so we'll see.

The Ares 8W is in. I'll try to keep this short.

The good: The Ares 8W is a 4W with more microdetails which is exactly what I was looking for.
The bad: There's a hint of metallic timbre/sibilance/tizziness introduced.

I normally listen to the Diva on the mid-bass setting but I'm flipping back and forth between the mid and max bass to offset the timbre/sibilance. This may not be the answer ultimately. I do have a bevy of tips at my disposal which I'll try. I use the Diva with SpinFit W1s. I've observed W1s to accentuate the upper-treble and upper-mids. They're a brighter listen overall.

I may try the Divinus tips which are smoother listen or tips with shorter stems like the Azla Sedna Shorts which I've found success with controlling sibilance/harshness. TBD.

Edit:

Both the Divinus and Azla Sedna Shorts work well. Gone is the sibilance.

The Shorts darken the treble more than the Divinus tips and therefore are better at controlling the sibilance. There's still a hint of sibilance with the Divinus but it's barely noticeable.

The Divinus is somewhere in between the W1 and the Shorts. The treble is still bright but less sibilant.

The ultimate winner was another tip altogether, the Azla Sedna Crystals. The vibrancy of the midrange is accentuated, even adding some dimension to the vocals. The treble is accentuated but non-sibilant. The bass was the least accentuated but I have a bass-switch for that.

 

[AoiMomo]

The Ares 8W is in. I'll try to keep this short.

The good: The Ares 8W is a 4W with more microdetails which is exactly what I was looking for.
The bad: There's a hint of metallic timbre/sibilance/tizziness introduced.

I normally listen to the Diva on the mid-bass setting but I'm flipping back and forth between the mid and max bass to offset the timbre/sibilance. This may not be the answer ultimately. I do have a bevy of tips at my disposal which I'll try. I use the Diva with SpinFit W1s. I've observed W1s to accentuate the upper-treble and upper-mids. They're a brighter listen overall.

I may try the Divinus tips which are smoother listen or tips with shorter stems like the Azla Sedna Shorts which I've found success with controlling sibilance/harshness. TBD.

Edit:

Both the Divinus and Azla Sedna Shorts work well. Gone is the sibilance.

The Shorts darken the treble more than the Divinus tips and therefore are better at controlling the sibilance. There's still a hint of sibilance with the Divinus but it's barely noticeable.

The Divinus is somewhere in between the W1 and the Shorts. The treble is still bright but less sibilant.

The ultimate winner was another tip altogether, the Azla Sedna Crystals. The vibrancy of the midrange is accentuated, even adding some dimension to the vocals. The treble is accentuated but non-sibilant. The bass was the least accentuated but I have a bass-switch for that.

Ooh that's good that you got what you wanted out of the 8W vs the 4W! Did you notice a slight bump in energy overall from the swap? That's what I got from the 8 wire Eros.

Interestingly enough I've also did some tip rolling myself when I got the Diva, I didn't like their Spinfits truth be told... Personally I prefer tips that don't obstruct the nozzle as much to affect the sound overall, not to mention the spinfits they give you are way too tight on the nozzle. I've also tried the Symbio W with them but didn't like the overall fit as it doesn't give as good a seal.

I've heard about the Azla tips recently, was curious about them but currently I'm using my JVC spiral dots which I've overall felt was a pretty good slap on and go option for all the IEMs I have so far, it's like a relatively short ear tip with large bore, so it raises a bit of treble and overall clears up bass sounds for me (compared to small hole type ear tips that give you this tunnel-like feeling with the bass), not sure if anyone else has experience with them. I will give the Azlas a try though, was curious before already, just quite pricey $32 for just 3 tips far as I can tell on Amazon right now.

(the ear tips I'm currently using)
https://www.amazon.com/VICTOR-JVC-EP-FX9M-B-Spiral-Earpiece/dp/B00JSLXNOC/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=JVC+spiral+dots+ear+tips&sr=8-4&th=1

 

[Smirk 24]

Ooh that's good that you got what you wanted out of the 8W vs the 4W! Did you notice a slight bump in energy overall from the swap? That's what I got from the 8 wire Eros.

Interestingly enough I've also did some tip rolling myself when I got the Diva, I didn't like their Spinfits truth be told... Personally I prefer tips that don't obstruct the nozzle as much to affect the sound overall, not to mention the spinfits they give you are way too tight on the nozzle. I've also tried the Symbio W with them but didn't like the overall fit as it doesn't give as good a seal.

I've heard about the Azla tips recently, was curious about them but currently I'm using my JVC spiral dots which I've overall felt was a pretty good slap on and go option for all the IEMs I have so far, it's like a relatively short ear tip with large bore, so it raises a bit of treble and overall clears up bass sounds for me (compared to small hole type ear tips that give you this tunnel-like feeling with the bass), not sure if anyone else has experience with them. I will give the Azlas a try though, was curious before already, just quite pricey $32 for just 3 tips far as I can tell on Amazon right now.

(the ear tips I'm currently using)
https://www.amazon.com/VICTOR-JVC-EP-FX9M-B-Spiral-Earpiece/dp/B00JSLXNOC/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=JVC+spiral+dots+ear+tips&sr=8-4&th=1

Yes, I felt an overall bump in energy as well.

Thanks for sharing about the JVC spiral dots. I'll give them a go. I've mostly been on the W1s and as of late, the Azlas.

 

[AoiMomo]

Yes, I felt an overall bump in energy as well.

Thanks for sharing about the JVC spiral dots. I'll give them a go. I've mostly been on the W1s and as of late, the Azlas.

Lol I ordered the Azla crystals so I'll give those a try, probably get em next Monday or so. I'll report back on how I feel between the Azla and the JVC spiral dots, maybe hold off on buying the dots for now until I've tested them XD.

 

[Smirk 24]

Lol I ordered the Azla crystals so I'll give those a try, probably get em next Monday or so. I'll report back on how I feel between the Azla and the JVC spiral dots, maybe hold off on buying the dots for now until I've tested them XD.

Will do, I hope they're not too bright for you!