Would love to hear others impressions of similar TOTL comparisons with FiR flagships. Not sure how much better anything could get from here.
I got to hear xe6 Jewel and Trailli side by side for some time.
I had no many dubts which one was more likely to win on me and be the keeper .. But I would probably have all them in my collection : if I could afford it. Also I've always been more into a one-solution or one setup only for music listening , rather then multiple chains and rotations.
- Jewel displayed more resolution and a unique mids-front vibe , still very smooth , signature ; but a peak too hot : fatiguing for me for long listenings . Very different then xe6 .
- Trailli had a weird upper mids/ lower highs emphasys that I couldn't completely digest , not fatiguing in this case but it didn't make some of my fav tunes a great display ; apart from this they were more even and safe then Jewel , more pleasurable for long listenings , ..a bit less resolution for my perception . Quite very different then xe6 still but not as much as Jewel.
- Xe6 have a much better timbral attitude then Jewel ( fazed /vibrancy in mids) and a minorly still generally better timbral attitude then Trailli ( very good timbral attitude even if different bite on timbers, yet quite delicate and airier then xe6 , but not as widespreadly correct to all instruments and voices as xe6 ) ; xe6 has the less fatiguing sound , xe6 is the the more eq-friend of all 3 as to not show sibilances nor shouty on peaks or no bass clipping and alikes etc , on any eq I tried , sure I can't say the same for the other 2's ; and xe6 adds natural body thickness and presence to notes (or instruments ), in physical way , a thing that the other two sets quite lack - but they similarly lack a BCD tech , or kinetic bass : which might be even better , or so people who tried both usually say.
Xe6 set is much more behaved and resolved then both in bass section ( more resolution , more analogue , more range and control , much more info down there ..and much more upfront too ; sure better p.r.a.t then both ) ; I would say naturally extended in highs : minus the extra resolution perception and vibrancy then Jewel , and minus the airier well behaved clarity of Trailli.
It is more fastly engaging then both : Jewel were aiming at reference with a lyric/romantic spice , Trailli at reference in a western and slightly more bold fashion , very finely tunely behaved ( therefore one of the most referenced iem ever..)
Xe6 set needs 'a bit more' ear and brain burnin-in to their particular ( raw? full? ) signature, sure I wouldn't dare calling them refined and finely tuned at first , sure mids do not come up hot or front at your attention , but then they are the more analogue sounding , the most timbral excellent , the more bass behaved , more easily engaging and less easily fatiguing for me too
Xe6 is fairly ( or maybe boldly ) different then both Jewel and Trailli
While these twos can speak more a same fine language and fashion among them, xe6 is quite a different beast.
Beast in my alley , an elephant in someone else room - can be ; different species ,and I can't tell that one is better and superior then others when judging in absolute terms .
My bias is clear. I am rather happy with it. As usual , to each his own.