Waiting is over. Viking Ragnar and SP3000 have arrived.
I am completely overwhelmed.
Now I need my listening time.
I am completely overwhelmed.
Now I need my listening time.RAZ's TOTL review and rambles thread, on life support
- Thread starter mvvRAZ
- Start date
When I first demoed Ragnar, I was listening to N8ii and M9. Both sounded great, but still a little on the digital side. Last night, I rolled over to N6ii ti and Ragnar sung. Really delivers a nice sound. So crystal clear is this one.
interesting observation that the supposedly simpler, less complex and developed device (N6ii ti) has the edge over the jack-of-all-trades (N8ii) in terms of combination with Viking Ragnar.
By the way, which ear tips are you using with your Ragnar? Thanks.
DaveStarWalker
Headphoneus Supremus
As always, synergies rules. 
mvvRAZ
Headphoneus Supremus
Impressionssssss!!!!! Don’t keep us waitingWaiting is over. Viking Ragnar and SP3000 have arrived.
I am completely overwhelmed.
It is purely based on synergy. The Ragnar has timbral issues that are nicely addressed by an R2R DAC. On its own, the Ragnar can sound more digital. The R2R dac gives it a more organic sound. I imagine it will be even better with RS8. I didn't get a chance to hear them together.
I use the Azla Sedna Earfitlight Short tips. White with blue gasket.
a crosspost from the noble audio thread:
I have listened to Ragnar via SP3000 for two days now. What was there from the beginning was a good extension in the Highs and very good presence in the mids, but almost no bass (mid and sub).
The change after 8 hours and my preliminary impression: sub bass and bass developed to a good definition with good resolution and this process is still continuing. The mids and highs received an increase in resolution and presence with time as well as very good separation and stage with. The impression of the stage is a very wide.
am listening to ...
... and I must tell you that the combination Viking Ragnar and SP3000 is so sublime. At the moment I'm so euphoric to claim that I have have never heard anything better than this with regard to a realism and pristine and clear presentation.
I have listened to Ragnar via SP3000 for two days now. What was there from the beginning was a good extension in the Highs and very good presence in the mids, but almost no bass (mid and sub).
The change after 8 hours and my preliminary impression: sub bass and bass developed to a good definition with good resolution and this process is still continuing. The mids and highs received an increase in resolution and presence with time as well as very good separation and stage with. The impression of the stage is a very wide.
am listening to ...
... and I must tell you that the combination Viking Ragnar and SP3000 is so sublime. At the moment I'm so euphoric to claim that I have have never heard anything better than this with regard to a realism and pristine and clear presentation.
normie610
Headphoneus Supremus
Have you had the chance to listen to Turii Ti? I did a comparison between Ragnar and Turii Ti, and in my opinion, Turii Ti is much better in realism as it makes the Ragnar more digital sounding. As usual, YMMV.
mvvRAZ
Headphoneus Supremus
Pre-first impressions of the Noble Viking Ragnar, here we go!
The signature is pretty much an inverse L shape. Treble sits above bass and midrange. The signature as a whole is extremely linear and smooth, it is airy and delicate and transparent.
The bass really is quite flat and light as @gryphonos and a few others mentioned. I don’t know if it improved since last night or I got more used to it, but it’s definitely very neutral. Quality is somewhere around the Odin’s Imo, very impressive and a bit short from something like FiR’s kinetic bass
As far as personal preference goes, I’m missing midbass quantity. The quality is great and so is the decay, but I’m missing a little more presence
Midrange is incredibly airy. It’s pretty linear, no forwardness in the upper mids and male vocals sound great. What sets it apart is how clean it sounds and how it “flows” effortlessly, almost like a phantom image of the vocals. Incredible all around
Treble is spectacular. Very present, smooth, ethereal, extended - everything I could want and hope for
Technical ability is up there, but the staging is the one thing that really sets it apart - I don’t think I’ve heard an IEM that stretches this far in all directions. Kr5 and Traillii are pretty wide for example, Thumimm is very spherical and tall, A12t is quite deep, but the Ragnar pushes in all directions almost endlessly.
It definitely is the most technical Noble I’ve heard to date, I can’t rate it highly enough. Based on first day of listening, I’m sure a few won’t love it because it is very neutral and as some others have mentioned “digital,” but it’s right down my street personally
The signature is pretty much an inverse L shape. Treble sits above bass and midrange. The signature as a whole is extremely linear and smooth, it is airy and delicate and transparent.
The bass really is quite flat and light as @gryphonos and a few others mentioned. I don’t know if it improved since last night or I got more used to it, but it’s definitely very neutral. Quality is somewhere around the Odin’s Imo, very impressive and a bit short from something like FiR’s kinetic bass
As far as personal preference goes, I’m missing midbass quantity. The quality is great and so is the decay, but I’m missing a little more presence
Midrange is incredibly airy. It’s pretty linear, no forwardness in the upper mids and male vocals sound great. What sets it apart is how clean it sounds and how it “flows” effortlessly, almost like a phantom image of the vocals. Incredible all around
Treble is spectacular. Very present, smooth, ethereal, extended - everything I could want and hope for
Technical ability is up there, but the staging is the one thing that really sets it apart - I don’t think I’ve heard an IEM that stretches this far in all directions. Kr5 and Traillii are pretty wide for example, Thumimm is very spherical and tall, A12t is quite deep, but the Ragnar pushes in all directions almost endlessly.
It definitely is the most technical Noble I’ve heard to date, I can’t rate it highly enough. Based on first day of listening, I’m sure a few won’t love it because it is very neutral and as some others have mentioned “digital,” but it’s right down my street personally
Great you like the Ragnar, @mvvRAZ ,
every detail you mentioned I can agree with, especially the characteristics I could not describe as good as you did.
Regarding the bass, my feeling is that it is further improved and not by a small margin, in reality or in my brain, that's what I'm not sure about as you mentioned as well.
At the moment I mostly prefer to listen to Ragnar and Kr5.
DaveStarWalker
Headphoneus Supremus
It seems to be spectacular. 
The Kaiser Encore were mine since 2017 (since a few weeks, selled = need money for another project), and they remains one of the more technical (in a good way) uiem I known (with Plussound Tricopper x8 and Raptgo Adaptive Eartips tips).
Need to listen these Viking...
The Kaiser Encore were mine since 2017 (since a few weeks, selled = need money for another project), and they remains one of the more technical (in a good way) uiem I known (with Plussound Tricopper x8 and Raptgo Adaptive Eartips tips).
Need to listen these Viking...
mvvRAZ
Headphoneus Supremus
Ragnar Viking with the review treatment: take it on a weekend away, no other IEMs to pick from, all genres and listening conditions
DaveStarWalker
Headphoneus Supremus
I don't know how they are singing, but I know how they are looking... 
mvvRAZ
Headphoneus Supremus
Random audiophile facts: every time you use a new format the burn in process starts all over again because the drivers aren't used to it and need to learn to play it
Users who are viewing this thread
