[droid23]

https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/7hz-aurora.27147/reviews#review-33904


"This Aurora “for all practical purposes” is an open-back IEM. Yep, it sounds and acts like one…..it is one. Though these are not like open back full-size headphones in that you will not disturb anyone while using them. In this case we get that open and falling out to infinity sound, yet 90% of the sound travels out the nozzle. Those three vents have to do something, as the Aurora is one……..probably the biggest staged IEMs I have heard this year…….don’t believe me, buy a pair! The soundstage is enormous!"

Man, I just ordered the DaVinci 2 hours ago and now I want to have this so badly, too. Damn hobby!

 

[FreeWheelinAudioLuv2]

Umm my personal favourite is a $930 single dd set :/ Now you making me feel guilty

Now, you shouldn't, because before the budget but great single DD revolution started last year, most of the top rated and top sounding single DD were in that $700-$900 range. The Zen Pro, the Advar, the IE600/900, the Twilight, and the Dita. Some, like the IE900, Dunu Luna, and Turii went well above $1,000, so yeah, those prices were expected before 2023's more affordable but high performing single DD's. Hell, I regrettably plunked $650 for a used single DD (Dita Truth). NEVER AGAIN.

 

[FreeWheelinAudioLuv2]

Driver configuration/count is nowhere near as important as tuning…

Both are important. No matter how great a tuner is, nobody is making a single DD sound like the Elysian Annihilator, and likewise, just because you give someone the tech of the Annihilator, doesn't mean they will make it sound as good. But I get ya. TRN and KZ have amplified the meaninglessness of the high driver count if not tuned properly.

 

[activatorfly]

Both are important. No matter how great a tuner is, nobody is making a single DD sound like the Elysian Annihilator, and likewise, just because you give someone the tech of the Annihilator, doesn't mean they will make it sound as good. But I get ya. TRN and KZ have amplified the meaninglessness of the high driver count if not tuned properly.

Exactamundo !!

 

[FreeWheelinAudioLuv2]

Speaking of tip rolling, I landed on the Coreir brass tips for the CCA Trio. So far I'm impressed with this combo. I had Spiral Dots on them for the most part, but I like the openness and treble quality with these tips, not to mention they insert deep, so comfy fit.

Foolish me! I should have just stuck with the Coreirs, but noooooooo, I said to myself, what if I put the Aure tips from the ST7 on the Trio? Hmm...So I did, and THEY ARE REVELATORY!! UGH!! Why do I do this to myself?! I only have the one pair of large from the Aure selection! So for the time being, I guess they will share the two tips, until I can find something similar and complementary, or I can procure a second set of these tips?

 

[FreeWheelinAudioLuv2]

LOL
Coreir tips price = price of Trio

LOL come to think of it...YOU'RE RIGHT! I might have actually paid more for the tips? hahaha

 

[Redcarmoose]

Man, I just ordered the DaVinci 2 hours ago and now I want to have this so badly, too. Damn hobby!

Maybe you don't have time to read my write-up on the Aurora, but if you were to get it, there would be nothing at all like it in your collection, I can guarantee that about 90%.

 

[FreeWheelinAudioLuv2]

I'm a big advocate of EQ whether via laptop, DAC or DAP. The recent Hiby Music/fw upgrade now includes the addition of PEQ which imho has transformed the Hiby R6 Pro.
Now shaping it's FR signature/tonality is improved via 2 x MSEB, EQ, PEQ plus a DRX10 Dynamics plugin. If you couple this with Rhapsody dip switches that equates to 6 instances of EQ in total lol.
Being able to tweak & refine these settings forensically is as cool as....& sonically you're rewarded bigtime !! For me it's all about bypassing the need to increase volume levels, which, in turn, reduces high gain stage circuitry - thus lessening any potential harshness & transient peaks...(& also reduces battery drain...bonus !!)

I use EQ because with many IEMs nowadays, even the ones touted as "balanced", the prevailing attitude is PUMP UP THE BASS! Not just the sub bass, but the mid bass! I detest that trait, so I use the EQ to tone down the bass to more of my liking, because unless I'm breaking out my reggae, or my rare foray into my hip hop or R&B collection, I want my bass to take a backseat to the mids and treble. So EQ comes in handy there, but yeah, high gain can also come in handy too.

 

[o0genesis0o]

Both are important. No matter how great a tuner is, nobody is making a single DD sound like the Elysian Annihilator, and likewise, just because you give someone the tech of the Annihilator, doesn't mean they will make it sound as good. But I get ya. TRN and KZ have amplified the meaninglessness of the high driver count if not tuned properly.

I thought you think Anni is a waste of money

But yeah, all the discussion around “it’s all just frequency response at the ear” reminds me of a joke on internet: US government hired Stanley Kubrick to fake a footage of the moon landing. He was such a perfectionist that he landed people on the moon to take the footage.

Where do good frequency response come from? Good drivers + good crossover + good shell design, aka what boutiques have been trying to do.

Anyhow, I’m much more interested in IEMs that use alternative means of delivering sound rather than just via the ear canal. Think of those ceramic plates that vibrate the shells of MEST IEMs, DD woofers firing against the concha of FirAudio, or these “passive radiator”

 

[Redcarmoose]

To be concise and honest here......the stage is big, but then you get it a DAP that already has a big stage (and in comparison to a standard cell phone) it starts to get humungous, then get the Aurora a big sounding file, one that has synthetic stage treatments and it is all over. The biggest stage in memory for me, the biggest stage of the year so far! It is due maybe partially from those giant three sound vents, but it doesn't leak sound like open back full-full size headphones? Which is strange? The Aurora really doest leak sound, only from the nozzle. Also I almost forgot, with use with wide-bore ear-tips.

Cheers!
Cheers!
Cheers!
Cheers.........! The party is starting now.

 

[FreeWheelinAudioLuv2]

Just needs an overpriced cable and he'll be good to go. Endgame stuff right there.

Nah nah nah! To quote Johnny. I'm not a believer in the expensive cable deal. That's snake oil. I believe cables can definitely improve or diminish sound (like copper attenuating treble and tightening up the bass slightly but audibly), but those expensive cables are not going to "tune" an IEM in any positive way demonstratively. I spent $60 (the most I've ever spent) on one of those $90 Dunu modular cables, on sale, almost to test it out, and it ended up sounding about the same as my $20 NiceHCK BlackCat cable. Now the materials were great, and it's modular, so it's getting used on my Wu Zetian, but it's more for convenience than sound profile.

 

[SemperMalum]

Necroing a slightly older subject but, speaking of cables... A recent AliExpress haul has arrived.

Xinhs Red/Silver cable is a match with the Xuan NV.

Also, new storage toy:

And new Dongle DAC:

 

[droid23]

@Redcarmoose Sure I immediately read it when you posted it about an hour ago... I have "only" about 6 IEMs here at the moment, but as I believe, all with more or less "niche tunings"... got bored with "all the same all the time" so to speak... and the Aurora seems to fit into this niche scheme nicely.

 

[Redcarmoose]

Also with use (the stage) results from wide-bore ear-tips.

Though it is still super wide with medium bore too....there is no stopping it.

 

[droid23]

I hate when super experienced people hype something... it always results in these strangely red numbers on my account and I have no clue what they mean.

@Admins: Please put a frickin disclaimer on this thread! ...like "Before entering the Discovery Thread, check your finances!" or "Enter at your own risk,"