EveTan
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Jul 27, 2011
- Posts
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It's time to give back,
After two years of Head-Fi fun.
Below holds (will hold) the thoughts of various esoterica I collected over the past few years. I will most likely be updating this again soon after I get all the other thoughts typed up. But first, the 1P2 has priority as it will be gone soon.
Tralucent 1Plus2
ThanksI give many thanks to Gavin's generosity for organizing this tour. He was kind enough to add me into the line mid-tour. Without him, these impression would not exist. He is a gem to the Head-Fi community.
Build Quality/Aesthetics/Ergonomics
The 1Plus2 model I received came with black carbon fiber faceplates along with the gold-silver cable. Although you've probably already heard this, I would rate the build 7/10. Possibility for the price, even less. The shell itself feels very awkward in size and definitely feels like a "handcrafted" product. Durability wise it is a very sturdy IEM though. Another complaint that I have is that the socket is a bit loose, making it really easy to detatch from the cable. I can't count how many times I've fumbled for the 1P2 at night only to have the cable pop out, which results in me having to turn on the lights again to connect it again. Some have recommended to bend the pins or add a piece of duck tape inside the socket to secure it. Sorry, but from the build alone, it does not scream "premium product."
Ergonomics is also quite bad, even with the 1P2's most flexible cable. The cable is quite stiff and unravels frequently. Can't comment on how much it does change the sonics. Perhaps another day.
Well, now that we got all the bad stuff out of the way, we can finally enjoy some
Sound
BassThe BASS of the 1P2 is a delightful experience. Reminiscent of the TH900’s bass quality (and overall presentation), the 1P2 has a nice texture to it that definitely puts it into the punchy classification. It’s quite crunchy, whereas I would describe the TG334’s as being sticky. Overall, it is very dynamic and fast with little decay. Here’s an image to think about:
The TG334’s bass drapes over you like the legs of a woman(no sexism implied, biologically they have less leg hair than men…I’ll shut up now), silky and smooth. The 1P2 has a more rough and interesting quality to it. Think of it as rubbing your hand on a rough unshaven chin from the most attractive man you can conceive. The prickly hairs have an addictive quality to it, where you can’t help but want to rub. Quite fun I may say J…of course I mean the bass.
Mids
Relative to the whole presentation, the vocals are “correct.”Although this is a vague way of explaining this, the vocals feel neither recessed nor forward. They feel perfectly placed.In this example, the thin type vocals have a perfect balance. Not being covered by the bass/midbass but not overwhelming
The vocals are also politely presented with a delicate aire around them, sculpted intricately with tons of detail.
Although sometimes distant, the individual voices are always distinct and never muddled. There is very good separation.
Treble
Again, it has good extension without becoming too fatiguing. Though, some are more sensitive to treble. I, for one, am not too sensitive, so take this comment with a grain of salt.
Depending on the song, it can be a bit sibilant.
Overall, I liked the treble, but it didn’t have the refreshing qualities that my beloved Kaedes have. Where as the Kaedes are like a cold cup of water on a hot summer’s day, the 1P2s have a milder and slightly colder than room temperature feel.
Soundstaging/Imaging
After I heard the Kaedes, I believed that none could trump its soundstaging capabilities. Oh was I wrong. Where as the Kaedes make you feel like you’re listening to a pair of nice speakers a decent distance away, perhaps a few feet in front of you, the 1P2 rips you from your seat and throws you into an auditorium where the artist is performing. The experience is so… mind boggling, that from an initial listen, you would not be able to discern this difference. It’s only after sitting down and listening and comparing with other IEM that I own that I realized how wide and large it really was. In comparison, the TG!334 was painfully vacuum sounding. The beauty of the 1P2 is in the subtlety. The disappearance of the boundary between music and headphone. Natural.
Enjoyment
Despite all the positives about the 1P2, I just can't subscribe to it being my favorite IEM. For me, it lacks the emotion and vigor I need for the vocals to pop out. It has become "too" realistic and too lifelike. To say it crudely--It bored me. Through this experience, I've realized that a nicely mid colored IEM suits me best for my tastes and interests. At times, I had to force myself to use the 1P2, instead of going for it willingly. It just didn't have great synergy. But despite all, it is still a remarkable and technical IEM that should be on many people's lists. Try one. You may like it. You may not. One thing is constant though, you will be amazed.
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