Shootout
Tenore v FX850 v XBA-H3
Massive threads already exist on all these IEMs, so I won't bother with an intro. Plus I don't know how much longer I'm going to withstand the effects of this Nyquil, so let's get to it:
Gear: Fiio X5 as a USB DAC/Amp
Process : Rapid A/B, followed by listening to sections of songs with each IEM. *I also took very special care to make sure the IEMs were volume matched after switching.
Songs used...
1) Bem, Bem, Maria - Gipsy Kings.
This song was chosen for the fact that it has a lot going on. From the Spanish guitar rhythms, to the drums, and to Nicolas Reyes' voice weaving in and out of it all, it remains a treat to listen to.
2) Kaleidescope Heart - Sara Bareilles.
This song is a test for vocal separation. There are multiple vocal tracks going at once, and I'm listening for how well the phones can distinguish between them.
3) Make My - The Roots.
I almost don't want to b
4) Helping Hand - Yo-Yo Ma, et al.
This happens to be one of my favorite tracks from one of my favorite albums. It's a showcase of what happens when geniuses come together to make music. This is one of the most beautiful videos you'll ever see, and the best sounding 360p youtube video I've come across.
5)
Limit to Your Love - James Blake.
This song is pretty much my benchmark for bass and separation of frequencies on an iem. The track has a VERY solid bassline that kicks in, and beats like hummingbird wings, then rumbles your socks off. This is all going on while cymbal and a snare drum are being struck. One of the things I look for is the slight echo of the rimshot while the bassline is being played. Also, the cymbals can't be affected at all.
Thoughts
I don't want to say it. I don't want to believe it. But the truth is undeniable. The Tenore is far superior to these two iems.
The biggest thing to jump at me is just how much more refined the Tenore is over the others. It's so bloody effortless and smooth, while managing to be more detailed than the others. The Tenore makes the others sound somewhat like cheap earbuds...and I really liked the H3 when I compared it to my ASG-2.
The Tenore manages to easily flesh out each note, taking its time to refine and polish each one before releasing it to your eardrum. In comparison, the FX850 and H3 sound hollowed out and uneven in the treble. How the Tenore manages to be fuller and more refined without sacrificing a frickin thing is beyond me.
Soundstage is one thing that I feel like I should also address. The Tenore is more 3D sounding than both the H3 and FX850 by being more grounded in the center channel. That way, it throws cues seemingly exactly where needed. The others simply don't execute this as well as the Tenore does.
Another thing I'm beginning to appreciate is the spectacular timbre of the Tenore, especially in the vocals. It's truly special to hear. During the climax of Helping Hand, the Tenore blew my mind with its rendition of the strings. It was beautiful, and textured, and
real.
It's not all roses with the Tenore though. The downside is that it can sound too intimate at times, but it's not too much of an issue. That, and dynamics seem to hit their ceiling fairly quickly.
The saddest part to me is that people will read this and dismiss it because the Tenore is too cheap to be true. Even if they get it, they'll go into it with pre-conceived biases and not truly listen to this spectacular IEM.
All the same, I hope more people try it out, as well as the KC06 from Ostry.
