Yes correct and the "MSEB" feature is very good integraded i just tilt the "overall signature" 15/100 toreward warm and everthing is good in the world... I just have to edit my workflow to change the resolution of the album art and create a new dynamic backup of my Flac files but thats fine .
So? You found down sampling the album art enhanced loading time? I simply look at it like this one dog I have, that she is my favorite dog, but she doesn’t come right away when called, she slowly gets to where I am on her own sweet time.
Oof I haven’t heard the others, but my main beef with Aurora is that its treble is rolled off, and I went to some lengths to maximise my Serial’s treble performance (meaning it could do with more as well). So while the 10th would offer a different tuning with no overlap, I wonder if its treble would be too spicy for your preferences.
I think the Quattro and Serial both go easy on the treble, but the Quattro has just that bit more to provide better imaging and positional cues. Lower down is where they diverge more - the Quattro is darker and leans towards the lower mids, and has more bass than Serial.
I totally agree with the Quattro’s imaging ability (over the Serial) to make the midrange and treble slightly more defined through the actual space those constituents reside in.
What other brands offer the same for less? I can only see SoundRhyme. AüR Audio got less drivers, but the tunings are great. Since the first Volt starts at $800, why should the newer one be cheaper?
What other brands offer the same for less? I can only see SoundRhyme. AüR Audio got less drivers, but the tunings are great. Since the first Volt starts at $800, why should the newer one be cheaper?
I am not going to defend the exorbitant prices that some audio products can have, but this is like everything, as long as there is a demand there will be an offer but you should not be so simplistic either.
There are many ways to make the costs of a product go up, there are people who think that all EST and BA controllers are the same, but as someone mentioned before, there are some EST models that cost almost twice as much as others, the BA ones even though some are not very expensive, there are models much more expensive than others.
Then there is the technology and implementation, the development of the crossover, the dozens of tests and materials discarded until the final version, cable, packaging, distribution, and of course all the knowledge for its execution and tuning, not to forget that the shells they are built by hand and surely take several hours of work.
I'm sure that if any of us did all that work we wouldn't want to make just $50 for a unit sold for example. Right now companies like Aur Audio whose motto is the best sound at the best price, even they have launched Aetha with 2EST + 4BA + 2DD + 2BC and 3D printed shells at ~1000 USD and no one believes that they are expensive because they are a flagship model let's also not forget that Sound Rhyme launched its Prado at a price much higher than the DTE900 and surely its new tribird is also at or exceeds the $1000 barrier.
In luxury items you always pay a high price for small improvements and the world of portable audio is no different. If someone does not agree with a price, it is best not to buy that product and go for another one that you consider to be of better value but I am also very aware that an iem like Voltage is not going to cost less than $1000 when one of the highest quality/price audio references like the Monarch series it costs that and everyone attributes it to an exceptional quality/price value.
I am the first one who wants Voltage not to cost a lot of money but at the same time I know what category it belongs to and it certainly won't be cheap.
I am not going to defend the exorbitant prices that some audio products can have, but this is like everything, as long as there is a demand there will be an offer but you should not be so simplistic either.
There are many ways to make the costs of a product go up, there are people who think that all EST and BA controllers are the same, but as someone mentioned before, there are some EST models that cost almost twice as much as others, the BA ones even though some are not very expensive, there are models much more expensive than others.
Then there is the technology and implementation, the development of the crossover, the dozens of tests and materials discarded until the final version, cable, packaging, distribution, and of course all the knowledge for its execution and tuning, not to forget that the shells they are built by hand and surely take several hours of work.
I'm sure that if any of us did all that work we wouldn't want to make just $50 for a unit sold for example. Right now companies like Aur Audio whose motto is the best sound at the best price, even they have launched Aetha with 2EST + 4BA + 2DD + 2BC and 3D printed shells at ~1000 USD and no one believes that they are expensive because they are a flagship model let's also not forget that Sound Rhyme launched its Prado at a price much higher than the DTE900 and surely its new tribird is also at or exceeds the $1000 barrier.
In luxury items you always pay a high price for small improvements and the world of portable audio is no different. If someone does not agree with a price, it is best not to buy that product and go for another one that you consider to be of better value but I am also very aware that an iem like Voltage is not going to cost less than $1000 when one of the highest quality/price audio references like the Monarch series it costs that and everyone attributes it to an exceptional quality/price value.
I am the first one who wants Voltage not to cost a lot of money but at the same time I know what category it belongs to and it certainly won't be cheap.
There has always been IEMs unattainable, due to price. That’s simply nature, where certain chads drive expensive sports cars and live in expensive houses. I remember for years and years there were a few IEMs I ogled at and only wondered about. While it’s always been Penon’s goal to offer value, there will always be a defined hierarchy to the releases.
Nothing wrong with asking $1999.00-$2999.00 for an IEM, especially if it undercuts the competition’s $4000.00 IEM.
I have found tuning is at times more important than technicalities, yet the best IEMs have a balance of both. Yes, every year values get better and better and it is true that last 20% cost of diminishing return for your dollar cost dearly. Yet the extra realism of that last percentage is real and justified to ask the money for. People can find these values out there, still there is no getting around how some expensive IEMs are simply better than the $500.00 purchase.
Best to try a few, try the TOTL you are curious about and buy a low number of nice IEMs that you feel (instinctually) will take care of you. My most expensive IEM purchases l was able to demo before a purchase, and both from reading reviews I already knew I would like. But as they say.......it is what it is as far as retail price, end of story.
Meyer-Audio is the OEM for some killer releases lately the tuner is Donghua Tan and he is very good.
This $190 1+4 called the SL41 and the 6BA set called the SLT6 are two of my all time favorites regardless of price.
He has a new 1+4+2 almost ready
Should be released under PULA and Meyer-Audio
I do have to wonder why bother putting EST’s in let alone four when there’s a lack of treble extension and significant roll off after 10k.
Before anyone says the EST’s also affect the lower treble etc, Penon’s own specs of the Voltage confirm and clarify that the EST’s are there for the “ultra high frequencies” - which wouldn’t be below 10khz:
You’re not going to be hearing anything that those EST’s are producing.
I feel companies are just sticking in more drivers unnecessarily, just to flex the specs when they’re completely unnecessary.
I do have to wonder why bother putting EST’s in let alone four when there’s a lack of treble extension and significant roll off after 10k.
Before anyone says the EST’s also affect the lower treble etc, Penon’s own specs of the Voltage confirm and clarify that the EST’s are there for the “ultra high frequencies” - which wouldn’t be below 10khz:
You’re not going to be hearing anything that those EST’s are producing.
I feel companies are just sticking in more drivers unnecessarily, just to flex the specs when they’re completely unnecessary.
I don't put too much stock in graphs. I look at them but find there are too many aspects important to me that they don't fully capture, like timbre and imaging. Besides, they are often known to be inaccurate beyond 8-10k.
That said, I need my upper treble air, extension and detail and it would concern me if there indeed was so much treble roll-off. Penon tuning used to be more treble-shy in the past, but they really turned a corner with the Vortex and everything after that has pretty much been spot on with treble handling, so I hope they stay on form there.
I seems Penon does silently read these posts and has taken exception to my comments on pricing well I hope you do read this thread between all the shilling and come to play with a fair market pricing for thier releases.
Sorry if that's not want to hear but the landscape is changing.
Here is another example today another ChiFi company coming to market. I\O with the Volare 1+4+4 $599 with some good looking tuning.
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