[drftr]

Ah! The poll...

This is my top 5 of IEMs I'd love to demo (again):

1. Noble Onyx (will trigger if I can somehow get a tighter bass)
2. 64 Audio Volür (might trigger if I can clean up the low end, make mids a but more open, and add some air all around)
3. Vision Ears Aura (but too late to the party or so it seems)
4. Fitear Creator
5. Oriolus Monachaa
5b. Vision Ears VE10 (might trigger if I can clean up the low end and make treble shine a bit brighter)
5c. Noble Spartacus
5d. Melodic Artification Alter Ego
5e. Lime Ears Terra
5f. Craft Ears Omnium
5g. 634ears LOAK TX-02 (not familiar with the brand but after the rave reviews and this being a new TOTL single DD, why not?)

drftr

 

[aaf evo]

Ah! The poll...

This is my top 5 of IEMs I'd love to demo (again):

1. Noble Onyx (will trigger if I can somehow get a tighter bass)
2. 64 Audio Volür (might trigger if I can clean up the low end, make mids a but more open, and add some air all around)
3. Vision Ears Aura (but too late to the party or so it seems)
4. Fitear Creator
5. Oriolus Monachaa
5b. Vision Ears VE10 (might trigger if I can somehow clean up the low end and make treble shine a bit brighter)
5c. Noble Spartacus
5d. Melodic Artification Alter Ego
5e. Lime Ears Terra
5f. Craft Ears Omnium
5g. 634ears LOAK TX-02 (not familiar with the brand but after the rave reviews and this being a new TOTL single DD, why not?)

drftr

Try the nightjar blue hour 4W on VE 10. It may do what you want but it’ll make the mids a little more revealing as well which i felt took away some of that lushness in the mid range that I loved so much w the VE 10.

 

[drftr]

Try the nightjar blue hour 4W on VE 10. It may do what you want but it’ll make the mids a little more revealing as well which i felt took away some of that lushness in the mid range that I loved so much w the VE 10.

Thing is that on this side of the planet shops have no cables over $10. It's in the periphery of Africa, remember? I'll have to wait until I miraculously find myself in Asia again or we have a new Watercooler Europe Meetup. What's taking these guys so long???

drftr

 

[PinkyPowers]

I was going through something similar, i ended up with the annhilator 23. But at that price i wonder if you would be happier with a better headphone?

It is true. Cheaper is always better for the wallet. I was considering the newest iteration of the Solaris, by CA. How do you think that stacks up?

 

[texx2818]

I spent too much on a DAP when I bought the SP3000, recently sold it, and picked up a FiiO M11 Plus for my IEM use that's arriving today. I love my RU7 but the battery drain is horrendous on my iPhone. It's also funny as I get more into this hobby, I get more and more into IEMs.

The A&K is too heavy, fragile, and I really don't like how locked down it was.

 

[Kyn0]

Do you want CIEMs?

Of course. I always prefer CIEMS to universal IEMS. My CIEMS include UE5 PRO, UE18+ PRO, and ES80. Now I need new CIEM like CP54E or CP622B. But CP622B is too expensive. I have compared UE18+ and CP54E, and I feel that CP54E has a significant improvement in low and high frequencies, but it doesn't have the same convenience in mid-frequency human voices as UE18+. Maybe I'm wrong. lol

 

[Tanalasta]

The Watercooler seems like the most active thread, so I bet I'll get plenty of high quality recommendations here.

I've recently fallen in love with the HIFIMan HE1000 Stealth. I'm not a fan of bright headphones, but it walks the perfect line between warmth, transparency, and air. So now I'm looking for a high-end IEM which shares this balance. Huge soundstage, lots of detail and transparency, but in a laid-back sort of way, with utterly natural tonality. Vocals which are airy, but not thin, subtly organic, yet wonderfully vivid.

This is a balance of contradictions I thought impossible. Until I picked up the HEK Stealth, and found my new favorite signature. More than enough bass, but all the technical prowess I could ever dream of. I used to love warmer headphones, like the LCD-3F. But now that sounds veiled.

I'm still treble sensitive. Too bright and I'm out. It's a fine line, and I'm hoping you fine folk have some recommendations.

Describing the perfect IEM.

Trailii has lots of detail, in a laid back sort of way. I wouldn’t describe it as vivid although IEM’s (like headphones) can be source dependent. I haven’t tried the Trailii Ti but it’s less laid back than the JP from what I am reading. Bass is okay but being a BA only set, if you’re familiar to Audeze bass, you may find that Trailii bass isn’t quite up to par.

I am yet to hear these but given how your requirements are similar to mine, this is my current shortlist to try: Canpur 622B, Mentor Multiverse, Vision Ears 10, Melodic Artification Alter Ego. Huge soundstage and techs makes me think UM paired to sources/cables/tips that synergise.

Be mindful that IEM performance is a sum of the chain with many variables. Whilst one cannot change the inherent fundamentals of an IEM, there’s a rabbit hole of sources, portable amplifiers, DAP settings (Class A/AB, Tubes, DAC filters, DSP), tips and cables to fine tune to what you’re listening to.

The rabbit hole is often cheaper having a selection of different options than chasing the last % points with thousands of dollars.

That said… I think there’s a cooler who listens to Subtonic Storm out of the Holo Stack and Sov Symph cable and I’m coming very close to following Alice to Wonderland.

 

[Pelilin]

I was going through something similar, i ended up with the annhilator 23. But at that price i wonder if you would be happier with a better headphone?

I was like you considering between headphones or IEM. After a few years now i have both hahaha. Headphones have bigger stages and feel more immersive as if you are there watching the artist playing the song(movies sound so good with HP), but IEM have the benefit of being portable. You can bring your iem everywhere anytime also it is more comfortable. IEM also doesnt ruin your hair while using it on the move like headphone does.

 

[Tanalasta]

I spent too much on a DAP when I bought the SP3000, recently sold it, and picked up a FiiO M11 Plus for my IEM use that's arriving today. I love my RU7 but the battery drain is horrendous on my iPhone. It's also funny as I get more into this hobby, I get more and more into IEMs.

The A&K is too heavy, fragile, and I really don't like how locked down it was.

The m11+ is technically a (big) step down to the SP3000. It’s a lot slower and I rarely use my m11+.

The Hiby R6proii or R8ii would be newer Android, unlocked suggestions that are more recent and very accomplished DAP. I was very impressed with the R6proii for the price and thought it was a much more modern implementation of the AK chip sound.

 

[texx2818]

I was like you considering between headphones or IEM. After a few years now i have both hahaha. Headphones have bigger stages and feel more immersive as if you are there watching the artist playing the song(movies sound so good with HP), but IEM have the benefit of being portable. You can bring your iem everywhere anytime also it is more comfortable. IEM also doesnt ruin your hair while using it on the move like headphone does.

Yup, and also headphones mess up your hair and you get makeup on the pads if you're a woman, lol.

 

[linux4ever]

So apparently Pentacomm released new Coreir AL Alloy tips but I haven’t seen much in the way of posts here for them. Currently testing out with Odyssey now.

Coreir seems to have good synergy with specific iems only. Would love to hear the iems that people here have found good synergy with coreir.

 

[texx2818]

The m11+ is technically a (big) step down to the SP3000. It’s a lot slower and I rarely use my m11+. My impressions only but the SP3000 seems to have a slower decay

The Hiby R6proii or R8ii would be newer Android, unlocked suggestions that are more recent and very accomplished DAP. I was very impressed with the R6proii for the price and thought it was a much more modern implementation of the AK chip sound.

My experience with Hibys has been horrific. I just want functionality and good sound on the go for my IEMs, (my Monarchs & Dunus). My past FiiO DAPs have always provided me that.

 

[Rockwell75]

It's good to hear some AME Raven chatter! I quite liked it. It has one of the best treble responses I've heard, and I think it's competitive in a crowded $3k USD market. IMO it's the better of the two Ravens. For some reason it hasn't caught on though.

@MusicTeck is currently sending me AME's whole roster for tour so there should be more chatter soon!

 

[yaps66]

While I cannot listen to them for too long, this is a great perfomance and worth listening to.

Love this! Thanks for the rec!

You have a way of describing specific sound on paper in a way just about everyone can understand. I admire you for that!

@Deezel177 is savant in this industry I tell you!

 

[linux4ever]

I have owned ue18+pro gen3 for more than 4 years. Now I want to try some new IEMS like CP54E. Can you tell me is this IEM better than ue18+ at every level?

Honestly, after owning & hearing some of the iems that came after UE18+ (I own this), especially the recent ones like Nostalgia Audio Camelot, Fatfreq Maestro SE, Fir Audio KR5 (I own all these), UE18+ pales in comparison to such an extent that it is stowed away in its box and never is heard anymore by me.