There are very few things about my life that I would consider certainties. Skepticism is my natural reaction to information that is not founded in some sort of established fact. Amplifying this behavior is the last several years of post grad work that has bent my mind into doubting anything that isn't peer-reviewed and based in solid science. As a result, I'm quite reluctant to believe many things.
 
I'm also very quick to question my own actions and emotions. I often find myself in a retrospective state, wondering why I exploded at the jaywalker who nearly bloodied my windshield with his forehead, or to a lesser extent the Subway employee who forgot my oatmeal raisin cookies. My most fundamental internal struggle comes from the desire to reconcile the contrast between my faith that has been instilled in me since childhood and the struggle for significance when I know I my existence is simply a whisper in the evolutionary timeline that has extended billions of years before me, and will continue long past everything I know and love fades from memory.
 
There are only two things I know for sure. First, that I love my mother with all my heart and, secondly, music is the greatest gift I've received.
 
I've always had a love for music, as I believe most people do, but music has been for a fail-safe language for things I can't fully communicate verbally, from apologies, to playing John Mayer's  Slow Dancing in a Burning Room to a significant other to end the relationship. My music library is comprised of songs that have been the soundtrack to my life, and it is as eclectic as I am: the Jamaican who has traveled much of the world and lived among people of different cultures, whose favorite band is Mumford and Sons, who enjoys cassoulet au canard as much as jerk chicken, and is as much photographer as I am pharmacist. However, I don't think I'd truly experienced music until I stumbled across the head-fi thread that led to my purchase of the Shure SE-215 years ago, followed by the Vsonic GR07. I remember laying in bed with the lights off, when the first few bars of Mumford and Sons' Sigh No More album started playing. I remember feeling the walls of the studio around me, the slow building of the music, the first lines of the song, followed by some of my favorite lines in song history... 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

1. Volume matching is everything when evaluating gear. Listening to one piece of gear at a louder volume immediately confers advantages in clarity, dynamics, sound stage, extension on both ends, and general PRaT.
2. As a general rule, lossless is a waste of time and space. Years of transcoding FLAC to MP3 and A/b'ing the original with the conversion has convinced me of it. This, for me renders using FLAC PCM/DSD files as useless to me when testing. I simply find the best mastered version of the files I need, convert them to MP3 320 if necessary and delete the larger FLAC file. Further convincing me of this is the our very limited human hearing. Unless a million years of evolution happened since my birth, there's no human being alive who can hear past 30Khz, nor can the human body handle up to 16 bits of dynamic range without certain death. I've come to see "hi-res" as yet another audiophile marketing gimmick. 
3. I conducted a multi-DAP review a couple of years ago, where I compared the HM-901, ZX1, X5, Studio V, and Sansa Clip+ to my iPhone 4 and found absolutely zero significant difference at the time. matter of fact, the ZX1 and my iP4 were completely indistinguishable, not to say I could find a difference between the others worth making a serious note of. That experience left me severely disenchanted with DAPs in general. However, Astell and Kern products weren't available to me for testing at the time.

  
You can get an idea of my testing methodology here: 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/709479/multi-review-hifiman-hm901-fiio-x5-sony-zx1-hisound-studio-3rd-anv-iphone-4
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
As I mentioned before, I extensively compared a few DAPs 2 years ago. At the time, the AK240 was Astell and Kern's flagship product, and I was raging against the pricing trends in personal audio. Since that time, the Ak380 has arrived, almost doubling the cost of the AK240.
 
Many have hailed the Ak380 as the ultimate DAP, but interestingly the paradigm is that its cheaper sibling, the AK 320 is every bit as good "when dealing with non-DSD files."
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Because of my experiences with lossless and DSD files, I'm going to assume AK380 and AK320 are virtually identical sounding for my purposes.
 
I've been listening to the AK320 for over a month now, learning every little nuance of its sound profile. Next, I spent spent close to as much time comparing it to my other DAPs, primarily my iPhone 6S. My testing methodology for this sit down review has involved very meticulous volume matching. I queued up the same 5 second clip of the same file on all players to ensure the SPL leve was similar. 
 
The IEM used was what I consider my endgame, the Aurisonics Rockets. I chose it specifically for several reasons. Of all the IEMs I've listened to (an incomplete list can be found in my profile), I've found the Rockets possess the most pinpoint imaging I've heard, the best timbre and tonality I've heard, the absolute best vocal reproduction I've come across and the driver is incredibly quick. I just can't fault this earphone. Also, it is slightly insensitive, so it should be a good driving challenge for a DAP.
 
I kept the track list short for the review as well, whittling my library down to tracks that would test very specific DAP qualities.
 

1. Act 1: Largo al factotum. Il Barbiere di Siviglia. Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. Performed by Jose Carbo. I chose this track because it's a classic example of great performances hampered by shoddy recording techniques. The classical music genre is rife with examples like this. It requires a good deal of power to squeeze out enough dynamic range from the tracks, especially if using less than sensitive phones.
2. Reminder. Babel. Mumford and Sons. I chose this track specifically for the detail in the vocals, and the timbre of the simple background acoustic instruments.There's a little excerpt between 1:04 and 1:08, where he says "oh my love don't fade away." You can hear the little breaks in his voice where he sounds close to tears. It's little details like that which make the music experience more tactile, and is only accessible to gear that can extract it. I know the Rockets can, so I'm testing to see if the DAPs hinder the Rockets ability to pull the details.
3. How. What We Saw From the Cheap Seats. Regina Spektor. This is a track for both details, tonality and imaging. It's a piano heavy track, with a little instrumental bits dispersed around the soundscape like the cello that plays simultaneously with the lower piano registers. Plus, Regina's voice is as emotive as ever.
4. Groove [Binaural]. Explorations in Space and Time. Lenny White, Jamey Haddad, Mark Sherman. This is hands down my favorite track for testing soundstage and imaging, as well as instrumental timbre. I remember Jude making a video about this album years ago, and being amazed at the technology behind it. Since acquiring my Rockets, my appreciation for this album has grown exponentially. I'm literally surrounded by sound, while being able to virtually reach out and touch each instrument. So precise is the imaging. I wanted to use this track to test how each DAP throws out cues while preserving black space.

 
 
The testing method involved queuing shorts portions of each track, volume matching them across DAPs, then A/B'ing for differences in how the DAPs rendered the files. I set out with a null hypothesis that I would find no blind-testable differences, and then tried to disprove this null hypothesis. I did this for an average of 30 minutes per track.
 
 
I mainly tested between my iPhone 6S, and the AK320, and  the end result was that I could not reliably differentiate the players. Again, this is the AK320 that should sound perfectly identical to the AK380 "with PCM files." I'll leave the conclusions to the readers, along with examples of tests done by others.
 
 

mimouille said:

  Dear All,
 
Following a conversation I had on this thread, I decided to test a bit between some of my DAPS, namely my Ipod Classic 6th Gen, my RWAK240, my Cowon P1 and my HM901 Minibox card. I did not include the Tera because it only pairs well with the SE5 and it is a PITA to navigate in a test.
 
I spent roughly an hour doing this, using FLAC on all DAPs, except 256 VBR MP3 on the IPC. The two iems I used are Spiral Ears SE5 and Hidition NT6. I was very careful to do some volume matching, which was no so easy on the 901, and preferably with low volume, because this is often how I listen.
 
The results are quite simple: the differences are quite small. I doubt I could differentiate in a blind test. The most obvious was 901 vs. IPC, more crisp sound, but I am still not sure I could differentiate in a blind test.
 
The 901 is a bit more powerful than the others, and thus drives even iems with slightly more authority.
 
The 901 and P1 vs. the IPC have slightly better dynamic range.
 
The boutique all have very slightly better clarity, and a deeper soundstage (main difference overall).
 
The top performer is still is the 901, but by a very small margin.
 
As a side note, on my iems, I hear absolutely no difference between the balanced and unbalanced mode of my RWAK240.
 
Conclusion, if I had to rate sound, from this test I would say:
 
HM901 Minibox :95/100, Cowon and RWAK240: 93 and IPC : 90.
 
If I rate them by value (price vs. SQ and ergonomics) then IPC > Cowon P1 > HM901 > RWAK240 (HM901 is less ergonomic but much cheaper than RWAK240 and slightly better sounding).
 
I buy boutique DAPs also for other reasons than SQ, which is why I am not so shocked : capacity, getting out of itunes, and mostly just because I am a geek who likes new pretty and nicely sounding stuff.
 
People do not yell at me:

1. What I consider insignificant differences might be huge to you
2. I do not listen to "audiophile" music on HD or DSD. I just listen to music, so it might be different for you

 
It has been a while since I wanted to clear some gear....well I suppose the HM901 might go. I was waiting for the 901S but I do not like the look. I like the P1 and the 240 is nice looking to me, plus it pairs very well with the REF1.
 
But honestly if there was a 256GB Flac playing IPC, I might let them all go. And I might still buy the Lotoo because I like it

Click to expand...

 
 

t.r.a.n.c.e. said:

  I agree with Mims findings, especially when using iems, which are sensitive enough to not trouble a mobile phones amp, the differences in actual sound quality between a high end dap and a good mobile phone like IP are extremely minimal. Most people just hear the small sound sig difference between the devices rather than any quality difference, then the rest is their "mind" telling them one is better than the other, and mostly because of different bias' more than their actual preferences (which are influenced by bias lol).
 
Honestly I hate using anything apple though, makes me feel like a sheep/prisoner for some reason lol. So I'll just stick to my ZX1 for iems, and DX90 for slightly more demanding portable HP's which like the extra power. Plus I'm a tech head and enjoy buying stuff for the hell of it 

 

Click to expand...

 
 
 

currawong said:

   
Agreed too all that you wrote! The only thing I think is missing is an idea of roughly how loud you listen. I've always said that, other than for functionality, unless one wants to get the best out of high-quality recordings with high-end headphones or IEMs, the very expensive DAPs wont be worth it, unless you're doing something like buying an AK240 as a complete desktop/portable solution with all accessories. Also that the primary benefit of the better DAPs is that they drive full-sized headphones much better than, say, an X5 does -- vastly better in fact, and that's before we get into UI differences and storage.
 

Click to expand...

 
 
 
 
 
 
Thanks for reading.

 
In audio circles, the word "endgame" generally refers to a headphone or audio chain component that is practically without fault, and performs at a high enough level to render future purchases relatively redundant. In my case, I've owned my pair of Rockets since September of last year, and I've had absolutely zero desire to spend a single cent on another IEM since then. What I'll attempt to do with this review is to explain why this is the case, and hopefully by the end of it you'll find my endgame label justified.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
My first encounter with the Aurisonics Rockets came during a tour put on by member @Idsynchrono_24 last year. I remember not being able to remove them from my ears, and I'd end up spending the entire night rediscovering my library. I knew immediately that the sound I was hearing was one of the best, if not the very best, I'd heard to that point. Still, the sound is only a part of why I consider the Rockets my endgame phones. I'll get to the sound quality later, but I want to start with a quick description of the Rockets.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The release date of the Rockets got pushed back several times, by almost a year in total. The guys at Aurisonics went back to the drawing board several times to ensure the final product was up to spec. Most of us backers got quite anxious during the process, but I have to say the wait was worth having the build quality.
 
The shell is made from 100% solid titanium. Titanium. All of it. Furthermore, the cable is made from ballistics grade aramid fibers. The result is an iem that has proven near indestructible. I've put my pair through near hell this last year. I've left it at the bottom of a backpack that contains medical books that weigh over 5 pounds each. I've left it in my car during Louisiana summers, where you could leave a raw chicken in your car in the morning and have rotisserie for dinner at the end of the day. I've taken showers while wearing the Rockets...hot showers. Yet, they work like the day they came in the mail and there's hardly a scratch on them, like you can see in the photos above. This is for an IEM that costs $250 retail, and under $200 on the used markets. That's less than a quarter of what other "top tier" IEMs cost nowadays, and you still have to baby those things. 
 
Furthermore, the Rockets themselves are tiny. Crazy tiny. As shown above, it's a fraction of the size of a quarter-dollar (US currency). In theory, this should make fit fairly effortless. The Rockets are also sealed, so isolation is insane. I've been doing a lot of driving this summer, but my car has an older V6 engine that is merciless with gas. I've been driving with the windows slightly down to avoid using the AC and save some gas. At 80mph, the wind noise should be intolerable, but with the Rockets in I can barely hear a thing. Airplane rides have become so smooth. If it weren't for the seat vibrations, I'd forget I was sitting next to a screaming jet engine at 35,000 ft. That is how good the isolation is.
 
The cable of the Rockets is sturdy, to say the least. If there's any damage to it, it definitely wouldn't be accidental. There are youtube videos of people using the Rockets to pull cars. The downside of this is that the cable itself is relatively heavy. This, when combined with the light weight of the shells, could create problems if you wear them straight down without a very good seal when moving around. The cables are heavy enough to pull the Rockets from your ears. At least that's been my experience.
 
Overall, the build of the Rockets give me confidence they'll last as long as I want them around. 
 
 
 
 
 
There are two very important, practically critical, considerations that must be made when discussing the sound of the Rockets.
 
The first is that the Rockets are far from sensitive. My ideal listening level on my iPhone 6 with most IEMs is around 35% volume. With the Rockets, that jumps to near 70% to achieve the same "loudness". 
 
The most important consideration to make when evaluating the Rockets is its physical design. The Rockets are very small sealed IEMs. There's literally nowhere for air to escape when inserted, and the titanium shell doesn't allow for any expansion of the housing to accommodate the extra pressure. The design of the ear can accommodate for this by allowing the pressure to equalize via the Eustachian Tube, which is located behind the eardrum. The equalization of pressure is a very necessary process for IEMs to sound "right" This is because of the nature of our eardrums. The eardrum needs to be able to vibrate freely in order for us to interpret the vibrations in the air as sound. Faster vibrations are interpreted as treble, and the slower vibrations come across as bass and mids. When the internal pressure of the ear canal is uneven, this impairs the ability of the eardrum to vibrate, and treble and bass will be affected as a result.
 
Exhibit A
 

 
 
 
If, for whatever reason, one's Eustachian Tube cannot compensate for the large amount of pressure placed on the eardrum by the Rockets, then you really won't be able to hear what the Rockets can do. Especially, you'll hear the Rockets as bass light and the treble will be very laid back.
 
 
Luckily, this problem is easily sidestepped, as I've done for the last year. Simply pop off those silicone tips and replace them with foams. The was foam tips create a seal is fundamentally different from the way silicone tips do. Silicone tips seal by creating a vacuum, compounding the pressure effect I discussed earlier. Foam tips simply use bulk to block off the ear canal. That's why you compress them before insertion so they can they fill up and occlude the ear canal. They're also porous, allows the free movement of air and a lack of any direct pressure. I also trim down the excess foam to avoid those stereotypical foam side effects. What's left after this is the pure, beautiful sound of the Aurisonics Rockets that has made me pretty much stay out of other IEM threads.
 
 
With all that out of the way, I'll try to describe how I hear the Rockets sound.
 
On a macroscopic level, the Rockets are fairly linear sounding, with extra energy in the upper mids, smooth treble, and bass that is linear until about 40Hz where it starts to roll off. It's when you start to look at the quality of each of the parts that you truly begin to appreciate the way this thing sounds.
 
When I first listened to the Rockets, I was instantly transported to an experience I had a couple of years ago when I first heard the Stax SR-009. I was struck by the SR-009's incredible transparency. It was like getting Lasik eye surgery and realizing just how bad your vision was before. When I closed my eyes and sat back, I felt like the music came alive around me. Everything was so clean, so present , so alive. It was truly an experience. This is how the Rockets are, only on an IEM scale.
 
First, the Rockets are incredibly transparent. There's zero bloat. Zero glare. Just a drink a cool water on a summer day. The microdriver used here is among the quickest I've ever come across, which contributes to the cleanliness of the sound. This is an absolute treat when listening to the intricate melodies in genres like Hip Hop, Drum and Bass, EDM, and Metal.
 
The second most remarkable thing about the Rockets its imaging prowess. The combination of driver speed and transparency allows the listener to effortlessly pick out every sound cue in space with pin point accuracy. The effect is particularly stunning when listening to a track like Miles Davis' "So What?". Close your eyes, and you'll be transported to Columbia Studios and you'll be tempted to reach out and pluck the bass yourself. That's how tangible the images are.
 
Next is the Rockets' impeccable timbre. As an amateur musician myself, I'm kind of a sticker for my gear to represent instruments and vocals like they would in person. The Rockets excel at this, especially in the treble. Listening to "Hold On" by The Alabama Shakes, everything is how it should be, even the delicious thud of the kick drum.
 
 
Breaking down the individual frequency groups, we'll start with
 
 
Bass
 
The most surprising thing about the Rockets' bass in the sheer amount of impact its capable of, given the clean nature of the overall signature. I've never listened to a song and thought the Rockets could do with more bass. Not even with the infamous Whisper song from the Ying Yang Twins.
 
Otherwise, the bass is extremely clean and beautifully quick. Intricate hip hop beats are done full justice here. There are even rapid fire section to my favorite songs I was never able to pick up prior to the rockets. Sadly, the Rockets quickly start to lose energy below 40Hz. However, not a lot of music actually uses any information below this point. Unless you truly want a head banging experience, the Rockets will be more than enough on the low end. (A-)
 
Midrange
 
Wow. Just...wow. Hands down, best vocals I've heard from an IEM...and I've heard a lot. I'd write more, but the rest of the paragraph would just be a list of synonyms for the word Amazing. (A+++)
 
Treble
 
Weighty. Refined. A total lack of glare. Timbre is also fantastic here. Sometimes I wonder if a bit more sparkle would be welcome, but I can't see how they could have integrated it without throwing off the total balance. I personally like it as it is. Listening to "Crystals" from the new Of Monsters and Men album, cymbals are prominent in the second half of the track, and the Rockets convey them with the weighty metalic goodness I'd expect in real life. (A-)
 
 
 
 
I've procrastinated writing this for a while, partly because I haven't had time and also because I knew I wanted to make sure I fleshed out my thoughts well enough.
 
The Rockets are pretty amazing for my uses. It's not completely perfect, though. Physically, the cable is heavy enough to affect fit if you don't have a good enough seal. Also the soundstage, while having amazing imaging, isn't as tall as I'm used to coming from the custom-shaped universals like the ASG-2, UERM, etc. I'm not sure if there's anything they could do, as I've found that soundstage height is a quality of these custom shaped IEMs.
 
Still, the Rockets tick almost every single box. They're indestructible. They sound great. And you can get them for under $200. There's truly nothing else I could ask for. Plus, it's freed up a bunch of money for other wallet-burning hobbies.
 
The only thing problem is that the best phone I've heard looks kinda like an anal probe and is named "Rocket", not Project XKR437847. And it wasn't marketed to us audiophiles lol. Sigh.

 
 
 
 
 
 
The Ref 1 is the second major IEM release from Tralucent Audio. On first glance it appears to be the same hybrid design (dynamic driver + 2 balanced armatures working in unison) as their first offering, the 1plus2, but a quick listing of the features shows that to not be the case. Apart from relatively smaller tweaks, the major change in design comes from the replacement of the standard dynamic with an isobaric setup. A typical isobaric design consists of two drivers placed together in an enclosure. These drivers are positioned either front to front, back to front, or back to back within the larger enclosure.
 
 
 
 
 
When I heard this, I assumed it would make for interesting possibilities. I just didn't guess how different the sound would be.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Side Notes

• Yes, there is driver flex on insertion. It's bothersome while it happens, but it's something that is only of concern when you see it...like Tom Cruise's asymmetrical face.
• The cable pin/earpiece situation is still unresolved. I would not personally advise you to leave your Ref 1 hanging around your neck. You may look down to find your neck accessory to be $1600 less valuable. Yes, Gavin has suggested a glue solution, but I don't feel it's adequate for an item as  pricey as this. I know things take time, but a couple of tweaks to the housing and cable design could solve the problem.
• The driver flex belies the fact that this is still an open IEM. It has the isolation of a HD600 or HD800. Thes are not the IEMs you're looking for...if you want isolation.

 
 
 
 
 
The majority of critical listening will be done using the Fiio X5 connected to my computer as a DAC through to the Tralucent T1 as the amp via the X5's Line Out. The Ref 1 is equipped with the new straight connector Silver&Gold cable option, and I've dressed it with the Ortofon tips. This Ref 1 is a loaner set from a friend, so it has been run through its paces before it got to me. I'll assume it no longer needs to be broken in, even though I'm more or less agnostic about the whole burn in thing.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Test Tracks
 
 
Feist - Limit to your Love
Kendrick Lamar - Don't Kill My Vibe
Die Zauberflöte: II. Akt, 29. Auftritt. Duette Papageno, Weib: "Pa - Pa - Pa" (Rene Jacobs)
Silent Knight - Versailles
I listened to several more songs, but these had specific elements that I feels would test the Ref 1's capabilities.
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
There are two types of IEMs when it comes to sound. Those that immediately strike you with one or more tuning features, and those that sneak up on you with their technical prowess. The Ref 1 is definitely in the first group. 
 
The proverbial elephant in the room here is the bass. It is indeed elephant-like in size and weight. I was genuinely surprised by the quantity of the bass, and the sheer thickness of the sound.
 
I'm a huge fan of the 1plus2's bass. It's close to my golden ratio of mid-bass versus sub-bass. It's nimble. It's hard-hitting when necessary, but almost never obstructs anything. It's highly textured. It feels like pure unbridled teenage energy. The Ref 1's low end is almost none of these things. It's simply too much bass, IMO. I also feel like it loses a lot of texture in the process. As a result of the size there is also an issue with coloration in the lower mids, where the mid bass bleeds further up. To add some scale to things, the Ref 1 dwarfs the ASG-2.5 when it comes to bass quantity. The ASG-2.5 on the low bass settings is both tighter and lighter than the Ref 1 by quite a margin.
 
Up to the midrange, the Ref 1 manages to retain great presence despite the bass quantity. However, I notice something quite interesting about the upper mids. To my ears, the Ref 1 is highly boosted in the upper midrange, to the point where it introduces this strange tonality and some level of graininess. It is somewhat reminiscent of the very first version of the the    ASG-1. Just like boosted bass can warm the sound of an IEM, boosted upper mids can impart a radio-like tonality to the rest of the mids. This is the case with the Ref 1. It can be appealing in certain instances, but more often than not I find it off-putting, especially when going back and forth with an IEM that is not so boosted. I think it was tuned this way to balance out the quantity of the bass, but it appears to have had some side effects.
 
Treble wise, the Ref 1 is without fault. It is smooth, extended, and very life-like. Treble has never been an issue for the Tralucent family.
 
 
On to the positives 
 
The Ref 1 continues the Tralucent tradition of being extraordinarily spacious. It does not quite have the spatial prowess of the 1plus2 because of the sheer size of the bass, but it still is proficient in width and depth. Forward projection is not its strong suit though. 
 
The Ref 1 is also never short for detail. I can't use the superlatives like "hearing things I've never heard before" but details in the mids and highs certainly shine through.
 
 
 
 
 
All in all, I'm not sure what to think about the Ref 1. On some tracks, it's an experience. On others, it makes me raise my eyebrows and wonder what Gavin was thinking. Perhaps it was the result of the influence of the FitEar customs he has owned. It almost seems like the polar opposite of the 1plus2, which can be good or bad depending on your perspective. I'm among the people who thinks the 1plus2 only needed a few tweaks to flesh out the mids slightly. But I am only one data point in the scheme of things. As always, YMMV.

 
 
Noble Audio is the new brain child of John Molton, who is known around these parts as the Wizard. Formerly of Heir Audio, his CIEM designs are usually his calling card. However, his initial universal-fit 4.Ai and 3.Ai, and 5 designs saw a good deal of success. With his new company, he has revamped expanded the universal line to include the 6-driver iem that is the focus of this review.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The Noble 6 is a rather understated looking iem. It's a classy shade of black, with a logo that is maybe even more understated. The other iems in the universal line also follow this aesthetic design, with the exemption of the screw colors. The Noble 6 is distinguished by gold-plated screws.
 
Fit is straightforward, the same as his previous efforts with Heir Audio...comfortable. But the nozzles are larger than average, which may prove iffy for smaller ear canals. For instance, the Comply 500 series has to stretch a bit to fit.
 
As for accessories, the Noble 6 gives up nothing. Along with several different styles and sizes of tips, the package comes with two bands for holding daps/amps together, a wax cleaner, and car stickers (I think that's what they are), all packaged in a nice little otterbox-style case. A small carrying case would have been nice though.
 
 
 
 
A couple extra things:
 
1) The cable is simply the most supple and luxurious feeling I've seen on an iem. It has sufficient weight without being remotely heavy, and it's incredible supple and flexible. The only downside to this cable is that the plug doesn't fit into my freakin' phone case. Come on, people. It's 2014. WE HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY! 
 
 
2) The non-recessed connectors worry me somewhat. I just don't see myself laying on my side with the Noble 6. I think recessed connectors would have shielded the pins from potential damage.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Gear:
 
I tested the Noble 6 with a 6th gen iPod Classic , a Sansa Clip+, my desktop sabre DAC, and my iPhone 4, all out to a Tralucent T1. I ended up just using the headphone out of my iPhone 4, as it seemed to be the most linear.
 
 
Test Tracks:
 
Rivers and Roads - The Head and the Heart
 

 
 

Roots Rock Reggae - Bob Marley
 

 
 

Bronte - Gotye
 

 
 
 

Give Life Back to Music - Daft Punk
 

 
 

Dirty Paws - Of Monsters and Men
 
 

 
 

Stand By Me - Ben E. King
 
 

 
 
 

Blind Faith - Chase and Status
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The general sound signature of the Noble 6 isn't what I'd describe as neutral. The thing that struck me when I first listened to the Noble 6 was the sheer bass quantity. It's definitely the most emphasized part of the signature to my ears, and contributes to the overall sound of the iem.
 
I ran some tone sweeps, and if I were to draw a FR graph of the N6, it would start with boosted mid-bass, with sub-bass rolling off below 25 hz, leading up to an even lower midrange, followed by downsloping upper mids that are clearly quieter than surrounding frequencies. The highs pick up and extend past 16 kHz without issue.
 
In other words, the N6 is a warm sounding iem with boosted midbass/and upper bass, even lower mids, a relaxed upper midrange, and smooth, extended treble.
 
I'll start by saying the Noble 6 is a great iem, but I have to point out the negatives first...well, the negative (singular): the bass, the N6's achilles heel.
 
I'm not really a lover of bass-light iems, as I believe bass is as important as mid and higher frequencies. It gives rhythm to music and life. That said, the N6's bass presentation is a bit of a let down compared to the awe-inspiring mids and treble. I mentioned earlier that the mid-bass is the most present frequency. To put it in perspective, it has almost as much mid-bass as the Sennheiser IE800 has sub-bass. This can be somewhat exacerbated by the slightly intimate sound stage. For the quantity, it's reasonably tight. Still, it lacks the top tier control and texture that an iem in its range should have. Thanks to the bass quantity and relatively laid back midrange, I also don't find the N6 ideal for low volume listening (around 2-3 volume steps on the iphone). At those levels, The sound is a bit too warm and seemingly congested. I thought it was a power issue at first, but it persisted with the Tralucent T1 attached.
 
With that out of the way, we can discuss what makes the Noble 6 excellent.
 
I think my favorite part of the sound signature is the treble. It's not so much the amount of treble, but the sheer refinement that went into it. There's a lack of any sibilant peaks, cymbal crashes are never harsh, nor do any metal instruments have unnecessary bite.
 
Vocals are also truly wonderful. Voices are tactile, refined, and display the dynamic capabilities of the N6. I've owned and heard a number of iems that I'd consider great with vocals, and the Noble 6 places itself in that group. The IE800 is still king, but this isn't very far behind, and well in the company of the TG334, ASG-2, and Flat-4 when it comes to making voices sound ethereal. The downside is the laid back upper mids that can take away the extra oomph from some female vocalists. For instance, the N6 doesn't quite transmit the gravitas of Whitney Houston's higher notes. They've very much there and do not lack detail, but they're not as "sweet" as they could be (to steal tinyman's terminology).
 
As for sound staging and imaging, the Noble 6 is quite precise with where it places cues. There's no confusion as to what instrument is here. I did mention earlier that the soundstage is more intimate than I'm accustomed to, but it's not enough to call it overly small.
 
The last point I want to touch on is the Noble 6's sheer resolving power. It's very impressive. If it's there in the recording, the Noble 6 will show it. No, I didn't have any cliche moments where I heard things I've never heard before (the UERM took care of that for me), but I never once looked for a familiar detail in a song.
 
 
 
This is more or less my introduction to the Noble 6. I will be updating the post below with some comparisons to the Aurisonics ASG-2, the Earsonics S-EM6, and possibly the AKG K3003 in the next week or so, as I like to have a baseline when evaluating gear.
 
Thanks for reading!
 

 
 
 
 
A huge thanks to Dan (mrspeakers) for including me on the tour. I owned the Mad Dogs with alpha pads, so it's a great pleasure to get to hear this evolution of it.
 
The Alpha Dog is the world's first headphone with 3D printed cups. Even better, the inner workings and lattices of the cups were completely designed with sound quality in mind. Everything from the double-walled design to the lattice work is meant to optimize SQ while retaining isolation. Another benefit to going all in with the cup design is that Dan and his team were able to go into beast mode when finishing the outer aesthetics of the cups. My God, is this thing beautiful. The finish will have its own section in the review.
 
 
 
 
 
The Alpha Dog's packaging is what I'd describe as efficient. It ships in a black box that has a brief description of the contents. The headphones themselves are very well protected from any potential shock during transport. You'll get a manual, your choice of single ended or balanced cable (the headphones are wired so you can easily use either, if you decide to change your amp), a headphone stand (!), and a little black pouch.
 
Overall build is excellent. I don't notice any unstable parts or flaws in the construction. It does retain the stock T50RP headband, which I find to be more than adequate and very sturdy. You won't be breaking your Alpha Dog any time soon. The pictures below are of the tour pair. Of course, a brand new set will look much better/less beat up.
 
 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Why didn't I just include this part in the build quality section, you ask? Excellent question. 
 
 
The reports of the finish Alpha Dogs have been that it is among the best they have seen. Yet, when I looked at pictures owners posted, I was left slightly unimpressed...until I pulled the tour pair out of the box. Wow. 
 
So, I've spent the morning trying to capture what the Alpha Dog looks like in person. I don't even think I succeeded, but you'll get the gist of it .
 
 
The only other words I'll put here are Crisp Candy Apple.
 
 
 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Nothing like the Mad Dogs. 
 
No, really.
 
 
(Note: I'm not touching the bass port. I'm sure it would be a great feature, but I don't feel comfortable doing it on a loaner pair).
 
 
The overall character of the Alpha Dogs can be described as flat from end to end, with a spike here or there that can tilt it to the bright end for some. 
 
The bass is great, extending as low as Little Sinegen would let me go. I clearly heard and felt air movement at 10Hz, with visceral rumble kicking in at around 17Hz. What i noticed though is that it doesn't quite have the kind of  slam that some may want for the more energetic music. For instance, the more foot stomping parts of Mumford and Sons' Lover's Eyes lacked that live folk-y feel to it that I could get with my other phones.
 
I'd consider the midrange to be tilted towards the upper mids, in a accordance with a more Diffuse-Field response. There's plenty of bite and clarity in the region for things like female vocals and distortion rock guitars. The side effect of this though is that it doesn't sound as full in the lower mids. Combine this with the relatively little mid-bass and things can a little too sharp in the mids.
 
The treble is more or less flat from end to end. However, I do hear a "detail spike" up there that is especially evident on things like guitar strums. The treble isn't exactly something I'd describe as full either. IMO, cymbals can be a bit thin, without the note weight and flourish I usually associate with the instrument.
 
 
Plenty has been said about the soundstage, but here is my 2c. The actual dimensions of the soundscape are fine. What I do notice is a lack of "dimensionality" or the ability to convey a convincing sonic image. For instance, my HD600 could do it despite its relatively modest soundstage size. I also own/have heard IEMs that convey a more convincing soundstage and image, though they all range from $50 more than the Alpha Dog, to more than double the price (Aurisonics ASG-2, Sennheiser IE800, Tralucent 1plus2). Images just aren't as "palpable", despite being placed well in the stage. I also have the Etymotic ER4S here, and it manages out to eke out the AD in terms of a convincing stage. Of course, all this is just in my opinion.
 
 
EDIT: Ah, I figured out the word! "Black space" is what I was looking for. The AD doesn't quite have the black space, or ability to make images materialize out of the proverbial darkness.
 
 
I like to describe what I hear using specific songs, so 
 
 
Test Tracks
 
 
The Tallest Man On Earth - The Wild Hunt
Of Monsters and Men - Sloom
Erlkonig - Schubert
The Lumineers - Flapper Girl
The Lumineers -  Morning Song
Noisia -  Could This Be
Yellowcard - Ocean Avenue
Lorde -  Tennis Court
 
 
Setup: Lenovo Y580 -> U2 Asynchronous ESS9023 DAC -> Tralucent T1 amp (1W @ 8ohms).
 
 
 
I'm more or less listening and typing notes as I go in this section, so apologies for the incoherent thoughts.
 
Starting with The Wild Hunt, the clarity is excellent, and I hear no lack of detail. Though, due to the slightly thinner mids than I'm used to, the AD doesn't quite capture the rise and fall of the recording. The upper mids are also sharper than I'd like, part of which is due to the nature of his voice.
 
Sloom was again technically great, but this track, and album, is very much sound stage dependent. It's just not as convincing for more.
 
Erlkonig is an old sprechstimme, describing the misfortunes of a boy who was kidnapped/killed by the fairy king. The vocals and piano don't have the power and fullness I'm used to. I'm not used to hearing classical male vocals sound sharp instead of full.
 
Flapper Girl and Morning Song both sounded excellent with the AD. Likely due to the forward upper mids highlighting the emotion in his voice and crunch of the guitar in Morning Song. The snare snap is very good. The cymbals however are a slight let down.
 
Noisia's Could It Be...now that's what I'm talking about! The bass wakes up to play with awesome texture, speed, and authority in the sub-bass region. However, the mid-bass can't keep up with the sub-bass in terms of fullness. I can also hear the bright mastering of the track, and the AD does nothing to alleviate this.
 
On Ocean Avenue, the guitars have great bite, but not enough body (this seems to be a recurring theme ).
 
Lorde's Tennis Court, I've heard it rendered better. The relative lack of black space is truly distracting for me. My ASG-2 seems to dig the images out of Cthulu's dark lair to present them to you, whereas the AD just can't replicate this. The Tralucent 1plus2 also actually has larger soundstage dimensions than the AD, besting the HD600 (though not quite having the same depth).
 
 
 
 
The Alpha Dog is a technically great phone. Superb, even. It's just not something I'd use as my sole listening device, which is my main approach whenever I evaluate new gear. I'd actually see myself using as a mastering tool due to the nature of its sound signature, which I find slightly fatiguing. It should also be mentioned that this is not a light headphone. It's not as heavy as the HE-500, but it's no HD600 either.

*Disclaimer!: I've spent the last month with several top-tier headphones and iems, most of which are priced over $1,000. This review may come off as somewhat unenthusiastic as a result, but bear in mind that I think this is a fantastic product, and RHA has achieved a great price point with the SA950i. Let's begin...
 
 
 
The SA950i is an interesting proposition. Here we have a portable on ear headphone with the typical consumer-oriented sound signature, but it manages to give good to great SQ at a low-hanging fruit price. As with most consumer phones, bass is the most emphasized portion of the spectrum, but it never really sounds out of place when on the go. It has very solid impact without much bloat, and it extends low enough to deliver a nice visceral feel to that region. I detect a fair bit of bass bleed, which contributes to the overall warm sound signature.
 
The mids, while warm, retain excellent clarity. Guitar strums are clearly distinguishable, vocals have good weight and are always intelligible, and other midrange dependent instruments never quite feel lacking. Detail is nice as well for such a signature.
 
The treble is what you'd expect from such a signature...smooth, yet well enough extended and detailed. It's the perfect compliment to the mids and bass.
 
Overall I see the SA950 becoming my go-to phone for noisier environments and trips, thanks to the elevated bass. I really can't find any faults here...it's rich, refined, and possesses a large enough soundstage that never lets sound cues feel come off as if they're stepping on each other's toes.
 
One thing I notice about the 950 is that there a bit of reverb to the sound, maybe due to the housing. It's not particularly bothersome, but it's noticeable if you pay attention.
 
I'll be adding more to this review as I gain more experience with the phone.

                                          
 
                                          
 
 
 
I have to compliment Aurisonics on their tip selection. The material is of very good quality, and I doubt anyone will have trouble finding a pair that will seal. Another thing to note is that the otterbox cases no longer require divine intervention to open. I had to go on a 12 week weight lifting regimen in order to build up the strength to open and close the ASG-1 box without issue.
 
 
One MAJOR thing that should be mentioned is the slight revision in the shell of the iem that can make a work of a difference. Owners of the ASG-1 will remember this little bump...
 
 
Test tracks:
 
Rises in the East - Kayla scintilla
Hide and Seek - Imogen Heap
Circle of Life - The Lion King 
Toxicity - System of a Down
Flapper Girl - The Lumineers
Better Off Alone - Alice Deejay
Holland Road - Mumford and Sons
Oh Marcello - Regina Spektor
 
Sources: Clip+, iPhone 4, FPE desktop amp, and Sabre DAC.
 
The ASG-2 is (almost) exactly what I wanted from a ASG-1 upgrade. The major upgrade comes where it was needed most...the treble. Whereas the ASG-1.2 was overly dark, the ASG-2 improves on this significantly by simply boosting the treble levels to audible levels. As simple as this sounds, the improvement this brings has to be heard to be believed. The entire sound signature gets a facelift. Everything is more dynamic, mids are more life-like, and the bass becomes (even) more textured. Make no mistake though, this is still the Aurisonics house sound. The midrange is the star of the show here, and it's a damn good one too...more on that later. Luckily, Aurisonics didn't go overboard with the treble. While it is very present and rich, it's never glaring unless in an especially harsh recording. It is always there, but never obtrusive, and is the perfect compliment to the mids and bass.
 
Another significant difference from the ASG-1 is the bass emphasis. Whereas the ASG-1.2 was a sub-bass monster, the ASG-2 leans more toward mid-bass impact. With the bass port closed the low end is tight, very impactful, and exquisitely textured. It lends warmth to the sound without ever encroaching on the mids. However, the bass can take on a life of its own as you open the bass port. It can range from "In da club", all the way to "SOMEONE PLEASE, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, STOP THAT MADMAN!!" levels of impact and bloom. I personally keep the port closed so as to avoid waking that beast from its slumber. The mid-bass is almost too much for me, even with the port closed. I like bass, but I prefer it to remain below 60 hz as much as possible. It will definitely be too much for some.
 
The midrange is simply where it's at. It's forward, articulate, refined, and oh so resolving. It's the second best mid-range I've heard, snapping on the heels of the Sennheiser IE800, an iem twice the (base) ASG-2's price. It's actually more dynamic than the IE800, but lacks that air of effortlessness that the IE800's midrange gives off. However, I don't think performers will be looking for effortlessness when they're belting their lungs out on stage. One thing that amazes me about the mids is how they never seem to be obstructed, no matter how much the bass snarls. Vocals always dance above the mix. Vocal separation here is just amazing. I used Imogen Heap's Hide and Seek to test this. She sings the track in several different harmonies, which are then blended together. I could zero in on any particular harmony I wanted with the ASG-2, and the vocal timbre was spot-on. Same goes for Regina Spektor's voice.
 
 
Soundstage size is very much above average, and is only prevented from being "massive" by the forward vocals and upper bass. The imaging is simply spectacular though, and sound cues can be located anywhere in the sound field. Instrument separation is good throughout the range, but kicks into high gear in the midrange. It's not a hyper-realistic kind of sound, but there's no muddying of instruments here.
 
 
Quick story, I went to a seafood bar in my town on Friday after picking up the ASG-2. There were some live performers there, so I let the lead vocalist (coming from UE11 Pros) borrow my pair for a set or two. Just as the band struck up the first song, he stumbled over the first few words in the song with the most priceless look on his face. When he finally returned the ASG-2, he begged me for Aurisoncs' phone number. I just thought that was a testament to the sound that Dale has created.
 
 
 
 
Altogether, the ASG-2 is oh so nearly my ideal signature. I only wish the bass energy could be moved further down into the sub-bass. Not that it negatively affects the sound, but the impact is a bit more than my ideal. The impact is fine at lower volumes, but can be slightly problematic at higher volumes. Then again, this is coming from someone who prefers the GR07 MKII over the GR07 Bass Edition. As a sort of post script, I should also mention how great the ASG-2 is with classical music genres. Operas, Concertos, and Chamber Music all sound sublime. I've been getting more into classical the deeper I go in my didactic studies, and I'm finding the ASG-2 to be the perfect companion.
 
Thanks for reading.