The Part No One Reads

I’ve given up on reviewing and I was only really planning on posting impressions on Ronin, but it’s surpassed my expectations far too much to not post a full review.

Also any collaboration between Noble and Eletech has to be the culmination in design language and expression. Just opening the DHL cardboard box and seeing the intricate samurai-themed blue design is enough to get the blood flowing and quickly make you forget how much you’ve spent.

The design of the cable is marvelous, and Eletech has been so outrageously consistent that my brain has almost stopped appreciating their work and attention to detail. They’re simply flawless.

Noble knows their way around an IEM shell, and they’re basically the name that comes to mind where creative designs and aesthetics are concerned. Ronin is an IEM whose design is something I’d call “sleeper OP.” I unboxed it in the office like an animal, and quite liked it but didn’t think that much of it.

Bring it under some daylight however, and the blue lines give off this ethereal sparkle and really start to pop – I am pretty sure that they are meant to be the cuts of a Katana sword – the theme to me is “death by a thousand cuts” and boy does it work. As the successor to the Noble Katana, I envision that those cuts/battle scars have made Ronin who he is today (in a way acknowledging the role that the Katana had in shaping its successor). Maybe my imagination has spun off on one tangent too many, and really it’s just the product of @FullCircle binging Samurai Jack.






Sound

On sound, it’s been a while since I’ve used the Katana, but there are definite similarities between the two. The OG Katana was a mid-centric IEM, with somewhat suppressed bass and treble to let the midrange shine. The midrange really was excellent on the Katana, but it was the only real reason to buy that IEM.

Ronin is a much more complete experience. The midrange remains the star of the show, but this time it has treble that rivals the best, and a bass response that while supportive, is very enjoyable. If anything, Ronin is more in the general direction of the UM Mason FS, with some qualities of the Traillii (thankfully not the shell design).

I’d classify Ronin as a mildly warm, mostly neutral IEM with an extremely linear response.

There isn’t all that much to say about the bass. Fast, punchy, tactile, reaches reasonably low, with okay rumble and all-around quality. I’m generally not too fussed about bass as long as it isn’t as overpowering as the Xe6, and now as mid-bass absent as the Elysian X or Noble Ragnar. I also like BA bass and how fast it is, and I also really like how coherent it sounds with BA mids. Ronin does not try to be one of those “we’ve made a revolution in what BA bass sounds like [6 times an year]” and instead just focuses on what BAs do well, and I appreciate that. True to the technology if you will.

The midrange on Ronin is basically the best I’ve heard in its class. It has that emotion that everyone was drooling over in the Traillii, it has the speed that 64A got me hooked on so long ago, pitch black background that make you feel like you’re in the studio, and an extremely good balance between the lower and upper midrange. It isn’t frail and thin in the lower midrange, it isn’t overdone in the upper midrange, vocals are outrageous in how high quality they are, AND they are actually maintained at the level of the rest of the mix, so nothing is sticking out or overpowering the tracks.

The treble follows suit, and draws your attention to its quality rather than quantity. The Ragnar had what I’d consider excellent quality treble, with too much quantity for most. Ronin is not a bright IEM Imo, and most of the treble’s energy is in the higher registers so I don’t think it’s going to trigger any sensitivities. At the same time the treble is present enough to be interesting and pleasant to listen to and doesn’t act as a simple support to the midrange. The extension is spectacular, with some of that ethereal feel of estats. Again, it reminds me of the Traillii, but it also maintains better speed.

Technical ability is excellent. Dynamics are incredible and as a result detail retrieval is among the better/best I’ve heard in IEMs that aren’t stupid bright. Staging is large, and somewhat 2 dimensional. You mostly get width and some height, but not as much depth. I’ve always been a width rather than depth guy so I’m more than fine with that

Sources

The best IEMs don’t only scale up, they SCALE DOWN. And Ronin does just that. Sounds excellent off the WM1A M2 (a little warmer and darker), and it sounds remarkably just as good off the iPhone’s dongle. Most of Head-Fi won’t care about that I guess, but an IEM that doesn’t require having the DAP brick with you is just such a blessing. The Kr5 also does that, the Blanc’s DD on the other hand does requires something more substantial to drive it. Same goes for the Ragnar.

Brief Comparisons

• Kr5 – not too dissimilar. The Kr5 is a bit closer to a U or V shape to me, where the midrange is the connecting/supporting frequency, Ronin is more linear with the bass being the supporting frequency. They’re both in that small club of IEMs that are what I’d consider true neutral - without that upper midrange hump
• A12t and Traillii – Ronin is basically their lovechild. Emotion and midrange warmth of the Traillii with the speed of the A12t (doesn’t quite reach the warmth of the Traillii or the speed of the 12t, but it’s a great middle ground). Treble and staging lean more towards those of the Traillii
• UM Mason FuSang – Ronin is what the Mentor should’ve been Imo, with bigger bolder and better staging, less sucked out upper midrange, better extended treble while also maintaining that midrange magic.

Cables

I don’t own many cables anymore, I only really have access to the Iliad here, and the stock cable is a better fit. Iliad pushes it more towards a V, and I don’t think that’s the identity of Ronin

Conclusion

Eletech and Noble collaborated on an IEM. What else is there to talk about?

It fits me too well to say who it is and isn’t for I guess, but if I have to try and be brutally objective, if you’re looking for DD bass or something that resembles DD bass, it’s not for you. Also if you’re looking for that massive 2-3k bump, obviously not for you. Tbf if you are after that I’m the last guy you should be listening to anyways.

Ronin and his Katana:



Purchase link: https://shop.musicteck.com/collections/noble/products/noble-ronin

*Raz goes back into hibernation*

Long overdue, but as promised my N8II review!

As I've always done with DAPs, I will be reviewing sound and portability. I've run Tidal and SD cards on the N8II. I don't really use any of the fancy features and options, I buy the brick, put the tube hybrid option on, and get to listening. For convenience sake, the review will be split into sound and usability. Usability mainly concerns how convient it is to use at home and on the go, including battery life, charging and so on.

1. Sound

This is what has made the N8II obscenely popular Imo. Tube DAPs and amplifiers tend to include too much coloring for my preference. That isn't necessarily a bad thing, but I personally much prefer that the IEMs introduce the coloration, while the DAP simply enables them to perform at their best and adds a small touch of its own.

The N8II is exactly that. If you are buying it for the tube sound, and hope for a WARM "filter" for your IEMs, you might as well skip this one. Both the SP2000T and the OG N8 do that better. Or well, better isn't the word, since the N8II flat out refuses to do that, it isn't even competing for that sound

In terms of signature, I'd personally classify it as neutral-bright. It provides a small treble boost, as well as a tighter, and faster bass response, in a shape that I'd classify as a U or very mild V. Its speed and technical ability are the defining qualities, with a massive, deep and holographic staging, dynamics like no other and surgical separation.

The "tube" component, to me, is expressed in the dynamics and timber/texture. While the sound is anything but thick, the texture it provides is incredible. The bass and midrange are able to almost "tickle" your ears with how rounded and detailed they are, and the pitch-black background only helps them stand out more.

The beauty of what the N8II does Imo, is in that it gives you full freedom. The SP2000T for example takes a bright IEM, and forces it to be warm. It takes a warm IEM, and forces it to be even warmer. The N8II lets the IEM make the decision of whether it will be bright or warm - it simply makes it better.

I personally like more neutral signatures, so for the most part I take slightly warm IEMs, and pair them with the N8II to get back to neutral. The Kr5 and Xe6 both absolutely excelled with it, as did everything else I plugged into it, but those two really stood out.

2. Usability

My own rating of 4/5 of the N8II almost feels unfair to me considering I am yet to hear a DAP sound this good, but here is the justification for it - if you are looking to get something that is borderline portable, the N8II is an awful choice. I'm not looking to do extreme sports with the N8II by my side, but if a DAP drives me crazy while taking it for a simple walk, something's off.

The first and foremost problem is the plugs being on the bottom. I believe the justification for that is that people mostly use it on their desks - even then though, I don't see the point of the N8II having the plugs on the bottom. To me that feels like one of those really clunky laptops that put the 3.5 jack at the back and you have to get up and go on an exploration just to find where to plug it in. It feels even worse when you're digging through the depths of your pocket and you're trying to adjust the sound - more than a few people have thought I'm feeling myself up as I'm walking around.

The second that I wasn't a big fan of is the battery charging. Battery life is okay, around 9 hours would be a rough estimate without activating all the GIGA BOOSTS - just regular power mode aimed at driving easy IEMs. The charging however - it is just stupid slow. I've tried a variety of chargers and plugs I had at home, including my laptop's charger, but the fast charging seems to require some very specific ones. I didn't bother finding any on Amazon, I guess that's also my mistake.

WIthout fast charging it takes ages, I basically had to leave it overnight to charge it to full.

On a less resolvable issue, the heat. I guess that just comes with tubes, is the heat. It's basically unusable in summer outside. Trust me I tried and I'm pretty sure I burned my leg in the process.

Power is great, you can drive just about anything in it, including stuff like the Meze Elite. For obvious reasons, I haven't tried something like the 1266TC since that just nopes out of anything even remotely portable.

3. A comparison and a conclusion

I think one comparison is particularly relevant to the N8II - the LPGT. They are both similarly neutral, similar battery lives, but with the key differences being that the N8II pulls ahead on sound, and the LPGT pulls ahead a bit on convenience.

I'd personally classify the N8II as a direct upgrade on the LPGT, and a great middle ground between the tonality of the LPGT and the LPGT Ti.



All in all, I can't not recommend the N8II. It simply sounds too good to pass up if you're willing to spend the money. I'd only really note that you should consider it "transportable" much more so than actually portable. It isn't the most convenient brick out there.

Disclaimer: I purchased the Mason FuSang at a discount in exchange for my honest impressions. Unique Melody were also very kind to send me their Attila for the purposes of this review - While the FuSang as a whole was nowhere near a free sample, I'd personally consider these significant "incentives" on the part of MusicTeck and Unique Melody, so to correct for that bias I have done my best to outline everything I feel like would be a more negative aspect of the FuSang in order to remain objective and overcome any involuntary biases my interaction with them may have created.

When the Mason Fabled Sound first got announced I almost purchased it several times. It went in and out of my MusicTeck cart time and time again, but I managed to resist for long until the version for mere mortals got released at 1400$ less - the FuSang. I was actually extremely pleased, because I love the design (I'd say more so than the Fabled Sound even), and being the cable-rolling fanatic that I am, it was a no-brainer. 3 days later (thank you DHL I love you), the FuSang was delivered, and a few owners actually warned me of a certain "slow love" relationship they had with the Mason, where at first they weren't as impressed but slowly it grew on them.

That was all quite foreign to me, because the FuSang was one of those proper love on first sight (or listen) experiences for me, quite reminiscent of the Thummim and the Elysium before that.



1. Packaging, accessories and everything else that makes it into the drawer

The FuSang comes in a pretty decent, but basic box - basically the same as the MEST 2, with a very nice carry case (I actually use it all the time because I can shove any cable I want in there, a second cable if I am going to be rolling on that day, and the PAW S1. With the release of Apple Lossless, the little S1 has actually been seeing a lot of use but more on that later.

The eartips selection is lovely - UM silicone tips, Comply foam and Xelastecs (them sticky tips that end up sucking out every ounce of earwax). Oddly enough pretty much none of them worked for me and the Mason, and I ended up settling with the AET08 (medium) from Acoustune. I personally haven't found that the eartips make any massive difference when it comes to the FuSang's sound as long as you can shove it decently deep in your ears. Once the earpieces touch somewhere in the middle of your brain you know you've achieved a good fit - whatever gets you there

2. Build quality and cable

The FuSang has a very nice shell - I'm not a huge fan of acrylic as I've mentioned a lot of times, but UM have made up for that in the build quality, an original-enough design and their carbon fiber magic that's quite unmistakable. I like that at no point does the FuSang look generic, and is quite easily identifiable as UM-built IEM.

The stock cable... eeeeeeeeek. Very stiff, very uncomfortable. 8 wires tend to be a little softer in my experience but that really is not the case here. Maybe it becomes a little smoother with frequent usage, but I replaced it pretty much immediately.

3. Sound

Let's gooooo! This is the best part of pretty much every review - if I took the time to type up a full, complete review of an IEM it generally means I've really clicked with it, and the FuSang is no exception to that rule. I'd go as far as saying it is one of the heaviest honeymoons I've had ever, right up there with the Thummim and Elysium. I purchase and receive a ton of IEMs pretty much monthly, and all that money blown and lost is 100% worth it for those few IEMs I really, really enjoy. It had been a while since I've been obsessed with anything, great times <3

The Mason FuSang is to my ears, an interpretation of reference above all. It is a very neutral, very clean and linear IEM. There is no emphasis just about anywhere along the FR, with a certain "effortless" sensation. The midrange is where the FuSang shines, displaying an airiness that I have no seen performed by just about any IEM, at any price point, ever. I wouldn't put it down as a mid-centric IEM, but it is the part of the FR that demands the most attention.

As to how musical it is... I'd personally put it towards the colder end of the spectrum. It is absolutely not a thin-sounding IEM - quite the contrary, there's 0 lower midrange suck-out, but the overall sensation it gives me is towards an IEM that stays faithful to the voice of the performer as opposed to infusing it with a sense of "romance."

Lastly, as a general sentiment for the tuning intention of the Mason, I’d say it is an IEM that relies on technical ability above all for resolution – there are none of the typical upper midrange/lower treble boosts to give you a sense of an ultra-resolving monitor. It’s pure speed and dynamics IMHO.

The bass of the FuSang is very well balanced, with what I'd consider to be a very slight mid-bass emphasis. I really, really enjoy that, and after spending a bunch of time with the A18S, it's something that I've come to almost demand - while it takes away from some of the clarity, it gives you such good imaging in bass-heavy tracks - I am able to hear exactly where and when each punch happens, it completely dodges that "diffused" sound. Qualitatively, the bass is an unmistakable BA, that aims to sound like a great BA. Great speed and control with okay texture. It matches my preferences very well, but I personally wouldn't recommend it if you're after an especially organic, layered and textured bass response such as the one you'd get from dynamic drivers.

I always felt like both types of bass had their place, and the FuSang is no exception to that rule - the bass fits in perfectly with the rest of the FR both qualitatively and quantitatively. As I mentioned earlier, the FuSang is a reference, somewhat colder monitor, so a warm and "wet" bass just doesn't feel like it belongs. That was one of my main issues with the EE Odin, since I felt like there was a certain mismatch between the midrange/treble presentation and that of the bass

The midrange of the Mason is what IMHO helps it move from "high tier" into "hardcore TOTL." I already mentioned this is in my initial impressions of the Mason, but it manages to infuse vocals with an airiness and “dispersion” that I haven’t experienced in any IEM or headphone I’ve heard before. I’d attribute that effect to the bone conduction driver, since it is especially atypical for BAs – I can feel it to some extent in instruments as well, but due to the colder, tighter nature of the sound it’s especially prevalent and noticeable in vocals.

In terms of frequency balance, it’s what I’d consider to be linear, but I’ve heard it described as “upper mid scooped.” The lower midrange is reasonably forward, which creates a really good sense of texture to my ears, giving instruments and male vocals a lot of weight and presence. As someone who listens to the likes of Yelawolf and Mick Jenkins a lot I really appreciate that – I can’t really deal with thin or shouty male vocals.

The upper midrange is what I’d personally consider as neutral/natural. 0 enhancement or forwardness of any kind. I always found forward upper mids to be a bit of an artificial boost which does more harm than good, so the FuSang earned big points in my book for avoiding it while still being able to deliver stupid amount of detail. That being said, listening to FKA Twigs’ thousand eyes I am still blown away by just how extended, full and euphonic her voice is, while being infused with that “airiness” I mentioned a few times. Pure bliss

The treble of the FuSang is in my experience especially responsive to cables – it’s relatively rare that I’ve seen any wire make such a difference to the highs, but it’s kinda all over the place in this case. With the Eletech Aeneid and Iliad I’d say the tilt is more towards the upper registers, while the Attila shifts the peak lower down and results in a hint of a roll-off.

Other than that, it is a relatively linear treble presentation, with no harsh peaks or sibilance. I wouldn’t personally call it especially sparkly – it focuses more on raw speed, keeping up with especially busy tracks and performances. It is somewhat reminiscent of the A12t treble, with some more presence since the FuSang is a noticeably brighter monitor.

On technical ability, the FuSang impressed me heavily, but not in the way I expected it to. Dynamics are its strongest suit I’d say (once again reminding me of the A12t), paired with especially good instrumental separation resulting in incredible detail retrieval. I really liked the description “detail that you can hear when you pay attention” as opposed to “the monitor bringing your attention to the detail.” It is all there, it is just up to you to sort of pick it apart and listen for it. The A18S is the first IEM that I really noticed that in, and I absolutely loved it since it is the technical ability that is doing the heavy lifting in terms of detail instead of relying on upper mids and treble.

The staging on the FuSang is alright, but alright is the word here. Good depth, great height, mediocre width. I would personally enjoy a more stretched-out stage, but compared to how outstanding everything else is about it, this is a small complaint.



4. Pair-ups

I have a relatively limited number of sources I got the chance to try the FuSang with, so some of this will be done based on extrapolation. The sources I have at my disposal are the Lotoo PAW S1 (still best dongle from what I’ve heard), the PAW6000, and the McIntosh MHA150.

The Mason scales incredibly well, but to me it is not an IEM that “needs” a high-end source to sound great. The Thummim for example was not worth listening off the PAW S1, which created a certain level of inconvenience. I’ve spent countless days listening to it off the PAW S1 and my iPhone, and while the dynamics aren’t as outrageously good as they normally are, and some of that midrange “airiness” is lost, the majority of the magic is preserved.

The PAW6000 is what I’d consider to be “everything you really need” to hear the FuSang at its best. Excellent staging, no real loss in dynamics, great detail across the board and a mostly unaffected tonality except maybe a hint of added bass decay. I’d love to try it with an LPGT but I’m waiting for either a really good deal on that, or a new release from Lotoo. I’ve heard the FuSang sounds especially good off the Ti, but the price commitment on that is kinda eeeeeek .

The MHA150 takes the Mason to an outrageous level of performance, but honestly I’ve experienced the same with the Noir, the A18S and the Thummim as well. I’d say it’s more of a testament to the MHA150 and what it does to anything that’s plugged into it than it is to the IEM itself. Either way, the resulting sound is slightly brighter, slightly more forward and more revealing, but at all times preserves its smoothness and absence of all harshness. The staging expands a fair bit in all directions and detail becomes borderline overwhelming.

The Mason is especially responsive to cables in my experience, and I dare say it’s actually comparable to how much it reacts to sources.

I tried the Eletech Plato, the Eletech Iliad, the Aeneid and the UM/PW Attila with it. Of the four, I’d rank them as Aeneid > Iliad = Attila > Plato. The Aeneid just sounds outrageously good with the FuSang, almost like they were made for each other. A mostly unaffected frequency response save for a boost in the upper treble to give that sense of airiness to instruments as well, exceptional dynamics and detail as well as a small boost to the musicality, mostly as a result of the added GPS texture. Amazing pairing, and one that is pretty much on the FuSang 24/7



The Iliad and Attila are both cables I’d consider to be good “alternative” flavors, but ultimately both miss the mark for me in one way or another.

The Iliad adds too much decay to the bass, which in my head messes a little too much with the whole reference tonality and presentation of the FuSang. It pulls vocals a little further back, which I never really mind but it just doesn’t quite sound optimal either. The Iliad is a cable that I consider to be especially holographic, but lacking that width expansion of the Plato and the Aeneid, so in that respect it ends up being an overkill on the Mason too.

The Attila, as I mentioned in another post, is one of the most outrageously good pairings for the 64Audio A18S, but not as much the Mason. It adds a healthy boost to the subbass and lower treble, which once again throws off that neutral/natural balance of the Mason. It is quite a vivid sounding cable, so if you’re looking for an even blacker background and a more forward, engaging presentation it would be the best choice, but to me, the identity of the Mason is more laid-back. Dynamics are however off the charts on it.



The Plato is too flat for the Mason, shooting past reference and into “lackluster”

5. Conclusions

The FuSang is what I’d consider to be the lovechild of the Elysium and the A18S. I can feel the identity of both IEMs when listening to it, in many ways taking the best of both worlds. While the Elysium is too musical for my current preferences, and the A18S can push into that reference territory a little too much, the FuSang balances just between the two in the most optimal way I could think of.

An incredible IEM, with a big dose of that special sauce, making it one of the best (if not the best) sound I’ve heard from an IEM thus far.

Disclaimer: the EVO1 is technically speaking a review unit - EA contacted me and offered a chunky discount in exchange for an honest review. While the review is entirely honest, I have gone into additional detail and taken more/better photos in order to "compensate" EA.

I have pretty openly mixed (read: negative) feelings about some of EA's more recent releases. The whole Horus Octa, Horus X, Horus Mumbo Jumbo etc etc all feel a little... uninspired? Unoriginal? I've owned the Bespoke Leo/Cleo, the Cleo Octa, the Leo II, and I actually have an OG Leo here with me as well - I find all of these to be exceptional in their own way, and also what gives EA its name (in my ever so humble opinion)

The EVO1, to me, is a return to that fresh, original feel of EA's cables. It has all the components of a self-standing release that is able to speak for itself, in terms of build quality, design language and sound. Not only that, it is actually priced adequately and competitively, and especially in the right pairings you're getting pretty good value out of it.

The cable

I've always been of the belief that cables are in the general category of "audiophile accessories" - while I do personally hear differences between cables, the difference in sound alone do not justify their price tags, so I always expect an extremely high level of build quality, with some improvements on sound to back that up with. The EVO1 does very, very well in that respect, and to me, does great for the money

The packaging of the EVO1 is basic but pretty nice - you get the cable, as well as the swappable splitter modules - I actually really like the cable's splitter naked best. From a comfort/ergonomics perspective, I found that the little modules slide off a little too easily, so I end up concerned about them, and from an aesthetics PoV, I feel like the slimmer, cleaner look of the split gives the cable even better visual continuity

Photo for proof



I also really like what EA have done with the exposed wire - I think I've only seen DITA do it before on a cable, but having the split as a sort of "trophy case" looks slick

My version of the EVO1 has the ConX, but I mostly picked that because I find the ConX barrels are the nicest EA have offered so far. I currently don't have any MMCX IEMs that I'm using on the daily, so I haven't really hard a reason to give the other terminations a try



The wire itself is also very nice and supple - AFAIK black sheathing is naturally stiffer due to the pigment, but EA seem to have gone around that by going for a thicker wire which is plenty supple. No microphonics to report either. All around, very pleasant and hassle-free where use is concerned

So how does it sound

As I mentioned earlier, the differences I hear between cables are generally pretty subtle. In that sense, what I am describing is a slight "exaggeration" of the actual differences you might be experiencing. My A18S is currently with JH for scanning, so I've mostly done the listening based on the A12t, with some time spent with the Thummim as well.

The EVO1 is a very, very intense and fun sounding cable. It is definitely up there with the cables that have had the most pronounced coloration to my ears, slapping what I'd almost call a "filter" on the IEMs. It boost both the midrange and the bass, bringing things closer to you, giving them warmth, weight and texture. It has an extremely engaging presentation (I'd actually say too much so), and in some ways actually reminds me of the LP W2 and what that does to IEMs

On the technical front, it adds some detail as a result of the forwardness, but comes at the expense of staging perception (note I'm specifically mentioning perception) and separation. The A12t is what I'd personally consider "reference" for dynamics, and the EVO1 does not negatively impact them. The added bass and mids naturally squeeze the stage and make it come across as more intimate, and the additional texture and thickness costs the IEMs some texture

The trouble is, I currently don't really own any IEMs that I'd consider to be thinner and leaner - I can imagine the EVO1 would be an absolutely exceptional match for both the U/A18t as well as the Andromeda 2020 (both IEMs I hold in extremely high regard), since they have so much technical ability to spare, adding some engagement and excitement at the cost of some techical ability is actually a pretty good trade-off.

The verdict

Can I recommend the EVO1? At 398$ I can't really not recommend it - it is really good value, comes with quality hardware, a unique split, and a supple wire. I'd say however that I'd only actively recommend it in pretty specific pairings, or if you generally enjoy an intense, fun and forward signature. It's not my favourite cable in terms of sound, but it is one of the nicer cables I've received in terms of build quality.

Usual disclaimers: I purchased both the Diana V2 and the Diana Phi at full retail (didn't even manage to score a lousy 10% off this time -_-). No incentives were provided in exchange for a positive review but get your shilling umbrellas out as it is about to rain praise

Open back headphones preference disclaimer: My track record with headphones is a mixed one on a good day, and flat out terrible on an average one. I listen to very little live music, and don't have much of an affinity for actual live performances, so open back headphones end up being at a sort of natural disadvantage when I'm evaluating gear. I flat out dislike that "borderless" effect that open backs create as I find it prevents you from being able to get a good image of exactly where everything is happening.

With that out of the way - let's get started on the actual reviewing

Packaging, build quality, comfort and other useless information

In the case of the Diana series by Abyss you can get most of the negative points out of the way right off the bat by starting with the packaging. The headphones come in what's essentially a shoe box, and inside that you get a little bag, not too unlike the typical toiletries bag you get gifted for your birthday by those two friends you met once at a party a few weeks ago. It's not a bad bag, and it is very comfortable to carry them around in for when you need that 4000$ setup on your business trip, but I just can't help but feel like it is far too understated when discussing headphones that retail at 3500 and 4400 in the EU.

From that point forward however, what you get is well.... spectacular. For one the stock cable on the Diana series is easily the nicest stock headphone cable I've come across to date, being thin, ergonomic, supple and very aesthetically pleasing. The build quality of the headphones is also something to marvel at and I absolutely love the fibonacci spiral touch - my only complaint here would be how easily the pain chips - all of Abyss sports a certain industrial look, so those scratches end up looking almost appropriate to the headphone, but it's still something to consider.

On the topic of comfort, I've read quite a few complaints about how the Dianas sit on your head but I've actually had the opposite experience - I absolute love how lightweight they are and the very low clamping force feels amazing too. Coming from HPs like the Rosson Rad-0 and most recently the Verite C, I find the Dianas a whole lot more comfortable and ergonomic for long listening sessions. They sort of sit on your head as a headband more so than the "helmet-y" feel that other headphones give me.

It's also worth mentioning that these look way, way better in person than on any of the photos I've seen online.



Sooo.... how do they sound?

Where the general identity of both headphones is concerned, I find that they have quite a few similarities in their presentation and in just how unconventional they are for open back headphones. What won me over where both models are concerned is how pitch black the background is, how exaggerated the instrumental separation is, and just how precise the resulting perception of the imaging is.

1. Diana V2

The Diana V2 is for the most part a neutral/warm headphone, with a decent infusion of midrange warmth and a hint of a bass boost.

The bass has reasonable authority and presence, with excellent depth and a more supportive identity to the signature of the headphone as a whole. It's tight, precise and very fast throughout the entire spectrum. I could personally use just a little more decay for that satisfying oomph, but what the Diana lacks in decay it certainly makes up for in punch. The usual test here is something like Claptone's The First Time Free - the Diana is able to capture the beat drop decently well - it doesn't quite make you turn up the volume to 120 the way the 1266 does though.

As I shared in my initial impressions, the midrange of the Diana is absolutely stellar, and only potentially toppled by how good its treble is. It possesses just the right balance of forgiveness and detail, where it doesn't exaggerate any and every imperfection in a recording, but at the same time doesn't smear them. It has exceptional weight and texture, giving vocals and instruments alike an extremely satisfying presence and personality.

I'm an especially big fan of how linear the midrange tuning of the Diana V2 is - it is able to give emphasis and warmth to the midrange without boosting any specific area to oblivion.

The treble of the Diana is pure, uncensored quality. It is more contained and controlled than that of the Diana Phi, but possesses a similar sparkle. The main emphasis to my ears is in the upper treble registers, which hits my preferences to the dot - I'm not a big fan of lower treble peaks, but I do absolutely love a slightly overdone upper treble in order to give cymbals a little more emphasis and a little more of that "airy" feeling.

Where technical ability is concerned, the Diana V2 (and the Phi) are very unconventional within the headphone segment. The size of the soundstage of the V2 is a plain XS - there's no other way to put it. I would however take the smaller stage of the V2 with the extreme precision of vocal and instrumental placement and the absolute pitch black background over the regular "floaty" staging that most headphones offer - I'd say that's probably the #1 reason as to why the V2 was the first headphone that ever really worked for me.

Detail retrieval is very high without being exaggerated or brought to the absolute forefront, and the separation is world class - better than practically anything else I've heard.

2. Diana Phi

The Phi is the older and meaner sister in the Diana family. It sacrifices a little of that pleasantness and comfort of the V2 to deliver a more exciting and engaging performance - I personally really vibe with that, but as it will be covered a little later, would recommend with more caution.

I'd describe the tonality of the Diana Phi as a gentle W, with an emphasis on the upper treble region. It's essentially a Diana V2, with a DNA infusion from the 1266.

The bass on the Phi is the one clear upgrade as you move up in the Diana lineup - it is bigger, bolder, more impactful and a little slower. Going back to Claptone's The First Time Free, I'm really enjoying the low end as its own thing more so than as a support to the rest of the signature. It doesn't quite reach the absolute godmode bass of the 1266 Phi CC, but it takes a pretty solid step in that direction.

The midrange on the Diana Phi is, IMHO, not radically different from that of the V2 - I hear a similar warmth and forgiveness, with a very good balance between the lower and upper midrange. Nothing feels especially emphasized or brought forward, vocals enjoy really good body and warmth (not quite as much as they do on the Diana V2, but I'd say that's more of a difference in perception as a result of the upper treble of the Phi)

The highs of the Phi are fundamentally similar to those of the Diana in that there is a certain tilt in favor of the upper treble. As I mentioned earlier I'm a huge fan of that and it is the kind of enhancement to the engagement of the headphone that I absolutely love. The Phi "objectively" takes this just a little too far (not too unlike the 1266 actually), which really hits the sweet spot for me, but it might come across as a little unnatural or too airy.

Where technical ability is concerned, the Diana Phi takes a similar approach as the V2, but goes a little further in order to justify the difference in price tag. The background remains pitch black, instrumental separation is even more exaggerated, and the staging stretches a little further without losing the clear boundary and specificity that I discussed earlier.

Detail on the Diana Phi is brought slightly more forward as a result of its more present upper treble, and displays a little harshness in some very specific situations/recordings. Said harshness feels more as a biproduct of boosted engagement however, as opposed to artificially boosted detail (that's usually in the region of boosted lower treble).

Sources used during listening and what I found works best

Full list: Romi BX2, ifi Micro BL (+LPGT), LPGT, HeadAmp GSX Mini with RME ADI 2 DAC, Burson Conductor 3 Reference, Topping A90

For portable, the LPGT does alright on its own for a casual listening session but the bass gets left behind a little due to the insufficient power. The Romi BX2 (non-plus) is especially transparent and neutral, and delivers on absolutely amazing treble. I personally preferred the ifi Black Label however, as that provides a rather pleasant bass boost which does especially well with the Diana V2 and the Phi, while remaining very neutral and clean throughout the rest of the spectrum

Both my desktop setups (Conductor 3 Reference and GSX Mini) also add some warmth to the lows (coming from IEMs the low bass pressure of HPs is quite hard to adjust to), and I personally really enjoyed that with both Dianas. I briefly tried the Topping A90 but found it way too neutral and transparent for what are already decently neutral headphones as is - the low end didn't have the authority I needed.

All in all, I'd say a largely neutral source with a bass boost complements both signatures really well, and for the Phi you could even go with something a little darker if the upper treble bothers you - I personally am a sucker for upper treble, so it sits just right with me

Final Verdicts!

If you're a fellow IEM-crazed Head-Fier that's spent countless hours in stores looking for that one headphone that is able to deliver something similar in presentation to what the little devils do, maybe my experience is of some help - the Diana V2 and Phi are pretty much spot on what I've been looking for.

IEMs aside though -

The Diana V2 gets an easy recommendation from me. It is an exceptional headphone, with a tonality that manages to remain safe without being boring, and has the kind of technical prowess that is right up there with the very best, and in some aspects IMHO remains unmatched by anything but the Phi.

The Diana Phi's tonality works a little better for my preferences, and I'd still heavily recommend it but a little more cautiously due to 1) the price difference and 2) the upper treble - while I absolutely melt inside when I hear that kind of enhancement of the upper registers, I realise it might not work for everyone.

Overall, amazing work by Abyss - the Diana V2 really sent me down a dark road with their products - in under a month I've purchased a brand new V2, then a Phi and currently I'm discussing a custom colored 1266 TC with their design team... Lawd help me

Prelude and Disclaimers: I’ve purchased the Sultan at its 3100$ retail value. Noble were able to make some custom faceplates for me based on the blue pinecone Prestige Khan that was featured a while back but they said they’d only do that if I write a super positive review and pay them 200$ so everything below is a few thousand words of pure shilling

I’m joking, spare my life pls

I’m also kinda curious about what happens to Noble when they run out of different words for “King.” There’s only really so many, and with a new TOTL every 2 years or so you can see how we’re on a very limited timeline here. BUY NOBLE NOW THE COMPANY IS SLOWLY DISAPPEARING

Packaging, build quality, fit and 6 other ways you can meet the minimum word count for your dissertation

The Sultan comes in the new NANUK case, which is essentially like a chubby Pelican. I quite like it personally as I can put several IEMs in their cases in it and use it as a protective shell. Certainly pretty good value there as opposed to a more standard cardboard box that other companies opt for.

The stock cable is great, although I’m almost certain that the pins are out of spec. When I tried to reinsert it into the Sultan, I was met with greater resistance than the one that the Rebels put up in Star Wars, so I simply gave up. Been using it with the Eletech Plato and am soon going to be trying it out with a bunch of wires that @doctorjuggles is making for me

You also get a leather case and some other goodies, all in all a great assortment of accessories! The included tips are exclusively foam though, and I hate foam, so I went with some Acoustune tips of my own.

The build quality of the Sultan is superb – I really like that Noble decided to go back to the aluminum shells from the Katana/Encore era, but opted for the more ergonomic shape of the Khan. I’m really not a fan of acrylic universals once you surpass the 500$ price point (they just kinda feel cheap and lazy to me), and actually what tipped me over to blind purchase the Sultan was exactly that.

The fit… I mean this is realistically super individual and depends entirely on your ears, but I find it is quite comfortable – during some really long sessions it can get a little uncomfortable due to the “rails” on the inner part of the shell but my ears have been through worse (Sony IER Z1R I’m looking at you)



Sound – I imagine you’ve skipped all of the above (I don’t blame you I would too), so this is where the review begins!

Before we really get started here let’s address the elephant in the room – the treble extension. To me the Sultan is one of the airiest monitors I’ve tried to date. I have mad respect for the consistency and effort crinacle has put into this hobby, but I simply had a different experience here. I also ran some frequency sweeps and I can clearly hear the treble extension up to 17.5k or so (without pumping the volume up), which is also where my own natural limitation is.

Anyhow, with this out of the way, let us begin

The Sultan is what I’d call a gently W-shaped monitor. The bass sounds like a certain blend of a DD and a BA, where it has the punch and authority of a DD, but the shorter decay and speed of a BA. I love me some proper DD bass, but I really like that Noble decided to go with a low end that is more consistent with the midrange, and as a result achieved really good coherence across the spectrum.

The point about the Sultan that I find rather unique is that there is a certain “clash” between the instruments and vocals that results in a really pleasing presentation. The authoritative low end adds some warmth to instruments, giving them really good weight and texture, while the treble adds a sense of sparkle to them. The vocals, resting predominantly in the midrange, are a little thinner and clearer, so you end up with this really pleasant and euphonic mix of a more open and clear vocals, married to a warm and gooey instrumental performance.

In terms of forwardness I’d say they’re slightly more forward than the instruments, but nowhere near as dominant as they are on monitors with a properly elevated 2k region. I also find that they are quite linear, and male as well as female vocals sound quite tonally correct without any significant enhancements, which is a massive positive for me – full bias disclosure, I really dislike monitors with an overly forward upper midrange.

The treble of the Sultan has all the qualities I can really ask for – relatively flat lower treble which never sounds peaky, sibilant or generally painful, with very slow decay and insane extension and upper treble presence. This is further enhanced by the very dark background of the Sultan which gives the treble a lot of room to operate in. The treble of the Sultan does require a little source matching in my experience though, but a little later on that.

On the technical side, I think the most distinctive quality of the Sultan is how black the background is. That creates an outstanding sense of space and even though the soundstage size doesn’t quite match that of the Thummim, it ends up coming across a little like that. The Sultan is also decently detailed and very resolving. It has one some level followed into the footsteps of the Khan, which I also found to be very technical but who’s tonality was too weird even for me.



Source matching

I found that the Sultan is quite reliant on a source that balances it well. I had great results with the LPGT, and pretty good ones with the AK SR25, out of the AKA adapter. The Sultan is a little sensitive for the Hugo 2 so there’s noticeable hiss, but it tends to be drowned out by the music quite easily. The brighter tonality of the Hugo 2 does not make the Sultan sibilant at any moment and was overall a good match if you don’t mind the hiss. That being said, it kind of eats into the super dark soundstage I mentioned which is a bit… meh

It is important to state here that the AK SR25, paired with the DD HiFi adapter (the 2.5 to 4.4) one, made the Sultan very sibilant, bright and unpleasant, so I can definitely imagine there would be other poor pairings for it out there. Let me know if you’re interested in any specific ones for me to track down and update you on.

For any comparison requests please ping me in my thread (can be found in my sig), as there are simply too many to cover

Disclaimer: I purchased the MMR Thummim because it is brutally awesome and from the moment I heard it I knew I was ready to sell a kidney in order to make sure I never have to send it back.



Intro

To be fully honest, I've been postponing having to review the Thummim for a while now. It's going to be especially difficult for me to provide balanced feedback on the Thummim since it features my favourite imaging, midrange, treble and DD bass. If any IEM was ever built to be my endgame, nothing comes even close to the Thummim. I've owned it for a bit over a month now, and I've listened to other IEMs about twice in total.

MMR have created an absolute beast of an IEM, and the tech it features goes to show the dedication and effort that went into creating the Thummim. Other than the things you can read on the website, I'd say it features three elements that are especially cool - I don't know if and what sound difference they make, but if anything they provide a certain peace of mind that it features the absolute pinnacle of IEM tech

1. If you love cables as much as I do, rest assured that the Thummim delivers. The stock cable that is included is the Eletech Plato, a monocrystal silver cable with specially designed hardware for MMR. The grey material you see in the plug and split is the same titanium as the one that the shell is built out of. What I found even cooler is the internal wiring configuration however:

- For the DD (bass) driver MMR chose to use SPC internal wiring
- For the lower midrange the material of choice was gold plated copper
- For the upper midrange we have pure silver, and the same goes for the estats (the treble)

This will already be a trigger to those who get triggered by the whole cable industry, but I think it's awesome that MMR have decided to go into such extensive detail during the development of the IEMs.

2. The Thummim doesn't have the classic plastic tubes but instead has pathways 3D printed within the shell, making it a semi-tubeless design. That contributes to the absolutely insane staging that the Thummim creates that I found to be quite simply unmatched at any price point.

3. Pressure vent - frequent travellers rejoice! The barrel where the pins are inserted isn't perfectly sealed allowing for the pressure build up to be released through there. What's great is that the Thummim isolates noise to a very high degree, so I both don't find myself getting tired during the long listening sessions and I also don't need to turn up the volume to block ambient noise. I have to fly quite often and pressure vents are something I've come to appreciate.

Packaging, build and accessories

This is the section that won't be as glowing as the rest - the packaging isn't bad, but it's also somewhat understated considering the price point of the Thummim. The IEM that comes across as a sort of natural comparison is the VE Erlky, which comes in a big wooden box, with the option to swap faceplates etc etc. The Thummim arrives with a travel case and that's pretty much it.

It does make up for it with the cable that's included - the Eletech Plato, which is one of my favourite pure silver cables on the market currently, and it retails for 1000$ by itself. A chunk of the price of the Thummim is as a result of the Plato, and it is designed in a way that you wouldn't need to purchase an IEM, and then instantly upgrade the cable too (contrasted with say, the 64Audio Tia Fourte who's stock cable is barely usable)

Where the build of the IEMs is concerned I absolutely love them - they're moderately heavy, with a really sturdy feel to them. The finish is absolutely perfect, and they're anything but understated - it's a very bold and aggressive design. I've been receiving rather mixed feedback on that point, but ultimately it comes down to personal preference.

What I feel like should be stated here is that the 2pin system that MMR uses is comfortably the best I've experienced. They feature a "spring" mechanism, so the pins sort of snap in place. It makes them last much longer and they aren't prone to loosening as most other regular plastic sockets.

Whether or not you love the look, the cable or the build is up to you - what I feel like should be considered here is that MMR most certainly did not cheap out on any of the components. The price of the Thummim is rather brutal, but you know you'll be receiving a product that's been built with the finest components money can buy.

Sound

The sound on these will be especially difficult to describe, because they're simply unlike anything else I've heard to date. As I said right from the start they feature my favourite midrange and treble, as well as the largest soundstage I've experienced.

The sound signature of the Thummim would be best described as a forward W, where all frequencies feel a bit boosted, leading to a rather engaging signature. The Thummim also has a dip around 6k, which makes vocals sound really clean, free of all sibilance. It then peaks after 14k, giving it exceptional sense of air and space.

The Thummim's bass is anything but shy. It's a DD that's been tuned to sound like a DD. The subbass has clear emphasis when compared to the midbass, but they both feel decently elevated. It makes for a really fun experience, but I also think that the Thummim could quite comfortably function with a bit less lows - not because the bass becomes overwhelming, but because of how ridiculously good the midrange and treble is

Up until now the midrange on the Elysium was unmatched for me, and on some level, I still believe that the Elysium has a slightly better clarity at the expense of the texture that the Thummim has. The Thummim has the best texture I've heard from any piece of audio equipment - both vocals and instruments have a certain weight to them that makes them extremely organic and pleasant to listen to. It is quite linear throughout the midrange - to my ears there's no upper mid elevation that I found to be somewhat annoying when listening to the Homunculus.



Estats have received a somewhat mixed feedback, but I think that the technology is starting to show its potential. The Thummim's treble has some of the loveliest sparkle I've heard to date, coupled with really good control and extension. It is quite simply my favourite treble presentation out of anything and everything I've listened to. At no point does it get hot or overwhelming when listening to pop or EDM, but it is also not lacking presence or extension. I believe the dip around 6k goes a long way in achieving this balance.

Where technicalities are concerned, the Thummim is amongst the absolute best that I've heard. There's no other way to describe the soundstage except "unnaturally huge." I always found that to be a bit of an odd complaint though, similar to "oh my car is too fast." The only staging I can compare it to is that of the Tia Fourte or the A18s, but even then the 64 offerings fall short of the monstrosity that is the Thummim.

The Thummim also has really good resolution and instrumental separation. You can comfortably pick out a single instrument from any track, and it has its own dedicated space and presence. I've generally never been able to listen to monitors that I don't find to be technical enough for too long, no matter how engaging or fun the sound signature is. Thankfully the Thummim delivers and then some.

Pricing and comparison

I feel like this should be a point that should be discussed on its own, as 4500$ is no joke. There are rather few IEMs on the market that have gone this high without being laughed off the stage first.

The first point I think should be mentioned here is that this is a 3500$ IEM, with a 1000$ cable that comes with it, but you don't really get the option as to whether or not you want the cable upgrade.

The second point - and I do realise this might be just about the way I value performance and whatnot, but I do feel like the Thummim is a clear step-up from the rest of the IEMs that I've owned in the 3-4k bracket. It has both better bass and treble than the Elysium, with an arguably better midrange as well. The staging can't really be compared because the Thummim is simply in a category of its own.

It doesn't feature the sibilance or treble peaks of the Fourte, with more DD-like bass and IMHO, better instrumental separation too

The A18s is an IEM that I absolutely love, but other than the bass, it has nothing on the Thummim, and that's specifically if you like the classic BA bass timbre.

I could go on but I think you get the point - I do feel like, assuming that the current 3k monitors are accepted or justified, the Thummim pulls ahead and offers a meaningful upgrade over them and as such, a higher price tag makes sense.



Conclusion

The Thummim is a heavyweight IEM built by lunatics for lunatics. It can by no means be placed in the value segment, but if you are looking for that absolute highest level of performance coupled with an awesome stock cable, I don't think there's anything I can recommend as much

You don't have to believe what I've written, I think the best testament to the performance of the Thummim is the fact that ever since I've gotten it I've pretty much given up on listening to everything else I own... Might be a massive sale soon who knows

Happy listening boys and girls!

Disclaimer: The Homunculus was provided to me for a few days in order for me to publish a review, with the option to purchase. I will be sending it for MMR's EU tour (to be announced soon), and no incentive was provided for a favourable review. Considering I've had a somewhat limited time with it, the review will be more of a general overview than a fully detailed description.

The packaging of the Homunculus is rather unconventional but purely awesome. On the exterior there is a sort of ribcage, and when you open it up there is the case with a mechanical heart printed on top. Huuuuge nerdgasm moment, and quite possibly the coolest unpacking experience I've ever experienced in the audio industry. I liked the case so much that I pleaded Joseph to purchase it from him, and thankfully he agreed



The IEMs themselves are built really, really well, with a sort of "disc" design. The unboxing itself is extremely unconventional, and so is the shell design - some would love it, some would hate it, but either way it is undeniably unique and the raw build quality is exceptional, so that gets a 10/10 from me. They fit me really well, but for someone with smaller ears I can imagine them either being painful or having to go for a shallower insertion.

Not only that, the stock cable that is included is the Eletech Prudence (SPC), which I find further enhances the vocals, and is an excellent upgrade cable. I loved using it so much during my time with the Homunculus, the first thing I've be doing is order one to pair with my other IEMs.



Where sound is concerned, I'd normally approach this as a bass/midrange/treble, but I feel like in the case of the Homunculus the overall presentation and tuning are so specific, it only really makes sense to discuss them as one whole.

In terms of its FR, I found the Homunculus to have a warm bass presentation, a relatively flat lower midrange and elevated upper mids as well as lower treble. It extends very well but the emphasis remains in the lower treble I'd say.

The tuning of the Homunculus makes it sound really well with female vocals above all. The elevated upper midrange results in male vocals sounding quite off, and quite a lot of EDM and pop to sound quite hot, but if you're after an IEM that specifically performs female vocals, there are few that do it as brutally well as MMR's middle tier IEM. Objectively speaking, they do not offer a realistic presentation, but instead a beautifully exaggerated and enhanced one.

The Homunculus is also relatively technical. I found the soundstage to be neutral in terms of width - not the widest of the most narrow one, but would fall behind popular options such as the Solaris in that respect. It is worth mentioning that they opened up noticeably with burn-in. They retrieve a good amount of detail, and offer great separation.

Considering that everything up until now was rather positive, you might be wondering why I took a full star off the Homunculus' rating, and that is mostly because I believe that an IEM should be able to present any and every kind of music at least reasonably well, and have a few genres or categories where it is outstanding. The Homunculus completes the second requisite, but falls short where performing various types of music well is concerned.

Comparing the Homunculus to other IEMs is particularly difficult, because it would be a rather black and white discussion - most serious choices around that price point would heavily outperform it in genres where female vocals aren't the centrepiece, and wipe the floor with their competitors when female vocals are the focus of the performance.

All in all, my verdict on these should be pretty clear by now. Heavily recommended if you want something to listen to female vocals with, or mainly listen to female vocals anyhow. The Homunculus doesn't do great as an all-rounder, but ultimately it wasn't designed to be an all-rounder, but more of a niche pick

Great work by MMR, and I look forward to publishing the Thumimm review a couple of days from now!

In the interest of full disclosure, I paid full MSRP for the EVE20 + shipping, but VE did agree to sell me the 001 unit, which is reason enough for you to ignore everything below this line as it's obviously nothing more than paid promotion. If you decide to read on accept that everything I've written is pure and objective truth.



I'm not going to be doing too much of a product overview, as the EVE20 has been one of the more discussed IEMs on the market recently - long story short VE are releasing a new limited edition every year who's production will be limited to that year alone. I find it's a pretty cool concept if I may say so, and it certainly gives me something to look forward to. For the EVE20 they decided to do a 6 BA monitor, that shares a fair amount of DNA with the VE8

The build and shape of the EVE20 is lovely - it's a pretty standard acrylic, but it's very well finished, and fits me like a glove. I get perfect seal and it sits perfectly flush in my ears. I might even say that the EVE20 fits me better than most of my customs, but it might be a case of my ears being just right for the EVE20.



Where VE have absolutely outdone themselves is the packaging - it looks and feels absolutely awesome, and the carrying case is really solid - it will most certainly be getting a lot of use in the future. The cable is decent, a bit nicer than 64 cables for example

Where sound is concerned, the EVE20 is a rather pleasant and easy on the ears monitor - it shares a rather substantial portion of what the VE8 offers, and ultimately offers a pretty similar performance. All listening done on the LPGT.

The bass is spot on. It delivers a really good balance between speed and decay, able to both keep up with messy live rock performances and at the same time have the kind of decay that makes beat drops sound especially satisfying. It reaches rather deep as well, but I found that the EVE20 has a bit more of a midbass focus as opposed to the more modern subbass-oriented tuning. There's no bleed into the midrange or bloat of any kind - it's a bold, but at the same time controlled bass response

The midrange of the EVE20 is what I'd consider to be the star of the show. I'm a bit of a texture person myself - that's become one of my main obsessions as of late, and the plasticky timbre that most BA mids deliver simply don't do it for me anymore. The EVE20 is an awesome exception to that case, delivering a thick, forward and detailed performance. Vocals do especially well on it, as the treble presence and extension doesn't affect them as much. Instruments sound a bit blunted to me personally - that's my main quarrel with the EVE20. I am however used to rather bright and extremely resolving monitors so my perception there might be skewed.

This brings us to the treble - the EVE20 has a rather forward lower treble presentation which makes genres such as EDM or hip-hop/rap sound lovely, but I found the mid/upper treble to be somewhat recessed. It does technically have extension, but the lack of presence eats away from the resolution and gives instruments that "blunted" sound as I mentioned above. I don't think this is a necessarily a bad thing in the case of the EVE20, as I found the VE8 universal demo to be extremely sibilant (and so did a few others, including @Rockwell75) - I'm quite glad that the EVE20 didn't take that part of the VE8's tuning.

Where technicalities are concerned, the EVE20 doesn't dazzle, but it doesn't struggle either. It has a good amount of detail and instrumental separation. The soundstage has a somewhat neutral width, where I can't say it's outright narrow or wide - just regular all in all. As stated earlier it goes for a more "natural" presentation as opposed to a highly resolving one



My overall verdict on the EVE20 is somewhat mixed. It's what I'd consider a great sounding IEM, even though the natural tuning isn't one that I usually go for or identify with. In that sense, it gets my stamp of approval, but I would've liked to see something a bit more "out of the box" considering that the concept of the EVE is that VE give themselves full freedom to work with any kind of driver tech, tuning, shell materials and design.

To me personally this feels like a send-off to the VE8 more so than its own, self-standing model. I am certainly excited to see what VE come up with for next year's EVE though

The very first thing most people have asked me where the A18s is concerned is just how similar or different it is to the original A18t, and if it’s worth getting if you already have the A18t. I will structure the review as a bit of a comparison between the two as well as other 64 IEMs

I no longer own the A18t in order to be able to compare the two side by side, but I’ve spent countless hours with the A18t and by this point it’s burned into my brain quite conclusively. This comparison is somewhat off memory, but it also has a pretty solid foundation

The way I see it, the A18s and A18t might just be the two most different 64 IEMs – I’ve owned the Fourte, the Fourte Noir, the U18t, the A18t and an N8 demo, and I’ve also spent some time with the U12t, and I’m quite certain when I say the 18t and 18s have one thing, and one thing alone in common – the insane level of technicalities that has given the A18t its name.

Both the A18t and the A18s are extremely detailed and with top-notch instrumental separation. The soundstage stretches far and wide, and in both cases is slightly two dimensional, placing you in the crowd as opposed to the middle of the show. Most 64 IEMs I’ve tried that, and I personally prefer it to more intimate settings like that of the Elysium. I’d say the A18s has somewhat better dynamics than the A18t, but when you play at a level this absurdly high, I couldn’t really say there’s a definitive winner – both of them make for reference material

Where they differ is in just about everything else. The identity of the A18s is radically different from that of the A18t in that it offers much more excitement at the expense of some of that “ultimate reference” that the A18t serves as. I’ve never been a fan of the term “an IEM that sounds big” but there’s such grandeur in the performance of the A18s I can’t completely stay away from it either. In many ways I can see more of the Fourte/Fourte Noir identity here, as they are also able to present the music more like what you would expect out of a full-sized speaker. Where they differ is that the A18s has more of that reference identity, and doesn’t feature all the weird dips and peaks that the Fourte comes with.

Covering the specific frequency regions is especially complicated with the A18s because of how absurdly responsive it is to sources. The LID that it features did an awesome job of filtering out unwanted noise (for example from the Hugo 2 – I detected no hiss whereas I notice a fair bit with the Tia Fourte), but doesn’t seem to be negating the sound signature of the different sources that I tried it with.

Now I know I’ve been one of the most vocal opponents of the LID tech, but 64 have conclusively persuaded me of its benefits. It’s an awesome piece of tech to have in your IEMs, and yes Michael 0 – 1 Everyone.

Off Sony WM1Z’s 4.4 we're talking about Legend X levels of bass. It doesn’t have that same texture, but in every other way it sounds more like a DD than half the DDs on the market. It makes for an extremely fun listen, but I personally found it somewhat excessive, and instead opted for the 3.5 SE, which is much flatter. That gave it a fair bit of extra clarity and allowed the midrange and treble to shine.

Where the mids are concerned, I found the A18t to be somewhat thin sounding. The A18s gives vocals and instruments much more warmth and weight, with a sort of thickness that approaches that of the VE8 but doesn’t quite go as far. The bass when running it off Sony’s SE, as well as the Hugo 2, the RME ADI2 DAC and the LGPT is fairly above neutral, with excellent speed and a rather pleasing, somewhat slower decay. It isn’t as slow as the Z1R, but where BAs are concerned there are very few that can match it, and none that I’ve heard personally. If you opt for a warmer source however prepare to be blown away by the sheer quantity and impact of the lows – in many ways it reminded me to that of the N8 demo unit.

The treble of the A18s is a bit more consistent across different sources. It is insanely extended, with amazing control and a wonderful sense of sparkle that 64’s Tia is famous for. It doesn’t have the peaks of the Fourte, and at no point did it even come close to my treble tolerance limits, but it is extremely satisfying treble. I’m not sure if I prefer it to that of the IER Z1R. In terms of raw performance, the IER Z1R does have the upper hand in my opinion, but the A18s might be slightly higher on how enjoyable it is. In terms of quantity, I’d place it between that of the A18t and the A12t.

Of all the sources I tried it with, I’d say I like the 1Z’s Single Ended connection best. The player is known for its warm, textured and holographic presentation and that was able to take the A18s to the next level. It performed really well off the LGPT and the Hugo 2 as well, but I’d say the Sony was able to take it one level further, but only off its SE – the 4.4 was way too warm for my liking, but if you’re a basshead that needs that ultimate level of technicalities, it might be a good idea to get that setup.

The A18s of course features two modules – the M15 and M20. I tried both for a while, but ultimately stayed with the M15. It allowed the midrange and treble to have some more presence in comparison to the bass, but I’d say what led my decision was the fact that the soundstage felt quite a bit wider with the M15 module installed, approaching widths I’ve only really seen in the Tia Fourte.

Where cables are concerned I personally can’t spot any differences. Where it’s the stock cable, the PW1960s or the Eletech Iliad, the A18s maintains a rather consistent performance, only really reacting to which source it’s plugged into

I went back to the cable rolling topic with some new top secret cables and they can indeed make a pretty notable difference with the A18s - the Eletech Iliad for example enhanced the amount of detail substantially while giving the lows some more bass decay. I'll come back and add some more cable pairing here when I'm allowed to discuss them as they're currently in prototype stage



The biggest mistake that 64 have made where the A18s is concerned is calling it the A18 Stage. I get that it would be awesome for stage use, but it is a huge understatement, and for a long time it made me not consider it as a potential purchase – it felt like an A18t + LID. 64 have created an IEM that is bold, exciting and extremely technical - it deserves a name and place of its own in their lineup. It is also by far my absolute favourite thing 64 have created. Where I could see clear downsides in their other models, the A18s feels like one of the few things out there that I listen to and doesn’t leave me looking for more.

Happy listening folks and stay safe!

The IER Z1R has become one of those community staples and doesn't need much of an introduction or tech specs for that matter. What I will mention here however is something that I had misunderstood myself for a while - the Z1R's DD actually performs the lows and mids, while the BA covers the upper midrange and lower treble. The second DD covers the ultra highs, and the technical specification goes up to 100kHz.

You might find 100kHz extension useless but the Z1R doubles down as an excellent portable device for your pet bat if you happen to have one.

Disclaimer 1: do not eat your pet bat, we've all read the news and it's a really, really bad idea
Disclaimer 2: the Z1R is not a free unit, but I did get it at a fat discount because I have badass buddies that shan't be named

Anyhow, let's get to the IEMs and my experience with them. The packaging has been praised quite extensively already, and I can only echo that sentiment. It genuinely makes you feel special for having purchased them and it's not the first time I've mentioned that I think that this should be pretty standard when you're paying over a grand for a set of IEMs, but regardless - it's one of the best I've seen and that deserves a thumbs up. You also get a huge variety of tips, which I found to be very comfortable and have since used them on a few other IEMs as well

Build quality is excellent - they are heavy, shiny, perfect sockets that allow for some movement of the connectors, couldn't ask for any better. They feel amazing in your hand, but many have reported to have fit issues due to the sheer size and weight. The first few days were a struggle as they kinda raped my ears but no pain no gain you know how it is - once they've broken in and stretched out your ear they feel and fit great. Definitely be patient though as it's a somewhat slow and painful process.



You also get two cables included with your IER Z1R, and those deserve another special mention - not only does the cable perform extremely well in terms of sound, but they are some of the most comfortable wires I've ever used, and pretty much the only stock cable I've genuinely enjoyed keeping instead of instantly replacing with something else. I also tried some aftermarket cables, but I didn't notice much of a difference and was quite happy to stay stock. You also get the cable in a 3.5 and 4.4mm configuration so you always have a spare which is even better. Awesome work by Sony and I'd quite like to see more companies deliver IEMs with actually great and unique cables.



Before we get to the sound, it is crucial to mention that the Z1R needs quite a lot of power to be operational/listenable. Initially I only heard it on the AK SR15 and it sounded heavily mediocre, but swapping to a source like the AK SP1000M and the WM1Z gets you a midrange - underpower it and you only really have lows and lower highs.

The tuning of the IER Z1R isn't something that's especially crazy or original - I personally think it is a testament to "better do the simple stuff well than the complicated stuff poorly." It takes a relatively standard V shape FR and performs it to an extremely high standard, dare I say one of the best I've heard.

Starting with the bass, you get a fair bit of quantity (it's no Legend X, but it's certainly up there), but I'd say the defining and unique characteristic here is just how slow the decay is. I don't really have the words to describe it, but you can hear it long after the slam has taken place which makes for an extremely satisfying listen. Furthermore, the bass is very well separated from the midrange so you don't end up having any bleed. The bass could comfortably be the star of the show if it wasn't for the mind-boggling treble that the Z1R produces.

As to the treble (I will cover the midrange last as that's a bit more complicated here), it is very forward in terms of both presentation and quantity - many have found and will find it too harsh for them to tolerate, but if you're a self-proclaimed treble-head like myself, stop reading this, and go buy a Z1R - you'll thank me later. It is insanely, brutally detailed - I guess after Sony managed to implement that miraculous DD treble driver it only made sense to also pump up the quantity on it and draw some attention to it. That does create some issues, mainly in modern pop music that has a lot of treble spikes that are meant to be suppressed by lossy files and poor gear. It also has the occasional weird interaction with vocals but I will be covering that next

The Z1R's midrange has officially proven that less in quantity doesn't have to mean less in quality. The texture is better than just about any BA mids I've heard, detail is exceptional, and they are clearly audible and distinguishable regardless of their less forward tuning. It is a midrange that I can comfortably enjoy as its own thing instead of having to overlook it in order to give the bass and treble more attention.

Where I found an issue personally is in higher register vocals - I think the treble driver overdoes it there and it can make them sound somewhat thin and harsh - it's not a dealbreaker, but I've heard better. I am not sure personally if there is any way for Sony to avoid having that while maintaining the treble as it is. I am personally happy making this trade-off, but that isn't to say everyone will be.

As far as technicalities are concerned, Sony have achieved pure peak performance - width, depth, detail, resolution, texture.... there's nothing I can ask for more of - they were able to meet and surpass my expectations quite comfortably. The texture is something that I am especially picky about, and that's where the Z1R really shines, in both the lows, mids and highs - they kinda go to show what's wrong with pure BA configs

I can't not recommend these... They sound far too good and in the week or two that I've owned them I haven't touched anything else in the collection. It is yet to be seen how long the love affair will last, but regardless, they're nothing short of exceptional



Disclaimer 3: 4.5/5 because of fit, weight, high register vocal harshness. They're proper godmode though, don't let that stop you.

I will try to keep this review rather brief, as I mostly want to discuss the purchase process, build quality, packaging and how technical the IEMs are

The reason for that is that the FR has actually been custom tailored to my preferences specifically, as opposed to an off-the-shelf tuning Plunge applies to the Unity 5 ES. My specification was for a very forward midrange (and to some extent treble too), with tons of texture, detail, separation and a special extra for female vocals. Anyhow, before we get back to how that was done, let's start at the beginning

I contacted Plunge several weeks ago, as I had been looking at the stuff they publish on IG and FB and I've always found their IEMs to be gorgeous. Not only that, they offer a special 3D flex shell, which promises a much higher degree of protection in case of drops, and oddly enough, feels much more comfortable than regular acrylic. My Unity 5 is one of the most precise, tight fits I have ever had, but I don't get any discomfort whatsoever. They sit extremely naturally in my ears and for the most part I can forget that they were even there in the first place. Pretty awesome I know!

Regarding my communication with Simon, he's been extremely warm, kind and even personal I'd say. It's one of these cases that make me really love the audio industry, where you can go purchase a product and leave having made another pen pal. I'd heavily recommend you to speak to him even if you aren't ready to take the Plunge (ha ha), he makes for an awesome talk. Sometimes takes a bit long to respond, but once you tell him what you're looking for he will become rather obsessive about making it happen (and text you in the middle of the night )

Once we got the preferences straight, Simon was able to pull the IEMs off in about a week (though I did pay express), and they were shipped to me rather quickly. I received them about 7 business days after Simon received my STL files. Honestly can't complain about any part of the process, everything was perfect

Receiving my Plunge Unity 5ES must be the one thing I was most excited to receive... Ever. A rather unknown Canadian manufacturer promising a completely custom experience? Hell yeah where do I sign up

Unboxing them was great - a rather functional packaging - you get a leather case, a small Pelican, some stickers, cleaning cloths - everything you need and more on top of that. The IEMs are built insanely well. The shells are unlike any I've seen before (already covered the fit), and the raw wood finish both looks and feels amazing. The artwork that was printed on top makes it all the better, genuinely love it. Can't say a single negative thing here, honestly

You also receive a really nice 8 wire cable with them, extremely soft and flexible. I've since repurposed it and am using it with another set of IEMs, but it still deserves a mention. It is actually almost identical to the one the Elysium comes with, but that one will set you back twice as much



Now, the sound. I first ran the tracks I sent to Simon, as he used them in order to tune the CIEMs to sound especially good with those. Amongst them was PJ Harvey, Bree Tanner, K.Flay and some other female vocalists that I listen to rather often, and the Plunge Unity 5 ES sounds exceptional with those.

The tuning I requested was essentially flat bass, extreme midrange detail and texture and heavenly female vocals. The upper mids have a noticeable lift, while the lower midrange sits a bit more neutrally. The estats in the upper mids have done an exceptional job, quite a bit better than most BAs I've heard even. They have that euphonic extension and presence. If you have a soft spot for female vocals it gets a heavy recommendation from me. The treble is just as good I'd say, while the bass feels more like the supporting frequency, further enhancing the midrange.

I do somewhat regret not having let Simon have full control of the tuning, because my FR preferences don't work very well with just about any genre (as well as quite a few genres that I listen to), while the technicalities of the IEM are on an extremely high level, competing with stuff at double their price point and often having the upper hand. To be completely honest, the tonal balance is quite off, but that was exactly what I requested, and owning the 5ES as more of a niche pick has worked great for me

The soundstage is amongst the widest I have ever seen (thanks to the OCTAV tech), the separation is incredible and the detail retrieval is certainly up there. Honestly it might sound like I am overhyping the Unity 5, but I can't explain just how impressive they are in that respect - it sometimes sounds unnatural even, you'd never get that kind of audio on any sort of live performance. I am personally a bit of a person for technicalities, so this gets as many thumbs up as it can from me.



I took rather long to post this review, and it was mostly because I was wondering whether I can really recommend my Unity 5 ES or not. On one hand, if you're looking for something to specifically make female vocals sound better than you have ever heard them, then yes, most definitely go and buy one right now. Tell Simon you want Michael's Unity 5ES

That receives a very cautious recommendation from me, as it really works well in very specific situations

What I can wholeheartedly recommend, is that you speak to Simon at Plunge, and let him know what you're looking for. I can guarantee he will take care of you to the best of his ability - I for one am most certainly happy to have contacted him regarding that Unity 5!

The Acoustune 1695TI is a model that I didn’t know existed until well, a couple of days ago. I had gone to my local audio store to demo some stuff, most of which I was pretty heavily disappointed by, so I decided to extend my suffering a bit further and go back to Acoustune. I had previously heard the 1670SS, which I thought was mediocre at the very best and regardless of my almost inexistent treble tolerance limit, I still found it’s treble reproduction to be rather thin, sharp and generally terrible. I figured why not, what’s one more poor IEM for the day

Well, as it turned out, not only was I pleasantly surprised by just how good the 1695TI is, I instantly bought it as I found it to be one of the most impressive products the audio industry has to offer. I am here to convince you that this is not only one of the best options at 1000ish USD, but at any price point (also why it swiftly landed in Tier 1 on my very own ranking list). Anyhow, enough hype, let’s get to my 100% objective review that speaks pure fact because it’s been posted on the internet

Disclaimer: the 1695TI was purchased with my own funds, with a 50-euro discount because I’m the dream customer of any audio store and they want me to continue blowing salary after salary on their stuff

I haven’t purchased the 1695TI directly from Acoustune, so I can’t really comment on how the experience would be with them, but the packaging and presentation are certainly on point, You get two great cases, one is more pocket friendly, while the other would be more appropriate for home storage as pictured below. There’s also a nice assortment of tips and other accessories. Honestly, I love all the stuff that come with the 1695TI, but I also think this should be pretty standard once you enter the 500++ price range. Unfortunately I can’t show you what they look like just yet as I have the dealer’s unit and not my own..

The cable deserves special attention here, as it’s pretty much the only sub-2000$ IEM that I’ve ever purchased and not gotten the urge to change the cable within 15 minutes of use. It’s nice, thick and golden. Ngl, I love the bling. Wouldn’t call it stiff or supple, it’s somewhere in the middle but it certainly feels great to use. No microphonics to be reported.

This part might be more of a personal sentiment, but Pentaconn Ear Connector? Seriously Acoustune? I mean, it’s nice that it isn’t entirely proprietary, but I still harbor a certain resentment for anything that isn’t the standard 2pin and MMCX, since I am a bit of a cable rolling lunatic. I’ve spoken to Eletech about it and they’ll likely be able to procure it, but still. If the whole industry doesn’t make a unanimous push to a new connector, I’d rather they just stick to the basics

Anyhow, the IEMs look…. Shiny? I can’t say I love or hate the look, it’s a bit too golden but the build quality is rather great, I can’t really complain. It is slowly growing on me, but a different color wouldn’t have been a terrible idea either. I find the shape of the IEMs fit me really well but sealed rather poorly. So far I’ve had best result with the SpinFit double flanges, one size larger than what I normally use.



To recap because you’ve probably only looked at the photos as I do when reading reviews:

- Awesome packaging and accessories

- Awesome cable

- Awesome build quality and decent looks

- Stop with the new connectors

- Good fit, poor seal

The good news is, it gets even better once you get to how these sound, but before that a bit more about me

I guess you could say I’m a bit of an elitist when it comes to sound, because price to performance is something that’s never been of particular interest of me. Yeah, I get the VE Monks sound great for 5$, but also give me back my VE Elysium. I’ve never really judged gear based on how much it costs, but rather how it sounds completely irrespective of whether my children will be able to go to university or not. In essence, I’m judging these the way I’d judge anything at any price point….
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And they are spectacular. I’ve never considered multi-driver setups to be inherently incoherent, but the Acoustune 1695TI can certainly make them feel like they are. The single DD makes for a consistent and extremely coherent presentation, ranging from the lowest bass to the highest treble. The frequencies just feel like they belong together. What’s even better about the 1695TI is that Acoustune have been able to squeeze out an impressive level of technicality out of that oh-so-lonely driver, so it comfortably competes with much more complex configurations but has the clear upper hand when it comes to the overall presentation.



In terms of FR, I wouldn’t say any frequency has had a significant boost, but it does have that intensity (not unlike the FiR M5) with a few specific tweaks. It also has a certain vocal orientation, where female vocals sound heavenly, while male vocals that operate in the lower midrange have incredible body and weight. The vocals do take center stage, but don’t completely overshadow the rest of the performance, so that gets the thumbs up for me. They sound rather realistic in terms of what you’d experience in reality

The bass is phenomenal on the 1695TI. Far from excessive, but with excellent slam and decay. There’s a noticeable subbass lift too, which has managed to maintain that quality and I love it. I’m far from a basshead, and almost no other IEM’s bass has managed to get my attention, while the Acoustune have done a remarkable job. I’d say the fact that a DD executes the midrange is what’s making me enjoy the bass, as BA mids are quite inherently inferior to a well-tuned DD. BAs can get the detail right, but the texture isn’t even close (except for maybe the VE8). Anyways, the combination of DD lows and BA mids has always felt odd to me, as you get this deep, wonderful, textured bass and then a comparatively overlooked midrange – yikes, no thanks. Either way, I love the Acoustune’s lows.

The midrange on the 1695TI is great but is highly dependent on what kind of seal you get. When I don’t get it just right the upper mids become rather excessive and overpower the rest of the frequencies, resulting in a very bright and fatiguing presentation. Anyways, once you find the right tips for you, the midrange is extremely textured and yet not overly heavy and thick. It maintains a great balance between all frequencies that I don’t think I have experienced just about anywhere else so far. It’s a neutrally positioned midrange, with an extremely high level of intangibles and sheer quality.

I think a better testament to how the 1695TI does mids is the fact that I really enjoy them, as that’s the frequency I’m definitely most critical of. Consider my comments and criticism as somewhat amplified by my pickiness.

The treble follows suit and is relatively neutral, sparkly and detailed. The dynamic driver is able to handle peaks and older recording very well, maintaining excellent clarity regardless of what’s going on. Can’t say anything bad about the treble’s extension either, cymbals sound great, gets the thumbs up from me. It maintains the presentation of the bass and midrange, where you don’t have a sheer boost in quantity, but the execution is of the highest quality. As a mid/treble head, I can say I absolutely love both

I’m thrilled to report that Acoustune have done an excellent job with both the FR and the technicalities. The 1695TI is fast as mentioned already (handles complexity well), with a very wide soundstage, great resolution and decent detail. Honestly, if the midrange was able to deliver just a little more detail, I’d appreciate that, as both the bass and treble perform at the highest standard in that respect. Once again though, this is me being especially picky with the mids.

Where they definitely lack is in soundstage depth. To me personally that is irrelevant for music, as a soundstage that has good height and width is more than sufficient, but I know some people would have an issue with that. You don’t get to hear stuff behind you and in random places around your head, take that as you will. It is once again, very wide and in my book that’s more than good enough (I prefer width to depth).

So far I've listened to them on the Chord Hugo2, the SP1000M and RME ADI2 DAC. I liked them best on the Hugo2 and RME, as the AK took the upper mids a bit too far and somewhat threw the balance off. I'd say a neutral and highly analytical source would work best with these, but this part is up to you to test and see how you enjoy best! I wouldn't say they're too pretentious when it comes to pairings however, like say the Elysium

As this has gone on for far too long already, let’s conclude. I can’t help but give it a heavy recommendation, regardless of whether you’re looking for something around the 1000, 2000 or 3000$ mark. Ultimately though, the 1695TI passed my weekend test – where for 3 days I lock away all my other gear and spend 3 days with that IEM alone. It’s currently day 3 and I’d say I just can’t get enough. To offer some comparison, by day 3 I couldn’t wait to swap my Fusion for something else, same goes for my Katana and my now sold Khan. The 1695TI is a remarkable piece of engineering, well done Acoustune!

The Katana is an IEM that's been around for some time now, and by this point any regular review is a bit of an overkill given the sheer quantity of articles that have already been written on it

That is why I am taking a completely different angle on it, and in a way I'm reviewing an entirely different product - a universal Noble Katana, that has been sent to ItsFit for a re-shell into a custom.

Before we get started, a few disclaimers:

1. The Katana that I'm reviewing might not have the original Noble Katana sound - given my ear shape, ItsFit have had to change some of the internal tubes (I have really narrow ear canals). Not only that, the ItsFit Katana might have a different depth of insertion in comparison to the Noble Katana, as well as a number of other small differences that can add up to a completely different experience

2. By sending the Katana to ItsFit to be re-shelled, you're voiding the warranty, and agreeing that Noble no longer has anything to do with the IEM. Even if some part of the IEM is defective from the very start, the moment a third party opens it up, that's your warranty gone.

With that out of the way, let us get started

First and foremost - who are ItsFit? They are a Vietnamese company that has recently joined the IEM game (you might know them for their Fusion), and have taken Head-Fi by a storm. I have spent countless hours chatting about audio with their owner, Nguyen, and my purchase experience with them has been nothing short of outstanding.

I tend to have a really hard time picking designs, so the concept was changed multiple times since the re-shell discussion began. ItsFit were extremely accommodating and helpful throughout the process. There was an issue when I sent my Katana to Vietnam, but Nguyen was able to get it through customs successfully, a big thank you for which.

I paid for all the options available pretty much - heritage design and rush order. Pretty glad that I did that since my Katana was done in under 5 days as of arrival, and returned to me in a little under a week.

For the design, I picked their heritage "magma" option, in dark purple transparent shells and a white pattern. Here are some of the images that Nguyen sent me:







Now, I'm no stranger to a good custom design, as I've spent countless hours with VE, 64Audio, Empire and ItsFit to get them looks just right, but I have to admit, this is by far the finest custom artwork I have ever seen on an IEM.

Fast forward 2 days, and DHL delivered my brand new ItsFit Katana, and the design was just as stunning in person as it was on those photos ItsFit sent me.







The build quality is nothing short of excellent. I haven't owned Noble customs, but ItsFit have been able to surpass the Noble universals in one specific area - the sockets. Truth be told, it's not too difficult to have better sockets than Noble, but that's a story for another time (Noble doesn't guarantee that cables that aren't made by Noble will fit in their sockets).

If you are of those cable rolling lunatics like myself, I cannot recommend the ItsFit re-shell enough. Their sockets are comfortably among the finest I've ever used. Every single cable I own fits in there like it was built for the IEM, pure audiophile cable-rolling bliss.

The rest of the built is on point, it feels solid and premium - fit is perfect, no complaints to be had. Design, as covered already, is jaw-dropping.

To try and get back to the essence of this hobby, it's time to cover the sound, and how the re-shell has affected it. It is definitely worth mentioning that I never did manage to achieve a good seal with the universal Katana, so the net result was that it sounded quite rolled off on both ends, only really able to perform the midrange well. Technicalities were mediocre at best, but now that I've tried it as a custom, I can say that that was attributable to seal above all else.

The first thing that struck me was how beautiful and spectacular the treble is. It is clean, very present and forward, but also with that sparkle that sets apart bad from good treble. It can be a bit much for some, but given the sheer quality, I would not want it to be any less. It reminds me of some ways of the Khan's treble (in terms of quantity), but the Khan's dryness really killed my enjoyment when listening to it. The custom Katana feels like a straight up upgrade.

The midrange I'd say has remained the same - that midrange that the Katana is famous for. A mini Elysium of sorts, wonderful detail, focus and elegance. Subbass has noticeably improved, but that I can't say is due to anything other than the seal, and midbass has remained the same - light and complementary to the rest of the sound signature.

The improvement in technicalities is similar to the improvement in treble. Much wider soundstage, much more detail, much better texture. More of everything, and not just more, but also much better. This is an effect I have observed quite consistently when going from universal to custom though (due to ear anatomy I suppose), so I can't really credit ItsFit for that, but rather the depth of insertion and seal above all else.

On the topic of pairings, I personally like the Katana with pure silver cables. It adds some clarity, treble quantity and sparkle that I appreciate in almost every piece of gear that I own. Might be more specific to my preferences though, as opposed to being the fully optimal cable pairing. A pure copper cable might be a good idea to add some warmth if you happen to find it too bright.

Would I recommend the re-shell? Cautiously.

The Katana went from one of my least listened to IEMs, to one of my most used ones. I absolutely love what ItsFit have done with it, and could not be happier that I took the risk.

The reason why it isn't getting a glowing recommendation from me is the fact that you are voiding the warranty, and possibly altering the true nature of the IEM. If you are fine with that however, I don't see why not take the plunge. Would heavily recommend getting a cheap used Katana for example, and sending it in for a re-shell.

Thank you ItsFit!

As there's tons of reviews of the A18t out and about, I will keep this brief as more of a contribution than a full review



2019 has been a pretty crazy year for audio. So much new tech, drivers, configuration, hybrids, tribrids and whatnot. Madness galore.

To answer the question in the title quickly - yes, the A18t absolutely stands its ground years after its release and remains one of the most competitive monitors on the high end market. There's a couple of features that in my opinion give it a certain legendary status, that would make it relevant now, in 5 or 50 years:

1. The BA IEM that ended the BA driver count war. I know more drivers doesn't equal better sound, but how brutally cool is it that an IEM has 18 drivers per side?! It's even better than in this case, more drivers does get you better sound though



2. Detail retrieval. Almost no other IEM I have tried is able to deliver that much detail. The A18t will give you every single note and nuance of a recording. While that may not be an absolute requirement for an enjoyable listen, it will most certainly make sure that you never get tired or bored of it. No matter how long you've had it, it will continue to impress you listen after listen

3. Scalability and responsiveness. The A18t's sound signature and technicality is extremely responsive to cable and source rolling - as source and cable tech keeps improving, so will your A18t. Makes for an extremely exciting product to own, and any time you might get tired of it, you can simply change something in the setup and it will be as good as new. Not only that, but the APEX modules further enhance that experience, giving you even more possibilities to adapt the sound to your moods or preferences.



5. APEX pressure venting. That's something I didn't appreciate until I was on a place and my earphones didn't make my eardrums feel like they're blowing up. Also gets you a completely fatigue-free listening, which is most certainly a blessing.

6. 64Audio - you're buying from one of the most consistent and reputable companies out there. You're sure to receive the support you need at any and every step in the future



7. Stellar performer, capable of acing anything you throw at it - the A18t has no pronounced weakness, or any specific genre that it can't perform on point. It is sometimes too revealing of any recording flaws, but that isn't its fault - blame the artist.

I'm going to keep this review rather brief, because the Fusion has already been covered pretty extensively

Note: The rating I've given the Fusion has taken its price point into account, while the sound judgements are done with the same scrutiny as any IEM, whether it costs 100 or 10,000$.

First and foremost, I can't stress enough just how good the service is. ItsFit have absolutely nailed it, and they most certainly know how to build a brand name. Any questions I had were answered in minutes, instant and lightning quick responses at various times of the day and night. Had a long and pleasant conversation with Nguyen, and it was a delight speaking to him about his product. He assisted me plenty with the design choices, as we discussed several options before settling for white shells with a golden paw print of my doggo. Again, absolutely amazing service, could not ask for better or even dream of it

The packaging has been covered already - you get a little box, with a case and your IEMs inside. Nothing much to be covered here, personally I was pleased with how simple and clean it was.

I opted for the rush order on mine, costing me 200$, but it really was lightning quick - ItsFit received my impressions on Wednesday, the IEMs were shipped out on Saturday, of the same week. Couldn't believe it myself haha.

The build quality on these is absolutely perfect. The colours look stunning, they fit very well - mostly a comfortable fit as opposed to a really tight one, with decently deep insertion. What really deserves attention are the sockets - all my cables fit absolutely perfectly in there, not too tight or loose, just snap into place like they were meant for each other. Almost no other IEM I've owned, including from companies like VE or 64Audio (customs), not to speak of Noble and their sockets, is able to match ItsFit. If you have experience with the universal 64 line, it's something like that - pure excellence







On how they sound - definitely give these some time to burn in, the treble tends to be really spiky and weird until the magnetostatic driver starts functioning properly.

Once they do however, you're in for a treat. Amazing bass - tight and precise, with excellent subbass quantity (possibly somewhat elevated). The treble is the other aspect that really shines, and the mangetostatic driver really makes the magic happen. It is both forward and somewhat elevated, but with excellent sparkle and quality - not a hint of dryness. I've only heard that driver in Noble's M3 before, but the Fusion benefits from a much, much better implementation.

The midrange is the supporting frequency region for the bass and the treble - it is definitely not recessed (can't even say it's a U shape, even less a V), but it feels like more of a connection than a self standing, ready to wow you midrange. It lacks texture and some detail, which is the only real weakness of the IEM. I don't think that's a mistake per se, but it's there to really let the treble and the bass get some additional attention. Given my preferences, and extreme midrange pickiness, there's a good chance these observations are somewhat inflated, and in reality it's pretty decent on its own

The imaging is insane on these - the kind of imaging you'd get on a 3000$ pair of IEMs - pure TOTL material. The soundstage is pretty wide, and very deep. Couldn't really expect any better. The clarity also stands out, as they've been tuned to deliver exceptional clarity. Detail retrieval in the bass and the treble is great, acceptable in the midrange. The Fusion does sometimes struggle with muddier/more complicated tracks, mainly really old rock or jazz recordings, where you have tons of stuff going on at all times. The instrumental separation is normally great, but can get somewhat "overloaded" in such cases.

In terms of pairings, I find the Fusion to be pretty responsive to cable rolling and source swapping. My current favourite is the ALO Audio Pure Silver (reterminated to 2pin) and the RME ADI 2 DAC. Paired with the SP1000M the treble becomes a tad excessive (even for me). I also tried the Fusion with the Silver + Gold from Plussound, but the pairing was far from ideal - I'd recommend a pure silver cable, as that is where the soundstage width is optimal and the clarity boosted even further

Please once again note that my criticisms and evaluations have not taken the price level into account in any way or form, but are rather the same evaluation criteria I'd apply to the 64Audio Noir or VE Erlkonig.

If you're looking for a balanced presentation, with excellent clarity, imaging, bass and treble, I would heavily recommend the Fusion. Its built by some truly wonderful people that have made it an absolute pleasure to purchase from them, and I will most surely be returning in the future - or well, I already have, as they're working on a reshell of my Noble Katana

Introducing Plussound to the audiophile and cable community is a bit redundant by this point, as they've become one of the community staples for quality, consistency and straight up awesomeness.

What is really unique about Plussound is the level and kind of customization they offer. You get to initially pick a configuration of the cable, such as the number of wires or a kinnd of shielding that will be used. There's a massive variety, some geared towards portability, some towards longeviy and endurance and of course there's also the traditional 8 wire option for maximum performance.

The cable that instantly got my attention was the poetic series. I am a sucker for cable aesthetics, ranging from interesting colours to cool splits to quality hardware. Plussound was able to offer it all, and I was instantly hooked. I couldn't pick one colour combination so I ended up going for 2 cables. Both of them weren't in the menu so to say, but Plussound agreed to do them for me, a big shoutout for which.

I went for the Silver + Gold combination as I was told that's an excellent choice for some added treble sparkle and smoothness. It is also one of the cables with a higher degree of sound coloration, and I felt pretty experimental so I decided to order both in that configuration.

A few weeks later they arrived, in their respective boxes. A microfiber cloth was included, which was pretty nice because I haven't seen many other cable manufacturers offer that. All in all, simple but effective packaging.




The first thing you will notice when unboxing the cables is the quality of the build - both hardware and braiding. It is honestly exceptional, to the point where my grandmother has asked me if Plussound offers bracelets, and airport security asked me if they are jewelry (no joke). The pins also fit my IEMs absolutely perfectly, to the point where plugging them in feels like pure satisfaction. The 3.5mm jack snaps into my AK SP1000M with ease and feels at home. As I said, exceptional.

Moving on to the sound, this is an extremely interesting cable to listen to, as it is one that provides intense coloration to the sound, and in certain pairings, can make your IEM sound nothing like you are used to. The consistent effect that I can notice is added sparkle to the treble, with additional smoothness and musicality across the whole spectrum, at the expense of some detail retrieval and instrumental separation. It is definitely not a congested sound, but it does add some glow to the instruments and vocals, which makes them blend in a bit more. Soundstage depth and width is mostly unaffected.

Regarding the specific pairings:

64Audio Fourte Noir:
One of my favourite IEMs for the Plussound Silver+Gold, as it really brings out the treble and adds some sparkle to it. The Noir most certainly isn't lacking in the highs, but they can be a tad dry at times, which is no longer the case once the Poetic Series is introduced in the equation. The additional musicality makes the already speaker-like presentation of the Noir become even more life-like. Bass becomes a bit tighter, which is an appreciated change, while the midrange becomes even more present, intense and natural to listen to.


64Audio U18t:
The first thing you will notice is that any sibilance that might have been present with other cables is instantly gone, and replace with that golden sparkle. The reduced detail retrieval and the instrumental glow do work against the U18t's strengths however, as it makes the presentation a bit smoother, and less of the absolute reference that the U18t is. I personally prefer using my 18t with more analytical cables that are able to double down on its clarity, detail retrieval and highest degree of instrumental separation

VE Elysium:
Little effect on the overall sound. Maybe a little additional sparkle at best. The Elysium already has the sound profile that the Plussound is trying to bring out in it, and personally I can't really feel that the cable can really be appreciated in that pairing. For the Elysium, I prefer pure silver cables that are able to double down on its clarity and add some soundstage width and instrumental separation. The good news is that the detail retrieval doesn't suffer and remains on point.

Noble Khan:
A match made in heaven. Honestly, if you are an owner and fan of the Noble Khan I could not recommend this cable enough. It takes the Khan's very present and somewhat dry highs, and transforms it into a beautiful, delicate and elegant highs. There is an observable upper midrange bump as well, which makes female vocals sound like absolute bliss. Soundstage width remains on point as well, and so does the depth. The subbass gets a bit of a boost also - all in all, it takes the Khan, an already good IEM, and makes it a masterpiece

However, and this is a big however, the Khan has really weird sockets that made my Poetic series cable (which fits everywhere else beautifully), barely be able to stay in there. Ended up selling my Khan because any other cable pariing felt underwhelming.

Conclusion
The great thing about Plussound and the Poetic Series is that you can pick any material to suit your preference or desired sound signature. If you're after sparkle and smoothness, the SIlver + Gold option is an especially good choice, and if you have the Noble Khan, it might be the best choice out there - just be careful about the sockets.

Additionally, the build quality and materials invested in the material are of the highest order, and I am yet to see better. EA is the only other company that I've come across that is able to deliver such consistency. Plussound however has a very unique customization offering that can't be ignored.

Labkable is a pretty well known Hong Kong brand that specializes in boutique aftermarket cables, ranging from a few hundred dollars all the way up to a few thousand. They are quite easily recognizable by interesting colour combinations they employ for their cables. Not only that, they are also quite highly regarded in the community for the performance benefits they provide when hooked up to a pair of IEMs.

I was able to have a look at their entire lineup when I was in London for the Canjam, but at that point I didn't have a pair of IEMs who's sound I knew well, so cable rolling was a bit redundant. Mostly I marvelled at the lovely colours they came in and appreciated their build quality. I look forward to future opportunities to try them out more extensively

The Labkable Violet is somewhat special to me, as it was my first venture in the (relatively) high end IEM cable market, and I was not dissapointed. It got me interested in the cable topic, as it was the first time I heard a cable that audibly changed the sound signature of my IEMs and I was instantly hooked

Regarding the build, Labkable have something they call the WeaveTech cable structure, with a pending design, which is their own take on cable insulation. I went for the 3.5mm plug (as I am not a fan of balanced connections), and a 2pin connector on the other end. They were both of excellent quality, and so was the Y-split. None were proprietary, or specifically designed for Labkable, but as long as the quality is on point, I don't mind especially. I had some initial discomforts with the pins, so I had Forza Audioworks reterminate it, and I haven't had any issues since. That wasn't a build issue though.

Now, on the cable insulation. The positive aspect is that the cable is much thinner and lighter than for example, an Effect Audio Cable, which has a thicker, more solid insulation. On the other hand, the material is extremely prone to stiffening, and it was somewhat stiff from the very start. If you hold it at one end it isn't going to fall perfectly straight, but rather in a bit of a wave pattern. Over time and additional use that has only become worse, as it has been stiffening further. Is that a major issue that has made using it uncomfortable? No, but it is also not very pleasant. I am glad to report there haven't been any issues with the microphonics as a result though.

The good news is that once you've gotten over any build issues and start listening to your IEMs with your new Violet Labkable, chances are you will be very pleasantly surprised. I have tested it with the Noble Katana, the 64 Noir, the VE Elysium and 64 Audio's A18t.

The Labkable Violet is a cable that will make your IEMs sound more natural, more effortless and generally smoother. Not only that, if you are after some extra sparkle to your treble, it has been able to consistently provide that with every IEM I paired it with. The instrumental separation could be somewhat better, and you can really notice that when listening to the Katana or the A18t, where it simply struggles to provide them with the level of performance they require. On the other hand, soundstage depth is excellent, and detail retrieval is on point.

I found that it pairs best with IEMs that already have that smoothness built into them, namely the 64 Noir and the VE Elysium. It doubles down on how natural they both sound, and enhances their treble with that extra bit of sparkle you might be looking for. With the Noir it gave it a bit too much of a bass boost for my liking, but for anyone who likes their IEMs a little warmer I'm sure it'll be a blessing. When paired with the Elysium it managed to balance it's sound signature very well, giving the bass some more presence and depth. The midrange and the treble remained as godly as ever, while the soundstage felt slightly wider. I am currently awaiting some TOTL cables to pair with my Elysium, but I will most certainly be coming back to the Violet frequently, as it makes for a very fun, natural and pleasant listen

I would say that the Labkable Violet is an excellent companion for smooth and natural sounding IEMs, capable of enhancing their detail retrieval and low end, while also giving the treble some more sparkle. The midrange remains mostly unaffected, but the technicality that the Violet brings to the table also makes it more enjoyable.

It is however held back by the insulation material Labkable have chosen to use, as it brings down the experience of using and owning it a notch. I am sure that if they manage to resolve those issues it would get much more attention and praise.

A cable that I feel like would be a good complement or point of comparison is Plussound's Silver + Gold Poetic series. It tends to provide a similar sense of smoothness, with more emphasis on the highs as opposed to the lows. In terms of technical performance, they compare quite similarly, where the Plussound provides better instrumental separation, but noticeably worse detail retrieval. If you seek to enhance the clarity and highs of an IEM, go for the Plussound. If you would like something a bit more natural, fun and easy, I'd say the Violet is an excellent choice.

Overall, would cautiously recommend due to cable insulation material

Disclaimer: this review is for the item I have by far the most positive bias towards because it fits my preferences so well that remaining objective is challenging.

Anyhow, Vision Ears is a company based in Cologne in Germany, and I've been looking at them for a while, but their current line-up didn't suit me all that well, with the notable exception of the Erlkonig on bass setting 1.

The purchase process was rock solid, I pestered the poor people at VE with photos of half their shell colours because I am a huge design freak and not once did they show how fed up they were with me. I also asked for a quicker-than-normal production/delivery of about 10 days less than normal (because of a trip I had upcoming) and they were able to do it, which really put the cherry on top of the ice-cream. I sent them two sets of ear impressions so they can pick whichever they liked better, they were approved, and that was that!

A few long weeks later the Elysium arrived, and I was a bit anxious because I've had a pretty terrible CIEM experience in the past and I was worried about the fit, any potential design mistakes etc etc. I am very happy to report, all my worries were put to bed, because the little jewels fit like a glove, and boy are they gorgeous.



To note here, the unboxing experience is amazing, you open the box and a platform kind of ascends towards you and you're there like wooooooah - huge nerdgasm moment. The accessories included are a round leather case, a cleaning brush, a micro-fiber cloth and some alcohol solution for cleaning the customs. I must say it is first time I've received a liquid like that and boy am I loving using it. I will certainly be ordering more of them to clean the rest of my IEMs, big big fan.

Design-wise, I picked the standard Elysium faceplate, with Olive on one side, and Crystal Blue on the other. I like blue and green combinations, and the transformer inside the Elysium is green as is, so it all came together pretty well - I am absolutely loving the end result!






Now, onto the sound - this is very much a mid/high-centric IEM, and there is no other way to really put it. The bass is there, the bass is good, but if you're a basshead looking for thunderous slams this ain't for you.

The lows: what they've managed to do with a single BA is pretty impressive imo. The bass goes quite deep, it is quite punchy when the song calls for it and decently textured. It's a definite quality over quantity tuning. Note, if you've listened to the demo universal, the custom does have more bass due to the improved seal and it's a noticeable improvement. To be perfectly straight with you though, I am far from a basshead, and pretty bass sensitive so any bass that isn't much in quantity will be bass that I approve of.

The mids: This is where the Elysium really shines. These is by far the most dynamic, detailed and engaging midrange I have ever listened to. Instruments come alive, vocals sound like they are dead in front of you performing for you live. It is just so obscenely good that I keep finding myself missing it every time I listened to any other IEM. The detail retrieval is on a completely different level as well, I'm hearing nuances and details that I haven't done on any other IEM before, including a detail monster like the A18t.

VE have definitely gone for a more energetic representation however - the background isn't pitch black, instead the instruments and vocals have a certain glow around them that really puts the whole thing together and gives the performance a lot of soul.

The highs: I'd like to say here that VE have made a great decision to use the electrostatic drivers for the highs instead of BA highs + estat ultrahighs. I really like the sparkle and treble detail and presence of electrostats, and in this case I think the implementation is on point. Extremely coherent, not overly forward, but plenty of extension when it is required and a very nice finishing touch to the DD mids. I'd say clean and clear above all else. At no point is it painful or overly intense, but it is also very very far from a dark IEM.

Technical performance: The first thing to be mentioned here is the sound quality of the mids. The texture and timbre of the sound reproduction is unlike anything I have heard, on headphones and IEMs alike. I was listening to a Utopia yesterday and it simply could not do what the Elysium does in that specific aspect. The soundstage is decently large, and very well layered - you hear stuff happening all around you. It isn't the widest I've heard though, you're placed centre-stage. Instrumental separation is on point, you can hear each and every instrument as its own thing - once again though, the approach is on the more energetic side and not like that of say, the Erlkonig, which is definitely cleaner.

Pairings: So far I've listened to it with the AK SR15, the SP1000M and the RME ADI 2 DAC. It is an IEM that definitely scales well with source, and is quite responsive to non-EQ tone controls. On the AK SR15 you can definitely feel something missing, the SP1000M doubles down on the energetic and engaging performance, while the RME provides a somewhat darker soundstage and increases the soundstage width and instrumental separation. I like both versions and they're quite suitable for home/outside use. Definitely use it with 8wire cables though, either from an upgrade or the stock cable, as I tried it with some 4-wires and it felt a bit closed/congested. I haven't yet received my upgrade for the Elysium (the Satin Athena 8 wire), but I'll make sure to comment on that once I have.

Comparisons:

Noble Katana: I am putting this here because it is another IEM that I regard very high for its midrange performance. The Elysium is essentially a Katana on steroids - better sound quality, a more engaging representation of the music, bigger soundstage, more separation. Everything is just more and better and the price reflects that. If Noble had decided to go for a Katana 2.0, the Elysium would be a great starting (and ending) point.

FiR M5: This is the other tribrid that I would give 10/10 for coherency. The M5 has both more intense lows and more intense highs, making for a somewhat more fatiguing listen. If you're after something with more bass, I'd recommend the M5. Otherwise, I feel like the Elysium has the upper hand when it comes to mids and highs. It is also more laid back and I am fine listening to it for hours and hours, while the M5 gets tiring somewhat quickly.

U/A18t: Both the VE and the 18t have insane detail retrieval. The 18t is a bit more of a V-shape, while the Elysium is more mid-centric. Similar level of technical performance to my ears though.

Conclusions: Given my personal sound preferences, the Elysium outperforms any and every IEM I have ever heard. It is one of these products that makes you feel like it was designed specifically for you, and it's just an instant match.

If I try to be somewhat more objective though, I think the VE8 has a warmer and more universally-loved sound signature and will probably remain VE's most sought after model, while the Elysium will fill a more specific niche, and I think will remain the very best at it for a long long while. I'd say Vision Ears have been pretty brave when designing the Elysium and went for something that they believed would be a great addition to their line-up (and it really, really is), as opposed to just another monitor that goes after the highest number of customers possible.

The last Noble IEM I reviewed was the Sage, and my impressions of it were pretty mixed and somewhat negative. I will skip over the company introductions as there is a lot to be said about the focus of this review, the Savant II.

First and foremost, each Savant II is a unique, one-off design. Each one is also absolutely stunning and choosing which one to purchase was an absolute nightmare. Couldn't design so I got 3 and now half the family is walking around with Savants. Some are done by the Wizard himself, some designs are painted by his wife. Personally I had a pretty strong preference for her designs as they were truly breathtaking.

I had the luck of having my first listen to it at the Canjam London where the rest of the Noble lineup was also available. I started off with their TOTLs, loved the Katana, really liked the other two, and then made my way through the rest of the lineup. Honestly, I think the Savant II easily outperforms everything up to (and including) the Django. The way I see it, the Noble lineup could comfortably be scaled down to M3, Savant II, Katana, Encore and Khan. Everything else is pretty much redundant.

The value you get on these is bloody f*cking exceptional and continues to blow my mind on a daily basis. Writing this review has been an absolute nightmare because I'm finding myself forced to compare it to IEMs at about double or triple its price point, and the Savant II really holds its ground there. I stll have no idea how they achieved such a clean and balanced sound signature with that level of detail and instrumental separation using only 2 BAs. It is my most recommended IEM for anyone looking for something that is largely neutral in the under 1000 price point.

Okay, back to the review - normally the Savant II comes in the Noble packaging (some of the best you can get in the industry), with the Pelican case and all the accessories included. Since I purchased all 3 of mine at the Canjam the packaging was separate, but I "traded" that in for a small discount on a friend's Savant II (following my recommendation). Since I have quite a few Noble IEMs now losing out on the packaging wasn't much of an issue, as I use the Pelican case on an almost daily basis from my Katanas.

The design I covered somewhat already, each is a unique piece and in my eyes one of the finest designs the industry has to offer. Then again it is Noble so that has become part of the expectation by now. My phone's camera isn't the best out there but you can see the level of detail and finesse involved:


Put it under a flashlight or the sun and you see these deep pink/purple colours come out.

Warning: you might find yourself staring at it for hours at a time



The stock cable is the current 4wire black Noble that comes included with all their IEMs except the Khan. Not the biggest fan, the pins tend to get bent pretty easily, but the stock cable is usually the first thing I replace anyhow.

Now, as to the sound. This isn't a 500 dollar IEM that sounds great for a 500 dollar IEM. This is a 500 dollar IEM that sounds great for a 1000 dollar IEM.

(All the listening has been done with a AK SR15)

The lows: I am the polar opposite of a basshead, so take my comments on the lows with a grain of salt - I find the bass quantity to be just right, where it is there, but in no way dominant or center stage. The bass quality is exceptional, with plenty of texture, depth and extension.

The mids: If you are after mids then you certainly know Noble, as mids are generally speaking their house special. The Savant II has that Noble DNA deeply ingrained in its crafting, and you can really tell once you hear the vocals and instruments at work. They are extremely clean, relatively smooth, but precision has been the priority here imo. The lower mids have incredible energy and male vocals make you feel like you are then and there listening to the music in front of you. Female vocals also have that accuracy, but I feel like they lack the same intimacy somewhat, and so do instruments that operate around the higher mids.

The highs: I wouldn't call the treble a large weakness of the Savant II, but I would go to say they've chosen a smooth approach as opposed to harshness and precision. At no point will you hear siblance or excessive treble, but I do find myself missing some extension every now and then, as well as that sparkle that certain IEMs manage to pull off. That being said, this is a two BA design and I am especially picky when it comes to the highs. I can't expect it to pull off mids and lows that are this good and still have that super high treble extension with the highest level of precision and some sharpness. I am happy however that they haven't tried to overdo the IEM by forcing highs into it and having them end up siblant or thin.

Technical ability: this is by far the most impressive aspect of the sound. The level of instrumental separation, as well as the soundstage width and depth are off the charts and the absolute best I've heard at this price point. The instruments are also presented with an extremely silent background, without any added energy or glow. The Savant II places you on the first row and unfolds the performance in front of you.

Cables (skip over if you aren't a believer): to my ears the savant II benefits enormously from an 8-wire cable. I have been listening to mine with the new 8wire SPC from Noble and the improvements in instrumental separation and soundstage depth were easily noticeable. That level of technical ability only gets enhanced and the result is even more impressive.



Conclusions: I don't even know what to say here.... go buy yourself a Savant II regardless of what you own I guess. I have the 64 Noir, U18t, A18t, Katana, Andromeda S and FiR M5, each of which is between 2 and 7 times more expensive than my little Savants, but regardless they get tons of play time and are one of the most enjoyable IEMs I own. As I said earlier, quite possibly the most heavily recommended IEM I own, at any price point, but especially at 5/600 dollars.