I bought my Kaisers through Gisele at Aid2Hearing. I wrote a little about the process here.
 
When I first twisted the K10s into my ears, plugged them into my iPhone and pressed play, the playlist I had ready sounded exactly as I had hoped - a bit dull and lifeless. In my experience the bigger the 'wow' at first listen, the more an earphone is likely to disappoint long term; initial 'thunderous' bass or 'twinkling' treble will often irritate my ears after a time. I have sensitive ears. After a pleasing enough listen with my iPhone, I tried several other players over the following months; you do not drop £1,400 on ear impressions and earphones to listen solely on an iPhone (no disclaimer needed here - I paid full whack for my K10s). 
 

 
The K10s are big. They stick out a little way from my ears, particularly at the top. This doesn’t bother me too much at home, but I tend to grab other IEMs for traveling - with the Kaisers I’m aware of these things sticking out of my ears when in public. They fit snugly, burrowing deep into my ear canals. Actually, they go deeper than any of my other earphones, giving the sensation of almost meeting in the middle or tickling my throat. It's an odd feeling, but one that passes after the initial insertion. 
 
The Kaiser 10s have an unusual configuration of their ten drivers: two low, two mid, two treble, two high treble and two ultra high treble. It’s something like that anyway, I can’t remember exactly; Noble removed the specs from their website a while ago. (Less information appears to be a trend at Noble. Their two-driver Savant, for example, was launched without the driver count being disclosed.)
 
The K10 sound is rich and weighty. If JH Audio’s JH13-Pro is a delicate Pinot Noir, Noble’s K10 is a full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon. Bass and mid-range are at the fore, with treble slightly tucked behind. These monitors were created for listening pleasure rather than listening critically, though there is still plenty of detail.
 
Fed via my AK100 II’s optical output, I often set my Chord Hugo’s cross-feed to its lowest ‘on’ level and plug in my Noble K10s. I have to say this the best audio experience I have had thus far. Utterly immersive, realistic and three-dimensional. With orchestral music my mind paints a holographic picture of the orchestra. Violins over there. Trombones over there. Percussion back and right, solo clarinet centre-near. The timbre of each instrument is spot on. Really, spot on, without a hint of grating or harshness. Violins are scratchy yet still lush, trombones are raspy yet still musical. There is enough bite and edge in the sound to bring instruments to life, while retaining a smooth, open presentation. Just wonderful. Film scores are particularly engaging - I recommend those of John Barry or John Williams if you want to hear what I mean.
 
In the years (and money) I’ve spent on experimenting with setups I’ve gotten into the annoying and purposeless habit of listening for faults, rather than listening to music. In the Hugo/K10 combo I can honestly say that I cannot hear anything I dislike. Yes, the treble is a little distant but it sounds right. I don’t find myself yearning for a little more of this or that, or a bump in any frequency. I really get into the music once I have equipment I trust, and the K10s pass with full marks.
 
That the highs are a touch behind the mids and lows is remarkable when you consider that six of the ten drivers are allocated to the upper frequencies. I think the treble is done very well indeed. The bass is full and envelopes the whole sound wonderfully at times, though it is never too much. The mid range is stunning, but not in a obvious way. It’s just there, naturally. Think your Shure SE846 nails the mids? It does, but it comes well behind the K10 for pleasing, easy-listening realism.
 
With the K10, I found the AK120 II, iBasso DX90 and Oppo HA-2 a little too harsh (told you I have sensitive ears). I can’t describe why exactly. It’s almost as though too much electricity was rushing through my canals. On the other hand, the original AK120 and Chord Mojo* were unexciting, the sound being too thick and cluttered. Mojo sounds better than the AK120, though still a bit dark for my liking. I should add that the above sources are in comparison with my Hugo, and do not necessarily sound bad.
 
As far as lone DAPs go, the AK100 II hits the K10 sweet spot for me. I might be gushing about its sound had I not heard the Hugo.
 
I happily give five stars for the Kaiser 10. The combination with Hugo has given me an immense amount of pleasure over the past year or so. I like my K10s as much as I dislike the Wizard returns thread, which is a lot. My emotional buttons have been pressed more than a few times listening to my K10s, and that’s about the highest praise I can give.
 
 
*As a side note, I’ve spent a lot of time comparing Hugo with Mojo, reaching the conclusion that Mojo is Hugo minus its soul. Mojo is your mad aunt after she has undergone a course of electric shock treatment; ostensibly the same person but bereft of her vibrancy. This may not be the case with brighter earphones, but most of mine tend towards warm.

A review of the Noble Audio Kaiser K10

Purchased from Addicted to Audio’s Melbourne store in January 2018.

It feels a touch strange reviewing a product that has now been succeeded by Noble Audio Encore, however with a few units still kicking about and my inbuilt desire to write about things, ultimately I figured I would love to share the experience.

Before I launch into the review I would like to introduce myself. I am if nothing else a walking cliché, for you see I am legally blind (though with some usable vision and an ability to see the full spectrum of colour) and I love to indulge my other fully functioning senses. I write about craft beer for something of a living, having recently completed the Certified Cicerone exam (awaiting results), indulging my sense of taste along the way.

I also enjoy high end audio. It is often said that blind and vision impaired people have a heightened sense of hearing. While I don’t wish to disprove this entirely, I would like to state it is certainly true a blind person’s sense of hearing is more adept than most people’s. You might be thinking I would have no trouble discerning or deciphering your voice - shouting or not - in a loud nightclub. The opposite is in fact the case. I abjectly struggle with it. Meanwhile, sat outside the family home, I my ears are tuned into every sound: the birds in the folks’ various aviaries and beyond in the surrounding gum trees; the dogs barking in surrounding kennel properties, plus our own as well; light aircraft incessantly flying overhead… Yup, it can be as overwhelming as it sounds. Yet I will still pluck out any detail where it needs to be heard or not, no matter how minor.

More importantly, as you’ll find out later on in this comprehensive review, I am also quite sensitive to a specific end of the spectrum, while being quite fond of its polar opposite.

In terms of assessing high-audio equipment, I’ll be the first to admit that such sensitivities and perhaps even sensibilities may be as much a blessing as a curse. On one hand I can pick out nuances, micro-details, faults and defining features in sound perhaps better than most. On the other, there are many headphones I would like to sample besides those I already own, however my ears being quite sensitive to treble, they mightn’t suit me quite as well as others. This is not to say I would not review them objectively.

Okay, now you’ve indulged me, it’s time to get on with the business of reviewing Noble Audio’s Kaiser K10 universal IEM.



A short introduction about Noble Audio and the Kaiser K10.
Noble Audio, as you might already be aware, is a boutique, “artisanal” (their words not mine) manufacturer founded in 2013 and based out of Northern California. The company was co-founded by one Dr. John Moulton AU.D, formerly of Heir Audio. The sharp-eyed among you will notice the AU.D. suffix, which alludes to Dr. Moulton’s specialisation in the field of audiology. Clearly he has quite the pedigree, for not only does he know intimately the inner-workings of the human ear, he is also an audio enthusiast with an unparalleled reputation for producing unpeered precision engineered IEMs from the ground up. But to you and me, us audiophiles, he goes by the unassuming pseudonym “The Wizard.”

Working alongside The Wizard is Noble’s other co-founder Brannan Mason, also known as “The Glove” or as “FullCircle” on Head.fi’s forums. He is the voice of Noble Audio if you will.

The two have appeared from seemingly nowhere, bringing with them a stellar line-up of headphones that cover all tastes and budgets. Those with elaborate and expensive taste can opt for acrylic customised enclosures to exotic wood. I presume this is common knowledge by now, and more information can be found on Noble’s website.

As I have already pointed out, the Noble Audio Kaiser K10 was the former sole flagship model offered by Noble Audio. At the helm today is a co-flagship pairing: the Encore, and the Katana.

Reading between the lines it is easy for one to deduce that the Encore is the elaboration on the Kaiser, an evolution rather than a stand-alone new entity. The Katana, meanwhile, was designed with the clear intent to forge their own frontier.

Though I would have happily purchased the Encore, the Kaiser ended up choosing me. Sort of. Fate had a hand in it. Addicted To Audio’s Melbourne store wished to part with its remaining Kaiser stock before introducing the Encore for demoing. I read somewhere the Kaiser’s bass was a little more pronounced, hence i opted for those ahead of the Encore. There was also the small matter of the timing of an advance payment available to blind DSP recipients (such as myself) twice-yearly which allows me to purchase such things as high end headphones. But we won’t get into too much detail about that.

What’s in the box?
Well, for start-offs there’s another smaller black box within the larger black box, that which is replete with Noble Audio’s astute livery. The smaller black box is a petite Pelican case to be exact, which is the perfect canvas for any one of the many stickers that have doubtless accumulated in your backpack. (Sadly the pictured Melbourne Hot Sauce sticker was the last of them). Otherwise purists will dig its shiny jet black and plush rubber lined interior.

Indeed a Pelican case can withstand just about anything you care to throw at it. Perhaps even surviving an aeroplane crash. Don’t quote me on that. Nor would I wish this upon anyone. Anyhoo, it is no small thing to receive high end accessories with a high end product.

Somewhere in there (I should have taken notes while unboxing) is the Noble Kaiser K10 IEM unit, itself made of aircraft-grade aluminium (more on the build quality later). It is worth noting the cable came literally bundled together, which damn near overwhelmed. But with the oldskool breaks tune that goes “if it don’t fit don’t force it” ringing in my ears I proceeded with caution, patience and perseverance. It wasn’t long before I had my breakthrough. I could then admire the glorious bit of kit before me.

Noble Audio has thrown in a range of tips to suit a broad spectrum of ear shapes and sizes here. There are foams, silicones and bi-flanges amongst them, but I personally have found best results using third party XL silicone tips from JVC’s Spiral Dots. These maintain their seal better than the similarly proportioned silicones as supplied by Noble. I would suggest bundling all your spares into the drawstring pouch provided.

And talk of stickers, you’ll also find a couple of Noble Audio stickers in there too - but good luck getting them off their backing!

In amongst it all is a shiny warranty card, which is of course well worth holding on to.







Design and build quality
Though there are limited release models (a black and rose gold option is still available at Addicted to Audio) I was lucky enough to purchase the last remaining pair of alluring red Kaisers on sale at A2A’s Melbourne (Australia) store.

In spite of me occasionally wondering if the Kaiser draws attention from fellow commuters who are confused as to whether or not Beats By Dre have released an IEM, I absolutely love the anodised maraschino cherry red and metallic white colours. The textural detailing is something you have probably read about before, but when you have the headphone in your hand it has a nice feel to the touch. The two part shell has a real weight to it too. Most importantly it strongly suggests that it will stand up to the rigours of day to day use.

If like me you use an iPhone 7 Plus and you have to take a call it may come as a shock when your earphone strikes the back of your phone. Both being made of aluminium neither device should sustain any damage (which is perhaps more than can be said for Apple’s earlier and latest glass bodied devices), but the resonant clunk as they connect is quite something.

True to form Noble Audio has included a stock cable that is no slouch in delivering the juice these bad boys need. You won’t find MMCX connectors here either. Instead you’ll find a two-pin connector is the order of the day. Indeed the cable is replaceable. If you are looking at your first ever pair of IEMs it is worth noting third party cables are a (few million) dimes a dozen. Copper litz tends to add more weight to the bottom end, while silver adds more to the top. Many are copper plated silver. Have a look around and see what takes your fancy, but I suggest allowing your newly purchased unit to burn in first. For now, the supplied cable does the job nicely. It is relatively thin as well (worth noting if you are coming from something like a HeadphoneLounge cable - the thinness can take a bit of getting used to). Like many high-end cables it is braided, which reduces (but doesn’t quite eliminate entirely) tangling. The male headphone jack is straight. Admittedly I’d much prefer an elbow but it’s no big thing.

Some people also like to cut off the memory wire. May I suggest that you don’t. I’ve not attempted to do so (or rather have my brother do it) on the grounds I feel it provides a bit of necessary resistance to each earphone’s heft.

Comfort is a big plus with the Kaiser K10 Universal. They do not cause any irritation or aching while inserted for any length of time, and their ergonomic design means the sensation of having something protruding in my ears is minimal. The Spiral Dot tips keep the comfort level and seal optimised even while on a brisk walk.

Much like the Shure SE846 the seal, for me at least, is not bad but it’s not great either. Then again I do have rather large ear canals.

Look beyond the tips and you’ll notice three porting holes. Inside the enclosures you will uncover (rhetorically speaking) a jaw dropping 10 drivers (also known as balanced armatures) per earphone, hence the Kaiser “K10” name. Two large drivers put out the bass, two mid-woofers roll in with midrange, the next two take charge of mid-highs, the next two tweeters blaze the highs, and the final tweeters fire it up with the top end of the frequency spectrum.

Perhaps the best part in all of this is how easy the K10s are to drive. They sound absolutely fine, great even, when powered with my iPhone or un-amped MacBook Pro. Though I am yet to acquire a superior source there is one thing that can be said of the iPhone and MacBook: they’re crystal clear, neutral, free of hiss (and that’s gotta be worth something!) in their output. If only Apple would bolster the power of its devices to support more headphones with greater impedance. For now I happily use the Onkyo HF Player app whose EQ settings work a treat (more on that later).

But I digress, the low impedance of the Kaiser (approximately 30 ohms) makes it a good fit for those whose setup consists of the most rudimentary of sources.



Sound
First, a little background: I came to the Noble Audio Kaiser K10 from the Shure SE846, an IEM I have owned and adored for nigh on four years. I loved their massive bass impact, particularly where electronic music (think progressive trance, techno and UK bass) is concerned. I am unashamedly a basshead. Once a basshead, always a basshead.

But I yearned for something more from my music. I recently found myself pining for what the Shure SE846 couldn’t deliver.

With no small amount of research and auditioning I arrived at the Noble Audio Kaiser K10.

I knew right from the off the Kaiser is a “neutral” IEM that leans slightly towards the warmer side of things. They are not considered a basshead’s IEM per se, but they certainly have more than enough to satisfy.

Most reviews start from the ground (sometimes going down as low as Hampstead tube depths where the Shure SE846 and Campfire Audio Vega are concerned). But I’m going to turn that on its head, just because.

Treble
Indeed, as much as my ears and mind favour strong bass response, equally they are incredibly treble sensitive. Treble is therefore perhaps the most difficult aspect of an IEM’s sound for me to assess. Nevertheless, I yearned for greater treble (amongst other things) and overall the Kaisers do not disappoint.

The Noble Audio Kaiser delivers what I would term silky smooth high end which really starts at the lower-treble region (bordering on upper mids). Listening to the haunting flute of “Mumbai Theme Tune” by A.R. Rahman, followed by the track’s cinematic strings (particularly the violins) and I can hear clarity, a palpable sense of realism, nuance. The Kaiser left me in doubt I was hearing air passing through the flute as well.

This same phenomenal piece of music reveals a lot about the Kaisers’ prowess at the top end of the spectrum. As the piece moves into its final passages and the notes get higher, the Kaiser handles them with aplomb. There is no sibilance, even at higher volumes from this inferior source, and the instruments are reproduced as note perfect as the recording and source will allow.

In terms of treble in music’s percussion department, snares snap with authority; their attack, sustain, decay and release add a real sense of depth to the musicality within the listening experience. Where reverberation is called for it’s there. Cymbals ring out with the same quickness and maintenance. Some say they want more sparkle but when you’re listening to high octane garage rock a la Dead City Ruins it’s the way it clatters that matters. Meanwhile the carefully mastered “It’s What We Do” by Pink Floyd yields much the same impression: cymbals are full of texture and fullness.

Even when the full spectrum is engaged in a track the Kaisers don’t fall apart at the seams like many before them do. No, so long as the mastering is equal to the music, these mighty IEMs chomp the veil into little pieces and gore the matador (hurrah!) instead of cowering beneath it. Just have a listen to Kieran Apter & Leon Power’s haunting “Drifting Spring” or Amorphis’ “The Skull” and you’ll see (or hear) exactly what I’m talking about.

Midrange
The Kaiser does exceedingly well in the midrange department. As Stereophile magazine founder and pioneer of audio equipment evaluation J. Gordon Holt once said: “If the midrange isn’t right, nothing else matters.”

Perhaps such a statement is a little surplus to requirement when before us is among the best of the best in IEM technology, but perhaps not. It can’t sell itself by default. A beer critic certainly wouldn’t overlook the malt character of a stout with a hefty grist and simply evaluate it as “good, malty and roasty toasty”, even if it is known to be particularly special.

If there is one aspect that really stands out with the Kaiser’s performance - over and above all else - it would have to be its prowess in delivering vocals. Female vocals in particular at times sound astonishingly and palpably “real.” When listening to Pink Floyd’s “The Great Gig in the Sky” (24 bitdepth FLAC vinyl rip) I found myself having to pick my jaw up from off the floor. Clare Torry’s non-lexical singing takes you deep into the emotional power and holds you there, its grip relentless until the very last tonally perfect note. And did I hear gargling in her throat!?

Similarly powerful, male vocals in heavy metal are reproduced with enough gravel to equal that of every accident sustained while riding a bicycle when I was little. A real sense of the singer’s hot breath exchanging from mouth to microphone only serves to enhance the conveyed sense of rage.

Cue Coldplay’s “A Rush of Blood to the Head” (remember when they wrote music that didn’t make you suspect they’ve become an industry band?) and once again the Kaiser delivers in conveying Chris Martin’s every note and every last bit of emotion. There are piano notes that ring out truer than I’ve ever heard before, the piano being reproduced exceedingly well by the Kaiser on the whole too. Interestingly the mastering of the album is caught with the bathroom door open (more on that later), but this is no bad thing. It only adds to the richness of the experience.

This same song reveals so much about the Kaiser’s strengths in the midrange department. Small wonder the guys at Addicted To Audio use this powerhouse IEM as a reference monitor. Midrange is presented so cohesively, with such brilliant harmony. Imagine the cycle of water as it goes from land or sea to the clouds, only to fall again as rainfall. The air between, that which resides in the middle this cycle, is to music’s midrange. At a moment’s notice the Kaiser is happy to provide a refreshing drizzle, let it rain or show off a thunderstorm. It really depends on what the music calls for.

Above all else, musicality is maintained. Never before have I heard an IEM that compares to the musicality of the Kaiser. I found myself locked in a rhythm induced trance while listening to Cass & Slide’s “Glad I Ate Her.” It’s worth noting the soaring vocals sound particularly epic as well.

Bass
There is a lot to love about the Noble Kaiser K10’s bass. There is a tiny little bit to lament too.

I’ll start by stating that the Kaiser K10s’ bass is overall a thing of beauty. There is a richness in its texture the much lauded (by fellow bassheads) Shure SE846 simply cannot match. If I ever wanted to play the bass guitar learning by ear these are the headphones I’d be looking for. Just throw on BB King’s “Why I Sing the Blues” to get a sense of what i mean.

The bass guitar is an instrument with which these IEMs seem to have a saucy love affair. You get a real sense of the strings of David Gilmour’s bass thrumming beneath his fingers and up the fretboard throughout The Endless River, with each palpable note delivered with punchy accuracy. Moreover the sound of the bass (both Gilmour’s instrument and the reproduction of the low end as a whole) is so organic you could start a permaculture farm on top of it.

As one might expect from IEMs of this calibre there is absolutely no bass bleed whatsoever. Admittedly the Shure SE846s bass didn’t so much bleed either, however at times it did overwhelm. Other IEMs such as the IE800s deliver bass that has a certain degree of wow factor, however ultimately they are left behind at the station by the Kaiser when it comes to organic texture and dynamics.

But somehow bass falls short of perfection when electronic music is thrown into the mix, as least in terms of what I’m expecting. Without a doubt sub-bass is there, and kick drums pound with authority and resonance. The drums are of course surrounded by a luscious organic low-end texture, but the only thing the Kaiser is short on is a bit of visceral sustained impact where the bassline meets the beat. Yet it’s nothing a little bit of EQing can’t solve.

Bass (with EQ)
In the Kaiser’s case EQing to boost the bass works a treat in my humble opinion. Nevertheless there is a small amount of lament here. I really wish I didn’t have to EQ the Kaiser K10 when playing bass heavy tracks (particularly when sub-bass is concerned), even if the trade-off across the rest of the spectrum is minimal.

Indeed many of the tracks I listen to on a daily basis require a degree of rotund punch (kick drums), slam, impact and sub-bass presence. Where progressive trance is concerned the texture of the low end simply isn’t enough, the beat behind any track being as central to the listening experience as the melodies soaring above it. Where tracks have a restrained melody or there is a passage in any given mix where there is no melody at all (think any number of extended mixes / sets from the likes of John 00 Fleming), the beat is everything.

Furthermore, there are genres of electronic music such as techno, proper dubstep (a la DMZ, Mala, Coki, etc.) and drum & bass that require still even greater bass extension. Thankfully, and I reiterate, nudging up the lower frequencies does enhance the bass experience; sometimes even catapulting it to awe inspiring heights. Amazingly nothing at all is compromised (no bass bleed!), with the wonderfully organic texture remaining in tact with nary a suggestion of colouration. Moreover one simply cannot enhance sub-bass if it were never there in the first place.

If you are going to audition the Kaisers with a bit of EQ enhancement I would recommend throwing on Dubstep Allstars vol. 08: Mixed by Distance, though any FWD>> pre-Skrillex era dubstep will do. The tracks throughout this mix provide some serious bottom-end heavy action. In addition to the wonderfully textured low-end response, a serious degree of heft is added with EQing. The two dedicated, larger bass drivers in each earphone are clearly being made to work overtime - hopefully while not breaking a sweat.

What impresses me the most here is that at no point does the bass sound bloated. I had originally purchased the Shure SE846 as successor to my Sennheiser IE8s, which at that time boasted good bass but no sub-bass presence. The Shures certainly do go down limbo-low but often sound uncontrolled, bordering on boomy. Moreover, when matched to the recently auditioned Campfire Audio Vega, the Kaiser’s bass when EQed is more than equal.

Moving on to Calibre’s piano-tinged drum & bass and the EQ needs to be dropped a tad. After all, this is jazz-inflected liquid drum & bass that is more than your typical dark, moody atmospheres associated with most of today’s D&B).

EQ enhancement really does take the Kaiser’s bass to the next level. Suffice it to say it’s rarely needed when playing other genres of music. But for those of you out there who, like me, listen to electronic music regularly, this is need to know stuff.





Soundstage, imaging, space.
The agility and flexibility of the Kaisers continues in the area of soundstage, space and imaging. Never before have I heard an IEM that can so easily and readily contract and expand - almost like a pair of lungs - to suit the music it is reproducing.

The Kaiser takes live recordings and makes them its thing. They leave little doubt in the mind as to the size of the venue in which the song or performance was recorded, while also placing you right up front - up close and personal.

Moreover, you know you may well have reached IEM endgame when you can feel a palpable sense of what the temperature was like at the time of recording. Take a listen to Iron Maiden’s En Vivo! live album, recorded at Santiago, Chile’s gigantic outdoor stadium. Not only can you hear Bruce Dickinson’s vocals soaring and echoing away over the heads of the audience and into the thin cold air, you can even hear how the cold air affects the music. And when Dickinson’s voice isn’t loud enough to echo into the distance it becomes abundantly clear you’re standing very close to the front. The sound has that great a dynamic about it.

Equally impressive is the live recording of Paul Oakenfold’s set at the NEC, Birmingham in 2001. Turn it up and suddenly you are again somewhere not too far from the front (within the first third of the NEC arena at least). Close your eyes and you’re suddenly a part of the experience. It sounds cliché but I really do mean it!

Smaller clubs, like Godskitchen in Birmingham, are equally well represented by the Kaiser’s soundstage. I’m reminded of big room trance nights held at Perth’s 2,000 capacity Metro City nightclub so perhaps the layout of the venue and its scale could be similar. No other IEM I have encountered has ever had me evaluating soundstage on this level.

Trance and techno are of course stratified in their nature, with each layer stacked upon one another, existing generally within a fairly narrow periphery. The Kaiser doesn’t just mash the lot up, it ensures there is structural integrity from the bassline to the percussion to the synths, maintaining fluidity and enough space between each. Even in this infamously congested genre of music the Kaisers provide enough room to breathe.

Breath as well as periphery are essential elements of reproducing orchestral music - something most IEMs fall short of accomplishing at any level, leave alone soundstage and imaging. The Kaiser has risen to the challenge yet again. While listening to the orchestral version of Mike Oldfield’s Tubular Bells, the music’s periphery contracts and expands according to the music, with violins and other strings projected out to an impressive point well beyond the ears. When the Ciello makes its presence known it too is off out to the periphery, and wow is the bass on it something else… Like most recordings the Kaisers place you directly in front of the stage, and you have the entire concert hall to yourself.

It is impossible discussing space and imaging without making another example out of The Orchestral Tubular Bells. I could quite easily illustrate where each musician is positioned if only I could draw. (There are violin players directly in front of me too). Unfortunately my limited musical education doesn’t stretch as far as to the layout of a typical orchestra, however I would like to think the Kaiser has placed every single musician with deadly accuracy. Moreover, Mike Oldfield being the perfectionist he is would have overseen the recording of this rendition of Tubular Bells. You can therefore assume he has gone the extra mile in ensuring an optimal recording. One thing I do know about classical music is it is incredibly difficult transposing it to digital means.

The space afforded by the Kaiser can be further exemplified by either album within theTubular Bells trilogy. Take your pick. And if you have never heard them, forgive my bluntness but you go now! And don’t come back until you do. Even if non-lexical music that defies all genres isn’t your bag. It is music that needs to be heard to be believed.

Once upon a time I believed I knew Tubular Bells II. In Oldfield’s eyes I might be going a step too far in saying that this is how he would imagine his music to be heard. At the very least it’s surely not far off. Each instrument is captured with vivid energy, and the Kaiser gives each one its own designated space to scintillate. The soundstage goes wide when called for and towers to the heavens above too with the thunder of an orchestral bass drum.

And then like the aforementioned air between the water cycle, it’s all tied together once more to become the greater sum of its parts again.

The details
From every pluck of a string to every mistake and from every tinkle of a xylophone (no other headphone has managed to reproduce that found in Dire Straits’ “Love Over Gold” with such coherence!) to the micro-details of an orchestra, nothing is left behind to the ether. The hallowed air beneath the guitar strings and the release of a piano note are all there to be discovered.

Let it be known that, as per the reference to the mastering of A Rush of Blood to the Head, the Kaiser takes no prisoners when it comes to lousy mastering. This is not a bad thing in and of itself, although you may find yourself reaching for your favourite albums a little less if the recording is sub-par. You cannot expect them to add much to pop music whose spectral dynamics are constrained either.

Comparisons
Shure SE846
Throughout this review I have drawn many a comparison to the Shure SE846, a headphone I knew and loved for nigh on four years. I have been forced to defend the Shure SE846s on numerous occasions and here I will defend them again, in spite of the concession that the Kaiser is a cut above. The Shure SE846 are a headphone that does exceedingly well at what it set out to do: Deliver a bass experience that is unlike any other. Truly it is unlike any other with its subwoofer like heft! And sometimes I miss it.

The Shures excel at all live recordings in their own special way. Those who are lucky enough to possess both the Shures and Machine Head’s Burn My Eyes [limited edition version], cue up the live recording of “Davidian” and let your ears and mind melt. The distortion is so vividly hot (in a good way), and the intimate soundstage (remember I said “defend?”) of these IEMs reproduces a palpably real experience of being front row centre in what seemed to be a very small room indeed. It sounds great even if it’s not an entirely accurate representation of the environment in which the song was recorded. The Kaiser still keeps you front row centre, but the size of the venue is revealed to be much larger while crowd noises are slightly more present.

That being said, the Kaiser’s treble leaves the SE846s for dead. Even when introducing the white filters or no filters at all, which greatly increase treble, the Shures become too hot to handle - especially for my treble sensitive ears. Moreover, the midrange I once considered as being plush now seems stultified by comparison.

If you are on a similar trajectory to me and you are looking for a step up from the Shure SE846, look no further.

Noble Audio: Katana
When auditioning the Kaisers K10 I also spent some limited time with the Noble Audio Katana, the company’s co-flagship.

It is worth noting that the Katana came after the Kaiser, arriving more or less alongside the Encore. It also came with the same custom-built drivers. Noble built and tuned each of the Katana’s drivers (nine in each earphone) themselves, and they did so with the intent of appealing to a crowd with a taste for the high life.

This is not to say the Katana lacks bass. Far from it. They do go down low when called for. However, the overall presentation errs on the scintillating, almost analytical side where the presentation of the Kaiser is one of warmth. From what I remember of the testing I found UK bass from the likes of Pinch to have an altogether different complexion, while “Sultans of Swing” shone as I’ve never heard it shine before. Ultimately though I was blinded by the light. I yearned for that pillowy warmth offered by the Kaiser.

Noble admits that perfection is a moving target. Your taste will ultimately decide which is the superior IEM between the Kaiser and the Katana. A very nifty thing indeed it is to have two flagships: equal, yet equally opposed.

Noble Audio: Encore
I am hopeful I can do a truly in-depth comparison between the Kaisers and their illustrious successor before too long. My understanding is the Encores feature an evolved midrange and added upper end sparkle, which one might expect from drivers custom made and tuned by Noble themselves. Watch this space. I am also curious as all get out as to how I would enjoy and interpret the Encore’s bass, which is said to be somewht more “controlled.”

Conclusion.
With their breathable sense of space; palpably real, organic, textured bass; visceral mids; superbly well rounded treble; and a neutral-to-slightly warm presentation; the damn near faultless Kaiser K10 stands tall among an ever growing forest of TOTL IEMs. Once more it bears mentioning there are still a few units up for grabs about the place both brand new and second hand. I can’t recommend giving them a try highly enough. You won’t just be hearing music, you’ll be experiencing it as it should be experienced.

Most tracks tested are in mp3 320 kbps mp3/aac - unfortunately most electronic music is not available at anything higher - or ALAC unless otherwise stated. Finally, it goes without saying your mileage may vary when using other sources, amplifiers and materials.

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First of all, full disclosure, I did not pay for these Noble K10's. I traded for work I did for Noble. 
 
Given that, however, I think Brannan and John would want me to post an honest review rather than a biased review just to keep them as a client!
 
With that out of the way, I have to say, these are the best CIEM/IEMs I have had the opportunity to hear. Am I just saying that for Noble's benefit, no, but you have to decide if you believe me.
 
Appearance:
I received these Wizard design K10 CIEM's in late 2013. They are obviously black carbon fiber faceplates with dark blue shells and a touch of glitter that seems to show up as different colors depending on the light. They are very clean and simple and I LOVE the way they look. Yes, they do remind me of some other CIEM's that use carbon fiber as their signature material. That's OK, I love the look. 
 
The workmanship is perfect. I can't find any flaws anywhere. No bubbles, finger smudges, etc. Perfect.
 
Fit:
I had Brannan do my impressions, so obviously there was no problems with my impressions. The K10's fit me perfectly. They are really easy to pop in and and out, but stay in really well. They seal great too. I don't get any popping or change in the seal even when I open my mouth or chew, etc. But the best thing is that they are super comfortable. I can wear them all day and barely even notice they are there. That's really the whole point with customs. with any IEM or CIEM their performance is all about the seal. although you can get a good seal with universals, with properly fitted customs, there is no struggling with the seal. You just pop them in and you've got a perfect seal. Easy!
 
Sound:
I have a lot of different headphones and IEM's and one other CIEM, the Heir 8.A.
 
First, I can easily say that the Noble K10's are the best CIEM/IEM I have heard. To me they are a big step up from the 8.A. The bass on the K10 is much tighter and controlled, but still plentiful. I am amazed at how good the bass is on these CIEM's. When watching movies, especially, the bass feels like it's shaking my body even though I know that's not possible. But lots of bass is no good if it's not controlled and tight. It's not just bass for the sake of having bass. It's simply perfect. Even compared to my other headphones, the bass is better on the K10's. (OK, so the other headphones i have are not known for having much bass such as Stax, HD800, Etymotic ER4S.)
 
The mids are equally as good. Lots of detail, not too forward sounding, clean and smooth. Vocals, piano, guitar all sound very natural. Not much more I can say other than it sounds just right to me.
 
On the high end of the spectrum, the first word that comes to mind is "smooth". No sibilance, but still lots of detail. However, this is one area where I think the Stax definitely come out on top. My tastes lean towards super detailed, airy high end like the Stax or even the Etymotic ER4S or the HD800's to some extent. But with all the high frequency resolution, I can't stand harshness or sibilance or etched sound. To me the Stax sound is perfect in that way. The K10's don't have that super airy-ness, high end extension. They have tons of detail. I can hear the brushes on cymbals, the lips of a singer, the drumsticks hitting the cymbals, etc. with the K10's, but they very top of the frequency range just isn't as present as my other headphones. As a byproduct, the K10's never sound the slightest bit harsh at any listening levels. Dare I say they remind me a little bit of a "tube" sound that just has that luscious, silky, smooth sound, yet still very detailed.
 
But then when you talk about micro-detail like the ambience of a room or the imaging of a recording, the K10's are still somehow capable of all of that.  I don't really hear a lot of imaging per se out of any headphones or in-ears but I am used to listening to virtual speakers using my software to give me WAY more imaging than any headphone could hope to achieve on it's own. So when the image is collapsed down when I disable my software, then the contrast is so great, I find it hard to evaluate imaging in headphones. It's so much less, that I don't hear a lot of difference from one headphone to the next. However, with the K10's, I am not sure, but maybe I am hearing so much detail in the recording that on a well recorded track, I can really hear some imaging. Maybe the drivers are also so "fast" that they can accurately playback all the micro-detail. Regardless, compared to my other in-ears, the K10's do actually image. WIth Out Of Your Head software running, I thought IEM/CIEMs wouldn't work as well as an open set of full size headphones, but when there is a lot of speed and resolution, the "Out Of Your Head" effect works really well. 
 
What else can I say... Whenever I listen to the K10's, they just sound right. They make me smile every time. I can count on them to do everything I ask. Tons of bass and punch when watching movies; tons of detail and speed when listening to music. They are certainly what I take with me on the go. OK, if I could only have one headphone/in-ear, I would have to keep my beloved Stax-009's, but we're talking about a $10,000 system. In any situation where I can't have my Stax, the K10's fit the bill perfectly. I am always "blown away" when I am on a plane with my K10's running Out Of Your Head on my laptop watching a movie. Having such huge 7.1 surround sound and bass impact on a plane makes me feel guilty that the other passengers can't hear what I am hearing!
 
Thank you Noble!
 
Gear used for evaluation:
 

1. Stax 009
2. Stax 407
3. Sennhesier HD800
4. Etymotic ER4S
5. Heir 8.A
6. Out Of Your Head software
7. Vostok Sound ES-21 electrostatic amp/dynamic amp/DAC
8. AK120
9. HRT MicroStreamer
10. Schiit Vali (with 75 ohm adapter for in-ear's)

I got this marvelous K10 on last year black friday deal with a 20% off.
At that time there are two options comes in my mind. 
The 12 drivers JHaudio Roxanne, and the 10 drivers Noble Audio Kaiser10.
Since at that time the Roxanne is at pre-order state so K10 is the one that have some reviews to read.
After reading Sorensiim's review and his extraordinary set of K10, I just cant leave my eyes off that design.
 
There are tons of design options of Noble CIEM which is very rare in audio industry. 
Most of the company can design the artwork or the material of the faceplate and part of them can choose the color of the shell. 
At that moment, there is still limited preview of Wizard design (If i buy the K10 this year I would definitely go for an Wizard rebuild or new Wizard design),
I design that on my own. I choose every option I can take and place the order.
After some hours or maybe 1-2 days, an email shown up.
Nancy from Noble just give me some advice for my design. WOW.
That is top notch customer service. The company can just leave the options I take and make the CIEM.
But the Nancy just understand how can make my design better and give advises.
These kind of process just making me feel confident on Noble.
 
And here is my K10.

Bad photos but the phone really looks good.
 
And after the artistic things, here comes the sound signature and quality.
The K10 is a versatile monitor. You can get a linear response from this phone which means the presentation of music is true to your source.
K10 can be used on any source and sounds good. But it just sounds better if your source is better.
The bass is full of excitement. On bass heavy genre like metal or hardrock, you can have a head-banging time with K10.
The mid is transparent but adding a touch of warmth which gives the vocal a nice lush feeling. 
The treble is quite a surprise. Since I upgraded the K10 from the Westone 4r. The bright-yet-not-piecing treble really shines.
Non-fatigue treble is quite a hard department on IEM, but Noble just make it right.
The imaging are precise and the micro-details are there.(though not as much as my HE560) 
 
After getting the K10, I have audited some others CIEM in market like the fitears, 1964s, UEs or the JHaudios, most of them are just on-par or hairy ahead of the K10 under several departments.
Vocals on fitears, bass from JHs, or stage performance from VE/Rhines. The K10 just got a balance between all of the things.
I would say this CIEM is for the people who want a "All-in-one" solution.

I am not an expert reviewer by any means, but these CIEMs are something special. The look, fit, and finish are truly extraordinary, these are not headphones but are ear-jewelry. 
 
As for sound, these sound like nothing else I have ever heard. Particularly the highs are very, very good. They are bright and sparkly and revealing, well extended but never, ever harsh or sibilant. The bass is amazing, I swear you can feel it in your chest (for example, even watching movies unamped out of an iPad it has movie theater like bass). Mids are incredible as well, vocals are so well incorporated and where recordings are used with oversampling, doubling, or even where there are just multiple vocalists each layer can be clearly discerned. 
 
I would highly recommend these to anyone with the means to attain them. Truly Summit-fi.

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Synopsis: The Noble Audio Kaiser 10 is at the summit of custom in-ear-monitors representing the flagship of new designs from Dr. John Moulton. The Kaiser 10’s 10 drivers have been brought together seamlessly for superior coherency and a very realistic, natural sound. These drivers give great depth and extension to the Kaiser 10’s balanced tuning. The bass is present and very capable but not boosted or forward, the midrange is clear and very smooth with slight warmth, the vocal range has a gentle lift to bring it to the forefront, and the excellent treble is smoothly bright and non-fatiguing. With no sonic weaknesses, the Kaiser 10 does very well with a wide array of music genres, making it a very good choice for audiophiles looking for the most versatile choice at the top-tier of portable audio.

---

 
 
Dr. John Moulton and the team at Noble Audio:
Dr. John Moulton, known as The Wizard, needs no introduction but perhaps a little history and background: John is a doctor of audiology and has a long history of working with high-end portable audio. His first company was Full Circle and the seed of his later ciem designs first came to fruition there. Next was Heir Audio, which was quite successful as John continued refining his designs and the artistry for which he quickly became known for. He brought together a team of highly experienced technicians and engineers with finely tuned skills. It is this team which John has brought over to Noble Audio. Noble is set up very wisely: By giving each of his team a share in the company, they can really put their hearts into what they do and everyone will reap the benefits of their hard work and talent. John has assured that Noble is built to last for years to come, just like his earphones.
 
 
The Noble Audio Line at NobleAudio.com :
Noble Audio will carry a full line of custom fit in-ear monitors (ciems) and universal fit in-ear monitors (iems). The high-end iems will be rolling out soon, but for now let’s look at the ciems available:
 
Kaiser 10, this is the all-new 10-driver flagship. You’re reading a review of it right now!
 
8C, this is the re-tuned and updated version of Dr. Moulton’s earlier 8-driver. He says it adds clarity and treble presence to his older tuning.
 
5C, this is John’s 5-driver custom. It’s the same as his earlier 5-driver universal, now in custom form. He describes it as having a bassy signature similar to his older 8-driver. This model will be available in both acrylic and silicone shells. The silicone shells are innovative in that they allow for a custom faceplate!
 
4C, this is the re-tuned and updated version of his earlier 4-driver. The 4C’s new tuning eliminates any dips in the frequency response. It’s a clear, clean sound which is flat with a bit of brightness in the treble. I have it and will write a review later. This is the one you want if you want an analytic sound. It is available in both acrylic and silicone shells. Did I mention the silicone shells are innovative in that they allow for a custom faceplate? I’m going to repeat it for the 3-driver custom, too!
 
3C, this is all-new, totally re-designed 3-driver with some special, new drivers from Knowles (the foremost designer and manufacturer of balanced armature drivers). John says it’s tuned for a v-shaped, fun signature. It’s available in both acrylic and silicone shells. Yes, the silicone shells can have a custom faceplate.
 
 
CIEMs:
One thing I always like to mention is that with any ciem from anywhere, ever, is that this is a product designed to fit your unique ears. Fit is absolutely vital to the sound quality and isolation and comfort. You get that all-important fit by having an audiologist make an impression and this is what the audio company has to work with. Don’t try to go cheap with this! Work with audiologists who have experience making impressions for musicians and audiophiles and not only with hearing aids which require a much less precise fit. Even with the best audiologist, you may not get a perfect fit the first time, that’s the nature of ciems. Again, this is true with any company, anywhere, ever. So, it’s important to consider not only the product, but the customer service when it comes to ciems.
 
 
Customer Service:
Noble Audio may be a new company, but everyone in it has a long experience in high-end portable audio and ciems. They really know how to give excellent customer service. I’ve worked with John for several years now with a few of his earlier ciems and I can say that I’ve had great experiences and I’ve talked to others who have as well. You’ll be in good hands.
Noble will have representatives in the U.S. for American customers and a representative in the U.K. for customers in the E.U. Of course, for folks in S.E. Asia, shipping can come direct from China. Noble Audio is on top of things from the start.
 
 
The Kaiser 10:
 
The Kaiser 10 retails for $1599. An important point is that wood or carbon fiber faceplates, custom colors are INCLUDED in that price. Yes, wood or carbon fiber faceplates are free, that’s huge. To get a faceplate personally designed by the Wizard himself costs a bit extra.
 
Also, shipping is INCLUDED in that price.
 
The key point is that you can get a Kaiser 10 which looks just like the one I've reviewed (minus the Wizard signature) for $1599 flat.
 
 
Here are some professional pictures of my Kaiser 10 by Darin Fong. He did a lot better job than I could have! This is a beautiful design by the Wizard.

 
 
 

 
 


Incredible, right?
 
 
 
Design:
The Kaiser 10 is set up with two giant CI drivers for bass, a dual armature for mids, a dual armature for upper mids, and a dual armature for treble paired with another dual armature for upper treble in a 4-way design. This design uses the same two huge CI drivers as the 8 driver design but several of the other drivers from the 8 have been replaced with different models for the Kaiser and the overall sound is far different than older version of the 8-driver which I am familiar with.
 
 
Isolation and Fit:
This is an acrylic shell custom and has the same isolation as every other acrylic shell ciem (assuming you have a good fit).
One thing to note is that multi-armature ciems that have 8 and more drivers are going to be larger than ones that have 2 or 3 drivers. The drivers and other components take up more room. Now, this is all relative as ciems run pretty small as it is, but for those with small ears, your ciem may stick out a few millimeters more with an 8 or 10 driver ciem. It shouldn’t be an issue for most, but it is something to be aware of.
 
 
Cable: Although the cable on mine is a usual generic custom cable, all Noble Audio orders will go out with the new improved Magnus cable at no extra charge. I'll be receiving a review sample of that cable to try on the Kaiser 10. It should be a great cable.
 
 
Overall Sound:
 
The Kaiser 10 I'll be reviewing is a review sample from Noble Audio. I've taken several weeks to listen to it and get over any "honeymoon" period. I'll be describing it just as I hear it.
 
I tend to run the Kaiser out of my 5.5^th gen ipod paired with an Apex Glacier portable amplifier. Another thing to note is that I did extensive listening both at home, but also on commute in the noisy subways of New York City. This is important as you should consider where you will be doing your listening. If you listen on commute, be it plane or train, keep in mind that you may need an earphone that has more bass capability to balance the outside noise. Of course, isolation is important as well.
 
 
The Tuning: The Kaiser has a balanced, natural sounding signature with a very cohesive overall sound. This is a very skillfully tuned earphone! I don’t want to overstate anything as the whole tuning is about gentle lifts here and there to give this natural, balanced effect. Watch me use the word “slight” to describe everything! Usually earphones have some extreme somewhere in their sound, a boosted bass or a piercingly bright treble, the Kaiser just doesn’t. The vocal range is slightly lifted and takes a gracious center stage, as it should being the heart of the music. The bass has great presence. However, to the ear, it’s only very slightly lifted and comes in level with the treble, which is smoothly bright and extended. There’s a nice amount of realistic thickness to the note decay and warmth to the midrange. It avoids a dry sound and gives life to the music. Clarity is very good without distracting your attention from the holistic sound the Kaiser faithfully presents. The soundstage is nice, allowing cues from the recording rather than forcing the sound to be intimate or far away. The 10-drivers could almost be a single driver as far as the ear is concerned. All problems of poor driver coherency such as an artificially separated sound or each driver having its own soundstage are eliminated with the Kaiser.
People who are looking for one part of the sound or sound quality to be emphasized (always at a cost somewhere else) will want to look elsewhere as the Kaiser really gives a complete package.
 
 
Treble: The Kaiser’s treble is extraordinary. It really gives a very nice brightness and air without harshness—a balance that is very hard to find. Violins and cymbals sound great and the timbre of voices and instruments are very good, surpassing the older, darker 8.A in this regard. The treble extension is superior and there’s no fatigue. It’s the best treble I’ve heard from an multi-armature design. People looking for a dark sound or people looking for extra edge and sibilance won’t find that here.
 
Midrange: The beautiful midrange has nice warmth, but far less than Dr. Moulton’s older, thickly warm 8.A. The Kaiser’s mids are clear and the vocal range has a slight lift to bring it just a bit to the forefront. Music comes alive with this tuning and the Kaiser has a way of making drawing you into your music.
 
Bass: This is a very high quality bass. The bass is very well controlled and not boosted beyond what sounds natural. It’s a much less bassy signature than the 8.A. Yet the Kaiser’s bass is powered by those same huge drivers, so there’s exceptional presence in that refined bass signature which remains in align with the treble and just a touch behind the vocal range. The Kaiser has excellent bass extension and can really thump and thunder when the music asks, even as string quartets and jazz also sound excellent.
 
 
The Kaiser’s balanced tuning means that it works very well with just about every genre of music. All kinds of classical and jazz sound phenomenal with the Kaiser. Pop and rock are great and ballads are beautiful. The bass comes alive with rap and hip-hop and there’s bass depth for dubstep (although the bassier Noble 8C and Noble 5C may fit dedicated fans of this genre better).
 
 
 
Is the Kaiser right for you:
Have you noticed that the Kaiser really doesn’t have any flaws to talk about? It’s a very well done earphone, no question. However, whether it’s right for you depends on what you want to hear and only you can decide that. The first thing is that you have to know what you really like and not just for 5 minutes or 50 minutes, but what you want to hear for the long term. I have a story to illustrate this:
 
A Story:
Storytime! This actually happened:
 
True Storytime!
I received a message a while back from a guy who had been reading about another ciem that had reviewed very well. The ciem was said to have a mostly flat signature and this person liked more bass in his music. People were really excited about this ciem and said it was so great that the person got caught up this excitement. He knew that the ciem didn’t have the sound signature he like but he thought it’d be so great that he’d just love it anyway. You can see where this is going, right?
 
Guess what? He didn’t like it! The expensive ciem which didn’t have the sound he wanted wasn’t good for him, even if it was good for other people. The moral is you have to know what you want and get something which matches that. Noble Audio has a bunch of ciems and they will all sound different and be right for different people. The Kaiser will be right for a lot of people, but only you know if you are one of them.
 
 
 
Conclusion:
The Kaiser 10 really defines what a flagship should be as an all-around excellent custom fit earphone with a versatile tuning that sounds great with a very wide range of music. A great deal of care went into every aspect of this earphone and it really shows. When it comes to having the total package, not only sound but customer service and appearance that’s a work of art, look no further than new Noble Audio Kaiser 10.

Customer Service:
 
Let me start by mentioning what great customer service Noble has.  Everyone I talked to was very timely and helpful whenever I had questions or concerns before, during, and after my K10 purchase.  This has easily been one of the best purchase experiences I've ever had.  Noble, keep it up!  
 
My Experience:
 
I am not an audiophile.  My earphone experience is as follows:  Klipsch S4 -> Westone W4 -> Noble Kaiser 10.  I have always listened to 320 mbps + files out of my iPhone 5, so I have no experience with high end DAP's or amps, although these CIEM's have me saving for an AK240.  
 
NOTE: Be careful! It's a slippery slope into the world of high end audio.
 

 
 
Sound: 
 
For a CIEM with 10 drivers, the K10 provides a spacious and cohesive presentation.  Clarity is astounding.  I am still amazed at how well this CIEM accurately reproduces recordings.  Coming directly from the Westone W4, the K10 sound is on the thicker side and may take some getting used to, but once you do, you will never want to go back.
 
Lows:
     
The K10 can hit like a champ, but only if the recording asks for it.  Mid and sub base are spot on.  I couldn't imagine any more, and I wouldn't enjoy (as much) any less.  The base does not audibly bleed into any other frequency range.
 
Mids: 
 
The mids are "lush" (I didn't know what this meant until I had a listen).  Everything comes through crystal clear and slightly thick.
 
Highs: 
 
The highs on this CIEM are incredible.  They are sparkly, shimmery, and beautiful.  Where other headphones struggle or are sibilant, the K10's reproduce high frequencies with no perceived effort at all.
 
Summary:
 
These CIEM's cost 1600 USD!  I was initially hesitant to buy them, but in the end they are completely worth it.  If you are new to high end audio, as I was, the K10's will introduce you to a whole new way of your enjoying music.  I've had the K10's since February, and my enthusiasm is still as strong as the day they arrived at my door.  
 
I look forward to seeing how well these gems scale with a high quality source and will update this review accordingly.

Very detailed quality sound . I am able to find details which missed before.
Details with layer and staging.
Staging and positioning isn't huge or odd. But I can feel it in my head when listening certain kind of music in a quite environment.
Bass can be pushed very hard and steep. 
 
WIth different quality cable and quality AMP, my K10 does give me surprise.
 
Make sure your ears mod are made with quality or professionally.
 
Content is King. Same old rule.
To enjoy high quality sound, you need high quality source.

Disclaimer: I bought this K10 during the Black Friday Deal in December last Friday. This review is written purely out of my desire to share my impressions on the K10. The K10 has fast become one of my favourite earphones. However, due to the price of the K10, as well as the level on which I am expecting it to perform, I am going to be rather harsh on any possible issues the K10 might have. This review is completely subjective though, and do feel free to disagree.
 
Just a little background on how I came into possession of the K10. Up till the point that I decided to purchase the K10s, the Dita answers were my only high end pair of earphones. However, make no mistake about this, I had spent lots of time trying extensively many of the top of the line custom in ear monitors from the leading brands like JH, UM, UE, ACS and Earsonics, among others. Most custom in ear monitors however, left me extremely disappointed. Many of them were technically capable, with a good level of detailing and perhaps wide soundstages. However, I found many of them to have poorly controlled resonances leading to large amounts of colouration. Tonally, many of these multiple BA earphones just didn’t quite cut it for me. I’m sure many people would disagree with me on my assessment of the tonal quality of other CIEMs, but again that’s subjective. When I listen to violins on my earphones I want them to sound like what I hear when I listen to a live orchestra, and I guess that’s what I’m looking for. Different people hear things differently though and I wouldn’t fault anyone for liking something different from myself. For myself, I could never listen to something that doesn’t sound right tonally, no matter how good it might be technically.
 
The K10s were the first multi BA earphone that really did that for me, sure it has its own character and its own take on tonality, but it was close and accurate enough that I could enjoy the tone and move on to appreciate its other qualities.
 
For the purposes of this review, I have chosen to pair the K10s with the Dita Audio truth cable, which I have found to pair excellently with the K10. I will elaborate more on the differences which the truth cable brought about and what you can expect of the K10 on the stock cable. Bear in mind though that the K10 scales up very very well. Pair it with a good cable and you will be very surprised. (I know this isn’t a review of the truth cable, but boy does it sound good. I wasn’t really a believer of cables in the past, but the truth interconnect singlehandedly changed that. Having compared the truth to many of the top cables from PW audio, plussound, whiplash, and DHC, including and not limited to the DHC complement 3 and 4 cables, I think that the truth pulls ahead of the competition, and is one of the best earphone cables at any price)
 
Sound
As noted above, the following impressions are made with the truth cable pairing.
 
The K10s have a definite tilt towards the warmer side of things. They aren’t dead neutral like the UERMs, yet they retain a good amount of accuracy. They are detailed and highly resolving, but aren’t the slightest bit clinical or analytical. I have found them to be very versatile, handling most genres very well. The K10s have a big, authoritative, expansive sound. I listen to a lot of classical and broadway music and I find these traits to be very important. The K10s are able to portray the huge scale of a large orchestra or choir very well, sounding full and impactful with lots of power.
The highs of the K10s are pretty well extended they provide a nice amount of sparkle and are present enough to give a defining edge to the various sounds in your music. The highs are never harsh, always retaining a smooth, gentle touch, and are thus a really good, non-fatiguing listen. They won’t present the finest details straight to your face, but if you really want to find them, they will always be there. They aren’t the most shimmery and sparkly highs, but they definitely have enough that they don’t sound muffled or veiled. If you’re looking for extreme clarity, detail and very sparkly highs, the K10s probably won’t do it for you, but for most people, the K10s would definitely have enough sparkle.
 
The midrange is probably one of the best traits of the K10s. It is rich and lush, with a nice fullness to it. Both male and female vocals sound pretty amazing on the K10s, with a lush and warm feel to them. Instruments also benefit from the quality of the midrange, having a fuller, more well-bodied sound to them. The midrange of the K10 is one of the best that I have heard, it is full and rich without being overly coloured, maintaining a strong sense of accuracy that many of the richer and fuller sounding earphones tend to lose.
 
I have often found the bass of BA earphones to be lacking. Most of them I find to be lacking in extension, and even if they extend well they are rarely ever as natural as well implemented dynamic earphones. The K10s are probably the first BA earphone to change that. The bass extends impressively deep, with a good, strong sub bass rumble that even some of the better dynamic earphones lack. The bass is thunderous and strong when called for, but never bleeds into the midrange and always remains controlled. It has a good amount of slam, not the most powerful, but good enough for me. The decay of the bass is not extremely fast, but it does have very slight and natural bloom to it. It is deep, tight, and impressively extended, with a natural decay and a good slam, and is probably among the best of low ranges that I have heard in a BA earphone.
 
The K10 has a good, expansive soundstage, definitely on the larger side. It is wide, deep and high, and gives a very accurate portrayal of the soundstage. A lot of earphones with a larger soundstage tend to push instruments out in an unnatural manner, having them all sit very far back. With the K10, however, different sounds are placed very well in the soundstage. Sounds that are supposed to be near will be near and those that are supposed to be far out will be far out. This creates a very coherent, well balanced and natural soundstage in all 3 axes. The K10 layers and separates very well too. Different sounds can be heard in distinctly different points in space, and in distinctly different layers. This also contributes to the coherency and the naturalness of the soundstage. What I like about the soundstaging properties is that it never once, for all its technical ability, sounds clinical. A lot of earphones with tip top imaging and separation have a common flaw. Sounds often radiate from a single point, and that really isn’t the most appropriate portrayal of music to me. With the K10, while imaging and separation are precise, each sound occupies its own substantial space and that gives rise to an uncanny sense of realism.
 
How does it sound without the truth cable though? The K10 on the stock cable is warmer, thicker, and smoother. A lot of people like the sound of the K10 on the stock cable, but personally, I found it to be slightly lacking in extension, and a tad loose in the bass. Bear in mind though that this is really only the case because of my personal preferences, as well as the type of sound that I’m used to. I like a really really sparkly sound, and am somewhat more tolerant to sibilance than a lot of people. I’m also more used to a more reference-type sound signature. With the truth cable, I find the K10 to have just the right amount of airniness, but on the stock cable, I find myself looking for a tad more airiness. The soundstage on the stock cable is also not as expansive as it is on the truth cable, but bear in mind that it remains impressive on its own right.
 
Now is the K10 the best earphone that I’ve ever heard? Well I wouldn’t say that. Hearing preferences are all subjective after all, and while the K10 would definitely make a lot of people happy, it definitely has its flaws. Personally, I would like it if the K10 had a better extension on the highs with more sparkle. That’s the one gripe I have with the K10. The truth cable definitely helped a lot with this, but given how much I love my sparkly highs, I could still do with more. That is, however, really a matter of personal preferences, and I wouldn’t really list that as a huge flaw.
 
All in all though, the K10 is really a mightily impressive earphone, among the very best in my opinion. It is not cheap, that is for sure, but should you decide to get it, you are truly in for a treat.
 

I love Rock and Blues and the K-10s are a perfect match for these genres. I have the Unique Melody Miracle and the K-10 does what the Miracle does but up a couple of levels.

Overview

The Sovereign King.
 
 
Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with Noble Audio in anyway. This pair of K10s was NOT provided by Noble and was purchased with my own funds. The following reflects my thoughts on the K10s using my own systems. Your own mileage may vary.
 
 
Noble what?
 
For those not familiar with what Noble is, well, they are a boutique company based in Thailand and China that craft exquisite Custom In-Ear Monitors. The brainchild of The Wizard, the K10s is the flagship model of Noble and represents the pinnacle of portable audio beside the JH Audio Roxanne, Fitear 435 and Unique Melody Mentor. In addition to the K10, Noble offers a whole range of different IEMs and CIEMs such as the Noble 4, 8C and 5S.
 
Right. Now that you know a little more of what the Noble is, lets get down to business.
 
Lets get Accessorizing!
 
What do we get out of the box? Well, pretty standard stuff. You get the usual Otterbox case, earwax removal tool, a Noble warranty card and your pair of customs! Oh, and stickers! Coz everyone loves stickers! The cable is by far the most interesting accessory though. More on that later. If I had to be picky, the only fought I could find with this was the apparent lack of -insert lack of “noble” prize joke here-…
 
 
The Voltage Transferring Mechanism Thingy.
 
Hey look! Later wasn’t that much later now was it? Anywayyyy, if this cable seems familiar to you, then well that’s because it is. It’s made of silver plated copper and is exactly the same cable as the Magnus upgrade cable provided by Heir Audio bar the pins and termination jack. In this case, the pins and jack is both molded in plastic, with the jack molded in a 45-degree angle as opposed to the metal barrel pins and Neutrik jack from Heir Audio.
 
While I’m not going to comment on the sonic qualities of the cable coz well, erm, this is not a cable review, I however, will comment on the external qualities of the cable. It’s tough. There. That’s it. Ok, really tough. It has gotten accidentally snagged on a door handle or two, survived a sneak by my cat and being stuffed into my bag as I ran between lectures. Comfort wise, it’s a light and supple cable that barely feels like it’s on your ears. Memory wire could have been a little longer but it’s a stock cable so I wont complain! (Although I am…)
 
Anywho, I hear Noble has a contest going in their Facebook page to guess the strength of their cable! Good luck!
 
Build Quality

One of the best darned finishing on a pair of customs I have ever seen. Lacquer used really gives a nice texture to them. They don’t just feel like hard acrylic but slightly textured. Glitter was evenly applied and as far as I can tell, there are no air bubbles in sight.
 
As for fit, the first pair of K10s that came had a slight fitting issue with my right ear. They just wouldn’t get a seal no matter how I twisted it. Left ear was perfect though. So I shipped them off for a refit, which rectified this issue. These now fit like a glove and I only lose the seal when I smile or laugh. So yeah, top notch built quality as far as my pair of K10s goes.
 
Design wise, I’ll let my K10s speak for themselves as well as Nobles designing prowess.
       
 
 
 
The Sound.
 
As much as I would like to start this portion of review off on a high, I’m afraid I can’t. The K10s just did not wow me on first listen and it seemed anticlimactic and underwhelming when I first put them on. One could argue that I had too much an expectation for these and yes, you wouldn’t be wrong. Maybe I’m too used to the 8A that I have, but, these are $1,599 CIEMs and I just expected a huge wow factor from the beginning but all I got was something really bland.
 
With all that said, I hope that didn’t put you off from the K10s. These, after just a few hours of listening, really showed it’s true nature. And boy, was I sorry for even doubting them.
 
Let’s start from the top of the frequency spectrum shall we?
 
Treble is fantastic. Being used to a warmer sound signature, ALA LCD2s, HD650s and my 8A, the K10s was a real step up. While some IEMs make you wish you hard more treble as they roll off fast or the fact that they sound muffled, these simply do not. Not only do they extend very high without sounding harsh, they do so with resounding clarity. Piano’s have a nice extension and decay to them, as do cymbals. Many a time I have heard headphones that do not accurately reproduces how a cymbal sounds. The K10s does it expertly with finesse. Cymbals crash loudly with authority and clarity that never sounds harsh to the point of causing discomfort nor does it sounds muffled. Yes, I am one of those who are sensitive to peaky treble and no, the treble output here does not bother me one bit.
 
Midrange wise, they sound extraordinary. These are mid centric CIEMs and they do not disappoint. They sound north of neutral but far less than that of the syrupy mids of the 8A. Coupled with a good amount of detail to them, every pluck of a guitar string sounds loud and clear and every crackle in a vocalist’s voice easily picked up without sounding thin and dry. Female vocals really excel here, sounding clean and spacious, with a good amount of air in them. In short, you really get enveloped in a swirl of mid rangy goodness.
 
Part of why I wasn’t wowed in the beginning might be due to the K10s bass response. Tuned differently than its siblings, the bass here is a little shy and only rears it’s very beautiful head when needed. When it is needed however, there is nothing shy about its bass. It’s excellently controlled and very precise. When compared to the 8A, which uses the same number and type of drivers, one will start to appreciate its precision. Not only does it almost match the 8A’s output it does so without even bleeding into the midrange nor does it start to sound loose, something that I found the 8A suffered from. Impactful, thunderous and accurate, three words I find myself repeating all too often. I love the K10’s bass response.
 
Soundstage on these is really wide. They really give the sense that you are enthralled in the middle of a concert. You will NEVER feel congested with the K10s. Imagining you are in a concert; you can feel the music in front of you and as it extends toward your sides, with the bass exploding right behind you.
 
Separation of each frequency range is excellent and never does one frequency intrude on another. Instruments as well do not sound congested and can be easily picked apart from the music distinctively. It is this separation that causes the K10s to sound less coherent than other CIEMs such as the Westone ES5. Nonetheless, they still sound fantastic and you probably won’t even care about them not sounding coherent! I know I didn’t.
 
It’s all these points that really make the K10 very enjoyable to listen. They aren’t what you would attribute a fun sounding CIEM as they lean towards being slightly neutral. Most likely, this is why I wasn’t wowed at the very start. However, after using the K10s for close to 5 months, you really start to appreciate the way these sound. Switching away from these to say, an 8A, a pair of UM3X+3 or, the Tzar 350s, there would always be something missing from my music that makes me yearn for the K10, be it its controlled bass or its ever so spacious midrange.
 
 
Truly, one only starts to appreciate and miss something when it’s gone.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Test was done using an DX50, AK100 and AK240. All 3 were tested with an SR71B and E12. Single ended output from all DAPs including the AK240. I've only just received my balanced AK240 cables and have not have the time for a proper sit down listening session.
 
MORE PHOTOS INCOMING TOMORROW. My camera is outta juice and phone's do not do these justice.

Intro:
 
Its no secret that my favorite CIEM in my collection as I write this review is my Noble Audio Kaiser 10. From the moment I saw them to that first time I put them on and played Rage Against The Machine’s Remastered “Take The Power Back” I was hooked. I’ve had my Kaiser 10s for almost a year now and they still remain my favorite. I’ve had plenty of different CIEMs in the past year but the Kaiser 10 is what I always come back to.
Honestly in the beginning I didn’t really think that Noble’s new 10-driver would be anything as I don’t really care much for the “driver war”, but as my friend soullinker20 continuously badgered me to try it, I went ahead and contacted The Wizard over at Noble through head-fi.
 

 
 
Ordering Process:
 
The ordering process for the Kaiser 10s was pretty straightforward, with me messaging Wizard on head-fi and getting referred quickly to Brannan to smooth out the process. I ordered a Rush-order Wizard Design, with the only requests being my logo on the right IEM and to “make it Noble”. I received photos (mildly stifled a squeal at how amazing they looked) and the CIEMs themselves soon after and immediately listened to them with my then go-to DAP, the AK120.
 
 
The Build Quality and Accessories:
 
I’d proudly say that Wizard’s designs are the most beautiful in any CIEM ever. I have two Noble CIEMs (as of the writing of this article), the Kaiser 10 and a Wizard Design Noble 4S and they are both still the most stunning CIEMs in my collection. Build quality is very high, not FitEar-quality but high enough. The case that they come in are a long Noble hardcase containing the IEM, some Noble bands, an earwax cleaning tool and a Noble ownership card. There was also a sticker that came with it with Noble’s logo and webpage (which is now on my car).
 

 
 
The Gear:
 
I will be using mostly the Noble Kaiser 10’s stock cable and throw in some thoughts with it on the Linum Estron and the Null Audio Silver. Listening is mostly done on an AK240 and a Tera Player, though I have used other sources and DACs, like my 15” MacBook Pro and Surface Pro 3 with the Chord Hugo and others. I use different types of files, from PCM to DSD.
 
 
Sound Quality:
 
As someone whose only Wizard experience before the Kaiser 10 was listening to the Heir 5.ai, I didn’t know what to expect when I received my Kaiser 10. I certainly did not expect it to consider it the best IEM I had ever heard (Especially as I had also just received the then-brand new JH Audio Roxanne, and owned some of the considered best CIEMs [MH335DW and Hidition NT6-Pro]) but I was dumbstruck at how great they sounded. Not wanting to pass judgment too quickly I kept listening...
 
...for a year. And I’m still constantly surprised by how much I love the Kaiser 10s. Here’s why:
 
 
Listening to:
 
Vocals are one of the most amazing things to listen to with the Kaiser 10s. Going through tracks like Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney’s “The Girl Is Mine” and even with Barbra Streisand and Barry Gibb’s “Guilty” you can clearly distinguish the vocals from the instruments, and even feel the natural highs of the vocals being presented, without becoming piercing. Even particularly sibilant tracks like The Cab’s “Endlessly” and Rage Against the Machine’s “Take The Power Back” are listenable because the tuning of the high drivers are just right.
 
Instruments are also very well presented and well distanced from the vocals, nothing sounds “muddy” to my ears even when I listen to very fast metal like “Bullet Dance II” on the Blazblue Chronophantasma soundtrack. Each instrument is rendered in a different layer that is very lush and just a joy to listen to. Even with classical pieces the instruments are rendered in a very satisfying manner.
 
One thing to note with the K10s is how effortless it seems to take any genre. One recent discussion about the Kaiser 10 is its bass-reproduction capability and I can heartily say if you want bass you’ll get bass. I tried the K10 with a few bassy tracks and even some where the bass is not very apparent. On Daft Punk’s “Around the World” you can definitely feel the bass and sub-bass, but it is very controlled and not as thumpy as something like the Rhines Stage 5 or the MH335DW. I don’t really look for bass in my IEMs so I don’t have much to compare to. Switching to a track like “Treasure” by Bruno Mars, the bass guitar is very prominent and delivers the bass in a very satisfying way, in a way that does not cover up the vocals but successfully portrays each part of the music. Listening to the live Jazz recording of Jazz at the Pawnshop’s “Over The Rainbow” is another incredibly excellent example of how the Kaiser 10 shines as the smooth sax is rendered with much emotion, while the people talking in the background can still be heard and it really makes you feel like you’re in the Pawnshop as Arne Domnerus’ group plays.
 
I’d say that the Kaiser 10 is the most “balanced” in terms of how it can manage any genre of music and will greatly be enjoyed by anyone who just wants to relax and listen to their music. I would not recommend it for anyone who’s after clarity, for monitoring, as they are essentially crafted for the simple joy of listening to music. I don’t believe its the most honest out there as the king of clarity for me will always remain the Hidition NT6-Pro. If you’re aiming for clarity go for the NT6.
 
 
In Conclusion:
 
I’d pick the Kaiser 10 as my favorite CIEM any day. I own very many CIEMs of varying tastes and styles but the K10 is my clear favorite when I just want to listen to something on the road, or in the office, or anywhere really. I’ll heartily recommend it to anyone willing to have one of the best all-arounder CIEMs out there. The only difficulty with this is actually trying to listen to something else after you’ve heard the K10s. At least that’s how I see it. I still switch amongst my other IEMs but my K10 is always with me and I don’t see myself getting tired of them anytime soon.
 
May Noble continue to create more amazing IEMs and with those crazy wizard designs I really do think the Wizard is an actual Wizard (that came from the moon).
 

The Noble Audio Kaiser 10 is the most perfect IEM I have ever heard, period.

 
If you told me that my review of a pair of headphones would somehow combine golf, science-fiction, sorcery and a supersonic jet I’d say you’re crazy. But then again if you told me I would spend $1,599 on a pair of IEM’s and consider them a bargain I’d also say you were off your rocker (and my wife would agree). But that’s where I find myself, so here we go…let’s jump into the seemingly random (and long) walk that is my review of the Noble K10’s.
 
But first, let’s go back in the time machine. In the late 90’s I had the honor of attending the Western Open at Cog Hill Country Club outside of Chicago. I was still in a field sales job and got to go see a major golf tournament and call it work – good times! At this tournament I saw Tiger Woods during his prime when he was winning majors left and right. He just made it look easy – showing true mastery of his skill. Golf is an incredibly difficult sport, and playing at that level and winning consistently is nearly impossible, but somehow Tiger did it, almost effortlessly (well, back then at least he did). The Noble K10’s are like Tiger in this regard, they’re effortless in their ability to do their job nearly perfectly. Taking 10 BA’s per channel and making them work together so coherently and precisely is a nearly impossible task, but somehow Dr. John has done it. You would never be able to guess the number of transducers in these IEM’s, but in the end all that matters is that they combine into one graceful and cohesive world-class package that makes beautiful music. The K10’s exhibit Noble’s true mastery of the craft of IEMs, reflecting the many years their key players have worked in this field. Like Tiger (at least back in the day) Dr. John and team rule their game. Add on top of this the detailed artistry of the “Wizard” and it’s a one-two punch of audio impact, both sonically and visually.
 
And speaking of Wizardry, how many of you remember the small handbag that Hermione Granger carries at times in the Harry Potter series? Through the use of an “undetectable extension charm” (yes I’m a geek, in case you didn’t know that already) her little bag can carry anything, no matter the size or weight. A complete library of books? Check. Dry clothing to change into after getting wet by jumping off a dragon into a lake? Check. Anything fits in there. The same appears to be the same with the K10’s. Besides being able to fit 10 BA drivers into each earpiece, which is a bit of magic itself, listening to the Kaiser’s makes you feel like the whole spectrum of instruments, even the largest ones, have somehow been crammed inside these gems, against all laws of mechanics (maybe quantum tunneling?). Queuing up “Life During Wartime” from the Talking Heads’ amazing album “Stop Making Sense” I was hit out of the blue by the kick-drum that enters suddenly during the keyboard intro. Even though I’ve heard this track hundreds of times, I was still struck by it - the drum as portrayed by the K10’s rocks you both in terms of impact and texture, but somehow doesn’t overpower the great stereo imaging of the keyboard riff. Putting on my LCD-3F’s for comparison I find the ability of the K10’s to convey this passage to be very nearly (but not quite) at par with the Audeze’s. How the heck do they do that? How does Dr. John fit that much musical magic into such a tiny space? Instead of quantum mechanics does he use the same charm Ms. Granger applied to her purse? He is a Wizard as well after all.
 
Anyone who looks at my hard-drive of FLAC files or my list of most-played Tidal tracks (hey, get off my computer!) knows that I listen to a very wide range of music, alternating between Rammstein’s “Sonne” to Miles Davis’ “So What” to Royksopp’s “Skulls”  to Duncan Sheik’s “Whispering” from Spring Awakening to The Chieftains “The Magdalene Laundries”. I love them all, and many, many more. The K10’s play them all well. I don’t find myself reaching for a different HP when I want to listen to a certain type of music. In fact another reviewer of the K10’s talked a lot about their ability to show the “space between” (which I agree with in terms of special sense), but be clear there is no space between the frequency bands. This is one coherent whole, and playing all of these different genres highlights that whatever is in the recording the K10’s will show – good or bad. In fact the times I’ve been disappointed by a sound coming out of the K10’s I’ve gone back and confirmed that the recording or other equipment was at fault (or my body, as one time I was sure I had a problem with my right earpiece, but it turned out to be a piece of ear wax rattling at a certain frequency – gross but it can happen!). The K10’s just show (their version of) the truth. Why the qualifier? They are voiced, so don’t expect “reference” neutrality, but boy-oh-boy are they fun to listen to.
 
Back to the Audeze’s for a moment. Why am I using them as my primary point of comparison? Why not other IEM’s? Well, a few reasons. First the K10’s simply left my trusted old Etymotic ER-4S’s in the dust – no comparison (although at $300 the Ety’s are still a great value). Secondly I know my LCD-3F’s very well. Third, how crazy is it to compare the K10’s with a full-sized (oversized some would say) open HP such as the reference LCD’s? This is no David versus Goliath. This is Goliath versus Goliath’s slightly younger and smaller brother – it’s a fair fight. Although to be clear, the use-case of these two TOTL offerings are completely different. The K10’s are “closed” (they’re deep in your ear canal!) versus the LCD-3F’s “open” structure. Both clearly have their strengths and weaknesses. I can easily travel with my K10’s (in case you didn’t know the LCD-3’s are not really portable – and yes I’ve seen it done) and not bother anyone (well, besides people wondering what those things stuck in my ears are!). But then again at home I’m am completely in my own little universe and cannot hear anything that is going on around me when wearing the K10’s, which can be good and bad. What? The kids were crying? Sorry honey – I had my Noble’s in. With the LCD’s I radiate a lot of sound from the cans, but then again I can still hear a bit of anything that is going on around me, assuming it’s pretty loud or the music is pretty quiet.
 
While on the subject of using the K10’s while traveling, one quick piece of advice: when you’re on a plane and listening to the K10’s be sure to let those sitting next to you know that you’re going to be off on another dimension, oblivious to anything and anyone around you and to poke you if they want to talk to you or warn you of any impending doom. Simply put with the K10’s on you will be off the grid. This is actually a great thing during boarding as it makes the process so much more enjoyable. Put an audio-induced shield up around you to repel the stress radiating from everyone else trying to cram a 150 pound duffle bag into the overhead bin or deal with a screaming 10 month old with an ear infection. Leave me a message, I’m not here - I’m in my “happy place” thanks to my friends from Santa Barbara.
 
Let’s jump once again back to the K10 vs. LCD-3F in terms of SQ comparison and specific tracks. The mids on the Nobles are very good, although they lack that certain fine “magic” and deep emotion of the LCD-3’s that made me pick the -3’s over the –X’s. But hey, I don’t know of any HP for under $5K that matches the LCD-3’s in this area. On the whole I’d say the Kaiser’s are quite close to the LCD-3 experience, around 90% of the SQ on whole. I could easily live with the K10’s if I had to (and I would pick them as my only headphone if I could only have one) but luckily I don’t have to. J Getting this close to Audeze’s  TOTL is an amazing feat given the difference in size and portability. Regarding a few of my reference tracks. On Peter Gabriel’s “OVO”, Track 12 “Make Tomorrow Today” has an intro that builds with keyboards and then the bass kicks in, followed by an acoustic guitar and then some type of whip-like sound comes out of nowhere. This jolted me out of my work, even sitting in a busy and loud Starbucks in Manhattan. Moments like this happen all the time and the K10’s again excels across the audio spectrum. Similarly on Gabriel’s “Growing Up” from “Up” the stings in the intro grab deep into your soul and then the rest of the sounds layer on with great texture and refinement. Great stuff. On Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit”, there is a slight difference in drums, with the K10’s being just a little less textured than the LCD-3F’s, but still highly engrossing. Again this is saying something given the size difference and also Audeze’s reputation for kickin’ bass (pardon the pun). However, on “Lithium” the K10’s reproduction of the cymbal shows a bit more air and space than the LCD’s. Score one for little brother Goliath. On the bass line in the second half of the song was awesome on the K10’s, but on the LCD-3’s it was exquisite – we’re really splitting hairs here. The LCD’s and the K10’s each have their own type of magic, but only one has a “Wizard”!
 
Also be forewarned and ready to jump back on the equipment merry-go-round once you land a pair of the Kaiser’s. In my progression up the portable chain, I started with the Dragonfly, then boosted that with the addition of the Headstage Arrow 4T. Then I got the Fiio X3 and was happy with that. However, when I plugged the K10’s into the Fiio I was left wanting more. After researching all sorts of portable amps I had the brain-fart that I still had the Arrow 4T in my drawer. Pairing the Arrow with the X3 was much better, and then when I added an ALO SXC22 mini-mini cable things tightened up even more. Most recently I swapped out the Headstage for a Leckerton UHA-6S.MKII and once again the K10’s showed the jump forward in SQ. If you’re not familiar with the Leckerton, look up Nick’s little masterpiece – it’s really amazing (at least as an amp, I don’t utilize the DAC section of the UHA-6S/MKII). Others have said it, and I’ll wholeheartedly agree – the K10’s scale beautifully and will take advantage of whatever you throw at them up the chain. I’m now more eager than ever to get my LH Labs Geek Wave XD128 Ultimate Signature DAP as I’m sure that whatever Larry Ho’s portable wonder ends up being my Nobles will keep up and take full advantage of their Geeky goodness.
 
But wait, you say, you haven’t talked about the super-sonic jet yet! (assuming you were paying attention at first and haven’t given up his death-march of a review yet). So where’s the analogy? Like the SR—71 Blackbird super-jet the K10’s appears to gain power with time, moving faster and faster (or in this case getting slightly louder and louder) when they’re in the zone. This is the first headphone where I find myself turning the volume down slightly versus turning it up while listening. Many headphones sound good when played at a higher volumes (hence the importance in dB matching during comparison tests) but it takes real engineering and finesse to make something sound good at lower levels. And that’s just what the “No-bull” team has done.
 
Finally, I would be remiss if I didn’t send a shout out to Dr. John, Brannan, Sunny and the rest of the Noble team. They’re not only great at what they do, they’re also good people. All of my experiences with them have been first rate. No rock-and-roll divas here. Just solid people making and selling extraordinary audio gear.
 
And yes, as I’m finishing writing this review I’m wearing my K10’s and my LCD-3F’s are staring at me with a little hint of jealousy, awaiting their turn. Don’t worry kids, daddy has enough love for both of you.
 
Well done Noble, well done. Very highly recommended. 

I purchased a second-hand pair on Head-Fi and got them reshelled through the Noble "OWNERSHIP TRANSFER SERVICE (ACRYLIC)." I chose to add Wizard reprint of a beautiful pattern I really liked, and added my own little signature. 
 
As many other reviewers stated, the sound is extremely cohesive. Silky smooth and non-fatiguing, but all the detail is there. Everything sounds so damn good and transparent. And I can listen to it for hours on end. This is my end-game portable, and I enjoy it over my HD800 and LCD-3. Responds excellently to EQing. 
 
The Wizard reprint is beautiful. I really like how it's not a 1:1 reprint but rather a unique re-make of the same overall design. 
 
EDIT: I am currently noticing problems with the fit and seal. The right earpiece breaks seal when my jaw is nearly or completely closed, and only seals properly when my jaw is two finger widths open. The left earpiece seals much better through my entire range of jaw motion, but also seems to be much tighter of a fit than my right earpiece (which seems loose). For reference, during my first audiologist impression, she had me use my index finger as a bite block. I also have TMJ issues, which may exacerbate the problem.
EDIT2: there's also a degree of play between the right earpiece canal and my actual ear canal. The right earpiece can seat in different positions resulting in different fits and sealing, while the left earpiece only fits in one position and consistently seals better.
 
Cable is really microphonic and feels kinda cheap. Might be replacing it in the future with one that's better built, but it works fine for now. 
Noble took two months to build it, as stated on their page. It took a long time, but was worth the wait.
 
Price is definitely in the high range, but I knew what design I wanted and I was okay with purchasing second-hand for a reshell. Probably my best audio purchase yet. 
 

Got my set at the black friday sales and have been listening to em for almost a mth now.
 
The mids are so smooth and vocal centric tracks thrive here.
 
The bass comes a thumping when you need it.
 
The highs are non-fatiguing.
 
The thing that surprised me the most is really how well they isolate.
This is my second set of CIEMS. My first CIEM had poor fit on the right side
but this came perfect out of the box.
 
when the music starts playing, i cant hear s**t from my surroundings and are extremely
comfortable to wear for long periods of time.
 
the build quality is astounding and they complied with my request to make the red a little darker.
 
easily the best set of CIEMS of IEMS or "earbuds" that ive ever heard.
 
Period.
 

These are my first CIEMS, and I took quite a blind plunge as I brought these when there were about 2 reviews. I've had them for just over 2 months, and my enthusiasm for them is as high as when I first got them.
 
The other reviews are more in-depth/useful; I can only really echo what has been written about them.
 
For me, the most notable things are that the bass slams very hard when needs be. The highs are extremely good, without any hint of piercing, that my old IEMS had. For me, this alone goes a long way to justify the price. I've never really understood soundstage before, so that will have to be covered by other reviews.
 
The comfort and fit are everything I need. No longer do the units shift/ fall out of my ears when I'm walking.
 
About the only thing I regret is not buying a Wizard Design. And this is even though I didn't buy it in the Black Friday sale, which is testament to the K10's quality.