Noble Audio Sage

Prelude: I got the Sage about 6 months back, as my first proper HiFi purchase. It arrived a week or two later, and honestly, unboxing it was the best part of the experience. Noble really has it down, they come in a big, beautiful box, with as many accessories as you can hope for, boxes, pouches, eartips, the whole experience. I was as happy as a kid on Xmas day.

During this review I am using a Mojo and an upgrade Han Sound Audio cable, the Muse II

The design is beautiful, as are most if not all Noble designs, they really do a good job at giving you a premium feel to them. I put them in my ears and feel like I'm wearing a little jewel on each side. They're somewhat large and might be uncomfortable to some,

Now, the sound is something I am quite divided on. My daily driver is the Andromeda S, which fair enough, is double the price, but when compared at their price levels - the Andro makes more sense than the Sage. At best one can compare it to the Campfire IO, but even the IO outperforms it in terms of neutrality and soundstage and detail.

The Sage feels somewhat rushed, like it is trying to get through the notes and frequencies far too fast and not giving the listener the time to enjoy what is going on. They also lack intimacy somewhat, and while the mids are forward and engaging, they tend to overpower the rest of the frequencies. The mid-bass area is quite decent, they pack plenty of punch, but really lack rumble (mainly because they rush through the bass and make it end far too soon).

The highs are probably it's biggest weakness, as they are quite significantly rolled off in terms of the frequency range, while the ones that do make it through sound somewhat unnatural, which isn't the most pleasant feeling, or sound that I would expect.

The soundstage and separation are quite alright for a dual BA, I couldn't really ask for more given the limitations of an IEM with a small number of armateures.

The Sage is no detail monster, it misses quite a lot of things I'd normally hear with the other headphones/IEMs in my collection.

I myself am a huge mids fan, and really want my vocals to be at the center stage, so the Sage is an IEM I still use quite often, and enjoy my time with it, but would I buy it again? Probably not, as there are far better options at the same price point. The Audeze iSine10 (at a third of the price) comes to mind, so does the Campfire IO. Both of these outperform the Sage on pretty much all accounts, especially the iSine10.

I'm not sure how to conclude this review - on one hand, I do enjoy having them and being able to listen to them every now and then, but I know that if I didn't have them and was looking for an IEM in that mid-price range, the Sage would probably not be my first choice. Overall, I can't say that I would recommend them.

Introduction

Noble is a company based in United States and they specialize in producing iems. They offer their iems in either custom or universal form. Their current lineup consists of Savanna, Encore, Katana, etc. In this review, I will be reviewing the Noble Sage. I would like to thank Noble for the review unit of Sage. At the moment, you can purchase the Sage from https://nobleaudio.com/en/shop/universal/ .



Specifications

• Driver Configuration: 2 Balanced Armature

Unboxing & Accessories

The Sage comes in a black package with a white protective cover that sports the brand name, model name and image of the iem. At the back of the protective cover, there is description of the Sage. The black package sports the brand name. After opening the black package, there are hard circular case, brand logo stickers, soft carrying pouch and a black Pelican 1010 case. Inside the Pelican case, there are carabiner, ear tips, cleaning tool, warranty card, silicone rubber bands and the Sage with detachable cable.







IEM Build & Design

The Sage shell is made up of acrylic and the surface is smooth. Both precision machined aluminum faceplates are dark green in color and sport the Noble logo. The shell is black in color with glitters. The nozzle is slightly angled with 2 bores. The Sage has an ergonomic design with a comfortable fit. The housing is light weight with good build quality. It has nice visual appeal.









Cable Build & Design

The cable is a detachable 4 core braided cable with 2 pins 0.78mm connectors. On the connectors, there are blue and red dot on the left and right side respectively so users can differentiate. The connectors have a black housing. The cable has a memory wire section that is enclosed in a opaque black heat shrink tube. The chin slider is made up of a transparent tube and the y splitter has a silver housing which sports the brand logo. The jack is 3.5mm gold plated straight with strain relief.



Sound Analysis

Lows

The Sage has a good amount of sub-bass and it is able to extend well. The rumble is presented in a natural manner. The bass decay is quick to provide pace. Bass texture is rendered smoothly. Each bass note on the Sage is articulated with precision and it does not sound dense. The mid-bass has a moderate amount of body and the slam is being delivered well without being aggressive. The Sage has a good blend of impact and control in the bass performance. The transition from the lows to the lower mids is smooth. There is a nice tinge of warmth which contributes to the musicality.

Mids

The midrange is detailed and there is a good overall balance. It is rendered with smoothness. The Sage is able to execute its midrange skilfully without overdoing it. The lower mids has a moderate amount of body which helps to convey male vocals well without any signs of dryness and hollowness. The upper mids has slight forwardness which boosts female vocals. The Sage is able to present both male and female vocals effectively with finesse. The midrange showcases musicality and creates an enjoyable listen with emotions expressed.

Highs

The treble is extended well with no sibilance and harshness. There is a moderate amount of body which aids in the smoothness and the treble articulation is precise. The air rendered has a good amount and it gives a relaxing airy feeling. The space helps to reduce the congestion. There is crisp and sparkle. It is detailed and smooth to provide a fatigue-free listening.

Soundstage

The Sage expands in a natural manner with great width magnitude. The depth is slightly closed in. Positioning of vocals and instruments is quite accurate. The Sage is able to present its soundstage with realism.



Comparisons

Noble Sage vs CTM Vintage Series VS-2

The VS-2 has less sub-bass quantity and extension than the Sage. The bass of the Sage is more visceral and impactful. There is more control in the bass. The bass texture is rendered with smoothness on both. The bass decay is significantly quicker on the Sage with agility. Each bass note on the Sage is presented with slightly more finesse. The mid-bass on the VS-2 is laid back while on the Sage, there is a tight mid-bass slam and this contributes to the overall dynamics. The lower mids on both have similar amount of body and male vocals are expressed well. The upper mids on the Sage is more forward which benefits female vocals reproduction. The midrange on the Sage has a sweeter feeling with crisp. Next, in terms of treble, the Sage has the edge in extension and it is able to render a greater amount of air and sparkle to inject excitement into the sound. The details retrieval on the Sage has a higher level. Lastly, for the soundstage, the Sage has a greater width magnitude while the depth on the VS-2 is more closed in. Positioning of vocals and instruments has better accuracy on the Sage. Resolution on the Sage is better.

Noble Sage vs Custom Art FIBAE 2

The FIBAE 2 has less sub-bass quantity than the Sage. It has similar extension as the Sage. The FIBAE 2 presents itself in a smooth approach while the Sage operates in a more clinical approach. Decay on FIBAE 2 is slightly tighter with more rumble. The pace of FIBAE 2 is quicker due to less weight. The mid-bass on the Sage has more body and it is able to deliver the slam in a more punchy manner. Bass texture is smoother on the FIBAE 2. Each bass note on the Sage is articulated with a cleaner hit and it has more attack. The lower mids is slightly thicker on the Sage and it is able to benefit male vocals. The upper mids on both is equally forward and there is definition. Intimacy is maintained for the female vocals reproduction on both. In the treble section, the FIBAE 2 and Sage have similar extension. There is slightly more air on the Sage and there is no sibilance and harshness on both. The FIBAE 2 is much smoother in its treble. There is additional sparkle on the Sage to provide liveliness. Both iems have similar width and depth. The expansion of stage is natural. Resolution of the FIBAE 2 is same as the Sage.

Noble Sage vs Plussound Prism

The Prism has less sub-bass quantity and extension than the Sage. The Sage has the advantage in its sub-bass reproduction and it is slightly more superior in the quality. The mid-bass on the Prism is more controlled. This allows the Prism to excel in tracks with less pace. The Sage has a more engaging slam. The bass texture on the Prism is being rendered with more finesse and smoothness. The bass note on the Sage is slightly more accurate with a faster decay. The bass control on both is very similar but the bass nature is different. The Sage has slightly more body in the lower mids department and male vocals are expressed better. For the upper mids section, I find the Prism to be more controlled in presenting female vocals but there is a slight restriction as compared to the Sage. At this point, it depends if you prefer a smoother or exciting approach to your sound. Next, in the treble section, the Sage is being expressed with better articulation and extension. There is no sibilance and harshness on both. The amount of air rendered is similar and the Sage has extra sparkle. In terms of soundstage, the width on the Sage is slightly better but the depth on the Prism is not too closed in. Vocals and instruments positioning is more precise on the Sage. Both are not congested. Resolution on both is approximately the same.

Conclusion

The Sage is a balanced sounding iem that is able to strike a good balance for the musicality and technicality aspects. It has engaging bass, clean midrange and smooth treble which combines well to achieve an enjoyable yet detailed sound. In addition, it has excellent build quality with a nice stock cable. The sublime execution ensures a fatigue-free listening session. The Noble Sage is a delight to listen to.



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