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.



For more reviews, visit https://audio123blog.wordpress.com/ .

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Firstly I would like to thank Brannan at Noble for sending me this sample for review, these have had well over 100hrs of burn-in and no differences were noted.

*disclaimer: This sample was provided for the purpose of writing a review, no incentive was given to write a favourable review. All opinions expressed are my own subjective findings.

Gear Used:
Audio Opus #2 > Sage (red core tips)
HP Laptop > JDS Labs OL DAC > HeadnHifi O2 > Sage (red core tips)



Tech specs:
· 2 proprietary balanced armature drivers manufactured by Knowles© per side
· Updated Noble universal form factor and geometry featuring precision machined aluminum faceplates
· Sensitive enough for use with smartphones as well as portable amps and DAPs
· Hand-assembled and matched
· Detachable cable with industry standard 2-pin configuration (0.78 mm diameter)
· MSRP: $599

Packaging, Build quality and Accessories:
The Noble Sage come in Nobles new retail packaging, which looks superb. You get a picture of the IEM’s on the outside, with info on the back, slide off this outer sleeve and you are presented with a textured and substantial card box. On the top the brand name Noble is embossed, open the top and you are presented with a round plastic case, and next to it a Pelican case. The IEM’s are in an anti-static bag within the pelican case, the whole package feels very premium and looks great, I am a big fan of the new retail packaging.



Build quality is excellent, the finish of the IEM’s themselves is flawless with expertly machined faceplates and smooth plastic inner housings. They fit together nice and flush with no anomalies, and in person look fantastic. The bright green colour denotes the model, they may not be discreet in their colouring but they look excellent in person. The 2-pin sockets are nice and tight and the included cable has excellent strain relief and feels sturdy.

Accessory wise you get quite a lot, which is excellent. First off you get 2 cases and a pouch, one case is a round plastic one with a screw on lid, the other a pelican 1010 case both will protect your IEM’s on the go easily. Along with the cases you get some stickers, a pair of Noble branded amp straps, a karabiner for the pelican case, a wax cleaning tool and a variety of tips. You get 2 types of single flange silicone tips, some with a stiffer red bore, others with a more flexible blue core, 2 sizes of foam tips and 3 sizes of bi-flange tips. Plenty of accessories included and all you need to get started.



Comfort, Isolation and Cable noise:
The Sage are not a slim and discreet but the housing shape fits nicely in the ear, they do not sit flush and stick out a bit but once you find the right tips you get a comfy and secure fit with no issues. I found them to be very comfy for long listening once you settle on the right tips. The cable is really comfortable and soft, with moulded ear guides instead of stiff memory wire.

Isolation is good, more than good enough for daily use and they would be fine when used in noisy places.

Cable noise is not an issue with these as the cable is soft and routes up and over your ear.



Sound:
Split into the usual categories with a conclusion at the end.

Lows: Noble market these as well balanced with a slight boost down low, and that is exactly how I hear them. They have a tiny bit of added impact and body without becoming muddy or thick sounding. These have excellently controlled lows that have excellent punch when required, during rock tracks you can feel and hear the kick of kick drums, and the separation and layering down low is truly impressive. Bass guitars sound articulate and effortless, then if you put on some EDM low pulsating bass beats still shine through. The bass doesn’t encroach on the midrange, staying well controlled but having excellent body; they have the speed and agility to handle metal, as well as the extension and punch to really make EDM music come alive.

Mids: The midrange I was expecting to be slightly recessed but it isn’t, it is instead perfectly well balanced in the mix with detail shining through. The one thing I have found is that these handle both male and female vocals without any emphasis on either. They both come across with effortless tone and clarity, the bass really does not interfere with the midrange at all. Layering in the midrange is very good too, with each individual track in the recording being easily separated. As I stated earlier I was expecting a mild V shaped signature, and was pleasantly surprised at how good the midrange is on the Sage. The midrange never sounds thin and clinical, instead it has a slight smoothness to it, and there is also no upper midrange peak that induces sibilance. I am impressed by the smooth transition from mids to highs without losing out on the initial treble impact.

Highs: The highs sit just right on these, they are not too hot but they are also not dulled or diluted by the rest of the sound. The placement of the highs is good within the soundstage too, making it easy to pinpoint the positioning of the sounds. If I had one little gripe it would be that the highs are a little on the smoother side. The highs are quite transparent in the way that they change a bit depending on the recording for example on well recorded tracks them definitely become more detailed and effortless. The highs never become irritating or bright; they have just the right mix of presence, detail and smoothness to avoid fatigue without becoming dark.



The soundstage is not huge on these but it is good in width, the height is what stands out more though. Then again they are designed to be engaging and really fun to listen to so a super wide soundstage is not needed. imaging is excellent with a superbly well focused centre image and everything coming in from around it.

The separation is where these impress, although the soundstage isn’t excellent the air and separation within it is brilliant, with each instrument being easy to distinguish and pick out in the mix.
Coherency is not something I tend to mention as most IEM’s are now quite coherent, but coherency and the blend between lows, mids and highs is superb.

Comparisons:
Hifiman RE800:
The Hifiman have a more dynamic sound (dynamic driver) and also more treble presence but do suffer from a bit of an upper midrange/lower treble peak which can become fatiguing. The Noble are better built but not as comfortable, and the Noble are a little less engaging but are much better balanced across the frequency range without as many dips and peaks. The Sage is fuller, the RE800 is leaner but both have excellent separation and are both quite engaging IEM’s. With the ability to roll cables easily and the amount of accessories the Noble come with I would be more inclined to recommend them over the RE800.

64 Audio U6 (M20 module):
Now this isn’t a totally fair comparison as there is a bit of a price difference, but I thought I would included it anyway. So to start off with both have a fuller bodied sound but the Sage are more exciting and in your face whereas the U6 are more laid back and smoother. Upon first listen the Sage impresses a little more due to the exciting sound and more pronounced treble, but after some time with the U6 you realise that they are superbly refined and well textured. The U6 has a very wide soundstage in comparison, and their bass punch is more dynamic with a little extra sub-bass presence. The Sage is a little less refined overall and doesn’t quite match the layering and micro detail retrieval of the U6, however it does have a much more engaging sound signature. On this one the U6 has the upper hand in technicalities and can be tuned with modules and cables, however the Sage is more exciting and fun to listen to, some might find the U6 a little too boring and both are excellent IEM’s.



Cable pairing:
Now I know cables are a tricky subject but I am a believer in small changes between cables, and that finding the right cable to suit your needs is key (synergy). To be honest the stock cable is really good on these anyway and there is no real need to change it.

Effect Audio Ares II:
The Ares II gives the lows a little more bloom and body and the soundstage widens a little, treble response has a little more initial impact but extension feels a little cut-off. The sound tonally becomes a bit richer but still retains excellent separation, toms sound excellent with the Ares II. I found the lows to be a little too full for my liking with the Ares II but some will like this pairing.

Effect Audio Eros II:
The Eros II is one of my favourite current cables, what I like about it is that it doesn’t add too much flavour to the sound of the IEM’s. The bass still retains the body and articulation of the stock configuration but increases treble detail and also separation and soundstage are improved. The Eros II and Sage are an excellent pairing if you want to keep the stock fullness down low but want a little extra depth and detail.

Lavricables Reference Pure Silver:
Not the most ergonomic cable due to it being made out of solid core silver, but sound wise an excellent match for the Sage if you want a more neutral sound. This cable really tightens up the bass but without taking away extension. The midrange is largely unaffected but the highs now have extra impact and are a little better defined. Overall this cable takes away some of the fun that the Sage are built to deliver, but brings out a little extra sparkle up top and tightens up the bass response, I personally like this pairing but some might find the extra sparkle a little too much.

Toxic Cables Viper SPC (home-made):
The Viper adds some extra presence in the treble region without affecting the bass as much as the Lavricables Reference. The bass still has excellent punch and articulation, with the full body that the stock configuration has. The Viper just adds some more sparkle up top along with only slightly enhanced separation. This pairing is excellent if you want a little added sparkle without affecting the rest of the sound much.



Conclusion: The Sage is an easy recommendation at its price point, purely due to versatility. It does all genres quite well and is excellent as an everyday IEM. It has a more engaging sound signature that is well balanced from lows to highs with a little added body down low. They really don’t do anything wrong and are very easy to like, they will appeal to a lot of people. The performance they have squeezed out of 2 BA drivers is even more impressive, extension is good on both ends and the midrange is just really clean and enjoyable. This is definitely a case of implementation over quantity of drivers. My first Noble and I hope not my last as they clearly know what they are doing.


Sound Perfection Rating: 9/10 (Excellent musical IEM's that will appeal to many people)