Vision Ears VE6 X-Control

Vision Ears VE6xc

Disclaimer:-

The VE6xc was sent to me by Vision Ears as part of a review tour in my country, in exchange for my honest opinion. I am neither paid by nor affiliated with Vision Ears in any way and have no incentive whatsoever, for writing anything positive or negative about the IEM. The views shared in this article are my personal views based on my usage for a week or so. I’d like to thank Amin Karimpour for providing me with an opportunity to review this IEM.




The Germany-based company, Vision Ears, has delivered some premium and well-received IEMs that have been quite popular with audiophiles. I was previously blown away by the performance of their EVE20 and was naturally very excited when I received one of their top-line IEMs, the VE6xc. The VE6xc is a six BA IEM, packed in a resin shell with an impedance of 20 ohms and a sensitivity of 122 dB. The IEM has a 4-way system with 2 balanced armature drivers for bass, 2 for mids, 1 for high mids, and 1 for highs. The USP of the VE6xc (the C stands for control) is the control switch that can be used to change the signature between two Vision Ears’ IEMs, the VE6x1, and VE6x2. This, however, makes it an expensive affair at 1750 euros.



Since the customs charges and duties for a boxed set in India are exorbitant, we requested VE to send us an unboxed unit. Hence, I will not be able to talk about the unboxing experience or the accessories that are included in the retail package. The IEM, however, has a good fit and provides a good seal with the SpinFits ear tips (CP100) that are included in the package. Personally, I prefer foam tips and had used the Dekoni Mercury tips with these.



The cable felt somewhat flimsy and delicate, something that I wouldn’t expect from an IEM in this price range. Another gripe of mine is that the IEM comes with a 3.5mm SE cable. It would be great if Vision Ears could include a balanced cable or a modular cable with different terminations. One thing I’d like to highlight here is that the 2 pin connectors seemed hard to disconnect, which in my opinion is a good thing. The cable is light and is free of microphonics. The unit I received for the review had a customized faceplate that had a glittery finish and looked gorgeous. Vision Ears has a lot of custom faceplate options to choose from and includes the choice of having either a clear cable or a black one. This unit came with a clear cable.



Sound:



Lows

The lows on the VE6xc are quite detailed and are a tad bit warm, especially when compared to the EVE20. The VE6xc scales significantly with amping and this is easily reflected in the bass response. Nonetheless, the VE6xc has tight bass though that requires significant power. The bass seemed somewhat slow and lacked the rumble and depth in comparison to the EVE20.

Mids

Perhaps the highlight of the VE6xc is their performance in the mids section. This is one of the finest and smoothest performers in terms of vocals that I have come across. Both male and female vocals sound delicious. There is a good weight to the notes in this region that makes instruments sound life-like and grand. One could be forgiven for drooling over the vocals, especially since it seems like we’re listening to a live performance. In comparison to the EVE20, the VE6xc is clearly the winner here.



Highs

There is sufficient sparkle in this region and the set provides for an airy experience. The highs are well refined without a hint of sibilance or excessive brightness. The treble is smooth, non-fatiguing, detailed, and well layered. One can truly appreciate the texture and refinement in this region.

Control Switch

The 2 modes and the VE6xc seemed to be different primarily in terms of bass response. One of them is warmer with elevated bass and “fun” sounding. While the other is very linear and well-balanced. I preferred the warmer mode (VE6x1) since the other mode (Ve6x2) was too flat for my taste. Either way, the switch definitely makes a difference and perhaps allows the pair to be suitable for a wider variety of genres.

Other

In terms of dynamics, I personally felt that the EVE20 has a significant upper hand. However, when it comes to layering and instrument separation, the VE6xc is much better. Both of them have a wide soundstage and the VE6xc is definitely the more musical of the two and has a holographic presentation with excellent imaging. Since I listen to a lot of EDM, I felt like the EVE20 was more suitable for my taste. Though someone who enjoys classical music is likely to prefer the VE6xc. In spite of being an all BA IEM, the VE6xc has a really good timbre that is comparable to a dynamic driver.




Conclusion

The VE6xc is a great pair of IEMs but is quite an expensive pair. The high cost makes it hard for me to recommend this IEM, especially since I found the relatively lower-priced EVE20 to be the superior one of the two. It is an excellent IEM for those who love vocals thanks to its exceptional performance in the mids region. Perhaps the novelty of packing 2 IEMs in a single package has elevated the cost, but one could, in my honest opinion, pick either the VE6x1 or VE6x2 based on their preference.

Vision ears VE6XC review
This vision ears VE6XC iem was sent to me as part of a review tour , arranged by vision ears . I m not paid by any one to write anything good or bad. All the expressions are my own.
Specifications
This iem has 6 ba drivers ,2 for lows 2 for mids and 1 for high-mids and 1 for highs in acrylic shell.
Impedance-20ohms and sensitivity is 122db
packaging
This iem is review unit so all accessories not included. Though it came with very good round metal case which is very nice Matt black colour and very solid yet beautiful.iems came with stock cable which I feel could be better for its price point and set of spinfit tips

Fit ,Isolation and comfort
VE6XC is very light weight and comfortable.it has better fit and more mainstream universal type shape if compared to eve20 and slightly smaller shells then eve20 so I guess there shouldn't be any fit issues for most of the users while isolation is very good with stock spinfit tips but spinfit tips creats vacuum effect little bit some time So i used fiio stock tips ,JVC spiral dots and stock spinfits for listening seasons.

Sound Impressions
Lows
This set has all ba setup though I never missed DD bass ever during my listening seasons .it has well extended,very well controlled and tastefully done bass response.it has slightly less impact but more authority in bass region than eve20 .but there is more details in low end .subbass rumble is noticeably more in quantity and deep than eve20 . Reminiscent of some DD cans. Midbass is punchy but not very agressive.bass is slightly warmer than eve20 but slightly felt slower then eve20. Eve20 was tighter and fast in this segment

Mids
Mids are on this set is mind-blowing.very smooth and lush. Vocals are excellent ,thick and with proper weight. Male and female both vocals feels so fresh , very emotional and capable of giving you that special extra ordinary experience. Far more emotional than eve20 . Entire midrange of ve6xc is superior than many other iems out there. You will literally lost in songs while listening this set. Instrumental and electronic, trance music sounds very pleasing. Listening Chinmaya dunsters Fengshui :Eightfold path was an amazing experience on this set

Highs
Treble is sparkly , extended and airy yet smooth. There is proper air in between instruments. It is not felt bright or fatiguing for a nano second. Detail retrieval and refinement is whole another level but in buttery smooth way. Treble is not so energetic not grainy and sibilant for my taste.and I loved it because I'm treble sensitive little bit. In short high frequencies on this set is more refined and resolving then eve 20.

soundstage and imaging
Soundstage is wide enough for an iem though not extra ordinary wide and expansive.but I wudnt consider it intimate though. It is three dimensional with slightly less in width than eve20 but depth is more in ve6xc. Imaging is proper. I m Capable of imagine instruments placement and vocalist's position.gaming and movie watching experience was good on ve6xc but I wud pick eve20 for movie over this

Speed and Dynamics
Ve6xc all ba drivers performs very well in this this segment also but eve20 can easily outperform ve6xc in speed and dynamics but remember eve20 is whole another level beast when we talks about this segment

Tonality and Timbre
Very sweet tonality. It has slightly warmer and pleasing tonality then eve20 .No dreaded BA timbre felt any where over entire spectrum. It is reminiscent of hifiman Ananda + some warmer source like ifi micro black label

Xtra Control aka X control switch
Vison ears makes two versions of ve6 .X1 and X2 .Both versions has similar 6 ba drivers set up but different tuning via crossover settings.The X Control version of ve6 aka ve6xc made for users who wants both variants in one model. Set X control toggle switch in down position for X1 variant and in Up position you will get X2 variant. Interesting ain't ? Let's see what this different positions offers.x1 profile has slightly emphasized bass response in comparison of X2 profile.but in general aspect X1 has just right amount of bass which is my favourite sound signature. In X2 rest of frequency response is almost same apart from slightly emphasized bass. In X2 it is more neutral and flatter frequency response if compared to X1. Pick your poison. Mine is X1 LoL

Conclusion
Vision ears Ve6xc is much more musical than eve20 and fun to listen type iem .it is not boring or analytical by any mean. It is very easy to drive and sensitive though not source picky like other sensitive iems. You can literally run it with any source. It is much more forgiving then moondrop blessings 2. though if there is very bad recordings ve6xc definitely will point it out .I never needed to turn on ie match on my ifi micro idsd black label. This iem can be end game for many audiophile music lovers including me. If we compare eve20 with ve6xc, Eve20 is porsche So ve6xc is mercedes of iems,yeah both are German.I want to say thanx again to Amin from vision ears and suman bro for including me in this Vision ears tour de india danke .
Happy listening.

Gear Used For Audition
1) laptop
2) smart phone
3) dd hifi tc35b
4) fiio btr5
5) ifi micro idsd black label

Disclaimer: The VE6 XC was received as a part of the Vision Ears review tour. There is no compensation in cash or kind for the review. The views expressed are solely mine. YMMV

The Vision Ears 6 XC was one half of the Vision Ears tour (EVE20 was the other IEM). It came in a simple oversized zipper case with a pair of stock tips. This review shall focus on the sound (no fluff, yay).

Technicals
. 6 BA drivers on each side doing duties
. 2 pin SE ended cables. Stock cable is very thin and light, and remids me of the old Westone 3 cables. Very robust and not prone to tangles, with memory wires/sleeve for around the ear wear.
- Tone switch on the faceplate is an interesting addition to switch the tonality from a warm sounding iem to a neutral sounding iem.
Markings on the shell includes a possible manufacturing date (16-09/20) in this case.

Beauty shots - These look gorgeous. There is a nice marbled reflective faceplate with gold, pink, purpleand blue highlights that is mesmerising in good light. This along can keep people entertained for a while.
The shells are similar to the EVE20, filled in near completely The shells are translucent and the drivers and the connections are clearly visible from the outside.



Another view of the colors


Overview
The VE 6XC is a 6 BA IEM from Vision Ears. The shells are filled acrylic, and this makes the IEM to be lightweight, both during carry as well as listening.

The tone control switch is placed on the faceplate, as opposed to the side in case of other iems. This allows for changing the tone while the IEM is in use. Very utilitarian, imho. The tone switch can switch the iem into 2 different sounding modes. The warm mode (which I prefer with this iem) and the neutral mode.

Fit
The fit is a little of an issue without the right tips. The stock tips creates a vaccuum pressure that can get painful very quickly. I rolled tips and found the Tennmak Whirlwind work well for me.

I have a relatively small concha and the IEM is on the slightly larger size for long term comfort.

The Sound

The Warm mode - This mode makes the IEM very fun sounding and forgiving. It is very enjoyable on almost all genres of music, except ones requiring very fast response. They are perfect for vocals, jazz, R&B, hip-hop, classic rock, EDM etc. The sound is very smooth, decent stage, with excellent imaging. The stage is 2D and that of a medium sized room. There is a lack of depth though. The texture is very good across the board, be it bass, mids or treble. Both male and female vocals sound great.

The bass is very reminiscent of the focal clear, in terms of quality (not quantity). It is very full sounding, inspite of being all BA.

Micro detail retrieval is excellent, often hearing brushing of the hand against the guitar strings or the bow of a violin touching the strings before play

However, at the end of the day, when you settle in after a tiring day, these are perfect to put on and listen in. Very soothing.

The Neutral mode - This mode makes the sound a little less bassy, and keeps the rest of the spectrum as is. All details are present and the same stage, detail and imaging persists. This could be a useful mode for analytical listening for all but the busiest of tracks.

Song impressions
Source - Hiby R5, Laptop -> Dragonfly Red, FxAudio Dac X6, Saphire amp, Xduoo XD05 with Burson V5, LG V30+ on Tidal master, Hifi and Spotify premium, Youtube premium

Being a sensitive IEM, these could run out of any device without much trouble. Infact I had to drop the volume to single digits on the DFR on tidal. These dont need amping and using an amp does not change things much.


Iron Maiden - Wicker Man - This is a fairy fast metal track that I use to test for sibilance or tonal imbalance. Bruce's vocal range tests any headphone or iem very well. Good microdetail pickup, strange metallic clanking in the background can be made out clearly (Tidal 2015- Remaster) - this is probably an issue with the remaster. Well spotted by the iem

Janine Jansen - Vivaldi: The Four Seasons - La Primavera - 1. Allegro - Excellent sounding with the the bass mode. Cello/double bass has authority. Great microdetail pickup (violin bow noise starting 0:33 - 1:05). Cellos are beautifully rendered. Fast violin sections from 1:44 overlap, and the note separation is lost in the fast sections.

Janine Jansen - Vivaldi: The Four Seasons - Léstate : Presto - Outdone by the speed of instruments. The soundscape is mostly mushy in this fast track. Cellos/double bass again sound great. Very Focal Clear like bass in terms of quality.

Lady Labyrinth - Eniaudi Live - 2D imaging. There is no depth to the space. Detail retrieval is good, with width and height is above average. Some strings sound excessively loud

November Rain - GNR - Vocals sound distant. Good stage width and height.

The Lonely Shepherd - Zamfir - Pan pipes sound realistic. Wide stage.

James Blunt - You're Beautiful - Good stage. A guitar plays only on the right side, for most of the song.

Yosi Horikawa - Bubbles - excellent stage and positioning. Faster background into the track gets a little fuzziness.

Comparisons
vs EVE20 - EVE20 is at a lower price range than the VE6XC. The detail retrieval is very similar between the two. The EVE20 has very quick transitions and is able to stay focussed on fast tracks. The VE6XC does get a little fuzzy on the fast pieces, but without distortion. The stage of the EVE20 is massively wide, while it is an adequately large room with the VE6XC. The bass is a lot more fun with the VE6XC.

vs UM Martian - The Martian is a hybrid iem from Unique Melody (2DD and 2 BA), but in the same tonal ball park. Hence I selected it for comparison. Inspite of the DD on the Martian, the bass on the VE6XC was more engaging and fun. I had a lot of fun with 80s pop and classic rock track alike. The Martian does not however suffer with fast music and is able to reproduce the tracks accurately. The soundstage is 3D with good depth too. Hence I would place them on equal levels with each having their strength areas.

Conclusion
The VE6XC is a fun sounding IEM that is well built and is capable of reproducing micro details in a stellar fashion. While there is a proliferation of multi-driver iems, the VE6XC is an easy recommend for the sound signature alone.

P.S: I would like to thank Amin Karimpour and VE for the tour, and shoutout to Suman for arranging the tour