[tjw321]

After a few hours of listening, I'm really, really enjoying vocals with these 'phones. 

.
As with all IEMs, the bass quality and quantity is fit dependent so my experiments to improve the fit are yielding varying results so I'll defer comment on that to someone wth normal size ears.
Still no sign of listening fatigue 

.
All listening done so far with NSS on - apart from a couple of brief tests where I switched back and forth to get an immediate comparison - which isn't really a good idea as it does take a while to get used to which ever setting you are on.

 

[tjw321]

Fit issues resolved. I went through my entire tip collection and found a few that worked. Surprisingly, most of the tips that worked were large, whereas I generally have to use the smallest tips available. But large and flexible enough to compress seems to be better for me with these particular 'phones. (Large to get a good "grip", and flexible so that I can get a good seal).
Also, normal size hybrid tips (foam inside a normal cover) seem to work well. The ones I have are Sony, I think. And straight-sided Complys. (YMMV). Spherical Complys don't grip enough in the sizes I have (small).
There is a knack (for me) in getting a good seal. I insert the IEMs with the wire pointing straight forward which gives me enough lee-way to wiggle them to a good fit. Then I rotate them upright, whilst holding them in place, and bending the memory wire into place behind my ear.
Lastly, a warning when tip-rolling. Tips with large apertures can slide down the nozzle leading to the hard end of the nozzle protuding into your ear. This can happen suddenly, and whilst you are seating the IEMs in place in your ear....I only did this once...

. Before inserting the end in your ear, make sure that your tip won't end up sliding down the nozzle by giving it a good push first.
I'm still really enjoying these 'phones. Vocals and strings are still the high-points for me - and both are very important for my preferences so -  

. I haven't yet got the bass I would like, but I'm very confident that I will once I've tried my candidate tips properly - most have had only a few seconds just to see whether I can get a consistent seal or not. I've definitely heard it sometime during my tip-rolling. 
Hopefully a few more people will be getting theirs tomorrow so you can get a better review than my non-expert impressions. I'm trying to be objective but it's difficult because I *really* like them. There are more than a few tracks in my collection that are unlistenable without NSS (or cross-feed) due to the hard-panning left and right (The Mamas and the Papas are a good example of this - backing vocals in one ear, band in the other ear, and lead vocals dead-centre). I have a couple of cross-feed solutions, but nothing which works portably...until now. This is a big reason why I decided to get in on this offer. Also, I'm finding NSS (so far) less obtrusive than my cross-feed solutions when the track doesn't need it. I leave NSS engaged all the time whereas I'd want to turn off the cross-feed (too fiddly with both my solutions).

 

[jdog]

I too have found that memory foam tips work very well with the NS-U1s.  I am using the Crystal tips (http://api.viglink.com/api/click?format=go&jsonp=vglnk_144760641487412&key=04fea777994d26cd84e01a5e54f4c01d&libId=ih0rfdrr01000k6o000DAooigogf3&loc=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.head-fi.org%2Ft%2F772649%2Fcrystal-tips&v=1&out=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.crystalline-audio.com%2F&ref=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.head-fi.org%2Fnewsearch%3Fsearch%3Dcrystal%2Btips&title=Crystal%20Tips&txt=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.crystalline-audio.com%2F) and they are quite comfortable.  They are also supposed to improve bass and provide very nice noise cancellation.  I ordered the large size tips, but I use large tips with all my other earphone tips to start with.  The more time I spend with the NS-U1s, the less I want to go back to my previous IEMs.  The IEMS I used to use are sounding more 2-dimensional in comparison to the NS-U1s.  And the good news is that with the alternate cable that LEAR is developing for the NS-U1s, it looks like we'll be able to "personalize" the sound we get from the NS-U1s. I am very happy with the NS-U1s...

 

[tjw321]

I generally use the small Crystal Tips, both spherical, and straight-sided, but they didn't have enough "grip" when I tried with the NS-U1s. I ended up with some medium straight-sided Complys which I had left-over, but I'll be getting some medium Crystal Tips if that's where I end up with my tip experiments. I'm a big fan of Crystal Tips. 

 
+1 regarding how difficult it is going back to 2-dimensional IEMs. It was really odd, at first, even going back to my headphones...

 

[tjw321]

Hey @jdog, thanks for mentioning Crystal Tips. It reminded me that I'd bought a mixed bag when I backed them on Kickstarter so it turned out that I had a couple of mediums after all. And they *are* the answer 

. A tiny, tiny, tiny bit too much bass to be ideal for my preferences but well within my accommodation range, and I reckon that I can tune that using the alternative cable by turning the NSS down a smidgeon. I just need the cable, now 

.

 

[jdog]

Dear Tatco Ma,
 
I am trying to follow the LEAR NS-U1 facebook posts, but the translation is a bit rough.  I saw a picture of a hand holding what appears to be the control "switch" for the new NS cable and a note you posted below the depiction of the new NS-U1 cable that said the depiction was not a true picture of the new cable.  I think I have interpreted this properly (?)...  I know you still must be quite busy getting all the earphone units finished up and mailed out, but if you get a spare minute, can you let us know when you'll be able to post an actual picture of the new cable?  Thanks.

 

[lear-hk]

  Dear Tatco Ma,
 
I am trying to follow the LEAR NS-U1 facebook posts, but the translation is a bit rough.  I saw a picture of a hand holding what appears to be the control "switch" for the new NS cable and a note you posted below the depiction of the new NS-U1 cable that said the depiction was not a true picture of the new cable.  I think I have interpreted this properly (?)...  I know you still must be quite busy getting all the earphone units finished up and mailed out, but if you get a spare minute, can you let us know when you'll be able to post an actual picture of the new cable?  Thanks.

 
 
Dear Jdog,
 
It's just a simple share 'The customised tuning, for you and I.'
 

 ​

 ​

please stay tuned for incoming updates.
 
Thanks for all your support and patience!
 
Tatco Ma

 

[james444]

Got my LEAR NS-U1s two days ago, and so far they're exceeding my expectations. Build quality is solid. Housings are on the large side and a bit fiddly to fit, but once in place quite ergonomic and comfy.
 
Isolation with foam tips is great. Speaking of which, I had to de-core a large pair of Shure olives and mount it on SpinFit stems, since none of the supplied tips were large enough for me. No biggie (pun intended , but some really large stock tips would have been nice.
 
Soundwise, I hear them as pretty well-balanced without major peaks or dips, if anything slightly mid-centric and a tad reserved at the furthest ends of the spectrum. Very smooth and non-fatiguing sound signature, somewhat reminiscent of the Rockets in my book. That's with NSS switched on, mind you, because as expected, they lose some bass and start sounding thinner and colder when NSS is off. Personally, I wouldn't use these without NSS unless there's no other choice, i.e. with binaural recordings.
 
Now for the most impressive aspect in my book, the effect of NSS on soundstage. Even though we're talking about highly isolating IEMs, NSS makes them sound open / deep / spacious and at the same provides cohesive imaging. Without a doubt, the NS-U1s have one of the best soundstages I've heard from IEMs, and I'd particularly urge those who're into orchestral music to give them a listen.
 
However, there's no gain without pain, and in case of the U1 the compromise is perceived detail / resolution. Since NSS uses auxiliary drivers for acoustic crossfeed, the result is what I'd call a "blended sound". Very lifelike and reminiscent of what you'll hear in a good venue, but not quite the kind of sound analytical listeners usually desire. In other words, ER4S / HD800 fans may rest easy, the NS-U1 won't probably pose a threat to their wallets.

 

 

[Jobbing]

They remind me of my current favourite IEMs - the Flare R2As. With both sets of IEMs you get to hear the music, not the IEMs. There is a little less detail with these but not disappointingly so (I like detail  ).

Interesting and funny you compare them to the Flare Audio. At the time FA Kickstarter campaign was launched LEAR introduced the NS-U1. I then had some very interesting chats with Tatco Ma as I suspected the NS-U1 would sound similar to the R2's. Decided to go with the R2's instead and wait for LEAR to launch a CIEM with NSS technology.

Really loving the sound of the R2Pro I am again triggered by NSS, hoping for Tatco to develop a custom monitor with this (natural, spacious and non fatiguing)technology combined with bass/signature knob, hearing protective feature like ADEL and semi-hard shell housing

Could you describe the difference between your NS-U1 and R2 with regard to soundstage/imaging? I like the forward and out-of-head presentation of the R2 very much. Do the LEAR have a similar presentation in your opinion or more forward even?

Apparently @James444 owns the NS-U1 as well so I'd also be interested in his take on the NS-U1 presentation.

Cheers!

 

[james444]

Could you describe the difference between your NS-U1 and R2 with regard to soundstage/imaging? I like the forward and out-of-head presentation of the R2 very much. Do the LEAR have a similar presentation in your opinion or more forward even?

Apparently @James444 owns the NS-U1 as well so I'd also be interested in his take on the NS-U1 presentation.

Cheers!

 
The NS-U1 have even more forward projection than the R2, whereas the Flares' soundstage is wider, but less deep. Comparable to sitting a few rows back in a concert hall vs. sitting in front with the R2.
 
However, the amazing part is that the NS-U1 manage that illusion with a fuller midrange than the R2, whereas the latter's upper mids sound a tad laid-back in comparison. Usually, our hearing associates vocal presence with distance to the singer, so if phones sound a little laid-back and veiled in the vocal range (e.g. the Sennheiser IE8/80), we tend to perceive that as forward projection. The NS-U1 are kind of a paradoxon in that regard, because they offer really good mids presence combined with an uncanny sense of forward projection and layering.
 
I'm a skeptic by nature and my earlier posts in this thread reflect that. But listening to the final product now, I'll gladly admit that Lear have created something quite remarkable with the NS-U1.

 

[jdog]

   
The NS-U1 have even more forward projection than the R2, whereas the Flares' soundstage is wider, but less deep. Comparable to sitting a few rows back in a concert hall vs. sitting in front with the R2.
 
However, the amazing part is that the NS-U1 manage that illusion with a fuller midrange than the R2, whereas the latter's upper mids sound a tad laid-back in comparison. Usually, our hearing associates vocal presence with distance to the singer, so if phones sound a little laid-back and veiled in the vocal range (e.g. the Sennheiser IE8/80), we tend to perceive that as forward projection. The NS-U1 are kind of a paradoxon in that regard, because they offer really good mids presence combined with an uncanny sense of forward projection and layering.
 
I'm a skeptic by nature and my earlier posts in this thread reflect that. But listening to the final product now, I'll gladly admit that Lear have created something quite remarkable with the NS-U1.

I agree.

 

[Jobbing]

 
 
Quote:

   
The NS-U1 have even more forward projection than the R2, whereas the Flares' soundstage is wider, but less deep. Comparable to sitting a few rows back in a concert hall vs. sitting in front with the R2.
 
However, the amazing part is that the NS-U1 manage that illusion with a fuller midrange than the R2, whereas the latter's upper mids sound a tad laid-back in comparison. Usually, our hearing associates vocal presence with distance to the singer, so if phones sound a little laid-back and veiled in the vocal range (e.g. the Sennheiser IE8/80), we tend to perceive that as forward projection. The NS-U1 are kind of a paradoxon in that regard, because they offer really good mids presence combined with an uncanny sense of forward projection and layering.
 
I'm a skeptic by nature and my earlier posts in this thread reflect that. But listening to the final product now, I'll gladly admit that Lear have created something quite remarkable with the NS-U1.

 
Quote:

I agree.

 
 
Thank you very much for your clarification and confirming the even more forward projection than I expected. The concert hall analogy is exactly what I was looking for!!
 
Your short write up here comes at a very critical point for me, and it's good to see that people are now confirming LEAR in their effort to implement their NatroSound technology successfully *tips hat* .I Kind of regret now not having pre-ordered a pair of NS-U1 myself, however as I'm on the fence of buying a pair of CIEM I can't wait for Tatco & team to implement NS in future (C)IEM products.
 
 

  I'm a skeptic by nature and my earlier posts in this thread reflect that. But listening to the final product now, I'll gladly admit that Lear have created something quite remarkable with the NS-U1.

 
 
That's why I hoped for you to chime in. I really appreciate your skepticism and the way you're able to describe sound characteristics *envy*. Your comments on HF have always been very helpful to me in discerning high quality and high price IEMs. If there's anyway for you to briefly describe the NS-U1 vs. IEMs we have in common IEMs (see my profile) I would be extremely grateful.

 

[james444]

 
That's why I hoped for you to chime in. I really appreciate your skepticism and the way you're able to describe sound characteristics *envy*. Your comments on HF have always been very helpful to me in discerning high quality and high price IEMs. If there's anyway for you to briefly describe the NS-U1 vs. IEMs we have in common IEMs (see my profile) I would be extremely grateful.

 
Thanks for your kind words. The only IEMs we seem to have in common are the Flares, so I'll give you a brief comparison to those. Keep in mind though that mine are modded (as described in the Flare thread), which means they have slightly less bass, more mids presence and smoother treble vs. stock. To me, the modded Flares (both R2A and R2Pro) sound fairly flat throughout the bass range and lower mids with slightly laid-back upper mids, and a mildly uneven downsloping treble range on top.
 
The NS-U1 don't have the same kind of effortless deep bass extension in comparison. Their low range is fairly neutral, too, but rolls off a bit earlier. So, overall, you get the perception of a little less bass impact, even though mid and upper bass levels are about equal to the Flares. Tables get turned in the mids, where the NS-U1 sound more linear throughout the entire range, whereas the R2s place female vocals a little bit back, due to their slight upper mids dip. Treble is probably the range where both phones are closest to each other, but the NS-U1 manage to sound a tad smoother in the highs than the Flares. 
 
Like I said before, NSS introduces a remarkable sense of forward projection on the LEARs, but it comes at the price of a slight reduction in perceived detail, since different sounds from the main and auxiliary speakers blend into each other. As a result, if you compare both phones side by side, the Flares seem to render a noticeably sharper image. However, after a few minutes of listening solely to the NS-U1, chance is that your brain adapts to their blended sound and you don't feel like missing out detail, but just enjoy their lifelike spatiality.
 
On a side note, the biggest difference between these two is probably not the sound, but fit / comfort / ergonomics. The R2s are just so tiny and easy to fit, you can even sleep on the side and hardly notice them. The NS-U1 are decidedly larger and although quite ergonomic, harder to fit. Sleeping with them is pretty much a no-go. On the other hand, since the shape of their housings helps to seal the ear canal, I've found isolation to be noticeably better than with the Flares and think they're great commuting IEMs for that reason.

 

[Jobbing]

   
Thanks for your kind words. The only IEMs we seem to have in common are the Flares, so I'll give you a brief comparison to those. Keep in mind though that mine are modded (as described in the Flare thread), which means they have slightly less bass, more mids presence and smoother treble vs. stock. To me, the modded Flares (both R2A and R2Pro) sound fairly flat throughout the bass range and lower mids with slightly laid-back upper mids, and a mildly uneven downsloping treble range on top.
 
The NS-U1 don't have the same kind of effortless deep bass extension in comparison. Their low range is fairly neutral, too, but rolls off a bit earlier. So, overall, you get the perception of a little less bass impact, even though mid and upper bass levels are about equal to the Flares. Tables get turned in the mids, where the NS-U1 sound more linear throughout the entire range, whereas the R2s place female vocals a little bit back, due to their slight upper mids dip. Treble is probably the range where both phones are closest to each other, but the NS-U1 manage to sound a tad smoother in the highs than the Flares. 
 
Like I said before, NSS introduces a remarkable sense of forward projection on the LEARs, but it comes at the price of a slight reduction in perceived detail, since different sounds from the main and auxiliary speakers blend into each other. As a result, if you compare both phones side by side, the Flares seem to render a noticeably sharper image. However, after a few minutes of listening solely to the NS-U1, chance is that your brain adapts to their blended sound and you don't feel like missing out detail, but just enjoy their lifelike spatiality.
 
On a side note, the biggest difference between these two is probably not the sound, but fit / comfort / ergonomics. The R2s are just so tiny and easy to fit, you can even sleep on the side and hardly notice them. The NS-U1 are decidedly larger and although quite ergonomic, harder to fit. Sleeping with them is pretty much a no-go. On the other hand, since the shape of their housings helps to seal the ear canal, I've found isolation to be noticeably better than with the Flares and think they're great commuting IEMs for that reason.

 
 
This is very useful information! Looks like the sound signature is right up my alley. The end caps of my R2Pro's were already at their max upon arrival, not going to take the risk for a mod and quite happy as is. I was under the impression you also own(ed) Rockets and FA VIII (returned them myself), never mind as the comparison you made here is already very indicative. R2's are indeed very low profile IEMs, then again it's hard to keep them fixed in the right position - using AntiLoops to keep them in place - still I'd prefer a more natural form myself like the NS-U1, resting in the concha.  
 
Not neccesarily looking for a universal set with the deepest bass rumble at the moment, most important for me to know now is that LEAR achieved the forward projection on these, smoother highs on the NS-U1 compared to the R2's is a bonus. Although I'm very eager to audition the NS-U1 universals I'm waiting for someone like Tatco Ma to incorporate this kind of forward projection natural sound technology with aforementioned features (like hearing protective capabilities/soundsig knob/semi-hard shell and greeeaaat soundstage/spaciousness) into a flush fit - non protruding (..) CIEM. Meanwhile I'll try to get my hands on a NS-U1 loaner pair to leverage my curiosity (European Trading Club anyone ?

)
 
Thanks again for the comparison, much appreciated!

 

[james444]

   
 
This is very useful information! Looks like the sound signature is right up my alley. The end caps of my R2Pro's were already at their max upon arrival, not going to take the risk for a mod and quite happy as is. I was under the impression you also own(ed) Rockets and FA VIII (returned them myself), never mind as the comparison you made here is already very indicative. R2's are indeed very low profile IEMs, then again it's hard to keep them fixed in the right position - using AntiLoops to keep them in place - still I'd prefer a more natural form myself like the NS-U1, resting in the concha.  
 
Not neccesarily looking for a universal set with the deepest bass rumble at the moment, most important for me to know now is that LEAR achieved the forward projection on these, smoother highs on the NS-U1 compared to the R2's is a bonus. Although I'm very eager to audition the NS-U1 universals I'm waiting for someone like Tatco Ma to incorporate this kind of forward projection natural sound technology with aforementioned features (like hearing protective capabilities/soundsig knob/semi-hard shell and greeeaaat soundstage/spaciousness) into a flush fit - non protruding (..) CIEM. Meanwhile I'll try to get my hands on a NS-U1 loaner pair to leverage my curiosity (European Trading Club anyone ?

)
 
Thanks again for the comparison, much appreciated!

 
I had the Rockets on loan, but that was quite some time ago and I don't feel confident comparing them, save for saying the NS-U1's sound signature reminds me somewhat of the former's. I own the FA VII, which are tuned more neutral than the VIII. Never heard the VIII myself I'm afraid.