[Ike1985]

According to customer support at UE, the UEBJ is 18-20ohm impedance, "perceived as the human as 4 times lower". Seems a bit high as I know I'm not 40-50 clicks into Mojo's volume.

 

[scottcocoabeach]

Too bad they don't sell a balanced version of the buffer jack. Luckily the U6's don't need it.

 

[PinkyPowers]

Look who's in the house!



The first thing I noticed was how light and small these were. I had to look at the fine embossing on the shell to convince myself it was indeed the U12. How they fit so many drivers inside these things, I will never know... Cause I aint never going to open them up.



They fit flush with my ears. I can't believe it, but they do.

Spent the first twenty minutes or so tip rolling. I had ordered four new sets of replacements tips from Amazon and B&H. Some of those work nicely, others not so much. Currently I'm using old trusty and trues: JVC Spiral Dots. Still the king!

My early impressions are that the U12 with ADEL B1 Module is VERY smooth. There's little to no treble sparkle, just as described. One of the main reasons I bought them was I wanted less pop and brightness in the highs. If I want sparkle, I turn to Solar. They do that perfectly. I wanted a counterpart to Solar, something soothing and lush. But just as bassy.

U12 delivers even more bass than Solar. Even with the B1 Module. This pleases and surprises me. Everyone was right. The B1 does not take too much of the low end out. It's still wonderfully warm. I was seriously concerned when I first put them in, using the stock double-flange. I felt like I had a good seal, but man the sound was lacking in bass. Once I started tip rolling, I found out what the U12 is truly capable of. And I love it.

I need to listen more before I write too much. I've only had them for couple of hours. So far, so very, very good.

 

[Rei87]

Seems like empire audio has picked adel with 64 going the apex route. Seems a pity, since i really preferred the old adel module ad it sounded alot more transparent compared to the new apex.

 

[joven2468]

Is it true that Empire Ears is going to include ADEL in their iems?

 

[ezekiel77]

Is it true that Empire Ears is going to include ADEL in their iems?

Jack left a teaser in the EE thread. Full announcement will come very soon. Likely a yes.

 

[glassmonkey]

Is it true that Empire Ears is going to include ADEL in their iems?

Yup. Congrats @Canyon Runner on the new partnership. I hope they are nicer folk than 64 Audio.

 

[Ike1985]

I think the times when ciems/iems aren't pressure regulated is coming to an end, ADEL is the cause of this and will have the first-to-market advantage going into new waters. We will begin to see other manufacturers utilizing ADEL or trying to create their own pressure regulating innovations. The iem/audiophile market is changing fast and it's a great time to be a consumer in it, much is on the horizon and still being developed.

 

[Ike1985]

I wonder if it is possible for an impedance adapter to increase pressure produced by the drivers somehow, maybe be increasing the swings in FR in between the highs & lows. In addition to an overall softened sound, I feel I am experiencing higher pressures. Maybe I am cranking it more because the sound is softer or maybe I just haven't found the right listening level on Mojo (since UEBJ changes this) and am listening too loud. Normally I listen at 10-15 clicks on Mojo, if UE is to be believed, the equivalent clicks shpuld be x4 or 40-60 clicks but that is way too loud. I think UE is off with their 4x number. From my experience, i's closer to 2x.

 

[bavinck]

I wonder if it is possible for an impedance adapter to increase pressure produced by the drivers somehow, maybe be increasing the swings in FR in between the highs & lows. In addition to an overall softened sound, I feel I am experiencing higher pressures. Maybe I am cranking it more because the sound is softer or maybe I just haven't found the right listening level on Mojo (since UEBJ changes this) and am listening too loud. Normally I listen at 10-15 clicks on Mojo, if UE is to be believed, the equivalent clicks shpuld be x4 or 40-60 clicks but that is way too loud. I think UE is off with their 4x number. From my experience, i's closer to 2x.

You might want to consider selling your 12 and looking at the empires ears lineup with Adel. They get amazing reviews, and don't have any of this "tuned for stage and studio" nonsense 64 audio is doing.

 

[Jalo]

@Pinkypowers, you describe it perfectly. What is amazing with the U12 is that it can be so lush and warm but clear and transparent at the same time that do not have that veil feeling.

 

[Taggerung]

You might want to consider selling your 12 and looking at the empires ears lineup with Adel. They get amazing reviews, and don't have any of this "tuned for stage and studio" nonsense 64 audio is doing.

Is that only the case for the U12, or the entire lineup? The U8 is the only basshead-certified BA iem by HBB, so it'll take more than some negligible impedance variations for me to switch.

 

[bavinck]

Is that only the case for the U12, or the entire lineup? The U8 is the only basshead-certified BA iem by HBB, so it'll take more than some negligible impedance variations for me to switch.

I would say it sounds like U12 and u8 are the ones that were tuned with higher impedance sources. With the u8, the problem isn't the bass tuning which is nice and DD like, but rather the recessed upper mids and lower treble. Makes it sound veiled to my hears, also how it sounds U12 owner are describing.

 

[Jalo]

I would say it sounds like U12 and u8 are the ones that were tuned with higher impedance sources. With the u8, the problem isn't the bass tuning which is nice and DD like, but rather the recessed upper mids and lower treble. Makes it sound veiled to my hears, also how it sounds U12 owner are describing.

Yep, sounds like a U12 + S1 to me.

 

[PinkyPowers]

So after listening to the U12 all day at work, and a number of hours this evening, I have a slightly better grasp on them.

They are significantly better than JHAudio's Angie, which I've had for about a year now. As I told Jalo in PM, they do everything Angie does, only better. This is easy to hear because they share so much in common. They're both laid back, warm, and smooth, with treble that never really shines. The U12 is simply much more so on all of these.

Comparing it to Solar is not so cut and dry. They are polar opposites in some ways. They do both share deep, rumbling bass. In this, The U12 might be a clear winner. It's sub response is even bigger, with notably more texture and layering. Sometimes I feel Solar's bass, however lovely in tone and quantity, is a kind of one-trick-pony. U12's lows are like a Renaissance man; it can do anything.

Neither Angie nor Solar compete with the U12's soundstage, imaging, or separation. The ADEL U12 w/ B1 is phenomenal in this arena.



My deepest gratitude to Jalo for being willing to sell them to me.