I think I'll get at least an hour with the three of them and although to short to form a real conclusion it should hopefully be enough to get a good idea of them and answer a few of your questions.
They look really nice too actually. Especially for conus customers since heir's customs and shipping fees come out to ~100 anyways so it counterbalances their free woodplates options.
I just wish they offered those a bit earlier or at least made some announcements that they were working on them. I would definitely have considered one of those instead of my brushed aluminium faceplates. Oh well...
I've been listening to the V6 demos for a solid week and have come to love their sound signature. Going back to the Quads makes their added low end seem a bit heavy now. It's amazing how easy it is to love what's in your ears after getting used to them. I'm ready to pull the trigger with my form all filled out. I just need to make a choice!
I've decided that although I LOVE the full bodied thump of the Quads, they may be just a bit too much low for what I need as a guitarist and singer. I find myself zoning out and losing myself into the kick drum and bass lines. It's great!, just a bit of a risky choice for my first CIEM. It's been said that the bottom end may be even more emphasized in an IEM than the universal demo equivalent. I don't think I'd be happy if the Quads delivered any more lows.
I spent most of October/November with the Duals, V3's and Quads. I found the V3 and the Quads to be very similar across the entire spectrum, with the Quads thumping the subs in a seriously amazing way. I used the V3's live for three weeks and they never lacked. Vocals were crisp and harmonies were easy to place. My guitar cut right through the monitor mix from my Aviom. I sent the V3's back with the Duals to get the V6 demo's.
I was very happy with the V3's and only chose to hold the Quads over them due to my fascination with the low end grunt the Quads so cleanly and accurately provided. I can say now conclusively that the V6's are superb (consider this a retraction of my initial impressions). I did indeed need to spend more time with them and acclimate to their signature. I found that they just needed a touch more amplification to bring them up to the same relative output as the Quads. Once I did that they shined across the spectrum. It could be the difference between their impedance's since their sensitivity specs are very close, but I really don't know.
With this being my first CIEM, I think I'm going to go with the V3's. Mostly because I was so pleased with them. I also found the website's description to be accurate "The V3 triple driver was designed for a full spectrum sound with a slight emphasis on the bass region." With that I think it will be a good split between the audiophile tuning of the V6 and the sub punch of the Quad.
It's been a pleasure to have the opportunity to listen to their entire product line at length. Especially with the rare opportunity of being financially able to decide solely based on sonic preference. I think I will be very pleased with my choice. Plus my deliberation bought me time to have the exotic woods as an option. That Teak is gonna be SWEET!
Well, after over a month of waiting, my Miracle are finally here. For those curious about the V6 vs Miracle. Here is a quick run down.
Sound Stage: The Miracle has a wider and deeper sound stage compared to the V6. I'm not sure why as both are six drivers with 3 way cross-over. I see the placement of the drivers are different on both, so that could be why? I'm no expert on this however.
Bass: The V6 definitely has more impact, a bit more with that "thump." However the bass on Miracle is better extended, giving a more realistic sound. Both are excellent in their own way, It will pretty much end up depending on the music you listen to. Some songs will sound better with more bass, others will sound better with a bit better tonal balance.
Mids: This is almost a draw here, notice "almost." For lack of a better word, to my ears the mids on the V6 is like a rectangle with sharp edges, and the mids on the Miracle is like a rectangle with rounded edges. Going back and forth between the two, the Mids on the V6 sound almost recessed compred to the Miracle. Could be my brain playing tricks on me, who knows? So again, it all boils down to the music. Whether or not you like a sharp edges or a rounded edges rectangle. To my ears, the rounded edges give me a smoother, fuller, lush sound.
Highs: This is where you see a different. The highs on the V6 are laid back compared to the Miracle. Both give a smooth presentation, however I feel the Miracle highs are a bit more refined. Just me though.
Tonal balance is better on the Miracle, so the overall sound is a bit more fluid. The Miracle is more neutral and and the V6 is on the warm side, so that could be why. As I mentioned before, if you think of neutral has a straight line, then the V6 has some slight curve to it. The Miracle is pretty straight, pretty much like my Alclair Reference.
Build quality is excellent on both. UM is famous for excellent craftsmanship, and 1964 Ears is definitely up there as well. I'm a bit disappointed with the accessories of the Miracle however. I feel like there should be more for $1000 CIEMs, but hey, that's just me.
So there you have it, to make it easy I'd give the V6 a 9.25/10 and the Miracle 9.75/10. Please keep in mind however that this is merely my opinion, as always, Your mileage may vary. To my ears, I feel like the Miracle are better, but not by much, and certainly not worth the premium price over the V6. So if you don't have $1000 lying around to spare, get the V6 and enjoy it, definitely an excellent CIEM for the money. If you however prefer the extra smoothness and have cash to burn, get the Miracle, which needs no introduction as one of the best CIEMs on the market (possibly the best one, until I my paycheck comes in for the Westone ES5, so we'll see )
Until then, rock on
Agh just when i had some direction about buying high end iem... If you could transplant the less lush mids from the v6 onto the more balanced miracle frequency balance... Maybe the UM mage would match this description? Why does nobody make the iem i want...
[/SPOILER]
Agh just when i had some direction about buying high end iem... If you could transplant the less lush mids from the v6 onto the more balanced miracle frequency balance... Maybe the UM mage would match this description? Why does nobody make the iem i want...
I've been listening to the V6 demos for a solid week and have come to love their sound signature.
I spent most of October/November with the Duals, V3's and Quads. I found the V3 and the Quads to be very similar across the entire spectrum, with the Quads thumping the subs in a seriously amazing way. I used the V3's live for three weeks and they never lacked. Vocals were crisp and harmonies were easy to place. My guitar cut right through the monitor mix from my Aviom. I sent the V3's back with the Duals to get the V6 demo's.
I was very happy with the V3's and only chose to hold the Quads over them due to my fascination with the low end grunt the Quads so cleanly and accurately provided. I can say now conclusively that the V6's are superb (consider this a retraction of my initial impressions). I did indeed need to spend more time with them and acclimate to their signature. I found that they just needed a touch more amplification to bring them up to the same relative output as the Quads. Once I did that they shined across the spectrum. It could be the difference between their impedance's since their sensitivity specs are very close, but I really don't know.
With this being my first CIEM, I think I'm going to go with the V3's. Mostly because I was so pleased with them. I also found the website's description to be accurate "The V3 triple driver was designed for a full spectrum sound with a slight emphasis on the bass region." With that I think it will be a good split between the audiophile tuning of the V6 and the sub punch of the Quad.
It's been a pleasure to have the opportunity to listen to their entire product line at length. Especially with the rare opportunity of being financially able to decide solely based on sonic preference. I think I will be very pleased with my choice. Plus my deliberation bought me time to have the exotic woods as an option. That Teak is gonna be SWEET!
Wow, I did not expect you to choose V3 over both the V6 and Quads. Now I feel I can save up for V3's and tell myself they're just as good! All you V6 owners just let me keep believing this. ..
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