[zachchen1996]

FWIW, Barra owns the NT6 Pro as well.

I know, we go way back as he was the one who helped me through the process of getting the NT-6 PRO haha.

Now I'm simply on a hunt for a worthy replacement for my NT-6 PRO / SE5 Ult and the 2 new 64 Audio flagships along with the AAW W900 are on the shortlist.

 

[ericr]

Barra - known & respected by headphone enthusiasts worldwide!

 

[crinacle]

  I am working on an unboxing video, but have a moving company over pulling apart my equipment as I type this so it looks like it will be next week before getting posted when my office gets set back up on the other side.. 
 
The A18 Tzar first impressions - well........ lets just say that it knocked me on my butt. I have to rethink my CIEM reviews now as it is definitely at a new level. The comfort is outstanding, the air pressure that it moves without punishing my ears, the enormous sound stage and 3D imaging ..... but best of all the timbre of the instruments is outrageous. This is a full sized HP experience that is out of head and top notch SQ pushing the exotic range. I was worried that the bass might be light given the neutral tuning description, but I would call it natural, not neutral. So far I have only listened to my Calyx M and with the stock cables, but the transparency on this CIEM tells me that it will scale to the moon with the right pathway. Time to find out.

 
Purely off aural memory, any comparisons with the W900?

 

[Barra]

 

  I am working on an unboxing video, but have a moving company over pulling apart my equipment as I type this so it looks like it will be next week before getting posted when my office gets set back up on the other side.. 
 
The A18 Tzar first impressions - well........ lets just say that it knocked me on my butt. I have to rethink my CIEM reviews now as it is definitely at a new level. The comfort is outstanding, the air pressure that it moves without punishing my ears, the enormous sound stage and 3D imaging ..... but best of all the timbre of the instruments is outrageous. This is a full sized HP experience that is out of head and top notch SQ pushing the exotic range. I was worried that the bass might be light given the neutral tuning description, but I would call it natural, not neutral. So far I have only listened to my Calyx M and with the stock cables, but the transparency on this CIEM tells me that it will scale to the moon with the right pathway. Time to find out.

 
very interesting.... I am looking forward a Tzar v/s Fourte comparaison 

 
 
A question : I wonder if the APEX technology (a small vent to reduce air pressure inside the air) could makes the Fourte/Tzar less isolating than the other IEMs ?
 
This will be a deal breaker for me !   Indeed, I will often use IEMs in environments where I definitively need sound isolation (planes, cars...)

That is an interesting question. Just finished a 3 day road trip jammin to the 18s and felt the isolation was great. Compared them to my Hidition NT6pros and found that they had the same isolation. Being by myself in a car for 3 days allowed me to belt out the tunes as loud as I would like. What I found different was that the 18s had some interesting feedback to my singing where I could hear my voice better using the M20s. Then I moved to the M10s and found it to be the same as the traditional Hiditions. Whatever feedback I was getting to hear my voice, didn't seem to downgrade the isolation though. In all cases, windows up or down, the music was awesome and isolation was excellent. Then I put on my HEX full sized open headphones to see the difference and couldn't hear the deep bass at all even with the windows up. The CIEMs definitely have the advantage.

 

[Barra]

  For now - wait for the official announcement and sign up.

Hoping to get the tour signup thread done tomorrow. Will post here when I complete the thread.

 

[Barra]

 

  I am working on an unboxing video, but have a moving company over pulling apart my equipment as I type this so it looks like it will be next week before getting posted when my office gets set back up on the other side.. 
 
The A18 Tzar first impressions - well........ lets just say that it knocked me on my butt. I have to rethink my CIEM reviews now as it is definitely at a new level. The comfort is outstanding, the air pressure that it moves without punishing my ears, the enormous sound stage and 3D imaging ..... but best of all the timbre of the instruments is outrageous. This is a full sized HP experience that is out of head and top notch SQ pushing the exotic range. I was worried that the bass might be light given the neutral tuning description, but I would call it natural, not neutral. So far I have only listened to my Calyx M and with the stock cables, but the transparency on this CIEM tells me that it will scale to the moon with the right pathway. Time to find out.

 
Purely off aural memory, any comparisons with the W900?

They are both truly wonderful CIEMs, but very different signatures.For the W900, the hybrid bass is the star of the show providing new dimensions in bass pushing air pressure sensations that feel very lifelike. It reminds me of my speaker setup with dual subs pushing air. If I lose the seal on the universal W900, its sounds like the subs from another room, but the bass remains unlike a BA setup. My ears are sensitive to seal given a weird bend. The W900 treble is very special too providing a revealing resolution that etches the bass with an alluring smooth audiophile detail that pulls together to create lush mids with extended frequency response.
 
The a18 on the other hand is all about an incredibly large and realistic 3D soundstage for full size TOTL HP out of head imaging and TOTL HP exotic SQ. Even better, this classy lady has two personalities with the M20 and M10 that goes from fun loving life of the party with nice curves to a hard body exotic yoga mystic that steals your breath away.
 
Not a perfect analogy, but think of the W900 as the LCD3 and the 18 being more like the Focal Utopia - very different animals.
 
The real question is how does the W900 compare to the tia fourte' - hybrid to hybrid. That I cannot answer as I have not received the fourte' yet, but I am excited to find out.

 

[Ike1985]

A18 Tsar Review
 
http://www.head-fi.org/products/64-audio-1964-ears-a18-tzar/reviews/18444
 

 

[Barra]

  A18 Tsar Review
 
http://www.head-fi.org/products/64-audio-1964-ears-a18-tzar/reviews/18444
 

Wow, great in-depth review. I learned a number of things from your sound descriptions such as the far/near clues as well as your write up on the tech inside. Very helpful. I know I am loving my A18 and have fallen in love with both personalities - m15 and m20. I am hoping to get my review out soon as well, but you are a hard act to follow sir. 

 

[bmichels]

I am tempted by the FOURTÉ but what I read here about how good the A18 sound makes me wonder ... so a A18/Fourte comparaison will be very very useful

 

[Barra]

I am tempted by the FOURTÉ but what I read here about how good the A18 sound makes me wonder ... so a A18/Fourte comparaison will be very very useful

Coming right up at the beginning of the month. 

 
I should have the tour units by then, but my weird ear canals will likely favor the custom fit. Having just listened to the hybrid W900, I have large expectations for the Fourte's now. Will really be excited when the custom Fourte' comes available.
 
What really excites me about 64 Audio and the module system is that it really does provide two TOTL signatures in one setup. Unlike the switches system that you listen to back and forth once and find one setting that works and one that sucks, both modules in the A18 were stellar TOTL signatures that are worth buying individually as separate CIEMs and different enough that you would use both. Its like having a wife and a lover without the guilt.

 

[linux4ever]

Hoping to get the tour signup thread done tomorrow. Will post here when I complete the thread.

Eagerly waiting to hear this beast. If I like it I might place an order.

 

[Barra]

64 Audio U18/Fourte' US Tour is Now Live

http://www.head-fi.org/t/845022/64-audio-us-ciem-demo-tour-tia-fourte-and-u18-tzar-starting-may-2017
 
The US tour is now up and looking for participants. Feel free to sign up and tell your friends.

 

[Barra]

The A18 Tzar - A new measure of perfection

Sorry guys, but I have to gush for a bit. I am trying not to sound too much like a 64 Audio fan boy, but have to admit....... after hearing my new A18, I am now a 64 Audio fan boy. 64 Audio is definitely at the top of their game. The A18 is blowing my mind with performance that keeps getting better. I have heard pretty much all the top dogs in CIEM which are all awesome, but the A18 is playing at a new level.
 
I have allowed my A18 to burn in a bit as well as my mind thinking that the newness would wear off and allow me to see clearly..... but no, I am still giddy. It just keeps getting better. I am trying different equipment and the 18 brings the best out of them. In fact, I feel that I am holding the 18 down with my Calyx M and AK100i + BH2 amp that I am throwing at her. So I purchased @Torq 's Sony WM1A to see if I can raise her game even farther. It will be hear on Tuesday to find out.The cable is usually a weakness in a CIEM, but I have been so tickled with the transparency, that I have not even tried rolling cables yet to see what a custom silver litz or copper will do but that is coming soon. That said, I am very happy with the cable that it came with, the 64 inch high quality cable has made me very happy - hence the lack of cable rolling.
 
My listening method is to play all songs (1000 hand selected, all genres) randomly to hear her ability to bob and weave with the various genres and she is playing all with great talent. She has bottomless bass for EDM, grit and snarl for rock, classical talents like I have never heard, clarity for my easy listening, whatever I throw at her, she delivers in spades. She is wet, dry, clear, transparent, grity, or whatever you want when called for. I have never heard such a versatile CIEM before. 
 
Leaving the CIEM discussion, she is a big threat to exotic full sized head phones as well. She has destroyed my HD700, LCD2.2, and even my HEX in performance. I cannot say that about any other CIEM that I have ever heard. To do that, the A18 has to be out of head, check, full sized sound, check, 3D sound stage, check, proper scaling, check, exotic performance overall, check...check....check.
 
Working on the full review which should be ready by mid next week to allow time to add the Sony WM1A performance as well.

 

[bmichels]

 

The A18 Tzar - A new measure of perfection

Sorry guys, but I have to gush for a bit. I am trying not to sound too much like a 64 Audio fan boy, but have to admit....... after hearing my new A18, I am now a 64 Audio fan boy. 64 Audio is definitely at the top of their game. The A18 is blowing my mind with performance that keeps getting better. I have heard pretty much all the top dogs in CIEM which are all awesome, but the A18 is playing at a new level.
 
I have allowed my A18 to burn in a bit as well as my mind thinking that the newness would wear off and allow me to see clearly..... but no, I am still giddy. It just keeps getting better. I am trying different equipment and the 18 brings the best out of them. In fact, I feel that I am holding the 18 down with my Calyx M and AK100i + BH2 amp that I am throwing at her. So I purchased @Torq 's Sony WM1A to see if I can raise her game even farther. It will be hear on Tuesday to find out.The cable is usually a weakness in a CIEM, but I have been so tickled with the transparency, that I have not even tried rolling cables yet to see what a custom silver litz or copper will do but that is coming soon. That said, I am very happy with the cable that it came with, the 64 inch high quality cable has made me very happy - hence the lack of cable rolling.
 
My listening method is to play all songs (1000 hand selected, all genres) randomly to hear her ability to bob and weave with the various genres and she is playing all with great talent. She has bottomless bass for EDM, grit and snarl for rock, classical talents like I have never heard, clarity for my easy listening, whatever I throw at her, she delivers in spades. She is wet, dry, clear, transparent, grity, or whatever you want when called for. I have never heard such a versatile CIEM before. 
 
Leaving the CIEM discussion, she is a big threat to exotic full sized head phones as well. She has destroyed my HD700, LCD2.2, and even my HEX in performance. I cannot say that about any other CIEM that I have ever heard. To do that, the A18 has to be out of head, check, full sized sound, check, 3D sound stage, check, proper scaling, check, exotic performance overall, check...check....check.
 
Working on the full review which should be ready by mid next week to allow time to add the Sony WM1A performance as well.

 
Thanks a lot for this feed back. did you has a chance to test the universal U18 before and to compare to the A18 ?  
Also, which apex module are you using most ? m15 or m20 ? I understood swapping the apex module can change sound signature to suit personal preferences.  

 

[Barra]

 

 

The A18 Tzar - A new measure of perfection

Sorry guys, but I have to gush for a bit. I am trying not to sound too much like a 64 Audio fan boy, but have to admit....... after hearing my new A18, I am now a 64 Audio fan boy. 64 Audio is definitely at the top of their game. The A18 is blowing my mind with performance that keeps getting better. I have heard pretty much all the top dogs in CIEM which are all awesome, but the A18 is playing at a new level.
 
I have allowed my A18 to burn in a bit as well as my mind thinking that the newness would wear off and allow me to see clearly..... but no, I am still giddy. It just keeps getting better. I am trying different equipment and the 18 brings the best out of them. In fact, I feel that I am holding the 18 down with my Calyx M and AK100i + BH2 amp that I am throwing at her. So I purchased @Torq 's Sony WM1A to see if I can raise her game even farther. It will be hear on Tuesday to find out.The cable is usually a weakness in a CIEM, but I have been so tickled with the transparency, that I have not even tried rolling cables yet to see what a custom silver litz or copper will do but that is coming soon. That said, I am very happy with the cable that it came with, the 64 inch high quality cable has made me very happy - hence the lack of cable rolling.
 
My listening method is to play all songs (1000 hand selected, all genres) randomly to hear her ability to bob and weave with the various genres and she is playing all with great talent. She has bottomless bass for EDM, grit and snarl for rock, classical talents like I have never heard, clarity for my easy listening, whatever I throw at her, she delivers in spades. She is wet, dry, clear, transparent, grity, or whatever you want when called for. I have never heard such a versatile CIEM before. 
 
Leaving the CIEM discussion, she is a big threat to exotic full sized head phones as well. She has destroyed my HD700, LCD2.2, and even my HEX in performance. I cannot say that about any other CIEM that I have ever heard. To do that, the A18 has to be out of head, check, full sized sound, check, 3D sound stage, check, proper scaling, check, exotic performance overall, check...check....check.
 
Working on the full review which should be ready by mid next week to allow time to add the Sony WM1A performance as well.

 
Thanks a lot for this feed back. did you has a chance to test the universal U18 before and to compare to the A18 ?  
Also, which apex module are you using most ? m15 or m20 ? I understood swapping the apex module can change sound signature to suit personal preferences.  

The hardest part about writing this review is that the A18 has two different personalities given the M15 and M20 modules. It is like I said before, like having a lover and a wife without the guilt. The M20 is the party girl with the bodacious curves and fun personality that everyone wants to be around, while the M15 is the regimented hard body yoga instructor that has amazing flexible talents. Both have extreme talents, but show them in different signatures. However, they are both cut from the same thread so you can hear the common core of high performance. So right now, I am listening to the M15 and having trouble going back, where before I didn't like leaving the M20 because i was having so much fun. The transition was stark feeling like I lost all my bass - but that wasn't true. It is like switching between two different headphones, it just takes a while to get used to the new signature with your preference typically going to the one that you just left as you are most familiar with it. After listening for a while, I could hear the same bass extension, but the decay was shorter for a tighter integration. I should add that the custom fit is perfect and allowing me to see performance down past 20htz like I have never seen before. The bass is stellar and very detailed/textured with multiple notes detectable. This seal is also allowing extension up top providing transparency into the music that I have not experienced before. The HEX is my favorite HP, but the open noise keeps me from hearing as deep as i can hear with the a18 custom seal - even in a silent room. As everyone always says, I am hearing things in my music that i have not heard before. Oh ya, and the other common theme - I am listening to my library anew. However, this time it is true.
 
So M20 is thicker and funner and M15 is very tight, but still brings extreme pleasure. Its a two for one!