Round 6. In this round: Lear LCM-5, Lear BD 4.2, Dita Answer, Dita Answer Truth Edition, ATH IM04, Aurisonic Rockets, M-Fidelity SA-43.
PS, in this round I also did a follow-up, and updated the scores of the following IEMs from
Round 1: Noble 4, Noble 8C, Legend R. All three were adjusted upwards. I also add the 1964 V6 to that round.
Lear LCM-5 ($970)
The Lear LCM-5 is the Hong-Kong based Lear Audio's 5-driver BA flagship. If there ever was a 'house sound', this was it. The LCM-5 sounds
very unique. It has a stunning 3D effect- almost- and this is the first time I've ever said this for any IEM- as if a Dolby Digital surround system was on. I could hear lots of echo and reflections. Very interesting. Strangely, though, the soundstage wasn't so big. In terms of its temperature, the LCM-5 was definitely bright. The bass was punchy with no hint of mud, but definitely lighter than I'm used to. The mids and highs were energetic, but there was a sense of sharpness through the sound, and the LCM-5 was definitely walking on the tight-rope of sibilance. In fact, the LCM-5 sounded almost metallic at times.
Update 1: I got a chance to hear the LCM-5 in custom form, having bumped into a fellow audiophile who happened to have one. The tinny metallic sound was all but gone. The surround image was reduced a tad too, but this trade-off was all too worth it. In custom form, I could now focus much more on listening to the clear, forward mids, and of course the energetic treble was still there. It still had issues- especially in the bass. There was not enough subbass, and the mid-bass was also a bit recessed + a tad light for my tastes. Nonetheless, this is definitely a top-tier IEM, and I've revised my score upwards.
Lear LCM-5 Score: 9.5-9.6
Lear BD 4.2 ($1399)
In conjunction with the LCM-5, Lear Audio also has a hybrid flagship, the BD 4.2. As the name indicates, the drivers are split 4-2. 4 BA drivers, and 2 dynamic drivers. The BD 4.2 also comes with a bass attenuator, which was
not subtle at all. The effect of the bass adjustment from 0 to 100 basically made these IEMs go from one of the most bass-light, brightest IEMs around (albeit with mid-bass that becomes too sharp for my liking), to one of the heaviest and warmest IEMs out there. This was a great quality bass too- when tuned up, it was hard hitting and full of texture. Nonetheless, the Lear house sound was still very much present. Relevant keywords here: sharp, edgy, metallic, surround-sound. The treble was even slightly more energetic and aggressive than on the LCM-5- probably to synchronize better with the bass monsters that the BD 4.2 can become. PS: score is higher because the bass tune feature has a very big and real impact on the sound.
Update 1: With my experience of the LCM-5 fresh in my mind, I went to try the LCM BD4.2 again, with the mindset that the tinny, metallic sound will probably be greatly reduced in full custom form. Looking past that, I really started to appreciate just how good this bass was. Wow, that bass. It sounded a lot like my 846- probably because they both have a low-pass filter. This was fast, clean, taut bass with good reverb underneath. Overall the sound was clean, composed, effortless and fun. While highly technical, these are not analytical IEMs. Because someone asked, I also paid special attention to the mids this time. They're a bit recessed, and dry in character. Overall, the mids were even and clear. I have now revised the score upwards. I thought enough of it the second time round, to place my own order for an LCM BD4.2. I'll soon find out first hand if my assumptions on the tinny sound are true.
Lear LCM BD 4.2 Score: 9.7
Dita Answer (Truth Edition) ($999)
Hot on the heels of the Lear CIEMs is another pair of IEMs with their own unique identity. I've heard the Dita pair been referred to as "speaker-like", and I can finally hear why. The Dita Answer Truth Edition has an extremely organic sound that seems almost 'analog' in nature. The mids aren't lush, but they are nonetheless very detailed and have great presence. The Dita Answer Truth is also very airy, with a big soundstage. Imaging is excellent. The bass is very textured and smooth, and actually quite fast and clean for a dynamic driver. The treble is energetic, but sometimes a bit sharp and edgy.
Dita Answer (Truth Edition) Score: 9.4-9.5
Dita The Answer ($649)
The Answer is supposed the exact same IEM as the Truth Edition, except that the latter has an upgraded cable. The differences between the two are obvious and significant. The Answer loses some clarity compared to its sibling, and the tightness of the bass is also reduced. There is also some congestion on more complex passages. The imaging and soundstage are both downgraded a bit, and finally the sound also sounds edgier.
Dita The Answer Score: 9.3
ATH IM04 ($520)
The IM04 is the flagship of the IM line from Audio-Technica, and boasts 4 BA drivers. The quality definitely shows. Fans of vocal-centric IEMs rejoice- the mids on these are lush and forward, with good air. The bass is unfortunately a bit light, but still tight (which I personally find more important) and fast. The treble is energetic with no sibilance. Overall, the IM04 is a fun, fast sound with good clarity. Things to improve are few, but the soundstage is only above average in size, and the imaging is merely average. The sound could also be a bit smoother.
ATH IM04 Score: 9.2
Aurisonics Rockets ($249)
The Rockets are really a hidden gem. They have a lush midrange that's not too forward, but still airy. There is that tight and textured bass that I love. I would ideally like to have a tad more bass, but they're certainly not bass-lite, and no one would label them bass monsters either. The soundstage is big, and the imaging is good. The clarity on the Rockets is also very good- but not as good as that of the IM04. Overall, they have a very smooth sound that was very enjoyable to listen to. One thing I thought it could improve on, though, was that I could sometimes hear the Rockets straining. It couldn't quite reach the effortless heights that IEMs one tier up (like the Westone W60) are able to get to.
Aurisonics Rockets Score: 9.2
M-Fidelity SA-43 ($840)
The M-Fidelity SA-43's been out for a while, but a new demo set just came in, so I took a listen. For those who are not familiar with this, this is the flagship IEM of the company formerly known as Starkey Norway. These are fairly unique in that they have two switches to change the sound for. A bass switch, and a presence switch. The effect of the bass switch is relatively subtle. Turning it on adds some warmth and musicality, and a slight increase in bass quantity. Even with the bass switch off, these have good tight bass. Quite different from the effect of the bass switch, the presence switch is like a Dr Jekyl-Mr Hyde affair. The difference is
gigantic. Turning it on, the mids are suddenly brought forward, and the clarity is brought a notch up. The soundstage doesn't change, but all warmness suddenly disappears. I don't generally like to write in metaphors, but this felt like the rays of the rising sun had suddenly and abruptly sliced through all traces of the morning haze. Switches aside, the SA-43 has a very clear and organic sound. With all switches off, it sounds quite neutral to my ears, with the mids being a tad recessed. The treble is didn't leave much of an impression- but it wasn't recessed. In general, I think I still prefer the other IEMs that I'd scored the same as the SA-43, but I give the SA-43 props for being tuneable and flexible in a very credible way. This is certainly not one of those IEMs where you'll end up choosing a single configuration 'cause that's obviously so much better.
M-Fidelity SA-43 Score: 9.5