I have the Encore on my list of stuff to tackle, I just haven’t been to Stereo in forever. That and the IEX1, which is supposed to be ATH’s answer to Z1R, but I don’t exactly have high hopes for it after the CK2000Ti.
I’m not going to tell you how to do your job, as your take on the IER-Z1R is beyond great. But..........going from the IER to the Encore has such contrast. Like drinking orange juice then milk (or the other way around), the contrast distorts the possible perception of reality. Just a suggestion.......
Another opinion that would be cool to read would be your impression on the past Noble flagships........... the Encore and Katana. Only because they both were well received improvements in ways over the original K-10. Also because the Encore is in many ways the polar opposite of the IER-Z1R.
The Encore is a series of ingredients that would not seem to come off as musical as it does. Overall neutrality yes, except it has a dropped lower midrange which then places emphasis on the remaining midrange. Basically very midrange, without it forward. Also just to spice things up.........the whole response is blanketed in a slight warmish distortion removing any real possibility of finite detail. Yet this series of slight V curved neutrality comes off incredibly musical. Sub-bass normal for a 10 BA affair lacking some of the physicality of the lows in the IER-Z1R. None of this sounds good on paper, except the midrange and upper midrange and treble soundstage save the show......along with a style of integration from all BAs.
The Katana......even more neutral due to less treble and bass. Except reviews will focus in on the warmth.......basically not finding it AS neutral as some IEMs.
The Katana is very neutral, but it also has quite a bit of warmth in the midrange, so it doesn’t come across sterile and analytical as say, the A18t or the Erlkonig. It’s subbass is somewhat boosted too. Not Elysium levels but still. Need to try it as a custom though..
The Katana is very neutral, but it also has quite a bit of warmth in the midrange, so it doesn’t come across sterile and analytical as say, the A18t or the Erlkonig. It’s subbass is somewhat boosted too. Not Elysium levels but still. Need to try it as a custom though..
Well, that’s the thing, if you take note Noble has now gone to the semi-custom database composite shape so the new IEMs fit well. I actually had the Encore universal for almost two years before arriving at the right fit; thus maximum low tones. When I tried the Katana, due to what I was used to I didn’t notice the bass boost, though I have read that before. But yes, both Encore and Katana make the most of the mid-warmth, definitely part of their personality. With fit the Encore now has the low end, though nothing like a DD, it’s nice for rock, though leaves a smidge out of lows for EDM. IMO
Katana CIEM would be cool. I’m pretty happy with the fit now with the Encore, though most folks always reiterate about that extra % of low end with a CIEM. As we know fit is almost everything......well 99% almost of hearing everything a monitor is capable of anyway.
Well, that’s the thing, if you take note Noble has now gone to the semi-custom database composite shape so the new IEMs fit well. I actually had the Encore universal for almost two years before arriving at the right fit; thus maximum low tones. When I tried the Katana, due to what I was used to I didn’t notice the bass boost, though I have read that before. But yes, both Encore and Katana make the most of the mid-warmth, definitely part of their personality. With fit the Encore now has the low end, though nothing like a DD, it’s nice for rock, though leaves a smidge out of lows for EDM. IMO
Katana CIEM would be cool. I’m pretty happy with the fit now with the Encore, though most folks always reiterate about that extra % of low end with a CIEM. As we know fit is almost everything......well 99% almost of hearing everything a monitor is capable of anyway.
I was never able to get a good fit with the Katana and Encore universals - average at best. The Khan fit me like a CIEM but the rest of the lineup just felt awkward in my ears. Sent in my Katana to ItsFit Lab for a reshell - receiving it this week and I'll be able to test how the sound changes when going to custom
I was never able to get a good fit with the Katana and Encore universals - average at best. The Khan fit me like a CIEM but the rest of the lineup just felt awkward in my ears. Sent in my Katana to ItsFit Lab for a reshell - receiving it this week and I'll be able to test how the sound changes when going to custom
The strangest thing was I thought I knew the Encore universal, though finally putting the IER-Z1R LL tips on it, showed me; you don’t know what you don’t know........until you know! I was like........OK?.....this is what they are suppose to sound like! No wonder people like them!
The Noble Katana and Encore universal were a different fit. Like I say it took me years, being 1/2 way happy with 80-90% of a good fit before?
The nozzles are not that long, so you have the body resting on your outer ear. That creates a situation where the IEMs don’t go in far enough for an air-tight fit. No airtight fit, no lows. Also at that point they would move around at random as it’s the tip which can hold the IEM in place. The Sony clear silicone LL tips are both long and large, also they move the IEM housing out so they don’t touch the ear. That’s the only way I can figure my success?
The strangest thing was I thought I knew the Encore universal, though finally putting the IER-Z1R LL tips on it, showed me; you don’t know what you don’t know........until you know! I was like........OK?.....this is what they are suppose to sound like! No wonder people like them!
The Noble Katana and Encore universal were a different fit. Like I say it took me years, being 1/2 way happy with 80-90% of a good fit before?
The nozzles are not that long, so you have the body resting on your outer ear. That creates a situation where the IEMs don’t go in far enough for an air-tight fit. No airtight fit, no lows. Also at that point they would move around at random as it’s the tip which can hold the IEM in place. The Sony clear silicone LL tips are both long and large, also they move the IEM housing out so they don’t touch the ear. That’s the only way I can figure my success?
Very possibly. I used to hate a deep insertion, now I need at least "CIEM shallow" or even CIEM deep. Maybe I should've done some more tip experiments before sending them in for a reshell, but either way, I didn't love the universal brown design of the Katana... looks way better on photos than it does in person.
The Encore is a bit larger than the Katana, which makes it a bit easier to fit if you have average or large ears. The Katana is tiny haha
Very possibly. I used to hate a deep insertion, now I need at least "CIEM shallow" or even CIEM deep. Maybe I should've done some more tip experiments before sending them in for a reshell, but either way, I didn't love the universal brown design of the Katana... looks way better on photos than it does in person.
The Encore is a bit larger than the Katana, which makes it a bit easier to fit if you have average or large ears. The Katana is tiny haha
I would never second guess your decision, just that no tips ever worked for me. Even SpinFit tips were not strong enough and they simply lost strength as well as were too thin and just not the right shape? It’s basically that we are taking a universal shape and expecting the tip and airtight effect to occur when everyone has different ears. You and I were both on the outside of getting the Noble universal design to fit. The reason it has that shape it so it can be pressed together with 400Ibs of force. It’s egg shape so the force is distributed across, other shapes would break. It’s maybe not the best IEM shape, strong though?
You have to be excited as it truly is you getting a new IEM! Your going to love them!
I would never second guess your decision, just that no tips ever worked for me. Even SpinFit tips were not strong enough and they simply lost strength as well as were too thin and just not the right shape? It’s basically that we are taking a universal shape and expecting the tip and airtight effect to occur when everyone has different ears. You and I were both on the outside of getting the Noble universal design to fit. The reason it has that shape it so it can be pressed together with 400Ibs of force. It’s egg shape so the force is distributed across, other shapes would break. It’s maybe not the best IEM shape, strong though?
You have to be excited as it truly is you getting a new IEM! Your going to love them!
I think you can’t drop them? Though The Wizard said they ran one over with a car and it still works? I’m in high humidity, but hopefully the AC works to change it for the better. Though the Wizard told me not to get them wet, obviously. The sound is not as dramatic as say the IER-Z1R so what we are left with is something detailed well in the upper midrange as well as the slight warmth making them good daily drivers. They could be thought of as just relaxed enough and just entertaining enough? But the IER is more like a full turned up 7.1 system on “loud” where the Noble IEMs are closer to the dream bookshelf experience....even at the same volume. IMO
The Khan was even more upper midrange detail, almost to the point of mid-forward. Though it’s maybe easy to increase detail as both the Katana and Encore have a loss of detail with a replacement of warmth losing a little pin-point resolution, though that maybe makes them do all genres?
I rather have the Katana or Encore than the Khan, but I see why folks like them. Leaving EDM out the Noble Katana and Encore do every genre, which was one of his main goals with them.
I think you can’t drop them? Though The Wizard said they ran one over with a car and it still works? I’m in high humidity, but hopefully the AC works to change it for the better. Though the Wizard told me not to get them wet, obviously. The sound is not as dramatic as say the IER-Z1R so what we are left with is something detailed well in the upper midrange as well as the slight warmth making them good daily drivers. They could be thought of as just relaxed enough and just entertaining enough? But the IER is more like a full turned up 7.1 system on “loud” where the Noble IEMs are closer to the dream bookshelf experience....even at the same volume. IMO
Hmmm Idk if you can drop them... best not find out haha. Yes I was also thinking of the car experience
Honestly I couldn't compare them to the Z1R because I found it to have the mids quite recessed, and that's as far from my preference as possible. The LX is the only V I've been able to appreciate
Hmmm Idk if you can drop them... best not find out haha. Yes I was also thinking of the car experience
Honestly I couldn't compare them to the Z1R because I found it to have the mids quite recessed, and that's as far from my preference as possible. The LX is the only V I've been able to appreciate
You’ll note, our thread starter loves the IER-Z1R regardless of the midrange tonality and placement. Which is an example that we will find sonic personalities which can be appreciated as a group but then there are the IEMs which end up extreme. I’m really not a fan of forward midrange placement, where the Encore is subtle V (still close to neutral) with a lower midrange reduction, emphasis on sub-bass which brings a lot of focus on the mids. Same as the Katana and the whole Noble line is pretty much regarded as mid-centric. If they are not always looked at as midcentric, people are still focused on the style of midrange. Interestingly to some the IER is not looked at as a bass monster. It’s not even looked at as a bass monster by it’s owners, and it does have less than the 64Audio N8 or CA Atlas......which laughingly is not saying much at all. But with the bass and treble emphasis it’s like it gets there and gains separation by pruning the mids. There is definitely a tone on a few vocals where they sit ever so slightly back from where they should be. Also there is kind of an excited authority which can occur with the V signature, where to some it’s just plain wrong.
It’s interesting too as much of the song information is in the midrange? I’ve slowly started liking more midrange......as it actually may make the IEM more well rounded? Strangely the IER has less bass than the Sony N3 or Sony XBA-Z5......again that’s not saying much. But I actually look at the IER as a subtle V pulled midrange with bass and treble dynamics... it does the highs and lows so well they are entertaining and distracting from what’s been carved away. Historically speaking Sony has never done bass before as good as the IER, though it’s still overpowering to many! And that treble energy.....yes, many don’t like em. I’m not even going to try to convince you that they can be tailored slightly.
You’ll note, our thread starter loves the IER-Z1R regardless of the midrange tonality and placement. Which is an example that we will find sonic personalities which can be appreciated as a group but then there are the IEMs which end up extreme. I’m really not a fan of forward midrange placement, where the Encore is subtle V with a lower midrange reduction, emphasis on sub-bass which brings a lot of focus on the mids. Same as the Katana and the whole Noble line is pretty much regarded as mid-centric. If they are not always looked at at midcentric people are still focused on the style of midrange. Interestingly to some the IER is not looked at as a bass monster. It’s not even looked at as a bass monster by it’s owners, and it does have less than the 64Audio N8 or CA Atlas......which laughingly is not saying much at all. But with the bass and treble emphasis it’s like it gets there and gains separation by pruning the mids. There is definitely a tone on a few vocals where they sit ever so slightly back from where they should be. Also there is kind of an excited authority which can occur with the V signature, where to some it’s just plain wrong.
It’s interesting too as much of the song information is in the midrange? I’ve slowly started liking more midrange......as it actually may make the IEM more well rounded? Strangely the IER has less bass than the Sony N3 or Sony XBA-Z5......again that’s not saying much. But I actually look at the IER as a subtle V pulled midrange with bass and treble dynamics... it does the highs and lows so well they are entertaining and distracting from what’s been carved away. Historically speaking Sony has never done bass before as good as the IER, though it’s still overpowering to many! And that treble energy.....yes, many don’t like em. I’m not even going to try to convince you that they can be tailored slightly.
I also would not call the Z1R a bass monster, in the way the LX is for example. It simply has a recessed midrange, without bloating the bass or treble.
I also agree there's no point in taking an IEM and completely breaking its identity to make it fit your preferences, especially when stuff like the Elysium exist haha
Fearless Roland:
And people ask me why I hate Chifi FOTM hypetrains...
Fearless’ tribrid (again? really?) Roland has been massively hyped up by certain individuals to absolutely demolish legendary IEMs like the qdc Anole VX and the 64 audio U12t. Such hypetrainery has become standard at this point in this community but people don’t seem to learn from their mistakes. Barely anyone remembers the **** **** and the BGVP DM6 and DMG, and the cycle repeats itself in the form of the likes of the Roland and the BL03. It’s all so tiring.
When I first heard the Roland my first question was if this actually had a DD for the woofer. I proceeded to check the specs online to make sure I wasn’t losing my marbles, and sure enough it has one. Well congratulations to Fearless for succeeding in making their woofer sound like a literal BA. And no, I don’t mean it’s like the Solaris where the bass has that yucky plastic BA timbre to it but it still slams and rumbles, this literally sounds like a BA in every way. Subbass extension is awful, decay is trash, timbre sounds like the usual BA crap. What on earth am I listening to?
The midrange on the Roland sounds wrong. Wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong. Vocals sound like they’re covered by a blanket. Guitars have this strange honky horn-ish tonality to them that sounds absolutely terrible. Anything presenting itself in the upper midrange has the least amount of texture for that area that I’ve ever heard on any IEM. Notes sound like sine waves with a preprogrammed ADSR ratio. It takes a special kind of bad to pull this off but god damn dude, god damn.
And then... nothing. This void represents the void that is the Roland’s treble. It has absolutely none. It surpasses even the Wraith in this regard. Now we shall take a moment of silence in memory of my innocence and sanity for having heard this absolute burning garbagefire.
Amen.
Score: 2/10
In all seriousness, the Roland really is terrible. It sounds tonally incorrect, has some of the worst timbre on any IEM I’ve heard, barely passes in basic technicalities... I don’t know what to say. This thing is an affront to god, an affront to human decency, a living insult. Stay away.
Note: This review was written during my week long holiday in Shanghai, back around the period of Canjam Shanghai 2019. Originally, this was supposed to be a semi-humorous “review” commemorating the Roland as my first 1/10. However, a week after I returned to Singapore I was... ahem, tortur- I mean graced by the presence of oBravo’s Cupid, which far exceeded the Roland in absolute horribleness. As such, I am forced to concede the Roland’s score up to a 2/10. Blame oBravo for making score defining-ly bad IEMs.
I also would not call the Z1R a bass monster, in the way the LX is for example. It simply has a recessed midrange, without bloating the bass or treble.
I also agree there's no point in taking an IEM and completely breaking its identity to make it fit your preferences, especially when stuff like the Elysium exist haha
I haven’t heard the Katana in years but I’m fairly sure it works it’s magic by having a reduction in lower midrange. Meaning we can agree the Katana is both midcentric due to it’s tune with a subtle bass boost and overall warmth........still being conservative and close to neutral, in comparison to many IEMs. Where the IER still also shares a missing lower midrange, which amazingly still follows all the way until the treble climbs away! Thus strangely the IER has a lot carved away! Meaning if it had a lower midrange the true midrange would be even farther buried!
I haven’t heard the Katana in years but I’m fairly sure it works it’s magic by having a reduction in lower midrange. Meaning we can agree the Katana is both midcentric due to it’s tune with a subtle bass boost and overall warmth........still being conservative and close to neutral, in comparison to many IEMs. Where the IER still also shares a missing lower midrange, which amazingly still follows all the way until the treble climbs away! Thus strangely the IER has a lot carved away! Meaning if it had a lower midrange the true midrange would be even farther buried!
The Katana is pretty much only midrange.. the bass and treble work as a support to the mids - I am crazy about mid-centric IEMs but even the Katana is a bit too midcentric for me
Mostly pairing it with cables that boost its treble response so I can get a bit more frequencies in the mix, but I'm hoping the custom fit will bring out both the treble and the bass in it
This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
It was also compared to Empire Ears Legend X actually apparently Roland was the best in that review!
