tawmizzzz
1000+ Head-Fier
Hey guys,
As teased, wanted to finally share my Summit-Fi shootout. It’s lengthy, but not too long once you factor in that its essentially 4 mini-reviews followed by a comparison and then recommendations section.
*Feel free to jump around to any sections that interest you more than others, or towards the end if you only care about direct comparisons. I even have a 90 word TL;DR (too long-didn’t read) for those who are ultra-lazy*
Birds Sing, Kings Rhap: A Summit-Fi Shootout between the Rhapsodio Supreme Mk2, Vision Ears Erlkönig, Rhapsodio Infinity Mk2, & Oriolus Traillii JP
Why these IEMs?:
If you told me a year ago that I would even consider an IEM over $3k, I would have scoffed and high-fived my bank account for not expediting its suicide. If you told my girlfriend that I even hovered over the “buy button” of said-IEM, well…I would no longer be her partner.
But it took only 12 months of pursuing that endless high of demoing, purchasing and trading various TOTLs until my bank account found itself back in that unfathomable territory-damn you Rhapsodio Infinity Mk2 and Oriolus Traillii JP. Because two Summit-Fi IEMs are not enough (this is a joke), I was fortunate enough to have some very generous friends lend me the Vision Ears Erlkönig (@SLC1966 ) and Rhapsodio Supreme Mk2 (@hshock76 ) to pit these four ultra-pricey IEMs against one another.
Look, I get it. The prices alone will likely make this shootout somewhat controversial-but rather than indulge in what intrinsic value a dollar amount holds to one’s musical enjoyment, I rather discuss how these crazy bastards compare to one another. I also want to reiterate that we are living in an amazing age for high-end portable audio. There are excellent options across all price points. Therefore, this shootout is in no way trying to justify any pricing, nor indicate that anything in a lower price bracket belongs in the trash. Simply, what I hear, I share.
So now that the pitchforks are hopefully lowered, I do want to say in my own honest opinion, these four IEMs are generally on a summit-tier of their own in terms of sound-quality compared to the more mainstream TOTLs I have listened to. This list includes: Odin, Elysium, U18s, Noir, FiR M5, Rhapsodio Sagga, Legend X, etc. It does not mean that they will be better for everyone, but these four personally elevate me to a euphoric state where I forget that I have two little monitors in my ears. Instead, I am transported into a blissful state with even more immersion, detail and delicate balance of musicality vs. technicality. All four tend to provide a rich, emotional mid-range with world-class technicalities, which I have not been able to find on the same level in the past.
Accessibility:
Fortunately, the Rhapsodios (Infinity, Supreme, and even the Bomber/Sagga) have an excellent satisfaction policy via Hifi-Portable in the event that they do not hit your sweet spot (https://www.hifi-portable.com/en/22-rhapsodio-satisfaction-guarantee-program). The Traillii should also still be available to demo via Musicteck, although I would anticipate a long waitlist. Unfortunately-Erlkönig is discontinued and about as easy to find as is any of us finding a real “endgame”. (Erlky’s successor, we are waiting for you!). And then of course, the last option is to just say, “screw all of these, I refuse to listen to any of them. Snake oil!” And I feel you, I really do.
Shootout Layout:
To help breakdown the layout of this lengthy shootout, I will:
Disclaimers (because its 2021 and I refuse to give the keyboard warriors any ammo):
1. Rhapsodios are extremely source dependent. My impressions may differ quite dramatically from those who use different DAC/AMP and cable setups. I guess having different ears and brains probably factors in also
I honestly think the Rhaps are the best IEMs to test a DAP’s general tonality. For example, they become more bright, cold, and analytical with huge, layered staging from the iBasso 220 MAX. From the HiBy R8, they tend to be more neutral with a slight upper-mids and upper-treble focus, focusing on overall texture. From the iBasso DX300, they become more bass and lower mids-focused with excellent layering capabilities. The same principles can be applied to cables that are paired with them.
This could be a pro or con, depending on one’s gear collection. Some individuals love trying the various flagship cables and DAPs that they own in order to find the perfect “recipe” for their auditory sauce. Meanwhile, the same cannot be said or recommended for someone with only 1 DAP who wants something that is easy to pair it with, especially at these high investment price points.
2. I am not a reviewer. I am not associated or affiliated with any of these brands. I am simply a dude who likes music and overanalyzing things.
Now that I have covered my ass (I think), let’s carry on .
IEM Driver-Setups:
Rhapsodio Supreme Mk2:
Mono in-house made 12mm Magnetostatic driver
Vision Ears Erlkönig:
*These pair-ups were the most optimal for the best sound-quality tailored to my preferences*
-For the Supreme Mk2, I used the iBasso DX300 in high gain, digital 2 filter, paired with the PW Lucifer 4.4mm cable. I used CP155 eartips.
-For the Infinity Mk2, I used the HiBy R8 in Turbo Mode, mid-gain, with the premium Rhapsodio copper 2 wire cable. I again used CP155 eartips.
-For the Erlkönig, I used the HiBy R8 Turbo Mode, high-gain, with the premium Limited Edition stock cable and CP155 ear tips. (I like CP155 eartips if you cannot tell).
-And for the Oriolus Traillii, I also used the HiBy R8 Turbo Mode, high-gain, with the PW1960 4 wire stock cable, but with CP145 eartips.
Genres Tested + Style Explanation:
I listened to a variety of genres, such as: Alternative, rock, EDM, metal, electronica, reggaeton, classical, soundtrack, rap, jazz, and indie.
While I love the shootouts that compare each IEM on specific tracks, I felt it was not best suited for my style. I would feel biased in the songs I would choose, and even then-which IEM I prefer for a specific song really depends on the mood I am in. For example, for a specific song, I can find myself asking questions like, “Do I want to grab my Infinity to hear sparkle and airy vocals, or do I want to grab Traillii to focus on the imaging and deep bass slam?” My answer would be inconsistent and too mood-dependent. Therefore, my impressions and “conclusions” are ultimately summaries after dozens of hours of listening across each genre with each IEM.
Whew, still with me? Now that the foundation is set, grab a beer, kombucha, and/or caffeine pills, and enjoy!
As teased, wanted to finally share my Summit-Fi shootout. It’s lengthy, but not too long once you factor in that its essentially 4 mini-reviews followed by a comparison and then recommendations section.
*Feel free to jump around to any sections that interest you more than others, or towards the end if you only care about direct comparisons. I even have a 90 word TL;DR (too long-didn’t read) for those who are ultra-lazy*
Birds Sing, Kings Rhap: A Summit-Fi Shootout between the Rhapsodio Supreme Mk2, Vision Ears Erlkönig, Rhapsodio Infinity Mk2, & Oriolus Traillii JP
Why these IEMs?:
If you told me a year ago that I would even consider an IEM over $3k, I would have scoffed and high-fived my bank account for not expediting its suicide. If you told my girlfriend that I even hovered over the “buy button” of said-IEM, well…I would no longer be her partner.
But it took only 12 months of pursuing that endless high of demoing, purchasing and trading various TOTLs until my bank account found itself back in that unfathomable territory-damn you Rhapsodio Infinity Mk2 and Oriolus Traillii JP. Because two Summit-Fi IEMs are not enough (this is a joke), I was fortunate enough to have some very generous friends lend me the Vision Ears Erlkönig (@SLC1966 ) and Rhapsodio Supreme Mk2 (@hshock76 ) to pit these four ultra-pricey IEMs against one another.
Look, I get it. The prices alone will likely make this shootout somewhat controversial-but rather than indulge in what intrinsic value a dollar amount holds to one’s musical enjoyment, I rather discuss how these crazy bastards compare to one another. I also want to reiterate that we are living in an amazing age for high-end portable audio. There are excellent options across all price points. Therefore, this shootout is in no way trying to justify any pricing, nor indicate that anything in a lower price bracket belongs in the trash. Simply, what I hear, I share.
So now that the pitchforks are hopefully lowered, I do want to say in my own honest opinion, these four IEMs are generally on a summit-tier of their own in terms of sound-quality compared to the more mainstream TOTLs I have listened to. This list includes: Odin, Elysium, U18s, Noir, FiR M5, Rhapsodio Sagga, Legend X, etc. It does not mean that they will be better for everyone, but these four personally elevate me to a euphoric state where I forget that I have two little monitors in my ears. Instead, I am transported into a blissful state with even more immersion, detail and delicate balance of musicality vs. technicality. All four tend to provide a rich, emotional mid-range with world-class technicalities, which I have not been able to find on the same level in the past.
Accessibility:
Fortunately, the Rhapsodios (Infinity, Supreme, and even the Bomber/Sagga) have an excellent satisfaction policy via Hifi-Portable in the event that they do not hit your sweet spot (https://www.hifi-portable.com/en/22-rhapsodio-satisfaction-guarantee-program). The Traillii should also still be available to demo via Musicteck, although I would anticipate a long waitlist. Unfortunately-Erlkönig is discontinued and about as easy to find as is any of us finding a real “endgame”. (Erlky’s successor, we are waiting for you!). And then of course, the last option is to just say, “screw all of these, I refuse to listen to any of them. Snake oil!” And I feel you, I really do.
Shootout Layout:
To help breakdown the layout of this lengthy shootout, I will:
- Dedicate a mini-review for each IEM separately. The reviews will go over the IEM’s overall tonalities, technicalities, strengths, and weaknesses. I will also briefly discuss some other pair-ups that I have tried and why I felt they fell short.
- Briefly compare each IEM against each other on 4 separate sections consisting of:
- Bass:
- Mids:
- Treble:
- Technicalities (soundstage width + depth + height, layering, imaging):
- End the shootout with a brief description of which IEM is best suited for whom, for those crazy enough to make the leap of faith.
Disclaimers (because its 2021 and I refuse to give the keyboard warriors any ammo):
1. Rhapsodios are extremely source dependent. My impressions may differ quite dramatically from those who use different DAC/AMP and cable setups. I guess having different ears and brains probably factors in also
I honestly think the Rhaps are the best IEMs to test a DAP’s general tonality. For example, they become more bright, cold, and analytical with huge, layered staging from the iBasso 220 MAX. From the HiBy R8, they tend to be more neutral with a slight upper-mids and upper-treble focus, focusing on overall texture. From the iBasso DX300, they become more bass and lower mids-focused with excellent layering capabilities. The same principles can be applied to cables that are paired with them.
This could be a pro or con, depending on one’s gear collection. Some individuals love trying the various flagship cables and DAPs that they own in order to find the perfect “recipe” for their auditory sauce. Meanwhile, the same cannot be said or recommended for someone with only 1 DAP who wants something that is easy to pair it with, especially at these high investment price points.
2. I am not a reviewer. I am not associated or affiliated with any of these brands. I am simply a dude who likes music and overanalyzing things.
Now that I have covered my ass (I think), let’s carry on .
IEM Driver-Setups:
Rhapsodio Supreme Mk2:
Mono in-house made 12mm Magnetostatic driver
Vision Ears Erlkönig:
- 13 balanced-armature drivers
- 4 different tuning options customizable by a built-in tuning/switch technology.
- 3-way driver design
- 4 latest-gen Sonion electrostatic drivers
- 8 balanced armatures
- 6 balanced-armature drivers
- Exclusive dual Copper Coil technology (C.T.T.)
- OCC home-made internal wire
*These pair-ups were the most optimal for the best sound-quality tailored to my preferences*
-For the Supreme Mk2, I used the iBasso DX300 in high gain, digital 2 filter, paired with the PW Lucifer 4.4mm cable. I used CP155 eartips.
-For the Infinity Mk2, I used the HiBy R8 in Turbo Mode, mid-gain, with the premium Rhapsodio copper 2 wire cable. I again used CP155 eartips.
-For the Erlkönig, I used the HiBy R8 Turbo Mode, high-gain, with the premium Limited Edition stock cable and CP155 ear tips. (I like CP155 eartips if you cannot tell).
-And for the Oriolus Traillii, I also used the HiBy R8 Turbo Mode, high-gain, with the PW1960 4 wire stock cable, but with CP145 eartips.
Genres Tested + Style Explanation:
I listened to a variety of genres, such as: Alternative, rock, EDM, metal, electronica, reggaeton, classical, soundtrack, rap, jazz, and indie.
While I love the shootouts that compare each IEM on specific tracks, I felt it was not best suited for my style. I would feel biased in the songs I would choose, and even then-which IEM I prefer for a specific song really depends on the mood I am in. For example, for a specific song, I can find myself asking questions like, “Do I want to grab my Infinity to hear sparkle and airy vocals, or do I want to grab Traillii to focus on the imaging and deep bass slam?” My answer would be inconsistent and too mood-dependent. Therefore, my impressions and “conclusions” are ultimately summaries after dozens of hours of listening across each genre with each IEM.
Whew, still with me? Now that the foundation is set, grab a beer, kombucha, and/or caffeine pills, and enjoy!
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