[nazrin313]

Nazrin313, I thought you may want to hop on that short flight across.

Haha, if i could, i would buddy but sadly my next leave is in august

 

[flymetothemoon]

   
That is part of what makes it so special. It challenges some "audiophile" thinking, in that the Ref. 1 is highly detailed, textured, enveloping, but it doesn't have to do it in a bright presentation. It's more grown up. Once you listen to the Ref. 1 for a bit, and your biases and audiophile idealogy of what things are supposed to be like crumble away, the special characteristics of the Ref. 1 reveals itself to you, and rewards you with an excellence in audio that busts the mold and pushes our hobby progressively forward. 
 
I've been saying from the get-go, this IEM defies logic. 

Agreed.

 

[Kiats]

The announcement of the showcase is up: https://www.facebook.com/JabenSG/posts/10152055875401782:0

 

[veuxtres]

Anyway, the announcement of the showcase is up: https://www.facebook.com/JabenSG/posts/10152055875401782:0

Is there any ref1 demo and pre order? Lol

 

[Kiats]

Is there any ref1 demo and pre order? Lol

There will be ref 1 demo for sure.

 

[swhyte]

Is there any ref1 demo and pre order? Lol

Spoke to Gavin via email he confirmed there will of course be Ref1 demo and pre order, but no stock on hand to buy on the day, so you will still have to wait for your Ref1 even if you order it on the day - maybe he will be nice and speed it up for those who are there though

 

[swhyte]

Has anyone compared the Ref1 to the MH334 custom yet?
I tried a demo pair of the MH334 and loved them and I'm really hoping the Ref1 is even more amazing since I'd prefer universal (yes, I tried the TG!334 but I didn't like it as much as, in my opinion, the sound signature is different).

 

[Kiats]

Has anyone compared the Ref1 to the MH334 custom yet?
I tried a demo pair of the MH334 and loved them and I'm really hoping the Ref1 is even more amazing since I'd prefer universal (yes, I tried the TG!334 but I didn't like it as much as, in my opinion, the sound signature is different).

I have the MH334. I had a short demo of the Ref 1 when I met up with Gavin in HK a few weeks ago. It is different from the MH334.
Come down and have a listen when Gavin holds his showcase on Sunday. 22 June.

 

[ATSCODE]

I had a short demo of the Ref 1 when I met up with Gavin in HK a few weeks ago.

 
How would you describe the SQ & sig of the Ref 1?
 
Is Anak's review of it true when he said it had an engaging bass with a wide soundstage to boot?

 

[Kiats]

How would you describe the SQ & sig of the Ref 1?

Is Anak's review of it true when he said it had an engaging bass with a wide soundstage to boot?

I agree with AnakChan in his assessment of the sig. SQ wise: excellent! I was sorely tempted. That much I'll say.

 

[goodvibes]

   
That is part of what makes it so special. It challenges some "audiophile" thinking, in that the Ref. 1 is highly detailed, textured, enveloping, but it doesn't have to do it in a bright presentation. It's more grown up. Once you listen to the Ref. 1 for a bit, and your biases and audiophile idealogy of what things are supposed to be like crumble away, the special characteristics of the Ref. 1 reveals itself to you, and rewards you with an excellence in audio that busts the mold and pushes our hobby progressively forward. 
 
I've been saying from the get-go, this IEM defies logic. 

I get what your saying but I've never associated audiophile or better with analytical or etched. To me, top performance has always been when you could get that level of performance without those sort of artifacts. It's obviously hard to do and audiophiles tend to lean towards the more informative compromise but we shouldn't lose the fact that it's still a compromise. Very happy to hear that these may transcend that.

 

[SoundFreaq]

I get what your saying but I've never associated audiophile or better with analytical or etched. To me, top performance has always been when you could get that level of performance without those sort of artifacts...

Very happy to hear that these may transcend that.

I totally agree with you. I never said better equals analytical. It does for some. Not for me. I'm trying to say the opposite, and reach out to the guys that are of these mindsets. You're exactly right, the top performance experiences come from the devices that eschew the ideas for some that better equals, for instance, a very bright high end, and that equates to air or transparency. For many, it's hard to imagine a detailed and airy high end that isn't also boosted. You're right, this earphone is one of the very few that is transcendent. And I hope new users of the Ref. 1 will take the time to soak it up and not make knee-jerk, biased decisions that have been fueled from long-standing audiophile concepts that are deeply entrenched to many, as a result of the somewhat stagnant development of new, boundary-pushing devices. It's been variations on a theme. But now we have companies playing will all kinda of different drivers, some never used before, new housing materials, not your same old acrylic, etc. Not that there has not been any innovation the last few years, I just think were entering a new era. And it's exciting.

Just five years ago there were only a handful of universal IEMs worthy enough to be even considered top-of-the-line. And now they're coming at us left and right. And they are showing people you don't have to have a custom to have world-class sound. That is a new concept in and of itself that is only a couple years old.

 

[nazrin313]

Soundfreaq... Now u have the lab1...how does the Ref1 compare?

 

[Idsynchrono_24]

SF told me that he started comparing his LAB to the Abyss lol. I would imagine it's pretty good. And only just

 

[nazrin313]

SF told me that he started comparing his LAB to the Abyss lol. I would imagine it's pretty good. And only just

Goodness me.. How the hell?