[T1000]

  Hi all, I’m trying to decide if the Vega is for me. This is a long post, so please skip if you’re not into lots of words or reading about a non-audiophile’s nuanced relationship with earphones.  
 
My first good IEM was the Westone w3, which I bought in 2011.  I absolutely loved them, but in 2015, the cable gave out, and by then Westone had an entirely new generation of earphones on the market.  At the time, the idea of spending $1k on the w60 seemed outrageous, so I bought the w30.  I assumed they’d sound like my old w3s, but to my ears, they sound a lot more like what I remember about a friend’s w4r, which I had borrowed for a month at one point.  Although they had more detail and no sibilance, they weren’t nearly as much fun.  I’m not great at describing sound, but I think one of the reasons I found them to be a bit dull is that the bass was much smaller and recessed and overall they weren’t as lush.  I miss my w3s, but I’ve been pretty happy with the w30.  They may not be as exciting, but they also have less flaws.
 
I’ve thought about upgrading to something else but there’s been no urgency.  I haven’t listened to many great IEMs, so I don’t have a good sense of what I’m missing out on.  That changed a few weeks ago when the friend who once owned the w4r let me borrow his Shure SE846s.  I’ve been obsessed ever since.  They’re as exciting as I remember my w3s were, but they’re so much more detailed and even more forward.  The sound is beautiful and overwhelming and I was swept away by it over and over again.  I decided that I couldn’t live without them and ordered a pair for myself.
 
Everything about the 846 is bigger, including the housing.  I often wear my earphones for hours at a time, and I’d sometimes feel such relief after taking out the Shures.  I never once experienced discomfort with Westone, even after 10+ hours of almost non-stop listening.  And while the “in your face” sound is incredible when you’re able to focus on the music and sort of ride it like a wave, it can be kind of exhausting and overly aggressive if you just want something in the background while you zone out or get work done.  I think that’s because I find the treble to be very fatiguing and sometimes paintful, but I could be wrong about why that is.  Lastly, while they excel on the vast majority of music I listen to, they occasionally drown out the vocals on some of my rock tracks (mostly shoegaze/noise/alt bands).  The w3, w30, and w4r were always so forgiving, and aside from some sibilance with the w3, they all performed very well with whatever I’d throw at them.  I ended up returning the 846s without even opening up the box.
 
That leads me to where I am now.  I’ve had a taste of the next level, and I’d like to buy a top-of-the-line earphone.  I don’t really have a budget, and while I could go higher, I would prefer to keep it under $1.5k.  The Vega is at the top of my list right now.  It sounds like it could be as exciting as the w3, but with so much more detail and perhaps more separation without sacrificing coherence.  I’m not a “basshead,” but I think I like a signature that’s a little bass heavy and not too neutral.  The Vega also looks so small and comfortable.  Comfort is as important to me as sound quality.  I’ve considered the w80 for this reason, but I’m underwhelmed by the build quality, which appears to be no better than what you get with the $200 w10.  Although I’m not an audiophile, I know how products get made and marketed.  The cynic in me wonders if perhaps now that the w60 is a few years old, Westone decided to add two drivers and a fancy cable and unveil their new flagship.  I mean no offense to anyone who owns them, and I'm still not completely opposed to making them my next earphone, but from reading this forum they also don’t seem to be as fun as the 846 or what I remember of the w3.
 
My taste can probably be divided into three categories.  I grew up on hip-hop and listen to absolutely everything from the 80s and 90s (and sometimes more recent), and this includes lossless albums as well as mix tapes ripped from cassette or FM radio.  I also love electronic, particularly downtempo, 2-step, trip-hop, ambient, and experimental.  And finally, the rock I like can be anything from Joy Division to Sonic Youth to The Pixies to My Bloody Valentine to Nirvana, Jesus and Mary Chain, Radiohead, Jawbreaker, and Minor Threat.  I like my rock to be a little messy and distorted.
 
Thank you for reading!  After all that, I’d like to know…
 

1. Are there any TOTL universal IEMs that are as comfortable and will disappear into my ears as much as Westone or what I imagine the Vega to be?
2. I’m not a collector and would like one IEM to rule them all.  Will the Vega’s sound signature be a good match to my tastes and what I'm looking for or are there other IEMs I should also consider?
3. I’m a minimalist who's often on the go, and I plan to power my earphones with just my iPhone and Macbook.  Should I rule out the Vega since I’ve heard a lot of people say that it really should be paired with an amp.
4. Is there anywhere in NYC that I can demo the Vega (and Andromeda while I’m at it)?

 
Thank you so much!  I love this forum!

I can easily recommend the vega for you, they are yery comfortable to wear and i use them sometimes with my macbook. I was surprised how good they sound driven by a macbook. I use them with a Sony WM-1A and i´m very happy i purchased them a week ago. They are very fun to listen to and since i get them , i didn´t use my other IEM f.e. JHAudio Layla, JH16.

 

[40winks]

Hi all, I’m trying to decide if the Vega is for me. This is a long post, so please skip if you’re not into lots of words or reading about a non-audiophile’s nuanced relationship with earphones.  

My first good IEM was the Westone w3, which I bought in 2011.  I absolutely loved them, but in 2015, the cable gave out, and by then Westone had an entirely new generation of earphones on the market.  At the time, the idea of spending $1k on the w60 seemed outrageous, so I bought the w30.  I assumed they’d sound like my old w3s, but to my ears, they sound a lot more like what I remember about a friend’s w4r, which I had borrowed for a month at one point.  Although they had more detail and no sibilance, they weren’t nearly as much fun.  I’m not great at describing sound, but I think one of the reasons I found them to be a bit dull is that the bass was much smaller and recessed and overall they weren’t as lush.  I miss my w3s, but I’ve been pretty happy with the w30.  They may not be as exciting, but they also have less flaws.

I’ve thought about upgrading to something else but there’s been no urgency.  I haven’t listened to many great IEMs, so I don’t have a good sense of what I’m missing out on.  That changed a few weeks ago when the friend who once owned the w4r let me borrow his Shure SE846s.  I’ve been obsessed ever since.  They’re as exciting as I remember my w3s were, but they’re so much more detailed and even more forward.  The sound is beautiful and overwhelming and I was swept away by it over and over again.  I decided that I couldn’t live without them and ordered a pair for myself.

Everything about the 846 is bigger, including the housing.  I often wear my earphones for hours at a time, and I’d sometimes feel such relief after taking out the Shures.  I never once experienced discomfort with Westone, even after 10+ hours of almost non-stop listening.  And while the “in your face” sound is incredible when you’re able to focus on the music and sort of ride it like a wave, it can be kind of exhausting and overly aggressive if you just want something in the background while you zone out or get work done.  I think that’s because I find the treble to be very fatiguing and sometimes paintful, but I could be wrong about why that is.  Lastly, while they excel on the vast majority of music I listen to, they occasionally drown out the vocals on some of my rock tracks (mostly shoegaze/noise/alt bands).  The w3, w30, and w4r were always so forgiving, and aside from some sibilance with the w3, they all performed very well with whatever I’d throw at them.  I ended up returning the 846s without even opening up the box.

That leads me to where I am now.  I’ve had a taste of the next level, and I’d like to buy a top-of-the-line earphone.  I don’t really have a budget, and while I could go higher, I would prefer to keep it under $1.5k.  The Vega is at the top of my list right now.  It sounds like it could be as exciting as the w3, but with so much more detail and perhaps more separation without sacrificing coherence.  I’m not a “basshead,” but I think I like a signature that’s a little bass heavy and not too neutral.  The Vega also looks so small and comfortable.  Comfort is as important to me as sound quality.  I’ve considered the w80 for this reason, but I’m underwhelmed by the build quality, which appears to be no better than what you get with the $200 w10.  Although I’m not an audiophile, I know how products get made and marketed.  The cynic in me wonders if perhaps now that the w60 is a few years old, Westone decided to add two drivers and a fancy cable and unveil their new flagship.  I mean no offense to anyone who owns them, and I'm still not completely opposed to making them my next earphone, but from reading this forum they also don’t seem to be as fun as the 846 or what I remember of the w3.

My taste can probably be divided into three categories.  I grew up on hip-hop and listen to absolutely everything from the 80s and 90s (and sometimes more recent), and this includes lossless albums as well as mix tapes ripped from cassette or FM radio.  I also love electronic, particularly downtempo, 2-step, trip-hop, ambient, and experimental.  And finally, the rock I like can be anything from Joy Division to Sonic Youth to The Pixies to My Bloody Valentine to Nirvana, Jesus and Mary Chain, Radiohead, Jawbreaker, and Minor Threat.  I like my rock to be a little messy and distorted.

Thank you for reading!  After all that, I’d like to know…

• Are there any TOTL universal IEMs that are as comfortable and will disappear into my ears as much as Westone or what I imagine the Vega to be?
• I’m not a collector and would like one IEM to rule them all.  Will the Vega’s sound signature be a good match to my tastes and what I'm looking for or are there other IEMs I should also consider?
• I’m a minimalist who's often on the go, and I plan to power my earphones with just my iPhone and Macbook.  Should I rule out the Vega since I’ve heard a lot of people say that it really should be paired with an amp.
• Is there anywhere in NYC that I can demo the Vega (and Andromeda while I’m at it)?

Thank you so much!  I love this forum!

Get the Vega - I am powering with my iPhone and will eventually get the dx200.
They are that good!

 

[mashuto]

 
Thank you for reading!  After all that, I’d like to know…
 

1. Are there any TOTL universal IEMs that are as comfortable and will disappear into my ears as much as Westone or what I imagine the Vega to be?
2. I’m not a collector and would like one IEM to rule them all.  Will the Vega’s sound signature be a good match to my tastes and what I'm looking for or are there other IEMs I should also consider?
3. I’m a minimalist who's often on the go, and I plan to power my earphones with just my iPhone and Macbook.  Should I rule out the Vega since I’ve heard a lot of people say that it really should be paired with an amp.
4. Is there anywhere in NYC that I can demo the Vega (and Andromeda while I’m at it)?

 
Thank you so much!  I love this forum!

I will add another very positive glowing review here for the vega along with everyone else. I unfortunately cannot answer your questions in regards to other totl stuff, since the vega are my first entry into that world, and one I am very happy with.
 
I will say though that I came from owning an ibasso IT03 before it. I loved the sound of those, but had issues with the fit, to the point that they caused me pain. So one of my criteria was for something small that would fit well and the single DD design of the vega was just what I was looking for there. They are relatively small and are very very comfortable. And given that its a single DD, they sound very coherent.
 
Sound signature is definitely bass heavy, but it does not bleed and the mids and treble are very well represented. They are not the most airy, but its a very thick, full sound that retains tons of detail.
 
As far as power... well, I personally dont hear a ton of difference between amps, especially at lower listening volumes, but these are pretty sensitive and easy to drive. There are no issues driving them from a phone or laptop, but they do reveal poorer sources, so having a good and clean dac is probably important. Running them from my phone I can hear a lot of static/buzzing, even from my cayin N3, I can hear buzzing where I dont from others. I power them usually from my mojo, which is very clean. They still sound great out of my phone, but its just not as clean of a sound and sometimes that bothers me.
 
I also have been listening to a lot of downtempo/trip hop type stuff lately and they are really wonderful for that genre. I listen to other electronic as well and again because of the bass, they are great. I also listen to some rock/alternative type stuff as well and again I think they are nice. They are just a very fun sound overall and match well with a lot of genres. Biggest potential "issue" there is just that they are a very full very energetic sound, which may not be the best if you are trying to have something on as background noise as they can really pull your attention.

 

[EZE99]

Hi all, I’m trying to decide if the Vega is for me. This is a long post, so please skip if you’re not into lots of words or reading about a non-audiophile’s nuanced relationship with earphones.  

My first good IEM was the Westone w3, which I bought in 2011.  I absolutely loved them, but in 2015, the cable gave out, and by then Westone had an entirely new generation of earphones on the market.  At the time, the idea of spending $1k on the w60 seemed outrageous, so I bought the w30.  I assumed they’d sound like my old w3s, but to my ears, they sound a lot more like what I remember about a friend’s w4r, which I had borrowed for a month at one point.  Although they had more detail and no sibilance, they weren’t nearly as much fun.  I’m not great at describing sound, but I think one of the reasons I found them to be a bit dull is that the bass was much smaller and recessed and overall they weren’t as lush.  I miss my w3s, but I’ve been pretty happy with the w30.  They may not be as exciting, but they also have less flaws.

I’ve thought about upgrading to something else but there’s been no urgency.  I haven’t listened to many great IEMs, so I don’t have a good sense of what I’m missing out on.  That changed a few weeks ago when the friend who once owned the w4r let me borrow his Shure SE846s.  I’ve been obsessed ever since.  They’re as exciting as I remember my w3s were, but they’re so much more detailed and even more forward.  The sound is beautiful and overwhelming and I was swept away by it over and over again.  I decided that I couldn’t live without them and ordered a pair for myself.

Everything about the 846 is bigger, including the housing.  I often wear my earphones for hours at a time, and I’d sometimes feel such relief after taking out the Shures.  I never once experienced discomfort with Westone, even after 10+ hours of almost non-stop listening.  And while the “in your face” sound is incredible when you’re able to focus on the music and sort of ride it like a wave, it can be kind of exhausting and overly aggressive if you just want something in the background while you zone out or get work done.  I think that’s because I find the treble to be very fatiguing and sometimes paintful, but I could be wrong about why that is.  Lastly, while they excel on the vast majority of music I listen to, they occasionally drown out the vocals on some of my rock tracks (mostly shoegaze/noise/alt bands).  The w3, w30, and w4r were always so forgiving, and aside from some sibilance with the w3, they all performed very well with whatever I’d throw at them.  I ended up returning the 846s without even opening up the box.

That leads me to where I am now.  I’ve had a taste of the next level, and I’d like to buy a top-of-the-line earphone.  I don’t really have a budget, and while I could go higher, I would prefer to keep it under $1.5k.  The Vega is at the top of my list right now.  It sounds like it could be as exciting as the w3, but with so much more detail and perhaps more separation without sacrificing coherence.  I’m not a “basshead,” but I think I like a signature that’s a little bass heavy and not too neutral.  The Vega also looks so small and comfortable.  Comfort is as important to me as sound quality.  I’ve considered the w80 for this reason, but I’m underwhelmed by the build quality, which appears to be no better than what you get with the $200 w10.  Although I’m not an audiophile, I know how products get made and marketed.  The cynic in me wonders if perhaps now that the w60 is a few years old, Westone decided to add two drivers and a fancy cable and unveil their new flagship.  I mean no offense to anyone who owns them, and I'm still not completely opposed to making them my next earphone, but from reading this forum they also don’t seem to be as fun as the 846 or what I remember of the w3.

My taste can probably be divided into three categories.  I grew up on hip-hop and listen to absolutely everything from the 80s and 90s (and sometimes more recent), and this includes lossless albums as well as mix tapes ripped from cassette or FM radio.  I also love electronic, particularly downtempo, 2-step, trip-hop, ambient, and experimental.  And finally, the rock I like can be anything from Joy Division to Sonic Youth to The Pixies to My Bloody Valentine to Nirvana, Jesus and Mary Chain, Radiohead, Jawbreaker, and Minor Threat.  I like my rock to be a little messy and distorted.

Thank you for reading!  After all that, I’d like to know…

• Are there any TOTL universal IEMs that are as comfortable and will disappear into my ears as much as Westone or what I imagine the Vega to be?
• I’m not a collector and would like one IEM to rule them all.  Will the Vega’s sound signature be a good match to my tastes and what I'm looking for or are there other IEMs I should also consider?
• I’m a minimalist who's often on the go, and I plan to power my earphones with just my iPhone and Macbook.  Should I rule out the Vega since I’ve heard a lot of people say that it really should be paired with an amp.
• Is there anywhere in NYC that I can demo the Vega (and Andromeda while I’m at it)?

Thank you so much!  I love this forum!

The Vega is for sure for you. I am working on 4 reviews for CA products, and the Vega sounds perfect for you. The bass is the best I have heard in terms of detail, clarity, and texture of any headphone I have ever heard. The mids and highs are more relaxed. I have been traveling long days recently, and have listened to the Vega in the car all day. It is not fatiguing like the Andromeda can be. For a bass focused IEM, the Vega is surprisingly versatile. I'd also check out the Jupiter if you have the chance, they are a more relaxed, less fatiguing version of the Andromeda, but with less bass...

 

[cliberti]

In same boat. Trying to figure out which would match better with iPhone or my soon to be in hand galaxy s8 between the andromeda and Vega. Usually prefer ba iems but since I have no where to demo will be buying without a listen

 

[asquare3376]

Weekend experiments... Vega running balanced now on Sony Kimber 4.4 

 

[asquare3376]

In same boat. Trying to figure out which would match better with iPhone or my soon to be in hand galaxy s8 between the andromeda and Vega. Usually prefer ba iems but since I have no where to demo will be buying without a listen

If bass is your thing, go for Vega without a second thought. You won't be disappointed, ever !!!!!!!!

 

[Saraband]

Thank you so much everyone!  Your responses are so incredibly thoughtful.  I guess I'll have to get the Vega!  
 
I have just two more questions...
 

1. About the sound signature compared to the SE846:  Will I still be able to hear the detail in the highs that I hear when listening to the 846 or will they be lost somewhat to the "coherence" and diminished separation that the Vega apparently has?  Granted, I believe the SE846 treble is way too forward for me, but I'd hate to lose the detail.  I'm not sure if I'm phrasing all this correctly, but I get the sense that I'm sacrificing some treble detail in going from a BA to a DD.  Is that fair to say and how does the treble detail compare to the SE846 in particular (since that has the most detailed treble I've personally experienced)?
2. Since I do hear so much discussion about how great amps and DACs can be for the Vegas, if I were to experiment with one, are there any highly portable solutions, like the Nexum Aqua or Cozoy REI or Takt, that would have an impact?  Or do I have to get something larger and more powerful to really hear a difference coming out of my iPhone?

 
Thanks again!

 

[EZE99]

Thank you so much everyone!  Your responses are so incredibly thoughtful.  I guess I'll have to get the Vega!  

I have just two more questions...

• About the sound signature compared to the SE846:  Will I still be able to hear the detail in the highs that I hear when listening to the 846 or will they be lost somewhat to the "coherence" and diminished separation that the Vega apparently has?  Granted, I believe the SE846 treble is way too forward for me, but I'd hate to lose the detail.  I'm not sure if I'm phrasing all this correctly, but I get the sense that I'm sacrificing some treble detail in going from a BA to a DD.  Is that fair to say and how does the treble detail compare to the SE846 in particular (since that has the most detailed treble I've personally experienced)?
• Since I do hear so much discussion about how great amps and DACs can be for the Vegas, if I were to experiment with one, are there any highly portable solutions, like the Nexum Aqua or Cozoy REI or Takt, that would have an impact?  Or do I have to get something larger and more powerful to really hear a difference coming out of my iPhone?

Thanks again!

DONT TRY TO GET A POWERFUL AMP!!!!! The Vega is so sensitive that just turning up the volume all the way on my iPhone 6 produces a hiss. I run mine from the Chord Mojo, which Is dead silent when the Vega's are plugged in. It's a bit pricey but completely worth it for any headphone.

 

[Saraband]

DONT TRY TO GET A POWERFUL AMP!!!!! The Vega is so sensitive that just turning up the volume all the way on my iPhone 6 produces a hiss. I run mine from the Chord Mojo, which Is dead silent when the Vega's are plugged in. It's a bit pricey but completely worth it for any headphone.

 
Ok, I see.  I was hoping for something more portable than that.  The ones I mention above are so small, they almost seem like an extension of the cable itself.

 

[EZE99]

Ok, I see.  I was hoping for something more portable than that.  The ones I mention above are so small, they almost seem like an extension of the cable itself.

The Vega runs perfectly from my iPhone, however, you could look into a small DAC. I'd steer clear from an AMP unless you look at he specs and see it won't overdrive the Vegas. The Chord Mojo is quite possibly my best investment, I can not be happier with it. I'm not to into the AMPs and DACs, so I can't recommend you a smaller alternative.

 

[fuhransahis]

The Vega runs perfectly from my iPhone, however, you could look into a small DAC. I'd steer clear from an AMP unless you look at he specs and see it won't overdrive the Vegas. The Chord Mojo is quite possibly my best investment, I can not be happier with it. I'm not to into the AMPs and DACs, so I can't recommend you a smaller alternative.

I had the Mojo as well and though out was relatively small and sounded great, carrying an extra device like that around was still not a convenient solution for me, so I turned to using an android based DAP instead, as I do a lot of streaming. I ended up getting the iBasso DX200, which is more convenient than carrying a phone/Mojo stack around, the sound quality is actually much improved in all regards - better soundstage, details, instrument separation, bass, everything. Plus the fact that the amp section is upgradeable, and of course firmware updates, make it more futureproof.

EDIT: if you do decide a dac/amp is better, I agree Mojo is certainly the way to go.

 

[kyle1010]

You guys all need to hear the Vega through the Chord Hugo 2. I A/B compared it with a WA8 last week at CanJam and I was absolutely blown away by Hugo 2. Alo's Continental Dual Mono was addictive and gorgeous sounding as well, but Hugo 2 was down right sublime with the Vega. I won't even bother listening via my Mojo anymore. It's good but a total let down compared to Hugo 2. I'm just gonna wait til I receive my preordered unit in a few weeks. The Vega deserves it.

 

[bobeau]

You guys all need to hear the Vega through the Chord Hugo 2. I A/B compared it with a WA8 last week at CanJam and I was absolutely blown away by Hugo 2. Alo's Continental Dual Mono was addictive and gorgeous sounding as well, but Hugo 2 was down right sublime with the Vega. I won't even bother listening via my Mojo anymore. It's good but a total let down compared to Hugo 2. I'm just gonna wait til I receive my preordered unit in a few weeks. The Vega deserves it.

 
Yeah, I have to agree the Hugo 2 is the best pairing I've heard w/ the Vega.  I also tried balanced out of the gold flagship Sony Dap but felt the H2 was more articulate.  Really lovely.  *That said*, I need a truly portable setup and it's just a bit too large for me.  I'm hoping some of that magic will trickle down into a Mojo 2 within the next year or so.

 

[fuhransahis]

You guys all need to hear the Vega through the Chord Hugo 2. I A/B compared it with a WA8 last week at CanJam and I was absolutely blown away by Hugo 2. Alo's Continental Dual Mono was addictive and gorgeous sounding as well, but Hugo 2 was down right sublime with the Vega. I won't even bother listening via my Mojo anymore. It's good but a total let down compared to Hugo 2. I'm just gonna wait til I receive my preordered unit in a few weeks. The Vega deserves it.

I would, but that price tag doesn't come easily!