[Tristy]

All of the questions Candlejack was asking would be remedied if we didn't rush to hasty initial impressions, particularly on DD. I knew this would happen as it happens with each new release. There is a trend now and quite a few threads of people making comments, as well as a name for themselves, on products off of initial impressions and negatively blasting these products. Initial impressions, standing in a headphone shop somewhere, noisy audio shows and so on, are all unfair tests. The Gold cable kinda nullifies comments as well. I am not trying to be combative and I do look forward to future impressions. Congratulations those are beautiful.

I still think his comments hold weight even with the use of the Gold cable. He’s listened to it enough with the gold Solaris that he is able to give us a rundown of the differences he hears, even if the majority of users won’t be using the same cable. But I agree with the DD comment, my Solaris and especially my Atlas, sounded quite differently after 100 hours of use or so when compared to new.

 

[Tristy]

Thanks for your report. Too bad the forum decided to kill your formatting.

Now the question for me is, are the differences due to:
- Design improvements
- Listener inaccuracies
- Unit variation

Probably no way to answer it.

Definitely no way to answer the only option is to get a sample pool of several users and try to find a pattern in what they are saying... even then the opportunity for bias comes into play from reading other users impressions.

 

[subguy812]

I still think his comments hold weight even with the use of the Gold cable. He’s listened to it enough with the gold Solaris that he is able to give us a rundown of the differences he hears, even if the majority of users won’t be using the same cable. But I agree with the DD comment, my Solaris and especially my Atlas, sounded quite differently after 100 hours of use or so when compared to new.

Okay...I guess you are correct. I am only assuming that he still had his stock cable and he could swap the stock cable and compare apples to apples to what the person that buys these might encounter. We could really muddy the waters and begin the tip rolling discussion.

 

[Raf2411]

Hi all,

So happy right now: my Solaris SE also arrived today (here in Luxembourg - as they were sent yesterday, never would have thought that they would indeed arrive today), serial number 9 in my case (yes, I did not think for very long before ordering)!

Listening to them as I write (with my Cowon Plenue 2, and Super Litz cable).

My very first impression (after less than 1 hour) is that they sound very, very similar to the "original" Solaris indeed, but also a little bit "smoother" in the mids, somehow (without this being necessarily a positive or a negative thing i.e. making it better or not as good as Solaris, in my opinion), as Lookout57 wrote. Maybe the "smoother" aspect will disappear with some burning in? I don't really believe in burn in, but: let's see...!

In any case, I would definitely not say that the bass slams less than the "original" Solaris (as Lookout57 wrote), though. To my ears, there seems not to be any difference with the "original" Solaris in this respect.

I'm really, really happy right now!

Regards,

Raf

 

[Arghavan]

The question is does the difference in sound also reflect in the FR graph?

 

[candlejack]

The question is does the difference in sound also reflect in the FR graph?

According to @KB, no, it doesn't.

 

[bfreedma]

According to @KB, no, it doesn't.

What would be really interesting (at least to me), would be seeing someone who currently owns both Solaris variants perform a blind test between the two. Normally almost impossible with IEMs, but since these have the exact same form factor...

Relying on audio memory for two very similar IEMs is a challenge.

 

[candlejack]

What would be really interesting (at least to me), would be seeing someone who currently owns both Solaris variants perform a blind test between the two. Normally almost impossible with IEMs, but since these have the exact same form factor...

Relying on audio memory for two very similar IEMs is a challenge.

Very good point!

I suggested a blind test for cables, probably in this very thread, but later acknowledged that in practice that would be almost impossible to achieve. This is because you absolutely have to insert the IEMs yourself, which means you feel the cable (weight, braiding, connector shape, etc.) and can probably immediately identify it before the music even starts playing.

But in the case of standard vs SE Solaris, a blind test might actually be doable.

 

[Rockwell75]

I'm looking forward to a/b'ing the two eventually

 

[cr3ativ3]

After this first early impressions... I’m kinda glad I didn’t go for them thanks all .

Same as Rockwell , I hoped for a version with more slam in the mix

 

[ExpatinJapan]

From my review of the Solaris

“76 hours on the Solaris and it is starting to open up now and approach the performance of Kens unit I tried at the Tokyo show.
The sweet spot was when i reached around the 150 - 200 hours on the Solaris (listening and leaving to play overnight, does not take so long). Ken Ball recommended a break in time of around 150 hours but I found the sweet spot to be a little further.”

- So i am hoping to hear some impressions once the SE also have some decent hours on them.

*Both using the same Super Litz cable.
*Quick swapping with a splitter or something.

 

[nicholas029]

“76 hours on the Solaris and it is starting to open up now and approach the performance of Kens unit I tried at the Tokyo show.
The sweet spot was when i reached around the 150 - 200 hours on the Solaris (listening and leaving to play overnight, does not take so long). Ken Ball recommended a break in time of around 150 hours but I found the sweet spot to be a little further.”

- So i am hoping to hear some impressions once the SE also have some decent hours on them.

003: Reluctant to comment on initial experience right out of the box other than I cannot find an ear-tip that is fully isolating/occlusive in my ear canal. Now in constant play break-in for the next 5 days sincerely hoping the above experience will be mine.

 

[ExpatinJapan]

Yeah i had to do some tip rolling to find the right tips myself.

i found with the Solaris OG and Atlas that i had to go a size smaller than my usual.

also i have usually one size m in one ear and one size l in the other due to slightly different ear canal sizes

 

[Malevolent]

What would be really interesting (at least to me), would be seeing someone who currently owns both Solaris variants perform a blind test between the two. Normally almost impossible with IEMs, but since these have the exact same form factor...

Relying on audio memory for two very similar IEMs is a challenge.

Yes, I think this will be very helpful. Anybody willing to try?

Oh and, thanks to all who have provided their initial impressions. Much appreciated!

 

[Lookout57]

What would be really interesting (at least to me), would be seeing someone who currently owns both Solaris variants perform a blind test between the two. Normally almost impossible with IEMs, but since these have the exact same form factor...

Relying on audio memory for two very similar IEMs is a challenge.

Even then there are too many variables using normal tips to make this a far comparison. How can you ensure that the insertion and fit is identical?

Using a custom tip like the Advanced Sound would make this possible as the tip can stay in the ear and the IEM is easily swapped without disturbing the fit. This is how I will be doing my comparison once the SE finishes break-in.