Campfire - Solaris

[Rockwell75]

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.

How is the SE Solaris going? Any more thoughts regarding its sound? (This time next week I'll have my own to listen to.

 

[Lookout57]

How is the SE Solaris going? Any more thoughts regarding its sound? (This time next week I'll have my own to listen to.

I just checked and they have been running for 70 hours now. @ExpatinJapan said he could hear a difference @ 75 and then 150 hours.

I'll do a quick check in a few hours and will let you know.

 

[Rockwell75]

Purely in terms of bass response, I feel the Hyla blows Solaris away. Actually I've never heard IEM bass as good as the Hyla, it is so tight and visceral. Similarly impressive soundstage, simply enormous. But Hyla's aggressive V-shape is not suitable towards all genres. It's a specialized sound and I keep mine around mainly for electronic music. Solaris is way more well rounded and neutral. Much better mids and realistic timbre, excellent for vocals.

After a week or so A/B'ing Solaris vs Flamenco, I think I give the edge to Flamenco as a matter of personal taste but I'm also confident that the Solaris is one of the best IEMs at any price point. Better than U18t and way better than Phantom/LX/Fourte... all of which are more expensive. Quite a bargain this Solaris.

I really hope to hear the Hyla at some point...I might cave and snap up a used one some day.

In other news...t-minus 4 days until I get my hands on Solaris SE...super stoked.

 

[Tristy]

I just checked and they have been running for 70 hours now. @ExpatinJapan said he could hear a difference @ 75 and then 150 hours.

I'll do a quick check in a few hours and will let you know.

The suspense is killing me.... just need a decent side by side comparison haha I admire your guys restraint.

 

[Lookout57]

Quick update. The Solaris SE were on burn-in for the last 110 hours so I decided to so a quick impression and compare to the Solaris OG. The only difference is this time I'm using the SXC8 cable instead of the Gold 16 since that is a more common pairing than the Gold 16. The advanced Sound Custom tips make it much easier to swap between the OG and SE due to the tip staying in the ear and the seal and insertion staying constant.

Ok boys and girls the bass slam is back but different. On the OG the deep bass sounds muddy not as defined as the SE giving a false impact compared to the bass on the SE. The SE deep bass and slam sound more realistic and cleaner. For example on the Blue Man Group Utne Wired Man track the Big Drum (5 foot diameter) sounds deep but unnatural on the OG. Almost like what you hear when you boost the bass cause you want to feel it. Then on the SE it sounds deep and natural like what I heard when I saw them in Las Vegas sitting in the 2nd row. Besides hearing the deep resonance of the drum you can now hear the skin vibrating.

Another comparison is on Lou Reed's Walk on the Wild Side. The upright bass sounds so natural now. Like what you would hear in a imitate jazz trio concert sitting in the front. The OG has a little bit more low end but at this stage I prefer the SE.

@ExpatinJapan said that he heard differences at 75 and 150 hours so I'm going to wait to do the full comparison at 150 hours of break-in.

In either case I currently prefer the SE due to a more natural bass with better details and a more open and wider soundstage.

I'll make the final call in a couple of days.

Remember everyone has different tastes and hears differently, so this is what I heard and I'm sticking to it.

 

[Rockwell75]

Quick update. The Solaris SE were on burn-in for the last 110 hours so I decided to so a quick impression and compare to the Solaris OG. The only difference is this time I'm using the SXC8 cable instead of the Gold 16 since that is a more common pairing than the Gold 16. The advanced Sound Custom tips make it much easier to swap between the OG and SE due to the tip staying in the ear and the seal and insertion staying constant.

Ok boys and girls the bass slam is back but different. On the OG the deep bass sounds muddy not as defined as the SE giving a false impact compared to the bass on the SE. The SE deep bass and slam sound more realistic and cleaner. For example on the Blue Man Group Utne Wired Man track the Big Drum (5 foot diameter) sounds deep but unnatural on the OG. Almost like what you hear when you boost the bass cause you want to feel it. Then on the SE it sounds deep and natural like what I heard when I saw them in Las Vegas sitting in the 2nd row. Besides hearing the deep resonance of the drum you can now hear the skin vibrating.

Another comparison is on Lou Reed's Walk on the Wild Side. The upright bass sounds so natural now. Like what you would hear in a imitate jazz trio concert sitting in the front. The OG has a little bit more low end but at this stage I prefer the SE.

@ExpatinJapan said that he heard differences at 75 and 150 hours so I'm going to wait to do the full comparison at 150 hours of break-in.

In either case I currently prefer the SE due to a more natural bass with better details and a more open and wider soundstage.

I'll make the final call in a couple of days.

Remember everyone has different tastes and hears differently, so this is what I heard and I'm sticking to it.

Thanks man...very encouraging!

 

[Tristy]

Quick update. The Solaris SE were on burn-in for the last 110 hours so I decided to so a quick impression and compare to the Solaris OG. The only difference is this time I'm using the SXC8 cable instead of the Gold 16 since that is a more common pairing than the Gold 16. The advanced Sound Custom tips make it much easier to swap between the OG and SE due to the tip staying in the ear and the seal and insertion staying constant.

Ok boys and girls the bass slam is back but different. On the OG the deep bass sounds muddy not as defined as the SE giving a false impact compared to the bass on the SE. The SE deep bass and slam sound more realistic and cleaner. For example on the Blue Man Group Utne Wired Man track the Big Drum (5 foot diameter) sounds deep but unnatural on the OG. Almost like what you hear when you boost the bass cause you want to feel it. Then on the SE it sounds deep and natural like what I heard when I saw them in Las Vegas sitting in the 2nd row. Besides hearing the deep resonance of the drum you can now hear the skin vibrating.

Another comparison is on Lou Reed's Walk on the Wild Side. The upright bass sounds so natural now. Like what you would hear in a imitate jazz trio concert sitting in the front. The OG has a little bit more low end but at this stage I prefer the SE.

@ExpatinJapan said that he heard differences at 75 and 150 hours so I'm going to wait to do the full comparison at 150 hours of break-in.

In either case I currently prefer the SE due to a more natural bass with better details and a more open and wider soundstage.

I'll make the final call in a couple of days.

Remember everyone has different tastes and hears differently, so this is what I heard and I'm sticking to it.

But is it a £350 refinement? And could you live with the original Solaris after hearing the SE? For bass quantity lovers it seems they may be better off with the OG

 

[seamon]

I wanna see sum blind ABX testing

 

[Lookout57]

But is it a £350 refinement? And could you live with the original Solaris after hearing the SE? For bass quantity lovers it seems they may be better off with the OG

After hearing the SE I have a hard time going back to the OG I prefer the cleaner more defined bass in the SE.

 

[Hellraiser86]

Finally I’ve got mine, too

 

[Rockwell75]

Finally I’ve got mine, too

Looking forward to some follow up impressions!

 

[candlejack]

After hearing the SE I have a hard time going back to the OG I prefer the cleaner more defined bass in the SE.

Your report is very interesting given how the only design difference between the OG and the SE is the TAEC material, which only affects the high frequencies. At this point, if I were you, I would be looking to test a second OG, just to see if I hear similar differences.

 

[KB]

Your report is very interesting given how the only design difference between the OG and the SE is the TAEC material, which only affects the high frequencies. At this point, if I were you, I would be looking to test a second OG, just to see if I hear similar differences.

Sorry all, I think we did not clarify the internals adequately. The 10mm amorphous diamond carbon dynamic driver and the mid range BAs full housing and adjoining sound delivery systems are encased in the zirconium ceramic parts. In addition, because the ceramic parts are used the SE is denser and heavier physically vs OG..

Thank you,

ken

 

[Tristy]

Finally I’ve got mine, too

Impressions?

 

[NYanakiev]

Ordered the SE today for delivery tomorrow woop, woop! I, for one, think these look spectacular!