[fabio19]

instead Argentum and Cuprum is more similar to Traillii?

 

[VeinShredder]

I need some buying advice.

I'm currently looking into getting my 2nd CIEM, as I currently have a Kinera Baldr 2.

I am mainly listening to rock, metal, electronic, stuff that has a lot of bass, but detail too. Examples include The Birthday Massacre, Chimaira, Dir en Grey, Stabbing Westward.

The Kineras have a nice, clean bass response and a lot of detail, but I want something with some real body/oomph in the bass, while retaining details throughout the rest of the range. Drums and bass guitar on the Kineras are heavenly, as I'm constantly drawn to them.

Currently, based on manufacturer input, I'm looking at these options:

Custom Ears Legend X or Valkyrie II (the W9 subs are drawing me in)
Craft Ears Aurum (great deal going on until end of the month)
64 Audio A6t
Fir Krypton 5

My current sources are my 2020 Shanling M6 Pro, Cayin RU 6 (for the laptop).
Current IEMs: Kinera Baldr 2, UM MEST (Universal), and Fiio FH5s

I'm open to more suggestions if needed.

 

[mvvRAZ]

I need some buying advice.

I'm currently looking into getting my 2nd CIEM, as I currently have a Kinera Baldr 2.

I am mainly listening to rock, metal, electronic, stuff that has a lot of bass, but detail too. Examples include The Birthday Massacre, Chimaira, Dir en Grey, Stabbing Westward.

The Kineras have a nice, clean bass response and a lot of detail, but I want something with some real body/oomph in the bass, while retaining details throughout the rest of the range. Drums and bass guitar on the Kineras are heavenly, as I'm constantly drawn to them.

Currently, based on manufacturer input, I'm looking at these options:

Custom Ears Legend X or Valkyrie II (the W9 subs are drawing me in)
Craft Ears Aurum (great deal going on until end of the month)
64 Audio A6t
Fir Krypton 5

My current sources are my 2020 Shanling M6 Pro, Cayin RU 6 (for the laptop).
Current IEMs: Kinera Baldr 2, UM MEST (Universal), and Fiio FH5s

I'm open to more suggestions if needed.

Of those - if you have the budget, go Kr5 imo. Best value option to me goes to Aurum, middle of the pack would be an A12t - has more bass than the Aurum so you might like it. The Aurum has exceptional bass quality though

LX is pretty outdated Imo, the Valk is a direct downgrade compared to the MEST 2. No point getting 6t if you can afford 12t, straight downgrade

Aurum is a super solid option regardless though, if you are into brighter stuff I’d highly recommend it

 

[VeinShredder]

Of those - if you have the budget, go Kr5 imo. Best value option to me goes to Aurum, middle of the pack would be an A12t - has more bass than the Aurum so you might like it. The Aurum has exceptional bass quality though

LX is pretty outdated Imo, the Valk is a direct downgrade compared to the MEST 2. No point getting 6t if you can afford 12t, straight downgrade

Aurum is a super solid option regardless though, if you are into brighter stuff I’d highly recommend it

Thank you! Your infographic many pages ago helped get me interested in the Aurum.

How much different would the KR5 sound? I have little experience (in the last few years) with anything that doesn't have an EST in it. The ESTs in the OG MEST are what drew me to it, as I'd been coming from a hybrid Sony.

Back in November, I had researched the Aurum (not much info since it was new), along with the JH Jolene, and a few others. I found that i am loving a more treble-centric IEM, hence the Baldrs, and would love to complement them with a bassier set.

It stinks I can never experience the higher end UMs in CIEM, like the higher end A64s, since my ear anatomy won't allow for it. I love my OG MESTs for their soundstage/bass, but find that I do want something that sounds like them, but with an improved treble response. I will never get a chance to know what the BCD is really like in the UM IEMs.

 

[Vaiet]

Hey guys. I know I'm dropping it out of the blue, but it came on my facebook wall once more and as I see nobody share it so far. There's just a crazy, crazy promo 'till the end of this month and I don't think I've ever seen anything that bonkers.

For the 3rd birthday of Craft Ears if you buy one Aurum, you get one Argentum for free. LOL! Besides that all designs are free of charge and you get -13% on everything else.
I'm not making this up, haha!

 

[VeinShredder]

Hey guys. I know I'm dropping it out of the blue, but it came on my facebook wall once more and as I see nobody share it so far. There's just a crazy, crazy promo 'till the end of this month and I don't think I've ever seen anything that bonkers.



For the 3rd birthday of Craft Ears if you buy one Aurum, you get one Argentum for free. LOL! Besides that all designs are free of charge and you get -13% on everything else.
I'm not making this up, haha!

You can only take advantage of one offer. I got confirmation with Jedrek last week.

 

[Vaiet]

You can only take advantage of one offer. I got confirmation with Jedrek last week.

That's true but still, getting Argentum as an extra when purchasing Aurum sounds like a fantastic deal.

 

[mvvRAZ]

Thank you! Your infographic many pages ago helped get me interested in the Aurum.

How much different would the KR5 sound? I have little experience (in the last few years) with anything that doesn't have an EST in it. The ESTs in the OG MEST are what drew me to it, as I'd been coming from a hybrid Sony.

Back in November, I had researched the Aurum (not much info since it was new), along with the JH Jolene, and a few others. I found that i am loving a more treble-centric IEM, hence the Baldrs, and would love to complement them with a bassier set.

It stinks I can never experience the higher end UMs in CIEM, like the higher end A64s, since my ear anatomy won't allow for it. I love my OG MESTs for their soundstage/bass, but find that I do want something that sounds like them, but with an improved treble response. I will never get a chance to know what the BCD is really like in the UM IEMs.

The Kr5 is a little less treble-focused while remaining in that territory of “moderately bright” - overall a bit more balanced, and while the Aurum is really technical, the Kr5 is probably the most technical IEM I’ve heard. Hardly a fair fight considering the price difference though and mad props to Craft Ears. Got lots of love for them <3

Kr5 infographic below, will stop discussing non-CE IEMs in this thread now so if you have further questions please post in mine or FiR’s

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/razs-totl-review-and-rambles-thread.916021/page-216#post-16792205

 

[Xinlisupreme]

That's true but still, getting Argentum as an extra when purchasing Aurum sounds like a fantastic deal.

True but Aurum looks similar to Mest Mk2…
Argentum and Cuprum tempt me… does Argentum have thin mids?

 

[productred]

The Aurum must be the best kept secret around.............of all the Estat IEMs popping up every now and then these few years the Aurum seems like the only one that had done it right............a 30 mins trial is enough to convince me to order a pair, likely to dethrone my Z1R as the best treble-rendering iem with everything else also nicely and rightly done without overdoing anything. More to come when I have received mine. Definitely TOTL stuff regardless of price.

 

[dhruvmeena96]

True but Aurum looks similar to Mest Mk2…
Argentum and Cuprum tempt me… does Argentum have thin mids?

aurum has has more usable air tbh, Mest mk2 is super dark and thick due to relative frequency balance

 

[Xinlisupreme]

aurum has has more usable air tbh, Mest mk2 is super dark and thick due to relative frequency balance

But bass behaviour looks similare, are more focused on sub bas than mid bass, enogh to skip it for me

 

[productred]

I need some buying advice.

I'm currently looking into getting my 2nd CIEM, as I currently have a Kinera Baldr 2.

I am mainly listening to rock, metal, electronic, stuff that has a lot of bass, but detail too. Examples include The Birthday Massacre, Chimaira, Dir en Grey, Stabbing Westward.

The Kineras have a nice, clean bass response and a lot of detail, but I want something with some real body/oomph in the bass, while retaining details throughout the rest of the range. Drums and bass guitar on the Kineras are heavenly, as I'm constantly drawn to them.

Currently, based on manufacturer input, I'm looking at these options:

Custom Ears Legend X or Valkyrie II (the W9 subs are drawing me in)
Craft Ears Aurum (great deal going on until end of the month)
64 Audio A6t
Fir Krypton 5

My current sources are my 2020 Shanling M6 Pro, Cayin RU 6 (for the laptop).
Current IEMs: Kinera Baldr 2, UM MEST (Universal), and Fiio FH5s

I'm open to more suggestions if needed.

Kr5 is not bad but I think the overall quality and technicalities fall behind the Aurum a fair bit, despite the higher price. BUT it may be a good option for those who want them as their ONLY pair with a greatly diverse music taste. It's a more "conventional" signature compared to the Aurum where both ends of the frequency range are kinda elevated, with the sub-bass being fairly present while Kr5 has some mid-bass focus instead. Mids are much more refined on the Aurum, while being more present with the Kr5. There is no match in the highs, the Aurum wins hands down in terms of extension, details, air and presence.

With either the Kr5 or the Aurum you don't really have to consider the LX or Valkyrie II IMO.

 

[dhruvmeena96]

But bass behaviour looks similare, are more focused on sub bas than mid bass, enogh to skip it for me

even though bass, mids behavior looks same, human hear frequency in relative ratio and not just single note, so if an iem has more air harmonics region boosted, the bass kinda gets clean, if the recording has air in between bass.. so, the air itself redeems itself in Aurum and since its a horn loaded design, it boost the whole region and also some estat lowend so it can be crossed lower, thus giving bigger estat bandwidth and free dB boost while lowering distortion

i am a DIYer so , just speculations
heard craft 6 implementation of SES Horn and it feels like that effortlessness i don't hear in BA treble generally.....
have to still hear Aurum since Est + horn = Bliss

 

[productred]

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/razs-totl-review-and-rambles-thread.916021/post-16974185

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/razs-totl-review-and-rambles-thread.916021/post-16975532

What I have to say about the Aurum in addition to @mvvRAZ 's excellent write up.