crinacle's IEM Ranking List
Jan 29, 2019 at 7:59 AM Post #1,636 of 3,338
did you hear a demo? i thought there were no demos around
I had the SE5U and soon after I heard the honky mids, I knew it wasn't the top sound iem it was hyped up to be. Somebody described mids as sounding like a megaphone, I knew what that peraon meant as it's somewhat like that. And then when that graph came out, I wan't surprised. I know midrange really well, and I can tell if midrange isn't right.

This is no graph placebo crap. I always judge the character of the iem before looking at a graph. SE5U had no graphs back then, but I still knew with my ears.
 
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Jan 29, 2019 at 8:11 AM Post #1,637 of 3,338
I had the SE5U and soon after I heard the honky mids, I knew it wasn't the top sound iem it was hyped up to be. Somebody described mids as sounding like a megaphone, I knew what that peraon meant as it's somewhat like that. And then when that graph came out, I wan't surprised. I know midrange really well, and I can tell if midrange isn't right.

This is no graph placebo crap. I always judge the character of the iem before looking at a graph. SE5U had no graphs back then, but I still knew with my ears.
I imagine the strange mids are a result of the weird dips in the upper mids?
 
Jan 29, 2019 at 8:17 AM Post #1,638 of 3,338
I imagine the strange mids are a result of the weird dips in the upper mids?
Based on my experience, mids should not rise early and should be more gradual to 3k, and the if there are dips combined with early rise, you get odd mids tonality. When I looked at CL2 graph, I could tell that it will not sound right.

Harman IE target is within my ball park, but may not be exactly. When I look at iems that sound right to me, they do have a Harman like curve, that's the trend I've been noticing.
 
Jan 29, 2019 at 8:19 AM Post #1,639 of 3,338
Based on my experience, mids should not rise early and should be more gradual to 3k, and the if there are dips combined with early rise, you get odd mids tonality. When I looked at CL2 graph, I could tell that it will not sound right.

Harman IE target is within my ball park, but may not be exactly. When I look at iems that sound right to me, they do have a Harman like curve, that's the trend I've been noticing.
What are some iems you've liked? and if they're universal, what tips did you like them with?
 
Jan 29, 2019 at 8:30 AM Post #1,640 of 3,338
What are some iems you've liked?
I haven't tried many and do not agree with pricing level of some of them (as pricing has gotten out of control over the years), but these are the ones I'd say liked with some give or take to my 'like' opinion. These are just notable ones over the years, but these days, their performance may not be as how we saw them back in the days.

Andromeda (with 3 ohm output impedance), NT6, EX1000, TG334, UERM, PP8, U18t, Erlkonig

Erlkonig was just a demo, but it sounded the most transparent, and thus best I've heard. I really like transparency when it comes to technicalities. This was out of AK SP1000
 
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Jan 29, 2019 at 11:47 AM Post #1,641 of 3,338
...I really like transparency when it comes to technicalities.

How do you personally define, "transparency?"

Just curious what aspect of the sound you're trying to point to.
 
Jan 29, 2019 at 4:30 PM Post #1,643 of 3,338
How do you personally define, "transparency?"

Just curious what aspect of the sound you're trying to point to.
Transparency for me is hearing the micro-details, sounds being expressed in it's original mastering's intricacies as much as possible, the finer definition and detailing coming forward done in a finesse.

More transparent something is, more you see, like clear glass window.

Not fake detailing with just boosted frequencies.

what tips did you like them with?
iems like Andromeda with 3 sound ports are more of a shallow insertion, and have a wide diameter nozzle. I use wide bore such as Symbio ManderinE W, or Spiral Dots. CA didn't invent this. Fitear did the triple sound outlet with TG334, which CA or ALO sold.

For customs, NT6 was first one I saw with 3 sound pores and SE5 with 5.

Something like PP8, Erlkonig has narrow nozzle. I just use stock ones for PP8 with narrow bore since nozzle bore is narrow.

Erlkonig has a deeper insertion and smaller size Spinfits for deep insertion work perfectly. Funny thing is, I dislike Spinfits due to my iems has not been deep fit like Andro for example, but now I see it has it's purpose.
 
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Jan 29, 2019 at 4:55 PM Post #1,644 of 3,338
Transparency for me is hearing the micro-details, sounds being expressed in it's original mastering's intricacies as much as possible, the finer definition and detailing coming forward done in a finesse.

More transparent something is, more you see, like clear glass window.

Not fake detailing with just boosted frequencies.

iems like Andromeda with 3 sound ports are more of a shallow insertion, and have a wide diameter nozzle. I use wide bore such as Symbio ManderinE W, or Spiral Dots. CA didn't invent this. Fitear did the triple sound outlet with TG334, which CA or ALO sold.

For customs, NT6 was first one I saw with 3 sound pores and SE5 with 5.

Something like PP8, Erlkonig has narrow nozzle. I just use stock ones for PP8 with narrow bore since nozzle bore is narrow.

Erlkonig has a deeper insertion and smaller size Spinfits for deep insertion work perfectly. Funny thing is, I dislike Spinfits due to my iems has not been deep fit like Andro for example, but now I see it has it's purpose.
You also can purchase narrow bores without foam for PP8 from Symbio, they are called Symbio N peeled and sound fantastic with PP8. Maybe also with Erlkönig?

Edit: I like their fit (and price policy)!
 
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Jan 29, 2019 at 5:55 PM Post #1,645 of 3,338
Transparency for me is hearing the micro-details, sounds being expressed in it's original mastering's intricacies as much as possible, the finer definition and detailing coming forward done in a finesse.

More transparent something is, more you see, like clear glass window.

Not fake detailing with just boosted frequencies.

Nice...yeah, the A18t is the best I've heard in this regard...even better than the universal version due to better isolation and other sonic enhancements in custom form.

I'm speaking with VE now to demo the VE8 (been curious to hear this one for a while,) and would like to hear the KSE as well. The KSE seems like an engineering marvel, but its lack of convenience and ultra-portability potential keeps me from wanting to own it. Would really like to hear it though...
 
Jan 30, 2019 at 2:48 PM Post #1,646 of 3,338
Nice...yeah, the A18t is the best I've heard in this regard...even better than the universal version due to better isolation and other sonic enhancements in custom form.

I'm speaking with VE now to demo the VE8 (been curious to hear this one for a while,) and would like to hear the KSE as well. The KSE seems like an engineering marvel, but its lack of convenience and ultra-portability potential keeps me from wanting to own it. Would really like to hear it though...

If you have no intention of buying KSE due to convenience issues I urge you not to audition them. I've bought them, returned them after 2 weeks and than another 2 weeks later I bought them once again because I couldn't live without them anymore.
 
Jan 30, 2019 at 2:54 PM Post #1,647 of 3,338
Yeah, would like to hear the KSE.

A18 are incredibly good...first "end-game" headphone I've ever heard.

Discovering other good stuff is always fun. Plus, KSE are rather inexpensive on the used market, so relatively easy to pickup if so desired.

What stands out for you about the KSE, and why did you initially return them?
 
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Jan 30, 2019 at 3:15 PM Post #1,648 of 3,338
I don't like the heavy, stiff and not detachable cable, plastic housings which feel cheap and fragile and need for carrying the amp. They are also extremely fit and tip dependent and I mean I've never, ever came across so dramatic changes with different tips. Usually its like "smoother treble and better bass slam". With KSE it's not even any particular region that changes its like "yeah they quite alright" and "i've seen the face of god...."
 
Jan 30, 2019 at 3:22 PM Post #1,649 of 3,338
"Face of god..." nice.

It's nice to find your end-game...the fun part is that you can discover more than one end-game that works for you, and you simply must have them all!
 

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