[antdroid]

I'm loving this math. Just imagine Crin standing in the middle of a sea of IEMs and cables with nothing but a laptop and a mug of coffee ranking and comparing IEMs for a month straight.

Livestream please

 

[iDesign]

Does any body understand the new Crinacle ranking list
I want to upgrade from my Etymotic ER4XR
I was eying the monarch mk II because they ranked so high and was S tire in both tonality and technically
Now it seems everything is knocked down in the technicality section , even the
64 u12t , & right now I don't see any neutral IEM that gets to be s tier in tonality and technicality
So any help getting a top tier IEM excels on tonality and technicality
( and no v or u shaped)

Personally I have high respect for all that Crin done for the measurement space and I even was one of his biggest patrons, founding the measurement tool. I am grateful for everything he did in this department.

However nowadays I feel Crin flew somewhat away from reality with his rankings. I stopped treating them as any kind of clue, guide or advice. It's been too many times that he said that something is bad that turned out to be one of my favorites - and also too many times I was dissatisfied with his high-ranking IEMs.

The biggest dissapointment probably was the praised IER-Z1R, which is too bassy, has spikey treble and recessed unnatural mids with 1BA thrown there to marry the 2DDs together, and you can feel the technicalities being nothing special. Then the Hidition Viento R, which is just harshly tuned with highs bordering on being (un)acceptable and again nothing special technically - it's nowhere near being at the top of any ranking. I also can't understand high rankings of QDC monitors, having had 8CS, now also V14 and tested VX in the past - all of them rather average. Then there's completely obliterated Final Sonorous X and Lab II, which are classics treated as trashy pieces of art here. Many well known IEMs are not even on the ranking. We could go on and on.

TLDR is: do not treat rankings as a guide. Try all the best reviewed IEMs for yourself. And I would also add: prefer CIEMs over IEMs, as it's really worth it to learn how to order and use them, even is some purchases would end up in trash. Nothing can beat a great CIEM.

You can have a look at my collection in the signature section. From neutrality and technicality standpoint I can tell you what I would definitely purchase again:
1. Ambient Acoustics MAD24 - 24BA which is not only a marketing gimmick, but really work as a technical monster and neutrally tuned reference monitor.
2. Craft Ears Aurum+ - you need to ask them for 4EST implementation - a diffuse field neutral with an elegant touch of subbass and ethereal feel, at a great price for value.
3. Aroma Audio Jewel - a superb reference monitor for a high price, with several dB at the low end (still not enough for many, so you can say it's neutral), also an ethereal "electrostatic" feel like Aurum, even better technicalities but lower value for bucks.

Some things I have are very hard to come by, like for example Tralucent IEMs closed in custom shells for me by third companies. But from things you could buy straight from the street, I would get myself at least 2 out of 3 of the above CIEMs if you're a neutralhead like me.

 

[goodvibes]

Dude shared this link on the Watercooler thread, didnt have feedback, now he is spaming here.



So reading and understanding crinacle's disclaimers are so hard to do?

Seems like animosity and anger over Crin not liking the same things they do and projections to rationalize their decisions.

With all these things, YMMV and it's unfortunate how significantly a tip change can affect a signature. If you don't like silicone or foam or deep insertion or don't have a good mix on hand etc, it can significantly change an opinion on a device. Same with cables but less so. How much does ear geometry play a roll? I really don't know but it could vary individual results with an inear/tip/depth/cable combo.

As opposed to being on the hype train, Crin will buck a trend before others. The Warbler Prelude would be a great example. A company that now looks to have become Revostage with only multidriver IEMs.

I also find that his personal ranking list has not changed in significant ways. Time moves on and without having everything on hand which is difficult in a list that comprehensive. revisits are welcome. It's simply a guideline and I don't understand the grief over minor changes.

 

[Edric Li]

I'm loving this math. Just imagine Crin standing in the middle of a sea of IEMs and cables with nothing but a laptop and a mug of coffee ranking and comparing IEMs for a month straight.

The math was wrong now that I look at it again. 34 days were too short for the problem, because 10+20+...+2000 = 201000. And 22*200+201000 = 205400 comparisons. That's 285 days.

 

[antdroid]

Viento is king. One of the best tuned IEMs in my opinion.

 

[Rocfort]

I don"t like EVO at all and nobody consider how great is Odyssey.

 

[batmansbest]

Personally I have high respect for all that Crin done for the measurement space and I even was one of his biggest patrons, founding the measurement tool. I am grateful for everything he did in this department.

However nowadays I feel Crin flew somewhat away from reality with his rankings. I stopped treating them as any kind of clue, guide or advice. It's been too many times that he said that something is bad that turned out to be one of my favorites - and also too many times I was dissatisfied with his high-ranking IEMs.

The biggest dissapointment probably was the praised IER-Z1R, which is too bassy, has spikey treble and recessed unnatural mids with 1BA thrown there to marry the 2DDs together, and you can feel the technicalities being nothing special. Then the Hidition Viento R, which is just harshly tuned with highs bordering on being (un)acceptable and again nothing special technically - it's nowhere near being at the top of any ranking. I also can't understand high rankings of QDC monitors, having had 8CS, now also V14 and tested VX in the past - all of them rather average. Then there's completely obliterated Final Sonorous X and Lab II, which are classics treated as trashy pieces of art here. Many well known IEMs are not even on the ranking. We could go on and on.

TLDR is: do not treat rankings as a guide. Try all the best reviewed IEMs for yourself. And I would also add: prefer CIEMs over IEMs, as it's really worth it to learn how to order and use them, even is some purchases would end up in trash. Nothing can beat a great CIEM.

You can have a look at my collection in the signature section. From neutrality and technicality standpoint I can tell you what I would definitely purchase again:
1. Ambient Acoustics MAD24 - 24BA which is not only a marketing gimmick, but really work as a technical monster and neutrally tuned reference monitor.
2. Craft Ears Aurum+ - you need to ask them for 4EST implementation - a diffuse field neutral with an elegant touch of subbass and ethereal feel, at a great price for value.
3. Aroma Audio Jewel - a superb reference monitor for a high price, with several dB at the low end (still not enough for many, so you can say it's neutral), also an ethereal "electrostatic" feel like Aurum, even better technicalities but lower value for bucks.

Some things I have are very hard to come by, like for example Tralucent IEMs closed in custom shells for me by third companies. But from things you could buy straight from the street, I would get myself at least 2 out of 3 of the above CIEMs if you're a neutralhead like me.

I think most of these Long term reviewers are suffering from hearing loss.
They've damaged their hearing from constant IEM use.
I wouldn't take anything any of them say seriously Plus it's a business, they're hype men mostly.
YMMV, but that's what I think.

 

[desutruction]

I think most of these Long term reviewers are suffering from hearing loss.
They've damaged their hearing from constant IEM use.
I wouldn't take anything any of them say seriously Plus it's a business, they're hype men mostly.
YMMV, but that's what I think.

This is some insane copium...

 

[batmansbest]

This is some insane copium...

You think I'm coping? For what reason?
Just because I think that someone that has been using IEMs for decades most likely has Hearing damage? Explains the list to be honest....

Anyways, do whatever you think is best. Not everyone has to agree with me, it's a free country.

 

[Andrew_WOT]

You think I'm coping? For what reason?
Just because I think that someone that has been using IEMs for decades most likely has Hearing damage? Explains the list to be honest....

Anyways, do whatever you think is best. Not everyone has to agree with me, it's a free country.

Can you please explain how did you come to that conclusion, if anything IEMs are safer for hearing as due to great passive isolation they do not need hearing damaging level to drown external noises like with open headphones or earbuds.
Of course there are crazy individuals who like to listen at full blast whether it's IEMs, phones or speakers. But I do not see Precog, Crin, or any other seasoned reviewers in that category.
Anyway, it was a very weird post.

 

[batmansbest]

Can you please explain how did you come to that conclusion, if anything IEMs are safer for hearing as due to great passive isolation they do not need hearing damaging level to drown external noises like with open headphones or earbuds.
Of course there are crazy individuals who like to listen at full blast whether it's IEMs, phones or speakers. But I do not see Precog, Crin, or any other seasoned reviewers in that category.
Anyway, it was a very weird post.

Some of the "S" class IEMs I wouldn't use if given to me for free.
Some of them sounded downright broken. I judge IEMs and speakers by their ability to reproduce sound that mimics real life, timbre, tonality, speed, weight, and coherency. I listen to a lot of live music, especially Jazz and Classical... most of these IEMs are not what I would call "reference".
My impression of the IER-Z1R was very similar o the poster above, it left me and my non audiophile friends dumbfounded. Dark recessed mids, bloaty bass, peaky treble, incoherent, the upper mids had no life, and instrument timbre was severely off (especially with the stock cable)' and just how uncomfortable they were to use

Some of the reviewers on this thread have Samsung Galaxy buds as rated B+ and above... and some IEMs that I consider to be the best that I have ever heard as D's and F's.

I go back and forth from Live Music, to Speakers, to IEMs.... not sticking to just one medium., and therein lies the problem I think.
In my estimation these reviewers are so far down the IEM rabbit hole, that they have pretty much forgotten what real music sounds like. That's the only explanation that I can come up with, it's either that, or they have long term hearing damage (which is also very likely). Volume and duration of use are both contributing factors.

Anyways I don't want to hijack this thread, these lists are of very little use to me, so I'll just see my way out

 

[Rocfort]

Good Luck with no reviewer.
I appreciate Sony IER- Z1r for its coherence, veriy good bass and never too brilliant high. The mid are well present an tonality is quite perfect. Now with a Brise cable, the timbre is less dark and the sound more open. The life could be very interesting if different opinion or sensititivity can discuss without animosity (i hope).

 

[bukumurah]

Good Luck with no reviewer.
I appreciate Sony IER- Z1r for its coherence, veriy good bass and never too brilliant high. The mid are well present an tonality is quite perfect. Now with a Brise cable, the timbre is less dark and the sound more open. The life could be very interesting if different opinion or sensititivity can discuss without animosity (i hope).

I am also a fan and owner of the IER-Z1R.. I am not hyped about their recessed and somewhat thin mids, i.e. vocals.. but overall they are very nice iems that are very enjoyable..

Note: Thin mids compared to the VE8, which are from the opposite ends of the spectrum in terms of note weight

 

[desutruction]

You think I'm coping? For what reason?
Just because I think that someone that has been using IEMs for decades most likely has Hearing damage? Explains the list to be honest....

Anyways, do whatever you think is best. Not everyone has to agree with me, it's a free country.

A reviewer doesn't have the same taste as me, therefore he has hearing damage AND is a paid shill.

 

[batmansbest]

https://martech.org/study-finds-61-percent-of-electronics-reviews-on-amazon-are-fake/

https://collider.com/rotten-tomatoes-paid-reviews/

https://time.com/6192933/fake-reviews-regulation/

Paid shill reviews are a huge problem everywhere. It's a massive industry If you people don't think it's happening here also...
God bless your trusting gullible souls.
The hype machine never stops, I wonder why...



Anyways, this is my last post here.
People can believe whatever they want, I think rankings like the "Goat debate" are extremely subjective, and this review business is just that, a BUSINESS.