[DocD]

Been listening to my sem9 for a couple of days. Source are Tidal (HiFi) through iPhone 6 to Hugo or Hugo to Liquid Carbon via RCA.

So clear it shames my T1's. Bass that betters my custom K10's.

To my ear very fast and sometimes the coherence between instruments are lacking. I hear each instrument but they do not gel to make the music flow.

BUT now put them through some tubes...

So Hugo to WA7 (with tube PSU) rocking some midrange goodness from Mullard ECC82's.

Oh man! Brings the coherence and a bit of warmth the ES needed (to my ear) in the midrange. Spectacular!

 

[obsidyen]

Hi guys,

Being very close to buy the Velvets, I was very surprised to read all this about their sibilance or that "not a single of these devices can make them listenable"...and I'm really confused.

I mean..ljokerl gives them one of the best sounding IEMs togheter with the FTG 334 while here I'm reading somehow the opposite.

So..what's the true with the Velvet anyway?

 
Velvet is perfect if you like a slightly U-shaped sound signature. It's the best IEM I've ever heard with EDM, pop, hiphop etc. I don't listen to much jazz and classical but it also sounds great with Diana Krall. Velvet has no sibilance or treble peaks, everything is very linear... Only 1 person said he heard sibilance with Velvet, but we don't know his medical background or the shape of his ear canal. Everyone else agrees Velvet has very smooth, pleasant, energetic, visceral sound. S-EM9 is better probably, and for the price it should be, but that doesn't make Velvet any less amazing. Before getting Velvet, I was sure that IEMs weren't for me, as I tried countless IEMs (including IE800, SE846, W60 etc.) but I thought they all had problems in some areas. I also had SM64 for a short period and liked it a lot, so I bought Velvet and sold SM64. I'm planning on getting S-EM9 one day, the next time they discount 20%.

 

[sathyam]

Listening to Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here" on AK380+AmpModule + S-EM9 on High Gain. This is the best I have heard on IEMs.

This IEM does not cease to amaze.

 

[robm321]

.

 

[cfc7]

Everyone else agrees Velvet has very smooth, pleasant, energetic, visceral sound.

Well..that's exactly what I'm looking for, an energetic and visceral sound which to get me into the music with plenty of details and clarity without going in extreme for the highs or lows.

Reading here about the sibilance raised a lot of question marks especially because IE800 is considered to be in the same league and I was expecting a lot more from their sound...but I was disappointed and more on the treble side.
So, I was thinking the Velvet could be a huge unpleasant surprise.

 

[obsidyen]

Well..that's exactly what I'm looking for, an energetic and visceral sound which to get me into the music with plenty of details and clarity without going in extreme for the highs or lows.

Reading here about the sibilance raised a lot of question marks especially because IE800 is considered to be in the same league and I was expecting a lot more from their sound...but I was disappointed and more on the treble side.
So, I was thinking the Velvet could be a huge unpleasant surprise.

I find Velvet to be clearly superior to IE800. IE800 is a lot like Fostex TH900. Nice bass but annoying highs. Velvet sounds more refined in every way.

 

[cfc7]

I find Velvet to be clearly superior to IE800. IE800 is a lot like Fostex TH900. Nice bass but annoying highs. Velvet sounds more refined in every way.

Thanks for your answers.

"Clearly superior" sounds somehow reassuring...I have no possibilities for testing the Velvet so I'll have to buy them just based on reviews.

 

[flinkenick]

The IE800 and Velvet both have a brightish U/V-shaped signature with powerful bass. But the IE800 has more recessed lower mids, so instruments have smaller size and sound thinner; while the Velvet also has more treble energy.
 
But because of this the IE800 has more air between the instruments, and will sound better for classical, jazz or maybe female vocals. 
 
The Velvet will sound better for EDM, pop, hip hop or rock. 

 

[obsidyen]

  The IE800 and Velvet both have a brightish U/V-shaped signature with powerful bass. But the IE800 has more recessed lower mids, so instruments have smaller size and sound thinner; while the Velvet also has more treble energy.
 
But because of this the IE800 has more air between the instruments, and will sound better for classical, jazz or maybe female vocals. 
 
The Velvet will sound better for EDM, pop, hip hop or rock. 

Agreed. Upper mids are more prominent on IE800. This causes sibilance. Velvet has a slight dip in that area which I think is a perfect way to prevent listening fatigue.

 

[davidmolliere]

I must be around 120+ hours listening to the S-EM9, half of which with the Mojo... it has happened to me before with IEMs, namely with the SE846 somehow at some point, my brain must burn in (as BA are not supposed to burn in) but all of a sudden everything pops into place and sounstage is expanded, everything sounds more coherent. Just happened for me with the S-EM9 and it's a big "wow". Maybe also the Mojo burning in...need to get back to ZX2 to check this, but I am just hooked at the moment. Been listening 5 hours straight and can't put them down! I'll probably need to sleep at some point
 
I am just amazed at imaging in particular, pinpoint precise and yes everything is so detailed but smooth and also cohesive yet with such great separation up to the point it's almost overwhelming! I think the Mojo definitely plays a big part in this, what Rob Watts wrote about focusing on transients, timing and spacial cues makes a lot of sense right now
 
Since we're mentioning the Velvet, for those who are into it I feel like it's a brilliant Single Malt and the S-EM9 is like a delightful old Blended something like an Hibiki 21yo

 

[DocD]

New owner of Mojo now - Mine still charging...

Listened to SEM9 via a burned in unit today. Liked them better on Mojo than Hugo. Just adds a tad of warmth that is really nice. Not as good as tunes though... But enough to talk myself out of considering an ALO CDM.

Short time impression of Mojo vs Hugo - Mojo definitely warmer (more "fun") and gives up little of Hugo's better spacial cues. Hugo will now be house bound feeding WA7 or Liquid Carbon.

 

[FidelityCastro]

New owner of Mojo now - Mine still charging...

Listened to SEM9 via a burned in unit today. Liked them better on Mojo than Hugo. Just adds a tad of warmth that is really nice. Not as good as tunes though... But enough to talk myself out of considering an ALO CDM.

Short time impression of Mojo vs Hugo - Mojo definitely warmer (more "fun") and gives up little of Hugo's better spacial cues. Hugo will now be house bound feeding WA7 or Liquid Carbon.

I haven't used Hugo much since I got the CDM (and changed the tubes). Hugo is more reliable and sounds awesome, has longer battery life and is not temperamental like the CDM, so it's a keeper; but I've just been enjoying the valve sound more lately.

 

[sly_in_the_sky]

Hello,

 

Here’s my little review and pictures of the Earsonics Sem-9. I apologize in advance for my bad english…. :

 

 

Design/fit/isolation

 

Lot of things are already been said about their handmade design and for me, they are very well built, the impression is that they are very solid, good looking in theyre acrylic shell, very little for 9 drivers IEM. Isolation and comfort are also a very good point about them, almost to me and my ears. I don’t want to go further about this point and let you watch my picture that will surely tell much more about their look…

 

 

Sound

 

I tested them with my Iriver AK-120 mk2 and my Ibasso DX-80. All songs are in flac and I listen to a lot of kind of music : jazz, electronic music surch as trip-hop, electro-pop, electro-jazz, drum&bass and so on and a little bit of classic and sacred music.

 

General impressions.

 

Comming directly from my loved Earsonics EM 32, which are already very detailled, full, impactfull, airy and 3D is that the Sem9 are a step above in almost every regards. The first impact about them is their tonal balance, their transparence, their incredible dynamism and their details in all the spectrum.

 

Sub bass

 

They are very textured and layered with lot of rumble. Quantity of sub bass is less than EM 32 but I’ll say at the same level of the Velvet. The quality is of course better on the Sem9.

 

Bass/mid-bass

 

The bass is never to much present (as I read from other people compairing them to the Velvet) but there’s a lot of impact, of punch, of dynamism. You can really feel the kick of the drums, it’s a point wich is really better of all the other Earsonics IEMS that I already owned. They are well bodied, full, textured and precise. There’s less « sub » bass than the EM32 but I find their quality a step above in this regards.

 

Middle/upper middle

 

As we are used with Earsonics, the middle is one of the best feature that the Sem9 has. They are liquid, lively very precise, dynamic, detailled and textured. I am very sensitive about sibilance and even if there’s a little bit more energy in this aerea compaired to others ES IEMS, there’s no sibilance at all. Transition between middle and treble is fatiguing less and very natural.

 

Treble

 

Treble are very sparkly but never harsh, they are very detailed and very well extended. Symbals are extremely extended and lively. I can say without a doubt that the SEM9 have the best treble of all IEMS that I owned.

 

Imaging/soundstage

 

As I said, the imaging is very 3D like, lot of height, of depth, deeper than the EM32, with a very good instrument separation and air, with a big sense of layering. It has perhaps a little bit less soundstage than the EM32 but despite that, it has more depth and a little bit more coherency, giving a big realism to the space reading.

 

Conclusion

 

The SEM9 are for people liking balanced  sound signature with coherent imaging, with liquid mids, transparents treble and dynamism. It’s an « all rounder » IEM that will surely answer to all eclectic tastes. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[flinkenick]

Great job man, couldn't agree more.. except for the comparisons with the EM32 since I've never heard one 

 
 
Treble is really the best and most refined I've heard in any iem as well..
 
ps. Your English is really good buddy, no need to apologise in advance.

 

[sly_in_the_sky]

Not so sure about my english but thank you very much Flinckenick.