[Bonobo]

I will look into it thanks.But I find it very strange that they can offer such a discount from a manufacturer on the other side of the world.

 

[deafdoorknob]

usually it is to do with brands changing local distributors and they offer their existing stock as clearance. Jerry Harvey stuff did the same last year and the distributor was selling all their remaining stock at 50% off

afaik distributors in hk/asia usually purchase their stock from manufacturers in larger qty than elsewhere and when/if manufacturers change distributors or if new models are introduced they do deep discounts to recoop/minimise their losses.

IF ANYONE IS CONCERNED BY A PRODUCT’S LEGITIMACY, best to email the HK distributor of said item and ask if the reseller is an offical one.

example from another shop...

 

[Rollk2]

I currently have Spiral Ears SE5U and currently looking for a more energetic IEM to (mainly) listen to EDM, pop, also some rock and jazz. Is there someone who can compare to S-EM9 to the Inear Stagediver 5? Or the difference between S-EM9 ansd SD5?

Thanks.

Not sure the EM10 / S-EM9 are more energetic than the SE5U, but they're more musical in a romantic way. Something more energetic could be the EM64.

 

[Bonobo]

Not sure the EM10 / S-EM9 are more energetic than the SE5U, but they're more musical in a romantic way. Something more energetic could be the EM64.

Thanks for the update. I was about to order the S-EM9 this weekend and read a lot about them the past days. I thought these were especially good with pop and edm after reading several reviews. I'm not sure anymore after your remark; them being more musical in a romantic way. I guess I'm looking at the opposite end of a sound signature. I would like bass to be more like a dynamic driver, mids a bit back and sparkly extended treble.
Do you know if vocals are a bit further back than SE5U with S-EM9? I think I would like that more. Also looking at Velvet V2 and Stagediver SD5. But probably vocals will be more upfront with the latter..
Every suggestion is welcome!

 

[Rollk2]

Clearly, the S-EM9 have a more backward vocal than the SE5U, like V shaped directly compared, but not that much. If you look for a slow decay in bass region, which is more like a dynamic driver, you should have a look to the EM32. The SD5 are good, but not special: no technical issues, but not musical. The Velvet V2 is one of my favorite UIEM, the bass is not far from the EM32 one and the presentation is much more lively than most of the IEM in that price range. If I had to pick a musical IEM more than a technical one, I would take the Velvet V2 without a doubt.

 

[Bonobo]

Very helpful comments, thanks. One final question, because I need to finally decide and stop comparing. Have you or any one else compared the Velvet V2 vs Beyerdynamic Xelento? Would that also be an iem tuned for fun?

 

[Rollk2]

Yeah, the Xelento is a nice guy too, a bit less refined and obviously less versatile than the Velvet, but with a relative truer tone in high mid region which is very controlled on the Velvet as on other EarSonics IEMs. I don't know how the Xelento handle complex tracks with many instruments, but separation is better than the Velvet. At the end the Velvet are easier to listen to because the focus is on feelings more than on technical aspects.

 

[dannyking]

Hi,
How does the S-em9 compare to the Campfire audio atlas and se846? Thanks.

 

[gimen]

Hi guys,

I've got sem9 and really enjoy them. I have read time and time again how they scale up with better cable. I am looking mainly to enhance or better separate vocals as I found them somewhat quite in older songs e.g. Guns N' Roses - November Rain. Ideally, I would go for Effect Audio Thor ii+ however I am on the budget and would be looking for something closer to 300. Could anyone recommend some decent options in this price range or should I just save up. Thanks.

 

[-rowan-]

Hi guys,

I've got sem9 and really enjoy them. I have read time and time again how they scale up with better cable. I am looking mainly to enhance or better separate vocals as I found them somewhat quite in older songs e.g. Guns N' Roses - November Rain. Ideally, I would go for Effect Audio Thor ii+ however I am on the budget and would be looking for something closer to 300. Could anyone recommend some decent options in this price range or should I just save up. Thanks.

I used to be a cable sceptic until I realised that the stock PlasticsOne cable is the single biggest bottleneck to the audio quality of the S-EM9, especially where vocals and mids are concerned.

Anyway I eventually settled on the Penon Leo which, like the Thor, is a pure silver cable. The most obvious improvements it brought were in terms of soundstage and extension. The S-EM9 is very well extended and detailed on both ends, and this cable simply does justice to its technical abilities. Let's just say that, accomplished as the S-EM9 is, the mids will never be its best feature, at least to me, but I think they do sound noticeably more open with a silver cable.

I personally don't think there is a million miles in difference between how these two silver cables sound, whereas I would never go back to stock.

Unlike the Thor, however, the Penon one is so much better ergonomically. Really, the Thor is about as thick as I can tolerate. Whereas the Leo is not only thinner but also amazingly soft and flexible with neither mind nor memory of its own.

It's about $250 currently but I'd recommend paying a bit extra for the balanced cable option if your source allows for it.
https://penon-official.com/product/penon-leo/

For anyone whose budget doesn't run to that, they also have a 4-core version called Neo for $150, although I haven't tried it.

Penon also have an SPC cable called OS849 for even less. It doesn't quite have the clarity and precision of pure silver but the soundstage is noticeably wider as well and the copper warms the bass nicely and gives it more impact so it's a fun cable to have on the side.

 

[cocolinho]

I agree about the cable being a bottleneck of S-EM9 performances , said by a non cable believer!
I experienced a cable from DM audio a French manufacturer and the difference with stock cable was really noticable especially on mids.

And like Rollk2 said Grace/EM10 are not really something in line with your expectations
For a nice v-shape monitor with incredible bass quality (not quantity) under 1K I would say Hyla CE5. Best bass I've ever heard

 

[gimen]

Thank you for your replies. Has this Penon cable got any microphonic?

 

[-rowan-]

Only very low microphonics, I would say.

 

[silvahr]

Have the S-EM9 since May and couldn’t be more happy. Took me while to get used to the sound characteristics but now it’s by far the very best IEM I’ve have ever heard. I had Andromedas for about 1 year and an half and I think it’s a very good pair of IEM’s and I can’t point anything they do wrong (the bass with some sources like Chord Hugo 2 was a little too much and a bit loose).
But with the S-EM9 is another thing. The textures and the timbre (I’m a timbre freak) are in other level. It’s like being in the same room with musicians.
Very glad I bought this ones.

 

[jjss]

Hello,

I have SEM9 since 2017 and have been one of my favorite IEMs since!!

As I can't find from online a direct comparison between SEM9 and the newer Grace Platinum, so I'm coming to this forum to see if there are ppl who can shed some light on comparing / contrasting the two.

To me the SEM9 has a very unique sound, one that's very diff (say comparing to 64A u18t or IER-Z1R)! The SEM9's sound envelop has its own charm as I find it has a somewhat very engaging decay of sound esp when it comes to lower mid, bass and certainly the sub bass !! This unique characteristic makes the SEM9's tonality and timbre really amazing!!

In fact I'm trying to find out how the Grace compares to SEM9 from the sonic profile perspective and have written to EarSonics (thro its general inquiry email address) but so far waited in vain for response !!

Thus hope that somewhat out there might give me some help and point me to a direction to see if I should also own the Grace!

TIA ..