[Spamateur]

Don't mean to clog up the thread with my posts, been listening to the Legend R all weekend and gotta say that this is the closest I've come to an end-game IEM. If you look at my history I've owned almost all the TOTL universals (as well as others over the years) and have enjoyed almost all of them in one way or another, but the Legend R is just so detailed, coherent and musical. This might be "new toy" mindset talking, but these really are superb all-rounders. The only IEM I would be interested to try would maybe be the Fitear TG! 334, and it's hard to imagine that matching the experience of the Legend.
 
Speaking of, has anyone in here listened to the TG334 and care to provide comparisons? I know it's a 3-year old IEM, so I'm wondering if it stands up to the latest and greatest IEMs.

 

[FlySweep]

  Don't mean to clog up the thread with my posts, been listening to the Legend R all weekend and gotta say that this is the closest I've come to an end-game IEM. If you look at my history I've owned almost all the TOTL universals (as well as others over the years) and have enjoyed almost all of them in one way or another, but the Legend R is just so detailed, coherent and musical.

 
You're going to love it with the Vorpal cable.  It may sound somewhat bright with a new Vorpal for a few weeks.. give it time.. I found it to round out very nicely after that.  The -R's gain focus and sound even more neutral with the Vorpal, IME.  Stock cable sounds a touch warmer.. but also (relatively) more blurred in terms of resolution.. the Vorpal tends to bring 'focus.'

 

[shotgunshane]

Don't mean to clog up the thread with my posts, been listening to the Legend R all weekend and gotta say that this is the closest I've come to an end-game IEM. If you look at my history I've owned almost all the TOTL universals (as well as others over the years) and have enjoyed almost all of them in one way or another, but the Legend R is just so detailed, coherent and musical. This might be "new toy" mindset talking, but these really are superb all-rounders. The only IEM I would be interested to try would maybe be the Fitear TG! 334, and it's hard to imagine that matching the experience of the Legend.

Speaking of, has anyone in here listened to the TG334 and care to provide comparisons? I know it's a 3-year old IEM, so I'm wondering if it stands up to the latest and greatest IEMs.

From memory-
The TG334 will be much bassier with lots of reverberation in the bass. It's a very fun but also pretty colored bass. Mids would be lusher and thicker if memory serves. The weak point of the TG334 is treble timbre- it's a bit steely sounding but articulate. Overall it's a warm and darkish sound that is very enveloping. The Legend is more accurate and true to source in tone, as well as FR, with just as engaging mids and wonderful vocals that focus on middle mids, whereas the TG334 had more of a focus on lower mids.

 

[Spamateur]

   
You're going to love it with the Vorpal cable.  It may sound somewhat bright with a new Vorpal for a few weeks.. give it time.. I found it to round out very nicely after that.  The -R's gain focus and sound even more neutral with the Vorpal, IME.  Stock cable sounds a touch warmer.. but also (relatively) more blurred in terms of resolution.. the Vorpal tends to bring 'focus.'

 
Awesome. I can't wait! Looks like there's a bit of a holiday backlog with Trevor at Norne, so hopefully he's able to catch up.
 
 

From memory-
The TG334 will be much bassier with lots of reverberation in the bass. It's a very fun but also pretty colored bass. Mids would be lusher and thicker if memory serves. The weak point of the TG334 is treble timbre- it's a bit steely sounding but articulate. Overall it's a warm and darkish sound that is very enveloping. The Legend is more accurate and true to source in tone, as well as FR, with just as engaging mids and wonderful vocals that focus on middle mids, whereas the TG334 had more of a focus on lower mids.

 
SGS to the rescue as usual. Thanks for the impressions as they were very helpful. The description of the treble of the TG334 as "steely" reminds me quite a bit of my experience with the Aurisonics ASG-2.5 and Noble 5c. Neither ever felt accurate, seeming rather metallic and distorted in texture. I am deeply impressed by the Legend R's treble on cymbals and hi-hats, and also by the fact the fact that it never sounds sharp or fatiguing unlike the SE846 (which paradoxically also sorely lacked in treble extension). 

 

[Rei87]

  Don't mean to clog up the thread with my posts, been listening to the Legend R all weekend and gotta say that this is the closest I've come to an end-game IEM. If you look at my history I've owned almost all the TOTL universals (as well as others over the years) and have enjoyed almost all of them in one way or another, but the Legend R is just so detailed, coherent and musical. This might be "new toy" mindset talking, but these really are superb all-rounders. The only IEM I would be interested to try would maybe be the Fitear TG! 334, and it's hard to imagine that matching the experience of the Legend.
 
Speaking of, has anyone in here listened to the TG334 and care to provide comparisons? I know it's a 3-year old IEM, so I'm wondering if it stands up to the latest and greatest IEMs.

I've always felt that the recent slew of TOTL earphones, seem to be tweaks in sonic signatures (emphasis on different ranges) as opposed to actual advancements in sound delivery (detail/resolution, sound separation and clarity). 

Could anyone share their take on the legend-R with respect to other TOTL earphones in terms of its detail production? Earwerkz describes it as a detail retrieval monster, in part due to its extensive crossover network. SGS seems to concur, and ranks it with the UERM. However, the more intimate nature of the LEgend-R, isnt exactly ideal for detail resolution. Hence, if SGS places the Legend-R side by side with the UERM in this aspect, would it be fair to say that the extensive crossover/truphase thingy does indeed represent a technological advancement in sonic reproduction? 

I'm afraid that my experience with the head-fi world is fairly limited, so I can't really trust myself to give a fair opinion with respect to the legend-R's resolution performance when bench marked against other TOTL performers. I'm liking what I hear, but I also value knowing the drawbacks of my IEM when compared to others.  

 

 

[jelt2359]

  I've always felt that the recent slew of TOTL earphones, seem to be tweaks in sonic signatures (emphasis on different ranges) as opposed to actual advancements in sound delivery (detail/resolution, sound separation and clarity). 

Could anyone share their take on the legend-R with respect to other TOTL earphones in terms of its detail production? Earwerkz describes it as a detail retrieval monster, in part due to its extensive crossover network. SGS seems to concur, and ranks it with the UERM. However, the more intimate nature of the LEgend-R, isnt exactly ideal for detail resolution. Hence, if SGS places the Legend-R side by side with the UERM in this aspect, would it be fair to say that the extensive crossover/truphase thingy does indeed represent a technological advancement in sonic reproduction? 

I'm afraid that my experience with the head-fi world is fairly limited, so I can't really trust myself to give a fair opinion with respect to the legend-R's resolution performance when bench marked against other TOTL performers. I'm liking what I hear, but I also value knowing the drawbacks of my IEM when compared to others. 

Interesting timing. I was just thinking about this, and having a conversation with someone in the industry about the same. What I have read is that average_joe, who has heard his fair share of TOTL CIEMs, writes that the Legend (not R) has 'the highest level of detail I have heard from a CIEM'
 
Source: http://theheadphonelist.com/introducing-earwerkz-custom-in-ear-monitors/
 
I have quite a few TOTL CIEMs coming in soon, and will be looking to do extensive comparisons between them. I expect it to be quite an experience (and an education) for myself! FWIW, in my personal auditions to date, I have not found that sound signature differences are the only- or even primary- differences between different CIEMs. Resolution, clarity, soundstage size, imaging differ quite a bit from IEM to IEM. And that's before we talk about attack and decay, naturalness of sound, timbre of tone, and so on. I think tuning matters a lot. Where is the crossover, how is it implemented, how is distortion minimised, how is phase coherency achieved, and so on- are all key decisions that go beyond sound signature tweaks.

 

[moedawg140]

 

I've always felt that the recent slew of TOTL earphones, seem to be tweaks in sonic signatures (emphasis on different ranges) as opposed to actual advancements in sound delivery (detail/resolution, sound separation and clarity). 

Could anyone share their take on the legend-R with respect to other TOTL earphones in terms of its detail production? Earwerkz describes it as a detail retrieval monster, in part due to its extensive crossover network. SGS seems to concur, and ranks it with the UERM. However, the more intimate nature of the LEgend-R, isnt exactly ideal for detail resolution. Hence, if SGS places the Legend-R side by side with the UERM in this aspect, would it be fair to say that the extensive crossover/truphase thingy does indeed represent a technological advancement in sonic reproduction? 

I'm afraid that my experience with the head-fi world is fairly limited, so I can't really trust myself to give a fair opinion with respect to the legend-R's resolution performance when bench marked against other TOTL performers. I'm liking what I hear, but I also value knowing the drawbacks of my IEM when compared to others.  

 

 
I'll go for it, and I'm sure others will either agree, or completely disagree.  With regards to detail resolution (and not saying too much since my Legend R review will be arriving sometime in the future), it has one of, if not the 'best' detail reproduction/retrieving that I have heard in a top-of-the-line C/IEM.  As for ranking it with the UERM, it is known that I really didn't like how the UERM sounded, as I thought it sounded rather 'dry', and the Legend R sounding more musical and toe-tapping to my ears.  I am not 100% sure if the crossover network has anything to do with the advancement of the sonic reproduction, but it has definitely not hindered anything, that's for sure.  Technological advancement?  I would say it's fair that anything an IEM manufacturer can do to reproduce sound as coherently as possible deserves the technological advancement nod.
 
I would say enjoy your Legend R (if you own it), and don't worry so much about the drawbacks, as every single C/IEM in the market has some sort of 'drawback', be it materials, sizes, perceived soundstage and image separation/resolution, bass reproduction, overall coherency, cost, wait, etcetera, etcetera, and so on.  

 

 

[Spamateur]

I agree with both jelt and moedawg above in that there are a lot of other factors that go into an IEM's sound than relatively small tweaks in sonic signature, but I can see where you're coming from. The biggest problem is that everyone's personal preference in sound signature is so different on head-fi (and in the public at large) that it's hard to glean objective information, especially since we're using words to describe a nonverbal, personal experience. (On a slightly related note, I've been reading over initial impressions of the new JH Audio Layla and they range from "incredible boring and flat" to "the best thing on the market.") 
 
However, in regards to the TOTL universals I've personally owned (and there have been too many), the Legend certainly lives up to the billing as being exceptional in detail retrieval, with the only model that I've tried that has come close being the DITA The Answer Truth Edition. I would almost consider that IEM a treblehead phone, however, so much of detail retrieval was perception due to the lifted upper mids and treble section. Most other universal IEMs I've owned, with the exception of the neutral-trending AKG K3003, have focused on towards warmer, smoother mids and big bass production or V-shaped signatures, both of which I've found tended to mask detail retrieval and accurate treble timbre in pursuit of a more euphonic and energetic listen. The magic of the Legend R for me is in how it's simultaneously neutralish, smoothly musical AND highly detailed without being overly warm or bright to the point of fatigue. This is sort of the holy grail of my personal listening tastes and something I didn't entirely think was possible in an IEM, to be quite honest. It truly is a wonderfully detailed and natural-sounding IEM while not being a boringly neutral, harshly bright, or overly analytical sound signature.
 
Would I consider it a technological advancement? I would venture to agree with that idea on some levels because for me, personally, the Legend R is hitting my sweet spot in my short period of ownership to the point that I've very recently sold my SE846, ASG-2.5 and K3003 as I knew they couldn't match the enjoyment I was getting from Earwerkz's TOTL.

 

[Rei87]

I was actually very interested in the Layla before I made the plunge and went for the Legend (since I'm using the same set up, glove A1, as the reviewer for the Layla). Sound quality aside, I can say with a fair amount of certainty that earwerkz's professional take on upgrading the previous Legend owners to the new Legend-R was a big factor in tipping me over to the legend.

So, anyway, long story short, my legend-R has been a match made in heaven with the glove A1 set up. I'm actually rediscovering songs from decades back, after I rip the CDs and throw them into the player. An absolutely magical and hair raising experience when the notes wraps around you, literally. 

 

[Spamateur]

  I was actually very interested in the Layla before I made the plunge and went for the Legend (since I'm using the same set up, glove A1, as the reviewer for the Layla). Sound quality aside, I can say with a fair amount of certainty that earwerkz's professional take on upgrading the previous Legend owners to the new Legend-R was a big factor in tipping me over to the legend.

So, anyway, long story short, my legend-R has been a match made in heaven with the glove A1 set up. I'm actually rediscovering songs from decades back, after I rip the CDs and throw them into the player. An absolutely magical and hair raising experience when the notes wraps around you, literally. 

Out of curiosity are you using the AK100 or 120 with the Glove A1? I initially demo'ed the Legend with the AK120 by itself and it made it clear I "needed" to get a new DAP.
 
I wholeheartedly agree about rediscovering old music. I haven't put the Legend R down since I got them except to sleep and eat and make conversation to ensure my girlfriend doesn't leave me. I've also been going through old albums to see how they sound with the Legend, and I haven't been disappointed yet.

 

[germanturkey]

are you freaking kidding me, Jelt?  i was dead set on getting the NT6, then i stumble upon this thread..   DAMN YOU!!!!  how would you say the two compare?  you've rated them the same 9.7 in your brief reviews, but it would seem that no one has actually posted a detailed review yet.  (i've yet to read shane's review)
 
but really, the slightly cheaper price point, apparently immaculate customer service, build quality, and staying American ('murica) is a pretty huge pull.

 

[jelt2359]

  are you freaking kidding me, Jelt?  i was dead set on getting the NT6, then i stumble upon this thread..   DAMN YOU!!!!  how would you say the two compare?  you've rated them the same 9.7 in your brief reviews, but it would seem that no one has actually posted a detailed review yet.  (i've yet to read shane's review)
 
but really, the slightly cheaper price point, apparently immaculate customer service, build quality, and staying American ('murica) is a pretty huge pull.

The NT6 is great too! I haven't been able to compare them side by side yet; my Legend R just got in, so will have more soon. Maybe if I can find some time I'll bring them to the local place with the NT6 and do some AB-ing to let you know. I also need to retry a few IEMs there anyway

 

[ZzmadzZ]

My beauties finally arrived!!!

 

[Spamateur]

Congrats! They look fantastic!
 
Any impressions so far? I'm becoming a bigger and bigger fan of the Legend R with every listen.

 

[germanturkey]

you ordered 2 -Rs?  

 
that's the turquoise shell?  not quite as vibrant as the website makes them out to be.  might just go for old fashioned blue and red..