[vincentm66]

I’ve called Earsonics, explained them what I was looking for (V curve response for audiophile) and they told me to take the latest model: the velvet, the EM32 wouldn’t bring anything.
 
The Velvet is derived from the EM32, has the latest electronic in it and cost less because of the shield not in acrylic that seems to cost a lot: if the Velvet was also done with Acrylic then the price would be over the EM32 or SE-m6.
 
I’ve received the Velvet and very happy with it, can’t compare with EM32 but with what I remember from Shure 535 / 846, AKG 3003, its way better:
bass are amazing, its more open, and alive, the high are there but not aggressive, and work well with the Plenue, I haven’t tuned the sound in it as the default settings are good.

 

[Rollk2]

EarSonics advices are based on what they want to sell, and at this time it's the Velvet. 
 
I have had the Velvet a week and that's right they're not far from the EM32, but they don't sound as technical and musical as the EM32, firstly because it's not a custom, secondly because the EM32 is made for musician and sound engineer and not for just music lover. 
 
The goal is not to spend more for the same sound, sure, but for myself if I had to choose today between the Velvets and the EM32 I'll go for the EM32 without a doubt. 

 

[flinkenick]

Thanks Rolkk2, good to hear you had it for a week. Do you know what in the sound made it more musical, or is that hard to say?

 

[Rollk2]

'The ability the recreate space and focus is a big factor to produce the involvement feeling, and on that point the EM32 are clearly better than the Velvet in delivering a larger and deeper soundstage with a layering which is, to me, more realist. 
Another factor is the bass feeling, which is full of emotion on the EM32. To me the Velvet' bass is nearer from the SM64/S-EM6 than from the EM32 but it's a personal point of view as the EarSonics products share the same house sound.

 

[flinkenick]

Alright man, that's pretty clear

 

[vincentm66]

OK guys you're dangerous for my bank account !!
 
Ill try the EM32

 

[flinkenick]

Hahaha didn't you just order the Velvet? The Velvet is already awesome man, I'm only thinking about the EM32 because I love the Velvet so much

 

[vincentm66]

Ive received the Velvet yesterday and like them a lot, but if I can get something better, then I'm in... 

 

[Rollk2]

The best to you guys is to ask gently average_joe what he means about EM32 vs Velvets. He'll normally publish soon a complete review of the EM32 so perhaps the best thing is to wait in enjoying your Velvets...

 

[flinkenick]

How do you know he'll publish a review? But I just reread that part of the Velvet review, helped a bit more.

 

[flinkenick]

He should have done the comparisons with balanced mode instead of warm btw

 

[Rollk2]

He has the EM32 and wrote a preview here

 

[vincentm66]

Just received the EM32...

 
WOOOOOOWWWWWW
 
Impressive….
 
Bass goes very very deep but clean and don’t kill the music equilibrium
 
Mids are there, beautiful and clear (I loved piano & violin on classical music) 
 
High are present but never aggressive, 
 

First time I enjoy an IEM like I love my Grado PS1000 which is  for me better than all headphones I’ve owned Ultrasone Edition 5, Fostex TH900, I tried a week the JPS Lab, Beyer T1.

 

This is for me by far better to the SE846, 535, AKG 3003 that I also owned as for me they were too flat, not music enjoyable (from my perspective), and as piano player and sometime piano concert record I really love how the piano is being transcript.

The sound on the piano is just amazing and I’m happy these reflect the sound richness of such instrument, I’ve listened to a solo I recorded on a grand Steinway and can ear the pedals of the artist, still its not analytical but definitely on the musical side but is able to deliver lots of informations.

 

I overall love the U shape, the air / openness of these IEM is the best I’ve heard, the new acrylic (according to the manufacturer they just changed it few times ago) is very comfortable and its impressive how this isolates compare to universal IEM, they're really making music enjoyable to ear because this improves the isolation and this helps a lot to have a better experience: I’ve decreased the volume on my Cowon P1 and get at least the same amount of details and even more sometimes, so you only listen to music and nothing else.

 

[flinkenick]

Oh damn you actually ordered them? Congrats man. Can you compare them to the Velvet, is it worth the extra cost?

 

[vincentm66]

I had the Velvet for 2 days, and these not more so hard to in details, but what I really see as difference:
 
-the bass on EM32 are just perfect for me, I didn’t played with the Velvet bass configuration, but personally I prefer the one on teh EM32 : I had to lower the amount of bass on the Plenue P1 and I still have more bass.
 
-The mids are I think so-so and for the high I don’t ear much difference,
 
-The main difference is (for me) more details on the EM32 : again you can lower the  volume and still get more details than the Velvet, but Im unsure if this is also due to the fact that because they are custom and the noise isolation is just perfect : my wife talks to me at 2 meters and I dont even notice that she’s talking thereforeyou have no parasite noise and only ear what comes from the IEM, or if its the IEM itself, but the result is there : more precision and more details.
 
-Another difference for me is the air or openness (sorry I’m unsure this is correct) but you have more the feeling to have an open headphone, and you feel closer to the orchestra or the band playing the music,
 
-Differences are subtle, it’s not like black and white and the EM32 and Velvet share some DNA and tonality (V curve) bass power, but you can really ear the difference.
 
Last point is the fact that they are custom and Earsonics is using a new acrylic material (they called me this afternoon so we could talk about that as it’s a new version of it) and it makes them comfortable, so no issue at all looking for another foam that fits the IEM and my ears.
 
It’s just for me that the EM32 makes another step and for 250 euros difference there’s just no doubt that this is worth the price,