[GiullianSN]

There’s just not a whole lot of air and openness between the instruments and placement feels kind of off. I don’t even think it’s fair to compare these to the Legend X at all imo

Nice. Good to see some impressions outside the train of hype. Tell us more about your findings. I do have the Legend so, compareing to it helps.

 

[gazzington]

Are those massdrop Zeus a good purchase these days?

 

[TheOracle]

Are those massdrop Zeus a good purchase these days?

The Zeus was a good purchase at it's original price, which was more than double the Massdrop price...provided the sound signature is to your liking, of course.

 

[olddude]

Assuming you don't want the type of sound the Legend X or Phantom give, then yes. Detailed, transparent, neutral, clean and clear. Vocals slightly forward. I have an original and a Massdrop.

 

[gazzington]

I know legend X is well known for bass, but what are the phantoms and Zeus known for. I'm also considering Solaris. There is nowhere to try iems where I live so I have to go by what I read!

 

[singleended5863]

I know legend X is well known for bass, but what are the phantoms and Zeus known for. I'm also considering Solaris. There is nowhere to try iems where I live so I have to go by what I read!

To my ears Solaris was okay after listening to it at CanJam SoCal compared to Valkyrie (not yet purchased) and Phantom I own.

 

[olddude]

Zeus is reference, neutral, detailed, transparent, full ranged and basically uncolored. What's in the track is what you hear.

 

[CANiSLAYu]

Crinacle just did an unboxing/first impressions of the Massdrop Zeus: https://crinacle.com/2019/09/13/massdrop-x-empire-ears-zeus-og-zeus-xiv-unboxing/

 

[olddude]

"Horrible bass response"? Pffft. Compared to a bass-heavy iem, sure. And it also depends on what you listen to. But for music that doesn't require the equivalent of that car next to you pushing bass so hard your mirror shakes and the coins in your center console jingle, it's fine. Better than fine. I don't listen to music with sub bass. If I did, I'd find a different iem. But there are all kinds of music and not all of it needs to slam your ears with bass. I had a Phantom and had no issue with its bass, just found the mids too thick and the treble too restrained. I tried a Legend and it sounded like mud to me. If you want an iem that is fairly reference, the Zeus is incredible. If you want an iem than delivers faithfully what is recorded, the Zeus is incredible. If you want an iem that covers up errors in mastering and that colors the sound, the Zeus is not for you.

 

[mr.karmalicious]

"Horrible bass response"? Pffft. Compared to a bass-heavy iem, sure. And it also depends on what you listen to. But for music that doesn't require the equivalent of that car next to you pushing bass so hard your mirror shakes and the coins in your center console jingle, it's fine. Better than fine. I don't listen to music with sub bass. If I did, I'd find a different iem. But there are all kinds of music and not all of it needs to slam your ears with bass. I had a Phantom and had no issue with its bass, just found the mids too thick and the treble too restrained. I tried a Legend and it sounded like mud to me. If you want an iem that is fairly reference, the Zeus is incredible. If you want an iem than delivers faithfully what is recorded, the Zeus is incredible. If you want an iem that covers up errors in mastering and that colors the sound, the Zeus is not for you.

Crinacle's not even a basshead, by any means—I do always find it a bit funny, the way audiophiles often (maybe not right here, but often) conflate the presence of any bass with being "non-audiophile", or equivalently a lack of bass with being "reference" or "neutral" or "audiophile".

Also, I'm sorry to be kind of blunt, but...

"Horrible bass response"? Pffft. [...] I don't listen to music with sub bass.

How could you possibly be qualified to judge the reproduction fidelity of a frequency range that you don't even listen to? Even if I like a chef, I'm not going to tell a professional food critic that their review of the chef's bouillabaisse is wrong if I don't even eat fish. Like, it's kind of blatantly nonsense...

 

[CANiSLAYu]

Agree with karma wholeheartedly. It’s also hypocritical to slam other IEMs while defending your choice. It’s just one opinion/reference point. This hobby is full of them as hearing is subjective. As The Dude said:

 

[GiullianSN]

in this hobby is all about opinion.

 

[galacticsoap]

Hi Everyone

I'm looking at picking up a second set of IEM's to complement my 64 Ears U18T's. I love the U18T's especially with the M20 module in it. I listen to a ton of electronica with little midrange information compared to where the magic happens in the bass/sub-bass and treble/upper treble.

I auditioned the Legend X when I was purchasing the U18's. I was fairly convinced the X was going to be the IEM I went for before hearing them. All the comments on Headfi point to an IEM that's all most tailor made for electronica. However, to my ears, the Legend X (especially in contrast to the U18) lacked the top to bottom resolution that I value so much in my listening. This translated to less air and space in the highs and less texture in the bass/sub-bass. Sure there was bass - plenty of it, but it all most seemed to overplay its hand.

I walked out of the store with a pair of U18T's and have been a happy camper ever since pairing it with my Hugo2. A week ago my U18T's developed an issue with the left driver. Prior to this I always thought having two TOTL IEM's was rather indulgent, but now faced with a left channel that drops in and out, and time away from my music (at this level of fidelity) I see the method to the madness.

I was looking forward to hearing the latest release from EE, and came across the graph above which frankly threw me. Am I reading it correctly in see that the Wraith is even more polite in the high frequencies compared to the Legend X? Similarly the Valkyrie sounds the more tonally vibrant particularly when compared to the X? An interesting tuning I must say.

I'm not sure when Valkyrie and Wraith stock will hit Australia. My dealer didn't have any examples last week. I look forward to hearing them when I get the chance.

Lastly, the ODIN sounds like exactly what I'm looking for i.e. a more vibrant and linear sounding X, especially across the high-frequencies. Make it happen EE!

Cheers,
GS

 

[GiullianSN]

Hi Everyone

I'm looking at picking up a second set of IEM's to complement my 64 Ears U18T's. I love the U18T's especially with the M20 module in it. I listen to a ton of electronica with little midrange information compared to where the magic happens in the bass/sub-bass and treble/upper treble.

I auditioned the Legend X when I was purchasing the U18's. I was fairly convinced the X was going to be the IEM I went for before hearing them. All the comments on Headfi point to an IEM that's all most tailor made for electronica. However, to my ears, the Legend X (especially in contrast to the U18) lacked the top to bottom resolution that I value so much in my listening. This translated to less air and space in the highs and less texture in the bass/sub-bass. Sure there was bass - plenty of it, but it all most seemed to overplay its hand.

I walked out of the store with a pair of U18T's and have been a happy camper ever since pairing it with my Hugo2. A week ago my U18T's developed an issue with the left driver. Prior to this I always thought having two TOTL IEM's was rather indulgent, but now faced with a left channel that drops in and out, and time away from my music (at this level of fidelity) I see the method to the madness.

I was looking forward to hearing the latest release from EE, and came across the graph above which frankly threw me. Am I reading it correctly in see that the Wraith is even more polite in the high frequencies compared to the Legend X? Similarly the Valkyrie sounds the more tonally vibrant particularly when compared to the X? An interesting tuning I must say.

I'm not sure when Valkyrie and Wraith stock will hit Australia. My dealer didn't have any examples last week. I look forward to hearing them when I get the chance.

Lastly, the ODIN sounds like exactly what I'm looking for i.e. a more vibrant and linear sounding X, especially across the high-frequencies. Make it happen EE!

Cheers,
GS

Actually if you look the dynamics of the graph will be the difference. In the Wraith, the low end are about 5-7db lower than Mids-Highs. Compared to LX and Valky where the drop can be 15db between Low-Mid and Mid-High, but Low to High is similar.

Cutting it short, Wraith will have more emphasis on the mid highs.

 

[Deezel177]

Hi Everyone

I'm looking at picking up a second set of IEM's to complement my 64 Ears U18T's. I love the U18T's especially with the M20 module in it. I listen to a ton of electronica with little midrange information compared to where the magic happens in the bass/sub-bass and treble/upper treble.

I auditioned the Legend X when I was purchasing the U18's. I was fairly convinced the X was going to be the IEM I went for before hearing them. All the comments on Headfi point to an IEM that's all most tailor made for electronica. However, to my ears, the Legend X (especially in contrast to the U18) lacked the top to bottom resolution that I value so much in my listening. This translated to less air and space in the highs and less texture in the bass/sub-bass. Sure there was bass - plenty of it, but it all most seemed to overplay its hand.

I walked out of the store with a pair of U18T's and have been a happy camper ever since pairing it with my Hugo2. A week ago my U18T's developed an issue with the left driver. Prior to this I always thought having two TOTL IEM's was rather indulgent, but now faced with a left channel that drops in and out, and time away from my music (at this level of fidelity) I see the method to the madness.

I was looking forward to hearing the latest release from EE, and came across the graph above which frankly threw me. Am I reading it correctly in see that the Wraith is even more polite in the high frequencies compared to the Legend X? Similarly the Valkyrie sounds the more tonally vibrant particularly when compared to the X? An interesting tuning I must say.

I'm not sure when Valkyrie and Wraith stock will hit Australia. My dealer didn't have any examples last week. I look forward to hearing them when I get the chance.

Lastly, the ODIN sounds like exactly what I'm looking for i.e. a more vibrant and linear sounding X, especially across the high-frequencies. Make it happen EE!

Cheers,
GS

If the problem you’re experiencing is the left U18t cutting in-and-out entirely (rather than just a specific frequency range), then the problem would most likely be in the cable, rather than any driver problems. Have you tried swapping out the cable?

The Wraith is indeed even more polite than the LX up top, so it doesn’t sound like it’s for you.