[CL14715]

Please put us out of our misery and release the Odin early........pretty please?!!?

Oh boy look what I started. I’m gonna log off head-fi now.

 

[Frankie D]

Might be Wagnus

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/noble-audio-the-wizard-returns.684787/post-15200898

Yes, probably as Noble does not make cables. I would still put my money on PW. Tks.

 

[Damz87]

I got a chance to do some side-by-side comparing between the Odin & Erlkonig today Apologies in advance for the simple language that I use, I’m not the most eloquent writer nor do I have the technical knowledge that others around here have, but I’ll try my best for you guys!

I used my Sony ZX507 DAP’s 4.4mm port in high gain with the Erlkonig on setting 2, my personal favourite setting which has slightly boosted bass (I think it’s +3db above setting 3 but don’t quote me on that) but less bass than setting 1.

The bass quality on the Erlkonig is excellent for a BA. It’s fast and very detailed, that extends all the way down to 20hz with a realistic amount of sub-bass rumble and DD-like decay. However, when you compare it to an equally excellent bass tuning but with an IEM using DD’s, like what’s found in the Odin, then there’s really no comparison. The texture and feeling of moving air can never truly be replicated with a BA, at least out of the sets I’ve heard. With that said, I still prefer the Erlkonig’s bass over some lower quality hybrids that aren’t as polished or controlled as the Odin. But in this comparison, the Odin is definitely the winner for me. The Odin has fantastic bass. The mid bass and sub bass sound quite linear to my ears, meaning there’s no obvious boost in the sub bass over the mid bass and vice versa. It has a clean, speedy mid bass slam. I am yet to detect any bass bloat or bleeding into the lower mids. Quantity wise, I’d say the Odin and Erlkonig on setting 2 are similar. It’s there when called upon, but doesn’t overpower the way the Legend X or other bass focused IEM’s, so it’s perfect for the music I listen to.

Moving up to the mids, the Erlkonig has a more forward presentation compared to the Odin in both the lower and upper mids. The Odin’s mids sound fairly linear in comparison. The Erlkonig mids sound more realistic to my ears. I can pick up more detail in vocals such as breathing and echoes a little easier than I can with the Odin. Female vocals have more depth and sound effortless, whereas with the Odin there’s a bit of strain and sound a little drier. Piano notes in the midrange have more weight on the Erlkonig. The lower mids seem to be closer in quality between the two. String instruments have a more realistic tone and edge on the Erlkonig.

The treble on both IEM’s is very good. I find it quite hard to choose which one I prefer actually. The Erlkonig has slightly more air and sparkle, but the Odin seems to be picking up a little more detail, yet it also sounds less harsh and aggressive. The Odin also has a lovely sense of depth in the treble region. Cymbals seem to hit a little softer on the Odin but decay really nicely and sound very realistic. Cymbals on the Erlkonig also decay nicely but to me it sounds a little more forced and slightly less realistic in the way it decays, if that makes any sense? Kinda like the decaying note is loud and then suddenly disappears, rather than naturally fading away. They’re both very good, but I’d say the Odin is probably the easier one to listen to for an extended period of time. The Erlkonig can get a little fatiguing to my ears after a while.

The Soundstage on both IEM’s is again very close. I feel like the Odin has a slightly deeper stage, but the Erlkonig has more height and sounds travel across the top of my head with a bit more prominence, therefore I’d say the Erlkonig is slightly more “holographic” to me. That said, the Odin has a massive stage too, and would beat every other IEM I’ve heard except maybe the Solaris, but I haven’t got a Solaris anymore to compare. In terms of imaging, I think they both image very accurately. I can’t really tell the difference to be honest, but maybe a better trained set of ears could pick out which one is better

So to summarise:

Bass - Odin is the winner for me. I think the Odin has some of the best bass quality I’ve ever heard.

Mids - Erlkonig would be my choice for mids.

Treble - It’s pretty close, I think it would come down to personal preference and mood. When I feel like a short, more focused listen, I would go with the Erlkonig. For a longer session, I’d take the Odin.

Soundstage - Also very close but I think the Erlkonig has a slight edge. Both excellent.

Regarding build, fit, accessories and all that jazz - They are both fantastic (as you’d hope given their price) but I’d say the Erlkonig feels a little more premium with the metal shells and they‘re also slightly smaller, so they fit in my ears a little better than the Odin.

I really like EE’s metal carry case. It feels more luxurious and sturdy than the Erlkonigs soft material square case. I also think the Odin’s faceplate is the best looking faceplate I’ve ever seen. The Erlkonig has swappable plates but none of them look as nice as the Odin’s in my opinion plus let’s not forget the price difference between these two. The Odin is already very expensive, but the Erlkonig is in an even crazier price territory.

Anyway, I hope this was somewhat helpful. If anyone has a particular song or album they want me to try and give some feedback on, feel free to HMU

 

[gLer]

I just wanna jump in here and say how sorry I am for those who haven’t gotten to experience the Odin yet.

So YOU'RE the guy shovelling the coal on the hype train... doing a great job man!

 

[mvvRAZ]

I got a chance to do some side-by-side comparing between the Odin & Erlkonig today Apologies in advance for the simple language that I use, I’m not the most eloquent writer nor do I have the technical knowledge that others around here have, but I’ll try my best for you guys!

I used my Sony ZX507 DAP’s 4.4mm port in high gain with the Erlkonig on setting 2, my personal favourite setting which has slightly boosted bass (I think it’s +3db above setting 3 but don’t quote me on that) but less bass than setting 1.

The bass quality on the Erlkonig is excellent for a BA. It’s fast and very detailed, that extends all the way down to 20hz with a realistic amount of sub-bass rumble and DD-like decay. However, when you compare it to an equally excellent bass tuning but with an IEM using DD’s, like what’s found in the Odin, there’s really no comparison. The texture and feeling of moving air can never truly be replicated with a BA, at least out of the sets I’ve heard. With that said, I still prefer the Erlkonig’s bass over some lower quality hybrids that aren’t as polished or controlled as the Odin. But in this comparison, the Odin is definitely the winner for me. The Odin has fantastic bass. The mid bass and sub bass sounds quite linear to my ears, meaning there’s no obvious boost in the sub bass over the mid bass and vice versa. It has a clean, speedy mid bass slam. I am yet to detect any bass bloat or bleeding into the lower mids. Quantity wise, I’d say the Odin and Erlkonig on setting 2 are quite similar. It’s there when called upon, but doesn’t overpower the way the Legend X or other bass focused IEM’s, so it’s perfect for the music I listen to.

Moving up to the mids, the Erlkonig has a more forward presentation compared to the Odin in both the lower and upper mids. The Odin’s mids sound fairly linear in comparison. The Erlkonig mids sound a little more realistic to my ears. I can pick up more detail in vocals such as breathing and echoes a little easier than I can with the Odin. Female vocals have more depth and sound effortless, whereas with the Odin there’s a bit of strain and sound a little drier. Piano notes in the midrange have more weight on the Erlkonig. The lower mids seem to be closer in quality between the two. String instruments have a slightly more realistic tone and edge on the Erlkonig.

The treble on both IEM’s is very good. I find it quite hard to choose which one I prefer actually. The Erlkonig has slightly more air and sparkle, but the Odin seems to be picking up a little more detail, yet it also sounds less harsh and aggressive. The Odin also has a lovely sense of depth in the treble region. Cymbals seem to hit a little softer on the Odin but decay really nicely and sound very realistic. Cymbals on the Erlkonig also decay nicely but to me it sounds a little more forced and slightly less realistic in the way it decays, if that makes any sense? Kinda like the decaying note is loud and then suddenly disappears, rather than naturally fading away. They’re both very good, but I’d say the Odin is probably the easier one to listen to for an extended period of time. The Erlkonig can get a little fatiguing to my ears after a while.

The Soundstage on both IEM’s is again very close. I feel like the Odin has a slightly deeper stage, but the Erlkonig has more height and sounds travel across the top of my head with a bit more prominence, therefore I’d say the Erlkonig is slightly more “holographic” to me. That said, the Odin has a massive stage too, and would beat every other IEM I’ve heard except maybe the Solaris, but I haven’t got a Solaris anymore to compare. In terms of imaging, I think they both image very accurately. I can’t really tell the difference to be honest, but maybe a better trained set of ears could pick out which one is better

So to summarise:

Bass - Odin is the winner for me. I think the Odin has some of the best bass quality I’ve ever heard.

Mids - Erlkonig would be my choice for mids.

Treble - It’s pretty close, I think it would come down to personal preference and mood. When I feel like a short, more focused listen, I would go with the Erlkonig. For a longer session, I’d take the Odin.

Soundstage - Also very close but I think the Erlkonig has a slight edge. Both excellent.

Regarding build, fit, accessories and all that jazz - They are both fantastic (as you’d hope given their price) but I’d say the Erlkonig feels a little more premium with the metal shells and they‘re also slightly smaller, so they fit in my ears a little better than the Odin.

I really like EE’s metal carry case. It feels much more premium than the Erlkonigs soft material square case. I also think the Odin’s faceplate is the best looking faceplate I’ve ever seen. The Erlkonig has swappable plates but none of them look as nice as the Odin’s in my opinion plus let’s not forget the price difference between these two. The Odin is already very expensive, but the Erlkonig is in an even crazier price territory.

Anyway, I hope this was somewhat helpful. If anyone has a particular song or album they want me to try and give some feedback on, feel free to HMU

How would you compare the upper treble on the two? One of the main reasons I sold my Erl in under two weeks is because it simply lacked air to me compared to the likes of the A18S, Thummim and even Elysium

 

[Damz87]

How would you compare the upper treble on the two? One of the main reasons I sold my Erl in under two weeks is because it simply lacked air to me compared to the likes of the A18S, Thummim and even Elysium

With the PW cable, I’d say the Odin is pretty similar in upper treble quantity to the Erlk. But I noticed a bit more air with the Leo II cable on the Odin

 

[mvvRAZ]

With the PW cable, I’d say the Odin is pretty similar in upper treble quantity to the Erlk. But I noticed a bit more air with the Leo II cable on the Odin

Gotcha, I tried the Erl with the Plato and I got the treble more or less where I wanted it, but I generally didn't vibe with it at all

 

[riverground]

So after almost two nights of writing, my looooong detailed impression of the Hero and Odin is done!
Even though I went pretty detailed on my experience, I still only had almost 4 hours of listening time with both the IEMs. almost 80% of that went to the Odin as I was going back and forth with my IER-Z1R and to convince myself that my beloved Z1R is still the best. lol

But pardon the enormous post coming up!

And grab your popcorns or chips for this one!

 

[CL14715]

I got a chance to do some side-by-side comparing between the Odin & Erlkonig today Apologies in advance for the simple language that I use, I’m not the most eloquent writer nor do I have the technical knowledge that others around here have, but I’ll try my best for you guys!

I used my Sony ZX507 DAP’s 4.4mm port in high gain with the Erlkonig on setting 2, my personal favourite setting which has slightly boosted bass (I think it’s +3db above setting 3 but don’t quote me on that) but less bass than setting 1.

The bass quality on the Erlkonig is excellent for a BA. It’s fast and very detailed, that extends all the way down to 20hz with a realistic amount of sub-bass rumble and DD-like decay. However, when you compare it to an equally excellent bass tuning but with an IEM using DD’s, like what’s found in the Odin, there’s really no comparison. The texture and feeling of moving air can never truly be replicated with a BA, at least out of the sets I’ve heard. With that said, I still prefer the Erlkonig’s bass over some lower quality hybrids that aren’t as polished or controlled as the Odin. But in this comparison, the Odin is definitely the winner for me. The Odin has fantastic bass. The mid bass and sub bass sounds quite linear to my ears, meaning there’s no obvious boost in the sub bass over the mid bass and vice versa. It has a clean, speedy mid bass slam. I am yet to detect any bass bloat or bleeding into the lower mids. Quantity wise, I’d say the Odin and Erlkonig on setting 2 are quite similar. It’s there when called upon, but doesn’t overpower the way the Legend X or other bass focused IEM’s, so it’s perfect for the music I listen to.

Moving up to the mids, the Erlkonig has a more forward presentation compared to the Odin in both the lower and upper mids. The Odin’s mids sound fairly linear in comparison. The Erlkonig mids sound a little more realistic to my ears. I can pick up more detail in vocals such as breathing and echoes a little easier than I can with the Odin. Female vocals have more depth and sound effortless, whereas with the Odin there’s a bit of strain and sound a little drier. Piano notes in the midrange have more weight on the Erlkonig. The lower mids seem to be closer in quality between the two. String instruments have a slightly more realistic tone and edge on the Erlkonig.

The treble on both IEM’s is very good. I find it quite hard to choose which one I prefer actually. The Erlkonig has slightly more air and sparkle, but the Odin seems to be picking up a little more detail, yet it also sounds less harsh and aggressive. The Odin also has a lovely sense of depth in the treble region. Cymbals seem to hit a little softer on the Odin but decay really nicely and sound very realistic. Cymbals on the Erlkonig also decay nicely but to me it sounds a little more forced and slightly less realistic in the way it decays, if that makes any sense? Kinda like the decaying note is loud and then suddenly disappears, rather than naturally fading away. They’re both very good, but I’d say the Odin is probably the easier one to listen to for an extended period of time. The Erlkonig can get a little fatiguing to my ears after a while.

The Soundstage on both IEM’s is again very close. I feel like the Odin has a slightly deeper stage, but the Erlkonig has more height and sounds travel across the top of my head with a bit more prominence, therefore I’d say the Erlkonig is slightly more “holographic” to me. That said, the Odin has a massive stage too, and would beat every other IEM I’ve heard except maybe the Solaris, but I haven’t got a Solaris anymore to compare. In terms of imaging, I think they both image very accurately. I can’t really tell the difference to be honest, but maybe a better trained set of ears could pick out which one is better

So to summarise:

Bass - Odin is the winner for me. I think the Odin has some of the best bass quality I’ve ever heard.

Mids - Erlkonig would be my choice for mids.

Treble - It’s pretty close, I think it would come down to personal preference and mood. When I feel like a short, more focused listen, I would go with the Erlkonig. For a longer session, I’d take the Odin.

Soundstage - Also very close but I think the Erlkonig has a slight edge. Both excellent.

Regarding build, fit, accessories and all that jazz - They are both fantastic (as you’d hope given their price) but I’d say the Erlkonig feels a little more premium with the metal shells and they‘re also slightly smaller, so they fit in my ears a little better than the Odin.

I really like EE’s metal carry case. It feels much more premium than the Erlkonigs soft material square case. I also think the Odin’s faceplate is the best looking faceplate I’ve ever seen. The Erlkonig has swappable plates but none of them look as nice as the Odin’s in my opinion plus let’s not forget the price difference between these two. The Odin is already very expensive, but the Erlkonig is in an even crazier price territory.

Anyway, I hope this was somewhat helpful. If anyone has a particular song or album they want me to try and give some feedback on, feel free to HMU

Just wanna jump in since you weren’t certain about the stage vs the Solaris. Just checked against my Solaris SE... Odin soundstage is larger. Great write up.

 

[CL14715]

So after almost two nights of writing, my looooong detailed impression of the Hero and Odin is done!
Even though I went pretty detailed on my experience, I still only had almost 4 hours of listening time with both the IEMs. almost 80% of that went to the Odin as I was going back and forth with my IER-Z1R and to convince myself that my beloved Z1R is still the best. lol

But pardon the enormous post coming up!

And grab your popcorns or chips for this one!

Drop the hammer. I need some reading material before bed

 

[Nylin]

Gotcha, I tried the Erl with the Plato and I got the treble more or less where I wanted it, but I generally didn't vibe with it at all

Don’t think Ek is lacking air tbh. I’m using caliburn not Plato (I do have this cable) but I don’t think that’s the reason. One thing that might cause the perception of lacking air to me is it’s overwhelming mid density.

 

[Damz87]

Just wanna jump in since you weren’t certain about the stage vs the Solaris. Just checked against my Solaris SE... Odin soundstage is larger. Great write up.

Thanks for confirming

 

[mvvRAZ]

Don’t think Ek is lacking air tbh. I’m using caliburn not Plato (I do have this cable) but I don’t think that’s the reason. One thing that might cause the perception of lacking air to me is it’s overwhelming mid density.

I wouldn't say so personally. The Thummim has a really dense midrange (denser than that of the Erl Imo), and the sense of air and spaciousness is exceptional. It's pretty much a function of the upper treble presence and extension - the Erl has a more linear extension with less exaggeration in the upper registers. Makes it sound natural but to me, also kinda boring

 

[Nylin]

I wouldn't say so personally. The Thummim has a really dense midrange (denser than that of the Erl Imo), and the sense of air and spaciousness is exceptional. It's pretty much a function of the upper treble presence and extension - the Erl has a more linear extension with less exaggeration in the upper registers. Makes it sound natural but to me, also kinda boring

Yeah I have thummim myself as well. You are spot on about the space thummim created, and compared to that EK does sound “boring” being more linear. It really depends on the genre and personal preference at the end of the day.

What’s more interesting to me is owning both adds more than 2x my happiness lol They definitely compliment each other well.

 

[mvvRAZ]

Yeah I have thummim myself as well. You are spot on about the space thummim created, and compared to that EK does sound “boring” being more linear. It really depends on the genre and personal preference at the end of the day.

What’s more interesting to me is owning both adds more than 2x my happiness lol They definitely compliment each other well.

They’re great with each other yes - i guess the A18S sort of filled my Erl niche quite well, and ultimately it’s treble is what closed the deal for me. The Odin and Sultan will be interesting additions to the collection though, I’m curious how they’ll fit in