[Tristy]

I went back to Empire Ears today to get a second audition of the Legend X. If I am going to marry these IEMs, I needed to get another listen. This time, I was ready with just my Chord Mojo and Hugo 2 and my laptop running Tidal for source. And, I pitted the Legend X against the EE Odin and the Sony IER-Z1Rs. After extensive listening across all genres of music. I felt that each monitor was better for different genres of music. The Odin was better for classical music due to its resolution and tuning. The Z1R was better for Jazz due to its natural timbre and the Legend X was better for pop music due to its night club sound signature. Comparatively speaking, I didn't think that the Legend X was at the same level as the Odins and the Z1Rs. I was leaning toward no purchase since the Odins and Z1Rs were so much better overall. This was true even after EQ. Then, I did something that changed the whole game and I didn't really expect completely. I asked Josh to get me a Stormbreaker cable to replace the Stock Ares 2 cable on the demo unit of the Legend X. When he said he didn't have one, I took mine off of my Odins and put them onto the Legend X. Then, the real magic occurred. Now, the Legend X was finally at the same level as the Odins and Z1Rs and just presented a different signature that worked better with all genre comparatively. I decided to order them. In 8 weeks, I will be the proud owner of a Custom Legend X.

Below is a picture of what the custom face plates will be made of:

Dean came out and we talked extensively about IEMs. He was truly interested in what I liked in my monitors and I told him. He told me he was a former bass guitarist, so that partially explains why the bass is so good on the Empire Ears IEMs. When I told him my experience with the cables, he showed me his vast collection including a $10,000 cable. He told me the best cable he has heard is the Storm Breaker, so he wasn't surprised at my reaction with I paired it with the Legend X. Dean personally trimmed my impressions and he wanted to get them perfect, so Josh did them over until he got them the way that Dean wanted them to be. I felt like I got the royal treatment and really appreciated it. I can't wait to see how these turn out.

Yeah I found that the Ares II really bottlenecked the LX when I first got them. The PlusSound Silver+Gold X8 is a great pairing and I found the Labkable Samurai III an even better pairing (unfortunately that one belongs to the VE8). I've just got Odin so ill have to give Stormbreaker a go on the LX after I can pull the Odins from my ears.

 

[HiFiHawaii808]

Yeah I found that the Ares II really bottlenecked the LX when I first got them. ThePlusSound Silver+Gold X8 is a great pairing and I found the Labkable Samurai III an even better pairing (unfortunately that one belongs to the VE8). I've just got Odin so ill have to give xStormbreaker a go on the LX after I can pull the Odins from my ears.

Please to the pairing and let me know which works best for the Legend X. It sounded great with the Stormbreaker, but Josh says a Gold or Palladium plated copper cable works best. He recommended the Horus. He has it with his own Custom LX.

 

[Tristy]

Please to the pairing and let me know which works best for the Legend X. It sounded great with the Stormbreaker, but if Josh says a Gold or Palladium plated copper cable works best. He recommended the Horus. He has it with his own Custom LX.

I have the Plussound Exo Tri-copper, X8 Silver+Gold, Labkable Samurai III, Stormbreaker and Ares II here... would you like impressions of each? Of the ones I've tried so far the Tri-copper is the most natural sounding while not bottlenecking the potential of the LX like the Ares II. It accentuates the mid bass slightly more than the Silver+Gold and doesn't seem to go as deep in the bass either but has a real nice analogue tinge. The Samurai III is the most resolving and balanced of the cables I've tried so far, emphasising mids more and attenuating the bass ever so slightly. The Samurai also seems to add some holography to the mids which was a universal characteristic I found across the LX and VE8. The Silver+Gold accentuates both ends of the spectrum, adding shimmer to the top end and has the most sub bass impact of the cables I've tried.

 

[HiFiHawaii808]

I have the Plussound Exo Tri-copper, X8 Silver+Gold, Labkable Samurai III, Stormbreaker and Ares II here... would you like impressions of each? Of the ones I've tried so far the Tri-copper is the most natural sounding while not bottlenecking the potential of the LX like the Ares II. It accentuates the mid bass slightly more than the Silver+Gold and doesn't seem to go as deep in the bass either but has a real nice analogue tinge. The Samurai III is the most resolving and balanced of the cables I've tried so far, emphasising mids more and attenuating the bass ever so slightly. The Samurai also seems to add some holography to the mids which was a universal characteristic I found across the LX and VE8. The Silver+Gold accentuates either end of the spectrum, adding shimmer to the top end and has the most sub bass impact of the cables I've tried.

Those impressions sounds great. Just let me know if the storm breaker is comparable. I can upgrade the cable to a Storm Breaker, but I am leaning toward getting a different after market cable.

What I really liked about the Storm breaker is it balanced out the sound and really opened up the sound stage making the LX much more transparent and tightened up the bass.

 

[xand]

@HiFiHawaii808 Why don't you just use the stormbreaker from your Odins? Also, custom Odins?

 

[HiFiHawaii808]

@HiFiHawaii808 Why don't you just use the stormbreaker from your Odins? Also, custom Odins?

I don't like to change cables much on my IEMs so that I don't wear out the connectors.

 

[Zachik]

The Odin was better for classical music due to its resolution and tuning. The Z1R was better for Jazz due to its natural timbre and the Legend X was better for pop music due to its night club sound signature.

What about Rock and Metal? How did the LX handle those genres?

 

[HiFiHawaii808]

What about Rock and Metal? How did the LX handle those genres?

I don't listen to Metal and I didn't have time to cycle through my Classic Rock playlists.

 

[HiFiHawaii808]

@HiFiHawaii808 Why don't you just use the stormbreaker from your Odins? Also, custom Odins?

Dean had Josh make a separate set of impressions for a future Custom Odin. OMG. I didn't even ask for it.

 

[xand]

Dean had Josh make a separate set of impressions for a future Custom Odin. OMG. I didn't even ask for it.

Yeah sounds like you should be ordering that..

 

[tawmizzzz]

What about Rock and Metal? How did the LX handle those genres?

LX is great for rock that doesn't rely on heavy treble/cymbal presence (although that sparkle does nicely shine through the darker sig from time to time)-and who are we kidding, who listens to rock just for cymbals? lol

For metal, I felt it was a bit too thick and slow, but of course depends which genre of metal you are referring to. Odin IMO does metal music better with its faster transients and airiness.

 

[gLer]

I went back to Empire Ears today to get a second audition of the Legend X. If I am going to marry these IEMs, I needed to get another listen. This time, I was ready with just my Chord Mojo and Hugo 2 and my laptop running Tidal for source. And, I pitted the Legend X against the EE Odin and the Sony IER-Z1Rs. After extensive listening across all genres of music. I felt that each monitor was better for different genres of music. The Odin was better for classical music due to its resolution and tuning. The Z1R was better for Jazz due to its natural timbre and the Legend X was better for pop music due to its night club sound signature. Comparatively speaking, I didn't think that the Legend X was at the same level as the Odins and the Z1Rs. I was leaning toward no purchase since the Odins and Z1Rs were so much better overall. This was true even after EQ. Then, I did something that changed the whole game and I didn't really expect completely. I asked Josh to get me a Stormbreaker cable to replace the Stock Ares 2 cable on the demo unit of the Legend X. When he said he didn't have one, I took mine off of my Odins and put them onto the Legend X. Then, the real magic occurred. Now, the Legend X was finally at the same level as the Odins and Z1Rs and just presented a different signature that worked better with all genre comparatively. I decided to order them. In 8 weeks, I will be the proud owner of a Custom Legend X.

Below is a picture of what the custom face plates will be made of:

Dean came out and we talked extensively about IEMs. He was truly interested in what I liked in my monitors and I told him. He told me he was a former bass guitarist, so that partially explains why the bass is so good on the Empire Ears IEMs. When I told him my experience with the cables, he showed me his vast collection including a $10,000 cable. He told me the best cable he has heard is the Storm Breaker, so he wasn't surprised at my reaction with I paired it with the Legend X. Dean personally trimmed my impressions and he wanted to get them perfect, so Josh did them over until he got them the way that Dean wanted them to be. I felt like I got the royal treatment and really appreciated it. I can't wait to see how these turn out.

It's actually quite impressive how much the PW Audio Century Series cables impact the performance of great IEMs. There's a reason Odin ships with the 1960s 2w. If you liked the 1960s with LX, then the 1950s is the one to try next...even though that's more expensive. That's the one a number of users suggest puts the LX right up on the summit.

 

[HiFiHawaii808]

It's actually quite impressive how much the PW Audio Century Series cables impact the performance of great IEMs. There's a reason Odin ships with the 1960s 2w. If you liked the 1960s with LX, then the 1950s is the one to try next...even though that's more expensive. That's the one a number of users suggest puts the LX right up on the summit.

How much does a 1950s clone go for? Now that I know what a 1960s does, I have confidence in the 1950s.

What is going on in my mind are the guys who post negative remarks about cables on the "how do I convince people that cables don't make a difference" thread and just how wrong they are. They should stop posting until they actually try to listen to one of those cables. It's not possible for that many people to suffer from mass delusion.

 

[gLer]

How much does a 1950s clone go for? Now that I know what a 1960s does, I have confidence in the 1950s.

What is going on in my mind are the guys who post negative remarks about cables on the "how do I convince people that cables don't make a difference" thread and just how wrong they are. They should stop posting until they actually try to listen to one of those cables. It's not possible for that many people to suffer from mass delusion.

The problem with cables is that not ALL cables make a difference, or at least as big a difference as the 1950s/1960s can make with the right IEM (it has to be said not everyone likes them with every IEM). I was also a cable sceptic once, but I think IEMs show up differences much more readily than full size headphones. Also, the very best cables do cost an inordinate amount of money, so not that many people are willing to splash out for them, even though they splash out on kilobuck IEMs. The recent trend of companies like Empire Ears and Oriolus pairing their flagship IEMs with $1000+ flagship cables means more people are getting to experience the benefits, even though many still underplay the cable's role in helping these IEMs achieve the SQ levels they're reaching.

As for the 1950s clone, hit up @doctorjuggles. He's busy making me a slightly different variation on the 1950s clone that I'll be sharing on this thread once I have it.

 

[CL14715]

Ok so the nice delivery driver brought these beauties a day earlier than expected.... very very initial impressions, these are clearly a step beyond anything I've heard technically.... like a huge step above. The first thing I thought when pressing play was "this is like peering through a pane of crystal clear glass... in HD" and then the bass kicked in... The bass is absolutely ridiculous hahaha, the definition, layers and depth, I've never heard anything like it. Very impressed. I was expecting quite a subdued bass response but the impact on these are ridiculous and so soo defined and textured without overshadowing anything.

You got a great set of them, gorgeous pattern. I'll catch up on the thread but I have no doubt you'll see why I was so hyped many moons ago about these bad boys. Enjoy!