[Overkill Red]

So deciding which pair of my headphones/IEMs I have on hand to listen to for the first time in the new year...yep...Empire Zeus -R ADEL / AK240SS + Dire Straits = 

Was just listening to Brothers in Arms on my (albeit modded) 240SS and another CIEM, and I was imagining how it would sound with the Zeus, heh.

 

[MacedonianHero]

Was just listening to Brothers in Arms on my (albeit modded) 240SS and another CIEM, and I was imagining how it would sound with the Zeus, heh.

One word: AMAZING!

 

[Layman1]

  One word: AMAZING!

I'd give Dire Straits a little bit of credit for that too; I've been listening to them on an xDuoo X3 DAP (£75) and a pair of Trinity Audio PM4's (£160), and it still sounds incredible

Telegraph Road and Sultans of Swing, plus Brothers in Arms.

Of course, I still plan on getting similar equipment to you guys sooner or later.
You know, not for myself; just to give Dire Straits the best possible platform to shine and all

 

[Dellwolf]

It's geting closer and closer to the day the Arthur will be sent to me and I'm getting more excited every second.

 

[ironpeg]

It's geting closer and closer to the day the Arthur will be sent to me and I'm getting more excited every second.

They are very amazing like Zeus.

 

[Dellwolf]

They are very amazing like Zeus.

Yeah, it'd be bad if they made the Arthur worse that the Zeus.

 

[MacedonianHero]

 
I'd give Dire Straits a little bit of credit for that too; I've been listening to them on an xDuoo X3 DAP (£75) and a pair of Trinity Audio PM4's (£160), and it still sounds incredible

Telegraph Road and Sultans of Swing, plus Brothers in Arms.

Of course, I still plan on getting similar equipment to you guys sooner or later.
You know, not for myself; just to give Dire Straits the best possible platform to shine and all

 
They never sounded as good from a portable setup (AK240SS + Zeus -R ADEL) as they did last night! 

 

[Overkill Red]

They never sounded as good from a portable setup (AK240SS + Zeus -R ADEL) as they did last night! 

Can't wait! Hoping to receive my set by Mid February or so.

 

[Canyon Runner]

Hey guys, just getting caught up on posts from the long weekend. I was going to comment on the hearing benefits since it got asked about, but Ike already beat me to it.
 
Although that article that was posted, was fairly one sided. They didn't reach out to us for clarification or even to talk to Stephen about the technology. So eh, take it with a grain of salt I suppose.
 
One point that always seems to kinda confuse new comers to ADEL, is the volume talk. Especially when people know what volume number on their DAP they are used to listening at (who doesn't), then plug in with an ADEL equipped IEM and it's the same and they go "hey What". It's simple really, your source is outputting the same volume sure, but with ADEL the space in the ear canal is now larger and your using that volume to drive your ear drum as well as the ADEL membrane. So the actual volume of sound at your ear drum is reduced. Then there's the stuff with the acoustic reflex that Ike mentioned, so I don't need to repeat that.

 

[proedros]

as i am letting my whiplash twag v3 (silver) cable burn in some more , i can say that Athena finally sounds like a totl ciem with it 

 
i am pairing it with my lean sounding dx80 , which was not getting much use before and the synergy is very good indeed (athena is not so good with the slightly warm zx2) , athena really makes me think that dx80 is a great dap for its price
 
also, athena +twagv3 is very different from my NT6+whiplash hybrid v3 combo
 
nt6+hybrid do sound more detailed/reference but athena/twag sounds more fun and quite more spacious/effortless 
 
athena has a very open soundstage and as the blurriness i was hearing when paired with the stock cable has vanished completely, i am now very happy with it
 
in fact, the difference between the athena stock cable and the twag v3 is HUGE 

 
 
so if you are on the lookout for a good cable for your athena and you have the funds for a great cable , twagv3 is definitely worth checking out 

 
 
@SACD-Man , who is the man to pm if interested in a whiplash cable , told me that the twag cable will start sounding really good from 150 hours and should be improving until the 300-hr mark
 
i am currently at 150 hours of using the twag cable , so really loking fwd to what the near future will bring
 
 
some more A/B between athena/nt6 to come in the next few days/weeks , but both get my approval

 

[InsanityOne]

I have been lurking in this thread for quite some time, but I figured that now was the time to post some pictures and properly announce my entry into the Empire with my Savage 5 Universal's:
 

 

 

 

 
 
All of the gear featured in the photos can be found listed in my signature, except for the cable which is the "Storm" model from YY Pro Audio. Also, please excuse the fingerprints all over my X1ii. I've been enjoying it quite a bit!
 
- Insanity_One 

 

 

[ezekiel77]

  I have been lurking in this thread for quite some time, but I figured that now was the time to post some pictures and properly announce my entry into the Empire with my Savage 5 Universal's:
 
All of the gear featured in the photos can be found listed in my signature, except for the cable which is the "Storm" model from YY Pro Audio. Also, please excuse the fingerprints all over my X1ii. I've been enjoying it quite a bit!
 
- Insanity_One 

 

 
First pic be like, Savage as Schiit!
 
How's the cable pair-up? Did it alter the sound at all?

 

[InsanityOne]

   
First pic be like, Savage as Schiit!
 
How's the cable pair-up? Did it alter the sound at all?

 
The cable pairs up perfectly in my opinion. It helps to further accentuate the lower bass impact and bolster the slightly recessed mids of the Savage 5. Overall the cable just serves to strengthen what the warm sound profile of the Savage 5 is geared towards (drummers, etc.) which results in really great synergy! The thing I noticed right away about the cable the first time I used it though, was how comfortable it is! The ergonomics of this cable are far beyond any other custom cable I have owned so far. Its thick, but its also very light and very soft. Its also a plus to have the gold-plated OCC copper at the earhooks and polytetrafluoroethylene insulation throughout the entire cable to further negate any possible oxidation of the copper. I've only had it for a few days, but I'm sure I will have more detailed comments about its sound signature in the future.
 
- Insanity_One 

 

[Canyon Runner]

Ok, in an attempt to curb the nonstop cable talk.
 
Just a reminder that Empire and Asius will be at the NAMM Show in Anaheim from the 19th - 22nd
https://www.namm.org/thenammshow/2017
 
Then CanJam NYC Febuary 4th-5th. Busy busy month!!
 
So come by and listen to the goodies. Bring your favorite gear to let others try and just hang out! 

 

[EagleWings]

Zeus-XIV-ADEL - Brief Initial Impressions
 
I have been listening to the Zeus-XIV-ADEL for the past couple of days. This is clearly a high fidelity IEM. The bass is neutral and clean. This is not a hard-hitting monitor, because of the BA drivers and ADEL. Sub-bass extension, sub-bass rumble and mid-bass impact, seem to vary, depending on the ADEL module. With the MAM Fully-Closed position, the above three aspects are sufficient in quantity but still at neutral. With the MAM Fully-Open Position and B1, the quantities reduce to some degree. On the plus side, the ADEL, adds airiness and a bit of soundstage width to the presentation. This improves the instrument separation.
 
The ADEL also seems to remove the thickness of the mids by a small margin and, brings more balance to the spectrum. But the mids still retain the body, lushness and texture, which makes the XIV tuning special. So it retains the inherent warmth and color that makes the sound smooth without any harshness. The treble is neutral, natural and has good extension. It has sufficient sparkle to add life to the music, but is smooth for the most part. It isn’t overly sparkly to excite treble-heads.
 
Despite the mid-range coloration, Zeus is still one of the most transparent IEMs in the market, due to its resolution (and also partly due to its hyper sensitivity). The resolution and transparency bring out the precision in timbre and imaging. Even though Zeus is very transparent, it is forgiving due to the controlled treble. The soundstage is pretty wide, and has excellent depth and height, that provides a sense of 3-Dimensional space. The depth in the stage leads to excellent layering of instruments.
 
Due to its hyper sensitivity and efficiency, Zeus is very easy to drive. The downside is, it hisses with every source of mine. The hiss on iPhone 6 is the least and is not very noticeable. The hiss with the Mojo is quite obvious and doesn’t bother me for the most part. But there are tracks with silent passages, when the hiss can be a little distracting.
 
Zeus is a truly impressive IEM. The XIV tuning is very musical and engaging. The choice between ADEL or the non-ADEL depends on your preference. If you already own a couple of TOTL IEMs and you are purchasing the Zeus-XIV for its special mids, and you don't mind a not-so wide soundstage, the non-ADEL version should serve you well. If you like the XIV tuning and, would like it to be more versatile and, prefer a wide and airy soundstage, then ADEL is the way to go.
 
 
 
Full Review to Follow…