[subguy812]

olddude is probably feeling a little bit of a sting because he just bought EE's most celebrated IEM, and now it's yesterday's news.

But of course, IEMs are not like CPUs. They don't fall to obsolescence. What sounded great yesterday continues to sound great today. More than that, Zeus is still the flagship of the Olympus line.

The hype train may have moved on, olddude, but I know you'll continue to love Zeus for a long, long time.

PS. I don't use hype as a negative here. I am hyped for Legend X.

Why would he feel the sting Pinky, he loves his purchase? While I agree if it sounds great now it will sound great tomorrow, technology changes and human nature wants the latest and greatest.

 

[ezekiel77]

A few select flavours of the month, will eventually turn out to be a benchmark others compare to. Zeus is already there now.

And fewer still will attain legend status, thought of fondly even years after its release, no matter the tier. EX-1000, TripleFi 10, GR07, friggin' SE5U. Companies will make new IEMs inspired by their tuning, and hoping to improve on them. Zeus is too new for that, but you never know down the line if it has that something special to stand the test of time.

Coming back to the new IEMs, Phantom has gotta be conceived to out-SE5U SE5U! Who isn't pumped for that?!

 

[Wyville]

Call me cynic #2...there is a broader world out there than just IEM's and headphones. Since this is the site we are on we can focus on those items. I see you joined the site a little over a year ago and am not sure how long you have actually been into the hobby, I looked at your profile to gauge. Consumer electronics is a constant ebb and flow of new gear as is this case with new car models, cellphones and IEM's it is the normal lifecycle. It doesn't mean there aren't items that have a greater staying power than others or others that have become classics, HD650 for example. I for one do hope you finally find something that works for you, and maybe the Phantom will be it. Olddude can fight his own battle but being a realist sometimes does cross the path of cynicism and other times not. I am excited to hear the new releases, like a child at Christmas, and I also love Empire Ears and have a great relationship with that company. It is easy to forget when you are involved in a website that this is only one small cross section of the world of audio and not every consumer visits or knows about this site, it is an audiophile site. An while someone may have have a different take or doesn't drink the same Kool-Aid as you they shouldn't be labeled "very cyncial". Your flavor of the month may not be the next guy's.

Don't worry, it was a tongue-in-cheek "very cynical". I understand his point and wasn't contesting it, just adding some aspects to it that are more about the fun and usefulness.

 

[flinkenick]

In terms of clarity can they beat Tia Fourte?

Well the Phantom and Fourte is like comparing oranges with bananabread. Fourte is one of the brightest iems in the top tier segment. While it certainly contributes to its unique signature and hyperdetailed sound, clarity in itself is not per se a trait that everyone strives for, or considers as something 'to beat'; and it certainly wasn't the intention of the Phantom. Increasing the upper treble like the Fourte will push out detail more explicitly, but there is a direct inverse relation with timbre, coherency, and naturalness, which were the priorities of the Phantom.

Similarly, previous iterations of the Legend were brighter. But the treble was eventually brought to a level where it is still exciting and engaging, but coherent with the midrange, and relatively smooth. Personally, I think for the better. But of course, this isn't a judgment towards the Fourte, or people that prefer brighter tunings, because I too acknowledge the uniqueness of the Fourte's sound. Just saying that adding more clarity won't necessarily be a better thing; especially when compared to Fourte.

 

[Deezel177]

Hey guys, I just got back from the Empire event. Regardless of hype, I was genuinely impressed by Empire’s new line-ups - moreso than the hype even suggests - with specific consistent qualities that I’ll discuss in the THL article. All I’ll say for now is the Legend X and the Phantom are exceptionally unique IEMs, and they very much deserve their flagship statuses. But, do not sleep on the Bravado; it has the potential to completely shake up the market. Stay tuned...

 

[Wyville]

Hey guys, I just got back from the Empire event. Regardless of hype, I was genuinely impressed by Empire’s new line-ups - moreso than the hype even suggests - with specific consistent qualities that I’ll discuss in the THL article. All I’ll say for now is the Legend X and the Phantom are exceptionally unique IEMs, and they very much deserve their flagship statuses. But, do not sleep on the Bravado; it has the potential to completely shake up the market. Stay tuned...

Hope you had a great time there and I am really looking forward to the THL article! First we had Ryan's "roving reporting" and now yours... Awesome!

 

[flinkenick]

Hey guys, I just got back from the Empire event. Regardless of hype, I was genuinely impressed by Empire’s new line-ups - moreso than the hype even suggests - with specific consistent qualities that I’ll discuss in the THL article. All I’ll say for now is the Legend X and the Phantom are exceptionally unique IEMs, and they very much deserve their flagship statuses. But, do not sleep on the Bravado; it has the potential to completely shake up the market. Stay tuned...

Looking forward to your impressions Daniel! I personally love the Bravado, very different than the Legend.

 

[subguy812]

Don't worry, it was a tongue-in-cheek "very cynical". I understand his point and wasn't contesting it, just adding some aspects to it that are more about the fun and usefulness.

Not worried about anything sir!

 

[NaiveSound]

The Bravado? There is a 3rd iem?

 

[kubig123]

The Bravado? There is a 3rd iem?

There are 2 completely new lines that EE will introduce, the Legend and the Phantom are the 2 top iems for each of these 2 new lines.

A lot to listen too

 

[Rin1990]

do not sleep on the Bravado; it has the potential to completely shake up the market. Stay tuned...

Curious how the Bravado is to your ears.

But do tell me, any thoughts on the Vantage?

 

[Kerouac]

But of course, IEMs are not like CPUs. They don't fall to obsolescence. What sounded great yesterday continues to sound great today. More than that, Zeus is still the flagship of the Olympus line.

The hype train may have moved on, olddude, but I know you'll continue to love Zeus for a long, long time.

Exactly!!! Listening with the Zeus XR to the latest Nils Frahm album ['All Melody' in 24-96 flac] while I'm typing this, and it sounds nothing less than magical to my ears.

How good the upcoming models might be, they don't devaluate that Zeus XR sound quality over night

Coming back to the new IEMs, Phantom has gotta be conceived to out-SE5U SE5U! Who isn't pumped for that?!

Now, that's the spirit! Once you've heard the Phantom it's certainly not easy to forget about it

Hey guys, I just got back from the Empire event. Regardless of hype, I was genuinely impressed by Empire’s new line-ups - moreso than the hype even suggests - with specific consistent qualities that I’ll discuss in the THL article. All I’ll say for now is the Legend X and the Phantom are exceptionally unique IEMs, and they very much deserve their flagship statuses. But, do not sleep on the Bravado; it has the potential to completely shake up the market. Stay tuned...

Hmmm, please tell us (also) more about the Bravado driver set-up / pricetag and signature as soon as you can

 

[flinkenick]

Oh wait, got confused. I was referring to the Vantage lol. Vantage is the warmest and smoothest of the three upper-end hybrids. It combines a beautiful timbre with a very natural, albeit significantly enhanced, bass. But despite the warmer tone of its notes, it provides a clean stage with good separation, rather than sounding overly warm and congested. It's a unique blend of 'audiophile' and 'basshead'.

Bravado is the entry-level model with a 1 BA and 1 DD.

 

[Rin1990]

Oh wait, got confused. I was referring to the Vantage lol. Vantage is the warmest and smoothest of the three hybrids, it combines a beautiful timbre with a very natural, albeit significantly enhanced, bass. But despite the warmer tone of its notes, it nevertheless provides a clean stage with good separation, rather than sounding overly warm and congested. It's a unique blend of 'audiophile' and 'basshead'.

Bravado is the entry-level model with a 1 BA and 1 DD.

>> unique blend of 'audiophile' and 'basshead'.

>> beautiful timbre with a very natural, albeit significantly enhanced, bass

>> clean stage with good separation, rather than sounding overly warm and congested.

 

[Lucif6r6th]

I do like the vantage very much too. More natural, smoother and easier listening on the ears. It still has DAT BASS
But don't look down on bravado either, the little brother of the X line-up still has DAT BASS