[mwhals]

If you like your IEMs, do you not like them every time a new one is released? They still sound the same.I find it easy to not buy new items.One day, mine will stop working and I will replace them. I did not buy Nio, A18s, Fourte Noir, Valkyrie, Wraith, Hero, Odin, Jimi (JH Audio), etc.

 

[mvvRAZ]

If you like your IEMs, do you not like them every time a new one is released? They still sound the same.I find it easy to not buy new items.One day, mine will stop working and I will replace them. I did not buy Nio, A18s, Fourte Noir, Valkyrie, Wraith, Hero, Odin, Jimi (JH Audio), etc.

You don’t need to dislike your IEMs to buy new ones

Kidding aside, I admire the restraint

 

[Deezel177]

Definitely. These days I’ve really been enjoying flatter upper mids and lower treble with more prominent upper treble. It results in a pleasant, warmer tone that is very airy and open at the same time, with plenty of room around notes

Hence why you’ve purchased 2 ELYSIUM’s.

 

[mwhals]

You don’t need to dislike your IEMs to buy new ones

Kidding aside, I admire the restraint

Very true. I do add if there is a sound I want different in my collection. I just try to be financially smart. I don't trade cars often either.

 

[CL14715]

I also expected something different from Odin . The brighter tonality and upper midrange „peak“ is also not to my likings at all .. but still want to demo them

there is no perfect iem ... and won’t probably ever come

It is brighter but not in an egregious way often correlated when something is called bright. The other frequencies seem to tame it or balance it out, so clarity is what mostly shines through. There’s always those few recordings that will make you say, “ooof too much” on most any reference type monitor but for the most part it’s not bad.

 

[normie610]

If you like your IEMs, do you not like them every time a new one is released? They still sound the same.I find it easy to not buy new items.One day, mine will stop working and I will replace them. I did not buy Nio, A18s, Fourte Noir, Valkyrie, Wraith, Hero, Odin, Jimi (JH Audio), etc.

I tend to agree with you. I still have and love the sound of my LCDi4 (have passed it’s 3rd anniversary in my possession) and Fitear 335 (from around 5-6 years ago). The two IEMs I previously sold were because I had some issues with them (bad fit with Trio and a failed BA driver on PP8 which has been replaced but already too lazy to listen to them again).

 

[gLer]

Guys, to put things in context, I'm currently listening to Lana Del Rey's 'Lust For Life' (one of my favourite albums of the past few years) with...are you sitting down...BLON-03...and it's sounding better than I've heard this album with some $1000 headphones!

I don't quite understand what I'm hearing, or how it's even possible. It's hitting all my sound preferences. Granted I've "upgraded" the BLON's with Xelastec tips and a $100 cable. Oh and maybe the fact that it's plugged into a $2700 LPGT has something to do with it...

But still, feeling a little silly looking at my expensive IEMs sulking in the corner right now.

 

[CL14715]

Guys, to put things in context, I'm currently listening to Lana Del Rey's 'Lust For Life' (one of my favourite albums of the past few years) with...are you sitting down...BLON-03...and it's sounding better than I've heard this album with some $1000 headphones!

I don't quite understand what I'm hearing, or how it's even possible. It's hitting all my sound preferences. Granted I've "upgraded" the BLON's with Xelastec tips and a $100 cable. Oh and maybe the fact that it's plugged into a $2700 LPGT has something to do with it...

But still, feeling a little silly looking at my expensive IEMs sulking in the corner right now.

And yet Crin rates them a C+ due to the subpar technical detailing. That's why this hobby is crazy.

 

[sorrick]

Isn't that really the case with almost everything at this level? Most stuff at this level is going to be quite good, and will boil down to personal preference.

Having watched this thread from the sidelines lately it seems that the hype on this has seemed to basically been saying the Odin is perfect. So whenever someone says otherwise, it does seem like it's almost being taken as a personal insult to some, without pointing to anyone in particular.

I was one that found myself very very interested in the Odin, minus the price. So the insane hype it was getting made things difficult for me because the price is beyond what I would consider. So it is nice to hear some different subjective opinions that aren't just 100% praise, and as you point out, a brighter reference iem is not at all what I am after, so I think the Odin is not for me, and after some of the initial descriptions and hype, I likely would have been disappointed if I spent that much on them.

Not trying to ruffle any feathers here, because I know how personal this hobby gets. And regardless of preference I have no doubt the Odin is very capable. I of course also haven't heard it, and I do hope to at least get to demo it some day.

I will preface this with the fact that I have pre-ordered Odin, but have not heard it, so you could say I bought into the "hype" (although my purchase was more about having heard almost all and owned two EE iems and so I trust their ability to make a top notch IEM). Suffice to say I am certainly coming from a perspective of someone that really hopes that it is fantastic.

All that said, it is definitely clear that with the release of many new iems across the spectrum, the reviews you get from early adopters tend to be more on the glowing side, and there will always be those who question the motives of reviewers (rightly or wrongly) who are given samples or get discounts on products in exchange for reviews . However, I think it is a little overkill to say that very positive remarks from the no more than 10 or so people who have posted a review or commented on the Odin after hearing it constitutes "insane hype". I would say there have been a few very positive early reviews and impressions.

There is certainly plenty of groupthink here on head-fi, particularly when a new IEM people are excited about is released, and I absolutely value and appreciate hearing both praise and criticism of IEMs in reviews and impressions, but as someone who has observed many cycles of iem/headphone release, excitement, early reviews and impressions, backlash against positive early impressions, arguments about who has more legitimacy in their impressions, etc.--the only real truisms here on head-fi are that everyone hears differently, everyone has their own preferences (which are often hard to fully communicate), your own ears are the best judge, and, to be cynical for a minute, any review or impression is fundamentally the musings of (mostly well-meaning) strangers on the internet that you should treat accordingly.

 

[gLer]

And yet Crin rates them a C+ due to the subpar technical detailing. That's why this hobby is crazy.

I know! It's madness! And because of that I expected nothing but mediocrity; I actually bought them in the hope of derailing the hype train that's followed these IEMs since launch, mainly due to HBB's review (for my own curiosity, not out of any vendetta or axe to grind). Colour me completely surprised (and humbled).

To be fair, Crin doesn't tip roll or cable roll with IEMs because he wants his impressions to be 'as purchased'. And the BLONs need serious tip and cable rolling, plus you have to be lucky in the ear shape department for them to fit well enough for a seal (I tried 5 different tips and 3 different cables before I found a combination that fit, let alone sounded good).

Also to be fair, these are not as technically proficient as my Nios, let alone the U12t or anything further up the ladder like Odin. Let's not get carried away now. But if you put these in my ears and told me they were worth $500 I'd believe you. They have an absolutely pleasing, wide, deep, ease-listening sound signature with superb bass impact and sub-bass rumble, decent albeit slightly recessed mids (that the Lotoo somehow cleans up and polishes superbly), and a relaxed treble with enough detail and air to satisfy.

Put it another way, I have two pairs of Andromedas here as well for review, and I absolutely prefer listening to the BLONs with each and every track I've sampled on both. Are the Andros more technically astute? Sure. Do I care? No.

 

[mashuto]

I will preface this with the fact that I have pre-ordered Odin, but have not heard it, so you could say I bought into the "hype" (although my purchase was more about having heard almost all and owned two EE iems and so I trust their ability to make a top notch IEM). Suffice to say I am certainly coming from a perspective of someone that really hopes that it is fantastic.

All that said, it is definitely clear that with the release of many new iems across the spectrum, the reviews you get from early adopters tend to be more on the glowing side, and there will always be those who question the motives of reviewers (rightly or wrongly) who are given samples or get discounts on products in exchange for reviews . However, I think it is a little overkill to say that very positive remarks from the no more than 10 or so people who have posted a review or commented on the Odin after hearing it constitutes "insane hype". I would say there have been a few very positive early reviews and impressions.

There is certainly plenty of groupthink here on head-fi, particularly when a new IEM people are excited about is released, and I absolutely value and appreciate hearing both praise and criticism of IEMs in reviews and impressions, but as someone who has observed many cycles of iem/headphone release, excitement, early reviews and impressions, backlash against positive early impressions, arguments about who has more legitimacy in their impressions, etc.--the only real truisms here on head-fi are that everyone hears differently, everyone has their own preferences (which are often hard to fully communicate), your own ears are the best judge, and, to be cynical for a minute, any review or impression is fundamentally the musings of (mostly well-meaning) strangers on the internet that you should treat accordingly.

Yea don't get me wrong, I have participated in hype both in terms of getting swept up in it and generating it. Look back at some of my posts with the nio. I adore it (still do), but I try and at least frame the opinion parts as opinion. I also try my best not to ever take things personally when people disagree or don't like things I don't.

And at the end of the day it's just my personal perception of how I saw things here. Partially because again I almost got swept up in it and made a purchase that potentially wouldn't have been right for me. Not to try and claim that the hype isn't warranted, only that it was hard to sift through some of it specifically with the Odin.

And again, really not trying to rag on anyone here, just sharing some of how I was perceiving things. And again again, I'll be watching and looking for impressions, yours included!

 

[FastAndClean]

Guys, to put things in context, I'm currently listening to Lana Del Rey's 'Lust For Life' (one of my favourite albums of the past few years) with...are you sitting down...BLON-03...and it's sounding better than I've heard this album with some $1000 headphones!

I don't quite understand what I'm hearing, or how it's even possible. It's hitting all my sound preferences. Granted I've "upgraded" the BLON's with Xelastec tips and a $100 cable. Oh and maybe the fact that it's plugged into a $2700 LPGT has something to do with it...

But still, feeling a little silly looking at my expensive IEMs sulking in the corner right now.

you are welcome

 

[mr.karmalicious]

Genuinely fascinating!! No wonder it's so unimpeachable to basically everyone.

 

[Tristy]

Genuinely fascinating!! No wonder it's so unimpeachable to basically everyone.

Lol!

 

[CL14715]

Oh my god, it's a Crin graph. Now we all TRULY know how it sounds!! Yasssss