[szore]

Tuning. R&D. Faceplate materials which are made by specific chemist.

All that aside and despite a price bump, I would assume most of the cost associated with upgrading the Bravado is being eaten by EE to keep it competitively priced and intriguing for the consumer. Much like the Hero.

If I was in the business, I would definitely use the success I have had to financially offset entry items as way to pull in and captivate the consumer. That coupled with the great customer service, your customer acquisition costs less and rewards you in the long run. In essence, this is chess not checkers.

Disclaimer: I could be completely wrong, I have had a few beers already.

word

 

[ValeryPaul]

Perfectly said. Alot of the recent Chi-Fi releases seem to be following some sort of tuning blueprint, for want of a better word. And that sameness makes them unmemorable and usually very short lived (that and the fact that they seem to be superceded by newer models every second month).

For me, the very best IEMs should be memorable for what they do best, their 'superpower', and all of the 'great' IEMs have that in them. They don't even necessarily have to be 'flagships' to get there, but more often than not they are. And once they do, it's rare that they're made redundant, even by newer flagships, because their tuning, balance, tonality or 'secret sauce' is unique to them.

Hence my comment that the LX (or any other great IEM) sounds as good - or rather unique - today as it did on release, as it will five years from now. Just ask @proedros.

Be happy with what you spent your money on and stop justifying your expense by putting down those "chi-fi some sort of tuning blueprint".

 

[rev92]

EMPIRE EARS MKII

In our ceaseless quest for innovation we occasionally stumble upon technologies and methodologies that genuinely shift the paradigm. Typically, these discoveries are made in our pursuit of our next flagship product, but upon their mastery it is only appropriate that they be trickled down into the rest of our lineup.

Debuting recently in a few Asian markets, we are ecstatic to officially introduce the Empire Ears MKII Lineup to the rest of the world!

Bravado MKII



The Bravado has long been a favorite of musicians and audiophiles alike. It's balanced signature and segment leading separation lead to high-performance for any use-case. The Bravado MKII builds upon this foundation, upgrading the dynamic subwoofer to our all-new Weapon IX+ subwoofer and adding dual EST drivers and our EIVEC system to bring a nuanced and layered presentation that heightens the listening experience to new levels of musicality and analytical enjoyment. The powerful and refined low end dances across an enormously increased soundstage while the dual EST array delivers the finest details with a clarity that never dominates.

For the Bravado MKII, the apple didn't fall far from the tree, but it sure got a whole lot tastier. The tribrid architecture of the dynamic Weapon IX+ for the lows, a balanced armature for the mids, and ESTs conquering the highs make for a statement piece that demands attention.

The Bravado MKII has an all new livery, adorned with a suspended metallic glitter faceplate - called Deep Field - that, like the sound signature of the Bravado MKII itself, toes the line between subtle and bombastic.

Technical Specifications
4 Drivers - 1 Sub-Bass/Bass, 1 Mid, 1 High, 1 Ultra-High
4-way synX Crossover Network
EIVEC
A.R.C - Anti-Resonance Compound
Alpha-IV Bespoke 26AWG UPOCC Copper Litz Cable
99 dB SPL @ 1kHz
5Hz - 100kHz Frequency Response
4 Ohms @ 1kHz Impedence





_________________________________________________________

ESR MKII



The Empire Studio Reference - ESR - has invariably found its way into the hands of recording and mixing engineers the world over. Endorsed by professionals from every corner of the globe, the ESR was the detail-king of the Empire Ears line-up, and now the MKII version's inclusion of a dual EST array raises the bar even higher.

Presenting with a much larger soundstage and absolutely ludicrous resolution, the ESR MKII's exceptionally linear sound signature gives the listener a pristine image of every element in the music - every detail is highlighted and positioned with extreme accuracy across the frequency spectrum.

Delivering with a mathematical authority more reminiscent of a scientific instrument than a personal listening device, the ESR MKII has set a new standard for those seeking resolution and detail.

The ESR MKII comes dressed to deliver surgical precision with its Brushed Silver faceplate.

Technical Specifications
5 Drivers - 1 Low, 1 Mid, 1 High, 2 Ultra-High
4-way synX Crossover Network
EIVEC
A.R.C - Anti-Resonance Compound
Alpha-IV Bespoke 26AWG UPOCC Copper Litz Cable
111 dB SPL @ 1kHz
10Hz - 100kHz Frequency Response
3.9 Ohms @ 1kHz Impedence




___________________________________________

Valkyrie MKII



The Valkyrie has no shame in its energetic and enthusiastic sound signature, delivering a walloping good time to the listener, and its progeny, the Valkyrie MKII, has refined this approach, presenting the same exciting and engrossing sound signature with a touch more maturity and control. The upgraded Weapon IX+ subwoofer reaches lower, tighter and our all new implementation of EIVEC brings the EST driver and the treble frequencies into play with the smoothness of aged whiskey.

Make no mistake, the Valkyrie MKII will still rock your socks off. It will take your favorite tracks and turn the energy all the way to 11, but now that energy plays across a heightened and broadened sound stage with stronger positional cues and a nuanced top end.

Bearing the same Dragonhide faceplate as its predecessor, the Valkyrie MKII delivers a full spectrum, high energy experience that will thrill the listener from head to toe.

Technical Specifications
3 Drivers - 1 Sub-Bass/Bass, 1 Mid, 1 High/Ultra-High
4-way synX Crossover Network
EIVEC
A.R.C - Anti-Resonance Compound
Alpha Hybrid IV Bespoke 26AWG UPOCC Copper Litz, 26AWG UPOCC Silver Litz Cable
100 dB SPL @ 1kHz
5Hz - 100kHz Frequency Response
3 Ohms @ 1kHz Impedence




_____________________________________________________

The New Cables
In order to increase the usability and lifespan of our cabling we have partnered with Effect Audio to bring to market 2 evolutions of their well loved cables, the Ares II and the Eros II, known as the Alpha IV (A4) and the Alpha Hybrid IV (AH4) respectively.

Rocking new y-splits and over-molded 2-pin barrels, these new cables deliver the same high performance in a package truly built to last.

Alpha IV



Alpha Hybrid IV

​

oh damn

 

[Deferenz]

Years ago when I was more into home hifi (and having a small room, not a fancy one as there was no point) I happened to mention to someone at work what it roughly cost (under £900 for amp, CD player and speakers, I imagine you could get the same level of performance for around half that now!)the response was “I could go on holiday for that!”. So the way I look at it is that if all my outgoing expenses are paid for the month, and I can justify it to a certain level, then happy days. I also have months where standing orders aside,I’ll get pretty much nothing.

Interesting points there. With regard to the “I could go on holiday for that!”, this is why I never discuss my IEMs, Daps and cables with anyone outside of this board. I have attempted it in the past with friends and family but when they realise how much this gear costs they look at me as though I’m insane. I remember when I got the Legend X and tried to explain to a work colleague how excited I was only to be met with a blank stare.

Perhaps we should turn the tables. When a colleague next says “I’m going on holiday to the Maldives” jump up and shout, “How much!! I could buy an Empire Ears Odin for that!”

 

[Deferenz]

It's nice to pop in when life has been crazy and see one of the best if not the best and my favorite IEM creating new found joy and interest.

Quick note: I think the hesitation for people curious to take the leap are many reviewers who come from a long standing experience with neutral sounding audio gear or flatter frequency responses. At first when they hear the LX it will undoubtedly feel a thunderous presence which would seem elevated if they are used to sterile or nuetral tuned IEM's. To be clear sterile and neutral are not the same. Once you dig in though and really start putting them through their paces, you realize there is a lot more there. So much so that the bass takes a back seat.

Some reviews had even discouraged me but one basic nagging thought kept popping into my head about them... There is no way Empire Ears is charging $2300 for these things for just bass. So I bought mine despite some of the YouTube reviews and other sources exaggerating bass presence. Much to my suspicions, the LX were incredible in every regard and got even better with time and source matching / cable rolling. Despite my affinity for EE and their products, let me make one thing clear without bias: the LX is and will always be one of the top contending technical performers despite the fixation many have with its bass.

@proedros I don't think you're high, I KNOW you're high Just kidding. Be free my man in whatever way works best for you.

You mentioned the LX and cable rolling. What cable do you find matches well with the LX and do you have a preference?

 

[FlowLikeWater]

Interesting points there. With regard to the “I could go on holiday for that!”, this is why I never discuss my IEMs, Daps and cables with anyone outside of this board. I have attempted it in the past with friends and family but when they realise how much this gear costs they look at me as though I’m insane. I remember when I got the Legend X and tried to explain to a work colleague how excited I was only to be met with a blank stare.

Perhaps we should turn the tables. When a colleague next says “I’m going on holiday to the Maldives” jump up and shout, “How much!! I could buy an Empire Ears Odin for that!”

So much this! Trying to explain audiophile-ness to a non audio lover is like trying to explain lightning to a ferret

It is incredibly salt-inducing trying to explain the intricacies and beauty of pistonic-motion drivers, balanced armature magnetic circuits, and the importance of the crossover, where each acoustic device is moving at over 100 G's of acceleration to reproduce studio level sound quality in a device that weighs less than a travel sized tube of toothpaste.....only to be disregarded and ignored as they say "yeah", and then regale you with tales of their epic drive to work, or a spreadsheet they just finished perfecting over the last 40 years

such is life.....at least we can listen to the world's smallest violin in FLAC quality

 

[CL14715]

You mentioned the LX and cable rolling. What cable do you find matches well with the LX and do you have a preference?

The best combo I found with the LX is a higher end SPC cable made by @skedra. Many others have experienced the same result such as twister with a particular eletech cable. Can’t remember which one.

 

[GiullianSN]

EMPIRE EARS MKII

In our ceaseless quest for innovation we occasionally stumble upon technologies and methodologies that genuinely shift the paradigm. Typically, these discoveries are made in our pursuit of our next flagship product, but upon their mastery it is only appropriate that they be trickled down into the rest of our lineup.

Debuting recently in a few Asian markets, we are ecstatic to officially introduce the Empire Ears MKII Lineup to the rest of the world!

Bravado MKII



The Bravado has long been a favorite of musicians and audiophiles alike. It's balanced signature and segment leading separation lead to high-performance for any use-case. The Bravado MKII builds upon this foundation, upgrading the dynamic subwoofer to our all-new Weapon IX+ subwoofer and adding dual EST drivers and our EIVEC system to bring a nuanced and layered presentation that heightens the listening experience to new levels of musicality and analytical enjoyment. The powerful and refined low end dances across an enormously increased soundstage while the dual EST array delivers the finest details with a clarity that never dominates.

For the Bravado MKII, the apple didn't fall far from the tree, but it sure got a whole lot tastier. The tribrid architecture of the dynamic Weapon IX+ for the lows, a balanced armature for the mids, and ESTs conquering the highs make for a statement piece that demands attention.

The Bravado MKII has an all new livery, adorned with a suspended metallic glitter faceplate - called Deep Field - that, like the sound signature of the Bravado MKII itself, toes the line between subtle and bombastic.

Technical Specifications
4 Drivers - 1 Sub-Bass/Bass, 1 Mid, 1 High, 1 Ultra-High
4-way synX Crossover Network
EIVEC
A.R.C - Anti-Resonance Compound
Alpha-IV Bespoke 26AWG UPOCC Copper Litz Cable
99 dB SPL @ 1kHz
5Hz - 100kHz Frequency Response
4 Ohms @ 1kHz Impedence





_________________________________________________________

ESR MKII



The Empire Studio Reference - ESR - has invariably found its way into the hands of recording and mixing engineers the world over. Endorsed by professionals from every corner of the globe, the ESR was the detail-king of the Empire Ears line-up, and now the MKII version's inclusion of a dual EST array raises the bar even higher.

Presenting with a much larger soundstage and absolutely ludicrous resolution, the ESR MKII's exceptionally linear sound signature gives the listener a pristine image of every element in the music - every detail is highlighted and positioned with extreme accuracy across the frequency spectrum.

Delivering with a mathematical authority more reminiscent of a scientific instrument than a personal listening device, the ESR MKII has set a new standard for those seeking resolution and detail.

The ESR MKII comes dressed to deliver surgical precision with its Brushed Silver faceplate.

Technical Specifications
5 Drivers - 1 Low, 1 Mid, 1 High, 2 Ultra-High
4-way synX Crossover Network
EIVEC
A.R.C - Anti-Resonance Compound
Alpha-IV Bespoke 26AWG UPOCC Copper Litz Cable
111 dB SPL @ 1kHz
10Hz - 100kHz Frequency Response
3.9 Ohms @ 1kHz Impedence




___________________________________________

Valkyrie MKII



The Valkyrie has no shame in its energetic and enthusiastic sound signature, delivering a walloping good time to the listener, and its progeny, the Valkyrie MKII, has refined this approach, presenting the same exciting and engrossing sound signature with a touch more maturity and control. The upgraded Weapon IX+ subwoofer reaches lower, tighter and our all new implementation of EIVEC brings the EST driver and the treble frequencies into play with the smoothness of aged whiskey.

Make no mistake, the Valkyrie MKII will still rock your socks off. It will take your favorite tracks and turn the energy all the way to 11, but now that energy plays across a heightened and broadened sound stage with stronger positional cues and a nuanced top end.

Bearing the same Dragonhide faceplate as its predecessor, the Valkyrie MKII delivers a full spectrum, high energy experience that will thrill the listener from head to toe.

Technical Specifications
3 Drivers - 1 Sub-Bass/Bass, 1 Mid, 1 High/Ultra-High
4-way synX Crossover Network
EIVEC
A.R.C - Anti-Resonance Compound
Alpha Hybrid IV Bespoke 26AWG UPOCC Copper Litz, 26AWG UPOCC Silver Litz Cable
100 dB SPL @ 1kHz
5Hz - 100kHz Frequency Response
3 Ohms @ 1kHz Impedence




_____________________________________________________

The New Cables
In order to increase the usability and lifespan of our cabling we have partnered with Effect Audio to bring to market 2 evolutions of their well loved cables, the Ares II and the Eros II, known as the Alpha IV (A4) and the Alpha Hybrid IV (AH4) respectively.

Rocking new y-splits and over-molded 2-pin barrels, these new cables deliver the same high performance in a package truly built to last.

Alpha IV



Alpha Hybrid IV

​

The new ESR got my attention.

 

[GiullianSN]

The best combo I found with the LX is a higher end SPC cable made by @skedra. Many others have experienced the same result such as twister with a particular eletech cable. Can’t remember which one.

I like Hybrids like Eros II.

 

[Deferenz]

The best combo I found with the LX is a higher end SPC cable made by @skedra. Many others have experienced the same result such as twister with a particular eletech cable. Can’t remember which one.

The SPC from Eletech is the Prudence. It is indeed a really nice cable. I think it was the Socrates that a few people said went well with the LX. I recall twister mentioning that in a discussion. I thought the synergy between the LX and Socrates was generally very good, but for my preference I thought that it toned down the LX bass a little too much.

 

[KuroKitsu]

Be happy with what you spent your money on and stop justifying your expense by putting down those "chi-fi some sort of tuning blueprint".

I don't think @gLer is "justifying" his expenses on ToTL iems. This is a valid criticism of budget chifi (and in some cases even hifi chifi). Having various targets readily available that they can make minor tweaks to and call a "signature" isn't a good thing, especially when they churn out models by the bucketful. We need a variety of signatures due to the subjective nature of audio perception and not A1, A1.2, A.1.2.1 ......

Its just that the boutiques that do serious R&D usually does this much better than what chifi manufacturers are doing still.

Interesting points there. With regard to the “I could go on holiday for that!”, this is why I never discuss my IEMs, Daps and cables with anyone outside of this board. I have attempted it in the past with friends and family but when they realise how much this gear costs they look at me as though I’m insane. I remember when I got the Legend X and tried to explain to a work colleague how excited I was only to be met with a blank stare.

Perhaps we should turn the tables. When a colleague next says “I’m going on holiday to the Maldives” jump up and shout, “How much!! I could buy an Empire Ears Odin for that!”

So much this! Trying to explain audiophile-ness to a non audio lover is like trying to explain lightning to a ferret

It is incredibly salt-inducing trying to explain the intricacies and beauty of pistonic-motion drivers, balanced armature magnetic circuits, and the importance of the crossover, where each acoustic device is moving at over 100 G's of acceleration to reproduce studio level sound quality in a device that weighs less than a travel sized tube of toothpaste.....only to be disregarded and ignored as they say "yeah", and then regale you with tales of their epic drive to work, or a spreadsheet they just finished perfecting over the last 40 years

such is life.....at least we can listen to the world's smallest violin in FLAC quality

My coworkers were much more understanding. Usually it was "Looks expensive, must sound pretty good" "Yup"

 

[CL14715]

The SPC from Eletech is the Prudence. It is indeed a really nice cable. I think it was the Socrates that a few people said went well with the LX. I recall twister mentioning that in a discussion. I thought the synergy between the LX and Socrates was generally very good, but for my preference I thought that it toned down the LX bass a little too much.

Understood. That was not my experience with the skedra cable. The bass was all there but there was added air and clarity for the mids and treble.

 

[Deferenz]

Understood. That was not my experience with the skedra cable. The bass was all there but there was added air and clarity for the mids and treble.

I think you said the skedra cable was SPC and likewise I have found SPC does give some good results with the LX (I haven’t heard one of skedra’s cables unfortunately). The other cable I mentioned was copper. I’m a fan of cable rolling and so I’m interested in what people here use and recommend.

 

[CL14715]

I think you said the skedra cable was SPC and likewise I have found SPC does give some good results with the LX (I haven’t heard one of skedra’s cables unfortunately). The other cable I mentioned was copper. I’m a fan of cable rolling and so I’m interested in what people here use and recommend.

He’s UK based and super talented. My particular cable is a level 4 SPC litz. I’ve heard many other cables and it’s amongst the best regardless of price. He buys a spool every once in a while. You should reach out to him.

 

[masahito24@chart]

I've had good results from the Romi Audio Sensation S cable. It leveled up the vocals, added a splash in the treble and locked down the bass. I also noticed that the soundstage actually improved quite a bit.
The information on the site is lacking, but this is what they have as a description of materials on their site:
Super pure Silver & sliver Shielding
Sound orientation：Crystal Clear and more details，Positioning and soundstage