Kiats
Headphoneus Supremus
Thanks to Wilson from Jaben Singapore, the AD for FIR in Singapore, I had some time listening to the RN6 and XE6.
Anyone who enjoys their bass will love the XE6. Reminds me of the first time I heard the FitEar MH335DW: bass seems initially to be overwhelming. However, once you come to terms with it, it is actually not bad. The bass, I reckon, adds body to the sound and depth to the soundstage. It’s a bit more 3D in that sense. Listening to Stefanie Sun, actually the details and instrument separation are all there. Which in itself is surprising, because normally with such present bass, you lose the details and separation. Suspect that the treble extension is sacrificed a bit in that the bass offsets it. In fact when I was listening to Stacey Kent, for some of the songs, I actually heard details which previously I had never realised were there.
The RN6, on the other hand, dials back the bass but it is still there. Not so much quantity but quality here. Treble extension is better. It seems to be going for more obvious clarity and upfront details. I think of it as a bit of a middle ground between the XE6 and the KR5 (which went for transparency, clarity and details above all else). It will appeal to folks who are looking for more ”transparent“ or ”audiophile” signature but would like some balance from the bottom end. I guess the RN6 will work better with warmer DAPs or simply if you want more details and bigger soundstage.
I think that at the end of the day, it really depends on what you want from your IEM, what is your source
Listening to Eva Cassidy on NightBird with the RN6: excellent! Sends shivers down the spine with her vocals and the simple guitar playing. I will say that the RN6 really excels with acoustic vocals.
Which do I prefer? Surprisingly the XE6. it's like the 335DW. It feels raw yet 3D. It’s more like listening to a live performance. I was listening to Diana Krall on ”Walk On By” and it was exquisite. I honestly did not expect to enjoy the XE6 as much as I have.
Anyone who enjoys their bass will love the XE6. Reminds me of the first time I heard the FitEar MH335DW: bass seems initially to be overwhelming. However, once you come to terms with it, it is actually not bad. The bass, I reckon, adds body to the sound and depth to the soundstage. It’s a bit more 3D in that sense. Listening to Stefanie Sun, actually the details and instrument separation are all there. Which in itself is surprising, because normally with such present bass, you lose the details and separation. Suspect that the treble extension is sacrificed a bit in that the bass offsets it. In fact when I was listening to Stacey Kent, for some of the songs, I actually heard details which previously I had never realised were there.
The RN6, on the other hand, dials back the bass but it is still there. Not so much quantity but quality here. Treble extension is better. It seems to be going for more obvious clarity and upfront details. I think of it as a bit of a middle ground between the XE6 and the KR5 (which went for transparency, clarity and details above all else). It will appeal to folks who are looking for more ”transparent“ or ”audiophile” signature but would like some balance from the bottom end. I guess the RN6 will work better with warmer DAPs or simply if you want more details and bigger soundstage.
I think that at the end of the day, it really depends on what you want from your IEM, what is your source
Listening to Eva Cassidy on NightBird with the RN6: excellent! Sends shivers down the spine with her vocals and the simple guitar playing. I will say that the RN6 really excels with acoustic vocals.
Which do I prefer? Surprisingly the XE6. it's like the 335DW. It feels raw yet 3D. It’s more like listening to a live performance. I was listening to Diana Krall on ”Walk On By” and it was exquisite. I honestly did not expect to enjoy the XE6 as much as I have.