[Hoegaardener70]

Had a crazy thought, if you wanted to add color to your IEM collection but where not quite sure what color. If you demo the most polarized and loved/hated IEMs you would probably find what you were looking for. IEMs where some think it is one of their favorites and others think it is one of the worst they ever heard.

What are they? Over $1,000 TOTLs so the list does not get too long.

Valkyrie
Thummim
...

Wraith?

 

[gLer]

Had a crazy thought, if you wanted to add color to your IEM collection but where not quite sure what color. If you demo the most polarized and loved/hated IEMs you would probably find what you were looking for. IEMs where some think it is one of their favorites and others think it is one of the worst they ever heard.

What are they? Over $1,000 TOTLs so the list does not get too long. (And this is a flagship thread after all)

Valkyrie
Thummim
...

Easy for me, Fourte (and to a lesser extend Fourte Noir). Possibly two of the most polarising IEMs in recent years, people other absolutely love them or can't live with them.

 

[chickenmcnug]

Easy for me, Fourte (and to a lesser extend Fourte Noir). Possibly two of the most polarising IEMs in recent years, people other absolutely love them or can't live with them.

Agreed, love Thummim but cant stand the Fourte.

 

[mvvRAZ]

A8000 could maybe be added to that list? Noble Khan and possibly the sultan too. I can definitely see how the Khan is a love/hate, the sultan I thought would be much more universally liked than it is, but I do have several friends who found it to be the best all rounder there is

 

[Wyville]

yeah ... there're a lot of audio-academics here on head-fi

dammit you've got me interested in the thummin now

I have all the fancy academic degrees and I have my Masters of Classical Music series, so I'm a pure snob of course. Which makes it perfectly sensible that I am currently using the Shanling M8 as a streaming transport for the LPGT and kicking backside with Slipknot and the FiR M4/Oslo. Can't wait to unleash Slipknot on the Thummim when I get them back.

 

[Rockwell75]

Had a crazy thought, if you wanted to add color to your IEM collection but where not quite sure what color. If you demo the most polarized and loved/hated IEMs you would probably find what you were looking for. IEMs where some think it is one of their favorites and others think it is one of the worst they ever heard.

What are they? Over $1,000 TOTLs so the list does not get too long. (And this is a flagship thread after all)

Valkyrie
Thummim
...

Upside down crazy.

Dorado 2020 (pretty much at the $1K mark...but the gap in opinion is profoundly wide)
Solaris 2020 (Solaris in general really, but the 2020 is the most contentious iteration of an IEM that seems to have always been surrounded by a bit of drama)
Fourte (I've never heard it but I know many who love it and many who really don't)
Wraith (Seemed universally panned at first but there have been a few advocates coming out of the woodwork here and there)
Thummim
Valkyrie (I don't know of anyone having a problem with this IEM beyond generally not liking V-shapes)
Phantom (Some love it, others describe it as plastic mud)
Khan
Sultan

 

[tawmizzzz]

I have all the fancy academic degrees and I have my Masters of Classical Music series, so I'm a pure snob of course. Which makes it perfectly sensible that I am currently using the Shanling M8 as a streaming transport for the LPGT and kicking backside with Slipknot and the FiR M4/Oslo. Can't wait to unleash Slipknot on the Thummim when I get them back.

Oh, do Vermilion, Pt 2! Excellent acoustic guitar and vocals in that track. It's my wind-down song in between the "Disasterpiece" & "Psychosocial" manic gym bangers.

Edit: confused songs

 

[riverground]

Me too!

The Wraith need an insane amount of power and if they get that, they sound superb. I never heard the Zeus, but I imagine the Wraith to be like the Zeus on steroids when they are driver to their full potential.

On a different note. Art... Pure art...

Those lenses should be amazing to have

@KuroKitsu should have his 3-way shootout of the Zeus, Wraith, and Odin out soon enough.

Personally, the Zeus is a midrange specialist, while the Wraith is more or less the flexible one. Listening to it right now, on my way to work actually

And yeah, the S.K is such a beauty!!!

 

[miko64]

A8000 could maybe be added to that list? Noble Khan and possibly the sultan too. I can definitely see how the Khan is a love/hate, the sultan I thought would be much more universally liked than it is, but I do have several friends who found it to be the best all rounder there is

Did you consider bravo in the list? eamt1 / eamt2 are certaily worth a listen.

 

[Wyville]

Oh, do Vermilion, Pt 2! Excellent acoustic guitar and vocals in that track. It's my wind-down song in between the "Disasterpiece" & "Psychosocial" manic gym bangers.

Edit: confused songs

Haven't yet checked out that album (the third, right?). Mostly been listening to 'We Are Not Your Kind', 'The Grey Chapter' and a lot now to their self-titled debut album. 'Iowa' I have not been able to get into because of how dark it is, but it might still come because I initially did not get into 'Slipknot' either and love the album now. Was just listening while cooking, but it is especially good when I hit the gym.

 

[mvvRAZ]

Did you consider bravo in the list? eamt1 / eamt2 are certaily worth a listen.

oBravo is definitely in the love/hate list lol, I don’t really have many warm sentiments for them. Tried the old Ra didn’t like it at all, heard the cupid but it sounded pretty thin, the EAMT-1C is nice but at close to 6000$? Not a chance

 

[Wildcatsare1]

I have all the fancy academic degrees and I have my Masters of Classical Music series, so I'm a pure snob of course. Which makes it perfectly sensible that I am currently using the Shanling M8 as a streaming transport for the LPGT and kicking backside with Slipknot and the FiR M4/Oslo. Can't wait to unleash Slipknot on the Thummim when I get them back.

Since you have the real degrees, I'll relax and listen to music, and learn from you, not a stranger on Google. Your classical thread is fantastic!

 

[fzman]

"Valkyrie Thummim" sounds like a cos-play hottie I once dated--alas it was not meant to be

 

[fzman]

I think some of the iems on the 'hated' or 'highly polarizing' lists are there for being netural, not supremely colored. That said. I tried (years ago at this point) the Sony EX1000s and HATED them - quickest round trip of any audio purchase ever! I love the Campfire Vega and Vega 2020,, the Sony Ier-XB5 and the Final A8000s....
I remember hearing lots of iems at shows that did not click for me either...... I listened to many oBravo models, and they sounded pretty different, each making me not like the others. Not that they sounded band, as such, but I have a hard time with swapping out gear when each one has differnt strengths and weaknesses-which my brain processes by focusing on the shortcomings portrayed by the comparisons, rather than the strengths.

 

[RTodd]

I think some of the iems on the 'hated' or 'highly polarizing' lists are there for being netural, not supremely colored. That said. I tried (years ago at this point) the Sony EX1000s and HATED them - quickest round trip of any audio purchase ever! I love the Campfire Vega and Vega 2020,, the Sony Ier-XB5 and the Final A8000s....
I remember hearing lots of iems at shows that did not click for me either...... I listened to many oBravo models, and they sounded pretty different, each making me not like the others. Not that they sounded band, as such, but I have a hard time with swapping out gear when each one has differnt strengths and weaknesses-which my brain processes by focusing on the shortcomings portrayed by the comparisons, rather than the strengths.

Wish there was a way we could have a shared excel file.

A different kind of ranking I suppose. In order to be on the list someone must hate it and someone else must love it. With columns for Love Hate reasons, The Price, Where it is made, Manufacturer, and Model. Maybe some patterns will reveal themselves.

right side the crazy