flinkenick's 17 Flagship IEM Shootout Thread (and general high-end portable audio discussion)
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New toys arrived
Welcome to both the single DD club and Oriolus club all in one day - you'll never leave
Hey guys, just a quick cross-post to let you know my review of EA's seductive Cleopatra cable is up, for anyone who's interested in the best 'non-silver-sounding' silver cable I've used to date. You'll find it here, along with some tasteful audio porn of course! 
That's great timing as I just bought @xenithon's Cleopatra haha!Hey guys, just a quick cross-post to let you know my review of EA's seductive Cleopatra cable is up, for anyone who's interested in the best 'non-silver-sounding' silver cable I've used to date. You'll find it here, along with some tasteful audio porn of course!
Since we talk about cables, do you guys have a trick how to bring IEM cables back into a straight line? I am very careful with my cables, but still after some months of use, they do not fall as neatly in a circle as in the pictures. Fantastic pics, btw.
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I'd say to always follow the natural "curls" of the cable. Rather than coil or wind them around something, find out where they naturally fold into themselves. Effect Audio also say you can reset the braid by pulling down gently from the Y-split down to the connector. But, it's mainly the first tip for me.
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Howdy 
Back again for a little PSA.
EA has asked me to host a series of sessions on sound analysis as a kind of service to engage our customers and just for fun I guess. Thought I might post the announcement here as well to see if there’s interest. Not sure if you guys are into that, back in the day I used to post the occasional article and I personally always enjoyed discussions around the topic.
The first session will really just be an opener, how to start approaching sound analysis, what kind of methods you can use and how to use different music. Might be a bit basic but could be an interesting starting point.
If there’s enough interest we can discuss more general topics such as analyzing and describing the bass, midrange and treble, and of course their interdependent relationship (the different ways they affect each other).
After that we can move on to the good stuff like resolution, separation, how to improve depth perception, or learning how to match frequencies to what you’re hearing without relying on equipment.
I’ve always been more of a writer, but since it’s 2021 it’s all about video now apparently so it will be in the form of livestreams via Facebook. I’m hoping future sessions will be more interactive so people can chime in, but we’ll see how it goes. Maybe I can even convince @twister6 or @Deezel177 to do a session at some point
If you’re interested the first session will be next Saturday the 30th at 2 pm CET via this link (in the old days I would have obviously rickrolled you). They'll be roughly 20 mins and you're welcome to ask any questions.
Below is an article I wrote for EA Club a while back about bass to get in the mood
-Nic
Back again for a little PSA.EA has asked me to host a series of sessions on sound analysis as a kind of service to engage our customers and just for fun I guess. Thought I might post the announcement here as well to see if there’s interest. Not sure if you guys are into that, back in the day I used to post the occasional article and I personally always enjoyed discussions around the topic.
The first session will really just be an opener, how to start approaching sound analysis, what kind of methods you can use and how to use different music. Might be a bit basic but could be an interesting starting point.
If there’s enough interest we can discuss more general topics such as analyzing and describing the bass, midrange and treble, and of course their interdependent relationship (the different ways they affect each other).
After that we can move on to the good stuff like resolution, separation, how to improve depth perception, or learning how to match frequencies to what you’re hearing without relying on equipment.
I’ve always been more of a writer, but since it’s 2021 it’s all about video now apparently so it will be in the form of livestreams via Facebook. I’m hoping future sessions will be more interactive so people can chime in, but we’ll see how it goes. Maybe I can even convince @twister6 or @Deezel177 to do a session at some point
If you’re interested the first session will be next Saturday the 30th at 2 pm CET via this link (in the old days I would have obviously rickrolled you). They'll be roughly 20 mins and you're welcome to ask any questions.
Below is an article I wrote for EA Club a while back about bass to get in the mood
-Nic
As a simple breakdown we can say the bass consists of 3 main components:
-Sub-bass
-Mid-bass
-Upper-bass
Moving from the bottom- to the top-end of the bass results in a different type of experience and effect on the sound. The sub-bass has a more visceral quality, while the upper-bass provides more warmth and thickness to the overall sound, and the midrange more specifically.
The sub-bass is the lowest portion of the sound spectrum. If an earphone or even cable has a quality sub-bass extension, it produces a low rumble that is more felt than heard. The sub-bass produces the visceral sensation of a quality impact. For instance, when you’re listening to an electronic beat or kickdrum, it’s the physical impact you can feel on your eardrums.
Even when listening with earphones, a deep sub-bass can give you the feeling of impact in your chest. A good example of quality sub-bass extension was the original Leonidas (I) cable, which produces a tight bass that allows an iem to reach a bit deeper down low.
The mid-bass can be seen as the body of the bass. It for instance determines the prominence of basslines (such as from bass guitars). Or continuing on that electronic beat I just mentioned, the mid-bass will determine the overall volume or size of the beat; how big the impact is, and how present it is in the overall sound. Lifting the mid-bass can be quite fun, as it increases the sense of rhythm resulting in a more dynamic sound. For this reason, it is commonly enhanced in entry-level IEMs.
The mid-bass however also plays an important role in determining the overall warmth of the sound. Increasing the bass will generally result in a warmer tone, although the outcome depends on the combination with the treble.
For instance, Ares II has the classic warm bass of a copper cable. However, Leonidas II equally provides an impactful mid-bass although its tone is brighter – this is because the treble energy balances out the warmth of the bass.
The upper-bass not only provides warmth to the overall tone but adds more body to the midrange, which creates a thicker sound. Especially male vocals and grungy guitars in rock music will sound fuller. However, the upper-bass tends to produce an abundance of warm air that spreads throughout the soundstage. Too much of this warm air affects the transparency; there is a veil in front of the music that obscures finer detail. Sound engineers therefore often tend to cut the upper-bass to create a cleaner sound with better separation.
A simple example of the effect of adding more mid- and upper-bass to the mix is the ‘plus’ versions of Ares II and Thor II. This provides a warmer, fuller and smoother sound that appeals to true bass enthusiasts. The tradeoff however is a bit of transparency and separation.
So, does bass just come down to preference, or can bass be objectively worse or better?
Both. The total quantity of bass will always come down to preference, but there are properties that determine its objective quality. A good bass has:
-Good bottom-end extension: meaning the sub-bass reaches deep enough to give a visceral sensation.
-Control: the mid-bass is impactful, but does not, or minimally, affect the rest of the sound.
-Resolution: bass lines can be clearly identified. Cables with higher resolution such as Code 51 will generally also allow you to hear more detailed bass lines.
-Speed: a quicker bass will result in more clear definition of individual bass-notes.
To analyze the bass, compare 2 iems or cables and listen for yourself:
-Can you feel the impact of the beat, not just hear it?
-How big is the beat?
-How warm is the overall tone?
-How full do male vocals sound? Is there a thickness that adds body to the sound?
This will give you an indication of the properties of the bass.
Example
When comparing Ares II with Maestro, Ares II has more mid-bass quantity. This results in a warmer tone and thicker body of the midrange. Due to the leaner mid-bass of the Maestro, it is overall a bit cooler in tone, while having a cleaner sound with more clarity and slightly better separation. This follows from the bass not adding as much warmth and thickness to the sound.
-Sub-bass
-Mid-bass
-Upper-bass
Moving from the bottom- to the top-end of the bass results in a different type of experience and effect on the sound. The sub-bass has a more visceral quality, while the upper-bass provides more warmth and thickness to the overall sound, and the midrange more specifically.
The sub-bass is the lowest portion of the sound spectrum. If an earphone or even cable has a quality sub-bass extension, it produces a low rumble that is more felt than heard. The sub-bass produces the visceral sensation of a quality impact. For instance, when you’re listening to an electronic beat or kickdrum, it’s the physical impact you can feel on your eardrums.
Even when listening with earphones, a deep sub-bass can give you the feeling of impact in your chest. A good example of quality sub-bass extension was the original Leonidas (I) cable, which produces a tight bass that allows an iem to reach a bit deeper down low.
The mid-bass can be seen as the body of the bass. It for instance determines the prominence of basslines (such as from bass guitars). Or continuing on that electronic beat I just mentioned, the mid-bass will determine the overall volume or size of the beat; how big the impact is, and how present it is in the overall sound. Lifting the mid-bass can be quite fun, as it increases the sense of rhythm resulting in a more dynamic sound. For this reason, it is commonly enhanced in entry-level IEMs.
The mid-bass however also plays an important role in determining the overall warmth of the sound. Increasing the bass will generally result in a warmer tone, although the outcome depends on the combination with the treble.
For instance, Ares II has the classic warm bass of a copper cable. However, Leonidas II equally provides an impactful mid-bass although its tone is brighter – this is because the treble energy balances out the warmth of the bass.
The upper-bass not only provides warmth to the overall tone but adds more body to the midrange, which creates a thicker sound. Especially male vocals and grungy guitars in rock music will sound fuller. However, the upper-bass tends to produce an abundance of warm air that spreads throughout the soundstage. Too much of this warm air affects the transparency; there is a veil in front of the music that obscures finer detail. Sound engineers therefore often tend to cut the upper-bass to create a cleaner sound with better separation.
A simple example of the effect of adding more mid- and upper-bass to the mix is the ‘plus’ versions of Ares II and Thor II. This provides a warmer, fuller and smoother sound that appeals to true bass enthusiasts. The tradeoff however is a bit of transparency and separation.
So, does bass just come down to preference, or can bass be objectively worse or better?
Both. The total quantity of bass will always come down to preference, but there are properties that determine its objective quality. A good bass has:
-Good bottom-end extension: meaning the sub-bass reaches deep enough to give a visceral sensation.
-Control: the mid-bass is impactful, but does not, or minimally, affect the rest of the sound.
-Resolution: bass lines can be clearly identified. Cables with higher resolution such as Code 51 will generally also allow you to hear more detailed bass lines.
-Speed: a quicker bass will result in more clear definition of individual bass-notes.
To analyze the bass, compare 2 iems or cables and listen for yourself:
-Can you feel the impact of the beat, not just hear it?
-How big is the beat?
-How warm is the overall tone?
-How full do male vocals sound? Is there a thickness that adds body to the sound?
This will give you an indication of the properties of the bass.
Example
When comparing Ares II with Maestro, Ares II has more mid-bass quantity. This results in a warmer tone and thicker body of the midrange. Due to the leaner mid-bass of the Maestro, it is overall a bit cooler in tone, while having a cleaner sound with more clarity and slightly better separation. This follows from the bass not adding as much warmth and thickness to the sound.
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This is a great initiative Nic, look forward to watching it. I assume the livestream is recorded or playable if we live in different time zones and can't catch it live?Howdy
EA has asked me to host a series of sessions on sound analysis as a kind of service to engage our customers and just for fun I guess. Thought I might post the announcement here as well to see if there’s interest. Not sure if you guys are into that, back in the day I used to post the occasional article and I personally always enjoyed discussions around the topic.
The first session will really just be an opener, how to start approaching sound analysis, what kind of methods you can use and how to use different music. Might be a bit basic but could be an interesting starting point.
If there’s enough interest we can move on to more general topics such as analyzing and describing the bass, midrange and treble, and of course their interdependent relationship (the different ways they affect each other).
After that we can move on to the good stuff like resolution, separation, how to improve depth perception, or learning how to match frequencies to what you’re hearing without relying on equipment.
I’ve always been more of a writer, but since it’s 2021 it’s all about video now apparently so it will be in the form of livestreams via Facebook. I’m hoping future sessions will be more interactive so people can chime in, but we’ll see how it goes. Maybe I can even convince @twister6 or @Deezel177 to do a session at some point
If you’re interested the first session will be next Saturday the 30th at 2 pm CET via this link (in the old days I would have obviously rickrolled you but this one works).
Below is an article I wrote for EA club a while back about bass to get in the mood
-Nic
As a simple breakdown we can say the bass consists of 3 main components:
-Sub-bass
-Mid-bass
-Upper-bass
Moving from the bottom- to the top-end of the bass results in a different type of experience and effect on the sound. The sub-bass has a more visceral quality, while the upper-bass provides more warmth and thickness to the overall sound, and the midrange more specifically.
The sub-bass is the lowest portion of the sound spectrum. If an earphone or even cable has a quality sub-bass extension, it produces a low rumble that is more felt than heard. The sub-bass produces the visceral sensation of a quality impact. For instance, when you’re listening to an electronic beat or kickdrum, it’s the physical impact you can feel on your eardrums.
Even when listening with earphones, a deep sub-bass can give you the feeling of impact in your chest. A good example of quality sub-bass extension was the original Leonidas (I) cable, which produces a tight bass that allows an iem to reach a bit deeper down low.
The mid-bass can be seen as the body of the bass. It for instance determines the prominence of basslines (such as from bass guitars). Or continuing on that electronic beat I just mentioned, the mid-bass will determine the overall volume or size of the beat; how big the impact is, and how present it is in the overall sound. Lifting the mid-bass can be quite fun, as it increases the sense of rhythm resulting in a more dynamic sound. For this reason, it is commonly enhanced in entry-level IEMs.
The mid-bass however also plays an important role in determining the overall warmth of the sound. Increasing the bass will generally result in a warmer tone, although the outcome depends on the combination with the treble.
For instance, Ares II has the classic warm bass of a copper cable. However, Leonidas II equally provides an impactful mid-bass although its tone is brighter – this is because the treble energy balances out the warmth of the bass.
The upper-bass not only provides warmth to the overall tone but adds more body to the midrange, which creates a thicker sound. Especially male vocals and grungy guitars in rock music will sound fuller. However, the upper-bass tends to produce an abundance of warm air that spreads throughout the soundstage. Too much of this warm air affects the transparency; there is a veil in front of the music that obscures finer detail. Sound engineers therefore often tend to cut the upper-bass to create a cleaner sound with better separation.
A simple example of the effect of adding more mid- and upper-bass to the mix is the ‘plus’ versions of Ares II and Thor II. This not only provides a warmer, fuller and smoother sound that appeals to true bass enthusiasts. The tradeoff however is a bit of transparency and separation.
So, does bass just come down to preference, or can bass be objectively worse or better?
Both. The total quantity of bass will always come down to preference, but there are properties that determine its objective quality. A good bass has:
-Good bottom-end extension: meaning the sub-bass reaches deep enough to give a visceral sensation.
-Control: the mid-bass is impactful, but does not, or minimally, affect the rest of the sound.
-Resolution: bass lines can be clearly identified. Cables with higher resolution such as Code 51 will generally also allow you to hear more detailed bass lines.
-Speed: a quicker bass will result in more clear definition of individual bass-notes, as well as minimize the impact on the overall sound.
To analyze the bass, compare 2 iems or cables and listen for yourself:
-Can you feel the impact of the beat, not just hear it?
-How big is the beat?
-How warm is the overall tone?
-How full do male vocals sound? Is there a thickness that adds body to the sound?
This will give you an indication of the properties of the bass.
Example
When comparing Ares II with Maestro, Ares II has more mid-bass quantity. This results in a warmer tone and slightly thicker body of the midrange. Due to the leaner mid-bass of the Maestro, it is overall a bit cooler in tone, while having a cleaner sound with more clarity. This is because the bass does not add as much warmth and thickness to the sound.
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Yes I think it will be shared on the EA page as well
Kiats
Headphoneus Supremus
That would be unusual cos most places are still open as per normal. It's the dining scene that has taken a hit cos currently you can only have parties of 2.There isn’t much in the way of info about this, but it appears this is the same cable used with Dita’s flagship, the Dream XLS.
Unlike the Oslo cable that came with the S.K, the XLS is highly flexible.
Actually, Dita’s website hasn’t really changed much for a long while, makes me wonder if they are on hiatus due to the increase in Covid infections in Singapore.
Ah, I see. I did read a recent news article that covid cases had risen recently, and the US added Singapore to its list of restricted flights.
proedros
Headphoneus Supremus
Nic , we want you to do a 2nd TOTL shootout
KuroKitsu
Headphoneus Supremus
He might not have a choice and ends up doing an Effect Audio TOTL shootout
Wildcatsare1
Headphoneus Supremus
Strap on an EVO, LX, Rhapsodio, choose your bass cannon, and cue this up!
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Well, I'd like to do unspeakable things to Kate Upton. You guess which of the two is more likely to happen
As tempting as it is to lock myself up in a room for 6 months again doing unpaid work, I kinda enjoy earning money now to pay for my mortgage and food and stuff. You know, the simple things in life.
But in all seriousness, there is generally an expiration date on how long you can do this (unless you have some kind of business model). My time has past, just like average_joe, ljokerl and jelt2359 before me. Now it's time for the next generation to stand up, you should be petitioning them
-Nic
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