flinkenick's 17 Flagship IEM Shootout Thread (and general high-end portable audio discussion)
Perhaps I was just unlucky, glad to read about your experience.
And I agree, the final removal tool is so sweet!
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Great recommendations, man! While you're at it, you should also check out KIYO*SEN. They're another Japanese, all-female, jazz duo, and the name is a portmanteau of its two members' names: Kiyomi Otaka on keys and Senri Kawaguchi on drums. Both have prodigal, prodigal levels of skill, and their arrangements are always riveting. Here's a live performance of one of my favourite tracks of theirs, Ladies Talk, featuring an awesome female bassist as well:
And, here's a video of Senri playing the tune solo on Drumeo's channel with much better audio, which remains one of my absolute favourite drum performances of all-time:
I was fortunate enough to see her perform live at Java Jazz 2020 with the Japanese band T-SQUARE, literally the week before the whole country went into lockdown. It was an electric experience, and she really does hit that hard.
If you want examples of some more jazz-funk tunes that highlight the bass, you should check out Dirty Loops and Cory Wong's Turbo project. The bassist, Henrik Linder, is another world-class talent:
This track from the same project literally starts with the bass:
And, speaking of Cory Wong, Sonny Thompson's bass performance on his track, Massive, is incredibly delicious as well:
Some prodigious talent in those videos indeed! I've seen Cory Wong's Turbo project on some videos you've posted previously.
In the video you posted today, I really feel the guitarist looks like he's going to end up with Repetitive Strain Injury in his strumming hand
That Senri is quite remarkable too. I should have mentioned as well that all the musicians in the videos I posted are exceptionally good, not only the bass player
YouTube does a wonderful job of making me feel like I had a mis-spent youth. So many children, teens and young adults with stunning talent.
I just wanted to play with Lego as a child lol. Now I can play guitar a bit (and do hope to keep improving), but such fretboard acrobatics as are on these videos are well beyond reach, at least for now. I live in hope though!
Having said that, if you ever need a quad-sized Lego spaceship with rotating gun-turrets, I'm your man
Oh, for sure. My friends and I often joke that Cory Wong’s right hand is probably all cartilage at this point, just like Joe Dart’s neck.Some prodigious talent in those videos indeed! I've seen Cory Wong's Turbo project on some videos you've posted previously.
In the video you posted today, I really feel the guitarist looks like he's going to end up with Repetitive Strain Injury in his strumming hand
That Senri is quite remarkable too. I should have mentioned as well that all the musicians in the videos I posted are exceptionally good, not only the bass player
YouTube does a wonderful job of making me feel like I had a mis-spent youth. So many children, teens and young adults with stunning talent.
I just wanted to play with Lego as a child lol. Now I can play guitar a bit (and do hope to keep improving), but such fretboard acrobatics as are on these videos are well beyond reach, at least for now. I live in hope though!
Having said that, if you ever need a quad-sized Lego spaceship with rotating gun-turrets, I'm your man
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The best audio gears from Hong Kong.
The best audio gears from Hong Kong.
How is FT with Jewel compared to stock?
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FT creates a more organic midrange. I feel there is a thicker presentation. Bass has improved rumble. Treble is a tad smoother. I love it.
Sabre2
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How FT compare to your Brise cable ?The best audio gears from Hong Kong.
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I will take FT over Brise for both SQ & ergonomics. FT is way more musical than Brise. More organic and smoother. Brise Asuha on the other hand is thinner sounding with better micro details.
tawmizzzz
1000+ Head-Fier
Cross-posting from the VE thread. I decide to take more of an anecdotal, humorous, and relatable take on exploring EXT rather than going super technical-an approach that I think EXT's character embodies itself.
Vision Ears Elysium EXT:
Intro:
For those slapping each other (too soon, Will?) over hearing the EXT differently, I can't say I am totally surprised. IMHO, EXT is a variable IEM that can shift tonalities rather drastically depending on: a. source; b. DAP/DAC/AMP, and c. cable.
Variability:
I went through a rollercoaster of impressions, starting with:
1. "The AirPod Pros legit might be more technical than the EXT. This sounds great, and highly musical but why is there no imaging?"
EXT from SP2000 CU + Stock cable
2. "Well, winter came early. There goes the warmth-transients are crisp, and this is far less euphoric than the SP2000"
EXT from iDSD Pro Signature Solid State + 1960 4W cable
3. "Jesus Christ-a desktop hybrid solid-state + tube AMP trulyyyyy makes these babies sing"
EXT from Wells Audio Dragon L2 + 1960 4W cable
For skeptics that DAPs/cables don’t change much, EXT is one of the IEMs that’ll likely stand the best chance of challenging that notion.
Core Sound:
And after spending the better of 6 months in the desktop world, my EXTpectations of EXT were rather low. But after just 5 minutes of listening, EXT welcomed me with a warm and charismatic, musical listen---one where I am not tempted to dissect nor analyze because it just does enough there to be interesting, while remaining euphoric. Consider me EXTcited.
Variability aside, EXT’s core essence consists of a U-shape tonality with a warm, thick bass response where the midbass thickness slightly overshadows the subbass. There is excellent rumble and punch for when the track asks for it.
Mids are a bit recessed, but you know what, they sound GREAT. Vocals are sweet, both male and female, and instruments are vivid. Texture is great. There is nothing I hate more than a blank canvas of a note without the intricate details between the leading and ending edges. VE is the still king of mids behind Rhapsodio for me.
Treble is good. Crisp, fast, airy but never fatiguing. Not forward, but not tons of upper treble. Good bite to keep engagement in the higher registries such as with cymbals.
Synergies + technicalities:
Stock cable compliments EXT’s tonality nicely with a warmer, more musical listen. I found myself bobbing my head and tapping my feet more than I typically do with my other gear-an excellent way to unwind at 2am when I should already be in bed. But it surely does no favors for its ability to image. Yes there is great soundstage width and a touch of depth, but if you tasked me to pinpoint where everything is coming from, I’d probably have more luck trying to pin a tail on a poster of a donkey with a blindfold on. Instruments just somewhat blend together without a pinpoint location on the stage. For me, this is just the tradeoff of a dynamic driver; strong texture, good dynamics but generally not able to be as technically proficient as well-implemented BAs/planars.
However, with a bit of cable swapping & power, technicalities do increase. 1960 4W cable adds the blacker background with touch more crisp transients, and a bit tighter bass response. Not my favorite pairing but a solid alternative. (I actually really like the stock cable synergy for EXT). I found EXT a bit too bright/unengaging from iDSD Pro Signature, and for fun, tried it off my desktop Wells Audio Dragon L2 AMP and viola this pairing took the engaging warmth of the SP2000 and added a holographic, airy staging with improved imaging. Bass rumbled with the Dragon’s addicting typical liquidity.
Conclusion:
EXT is BEXT. (Okay, not as catchy as ‘MEST is BEST’). I genuinely love well done U-shaped IEMs (Z1R, EXT) especially when they tend to prioritize musicality and engagement without obsessing too much about microdetail and layering. It is a pleasant tonality when I am at work and just want to listen, and enjoy what I am listening to without obsessing over whether the piano key is pressed at the right speed at the far upper right corner.
That being said, EXT will go as far as you feed it, scaling more efficiently than most other TOTL IEMs I have heard. Yet, even when paired with modest DAPs and stock cable, is a fun IEM. I can’t recommend it as a blind buy as it is so variable and it’s a rather colored tuning, but I can easily recommend it as a must-demo. Well done VE! I can’t wait for what is nEXT.
TL;DR: EXT is a chameleon. It can be highly musical without shoving technicalities in your face-or if you feed it some 'roids, you can get both. If you want an easy-listen, toe-tapping, textured listen, the futuristic-take-on-Barney-the-purple-dinosaur IEM is legit.
Vision Ears Elysium EXT:
Intro:
For those slapping each other (too soon, Will?) over hearing the EXT differently, I can't say I am totally surprised. IMHO, EXT is a variable IEM that can shift tonalities rather drastically depending on: a. source; b. DAP/DAC/AMP, and c. cable.
Variability:
I went through a rollercoaster of impressions, starting with:
1. "The AirPod Pros legit might be more technical than the EXT. This sounds great, and highly musical but why is there no imaging?"
EXT from SP2000 CU + Stock cable
2. "Well, winter came early. There goes the warmth-transients are crisp, and this is far less euphoric than the SP2000"
EXT from iDSD Pro Signature Solid State + 1960 4W cable
3. "Jesus Christ-a desktop hybrid solid-state + tube AMP trulyyyyy makes these babies sing"
EXT from Wells Audio Dragon L2 + 1960 4W cable
For skeptics that DAPs/cables don’t change much, EXT is one of the IEMs that’ll likely stand the best chance of challenging that notion.
Core Sound:
And after spending the better of 6 months in the desktop world, my EXTpectations of EXT were rather low. But after just 5 minutes of listening, EXT welcomed me with a warm and charismatic, musical listen---one where I am not tempted to dissect nor analyze because it just does enough there to be interesting, while remaining euphoric. Consider me EXTcited.
Variability aside, EXT’s core essence consists of a U-shape tonality with a warm, thick bass response where the midbass thickness slightly overshadows the subbass. There is excellent rumble and punch for when the track asks for it.
Mids are a bit recessed, but you know what, they sound GREAT. Vocals are sweet, both male and female, and instruments are vivid. Texture is great. There is nothing I hate more than a blank canvas of a note without the intricate details between the leading and ending edges. VE is the still king of mids behind Rhapsodio for me.
Treble is good. Crisp, fast, airy but never fatiguing. Not forward, but not tons of upper treble. Good bite to keep engagement in the higher registries such as with cymbals.
Synergies + technicalities:
Stock cable compliments EXT’s tonality nicely with a warmer, more musical listen. I found myself bobbing my head and tapping my feet more than I typically do with my other gear-an excellent way to unwind at 2am when I should already be in bed. But it surely does no favors for its ability to image. Yes there is great soundstage width and a touch of depth, but if you tasked me to pinpoint where everything is coming from, I’d probably have more luck trying to pin a tail on a poster of a donkey with a blindfold on. Instruments just somewhat blend together without a pinpoint location on the stage. For me, this is just the tradeoff of a dynamic driver; strong texture, good dynamics but generally not able to be as technically proficient as well-implemented BAs/planars.
However, with a bit of cable swapping & power, technicalities do increase. 1960 4W cable adds the blacker background with touch more crisp transients, and a bit tighter bass response. Not my favorite pairing but a solid alternative. (I actually really like the stock cable synergy for EXT). I found EXT a bit too bright/unengaging from iDSD Pro Signature, and for fun, tried it off my desktop Wells Audio Dragon L2 AMP and viola this pairing took the engaging warmth of the SP2000 and added a holographic, airy staging with improved imaging. Bass rumbled with the Dragon’s addicting typical liquidity.
Conclusion:
EXT is BEXT. (Okay, not as catchy as ‘MEST is BEST’). I genuinely love well done U-shaped IEMs (Z1R, EXT) especially when they tend to prioritize musicality and engagement without obsessing too much about microdetail and layering. It is a pleasant tonality when I am at work and just want to listen, and enjoy what I am listening to without obsessing over whether the piano key is pressed at the right speed at the far upper right corner.
That being said, EXT will go as far as you feed it, scaling more efficiently than most other TOTL IEMs I have heard. Yet, even when paired with modest DAPs and stock cable, is a fun IEM. I can’t recommend it as a blind buy as it is so variable and it’s a rather colored tuning, but I can easily recommend it as a must-demo. Well done VE! I can’t wait for what is nEXT.
TL;DR: EXT is a chameleon. It can be highly musical without shoving technicalities in your face-or if you feed it some 'roids, you can get both. If you want an easy-listen, toe-tapping, textured listen, the futuristic-take-on-Barney-the-purple-dinosaur IEM is legit.
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tawmizzzz
1000+ Head-Fier
Finally got ahold of the mesmerizing blue Jewel! I will need a few more days to finalize impressions (especially as I directly A/B against the Traillii). But in the meantime, I can easily say that this is a summit-fi IEM that reminds me a bit of over-ear headphones. I know Traillii gets a lot of the "mini-susvsara" hype, which I get from its' general effortless and charming tonality, but I do feel Jewel is even more alike, mainly in the linear bass response (which punches when asked for) and clarity-focused sound (while blending musicality) signature it goes for.
Jewel is more source sensitive for sure, and the stock cable does it no justice. I do wish I had more high-end cables, but the 1960 4W works well in the meantime. Jewel also scales excellently on desktop gear, noticeably in how deep the bass goes (thank you crystal eartips) and the space in-between notes. Sounds impeccable off the Wells Audio Dragon L2 AMP.
More to come later
Greetings, everyone, and Happy CanJam SG Weekend! I hope those attending have a great time trying out some awesome, awesome gear. Sadly, for the first time since the event’s conception, I’m not able to attend myself. So, I’ll be waiting in the wings like all of you for the impressions and pics that will surely come through. To make up for that, though, over the next few days, I’ll be writing about some of the pieces that will be making an appearance at the show, the first of which is a new flagship - launching today - from a brand so near-and-dear to my heart: The Lime Ears Anima.
The Anima is a 13-driver tri-brid, and it takes the title further than anything I’ve seen in the past. Rather than your usual [DD low + BA mid + EST high] formula, the Anima’s is [DD and BA low + BA mid + BA and EST high]. Accompanying that config are a 6-way crossover, an acoustically-shaped, gradually-patina’ing, pure-silver nozzle, and big, shimmering, acrylic resin enclosures. They make for hefty IEMs for sure, but they’re manageable if you don’t mind a little weight. The stock cable, by the way, features graphene-coated SPC wires from none other than @doctorjuggles, himself, finished with gorgeously-matching hardware from Viking Weave Cables, pics of which will be on my final review.
Now, to cover sound, it’s worth taking a trip all the way back to the very first CanJam SG in 2016. (See how I’m keeping in theme here?) That was where Lime Ears founder, Emil Stolecki, as a speaker on the Custom IEMs panel, revealed the main inspiration behind his IEMs: Far-field monitors or loudspeakers. It was fairly audible spatially or positionally on his flagship Aether at the time, but it had a ways to go in resolution (or tactility) and extension.
To me, the Anima is a near-ideal realisation of that philosophy. Like most of Emil’s other in-ears, it carries a coherent, neutral-natural sig, with colourations we’ll touch on below. And, presentationally, it carries a lot of elements one’s sure to find in loudspeakers. It’s got a vast, towering stage with instruments just as tall. Then, it positions them not with the micro-precision or rigidity, one might say, of IEMs, but with a bit of a spread to them. It’s evident in how they come into frame too. Instead of popping in from darkness, the Anima’s notes swing into the air around you; a smoother approach that isn’t as hard-edged or aggressive. Razor-sharp definition is still maintained, though; the work of a unique top-end.
As I said several posts ago, the Anima’s hybridised treble shows off a lot of character, combining the tactile glitz of BAs with the light, ethereal mist of ESTs. The result is a treble that, while not elevated - it dips a bit from 6 to 8kHz, in fact - simply attracts attention through the clarity and air it brings. It lends the in-ear more headroom than it’ll probably ever need, it gives instruments big amounts of openness, and it highlights the tiniest of nuances ultra-effectively. It’s not the ideal IEM if you want less of that definition when you’re, say, listening to 50’s or 60’s records, and you want that dulled, rolled-off sound. But, if you’re a stickler for detail, then this is probably the most you’ll get from an in-ear this relatively-natural in colour.
This natural tonality first comes from its low-end, and what a low-end it is. It’s a lightly-lifted bottom-end that, as I say on my review, makes the absolute best of its hybridised design. The DD delivers endless extension for a solid, weighted thump, and the BAs complement that with a tone to match. DD woofers can sometimes get criticised for being felt and not heard, so this’s what the BAs are here for. From one acoustic kick drum to the next, or one electronic kick sample to the other, you’re able to hear their individual, identifying tonalities, or colours, or sounds. This adds a lot of character to what could’ve been anonymous, generic thumps, and it’s one of the Anima’s strongest suits for me. The DD also has a focused, precise hit, so it slams even at lower volumes. I use a pretty sick analogy to describe this on my review, so stay tuned for that.
The midrange treads that line between clean and organic fairly well, to my ears. It has the standard, linear climb from around 800Hz to 3kHz. But, because it’s a steady, concave rise, it does pick up a lot of low- and centre-mid energy to properly support its high-mid peak. Instruments are sufficiently rounded and hefty, which they’re allowed to be given the amount of air the treble provides. So, just in terms of colour, they strike those organic, analog notes with ease. For me, they’re a bit weaker in solidity or texture than an in-ear like the EXT, where the grit of its DD really comes through. But, it does exceed your typical BA in dynamic range (or explosiveness) and resolution. So, it’s only that last touch of vividness that it misses out on. Otherwise, it’s a nicely-resonant, sweet-sounding midrange with that cross-feed-like spread you’re sure to find on far-fields.
So, those are my broader thoughts on Lime Ears’ flagship Anima. It’s a huge-sounding in-ear that, much like its maker, doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s got a bit of a kick to it, as well as a lavishness to its imaging. But, I think it’ll be one of those that those who love will really, really love. I look forward to reading impressions from those who'll get to hear it tomorrow at CanJam, and look out for my full review coming in a week or two’s time, featuring comparisons against - I can say with confidence - its peers, like the one’s above. Cheers!
Also… look out for this bad boy’s long, long, long-overdue review tomorrow on THL.
The Anima is a 13-driver tri-brid, and it takes the title further than anything I’ve seen in the past. Rather than your usual [DD low + BA mid + EST high] formula, the Anima’s is [DD and BA low + BA mid + BA and EST high]. Accompanying that config are a 6-way crossover, an acoustically-shaped, gradually-patina’ing, pure-silver nozzle, and big, shimmering, acrylic resin enclosures. They make for hefty IEMs for sure, but they’re manageable if you don’t mind a little weight. The stock cable, by the way, features graphene-coated SPC wires from none other than @doctorjuggles, himself, finished with gorgeously-matching hardware from Viking Weave Cables, pics of which will be on my final review.
Now, to cover sound, it’s worth taking a trip all the way back to the very first CanJam SG in 2016. (See how I’m keeping in theme here?) That was where Lime Ears founder, Emil Stolecki, as a speaker on the Custom IEMs panel, revealed the main inspiration behind his IEMs: Far-field monitors or loudspeakers. It was fairly audible spatially or positionally on his flagship Aether at the time, but it had a ways to go in resolution (or tactility) and extension.
To me, the Anima is a near-ideal realisation of that philosophy. Like most of Emil’s other in-ears, it carries a coherent, neutral-natural sig, with colourations we’ll touch on below. And, presentationally, it carries a lot of elements one’s sure to find in loudspeakers. It’s got a vast, towering stage with instruments just as tall. Then, it positions them not with the micro-precision or rigidity, one might say, of IEMs, but with a bit of a spread to them. It’s evident in how they come into frame too. Instead of popping in from darkness, the Anima’s notes swing into the air around you; a smoother approach that isn’t as hard-edged or aggressive. Razor-sharp definition is still maintained, though; the work of a unique top-end.
As I said several posts ago, the Anima’s hybridised treble shows off a lot of character, combining the tactile glitz of BAs with the light, ethereal mist of ESTs. The result is a treble that, while not elevated - it dips a bit from 6 to 8kHz, in fact - simply attracts attention through the clarity and air it brings. It lends the in-ear more headroom than it’ll probably ever need, it gives instruments big amounts of openness, and it highlights the tiniest of nuances ultra-effectively. It’s not the ideal IEM if you want less of that definition when you’re, say, listening to 50’s or 60’s records, and you want that dulled, rolled-off sound. But, if you’re a stickler for detail, then this is probably the most you’ll get from an in-ear this relatively-natural in colour.
This natural tonality first comes from its low-end, and what a low-end it is. It’s a lightly-lifted bottom-end that, as I say on my review, makes the absolute best of its hybridised design. The DD delivers endless extension for a solid, weighted thump, and the BAs complement that with a tone to match. DD woofers can sometimes get criticised for being felt and not heard, so this’s what the BAs are here for. From one acoustic kick drum to the next, or one electronic kick sample to the other, you’re able to hear their individual, identifying tonalities, or colours, or sounds. This adds a lot of character to what could’ve been anonymous, generic thumps, and it’s one of the Anima’s strongest suits for me. The DD also has a focused, precise hit, so it slams even at lower volumes. I use a pretty sick analogy to describe this on my review, so stay tuned for that.
The midrange treads that line between clean and organic fairly well, to my ears. It has the standard, linear climb from around 800Hz to 3kHz. But, because it’s a steady, concave rise, it does pick up a lot of low- and centre-mid energy to properly support its high-mid peak. Instruments are sufficiently rounded and hefty, which they’re allowed to be given the amount of air the treble provides. So, just in terms of colour, they strike those organic, analog notes with ease. For me, they’re a bit weaker in solidity or texture than an in-ear like the EXT, where the grit of its DD really comes through. But, it does exceed your typical BA in dynamic range (or explosiveness) and resolution. So, it’s only that last touch of vividness that it misses out on. Otherwise, it’s a nicely-resonant, sweet-sounding midrange with that cross-feed-like spread you’re sure to find on far-fields.
So, those are my broader thoughts on Lime Ears’ flagship Anima. It’s a huge-sounding in-ear that, much like its maker, doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s got a bit of a kick to it, as well as a lavishness to its imaging. But, I think it’ll be one of those that those who love will really, really love. I look forward to reading impressions from those who'll get to hear it tomorrow at CanJam, and look out for my full review coming in a week or two’s time, featuring comparisons against - I can say with confidence - its peers, like the one’s above. Cheers!
Also… look out for this bad boy’s long, long, long-overdue review tomorrow on THL.
Might be the prettiest IEMs I've seen in a while, but that's my color bias showing. And super hype to hear the collab with Dr Juggles! Those splitters on the cables are absolutely beautiful too.
KuroKitsu
Headphoneus Supremus
Lime Ears really jumped the driver count this time 
As promised, my full-length Vision Ears EXT review is now live on THL! Head over to their thread for the link to the full review, and I hope you all enjoy it, as always.
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