flinkenick's 17 Flagship IEM Shootout Thread (and general high-end portable audio discussion)

[subguy812]

Really digging these, especially at the price point.

 

[Mimouille]

Really digging these, especially at the price point.

The 1.8k price point?

 

[subguy812]

The 1.8k price point?

Yes, meaning they do have a TOTL signature, to my ears, and aren't 2-4K, which is really the norm these days.

By the way, while I am more scarce these days, it is a long time since I have seen you.

 

[Mimouille]

Yes, meaning they do have a TOTL signature, to my ears, and aren't 2-4K, which is really the norm these days.

By the way, while I am more scarce these days, it is a long time since I have seen you.

Yes got bored with the industry and the hobby, came back to take a peak! I feel they we shouldn't normalize the ridiculous prices. Anything above 1k should sound at the top to me

 

[Onurb8690]

Really digging these, especially at the price point.

What is the model?

Another question, do you have the EM10? How do you think the model looks and behaves compared to everything else on the market at the moment?

 

[subguy812]

Yes got bored with the industry and the hobby, came back to take a peak! I feel they we shouldn't normalize the ridiculous prices. Anything above 1k should sound at the top to me

Agreed.... unfortunately the industry has gone this direction. That is why I feel the Triton is a good purchase. It isn't 1K or under, but it has top tier sound at under 2K.

What is the model?

Empire Ears Triton

Another question, do you have the EM10? How do you think the model looks and behaves compared to everything else on the market at the moment?

Considering the EM10 is at least 7 years old, I still occasionally enjoy the signature, there is just better technology out there now. It is long in the tooth at this point, but it is custom and I enjoy it.

 

[Rockwell75]

Yes got bored with the industry and the hobby, came back to take a peak! I feel they we shouldn't normalize the ridiculous prices. Anything above 1k should sound at the top to me

Check out the CFA Clara if you're so inclined. That's the sub $2k (and some might say well beyond that) IEM to beat at the moment.

 

[subguy812]

Check out the CFA Clara if you're so inclined. That's the sub $2k (and some might say well beyond that) IEM to beat at the moment.

Just barely eeked in there at $1999, which does classify it as a sub 2K IEM.

 

[magicguy]

Yes got bored with the industry and the hobby, came back to take a peak! I feel they we shouldn't normalize the ridiculous prices. Anything above 1k should sound at the top to me

Welcome back @Mimouille

 

[Saraugie]

Hi Mimouille nice to see you, last pm 2/13 was about Tralucent Audio 1plus2. Doesn't seem that long!

 

[Mimouille]

Hi Mimouille nice to see you, last pm 2/13 was about Tralucent Audio 1plus2. Doesn't seem that long!

Yes but feels like another time still

 

[mythosaur]

Yes got bored with the industry and the hobby, came back to take a peak! I feel they we shouldn't normalize the ridiculous prices. Anything above 1k should sound at the top to me

Yes, I agree! Below is the list of 5 best IEM's I've heard so far (from best to worse, but still very good SQ, IMHO). Notice the price difference between some of them and not to mention driver count difference.
In my experience and from what I've heard price doesn't always correspond directly to TOTL sound and there are exceptions, fortunately.
I wonder how CFA Clara sounds and if it's not yet another hyped IEM. Especially since I'm a fan of Alessandro Cortini and going to a gig soon.

My subjective list of 5 best IEM's I've heard so far:

1) Spiral Ear SE6 Nebula custom: EUR 2999 (outside EU)/EUR 3689 (EU)
2) SE5 Nebula custom: EUR 1579 (outside EU)/EUR 1943 (EU)
3) Elysian Annihilator 2023: EUR 3395
4) Subtonic Audio Storm: EUR 5045
5) APX SE: EUR 5500

 

[proedros]

buying a custom Hidition NT6 for just 700 euros has really spoiled me

8 years of music bliss for such little (relatively speaking for this place) money

really spoiled

 

[toranku]

Yes, I agree! Below is the list of 5 best IEM's I've heard so far (from best to worse, but still very good SQ, IMHO). Notice the price difference between some of them and not to mention driver count difference.
In my experience and from what I've heard price doesn't always correspond directly to TOTL sound and there are exceptions, fortunately.
I wonder how CFA Clara sounds and if it's not yet another hyped IEM. Especially since I'm a fan of Alessandro Cortini and going to a gig soon.

My subjective list of 5 best IEM's I've heard so far:

1) Spiral Ear SE6 Nebula custom: EUR 2999 (outside EU)/EUR 3689 (EU)
2) SE5 Nebula custom: EUR 1579 (outside EU)/EUR 1943 (EU)
3) Elysian Annihilator 2023: EUR 3395
4) Subtonic Audio Storm: EUR 5045
5) APX SE: EUR 5500

Cant wait to get my ears on an SE6 Nebula! I've just heard the SE5 Nebula on their universal variant, and wow the quality of its transients is really good. Heaps of dynamics.

 

[Mimouille]

buying a custom Hidition NT6 for just 700 euros has really spoiled me

8 years of music bliss for such little (relatively speaking for this place) money

really spoiled

Still one of the best IEMs I have owned. Needs a slightly warm source in my opinion.