[twister6]

If you miniaturize your cell phone, but it only works with a 10kg battery, do you even need to test it with the big battery to know it's an unfinished product? Like you said, because of price and lack of real utility, these should remain a curiosity.

Wait, I'm sure Rudy will order a pair

 

[Mimouille]

Wait, I'm sure Rudy will order a pair

He just needs to sell two interconnects.

 

[Deezel177]

First of all I don't see how you read his post this way. I read it as "this market is so far overcharging and underdelivering", but slowly trying new directions so there is a little bit of hope (I might be wrong).

I honestly remain unimpressed by 80% of what is coming out and quite jaded by the hype around any new product.

Since I first had my SE5, nothing really floored me apart from the KSE1500, and to a lesser extent some Tralucent stuff. I am honestly more impressed by how big the 200$ AAW Q sounds at this size and price than by the AAW900, or many other TOTL I have heard.

I haven't been been impressed by any source since my Dx100, apart from LPG and to a lesser extent the WM1Z and AK380. I owned the overhyped Hugo and found it lacking dynamics, prefer the Mojo.

I am super annoyed and shocked when people say a 800$ iem is entry and performs well for the price.

I think that apart from a few brands, maybe less than ten, most brands are mostly innovative in finding news ways to take our money, and the religious zeal with which their fans will defend these brands at all costs is like finding yourself in a bad remake of The Handmaiden.

I honestly still love the game for the 20% that is worth it, but the amount of BS, fake hype and self congratulations is sometimes vomit inducing, which might be one of the reasons most of the people I used to see around these parts 5 or 6 years ago are nowhere to be seen.

Call me an optimist.

He just needs to sell two interconnects.

 

[flinkenick]

Speaking of value-oriented, price-to-performance IEMs...

Custom Art FIBAE 3 - Through The Looking Glass

​

You're absolutely killing it Daniel!! I'm even learning new words when I read your reviews

-edit-
This gif seems more suitable here. This guy also seems like a cross between Mim and I hehe.

 

[Deezel177]

Excellent review ,

You're absolutely killing it Daniel!! I'm even learning new words when I read your reviews

-edit-
This gif seems more suitable here. This guy also seems like a cross between Mim and I hehe.

Thanks so much, guys. All love.

 

[Wyville]

Speaking of value-oriented, price-to-performance IEMs...

Custom Art FIBAE 3 - Through The Looking Glass

​

My brain seems to be malfunctioning at the moment and is not in optimal reading condition, so I will have to catch up on that later. Luckily though there was much joy to be had from just looking at the very, very pretty pictures! (I remember you commenting on the challenge of making them, excellent work!)

 

[Kerouac]

Speaking of value-oriented, price-to-performance IEMs...

Custom Art FIBAE 3 - Through The Looking Glass

​

What an amazing (well written) review! And what a beautiful 'kick-ass, futuristic' design

Btw, I almost posted a review myself (for the first time in years) today.
But (probably because of your high level of writing skills) I got a sudden attack of stage fright

 

[jeffhawke]

Interesting points raised. Currently spending a few weeks with the flagship from the guys over at NCM for a review (the Bella), and been corresponding with their main guy Thomas. The more time I spend with it, the more I'm of the impression it can definitely hang with the top tier IEMs I've heard, and packs in some pretty good stats to compare with the current top end hybrid market (1DD, 8BAs and steel sound tubes to control resonance).

I could quite easily see this going for a much higher price, but it was refreshing to hear that they are pricing it just over the $1000 mark, and looking to avoid using dealers at the moment to try and keep the price low for their domestic customers in Vietnam. Now, $1000+ is still one hell of a chunk of change unless you run a hedge fund in your spare time, but it is nice to know there are some manufacturers out there who are trying to keep things in perspective pricewise when setting the cost of their models (I include EE, Custom Art etc in that list too).

It would be very interesting also to get impressions on NCM's entry level hybrid DB3, and how their $300 price relates to the SQ.

 

[jeffhawke]

A-freakin'-men. I hope more people in this hobby can understand this very important concept. It may start out as a turd and you may polish it all you like with your fancy amps and DACs, but you can't deny what it really is.

In Naples, where I had the chance of living for some years, they have a wonderful sweet called "rum baba", which is substantially a small sponge cake laced with syrup and a generous amount of rum. From this descends a popular local saying: "You may pour all the rum you want, a turd never turns into a baba"

 

[jeffhawke]

First of all I don't see how you read his post this way. I read it as "this market is so far overcharging and underdelivering", but slowly trying new directions so there is a little bit of hope (I might be wrong).

I honestly remain unimpressed by 80% of what is coming out and quite jaded by the hype around any new product.

Since I first had my SE5, nothing really floored me apart from the KSE1500, and to a lesser extent some Tralucent stuff. I am honestly more impressed by how big the 200$ AAW Q sounds at this size and price than by the AAW900, or many other TOTL I have heard.

I haven't been been impressed by any source since my Dx100, apart from LPG and to a lesser extent the WM1Z and AK380. I owned the overhyped Hugo and found it lacking dynamics, prefer the Mojo.

I am super annoyed and shocked when people say a 800$ iem is entry and performs well for the price.

I think that apart from a few brands, maybe less than ten, most brands are mostly innovative in finding news ways to take our money, and the religious zeal with which their fans will defend these brands at all costs is like finding yourself in a bad remake of The Handmaiden.

I honestly still love the game for the 20% that is worth it, but the amount of BS, fake hype and self congratulations is sometimes vomit inducing, which might be one of the reasons most of the people I used to see around these parts 5 or 6 years ago are nowhere to be seen.

For when you need to come up for air: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1948235105492741/?ref=group_header

 

[fuhransahis]

Had to miss CanJam NYC due to unfortunate circumstances (all turned out well in the end).

Never had a CIEM before, but based on all the impressions and signature descriptions, I have a custom Phantom on order, went in blind by never owning a CIEM nor getting a chance to demo the Phantom.

But it's ok cause @flinkenick said he'd post his entirely new flagship IEM shootout by end of day Friday (tomorrow) if I don't like it

 

[Deezel177]

My brain seems to be malfunctioning at the moment and is not in optimal reading condition, so I will have to catch up on that later. Luckily though there was much joy to be had from just looking at the very, very pretty pictures! (I remember you commenting on the challenge of making them, excellent work!)

Thanks, man! Get well soon.

What an amazing (well written) review! And what a beautiful 'kick-ass, futuristic' design

Btw, I almost posted a review myself (for the first time in years) today.
But (probably because of your high level of writing skills) I got a sudden attack of stage fright

Appreciate it, bud. Looking forward to that review.

 

[Wyville]

Thanks, man! Get well soon.

A cup of strong coffee this morning and catching up on the review. It is like reading the morning newspaper, except this is obviously much more important stuff.

I agree with Nic... Dang, that is a great review! You keep improving every time and before long companies will be falling over themselves to get their products reviewed by Daniel, the Master Wordsmith. (If they haven't caught on already.)

 

[flinkenick]

Had to miss CanJam NYC due to unfortunate circumstances (all turned out well in the end).

Never had a CIEM before, but based on all the impressions and signature descriptions, I have a custom Phantom on order, went in blind by never owning a CIEM nor getting a chance to demo the Phantom.

But it's ok cause @flinkenick said he'd post his entirely new flagship IEM shootout by end of day Friday (tomorrow) if I don't like it

I was looking out for you on Sunday, asked a few times if you had dropped by. Maybe next time

I'm honored man, but TBH also pretty surprised. Thought you leaned towards the basshead category, and you recently posted BA bass didn't do it for you? Phantom has good bass, but it's still BA bass nonetheless. Would have expected that the Legend was the one for you(?)

 

[Deezel177]

A cup of strong coffee this morning and catching up on the review. It is like reading the morning newspaper, except this is obviously much more important stuff.

I agree with Nic... Dang, that is a great review! You keep improving every time and before long companies will be falling over themselves to get their products reviewed by Daniel, the Master Wordsmith. (If they haven't caught on already.)

Appreciate it, man! Funnily enough, Thesaurus.com is my second most-opened site after Head-Fi.