But enough about religion eh, lol.
flinkenick's 17 Flagship IEM Shootout Thread (and general high-end portable audio discussion)
But enough about religion eh, lol.
audionewbi
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Jan 24, 2010
- Posts
- 10,603
- Likes
- 6,037
HUM reference impression:
After many emailing backward and forward I finally purchased a unit of HUM reference. It wasn‘t for my lack of trying, no, far from it. When all hope was lost, I received a reply to one of the many emails I sent to HUM customer service, in which they offered me a discount and apologizes for the delayed in responding to my emails.
I first got to know about HUM when I read about their HUM Prisitine IEM. Their design philosophy, which is less is more intrigued me. Called it smart marketing, or whatever, it was enough for me to make my HUM Pristine my first CIEM. I waited three months for my IEM to be ready, yes they take as long as Fitear, if not more. It arrived, I liked it, a lot, but I had fit issues which meant I never had time to test and review it properly. I was too lazy to send it back, and ever since then I realised getting a custom IEM just is too much effort, and added with my weird ear canal, I never took notice of my Prisitine.
I did try the comply CIEM wraps, which improved the seal. What I heard was a very detailed, dynamic sound, with lots of micro-detail but the upper midrange was too dry for me, and too detailed, which resulted in fatigue. Whether that was the house sound, or to do with me poor seal, I never know, but what I heard, I liked and I knew HUM is a brand to keep an eye on.
When I read they are developing a universal only IEM, I knew I had to get it. That was 9 months ago
Impression: Early impression, the sound is less dynamic than Pristine, but a lot more coherent and organic. In fact, I like it much more than my Pristine. I’m told it is a single BA IEM, and I do have all the important single BA IEM out there, Fitear 111, ER4S/B, FI BB SS, Orotfon eQ8, and can say with ease the reference bests them all.
It has an extension on both end, very detailed, yet smooth midrange. Hopefully the review should be up in 4 weeks time, but this ear I purchase items costing much more than reference, yet it is this IEM that pleases me the most. Perhaps because I put in so much effort to purchase it, and to be fair compared to IER-M9 it is a lot less technical, but for easy listening to well recorded masters, I simply cannot fault its tonality.
What is interesting about the HR, it comes with a pair of copper tuning metallic bars that helps us know how far the tips needs to be pushed. HUM claims small changes in the tip depth will greatly impact the treble spikes. They spend the most time on getting this right. I have a graph but I’m not sure if I can to share, once all is clear I will include it in my final review.
After many emailing backward and forward I finally purchased a unit of HUM reference. It wasn‘t for my lack of trying, no, far from it. When all hope was lost, I received a reply to one of the many emails I sent to HUM customer service, in which they offered me a discount and apologizes for the delayed in responding to my emails.
I first got to know about HUM when I read about their HUM Prisitine IEM. Their design philosophy, which is less is more intrigued me. Called it smart marketing, or whatever, it was enough for me to make my HUM Pristine my first CIEM. I waited three months for my IEM to be ready, yes they take as long as Fitear, if not more. It arrived, I liked it, a lot, but I had fit issues which meant I never had time to test and review it properly. I was too lazy to send it back, and ever since then I realised getting a custom IEM just is too much effort, and added with my weird ear canal, I never took notice of my Prisitine.
I did try the comply CIEM wraps, which improved the seal. What I heard was a very detailed, dynamic sound, with lots of micro-detail but the upper midrange was too dry for me, and too detailed, which resulted in fatigue. Whether that was the house sound, or to do with me poor seal, I never know, but what I heard, I liked and I knew HUM is a brand to keep an eye on.
When I read they are developing a universal only IEM, I knew I had to get it. That was 9 months ago
Impression: Early impression, the sound is less dynamic than Pristine, but a lot more coherent and organic. In fact, I like it much more than my Pristine. I’m told it is a single BA IEM, and I do have all the important single BA IEM out there, Fitear 111, ER4S/B, FI BB SS, Orotfon eQ8, and can say with ease the reference bests them all.
It has an extension on both end, very detailed, yet smooth midrange. Hopefully the review should be up in 4 weeks time, but this ear I purchase items costing much more than reference, yet it is this IEM that pleases me the most. Perhaps because I put in so much effort to purchase it, and to be fair compared to IER-M9 it is a lot less technical, but for easy listening to well recorded masters, I simply cannot fault its tonality.
What is interesting about the HR, it comes with a pair of copper tuning metallic bars that helps us know how far the tips needs to be pushed. HUM claims small changes in the tip depth will greatly impact the treble spikes. They spend the most time on getting this right. I have a graph but I’m not sure if I can to share, once all is clear I will include it in my final review.
HUM reference impression:
After many emailing backward and forward I finally purchased a unit of HUM reference. It wasn‘t for my lack of trying, no, far from it. When all hope was lost, I received a reply to one of the many emails I sent to HUM customer service, in which they offered me a discount and apologizes for the delayed in responding to my emails.
I first got to know about HUM when I read about their HUM Prisitine IEM. Their design philosophy, which is less is more intrigued me. Called it smart marketing, or whatever, it was enough for me to make my HUM Pristine my first CIEM. I waited three months for my IEM to be ready, yes they take as long as Fitear, if not more. It arrived, I liked it, a lot, but I had fit issues which meant I never had time to test and review it properly. I was too lazy to send it back, and ever since then I realised getting a custom IEM just is too much effort, and added with my weird ear canal, I never took notice of my Prisitine.
I did try the comply CIEM wraps, which improved the seal. What I heard was a very detailed, dynamic sound, with lots of micro-detail but the upper midrange was too dry for me, and too detailed, which resulted in fatigue. Whether that was the house sound, or to do with me poor seal, I never know, but what I heard, I liked and I knew HUM is a brand to keep an eye on.
When I read they are developing a universal only IEM, I knew I had to get it. That was 9 months ago
Impression: Early impression, the sound is less dynamic than Pristine, but a lot more coherent and organic. In fact, I like it much more than my Pristine. I’m told it is a single BA IEM, and I do have all the important single BA IEM out there, Fitear 111, ER4S/B, FI BB SS, Orotfon eQ8, and can say with ease the reference bests them all.
It has an extension on both end, very detailed, yet smooth midrange. Hopefully the review should be up in 4 weeks time, but this ear I purchase items costing much more than reference, yet it is this IEM that pleases me the most. Perhaps because I put in so much effort to purchase it, and to be fair compared to IER-M9 it is a lot less technical, but for easy listening to well recorded masters, I simply cannot fault its tonality.
What is interesting about the HR, it comes with a pair of copper tuning metallic bars that helps us know how far the tips needs to be pushed. HUM claims small changes in the tip depth will greatly impact the treble spikes. They spend the most time on getting this right. I have a graph but I’m not sure if I can to share, once all is clear I will include it in my final review.
Awesome to see impressions of the Reference! Indeed, HUM was extremely busy at the start of the year, but they’ve been a ton more responsive lately with the roll-out of the Reference and the Dolores. I received my Dolores review unit a few weeks ago and I’m itching to start working on the review. As far as early impressions go, I can say that the Dolores takes reference-grade to the absolute extreme. It’s tuned in such a way that you can literally hear every instrument in a recording in near-perfect balance, but compromises significantly in timbre in the process. HUM’s unique cross-over technology is surely doing work, as the Dolores produces one of the most transparent, stable and grand soundscapes I’ve heard yet with a mere two balanced-armature drivers. Extension on both ends is stunning with what souds like very low levels of distortion. But again, timbre is gonna be a hard nut to crack with this one.
Last edited:
audionewbi
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Jan 24, 2010
- Posts
- 10,603
- Likes
- 6,037
I had my eyes on Dolores, but I thought it is "too much of a good thing" kind of approach, which as much as I appreciate, I don't think I would want such a sound all the time. I'm more interested in their upcoming dynamic IEM and their class A 4.4mm MA-1 amp. Perhaps I look at Dolores later on, for now I'll enojoy the Reference.
Also I hope HUM works on their ergonomics. I know they said the housing is part of the tuning, but looking at Instage SD2, which fits as good as custom, Reference still has work to do.
I don't think this article will impress this group of headphone users, but I thought it was interesting that the NPR recording engineer used many different types of headphones to simulate end user experiences.
Tiny Tech Tips: Finding The Perfect Headphones
December 18, 2018
Josh Rogosin
Audio Engineer, Tiny Desk Concerts
https://www.npr.org/sections/allson...iny-tech-tips-finding-the-perfect-headphones?
"I have an obsession with headphones and I like them all: in-ear, on-ear, closed-ear, open-ear, Bluetooth, noise-canceling.
After I record a band and transfer all the audio files to Pro Tools, I have to make sure the audio mix translates everywhere.
Because of this, I end up doing quality control with many different kinds of headphones, earbuds and speakers in order to simulate a wide array of listening scenarios."
Tiny Tech Tips: Finding The Perfect Headphones
December 18, 2018
Josh Rogosin
Audio Engineer, Tiny Desk Concerts
https://www.npr.org/sections/allson...iny-tech-tips-finding-the-perfect-headphones?
"I have an obsession with headphones and I like them all: in-ear, on-ear, closed-ear, open-ear, Bluetooth, noise-canceling.
After I record a band and transfer all the audio files to Pro Tools, I have to make sure the audio mix translates everywhere.
Because of this, I end up doing quality control with many different kinds of headphones, earbuds and speakers in order to simulate a wide array of listening scenarios."
BananaOoyoo
1000+ Head-Fier
Neither the Pristine nor the Dolores impressed me much, sad to say (in terms of both sound and ergonomics).
IMO you can do much better for $1500-2200. (Local price for me)
IMO you can do much better for $1500-2200. (Local price for me)
Last edited:
I do this exact thing myself. One of the benefits of being both a reviewer and an engineer is access to a wide array of listening devices - each denoting their own listening scenario, age demographic, budget group, etc. Though, the devices he listed is missing one major, major player: Car radios, where 80-90% of modern music is discovered and listened to worldwide.
davidmolliere
Headphoneus Supremus
Oh that’s a problem audiophiles won’t have
Carpe Diem!
deafdoorknob
1000+ Head-Fier
https://www.nature.com/news/2002/020122/full/news020121-1.html
how dementia shaped ravel’s bolero and the importance of timbre
how dementia shaped ravel’s bolero and the importance of timbre
audionewbi
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Jan 24, 2010
- Posts
- 10,603
- Likes
- 6,037
JVC HA-FW10000, what can I say, beside it is beautiful to look at and listen to. Without a second hesitation, the best dynamic IEM I've listen to, an IEM that is both technically capable, without sounding lifeless and sterile. 
Merry Christmas Eve, everyone! I'd like to wish you all a wonderful holiday season ahead. And, as a little gift from myself and THL, here's an article I wrote on Japan's no.1 portable audio store: e-earphone. I cover a decent chunk of their massive inventory in photo form, along with impressions from FitEar, Rhapsodio, LEAR, FlipEars, FAudio, ACS, Astell&Kern/JHAudio, Kumitate Lab and Sony Just Ear. I hope you enjoy, cheers!
I wish their youtube channel had english subs or something. e-earphone is certainly very impressiveMerry Christmas Eve, everyone! I'd like to wish you all a wonderful holiday season ahead. And, as a little gift from myself and THL, here's an article I wrote on Japan's no.1 portable audio store: e-earphone. I cover a decent chunk of their massive inventory in photo form, along with impressions from FitEar, Rhapsodio, LEAR, FlipEars, FAudio, ACS, Astell&Kern/JHAudio, Kumitate Lab and Sony Just Ear. I hope you enjoy, cheers!
Hi guys, please enjoy my review of the Acoustune HS16560CU, my favourite buy this year. Merry Christmas and a happy new year.
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/review/21343/
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/review/21343/
Which means that the Mellianus is on sale, right?Hi guys, please enjoy my review of the Acoustune HS16560CU, my favourite buy this year. Merry Christmas and a happy new year.
https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/review/21343/
PM sent.
Users who are viewing this thread
