[Ike1985]

The more I listen, the more I enjoy listening to the venue as much as the music, especially in recordings set in live, enclosed spaces (concert halls, theatres, etc). I enjoy the feeling of being transported to a different world. A few musical experiences recreate that well. My Pass Labs XA25 does it better than many other amps I own (although it's not perfect), and the VE5 does it well too.

Don't go for 'warm' and 'lush' if you are treble sensitive. Go for even, smooth, and clean treble. There's a difference. What you want to avoid are ugly peaks, not rolled off. When you get the feeling of an exciting, well-controlled treble that tightropes very well, you'll know what I mean. It'll go to the brink of harshness and stay there, never crossing over, and never sounding veiled at all. That's when you'll think, 'nailed it!'

If you already have other IEMs that you like (which it sounds like you do), it may make more sense to go for something completely different. If you don't like what you have now... then sell them, and go for what you think will fit you better

Have you heard A18 or Zeus XR (non ADEL)?

 

[jelt2359]

Have you heard A18 or Zeus XR (non ADEL)?

I've heard the latter. Not the former. Meet conditions, with unfamiliar songs and source that I've never used. So I have an opinion but it's useless.

 

[jelt2359]

Funny enough I very recently learned that I don't have to fear treble at all when I had the opportunity to try out the Effect Audio Ares II with my Custom Art Ei.3. The Ei.3 are very rolled off in the treble to create an non-fatiguing signature, but when I used the Ares II, known for its ability to extend treble and improve clarity, I was really surprised at the result. I always thought it would be too much for me, but I found quite the contrary. That has really emphasised that I still have an awful lot to learn.

I spend a lot of time these days talking to friends with hifi setups (although I don't have one of my own), and they are constantly dealing with room resonances, and buying stuff that sounds completely different where they auditioned it vs as home. In this respect we headfi guys have it so easy. Their stuff is not cheap either. A power cord easily costs more than the most pricy IEM.

But anyway a universal fact I've learnt is that it's all about matching. Don't "fear" anything, especially if you're talking about tweaks like cables. Rather, try it and make your own judgements.

Btw, if you haven't already tried it, try making changes to your digital cables (USB, optical, etc) and power cables too. Imho they make *more* of an impact on sound than analog cables (ie interconnects or headphone cables).

 

[Wyville]

I spend a lot of time these days talking to friends with hifi setups (although I don't have one of my own), and they are constantly dealing with room resonances, and buying stuff that sounds completely different where they auditioned it vs as home. In this respect we headfi guys have it so easy. Their stuff is not cheap either. A power cord easily costs more than the most pricy IEM.

But anyway a universal fact I've learnt is that it's all about matching. Don't "fear" anything, especially if you're talking about tweaks like cables. Rather, try it and make your own judgements.

Btw, if you haven't already tried it, try making changes to your digital cables (USB, optical, etc) and power cables too. Imho they make *more* of an impact on sound than analog cables (ie interconnects or headphone cables).

Yes, that is one of the reasons I have avoided full-size headphones, I much prefer the simplicity of a portable setup (I also need it everywhere). So I just have my little AK70 and my Ei.3 with the Effect Audio Eline cable and that works really well for me, although the Ares II is easily a better cable and will probably be my next upgrade. IEMs will come once I have a better idea of what would work best for me and at the moment I am still a bit in the "being overwhelmed by options" phase. So I just take it easy and try learn as much as I can.

 

[Mimouille]

That design is really sweet...

The fusion of boogers and feces is fascinating.

 

[Wyville]

The fusion of boogers and feces is fascinating.

It's all organic.

 

[flinkenick]

Man I was waiting for Mim to hit 10K posts with an even 3300 likes, but @Deezel177 completely ruined it by liking the last one

 

[Kerouac]

The bigger problem with iems not sounding like headphones have nothing to do with frequency response. The BA drivers in the vast majority of IEMs are great at detail retrieval but lack the heft of the bigger headphone drivers. Ditto from headphones to speakers. The closest I've heard from IEMs are the dynamic driver ones, but then again as Piotr once told me, why would you try to get IEMs to sound like headphones? That's a fruitless endeavour through and through.

Now that's some (imo interesting) food for thoughts. Some days ago a new member asked me: 'Do you think your iems really sound as good as good headphones?' and I said 'Yes, imo they do, at least compared to the headphones that I've heard myself so far'. But like you wrote (and I forgot to tell him) they will probably always sound completely different as well

The fusion of boogers and feces is fascinating.

...and even more food for thoughts

 

[Deezel177]

Man I was waiting for Mim to hit 10K posts with an even 3300 likes, but @Deezel177 completely ruined it by liking the last one

No worries man, all I have to do is press a button. Besides, it's not like Mim's posts are usually like-worthy anyway...

 

[Wyville]

Man I was waiting for Mim to hit 10K posts with an even 3300 likes, but @Deezel177 completely ruined it by liking the last one

Awww... Hadn't even noticed that, would have been quite neat and tidy!

 

[Wyville]

No worries man, all I have to do is press a button. Besides, it's not like Mim's posts are usually like-worthy anyway...

Go for it, we'll get Mim there yet!

 

[Mimouille]

Man I was waiting for Mim to hit 10K posts with an even 3300 likes, but @Deezel177 completely ruined it by liking the last one

Maybe I should avoid saying anything for a while and you can browse and like 6698 of my posts to do a double 10k.

Three lessons. I spend too much time here, I talk too much, and Nic is stalking me.

 

[Mimouille]

Awww... Hadn't even noticed that, would have been quite neat and tidy!

Nic is a girl.

 

[Mimouille]

Nic is a girl.

Rabalouf et mirza.

 

[Mimouille]

Bingo