Mimouille
Headphoneus Supremus
This is Nic's thread, mediocrity is not an option, excellence either. Only perfection will do
flinkenick's 17 Flagship IEM Shootout Thread (and general high-end portable audio discussion)
I find it funny that you referenced Milli Vanilli; a band later exposed as frauds for not singing their own songs. Freudian slip, perhaps...?
No, Mim has a monopoly on Freudian slips. Only Freudian slip I'm guilty of is listening to Milli Vanilli on a vinyl rig ATM and matching it with the words "well-known stage performer"...
as a music enthusiast, this movie is worse than horror movies. everything that happens is so scary and actually quite true.This is Nic's thread, mediocrity is not an option, excellence either. Only perfection will do
Now what movie is that? I have pretty much seen the entire movie and have no idea what movie and what exactly it is about, since I was sitting one seat further back in the train and the guy in front of us was using earbuds, so I only had picture and no sound.This is Nic's thread, mediocrity is not an option, excellence either. Only perfection will do
thats the best way to watch movies. its called whiplashNow what movie is that? I have pretty much seen the entire movie and have no idea what movie and what exactly it is about, since I was sitting one seat further back in the train and the guy in front of us was using earbuds, so I only had picture and no sound.
Now what movie is that? I have pretty much seen the entire movie and have no idea what movie and what exactly it is about, since I was sitting one seat further back in the train and the guy in front of us was using earbuds, so I only had picture and no sound.
One of my favourite movies in recent memory: Whiplash. Once you finish that masterful film which - by the way - was made by a 28-year-old Damien Chazelle, I’m sure you’ve heard of his “Oscar-winning” film, La La Land.
unknownguardian
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Posted some short reviews of the Kumitate Lab KL-REF and the other tuning variant KL-REF Type-S in the Kumitate Lab thread, reposting it here just in case some of you guys might be interested.
KL-REF: the chameleon that is able to adapt to multiple music genres it is being challenged with
After a long time, I finally decided to give a more detailed impression/review of the various models from Kumitate Lab, which I owned personally, to give the people from head-fi a better understanding of the Kumitate Lab lineups as it is pretty difficult for people outside of Japan (out of Asia exactly) to be able to audition it. I have owned the KL-REF for almost three years and ever since from the day I received it, it had always held a special place in my heart despite hearing multiple flagships iems over the years. So I shall start off this impression with what I love most about KL-REF, the bass.
Bass
The impactful rumble and deep vibration of the dynamic bass has a very special characteristic that makes me feel that it is one of the most unique iem. Ito-san choice of using a dynamic driver is because he felt that dynamic driver has the least distortion in the lower frequencies. And this is indeed evident in KL-REF, as the bass produced by KL-REF has an excellent depth and texture layering, making the presentation of drums to be really impressive and realistic. If you are a fan of rock and heavy pop music, do try the KL-REF at the MAX level, it will definitely be addictive for such genre. Though the bass presence can be pretty overwhelming for some at the MAX level, but rest assure it doesn’t interference with the other frequencies
Mids
The mids have a natural approach, without being too thicked or forward or veiled. I will describe the vocals to sound raw and organic on the KL-REF, giving a clear and emotive presentation (for both male and female vocals, whereas the KL-REF Type-S has an extra added aggressiveness and sweetness to female vocals – more to be discussed in my next review of KL-REF Type-S model). The natural mids result in a great separation, allowing you to clearly tell apart the various instruments playing in the track
High
The high frequencies are pretty much smoothened out, without having excessive dips or peaks above 10kHz, resulting the KL-REF free of any unnecessary sibilance, thus you will not feel any listening fatigue even after long hours of listening. The excellent high frequency extension of the KL-REF makes the overall soundstage and atmosphere very cohesive with the rest of the frequencies.
Overall
KL-REF to my ears is a reference/neutral in-ear monitor, without much coloration in any of the frequency range. Hence KL-REF might sound pretty dull during first few minutes of listening, but as one slowly get use to the sound signature of KL-REF, you will realise the amazing characteristics and performance of KL-REF. Coupled with a tunable bass volume, each individual can adjust the bass accordingly to match his preference and also suit to your mood and the nature of the song. Throw whatever music you have to it, be it male vocals, female vocals, anisong, pop, rock, metal, jazz, KL-REF will show to you that it is indeed a chameleon of strong adaptive characteristics and is able to perform at a high level across all the different music genres.
KL-REF Type S: Bringing your favourite female vocals close to your heart
KL-REF Type S has the same exact driver configuration (2dd+3ba) as the usual KL-REF, the only difference is that it is specially tuned with a focus towards female vocals. If I were to describe the KL-REF as thick and more organic, then the Type-S will be the clearer and brighter sibling.
Bass
Unlike the natural and mellow bass of the KL-REF, the Type S bass performance can be described to have faster attack with little decay, and the overall weigh of the bass tone is slightly lighter than that in KL-REF thus making the Type S to seem to have a better clarity edge over the usual KL-REF. Furthermore, due to the thickness nature of the dynamic bass driver, this cause the Type-S to not sound too cold and harsh, and in addition to that you can still feel the vibration of the ultra low frequencies. As such, Type S provide a better listening experience for tracks that involve fast-beat bass notes and drums, and for those who find the bass of KL-REF too excessive or fatiguing, KL-REF Type S might be a better choice. But due to the fast attack, the Type-S might sound less 3-dimensional that its original sibling (KL-REF).
Mids
The mids is the most interesting part of the Type S, I feel that there is the slight dip in the middle region of the low frequencies, thus giving the perception that the mids of Type S is slightly push forward. The forwardness of the mids excel in conveying the details and mood along with the change in musical atmosphere and emotional expression of the singer. This creates the feeling that female vocals (especially) is singing right beside your ear. The added sweetness to female vocals as well as the crisp instrumentals will provide you with an experience akin to sitting in the most front row of a live concert hall.
Highs
The great extension, excellent clarity and resolution of Type S creates a very airy and open soundstage, making it very obvious for listener to pick up the details in the tracks. Even though the treble of the Type S might get excessively bright and hot at higher frequencies, there isn't much sibilance issue being picked up. Every time when it seem as if the ear-piercing sibilance of female vocals is about to be reached, with the smoothened highs characteristic of KL-REF, the excessive spikes in the highs will gradually be tamed down. This is what makes the Type S performance so attractive yet memorable without being fatiguing.
Overall
There is no clear winner between the KL-REF and the retuned Type-S variation, similarly to how a parent usually don't have a favourite one out of all the children. While the older sibling takes on a more reference and natural approach in sound presentation, Type S has a more distinct and characteristic sound tuning, with a slight emphasis on the mid-high frequency range. The more aggressive approach of Type S creates a brighter, open, more refined and higher clarity sound signature. Type S is the iem that will create an unforgettable virtual experience, where one can admire and listen to their favourite female vocals as if they were attending the live performance.
KL-REF: the chameleon that is able to adapt to multiple music genres it is being challenged with
After a long time, I finally decided to give a more detailed impression/review of the various models from Kumitate Lab, which I owned personally, to give the people from head-fi a better understanding of the Kumitate Lab lineups as it is pretty difficult for people outside of Japan (out of Asia exactly) to be able to audition it. I have owned the KL-REF for almost three years and ever since from the day I received it, it had always held a special place in my heart despite hearing multiple flagships iems over the years. So I shall start off this impression with what I love most about KL-REF, the bass.
Bass
The impactful rumble and deep vibration of the dynamic bass has a very special characteristic that makes me feel that it is one of the most unique iem. Ito-san choice of using a dynamic driver is because he felt that dynamic driver has the least distortion in the lower frequencies. And this is indeed evident in KL-REF, as the bass produced by KL-REF has an excellent depth and texture layering, making the presentation of drums to be really impressive and realistic. If you are a fan of rock and heavy pop music, do try the KL-REF at the MAX level, it will definitely be addictive for such genre. Though the bass presence can be pretty overwhelming for some at the MAX level, but rest assure it doesn’t interference with the other frequencies
Mids
The mids have a natural approach, without being too thicked or forward or veiled. I will describe the vocals to sound raw and organic on the KL-REF, giving a clear and emotive presentation (for both male and female vocals, whereas the KL-REF Type-S has an extra added aggressiveness and sweetness to female vocals – more to be discussed in my next review of KL-REF Type-S model). The natural mids result in a great separation, allowing you to clearly tell apart the various instruments playing in the track
High
The high frequencies are pretty much smoothened out, without having excessive dips or peaks above 10kHz, resulting the KL-REF free of any unnecessary sibilance, thus you will not feel any listening fatigue even after long hours of listening. The excellent high frequency extension of the KL-REF makes the overall soundstage and atmosphere very cohesive with the rest of the frequencies.
Overall
KL-REF to my ears is a reference/neutral in-ear monitor, without much coloration in any of the frequency range. Hence KL-REF might sound pretty dull during first few minutes of listening, but as one slowly get use to the sound signature of KL-REF, you will realise the amazing characteristics and performance of KL-REF. Coupled with a tunable bass volume, each individual can adjust the bass accordingly to match his preference and also suit to your mood and the nature of the song. Throw whatever music you have to it, be it male vocals, female vocals, anisong, pop, rock, metal, jazz, KL-REF will show to you that it is indeed a chameleon of strong adaptive characteristics and is able to perform at a high level across all the different music genres.
KL-REF Type S: Bringing your favourite female vocals close to your heart
KL-REF Type S has the same exact driver configuration (2dd+3ba) as the usual KL-REF, the only difference is that it is specially tuned with a focus towards female vocals. If I were to describe the KL-REF as thick and more organic, then the Type-S will be the clearer and brighter sibling.
Bass
Unlike the natural and mellow bass of the KL-REF, the Type S bass performance can be described to have faster attack with little decay, and the overall weigh of the bass tone is slightly lighter than that in KL-REF thus making the Type S to seem to have a better clarity edge over the usual KL-REF. Furthermore, due to the thickness nature of the dynamic bass driver, this cause the Type-S to not sound too cold and harsh, and in addition to that you can still feel the vibration of the ultra low frequencies. As such, Type S provide a better listening experience for tracks that involve fast-beat bass notes and drums, and for those who find the bass of KL-REF too excessive or fatiguing, KL-REF Type S might be a better choice. But due to the fast attack, the Type-S might sound less 3-dimensional that its original sibling (KL-REF).
Mids
The mids is the most interesting part of the Type S, I feel that there is the slight dip in the middle region of the low frequencies, thus giving the perception that the mids of Type S is slightly push forward. The forwardness of the mids excel in conveying the details and mood along with the change in musical atmosphere and emotional expression of the singer. This creates the feeling that female vocals (especially) is singing right beside your ear. The added sweetness to female vocals as well as the crisp instrumentals will provide you with an experience akin to sitting in the most front row of a live concert hall.
Highs
The great extension, excellent clarity and resolution of Type S creates a very airy and open soundstage, making it very obvious for listener to pick up the details in the tracks. Even though the treble of the Type S might get excessively bright and hot at higher frequencies, there isn't much sibilance issue being picked up. Every time when it seem as if the ear-piercing sibilance of female vocals is about to be reached, with the smoothened highs characteristic of KL-REF, the excessive spikes in the highs will gradually be tamed down. This is what makes the Type S performance so attractive yet memorable without being fatiguing.
Overall
There is no clear winner between the KL-REF and the retuned Type-S variation, similarly to how a parent usually don't have a favourite one out of all the children. While the older sibling takes on a more reference and natural approach in sound presentation, Type S has a more distinct and characteristic sound tuning, with a slight emphasis on the mid-high frequency range. The more aggressive approach of Type S creates a brighter, open, more refined and higher clarity sound signature. Type S is the iem that will create an unforgettable virtual experience, where one can admire and listen to their favourite female vocals as if they were attending the live performance.
hmm... but la la land got jazz wrong...One of my favourite movies in recent memory: Whiplash. Once you finish that masterful film which - by the way - was made by a 28-year-old Damien Chazelle, I’m sure you’ve heard of his “Oscar-winning” film, La La Land.
Posted some short reviews of the Kumitate Lab KL-REF and the other tuning variant KL-REF Type-S in the Kumitate Lab thread, reposting it here just in case some of you guys might be interested.
KL-REF: the chameleon that is able to adapt to multiple music genres it is being challenged with
After a long time, I finally decided to give a more detailed impression/review of the various models from Kumitate Lab, which I owned personally, to give the people from head-fi a better understanding of the Kumitate Lab lineups as it is pretty difficult for people outside of Japan (out of Asia exactly) to be able to audition it. I have owned the KL-REF for almost three years and ever since from the day I received it, it had always held a special place in my heart despite hearing multiple flagships iems over the years. So I shall start off this impression with what I love most about KL-REF, the bass.
Bass
The impactful rumble and deep vibration of the dynamic bass has a very special characteristic that makes me feel that it is one of the most unique iem. Ito-san choice of using a dynamic driver is because he felt that dynamic driver has the least distortion in the lower frequencies. And this is indeed evident in KL-REF, as the bass produced by KL-REF has an excellent depth and texture layering, making the presentation of drums to be really impressive and realistic. If you are a fan of rock and heavy pop music, do try the KL-REF at the MAX level, it will definitely be addictive for such genre. Though the bass presence can be pretty overwhelming for some at the MAX level, but rest assure it doesn’t interference with the other frequencies
Mids
The mids have a natural approach, without being too thicked or forward or veiled. I will describe the vocals to sound raw and organic on the KL-REF, giving a clear and emotive presentation (for both male and female vocals, whereas the KL-REF Type-S has an extra added aggressiveness and sweetness to female vocals – more to be discussed in my next review of KL-REF Type-S model). The natural mids result in a great separation, allowing you to clearly tell apart the various instruments playing in the track
High
The high frequencies are pretty much smoothened out, without having excessive dips or peaks above 10kHz, resulting the KL-REF free of any unnecessary sibilance, thus you will not feel any listening fatigue even after long hours of listening. The excellent high frequency extension of the KL-REF makes the overall soundstage and atmosphere very cohesive with the rest of the frequencies.
Overall
KL-REF to my ears is a reference/neutral in-ear monitor, without much coloration in any of the frequency range. Hence KL-REF might sound pretty dull during first few minutes of listening, but as one slowly get use to the sound signature of KL-REF, you will realise the amazing characteristics and performance of KL-REF. Coupled with a tunable bass volume, each individual can adjust the bass accordingly to match his preference and also suit to your mood and the nature of the song. Throw whatever music you have to it, be it male vocals, female vocals, anisong, pop, rock, metal, jazz, KL-REF will show to you that it is indeed a chameleon of strong adaptive characteristics and is able to perform at a high level across all the different music genres.
KL-REF Type S: Bringing your favourite female vocals close to your heart
KL-REF Type S has the same exact driver configuration (2dd+3ba) as the usual KL-REF, the only difference is that it is specially tuned with a focus towards female vocals. If I were to describe the KL-REF as thick and more organic, then the Type-S will be the clearer and brighter sibling.
Bass
Unlike the natural and mellow bass of the KL-REF, the Type S bass performance can be described to have faster attack with little decay, and the overall weigh of the bass tone is slightly lighter than that in KL-REF thus making the Type S to seem to have a better clarity edge over the usual KL-REF. Furthermore, due to the thickness nature of the dynamic bass driver, this cause the Type-S to not sound too cold and harsh, and in addition to that you can still feel the vibration of the ultra low frequencies. As such, Type S provide a better listening experience for tracks that involve fast-beat bass notes and drums, and for those who find the bass of KL-REF too excessive or fatiguing, KL-REF Type S might be a better choice. But due to the fast attack, the Type-S might sound less 3-dimensional that its original sibling (KL-REF).
Mids
The mids is the most interesting part of the Type S, I feel that there is the slight dip in the middle region of the low frequencies, thus giving the perception that the mids of Type S is slightly push forward. The forwardness of the mids excel in conveying the details and mood along with the change in musical atmosphere and emotional expression of the singer. This creates the feeling that female vocals (especially) is singing right beside your ear. The added sweetness to female vocals as well as the crisp instrumentals will provide you with an experience akin to sitting in the most front row of a live concert hall.
Highs
The great extension, excellent clarity and resolution of Type S creates a very airy and open soundstage, making it very obvious for listener to pick up the details in the tracks. Even though the treble of the Type S might get excessively bright and hot at higher frequencies, there isn't much sibilance issue being picked up. Every time when it seem as if the ear-piercing sibilance of female vocals is about to be reached, with the smoothened highs characteristic of KL-REF, the excessive spikes in the highs will gradually be tamed down. This is what makes the Type S performance so attractive yet memorable without being fatiguing.
Overall
There is no clear winner between the KL-REF and the retuned Type-S variation, similarly to how a parent usually don't have a favourite one out of all the children. While the older sibling takes on a more reference and natural approach in sound presentation, Type S has a more distinct and characteristic sound tuning, with a slight emphasis on the mid-high frequency range. The more aggressive approach of Type S creates a brighter, open, more refined and higher clarity sound signature. Type S is the iem that will create an unforgettable virtual experience, where one can admire and listen to their favourite female vocals as if they were attending the live performance.
Awesome! I’ll be giving them and the new JH IEMs an audition within the next couple days. Your impressions look very promising, I’ll be reading them soon. Cheers!
Apart from being a touch preachy at times - and please forgive me for derailing the thread a bit - how would you say it gets jazz wrong?
John Culter
100+ Head-Fier
Posted some short reviews of the Kumitate Lab KL-REF and the other tuning variant KL-REF Type-S in the Kumitate Lab thread, reposting it here just in case some of you guys might be interested.
KL-REF: the chameleon that is able to adapt to multiple music genres it is being challenged with
After a long time, I finally decided to give a more detailed impression/review of the various models from Kumitate Lab, which I owned personally, to give the people from head-fi a better understanding of the Kumitate Lab lineups as it is pretty difficult for people outside of Japan (out of Asia exactly) to be able to audition it. I have owned the KL-REF for almost three years and ever since from the day I received it, it had always held a special place in my heart despite hearing multiple flagships iems over the years. So I shall start off this impression with what I love most about KL-REF, the bass.
Bass
The impactful rumble and deep vibration of the dynamic bass has a very special characteristic that makes me feel that it is one of the most unique iem. Ito-san choice of using a dynamic driver is because he felt that dynamic driver has the least distortion in the lower frequencies. And this is indeed evident in KL-REF, as the bass produced by KL-REF has an excellent depth and texture layering, making the presentation of drums to be really impressive and realistic. If you are a fan of rock and heavy pop music, do try the KL-REF at the MAX level, it will definitely be addictive for such genre. Though the bass presence can be pretty overwhelming for some at the MAX level, but rest assure it doesn’t interference with the other frequencies
Mids
The mids have a natural approach, without being too thicked or forward or veiled. I will describe the vocals to sound raw and organic on the KL-REF, giving a clear and emotive presentation (for both male and female vocals, whereas the KL-REF Type-S has an extra added aggressiveness and sweetness to female vocals – more to be discussed in my next review of KL-REF Type-S model). The natural mids result in a great separation, allowing you to clearly tell apart the various instruments playing in the track
High
The high frequencies are pretty much smoothened out, without having excessive dips or peaks above 10kHz, resulting the KL-REF free of any unnecessary sibilance, thus you will not feel any listening fatigue even after long hours of listening. The excellent high frequency extension of the KL-REF makes the overall soundstage and atmosphere very cohesive with the rest of the frequencies.
Overall
KL-REF to my ears is a reference/neutral in-ear monitor, without much coloration in any of the frequency range. Hence KL-REF might sound pretty dull during first few minutes of listening, but as one slowly get use to the sound signature of KL-REF, you will realise the amazing characteristics and performance of KL-REF. Coupled with a tunable bass volume, each individual can adjust the bass accordingly to match his preference and also suit to your mood and the nature of the song. Throw whatever music you have to it, be it male vocals, female vocals, anisong, pop, rock, metal, jazz, KL-REF will show to you that it is indeed a chameleon of strong adaptive characteristics and is able to perform at a high level across all the different music genres.
KL-REF Type S: Bringing your favourite female vocals close to your heart
KL-REF Type S has the same exact driver configuration (2dd+3ba) as the usual KL-REF, the only difference is that it is specially tuned with a focus towards female vocals. If I were to describe the KL-REF as thick and more organic, then the Type-S will be the clearer and brighter sibling.
Bass
Unlike the natural and mellow bass of the KL-REF, the Type S bass performance can be described to have faster attack with little decay, and the overall weigh of the bass tone is slightly lighter than that in KL-REF thus making the Type S to seem to have a better clarity edge over the usual KL-REF. Furthermore, due to the thickness nature of the dynamic bass driver, this cause the Type-S to not sound too cold and harsh, and in addition to that you can still feel the vibration of the ultra low frequencies. As such, Type S provide a better listening experience for tracks that involve fast-beat bass notes and drums, and for those who find the bass of KL-REF too excessive or fatiguing, KL-REF Type S might be a better choice. But due to the fast attack, the Type-S might sound less 3-dimensional that its original sibling (KL-REF).
Mids
The mids is the most interesting part of the Type S, I feel that there is the slight dip in the middle region of the low frequencies, thus giving the perception that the mids of Type S is slightly push forward. The forwardness of the mids excel in conveying the details and mood along with the change in musical atmosphere and emotional expression of the singer. This creates the feeling that female vocals (especially) is singing right beside your ear. The added sweetness to female vocals as well as the crisp instrumentals will provide you with an experience akin to sitting in the most front row of a live concert hall.
Highs
The great extension, excellent clarity and resolution of Type S creates a very airy and open soundstage, making it very obvious for listener to pick up the details in the tracks. Even though the treble of the Type S might get excessively bright and hot at higher frequencies, there isn't much sibilance issue being picked up. Every time when it seem as if the ear-piercing sibilance of female vocals is about to be reached, with the smoothened highs characteristic of KL-REF, the excessive spikes in the highs will gradually be tamed down. This is what makes the Type S performance so attractive yet memorable without being fatiguing.
Overall
There is no clear winner between the KL-REF and the retuned Type-S variation, similarly to how a parent usually don't have a favourite one out of all the children. While the older sibling takes on a more reference and natural approach in sound presentation, Type S has a more distinct and characteristic sound tuning, with a slight emphasis on the mid-high frequency range. The more aggressive approach of Type S creates a brighter, open, more refined and higher clarity sound signature. Type S is the iem that will create an unforgettable virtual experience, where one can admire and listen to their favourite female vocals as if they were attending the live performance.
Amazing!
I would love to see some comparison of KL-REF with Prophile-8 or UERR .. Anyone?
Well I did what you asked... burn-in the 4T and Fourté, and I did have one slot extra, so I decided for the Earsonics S-EM9...
So we see (hear) at the end of the week how they changed for the better!!
Interesting, I can understand the splitter , but the tubes? Are they just blanked PVC? Did you put foam inside the tube? Other then holding the IEMs or minimise the noise leaking during burn-in, are there any technical reason to use a tube instead of putting inside a soft earbug bag during burn-in?
I use the tubes just for eliminating the pink noise, you can get mad when you here this all the day
The tube sizes are just right, all is silent like this!!
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not really wrong, but I feel like jazz is so much more than the sentimental tunes that goslings character plays throughout the film. the way gosling's character describes jazz is sort of correct, a group of guys gets together and plays something and expresses themselves through improv. I'm not that deep into jazz tbh, I just listen to some of the "classics" but when you listen to davis, coltrane, evans, etc., you get the feeling that there really is personality to the music imparted by the players. I felt that the music in la la land was ok, but it doesn't hold a candle to "real" jazz.
if I wanted to put it really bluntly, I would say that the music in la la land feels like popular "jazz" clichés put together into a soundtrack (which is basically what most movie soundtracks do anyways)
I think my favorite example of the personalities you can hear in jazz is coltrane. he was a quiet guy who seemed shy and mostly kept to himself. but his playing is loud and brash. whereas miles Davis was an extrovert and loved finding people to work with, yet his music was reserved and almost minimalistic in nature. my starter albums in jazz were kind of blue (of course) and blue train, led by davis and coltrane respectively.
I gotcha. I think the purpose of that is to make jazz more relatable to a modern audience. I’m not saying it’s okay to water down a genre, but the first step towards appreciation is appreciating the basics. Technically, the main score or theme of the film also has to adapt to different genres and moods throughout the film, so it can’t be too technical or distinctly-coloured as well. This is all I’ll say on it since it’s a bit OT, but I can definitely see your perspective.
definitely definitely, I just happen to be a guy who drinks coffee black and whiskey straight
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