SeeSax
Headphoneus Supremus
Good Lord, how many girlfriends have you got???
i think that's the result of his next shootout....
LOL! I love you guys, and this thread.
-Collin-
Good Lord, how many girlfriends have you got???
i think that's the result of his next shootout....
Awesome, a coke, beer, something like that. Maybe a gold plated silver cable if you have a few extras...
Nic, will you be able to get 250 hours of burn-in done today?
Which cables did you get? Looks like maybe an OCC Copper and perhaps the SG 2.98 mk2?
-Collin-
Yes the standard copper cable (Pandora Dwarf?) and 2.98 4-braid.
I snuck in some brief listening to the Eden before putting it on burn. Since it is neither bass-heavy (to say the least), nor has a prominent treble, I suspect its general sound will not change drastically after burn. The first song I tried was a bass-heavy EDM track I had used to gauge the bass quantities of the headphones at the store. My first thought was "If you are the type of person that hates bass, this iem just might be right for you!" In terms of raw impact, the Eden is a bit uninspiring. For comparison, the bass quantity is either close to the IE800s, or possibly less.
In a distant way, you can hear some resemblance to the Galaxy, but more in the general 'gestalt' of the sound, not the actual tonal balance; the Galaxy is significantly brighter, and more articulate. One might say, it is like the Galaxy with less bass and treble. What you are left with is a rather uncolored sound. You get a sense that this might actually be truly accurate, or at least one of the many possible variations thereof. Its strange because we tend to use the word coloration as a bad thing, but then you listen to Eden and then you scratch your head and wonder, maybe this means I like coloration? Normally, manufacturers throw bass in the cooking pot, and then mix in different treble peaks to get the flavour to their liking. By removing both the bass and treble, you are left with a more 'pure' sound. It sounds clear, but in a completely non-bright way. The thing is, because it isn't warm, it's not what I would traditionally associate with 'natural'. But at the same time, a piano or violin sounds especially realistic. Just not in a particularly romantic way. It's one of those moments where you're forced to re-evaluate what your conception of 'accurate', 'natural', and 'uncolored' sound is in the first place (don't you hate when that happens??).
The second aspect where Eden strays from the Galaxy, is its midrange. The first track I played was clearly a miss, but I switched to some vocal-based acoustic music after. My major gripe with the Galaxy was not its brightness, but its laid-back and thin vocals. Eden's vocals are much improved compared to the Galaxy. It has sufficient midrange presence, and creates nice bodied and slightly dense vocals. Its instruments are neutral in size, but not lean. I might want my male vocals a touch warmer, but especially female vocals sound clear in tone, with a very nice presence. Importantly, it remains completely sibilance free, at least so far. So it isn't a harsh sound in any way. Overall, Eden isn't going to be crowd-pleaser, but it's clear to sense the direction Sammy was going in, and more importantly, that he achieved what he intended to. There is a certain purity in its sound, even though that also makes it feel like it lacks some excitement or character. But for acoustic and especially classical music, it has something special to offer - I might even use the realism in its tone as a benchmark of sorts.
I would say it is less peaky than the HD800, and less bright. The stage shape and dimensions are roughly similar to Galaxy, but I think its layering is a bit better due to the attenuated bass. It's an airy stage with good separation, but also not a pin-point accurate sound in terms of imaging. I think because the lower treble is relatively flat. But I will let it burn for a few days; even though it's not bassy, I think the quality of air might improve once the driver is burned, and accordingly its separation.@Wyville , this impression makes me think of a more linear HD800 in IEM form. @flinkenick , how is the stage and separation?
she doesn't like iems :'cBe a good son and buy her one of the 17 IEMs in Flinkenick's shootout, of course Bluetooth speakers are for fishing trips and White Elephant gifts at work.
-Collin-
hmm, that seems horrible, they never replaced it?The Haka is a solid all-rounder, even if I think it's a bit softer-sounding (with less upper-treble emphasis and extension) than the A12t. The only universal I tried was the horribly murky, bass-y and veiled one at Music Sanctuary. I don't know whether or not it was a faulty unit, but I tried a fair number of tips and cables, and nothing seemed to help. So, I'd definitely recommend customs if you can.
That certainly sounds interesting!@Wyville , this impression makes me think of a more linear HD800 in IEM form. @flinkenick , how is the stage and separation?
hmm, that seems horrible, they never replaced it?
Anybody try iFi Audio micro – iUSB3.0? Deciding whether to go this route or go with traditional premium USB cable..
https://ifi-audio.com/portfolio-view/micro-iusb3-0/
-- and/or --
iFi AudioMercury3.0
https://ifi-audio.com/portfolio-view/mercury3-0/
what is euphoria audio? I'm out of the loop on thisEuphoria Audio
what is euphoria audio? I'm out of the loop on this