[aaf evo]

Sure, one might have saved a lot of money (and possibly heartache) going straight for “the one”, but personally I find much enjoyment in the journey. It’s part of the process.

It’s also vital in learning best what you do and don’t like. With hindsight one can say “I wish I knew about / wish they released IEM X a few years ago”, but without the experience you get hopping upward, sideways, and occasionally backward, would you know that said IEM was ticking all the boxes you knew you wanted or needed ticking?

A simple analogy. The hobby is like mountain climbing. You want to get to the summit. Sometimes you think you’re there only to realize you’re halfway to base camp. Now, you can just take a helicopter ride to the top; but doesn’t that defeat at least some of the purpose?

110%. The journey is important and helps you really narrow down what you enjoy the most. Just makes it super expensive

 

[Wyville]

There’s really no point in looking at it like an endgame thing. People are dropping 6k on the trailli because they enjoy it, and most of the ones I know are fully prepared to buy the next thing that suits their preferences as well as the trailli does

In general, a lot of us have become fully desenticized (not sure how to spell that word lol) to prices - a few months/years back EA announced the King Arthur at 6.7k and this thread was pretty much outraged, now it’s basically the new normal

Everyone has to decide for themselves where their limits are and what they can and can’t justify - for some that might be a Zeus, for others it can be an Andro, you have that Erl/Thummim tier as well and then you have the trailli, Obravo, the KA etc etc... The great thing is that you have tons of options are every price point really so you aren’t as limited by having (or not having) the funds

I speak for myself, but I think to some extent this will apply to many others in here - the gear isn’t really a “means to an end” but more so a hobby in of itself

I agree and actually came to a similar conclusion a couple of days ago while thinking about my reviewing. So far I have been reluctant to go beyond a certain price point. For instance, no >$1k cables and IEMs preferably below $2.5K, but I have come to realise that the industry is moving on. If I want my reviews to be relevant, I will need to go along with that trend. While the Thummim were outside of my comfort zone, I feel I need to just get comfortable with it and accept that $1k IEMs are now designated as "EDC".

I can't afford the latest TOTL gear and still don't really know what to think of it, but at the same time it is simply how things are evolving and I know where my own personal sweet spot is in terms of price. I am somewhat jealous of people who can just order the Traillii after a demo like it is peanuts, yet at the same time I never feel like I am missing out when I listen to the stuff I have lying around. In fact, through my reviewing I have been in a very privileged position and been able to explore a lot more gear than I would have otherwise. And when it comes down to it, I probably spent about the amount of the Erlkönig on the little boy who is currently trying to get my attention by biting my shoes because it is nearly dinner time, and I have no regrets about that whatsoever.

So for my current "EDC" setup...

Heavenly!

 

[toaster]

Sure, one might have saved a lot of money (and possibly heartache) going straight for “the one”, but personally I find much enjoyment in the journey. It’s part of the process.

It’s also vital in learning best what you do and don’t like. With hindsight one can say “I wish I knew about / wish they released IEM X a few years ago”, but without the experience you get hopping upward, sideways, and occasionally backward, would you know that said IEM was ticking all the boxes you knew you wanted or needed ticking?

A simple analogy. The hobby is like mountain climbing. You want to get to the summit. Sometimes you think you’re there only to realize you’re halfway to base camp. Now, you can just take a helicopter ride to the top; but doesn’t that defeat at least some of the purpose?

i would have no idea how much better the stuff i own actually is if i hadn't made a few stops along the way...

 

[Wyville]

It was a blind buy. The last time I auditioned full size headphones was probably 3 years ago. I listened to among others, LCD-3 and 2, Kennerton Odin & Vali, Mr Speakers (now DCA) Ether, Stax SR007, and a few others which I can’t remember.

Doing it like a champ... Straight in, no holding back. Wish I could afford the V2, but maybe in a couple of years time if everything goes according to plan.

 

[davidmolliere]

Sorry I missed something but v2 of what?

 

[Wyville]

Sorry I missed something but v2 of what?

Abyss Diana V2.

 

[AEIOU9]

For me the Traillii more closely resembles the Elysium rather than the Erlkonig. As typical as this may sound, whatever complaints I had about the universal Elysium... the Traillii addressed, and then some.

100% agree with this, I did a good amount of A/B testing between Elysium and Traillii and I went with the Traillii too. It maintains Elysium like mids, brings more robust bass to the equation and tempers some of the harshness of the treble that Elysium had on certain tracks while still giving really clear and crisp sound in that frequency range.

 

[toaster]

100% agree with this, I did a good amount of A/B testing between Elysium and Traillii and I went with the Traillii too. It maintains Elysium like mids, brings more robust bass to the equation and tempers some of the harshness of the treble that Elysium had on certain tracks while still giving really clear and crisp sound in that frequency range.

plus a monstrous stage...agree completely.

tbf, they aren't really at the same price-point, but from a sound perspective, they do share some similarities in the essence of their presentaitons.

 

[doushi]

i would have no idea how much better the stuff i own actually is if i hadn't made a few stops along the way...

learned to just buy 2nd hand iem here. Hitchhiking is my only way to continue the journey

 

[Frankie D]

Not many get me crazy really... I mean the Elysium was the only one that I have been meaning to get for a while and it's now in my collection and I love it. But it's more a matter of I trust @Oliver Marino tuning and VE build is just marvelous and the Elysium is a unique midrange period. For all its greatness the Erlkönig failed to move me the way the Ely did.

@Deezel177 keeps bringing up A18s, it might be one I'd get eventually but honestly at this price I would wait for black friday and even then I would think hard.

Then there are the ones I'd get no matter what : if @piotrus-g came with a flagship no matter the price I'd get it Whatever the price it will be fair and worth it. FIBAE7 is still at the top 3 for me, that's why tuning is so much more important than anything else for me and where even high priced high perf IEMs fail for me. I need to be moved

But honestly I am thinking of spending more on sources (already did a bit of this with Shanling M8 and DX300 and I don't regret it) rather than IEMs at least in that upper range. When I see how superb something like Dunu Zen sound... musical enjoyment is not necessarily always proportional to price

iFi Audio Pro iDSD would be the first 3K I'd spend but it will take time to gather the funds... I'd also see myself getting an Empyrean, music is not all IEMs and the audition out of Pro iDSD stuck with me! But I have kids, can't spend it all on audio

The Empyreans are great headphones, and really built well with a more comfortable fit than some others. You might like them. There are many other choices there as well. I can tell you that the Traillii competes with it. And I know you just got the Ely. The Traillii seems to be that with more bass and a few other differences. I will write up some of my notes and put them in here.

 

[davidmolliere]

Well in any case, no custom = no dice for me

 

[Frankie D]

It’s really not apple to apple, but if I really need to compare, of course V2 is ahead. Instrument placement is ultra precise, and the spacing of each instrument feels real. But I guess the best trait of V2 is the mids and vocals. It’s placed dead centre, slightly to the front, exactly like a stage setup in a concert. And the mids are extremely engaging and emotional, way more than i4, Erlky or Ely. Even Taylor Swift’s vocals in her latest album ”evermore“ (I have the hi-res version) feels so real

Did you compare the Diana V2 to the latest 1266? And Emoyrean and Susvara? If so, curious as to your thoughts. Tks.

 

[MatW]

Did you compare the Diana V2 to the latest 1266? And Emoyrean and Susvara? If so, curious as to your thoughts. Tks.

Abyss 1266 TC and Susvara are easily the best two headphones I know. I haven't heard the V2. The empyrean was my first high end headphone and I love the build, looks and comfort. It has an agreeable, warm sound signature, but I think it's too expensive for the technical performance it offers, esp in the bass, which I thought sounded a little muddy, bloomy.

 

[AEIOU9]

plus a monstrous stage...agree completely.

tbf, they aren't really at the same price-point, but from a sound perspective, they do share some similarities in the essence of their presentaitons.

Can’t believe I forgot to note the soundstage!

Nice cover!

 

[Rockwell75]

I see pics of people's pets in here sometimes. Here is my girl Pookie and me chillin on a lazy Saturday morning.