[SLC1966]

I see you are owning the Phönix and the Ext.

What are the main differences except the price ?

The very basic difference is that the Phonix is about detail and layering. It is mildly forward. Not warm and not bright. Very just right with everything across all frequencies. A lot of airiness with the new super tweeter. Very engaging but never tiring. EXT is more about fun. It will probably have its lovers and not lovers. The bass is super textured with a combination of mid and sub bass. Everything jumps out at you more but is warmer than the Phonix. The sound of the EXT is more around you. More 3D compared to the Phonix. @Damz87 and I are working on a full review of both and better comparisons will be In the reviews. I am posting my notes in the Vision Ears thread so that the info is available sooner than later. These notes will be cleaned up and become part of our reviews.

 

[SLC1966]

How do you like the Phonix and EXT compared to your Odin and Sultan. Since I used to own both of them.

A friend borrowed my Phonix and EXT for a few days but I will get them back tomorrow. Based on a few days old memory the Phonix and Odin share detail retrieval. Probably the two best IEMs for detail that I can think of. Phonix is better straight across the frequencies. Odin has that upper mids bump and sub bass bump. Phonix does not have that.

EXT and Sultan share the "I am on drugs" feeling. Wonderful textured bass with notes that have a special halo around them. Not about detail but more about fun. I will get more in depth comparisons done very soon and post them in the Vision Ears thread and then in a review of Phonix and EXT that Damz and I are working on.

 

[Pascal3366]

The very basic difference is that the Phonix is about detail and layering. It is mildly forward. Not warm and not bright. Very just right with everything across all frequencies. A lot of airiness with the new super tweeter. Very engaging but never tiring. EXT is more about fun. It will probably have its lovers and not lovers. The bass is super textured with a combination of mid and sub bass. Everything jumps out at you more but is warmer than the Phonix. The sound of the EXT is more around you. More 3D compared to the Phonix. @Damz87 and I are working on a full review of both and better comparisons will be In the reviews. I am posting my notes in the Vision Ears thread so that the info is available sooner than later. These notes will be cleaned up and become part of our reviews.

Sounds like i will like the EXT a lot more

 

[Pascal3366]

A friend borrowed my Phonix and EXT for a few days but I will get them back tomorrow. Based on a few days old memory the Phonix and Odin share detail retrieval. Probably the two best IEMs for detail that I can think of. Phonix is better straight across the frequencies. Odin has that upper mids bump and sub bass bump. Phonix does not have that.

EXT and Sultan share the "I am on drugs" feeling. Wonderful textured bass with notes that have a special halo around them. Not about detail but more about fun. I will get more in depth comparisons done very soon and post them in the Vision Ears thread and then in a review of Phonix and EXT that Damz and I are working on.

How big is the soundstage on the ext? Does it give a 3D-feel?

Is there any sibilance / harshness / fatigue in the mids audible ?

 

[SLC1966]

How big is the soundstage on the ext? Does it give a 3D-feel?

Is there any sibilance / harshness / fatigue in the mids audible ?

Bigger soundstage than Elysium. Nothing like Traillii but that is the odd stagehand out. Any fatigue would come from treble or bass. The mids are warm and not forward on EXT. They are not recessed either. Yes, there is a 3D, holographic, euphonicness going on with EXT.

 

[Pascal3366]

Bigger soundstage than Elysium. Nothing like Traillii but that is the odd stagehand out. Any fatigue would come from treble or bass. The mids are warm and not forward on EXT. They are not recessed either. Yes, there is a 3D, holographic, euphonicness going on with EXT.

Sounds great.

Is there any sibilance coming from the treble or shouty upper mids ?

Can you listen to them for longer without any fatigue ?

 

[Tristy]

Sounds great.

Is there any sibilance coming from the treble or shouty upper mids ?

Can you listen to them for longer without any fatigue ?

They are very easy to listen to, upper mids are barely emphasised and there is no sign of 'shouty' upper mids or sibilance. Treble extends very well ... best I've heard in that regard.

 

[SLC1966]

They are very easy to listen to, upper mids are barely emphasised and there is no sign of 'shouty' upper mids or sibilance. Treble extends very well ... best I've heard in that regard.

+1

 

[Pascal3366]

They are very easy to listen to, upper mids are barely emphasised and there is no sign of 'shouty' upper mids or sibilance. Treble extends very well ... best I've heard in that regard.

Awesome !

This will 100% be my endgame haha

 

[PeteSTRADAMUS]

Bigger soundstage than Elysium. Nothing like Traillii but that is the odd stagehand out. Any fatigue would come from treble or bass. The mids are warm and not forward on EXT. They are not recessed either. Yes, there is a 3D, holographic, euphonicness going on with EXT.

I'm very surprised that their flagship Phonix doesn't have a 3d image.

 

[SLC1966]

I'm very surprised that their flagship Phonix doesn't have a 3d image.

Rather than 3D image for Phonix, I would call it more of a pristine image. Everything is placed correctly. I definitely think Phonix is as good as anything at giving a well layered image of the music. And it is still super engaging. Sometimes IEMs can be boring if it does everything correct. That is not the case with how VE tuned Phonix.

 

[PeteSTRADAMUS]

Rather than 3D image for Phonix, I would call it more of a pristine image. Everything is placed correctly. I definitely think Phonix is as good as anything at giving a well layered image of the music. And it is still super engaging. Sometimes IEMs can be boring if it does everything correct. That is not the case with how VE tuned Phonix.

I thought the Odin sounded better than Sultan. Just wondering if the Phonix out-details the Odin. I'm a super detail freak. I enjoy that above all then maybe vocals and bass.

 

[SLC1966]

I thought the Odin sounded better than Sultan. Just wondering if the Phonix out-details the Odin. I'm a super detail freak. I enjoy that above all then maybe vocals and bass.

If you are super into detail then Phonix over EXT big time. Phonix and Odin are crazy detail IEMs. Odin has the sub bass that Phonix does not. But Odin has that Upper mid bump that is a detractor to a lot of people. I love how Odin shouts at me. Gets me going when I need to get going. Phonix is detailed all the away across the frequencies. With Phonix the music comes to you but not in a shouty way Mid and sub bass share equal bill with Phonix.

 

[Earbones]

At $4k, Phonix is priced beyond it‘s capabilities.

The correct price-point is around $2k, and it would be a strong choice for that money… but even then, would still bend the knee to the 64 U12T, which wears the crown in that market segment, and is a superior IEM.

Basically, it’s an upgraded VE8. Which is a great IEM (one of my personal favorites), but overpriced in it’s own right ($1.5k would have been about right). I’d need a long listening session to determine if the whole of the Phonix delivers the same magic as the VE8… the latter is certainly not a perfect IEM, but it has some of the best mids in the business, and it’s signature is uniquely balanced to perfectly deliver that particular range.

I’m a fan of the brand, so I’ve bit my tongue, but at this point, I think I’m doing them a disservice by not voicing my opinion (and it is just that, my opinion, so nobody get too bent out of shape).

Frankly, Vision Ears needs to either rethink their prices or step up their game.

Someone compared the Phonix’s lack of bass extension and sub bass to the Odin’s upper mid-bump… both are faults, sure, but the Odin’s flaw is due to the difficulty of attaining perfect cohesion within a sound signature that easily hits the entire spectrum of audible sound. The Phonix literally can’t replicate frequencies that many $500 IEMs can. With respect, that’s like comparing two multi-million dollar race cars, one of which has a jerky 3rd gear because the car’s gearing must balance low-end torque for super acceleration with tall upper gears for those 250mph straight-aways … while the other car tops out at 85mph. The first car might require some patience at specific points in the race, but the other car… well, the other car isn’t really racing, is it?

With a $2k specialty mids machine like the VE8, an inability to hit bass frequencies that are taken for granted with other similarly priced IEMs can almost be forgiven as a quirk of the unique VE8 experience. I know I forgive them every time I listen to them, love them as I do.

But the Phonix… at $4k, we’re talking a price tag indicative of range-topping ultra-exotic flagships. We’re talking race cars… and it’s unacceptable. Bring the pain at every frequency, or you’re not in the conversation in that tier of IEM. Period, full stop.

 

[Tristy]

At $4k, Phonix is priced beyond it‘s capabilities.

The correct price-point is around $2k, and it would be a strong choice for that money… but even then, would still bend the knee to the 64 U12T, which wears the crown in that market segment, and is a superior IEM.

Basically, it’s an upgraded VE8. Which is a great IEM (one of my personal favorites), but overpriced in it’s own right ($1.5k would have been about right). I’d need a long listening session to determine if the whole of the Phonix delivers the same magic as the VE8… the latter is certainly not a perfect IEM, but it has some of the best mids in the business, and it’s signature is uniquely balanced to perfectly deliver that particular range.

I’m a fan of the brand, so I’ve bit my tongue, but at this point, I think I’m doing them a disservice by not voicing my opinion (and it is just that, my opinion, so nobody get too bent out of shape).

Frankly, Vision Ears needs to either rethink their prices or step up their game.

Someone compared the Phonix’s lack of bass extension and sub bass to the Odin’s upper mid-bump… both are faults, sure, but the Odin’s flaw is due to the difficulty of attaining perfect cohesion within a sound signature that easily hits the entire spectrum of audible sound. The Phonix literally can’t replicate frequencies that many $500 IEMs can. With respect, that’s like comparing two multi-million dollar race cars, one of which has a jerky 3rd gear because the car’s gearing must balance low-end torque for super acceleration with tall upper gears for those 250mph straight-aways … while the other car tops out at 85mph. The first car might require some patience at specific points in the race, but the other car… well, the other car isn’t really racing, is it?

With a $2k specialty mids machine like the VE8, an inability to hit bass frequencies that are taken for granted with other similarly priced IEMs can almost be forgiven as a quirk of the unique VE8 experience. I know I forgive them every time I listen to them, love them as I do.

But the Phonix… at $4k, we’re talking a price tag indicative of range-topping ultra-exotic flagships. We’re talking race cars… and it’s unacceptable. Bring the pain at every frequency, or you’re not in the conversation in that tier of IEM. Period, full stop.

Quite a rant haha... Soooo.... what IEM's do you like?