Going fully Wireless IEMs. Too soon? Or are we there yet?

[mikaik]

Quick ranking
Best sound: Noble. Funny enough, with some EQ, for me the second best remains the Sony 1000xm4.
Best comfort and best ANC: Bose. 2nd best ANC: Sony
Best for running: Samsung Buds Live and the white Samsung, forgot their name. The oldest of the bunch. Beyerdynamic are ok, up to a point.
Best allrounder: Oneplus Buds Pro 3 and Oppo Enco X2. I'm pretty sure it's the same TWS I'm gonna name Samsung Buds 3 here as well, its integration with my Samsung phone and tablet is seamless. Still not happy with the sound though.
Biggest disappointment: Galaxy Buds 2 Pro. Don't like the sound, the fit, basically nothing. Anyone wants to buy them ?
Worst connection: Bose
Worst comfort: Sony
Best looking: Noble, Beyerdynamic and Oneplus Buds Pro 3

The Sennheiser is brand new, so I don't know much about it yet.
I've heard the Technics AZ80 and I'd rate them somewhere between Noble and Sony, for sound.
Forgot the Aurvana Ace 2, pretty decent, but I need more time with them.
There's so many I don't know at all, but frankly, the Sony shows that there's been little improvement in the mainstream ones. Only incremental upgrades...

 

[mainguy]

I’ve not used it for jogging but I think someone else had, which is why I mentioned it. Personally I just use more mainstream TWS for that, and wouldn’t feel right risking nicer gear.

agree, airpods pro are perfect for runs, or some samsung buds

 

[PixelSquish]

A little bit out of Nobles product zone (but so was the Apollo?), I suspect a sports oriented TWS would sell like hotcakes. A lot of us here would appreciate not having to make sound quality compromises for a gym bud. Low hanging fruit for you guys.

I can't attest to having done an A/B but most people strongly prefer the prestige to the mystique even though the differences on paper seem to be minute. I was not in love with the Mystique but I was in love with the Prestige (well except for the fit). So I think most would disagree with your assertion that they are the same other than fancy would finishing. Only Noble knows the truth. Maybe it's confirmation bias but the weight of authority is against you on this.

I'm not saying they are not different, but they are not $200-300 different - you are paying for the fancy wood finish with most of those dollars, which is what I said. I literally said you are MOSTLY paying those extra dollars for a fancy wood finish. I stand by my statement. Also, if someone is going to say they prefer the Prestige because the bass is boomy on the Mystique, implying it's low quality bass, well they'd be wrong. Just means they prefer a slightly different sound signature, as I also explained.

 

[Sam L]

Quick ranking
Best sound: Noble. Funny enough, with some EQ, for me the second best remains the Sony 1000xm4.
Best comfort and best ANC: Bose. 2nd best ANC: Sony
Best for running: Samsung Buds Live and the white Samsung, forgot their name. The oldest of the bunch. Beyerdynamic are ok, up to a point.
Best allrounder: Oneplus Buds Pro 3 and Oppo Enco X2. I'm pretty sure it's the same TWS I'm gonna name Samsung Buds 3 here as well, its integration with my Samsung phone and tablet is seamless. Still not happy with the sound though.
Biggest disappointment: Galaxy Buds 2 Pro. Don't like the sound, the fit, basically nothing. Anyone wants to buy them ?
Worst connection: Bose
Worst comfort: Sony
Best looking: Noble, Beyerdynamic and Oneplus Buds Pro 3

The Sennheiser is brand new, so I don't know much about it yet.
I've heard the Technics AZ80 and I'd rate them somewhere between Noble and Sony, for sound.
Forgot the Aurvana Ace 2, pretty decent, but I need more time with them.
There's so many I don't know at all, but frankly, the Sony shows that there's been little improvement in the mainstream ones. Only incremental upgrades...

Awesome collection! Welcome to the club of having way too many TWS earphones then makes sense. lol

 

[Sam L]

interesting... the airpods 4 have too much anc. haha

My use case: I use semi in-ear anc tws earphones to kill the AC vent sounds in the office, as well as the overall quiet chatter. But, i want to easily hear when someone comes to my desk. So far, the various semi in-ears do that acceptably (some better than others, like the galaxy buds 3 or the freebuds 5). The airpods 4 cancel too much. lol

 

[HeadphoneAddict00]

I'm not saying they are not different, but they are not $200-300 different - you are paying for the fancy wood finish with most of those dollars, which is what I said. I literally said you are MOSTLY paying those extra dollars for a fancy wood finish. I stand by my statement. Also, if someone is going to say they prefer the Prestige because the bass is boomy on the Mystique, implying it's low quality bass, well they'd be wrong. Just means they prefer a slightly different sound signature, as I also explained.

Not a finish, it's carved out of wood. Carving things out of wood is expensive, time consuming, and a pain in the ass, it costs materials and labour. Putting things in a resin mold or 3D printing them is not even close. If anything, being made out of wood actually justifies the price more than the vast majority of TWS sold at a 500% markup

Either way, the Triumph is better than both of them, and the bass is better on the Triumph too.

 

[Jozurr]

Quick ranking
Best sound: Noble. Funny enough, with some EQ, for me the second best remains the Sony 1000xm4.
Best comfort and best ANC: Bose. 2nd best ANC: Sony
Best for running: Samsung Buds Live and the white Samsung, forgot their name. The oldest of the bunch. Beyerdynamic are ok, up to a point.
Best allrounder: Oneplus Buds Pro 3 and Oppo Enco X2. I'm pretty sure it's the same TWS I'm gonna name Samsung Buds 3 here as well, its integration with my Samsung phone and tablet is seamless. Still not happy with the sound though.
Biggest disappointment: Galaxy Buds 2 Pro. Don't like the sound, the fit, basically nothing. Anyone wants to buy them ?
Worst connection: Bose
Worst comfort: Sony
Best looking: Noble, Beyerdynamic and Oneplus Buds Pro 3

The Sennheiser is brand new, so I don't know much about it yet.
I've heard the Technics AZ80 and I'd rate them somewhere between Noble and Sony, for sound.
Forgot the Aurvana Ace 2, pretty decent, but I need more time with them.
There's so many I don't know at all, but frankly, the Sony shows that there's been little improvement in the mainstream ones. Only incremental upgrades...

Which Noble?

 

[Jozurr]

Just means it isn't seating properly in the case. Are you using after market tips or the ones it came with? I found they only seat with the stock tips.

These have become my new favorite. Are you liking them?

Im using the stock tips - not sure what Im doing wrong but they seem to be sitting properly in the case.

I really like their sound. Im wondering if any of the offerings from noble are a clear upgrade - I listen to mostly electronic music, so anything leaner than the H-ANC wouldn't work. You seem to have tried the triumph/mystique/prestige - how would you compare the bass/fullness of sound on those to the H-ANC? From what I understand, the triumph seem to be more resolving. How do you think the mystique or prestige compare to the H-ANC overall?

 

[Jozurr]

Not a finish, it's carved out of wood. Carving things out of wood is expensive, time consuming, and a pain in the ass, it costs materials and labour. Putting things in a resin mold or 3D printing them is not even close. If anything, being made out of wood actually justifies the price more than the vast majority of TWS sold at a 500% markup

Either way, the Triumph is better than both of them, and the bass is better on the Triumph too.

You think the Triumph has better bass than both the Mystique and Prestige?

 

[assassin10000]

interesting... the airpods 4 have too much anc. haha

My use case: I use semi in-ear anc tws earphones to kill the AC vent sounds in the office, as well as the overall quiet chatter. But, i want to easily hear when someone comes to my desk. So far, the various semi in-ears do that acceptably (some better than others, like the galaxy buds 3 or the freebuds 5). The airpods 4 cancel too much. lol

I just got the buds 3 last night and I'm pleasantly surprised at how effective semi in-ear ANC has gotten. A massive step up over the buds live.

Kinda want to try the airpods 4 now that you've said that tho.

 

[HeadphoneAddict00]

You think the Triumph has better bass than both the Mystique and Prestige?

Yes, it's much cleaner, more textured and better layered/presented. There's more staging and bass isn't the most forward range, the reduced mid bass allows lower mids to be more apparent. They're both good TWS but both the Mystique and Prestige are bass heavy, I wouldn't quite call them all rounders. The Triumph is a lot more balanced and suitable for more genres

 

[bladefd]

I'm not saying they are not different, but they are not $200-300 different - you are paying for the fancy wood finish with most of those dollars, which is what I said. I literally said you are MOSTLY paying those extra dollars for a fancy wood finish. I stand by my statement. Also, if someone is going to say they prefer the Prestige because the bass is boomy on the Mystique, implying it's low quality bass, well they'd be wrong. Just means they prefer a slightly different sound signature, as I also explained.

I believe the Prestige were a Mystique upgrade and use different chips.

However, I agree that Prestige doesn't justify $600 tag on sound quality.

 

[audionooby]

Quick ranking
Best sound: Noble. Funny enough, with some EQ, for me the second best remains the Sony 1000xm4.
Best comfort and best ANC: Bose. 2nd best ANC: Sony
Best for running: Samsung Buds Live and the white Samsung, forgot their name. The oldest of the bunch. Beyerdynamic are ok, up to a point.
Best allrounder: Oneplus Buds Pro 3 and Oppo Enco X2. I'm pretty sure it's the same TWS I'm gonna name Samsung Buds 3 here as well, its integration with my Samsung phone and tablet is seamless. Still not happy with the sound though.
Biggest disappointment: Galaxy Buds 2 Pro. Don't like the sound, the fit, basically nothing. Anyone wants to buy them ?
Worst connection: Bose
Worst comfort: Sony
Best looking: Noble, Beyerdynamic and Oneplus Buds Pro 3

The Sennheiser is brand new, so I don't know much about it yet.
I've heard the Technics AZ80 and I'd rate them somewhere between Noble and Sony, for sound.
Forgot the Aurvana Ace 2, pretty decent, but I need more time with them.
There's so many I don't know at all, but frankly, the Sony shows that there's been little improvement in the mainstream ones. Only incremental upgrades...

For running the Beats line is also worth looking at. Basically APP with secure fit

 

[JoshG1217]

Im using the stock tips - not sure what Im doing wrong but they seem to be sitting properly in the case.

I really like their sound. Im wondering if any of the offerings from noble are a clear upgrade - I listen to mostly electronic music, so anything leaner than the H-ANC wouldn't work. You seem to have tried the triumph/mystique/prestige - how would you compare the bass/fullness of sound on those to the H-ANC? From what I understand, the triumph seem to be more resolving. How do you think the mystique or prestige compare to the H-ANC overall?

So I have owned the mystique, the Fokus Pro, and the prestige. I returned all of them for various reasons, mostly fit as they have giant nozzles and were uncomfortable for me. I'm keeping the H ANC. They have better ANC than the Sony xm5 and sound better. Sound is pretty on par in terms of resolution with my Aviot TE ZX1. Triumph is more resolving and does fit well, but I don't like the natural tuning profile it has. It's too lean for me, and frankly they are not that far off. I've listed my Triumph for sale, actually. Let me know if you're interested. Personally, I need ANC as gym use is primary for me. I think the H ANC is a hidden gem. It got very little attention, but you can't beat it for $129.

 

[Jozurr]

So I have owned the mystique, the Fokus Pro, and the prestige. I returned all of them for various reasons, mostly fit as they have giant nozzles and were uncomfortable for me. I'm keeping the H ANC. They have better ANC than the Sony xm5 and sound better. Sound is pretty on par in terms of resolution with my Aviot TE ZX1. Triumph is more resolving and does fit well, but I don't like the natural tuning profile it has. It's too lean for me, and frankly they are not that far off. I've listed my Triumph for sale, actually. Let me know if you're interested. Personally, I need ANC as gym use is primary for me. I think the H ANC is a hidden gem. It got very little attention, but you can't beat it for $129.

Thanks for sharing details - I did dm you, but maybe you missed it. Dm'ed again.