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Since my name has been mentioned a few times in this thread already (a blessing or a curse?
), without retyping, here is copy'n'paste of what I posted in Andromeda thread since there was a number of people who asked me about the comparison with IT03. And, 150hrs burn in is a necessity!!!
I hate hijacking a thread talking about another IEM, and also don't want to add to any new hype, though it could be too late in case of IT03I describe the sound how I hear it and how it compares to other IEMs, then let you guys/gals make a decision if it's your cup of tea.
But relevant to Andromeda thread, I find a lot of similarities between these two. Both have a rather holographic soundstage expansion. IT03 does require at least 100hrs of burn in for the bass to settle in (due to the dynamic driver), out of the box it's quantity is overwhelming. Afterwards, I found IT03 to have a little more sub-bass quantity while the extension is similar, including a similar mid-bass punch. Andromeda has a little more body in lower mids as well as upper mids being more organic and smoother and a touch more upfront. In comparison, IT03 upper mids are a little brighter and more revealing, closer to analytical quality without being harsh or grainy. Treble in both is very similar, crisp, well defined, nicely extended, though I do find IT03 to have more airiness. People who are not used to a hefty sub-bass will find IT03 a bit overwhelming because the quantity of sub-bass is almost on the same level as mid-bass, while Andromeda and other IEMs (like S-EM9 I'm also starting to review now) have a similarly extended sub-bass but the quantity is a little lower in comparison.
Who said it's better?They are different enough, as I said, for those who are sensitive to more analytical brighter frequencies (IT03 has a few peaks to accentuate the edge of the sound) or who don't like sub-bass - they will prefer a smoother and more organic Andromeda. But for others who prefer a more analytical sound with a better layering and separation of instruments AND a surprisingly powerful bass slam - they will go for IT03.
Price is no longer an indicator of flagship. The same way as someone might prefer $260 3way hybrid over $1k 5BA, there are plenty who prefer $1k 5BA over $1.5k-$2k other multi-BA flagships. And to be honest, there is no right or wrong answer since we all have different sound preference and perception.
