iBasso IT01 a fun IEM. Single multilayered graphene driver. !! 99 USD !!

[razorpakk]

Could you do a short comparison of the both please?

Compared to IT01 you lose soundstage and separation.
The term veiled also comes to mind: they are darker and while the base is great (just as good as IT01),
I personally don't need anything with less treble than IT01, which for me just hits the sweet spot.

I honesty enjoyed them a lot (FH1), but when I came home today and did a quick A/B test I noticed how much treble was missing.

And by the way I sold my F9 because of the treble spike, so I am pretty sensitive.

 

[Layman1]

For anyone that's interested, I have recently changed from the AMP5 with IT01 (standard lovely cable) to AMP3 with IT01, using the CB12 cable.

I'm still getting used to the sound.
My initial impressions (after around a week of daily listening):
It seems to take the sound quality to a higher level in terms of sounding more transparent, neutral, reference.
Note that I mean this relative to the original sound.
I always said I prefer a neutral, transparent, reference sound (with big soundstage, detail, clarity etc).
But so far, I'm finding I rather miss the organic, warm, analogue kind of sound that I felt I was getting before.
The AMP5 and the copper-cabled IT01 make for a formidable tag-team of organic potency

As ever, I guess it just takes time to get used to a new sound.
I'd suggest that with AMP3 and a good balanced cable, the IT01 are punching even more above their weight than they did previously (and that was a LOT!).
But it's also made me appreciate just how great they sound, single-ended, with the original cable.
A rather different sound signature, which I originally thought wouldn't be to my taste, but which I actually came to love!
The qualifying statement there is that I was listening via the AMP5, which is also an outstanding piece of equipment
I haven't yet tried them on my Shozy Alien+

Choices, choices.
Perhaps I need to get upgraded single ended cables for my Katana and IT03, and go back to AMP5?
This hobby..

 

[VitalyAverin]

Compared to IT01 you lose soundstage and separation.
The term veiled also comes to mind: they are darker and while the base is great (just as good as IT01),
I personally don't need anything with less treble than IT01, which for me just hits the sweet spot.

I honesty enjoyed them a lot (FH1), but when I came home today and did a quick A/B test I noticed how much treble was missing.

And by the way I sold my F9 because of the treble spike, so I am pretty sensitive.

But haven't you lost some separation, details and more controlled bass switching from F9 to IT01? Spike may be decreased with small bore tips with deeper insert.
Forgot to mention that I also use Dunu impedance conductor - it helps.

 

[razorpakk]

There was about a month between selling F9 and receiving IT01, so I would just be making up stuff.

Given the wider soundstage I don't perceive any loss in details and separation - in case there actually was (used Spin-Fit with both). F9s bass was dryer, IT01 is definitely more lively, but doesn't overwhelm anything.

The soundstage really holds everything together here. I have absolutely zero interest now in buying anything else under 200$.

 

[terry81]

How loud are you listening?

The Process works better if the sound is loud AFAIK
This is why most people don't listen to items while burning in.
The usually recommended volume is as loud as you can generally bear, then taking a 5% back. I think that this is what I've seen so far, but maybe @Paul - iBasso can tell us what works best with IT01

I guess everybody has their method for burn-in. Mine, I place my pink noise and sweeps in a playlist and apply replaygain so they don't clip. Then, using a music track I set the volume to my regular listening level, take the IEMs off, turn up the volume by 10% and play the playlist with pink + sweeps on repeat. I put the IEMs in a thick towel so I don't hear the hissing and leave them for as long as needed.
The IT01 was very enjoyable out of the box so I only did this overnights and I enjoyed them during the day.

 

[Lidson Mendes Br]

I also burn with the pink noise, in the range of 10% above normal volume. I'm afraid to make some colleagues who put it at too high a level.

 

[bsoplinger]

Yikes, well after another 3 days on the Benjie in shuffle mode I'm sure I'm over 200 hours now. Finally! The mids stopped being recessed and the whole spectrum is smooth, coherent and tight. They sounded rather good out of the box but sound excellent now with a quick not very serious nor long listening session. I'll have to spend some quality time with them and a better DAP to get a full idea of exactly how they sound but I'm really pleased with my purchase now already.

 

[Dobrescu George]

I guess everybody has their method for burn-in. Mine, I place my pink noise and sweeps in a playlist and apply replaygain so they don't clip. Then, using a music track I set the volume to my regular listening level, take the IEMs off, turn up the volume by 10% and play the playlist with pink + sweeps on repeat. I put the IEMs in a thick towel so I don't hear the hissing and leave them for as long as needed.
The IT01 was very enjoyable out of the box so I only did this overnights and I enjoyed them during the day.

I also burn with the pink noise, in the range of 10% above normal volume. I'm afraid to make some colleagues who put it at too high a level.

This is a good another approach!

The thing is that I keep my listening levels about as loud as I can get for short term listening, and often I cannot listen more than short term these days, having a lot of work to do... So this is why I pick to burn-in like that, but yes, for most cases, this method should work fairly well.

Metal music should be great to burn-in IEMs as well, if one listens to metal music

 

[Lidson Mendes Br]

This is a good another approach!

The thing is that I keep my listening levels about as loud as I can get for short term listening, and often I cannot listen more than short term these days, having a lot of work to do... So this is why I pick to burn-in like that, but yes, for most cases, this method should work fairly well.

Metal music should be great to burn-in IEMs as well, if one listens to metal music

Yeah playing some Slayer, Megadeth, Exodus, Mastodon and more.

 

[Paul - iBasso]

Always regard volume. As a precaution I suggest you not go much beyond normal hearing levels. Yes the IT01 and other IELastMs are made for higher volumes but use good judgement. We recently got a pair that were burnt out. It is possible they were use at a much higher volume than would ever be listened to so use good judgement.

=====

On another note I got a PM from someone in the UK that found an IT01 case on the street with IEMs in it. They are not our IEMs but it is a case and IEMs. They appear to be from Valle Mosso.?

 

[terry81]

I also burn with the pink noise, in the range of 10% above normal volume. I'm afraid to make some colleagues who put it at too high a level.

I think louder is better for burn-in as long the drivers don't clip/distort. I listen fairly loud generally so that 10% extra is not far from maximum, it's like Dobrescu George suggested, some 5-10% lower.
For precaution I do listen to the sweep a couple of times at the volume I set for burn-in and make sure it doesn't distort, then I can go to sleep. Back in the day I messed up a Sennheiser HD595 by not doing that so I learned my lesson

Yikes, well after another 3 days on the Benjie in shuffle mode I'm sure I'm over 200 hours now. Finally! The mids stopped being recessed and the whole spectrum is smooth, coherent and tight. They sounded rather good out of the box but sound excellent now with a quick not very serious nor long listening session. I'll have to spend some quality time with them and a better DAP to get a full idea of exactly how they sound but I'm really pleased with my purchase now already.

So the evidence piles up, mids do take longer to come to life Paul - iBasso was right about the diaphragm needing time.

Metal music should be great to burn-in IEMs as well, if one listens to metal music

I agree but would like to add it should be a good recording, well mastered so it's not emphasized on bass and treble like they usually are.
I choose pink + sweeps for neutrality so the whole spectrum gets equal attention from the source.

 

[Dobrescu George]

Always regard volume. As a precaution I suggest you not go much beyond normal hearing levels. Yes the IT01 and other IELastMs are made for higher volumes but use good judgement. We recently got a pair that were burnt out. It is possible they were use at a much higher volume than would ever be listened to so use good judgement.

=====

On another note I got a PM from someone in the UK that found an IT01 case on the street with IEMs in it. They are not our IEMs but it is a case and IEMs. They appear to be from Valle Mosso.?

Woah, I had no idea that a IEM can burn out!

Thank you for telling us!

I don't think I'd go beyond human listening levels, but below them most of times. I mean, considerably bellow them, like, not reaching the threshold of pain, this is why I say bellow what is maximally acceptable.

 

[Lost Cosmonaut]

Does anyone know of good eartips for the IT01? I somehow managed to lose 3 pairs. ¯\(º_o)/¯

 

[stryed]

Does anyone know of good eartips for the IT01? I somehow managed to lose 3 pairs. ¯\(º_o)/¯

Those blue KZ turbo tips (large bore)

 

[Lost Cosmonaut]

Those blue KZ turbo tips (large bore)

Are these the tips:

?

Are those the ones you use?

And, of course, Thank You!