[frozenOx]

Very early impressions of the KBEAR Believe are positive with various metal tracks. The beryllium driver is certainly fast enough, with good transient attack. Will need to listen a lot more though.

Update?

 

[IEMusic]

Right now, I think the BElieve is the best single DD IEM that I’ve personally heard for metal, including for the insane speeds of death metal. The bass is fast, with sharp transients, and not too long of a decay. The sound is percussive and very textured, at all frequencies, though the treble sounds nice and smooth to me. Drums and guitar distortion sounds visceral. I think it handles very complex music passages well, including at louder volumes, without compression, and this is its main advantage over the NM2+, IMO. The main area where it is not close to the level of the NM2+ is with soundstage and especially holographic imaging. The Believe doesn’t sound nearly as “3D” to me. It’s not my overall favorite IEM for metal, but it still is exceptionally good for this genre.

 

[frozenOx]

It’s not my overall favorite IEM for metal, but it still is exceptionally good for this genre.

What is the consensus on midfi for metal? I see NM2+, LZ A7, Believe, Periodic Be...

I have the KZ ZAX, right now, definitely looking for an upgrade that isn't so V shaped

 

[alamnp]

Right now, I think the BElieve is the best single DD IEM that I’ve personally heard for metal, including for the insane speeds of death metal. The bass is fast, with sharp transients, and not too long of a decay. The sound is percussive and very textured, at all frequencies, though the treble sounds nice and smooth to me. Drums and guitar distortion sounds visceral. I think it handles very complex music passages well, including at louder volumes, without compression, and this is its main advantage over the NM2+, IMO. The main area where it is not close to the level of the NM2+ is with soundstage and especially holographic imaging. The Believe doesn’t sound nearly as “3D” to me. It’s not my overall favorite IEM for metal, but it still is exceptionally good for this genre.

hmmm that's weird, I thought Believe has better sound stage than NM2+ at least for me and NM2+ a bit darker than Believe and was not well tolerated with heavy EQ-ing.
my NM2 I felt the imaging and soundstage was limited to 10 to 2...

 

[IEMusic]

What is the consensus on midfi for metal? I see NM2+, LZ A7, Believe, Periodic Be...

I have the KZ ZAX, right now, definitely looking for an upgrade that isn't so V shaped

My vote, hands down, is for the LZ A7. Its technicalities IMO, suit metal genres superbly, and the tuning can be adjusted to suit one’s specific tastes. It also works very well for any and all types of music. If you happen to listen to a lot of classical music or acoustic music, and timbral accuracy is of great importance to you, then I think the Believe may be the best for you.

hmmm that's weird, I thought Believe has better sound stage than NM2+ at least for me and NM2+ a bit darker than Believe and was not well tolerated with heavy EQ-ing.
my NM2 I felt the imaging and soundstage was limited to 10 to 2...

You may be right. I’m not great at assessing soundstage. I’m really talking about the lack of holographic imaging on the Believe, which is a very unusual trait for a single DD IEM, IMO, that really makes the NM2+ special. In fact, as much as I like the A7, it too doesn’t have as holographic of imaging for me as the NM2+.

 

[alamnp]

My vote, hands down, is for the LZ A7. Its technicalities IMO, suit metal genres superbly, and the tuning can be adjusted to suit one’s specific tastes. It also works very well for any and all types of music. If you happen to listen to a lot of classical music or acoustic music, and timbral accuracy is of great importance to you, then I think the Believe may be the best for you.


You may be right. I’m not great at assessing soundstage. I’m really talking about the lack of holographic imaging on the Believe, which is a very unusual trait for a single DD IEM, IMO, that really makes the NM2+ special. In fact, as much as I like the A7, it too doesn’t have as holographic of imaging for me as the NM2+.

btw, I am on the fence getting LZ A7, is it really superior to Believe and NM2+ aside from its different tuning options?
To me, Believe and NM2+ are two exceptional IEMs for single DD that actually cost below their capacity...
I really don't think any IEM below $400 can beat Believe's clarity and timbre and full bodied vocal and low distortion with EQ.

 

[frozenOx]

Way too many options around 200-300USD, which just happens to be my ceiling.

 

[IEMusic]

btw, I am on the fence getting LZ A7, is it really superior to Believe and NM2+ aside from its different tuning options?
To me, Believe and NM2+ are two exceptional IEMs for single DD that actually cost below their capacity...
I really don't think any IEM below $400 can beat Believe's clarity and timbre and full bodied vocal and low distortion with EQ.

Given what you already have, if they cover all of your music choices very well, there may be no need for you to get the A7. The timbral accuracy of the A7 is really good for a tribrid, especially one with piezos, but it doesn’t match the naturalness of the Believe and NM2+. For imaging, as I stated, the NM2+ is the best of these 3 IEMs, IMO. For bass speed, I think the A7 is best, but the NM2+ has the most subtly nuanced bass, and the Believe has the most textured bass. Also, for a more natural sounding bass decay, the NM2+ and Believe are better, as the A7 can sound a bit dry comparatively, though I think that is what helps is sound so fast. The Believe has the smoothest treble. The A7 would be the choice if one were quite sensitive to upper midrange glare, since it is adjustable. Overall bass and treble detail seem similar between all three, to me, but IMO, the midrange detail, especially the mid to lower midrange detail, is exceptional on the A7, and definitely the best of the three.

 

[IEMusic]

Way too many options around 200-300USD, which just happens to be my ceiling.

And now there is the Moondrop Blessing 2 Dusk to contend with also.

 

[alamnp]

Given what you already have, if they cover all of your music choices very well, there may be no need for you to get the A7. The timbral accuracy of the A7 is really good for a tribrid, especially one with piezos, but it doesn’t match the naturalness of the Believe and NM2+. For imaging, as I stated, the NM2+ is the best of these 3 IEMs, IMO. For bass speed, I think the A7 is best, but the NM2+ has the most subtly nuanced bass, and the Believe has the most textured bass. Also, for a more natural sounding bass decay, the NM2+ and Believe are better, as the A7 can sound a bit dry comparatively, though I think that is what helps is sound so fast. The Believe has the smoothest treble. The A7 would be the choice if one were quite sensitive to upper midrange glare, since it is adjustable. Overall bass and treble detail seem similar between all three, to me, but IMO, the midrange detail, especially the mid to lower midrange detail, is exceptional on the A7, and definitely the best of the three.

oh ok thanks, I will sell my NM2+ and Believe if I decide to get LZ A7, almost splurge for LZ A7 for $265 on 12.12
lol but... somebody will kill me spending $600 in a month for IEM

 

[frozenOx]

And now there is the Moondrop Blessing 2 Dusk to contend with also.

I had ruled that out because I've read quite a few QC issues, like the filter coming off in people's ear, shell falling off, etc. but I guess I should reconsider. There's also the Mangird Tea : |

The way you're describing the A7 it almost sounds like the Senn HD600 with its one note bass, excellent mids, good treble. Here's a test: listen to Imperial Triumphant and see which of the Believe vs A7 vs NM2+ comes out the other side.

I may just go with the 200 range here and save some money since I'm not afraid to EQ, and anything will be a major upgrade on the ZAX's weird mids. IEMs are more of a convenience and comfort thing for me. If I want to really listen to something intently I'll put it up on the Sceptre nearfield monitors. I can deal with imperfection, and tech death and lo fi black metal are probably my least played genres.

Someone decide for me lol.....please! I like smooth treble, and some air on the kick but no bloated lower mids. I happen to really like the ZAX bass, it sounds like a kick drum sounds.

Playlist on UAPP right now is:
Odraza, Astramentus, The Budos Band, Caladan Brood, Jazz Sabbath, svrm, Vehemance, Ulcerate, Demen (dark ambient synth with female vocals), Eloy (old synth/rock prog), Hath, Alexander Scriabin (piano), Havnatt

 

[frozenOx]

oh ok thanks, I will sell my NM2+ and Believe if I decide to get LZ A7, almost splurge for LZ A7 for $265 on 12.12
lol but... somebody will kill me spending $600 in a month for IEM

Where was the A7 for $265?!?!

 

[alamnp]

Where was the A7 for $265?!?!

yesterday at Nicheck Aliexpress store, Aliexpress also has $6 off $65, can use in multiple, $14 Nicheck coupon code, $320 sale price

 

[IEMusic]

There's also the Mangird Tea : |

The way you're describing the A7 it almost sounds like the Senn HD600 with its one note bass, excellent mids, good treble.

Someone decide for me lol.....please! I like smooth treble, and some air on the kick but no bloated lower mids. I happen to really like the ZAX bass, it sounds like a kick drum sounds.

The Tea is a wonderfully musical sounding IEM, with great imaging, but it wouldn‘t be mu first choice for metal. It‘s seems more smooth than punchy in general.

The A7’s bass is anything but “one note”, and if that‘s the impression I gave, let this stand to correct it. The A7’s bass is very potent and punchy, very fast and a little dry sounding, but still with the lush DD bass sound as a whole.

The NM2+, A7, and Believe all have “smooth treble, and some air on the kick but no bloated lower mids”, but the Believe has a smoothest mids of the three. Honestly, you can’t go wrong with any of them. For me:

NM2+ = natural sounding, best imaging, not best for very complex/chaotic music passages.
Believe = natural sounding, very textured sound with smooth treble, stable with very complex/chaotic music passages.
A7 = fastest bass, very punchy, most detailed overall, best for very complex/chaotic music passages, not as natural sounding as the other two.

 

[frozenOx]

NM2+ = natural sounding, best imaging, not best for very complex/chaotic music passages.
Believe = natural sounding, very textured sound with smooth treble, stable with very complex/chaotic music passages.
A7 = fastest bass, very punchy, most detailed overall, best for very complex/chaotic music passages, not as natural sounding as the other two.

Awesome, thank you for the summary. Just based on graphs and descriptions it sounds like the Believe would be best for whati listen to.

But, I think I'll wait though until a good deal comes up again on something.