[jon parker]

Ok, so with close to 40 hours on my Elysium, something happened. It's like the bone conduction turned on or something. It's not just the sound, it's like the realization of sound goes deeper in your head. The details almost seem overpowering. I have to go back and listen to the Mia's to compare. Wow!

Cool! I had a few experiences even just OOTB with the Astra that were psychedelic for want of a better word!!

I went back to Opus Mia today - I could happily make them my last ever IEMs

The new drivers do worry me a little bit though
For me the Aten is just perfect - That low end is incredible
So to improve upon that - where do you go? Im slightly worried that Bob may have gone a tad too far into the detail, clarity and punchy area of things. I don't what for him is 'better' or an improvement - For me the Tube amp sound is wonderful but other people may prefer a better 'technically performing' solid state amp type of sound?

As with the original EDP's I cant quite get the low end I want with the EDP+ I was hoping the Planar in the EDP+ would be tuned to be deep and rich but it kind of seems similarly tuned to the ADLC/CNT drivers and if true, then Im not sure the point of having all 3 in there?
and Im hearing similar traits with the Astra. I haven't burnt in the Astra and it does have a 10mm driver and no CNT so Im sure it will warm up
(I do appreciate the EDP+ is tuned for a certain type of sound so Im not saying its tuned badly by any means!)

but another point is, when Bob says the Astra has the greatest pistonic action of any IMR that makes me wonder then if it NEEDS more power for that pistonic action to produce the low end Im looking for? in which case some tracks may have more quality than quantity for their bass where as other [already bass rich] tracks will have 'that' IMR bass

Im looking for the warm, rich, easy, ultra human sounding natural Opus Mia sound but with slightly more clarity and the magic that the BC driver gives
If It ends up having less low end than the Opus IE: the ADLC is giving tighter (all be it better quality) bass Im not 100% sure I will be 100% happy - Probably ONLY 95% happy

This is all subtle things Im discussing here and we don't know yet where the Astra or Elysium will end up but in the interest of balance I wanted to share a few lingering concerns, all be them very small in reality

These points regarding elements of the audio are not necessarily 'bad' in any way. Its more about what the individual is looking for

 

[Tiaa]

I would say go for it, but as Tiaa says talk to him, I just got them 20 minutes ago, FINALLY, and yes they sound as their name implies! And I'm still way early in the bake-in period, but just as a good cake smells awesome even in the oven, that is happening here!!

yes, that way we can know how the next one will be.

 

[Tiaa]

What would you say are the key differences in sound signature between the two?

The soundstage. Elysium is intimate, sweet, chilling sound, plenty of details in the low end Astra is more analytical, light and larger it has ethereal voices. Details are in the upper range.

 

[Tiaa]

Iv never owned or heard a Planar can anyone give me a pro's & con's of and sound of a planar?

The planar gives a sweet and intimate sound. It gives plenty of details in the voices and make them very natural. It's a sound that is warmer. Like analogue. More power gives more...everything. for me it targets specially voices.

 

[Tiaa]

For info about the amazeballs.

But sometimes he doesn't always do what he said.

 

[NellieG]

For info about the amazeballs.



But sometimes he doesn't always do what he said.

I was going to say it is as good as confirmed arriving if he says it is not lol. CAN. NOT . WAIT

 

[NellieG]

And I'm still way early in the bake-in period, but just as a good cake smells awesome even in the oven, that is happening here!!

Wake and bake my friend, PLUR

 

[Tiaa]

Thanks for the advice guys ill take it on board? I don't really wanna ask him anything else he has told me the name of the new line and the cosmetics but not the internals or price! If i knew one of the upcoming model's had Bone Con i would definitely wait because Bob said he is working on the new line as we speak and we all know each new set of releases increase in sound quality! I think if i was to pull the trigger it would most probably be Elysium because i already have the EST in my Opus Mia! Iv never owned or heard a Planar can anyone give me a pro's & con's of and sound of a planar?

The thing is, special builds like astra or elysium won't be made anymore. The others will be sold later again.

 

[Tiaa]

I was going to say it is as good as confirmed arriving if he says it is not lol. CAN. NOT . WAIT

Maybe those who are English might ask Boris Johnson or the Queen to convince Bob to do so. or witchcraft

 

[Tiaa]

Cool! I had a few experiences even just OOTB with the Astra that were psychedelic for want of a better word!!

I went back to Opus Mia today - I could happily make them my last ever IEMs

The new drivers do worry me a little bit though
For me the Aten is just perfect - That low end is incredible
So to improve upon that - where do you go? Im slightly worried that Bob may have gone a tad too far into the detail, clarity and punchy area of things. I don't what for him is 'better' or an improvement - For me the Tube amp sound is wonderful but other people may prefer a better 'technically performing' solid state amp type of sound?

As with the original EDP's I cant quite get the low end I want with the EDP+ I was hoping the Planar in the EDP+ would be tuned to be deep and rich but it kind of seems similarly tuned to the ADLC/CNT drivers and if true, then Im not sure the point of having all 3 in there?
and Im hearing similar traits with the Astra. I haven't burnt in the Astra and it does have a 10mm driver and no CNT so Im sure it will warm up
(I do appreciate the EDP+ is tuned for a certain type of sound so Im not saying its tuned badly by any means!)

but another point is, when Bob says the Astra has the greatest pistonic action of any IMR that makes me wonder then if it NEEDS more power for that pistonic action to produce the low end Im looking for? in which case some tracks may have more quality than quantity for their bass where as other [already bass rich] tracks will have 'that' IMR bass

Im looking for the warm, rich, easy, ultra human sounding natural Opus Mia sound but with slightly more clarity and the magic that the BC driver gives
If It ends up having less low end than the Opus IE: the ADLC is giving tighter (all be it better quality) bass Im not 100% sure I will be 100% happy - Probably ONLY 95% happy

This is all subtle things Im discussing here and we don't know yet where the Astra or Elysium will end up but in the interest of balance I wanted to share a few lingering concerns, all be them very small in reality

These points regarding elements of the audio are not necessarily 'bad' in any way. Its more about what the individual is looking for

Have you tried the Bass Cannon? The double driver with the aten will be end game if he adds the planar or EST. I think it can be closer to what you are looking for.

 

[talan7]

I really like the Elysiums but I might have liked the Astras more. I like soundstage and details. The reason I got the Elysiums is that I already have the EST driver in the Mia's and I was scared the Astras would sound too similar, but after further thought, that may be what I really wanted, Mia's with BC driver to add that something special. I still hope the Elysiums open up over time and I plan on getting graphene cable, which I hear opens up soundstage and treble details. The Elysiums are special though, just more intimate.

 

[jon parker]

Maybe those who are English might ask Boris Johnson or the Queen to convince Bob to do so. or witchcraft

Boris Johnson doesn't know his arse from his elbow

Just to contradict myself in my last post - My EDP+ are now well over the 350+ hour mark and listening now, the bass is a lot closer to the Aten in terms of its warm weight. whilst showing a bit more discipline! Im using a custom filter so Im not sure how much that is effecting the sound but anyway, (its a lot but Im not going to compare again to stock filters until Im over 500+ hours) there is now a whole lot more weight and body. There are still some subtle leanings towards a bright, brittleness somewhere in there, on the crests of the waves of certain sounds like electric guitars and vocals - but its getting less and less

 

[Tiaa]

J'aime beaucoup les Elysium mais j'aurais peut-être plus aimé les Astra. J'aime la scène sonore et les détails. La raison pour laquelle j'ai eu les Elysium est que j'ai déjà le pilote EST dans les Mia et j'avais peur que les Astras sonnent trop similaires, mais après réflexion, c'est peut-être ce que je voulais vraiment, Mia est avec le pilote BC pour ajouter que quelque chose de spécial . J'espère toujours que les Elysium s'ouvriront avec le temps et je prévois d'acheter un câble en graphène, qui, j'entends, ouvre les détails de la scène sonore et des aigus. Les Elysiums sont cependant spéciaux, juste plus intimes.

I Don't have OM but R3 halcyon. Same configuration than OM. The astra gives a more controlled basses and BC adds a layer that improves the overall image. Bob has tunned astra in the way that gives more details. But to have the same amount of basses than elysium, I have to use the black nozzle instead of the blue in elysium. Basses are lighter.

 

[Tiaa]

Boris Johnson doesn't know his arse from his elbow

ok, so better ask Ashtar from the council of the galactic amaze no balls.

 

[jon parker]

Have you tried the Bass Cannon? The double driver with the aten will be end game if he adds the planar or EST. I think it can be closer to what you are looking for.

....A bit of a rambling discombobulated answer but...

I already have what Im looking for with my Opus Mia. I am interested very much though in the addition of the BC driver to the natural sound of the Elecrosat drivers. The only slight worry I have is whether the new ADLC is/will be a little too precise and crisp. I love the Aten's bass

TBH though I think it will be fine - Listening to the EDP+ the low end is good enough now but as Ive mentioned before they are gonna need 500+ hours burn in

Im not looking for exaggerations in anything. I want my music to be as natural, balanced and 'true to life/live' as possible
In other words I want purity.
When I was a teenager I was into big bass and things that gave me a wow! but now I want to wowed by feeling, for example that I am in the presence of the artist -
Being IN the studio with 'Billy Holiday - Songs for Distinque Lovers' is something Ive experienced with the Opus Mia many times.
Brings tears to the eyes! - There is nothing there in the music though that is exaggerated in any way - the tonality of all instruments are perfect so I can then just relax INTO the music. I don't want a bombastic drum being noticeable or for that matter for anything to be trying to grab my attention

When sound is recorded/mixed/mastered perfectly then all the instruments and the vocalist disappears and you just relax into the experience of the music.

Sometimes I want some drum an bass for sure but only for short periods!

I still enjoy the beat and impact of the drums but it also needs to display the correct tonalities of each part to really impress me - I dont just want my ears punched by loads of BASS - Just makes me tired

There was a famous sound engineer who retired recently. He said that it was only in the last 3-4 years of his 40 year old career that he finally understood what good bass was !!

All this stuff though is subtle. A lot of my points are not night & day