[weexisttocease]

For those interested in the ELAN just got the confirmation the shell is similar to the R2 shell but reworked for this model along with all new cable. So apparently Elan and Rah are quite similar in size.

 

[Podster]

Looks like our journey from LP to Tape to CD to Flac is pretty similar. I got my first Record Player for Christmas when I was 6 yrs old. My Dad gve me the record player and my brother gave me a Zeppelin Album. I bought with my own allowance money Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy when I was 10 and it's still one of my favorite albums. Love Elton's early years. By the time I was 16 I had over 500 LPs and into my early 20's and my first job i was close to 1000.... I bought my first car put a tape deck in it and bought a walkman to go with it - then came CD which I fought for a long while - but ended up at the High End Audio Show at the CNE in Toronto and heard a luxman CD Player into an ADCOM pre amp / amp cobo and it blew me away. Bought it on the spot even though I really couldnt afford it. I was in the shipping and logistics business so I decided to chase down the Canadian Distributor of Luxman and make them a client so I could favorable supplier pricing. It worked. I ended up buying my brother the same CD player I picked up for myself - the same brother who gave me the Zep Album when I was 6! That distributor was selling Clements Audio speakers with bess reflex drivers and 7 inch ribbon tweeters. in Solid Oak Cabinets. They were close to $10K at the time and sold me a pair for $800 - that was in 1992. They were like my first planars! I still have them, still love them and still crank them - they are unbelievably good. I finally stripped them and refinished this past winter and now they look as good again as they sound.

Anyway that's enough of my digression.... I'm thinking the Astra will be my personal end-game. We're all chasing audio nirvana and by that definition the pursuit can never really end. But let's be honest, the law of diminishing returns is at play big time here. I think jumping to something like the Trailli could potentially change the game, but even if I look at whats in my collection I could be perfectly happy with any of them if it were all I had. I love the RAH, I love the Fusion, The Elysium is growing on me. It's a great piece of kit and if there is anyone out there that doenst have a planar, this is a beauty - but - since turning my RAH CIEM, it increased the contact patch, and althought there's no bone conduction in it, it's quite visceral. I Love the 3DT for its timbre and I really like the Xelento for everything that comes out of that remarkably small form factor. So I'm going to finally get the Electrostat I always wanted - pair it up to a brand new DAP and chill a while.

Love your musical journey and many of us I'm sure have some similar form of one! I was 12 (Circa 1968) when my older brother stationed in Germany sent me his first rig when he upgraded and I got a sweet tube Grundig short wave stereo head unit with a pair of Grundig acoustic 2 ways w/10" woofs and 1" tweets. A year later I had a shop build me a custom DIN to RCA for my recently purchased Dual table. As they say the rest is history but I've never given up on my vinyl and still all possible noises included it is still my fave format

 

[cleg]

My next IMR video is about Knight. More to come

 

[McCol]

I am weak, very weak.

Ordered the Astra to go alongside the Elysium

Will be selling my Halycon if there are any interested takers!

 

[roygbiv6]

Just a quick random thing but I was playing about with the Astra & Mest2 today trying out different tips.

Anyway I noticed that the nozzle on the Mest2 is quite a bit shorter than the Astra but if you take off the top filter they are about the same in length & width.

Thought I'd try the Astra without the top filter & the same size xelastecs I use with the Mest2 - down to MS where I would be a ML in earfits usually.
It's early days but I think they fit slightly better and engage the bone conduction slightly more. Need to test more but I think i feel it more.

From my time with the Mest I think the more the bit where it widens after the nozzle and before the main body connects with you the better bone conduction engages and I think it may be the same with the Astra. If that is the case this gives more contact with that area.

Have a go. The only downside is that there is no mesh on the bottom filter. I guess this would be the same with the Elysium but I haven't tried.

Also the Astra is quite a bit smaller than the Mest2 side by side. Bottom pic shows the nozzle lengths but its hard to line them up. Top is bottom filter only below is with both.

 

[weexisttocease]

I am weak, very weak.

Ordered the Astra to go alongside the Elysium

Will be selling my Halycon if there are any interested takers!

Bob will announce details of a third IEM very soon, not a special build but probably TOTL to stay along with Ozar and Elan.

 

[Mouseman]

Is anyone else seeing headphones when they look at the Pro/Encore page? It kind of looks like earcups....

 

[McCol]

Bob will announce details of a third IEM very soon, not a special build but probably TOTL to stay along with Ozar and Elan.

I guess there's always something new around the corner.
Your right though there probably is another model due!

 

[roygbiv6]

Is anyone else seeing headphones when they look at the Pro/Encore page? It kind of looks like earcups....

I did think that it looked like an earcup too but it is very hard to tell for sure.

 

[weexisttocease]

I guess there's always something new around the corner.
Your right though there probably is another model due!

It was confirmed by Bob a few months ago. Available in August/September. I assume Ozar is the entry level and Elan Mid-Fi.

 

[McCol]

It was confirmed by Bob a few months ago. Available in August/September. I assume Ozar is the entry level and Elan Mid-Fi.

I know, what I meant though was that no doubt there will always be another model round the corner with Bob. Not an issue just one of those things, although it does seem his main focus may be full size headphones. Be interesting to see what he produces.

 

[McCol]

My Halcyon's are now up for sale (along with Lotoo S1 and Audeze LCD I3)

 

[PsiCore]

Did you notice the "PRO" link on the IMR page?
https://www.imrproaudio.com

 

[Tiaa]

regarding the new pro range. I have a vague memory that bob wanted to create a range specially designed for monitoring. To be continued.

 

[holsen]

I am weak, very weak.

Ordered the Astra to go alongside the Elysium

Will be selling my Halycon if there are any interested takers!

It seems there's a few of us who proclaim will-power but have no ability to demonstrate it.... Can't wait.
Hey @jon parker you've been a little quiet lately. any further impressions of the Astra?