[jon parker]

Snap and I mean why would anyone when they have a giant lube bottle to hand….

Good point...makes me wonder if they also do little 25cl miniature bottles like they do for the 1 shot whisky ones?

 

[Kundi]

did anyone get an email from bob as was previously discussed?

 

[holsen]

did anyone get an email from bob as was previously discussed?

Not yet. We tend to all get the email at the same time so sit tight, you're an hour ahead of me and will probably have it before I do!

 

[holsen]

Well, this thread has been a lot of fun the last couple of days. From desk top rigs to tissue and lube - my, my, we've covered pretty much everything! I thought I check in with an Astra Report. Mine are at about 140 hours now - and I'm loving these things. I'm still on Black / Blue and aside from a little dip in sound and some wonky bass & mids at around 75hours - these have been the most listenable & easy breakin I've had with any any IMR. The detail retrieival and staging is phenomenol. The precision and articulation of the upper register may be the best I've ever heard clean crisp - it's pretty stunning - and the mids are full and lush. The ADLC is pretty amazing pushing out across all the bands. The bass to my ears has all that hallmark IMR depth definition and texture, to me not lacking at all - but I am using the the Black lower. I've been using the Tennmak Whirlwinds and with this set up I find the Astra incredibly balance with no bloat anywhere. I did swap back the Azla Sednas and the Tennmak Foams for a brief stint this afternoon and with both the bass too overwhelming, but back to the Whirlies and it's perfect across the entire range. On more than just a few tracks I'm getting a holographic image I dont get with any other IEM.

All that to say, I'm still a long way from 300 hours but if they sound this good now, Holy Cow!

 

[NellieG]

Are we expecting another email further to the one we received on friday saying we have a delay to Oct/Nov?

 

[NellieG]

Are we expecting another email further to the one we received on friday saying we have a delay to Oct/Nov?

On another read of said email it appears some Harry Potter wizardry craft has happened and changed what was read to something else entirely.

No delay until Oct/Nov, another mail due this week, web guys suck and need more time for members info and wait to order anything until they have pulled out their fingers their proverbial (maybe they need some lube), Oct/Nov possible to be on the Last Train to Universe.

 

[Jawis]

OK @NellieG you win. The Red IMR on your Bluetooth setup looks way cooler.

A bad design with the UTWS3 is that the pins are made for IEMs that have no recess for the pin connection. The pin insertion to the Elan and for the other IMRs is quite shallow. It makes the pins easy to come loose.

The overall sound from the Elan/UTWS3 is a flatter response than with my wired connection.

There is loss of richness in the sound and bass range. It is not an unpleasant sound, but there isn't much layering and 3d effect that I have been enjoying when wired to the iBasso DX300. The Elan/UTWS3 should still be good for laid back, acoustic music.

 

[NellieG]

OK @NellieG you win. The Red IMR on your Bluetooth setup looks way cooler.

A bad design with the UTWS3 is that the pins are made for IEMs that have no recess for the pin connection. The pin insertion to the Elan and for the other IMRs is quite shallow. It makes the pins easy to come loose.

The overall sound from the Elan/UTWS3 is a flatter response than with my wired connection.

There is loss of richness in the sound and bass range. It is not an unpleasant sound, but there isn't much layering and 3d effect that I have been enjoying when wired to the iBasso DX300. The Elan/UTWS3 should still be good for laid back, acoustic music.

For real yours looks superb and way cooler.
This is a better shot

I was not aware the UTWS3 was for the no recess unlike the UTWS1 which is but you get 5 times the power and power is everything. This sucks as I was going to buy them at some point.

I don’t expect miracles from mine, they sound like a Bluetooth Aten but lower volume which is perfect as I can not be trusted to not turn the volume up and up and UP and UUUUUUUUUPP. So great for general listening without wires.

 

[holsen]

Just shifted back to the Xelastec Tips on the Astra and Wow, just wow - listen to and feel this. I tried this track with my RAHs and Fusions and I get some of the visceral feel with both of them but with the Astra and the Bone Conduction coming through the Xelastecs - man, that's a whole nutha' level. I'd be intereted to know how it comes across with your reds, ozarks, elans, BCs



And if you want to go live, well, here you go

 

[Jawis]

... Astra and the Bone Conduction coming through the Xelastecs - man, that's a whole nutha' level. I'd be intereted to know how it comes across with your reds, ozarks, elans, BCs

Sounds like the Sednas are giving you the perfect fit. I have tried the Xelastecs and the Crystals, but I can't get a comfortably deep insertion. I am using M size. I'm currently using some silicon tips which came with I think from the BGVP DM6 which fit and seal very nicely on the Elan.
Judging from your experience I will get the next size down Sednas and try again. Hopefully they have MS. I have tried S size tips of other brands, but I'm not getting a good seal.

 

[NellieG]

 

[reminence]

Wow these threads are hard to keep up with!

I got the Semper, the PB1 and halcyon and I was quite dissapointed with the semper. It had quite a lot of sibilance and I found them far less pleasant than all the other IMR's. I was hoping it would be fixed with burn in or different tips but I can now say this isnt the case. I find them harsh and less immersive than the PB1 and halcyon (choose great mids or highs not both). Due to this I have lost a bit of faith in the new IMR's.

Has anyone else had a similar experience?

Are the newer models even more immersive and detailed?
Other than the sibilance issues, these are the areas I would want to upgrade in.

EDIT: I have also had two failures on IMR products (halcyon (might contact bob about) and RAH replaced with Pb1 by Bob)

 

[Poganin]

I got the Semper, the PB1 and halcyon and I was quite dissapointed with the semper. It had quite a lot of sibilance and I found them far less pleasant than all the other IMR's. I was hoping it would be fixed with burn in or different tips but I can now say this isnt the case. I find them harsh and less immersive than the PB1 and halcyon (choose great mids or highs not both).

I have the Semper and my experience has been nothing like yours. Out of the box it was surprisingly dull and lifeless, which I did not expect after the lively and fun Aten. This has fortunately improved with burn-in. But I do notice that when transitioning to the Semper from another unit, I need a little time for brain burn-in to kick in so it "sounds good again". There's never been any sibilance in my unit. But with that said, in my case the Semper is quite picky with regard to the genres it works well with, and not all nozzle/filter configurations work well for all genres.

 

[NellieG]

I have the Semper and my experience has been nothing like yours. Out of the box it was surprisingly dull and lifeless, which I did not expect after the lively and fun Aten. This has fortunately improved with burn-in. But I do notice that when transitioning to the Semper from another unit, I need a little time for brain burn-in to kick in so it "sounds good again". There's never been any sibilance in my unit. But with that said, in my case the Semper is quite picky with regard to the genres it works well with, and not all nozzle/filter configurations work well for all genres.

I shall add my Semper experience.

I had them for around 50 hours but had to return them due to the fit being a massive no for my ears.

Out of the box they were incredibly lively and wiped the floor with anything else i have used, they seemed to work with every genre i played. When transitioning to Semper from R2 Aten/PB1 it was instant wow and then i needed brain burn in to transition back.

The top end was super forwards but never sibilant but did get very near to that due to being so forwards and i suspect if i had a full burn in it would have settled down, i loved the massive soundstage, the low end was incredibly powerful and addictive even on pink nozzle which i can understand many will not like but i mean why buy IMR if you do not like bass right lol.

Not much more i can add really due to the short time with them but that is my lasting memory of them 3 months later or whenever i sadly returned them. I have though managed to get my R2 Aten to be like a mini Semper with certain music but it still only scratches the surface really.

 

[ChrisOc]

Wow these threads are hard to keep up with!

I got the Semper, the PB1 and halcyon and I was quite dissapointed with the semper. It had quite a lot of sibilance and I found them far less pleasant than all the other IMR's. I was hoping it would be fixed with burn in or different tips but I can now say this isnt the case. I find them harsh and less immersive than the PB1 and halcyon (choose great mids or highs not both). Due to this I have lost a bit of faith in the new IMR's.

Has anyone else had a similar experience?

Are the newer models even more immersive and detailed?
Other than the sibilance issues, these are the areas I would want to upgrade in.

EDIT: I have also had two failures on IMR products (halcyon (might contact bob about) and RAH replaced with Pb1 by Bob)

If have not already done so, you may want to try different sources. Synergy is a huge factor in many people dismissing good earphones, which they could enjoy.