[holsen]

RAH or Cupid? Hmmm...

I'll have both. My Cupids arrived on Thursday and Indeed, I'm in love with them. They've got everything I like about the Tin P1s - clairity, resolution, detail and beautiful treble without sibilance but with a ton of well controlled and layered bass. They are SUPER comfortable, my last listening session was 8 hours without discomfort or fatigue. And this is the very first IEM on which I preferred Silicone tips. They come with what are called "Whirlwind" tips and they are great. Loads of detail and loads of bass. I've slept with them twice to make sure they're comfortable in that use case as well and I can say they are. The Cupids for me, are the perfect travel all-rounder IEM I've spent the last several years on the hunt for: a) Travel Friendly b) easy to drive c) flush in ear to sleep in aircraft d) outstanding isolation e) comfortable f) exceptional sound quality across the entire spectrum. Everything else I tried has been a compromise somewhere. Cupid finally checked all the boxes (for me anyway).

Having said that, I'm also getting the RAH - based largely on my experience with R1 Zenith and the cumulative feedback on the R2Aten. I've rotated through more IEMS than I can count in the last 18 months and I really believe with RAH I'll be done:
1. P1 in the gym and when cycling attached to my UP2 and when I need situational awareness
I still havent heard any thing that has the detail of Tins 10mm Planar.
2. RAH when I want to get lost int he music at home or starbucks and elsewhere (it's got a 10 mm Planar and I'm quite hopeful for it
3. Cupid when I'm traveling and only want to carry one IEM that I can be happy with in every scenario (DAP, Airline System, BT DAC)

 

[Skullar]

I'll have both. My Cupids arrived on Thursday and Indeed, I'm in love with them. They've got everything I like about the Tin P1s - clairity, resolution, detail and beautiful treble without sibilance but with a ton of well controlled and layered bass. They are SUPER comfortable, my last listening session was 8 hours without discomfort or fatigue. And this is the very first IEM on which I preferred Silicone tips. They come with what are called "Whirlwind" tips and they are great. Loads of detail and loads of bass. I've slept with them twice to make sure they're comfortable in that use case as well and I can say they are. The Cupids for me, are the perfect travel all-rounder IEM I've spent the last several years on the hunt for: a) Travel Friendly b) easy to drive c) flush in ear to sleep in aircraft d) outstanding isolation e) comfortable f) exceptional sound quality across the entire spectrum. Everything else I tried has been a compromise somewhere. Cupid finally checked all the boxes (for me anyway).

Having said that, I'm also getting the RAH - based largely on my experience with R1 Zenith and the cumulative feedback on the R2Aten. I've rotated through more IEMS than I can count in the last 18 months and I really believe with RAH I'll be done:
1. P1 in the gym and when cycling attached to my UP2 and when I need situational awareness
I still havent heard any thing that has the detail of Tins 10mm Planar.
2. RAH when I want to get lost int he music at home or starbucks and elsewhere (it's got a 10 mm Planar and I'm quite hopeful for it
3. Cupid when I'm traveling and only want to carry one IEM that I can be happy with in every scenario (DAP, Airline System, BT DAC)

How do cupids compare to R1 zeniths?

 

[holsen]

How do cupids compare to R1 zeniths?

It's a tough comparison because the R1 Z has that large 14mm Beryllium DD with the piezo and Cupid has a 6mm DD + 8mm Planar. No one does bass like IMR and if youve got the Zenith or Aten you know that, but what oBravo has tuned the cupid to do is remarkable. There's really good bass slam, texture and rumble and it reaches low. It doesn't have the quantity of the Zenith but it comes close. Impressive. The mids and highs is where the Cupid over runs the Z. They are clean, clear, articulate and natural. Cupids produce nice bass, sub bass and transition to mids beautifully with both male and female vocals just right... Neither too far forward nor recessed. but cymbals and horns sound beautiful.with none of that metallic characteristic I read so many Zenith commentators talk about. I didn't know what they meant until I heard them myself but as I said several posts back I had to stop Listening to the Zs. I have heard plenty of over crisp siblilant piercing treble over the years but I don't remember hearing "metallic" treble until I got the Zs. I listen to a lot of Jazz, Funk, Blues and Southern Rock and Zeniths just destroyed the horn sections for me, oh the bass was lovely but the horns, to me were an unnatural metallic mess. With Cupids, you get a full, deep clean, clear and natural (fun, musical) reproduction. Between the 2, Cupid is the Champion - no contest as far as I'm concerned.

But this is the R2 Board and I would expect that the upcoming RAH in a smack down with Cupid would win it for me.... All that that signature bass IMR is known for, natural mids and highs with all that Planar loveliness!

 

[rocko77]

It's a tough comparison because the R1 Z has that large 14mm Beryllium DD with the piezo and Cupid has a 6mm DD + 8mm Planar. No one does bass like IMR and if youve got the Zenith or Aten you know that, but what oBravo has tuned the cupid to do is remarkable. There's really good bass slam, texture and rumble and it reaches low. It doesn't have the quantity of the Zenith but it comes close. Impressive. The mids and highs is where the Cupid over runs the Z. They are clean, clear, articulate and natural. Cupids produce nice bass, sub bass and transition to mids beautifully with both male and female vocals just right... Neither too far forward nor recessed. but cymbals and horns sound beautiful.with none of that metallic characteristic I read so many Zenith commentators talk about. I didn't know what they meant until I heard them myself but as I said several posts back I had to stop Listening to the Zs. I have heard plenty of over crisp siblilant piercing treble over the years but I don't remember hearing "metallic" treble until I got the Zs. I listen to a lot of Jazz, Funk, Blues and Southern Rock and Zeniths just destroyed the horn sections for me, oh the bass was lovely but the horns, to me were an unnatural metallic mess. With Cupids, you get a full, deep clean, clear and natural (fun, musical) reproduction. Between the 2, Cupid is the Champion - no contest as far as I'm concerned.

But this is the R2 Board and I would expect that the upcoming RAH in a smack down with Cupid would win it for me.... All that that signature bass IMR is known for, natural mids and highs with all that Planar loveliness!

I agree that the Cupid is a better earphone in most instances than the Z. When it comes to the Aten however its a lot closer. Not sure which I prefer but I am glad to own them both. I like that the Cupid just works with all music without the hassle of changing filters and its digs a little deeper into the detail with crisper treble and its so fast that nothing seems to faze it. The Aten for me has better voice separation, slightly better macro detail and obviously better bass, although the Cupids bass is above a lot of IEMs i have owned. Now I want an Aten with the Plannar and the 15mm DD

 

[Skullar]

It's a tough comparison because the R1 Z has that large 14mm Beryllium DD with the piezo and Cupid has a 6mm DD + 8mm Planar. No one does bass like IMR and if youve got the Zenith or Aten you know that, but what oBravo has tuned the cupid to do is remarkable. There's really good bass slam, texture and rumble and it reaches low. It doesn't have the quantity of the Zenith but it comes close. Impressive. The mids and highs is where the Cupid over runs the Z. They are clean, clear, articulate and natural. Cupids produce nice bass, sub bass and transition to mids beautifully with both male and female vocals just right... Neither too far forward nor recessed. but cymbals and horns sound beautiful.with none of that metallic characteristic I read so many Zenith commentators talk about. I didn't know what they meant until I heard them myself but as I said several posts back I had to stop Listening to the Zs. I have heard plenty of over crisp siblilant piercing treble over the years but I don't remember hearing "metallic" treble until I got the Zs. I listen to a lot of Jazz, Funk, Blues and Southern Rock and Zeniths just destroyed the horn sections for me, oh the bass was lovely but the horns, to me were an unnatural metallic mess. With Cupids, you get a full, deep clean, clear and natural (fun, musical) reproduction. Between the 2, Cupid is the Champion - no contest as far as I'm concerned.

But this is the R2 Board and I would expect that the upcoming RAH in a smack down with Cupid would win it for me.... All that that signature bass IMR is known for, natural mids and highs with all that Planar loveliness!

Thanks a lot for taking time to answer.

I do have zeniths. And i agree anout mettalic highs. While i find it quite entertaining on edm music, at high volumes it can be a bit too metallic.

But this is why i am so excited about Rah. I really hope it will be a good step forward in mids and highs while keeping low end close to what it is with zeniths.

 

[slowpickr]

Thanks a lot for taking time to answer.

I do have zeniths. And i agree anout mettalic highs. While i find it quite entertaining on edm music, at high volumes it can be a bit too metallic.

But this is why i am so excited about Rah. I really hope it will be a good step forward in mids and highs while keeping low end close to what it is with zeniths.

I contacted Bob about the low end of the RAH. He stated it would be basically the same as the Aten (not the R1 or Zenith).

 

[Xintaur]

I contacted Bob about the low end of the RAH. He stated it would be basically the same as the Aten (not the R1 or Zenith).

The Rah is based on the two driver of the Aten. So that 15mm DD will carry over that amazing bass to the Rah.

 

[Skullar]

As i only have r1 zenith so i dont know how different it is from aten. So even more to be excited about as i should be quite different experience. Specially with the amount of customisation tools that will arrive with it.

 

[monsieurfromag3]

Specially with the amount of customisation tools that will arrive with it.

This! I found it a great sign from the off that the R2 had new filters to go with the new driver. An entire new system actually, with two tiers of filters. I haven’t even switched from black/black yet, and I sorely miss the written description of each filter we had with the R1 variants - those graphs only go so long, and I’m thankful for @warriorpoet ’s prose on the pairings. I’m especially eager to try out the tube-like filters out of my hybrid tube desktop amp.

I wasn’t too happy that the Zenith came with the same filters as the R1. Their tuning differ quite a bit, and so the filters’ effect wasn’t optimal.

The Rah is announced with yet another set of filters, one more element that gives me confidence in its design.

 

[518969]

At the moment I’m seriously loving the gold Zenith filter on the Aten. The sound image almost completely detaches from the IEM.

 

[warriorpoet]

I contacted Bob about the low end of the RAH. He stated it would be basically the same as the Aten (not the R1 or Zenith).

Get ready for a LOT of available bass

 

[Jawis]

Having said that, I'm also getting the RAH - based largely on my experience with R1 Zenith and the cumulative feedback on the R2Aten. I've rotated through more IEMS than I can count in the last 18 months and I really believe with RAH I'll be done:

I'm also a big fan of my Zenith and P1. So looking forward to the RAH. Could be the IEM search endgame for me (I've been saying that for a while now haha)

 

[Skullar]

I'm also a big fan of my Zenith and P1. So looking forward to the RAH. Could be the IEM search endgame for me (I've been saying that for a while now haha)

Haha exactly same shoes. I remember when i first bought ie80 and was stunned and even convinced my mate to buy a pair. I have put them on last week and ripped it out of my ears in a second as they sounded like £15 pair from argos in comparison. I would not be surprised if eventually that will happen with r1 zenith or rah.

 

[davescleveland]

Just bought the rah. I wish I could trade in my zenith. I have way too many iems that I don’t listen to. I could have bought a nice house...

 

[Xintaur]

Just bought the rah. I wish I could trade in my zenith. I have way too many iems that I don’t listen to. I could have bought a nice house...

He used to offer trade-ins for the Zenith. 100 pound for it, if all accessories (besides used tips ofc) were included. Asking can't hurt, but i don't really see how he would reuse any part of the Zeniths at the moment, since drivers and chassis of the RAH are different.