IMR RAH - Discussion / Impressions Thread
Dec 28, 2019 at 7:05 AM Post #991 of 3,340
The comfort is extraordinary for me, 4 hours and as if it did not carry anything. With medium insertion with Spiral Dots tips a smaller size than in the Zenith and they fit like a glove.
 
Dec 28, 2019 at 10:46 AM Post #993 of 3,340
Well I’m a convert.

They say ‘stand up for what you believe in even if it means standing alone’.

Whilst I was pretty much happy with the Zenith, Aten and Rah. I did have slight niggles with them all. Mainly fitment problems due to my weird ears and then what I had believed to be an issue with the piezoelectric ceramic is in fact not the case.

So I have converted all 3 to using just the lower nozzle to really shorten the length of the metal inserting which has given me comfort beyond anything I’ve ever had and now use the supplied foams attached straight to the lower nozzle. None of them stick out of my ears in an odd looking fashion and sit incredibly well.

The lower nozzles have no mesh and I believe for me that mesh is causing the issues that we blame ceramic for and the reason we use the filters to try and tame it when infact it just needs to be allowed to run free unhindered which sounds like a completely backwards approach but all 3 Zenith Aten and Rah are so much better at least for how I experience and wish to experience my music.

I agree with what I think infoseeker said previously that better results could be achieved by using EQ rather than filters. So use no bass reducing nozzle and no filter or mesh then use an EQ from there. For myself I’m fully happy listening to them all as supplied by the source with no EQ but I could easily tweak them too.

Zenith are now my portable closed back mainly for electronic music.

Aten are my at home jack of all trades.

Rah are Rah’s doing that thing which rah’s do.

Do I need anything else from IMR, absolutely not.
Will I get something else from IMR, it is highly very likely.

#NoFilter
#NoMesh
 
Dec 28, 2019 at 11:19 AM Post #996 of 3,340
Well I’m a convert.

They say ‘stand up for what you believe in even if it means standing alone’.

Whilst I was pretty much happy with the Zenith, Aten and Rah. I did have slight niggles with them all. Mainly fitment problems due to my weird ears and then what I had believed to be an issue with the piezoelectric ceramic is in fact not the case.

So I have converted all 3 to using just the lower nozzle to really shorten the length of the metal inserting which has given me comfort beyond anything I’ve ever had and now use the supplied foams attached straight to the lower nozzle. None of them stick out of my ears in an odd looking fashion and sit incredibly well.

The lower nozzles have no mesh and I believe for me that mesh is causing the issues that we blame ceramic for and the reason we use the filters to try and tame it when infact it just needs to be allowed to run free unhindered which sounds like a completely backwards approach but all 3 Zenith Aten and Rah are so much better at least for how I experience and wish to experience my music.

I agree with what I think infoseeker said previously that better results could be achieved by using EQ rather than filters. So use no bass reducing nozzle and no filter or mesh then use an EQ from there. For myself I’m fully happy listening to them all as supplied by the source with no EQ but I could easily tweak them too.

Zenith are now my portable closed back mainly for electronic music.

Aten are my at home jack of all trades.

Rah are Rah’s doing that thing which rah’s do.

Do I need anything else from IMR, absolutely not.
Will I get something else from IMR, it is highly very likely.

#NoFilter
#NoMesh

So does this mean you just use the bass filter part of the nozzle and not the high frequency top part with the mesh? Do the ear tips stay on?
 
Dec 28, 2019 at 11:26 AM Post #997 of 3,340
So does this mean you just use the bass filter part of the nozzle and not the high frequency top part with the mesh? Do the ear tips stay on?

Yes that’s exactly what I’m doing. The tip does stay on perfectly and all lower nozzles will become maximum bass as the tip will cover the tiny hole. I’ve only used foams supplied and the double flange supplied all the rest are too firm on the centre core to stay on. I can push them in and take them out and adjust while wearing them without fear and worry of them becoming detached. The tips need pushing on fully past the lip at the bottom right to the threads.

My Zenith sound like Aten.
My Aten sound like rah.
My rah sound like the next model we don’t have yet lol.
 
Dec 28, 2019 at 11:48 AM Post #998 of 3,340
Yes that’s exactly what I’m doing. The tip does stay on perfectly and all lower nozzles will become maximum bass as the tip will cover the tiny hole. I’ve only used foams supplied and the double flange supplied all the rest are too firm on the centre core to stay on. I can push them in and take them out and adjust while wearing them without fear and worry of them becoming detached. The tips need pushing on fully past the lip at the bottom right to the threads.

My Zenith sound like Aten.
My Aten sound like rah.
My rah sound like the next model we don’t have yet lol.

Thanks, I will give this a try later on when the 2 terrors are in bed.
 
Dec 28, 2019 at 2:25 PM Post #999 of 3,340
Well I’m a convert.

They say ‘stand up for what you believe in even if it means standing alone’.

Whilst I was pretty much happy with the Zenith, Aten and Rah. I did have slight niggles with them all. Mainly fitment problems due to my weird ears and then what I had believed to be an issue with the piezoelectric ceramic is in fact not the case.

So I have converted all 3 to using just the lower nozzle to really shorten the length of the metal inserting which has given me comfort beyond anything I’ve ever had and now use the supplied foams attached straight to the lower nozzle. None of them stick out of my ears in an odd looking fashion and sit incredibly well.

The lower nozzles have no mesh and I believe for me that mesh is causing the issues that we blame ceramic for and the reason we use the filters to try and tame it when infact it just needs to be allowed to run free unhindered which sounds like a completely backwards approach but all 3 Zenith Aten and Rah are so much better at least for how I experience and wish to experience my music.

I agree with what I think infoseeker said previously that better results could be achieved by using EQ rather than filters. So use no bass reducing nozzle and no filter or mesh then use an EQ from there. For myself I’m fully happy listening to them all as supplied by the source with no EQ but I could easily tweak them too.

Zenith are now my portable closed back mainly for electronic music.

Aten are my at home jack of all trades.

Rah are Rah’s doing that thing which rah’s do.

Do I need anything else from IMR, absolutely not.
Will I get something else from IMR, it is highly very likely.

#NoFilter
#NoMesh
NIce one. I also have comfort issues with all the IMR range although fitting has been fine. Its the sharp lip at the nozzle end creating a pressure point that either caused pain or an uncomfortable hotspot. I did try your method months ago but never managed to get the tip to stay on using the Symbio mandarin and Cupid tips I was enjoying on the Aten. Doing what you said with the supplied foam has worked perfectly and with no detriment to the sound. I will also guess that the extra length of the nozzle could also add to the metallic effect of the treble, maybe adding an additional resonance effect?
Anyway going forward I will continue to use this method and will try it on the Aten and Z when I get the chance. Thanks again
 
Dec 28, 2019 at 4:05 PM Post #1,000 of 3,340
2916A4EF-9C29-4D46-81DA-415A6C9498DF.jpeg D976A518-52A4-491D-9E86-0C97195AA96E.jpeg Got my Rahs delivered the day after Christmas Day. So far absolutely love it! The sound is expansive with huge sound stage. Signature IMR bass plus beautiful mids and high - no more metallic highs that was very much an issue with R1 and at a lesser extent but still present with Aten... lots of details and the punchy lows and sparkling highs with a full mids at the same time that’s incredible and addictive... definitely a winner in my book. Currently running off a WM1A with firmware 3.01 on balanced 4.4 with black and blue filters and spiral dots ++. The build is much thicker than Aten and R1 but light weight. Wear with the SD ++ is very comfortable for hours of listening. Compared to my LX I agree with what kdphan had observed, LX goes deeper and is overall more refined but i’m not sure LX is better as the Rah has its own strengths being more open and expansive in sound stage and I love the textures of the strong mids and highs. What Bob has achieved with this little cost is truly remarkable.
 
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Dec 28, 2019 at 5:57 PM Post #1,001 of 3,340
Yes that’s exactly what I’m doing. The tip does stay on perfectly and all lower nozzles will become maximum bass as the tip will cover the tiny hole. I’ve only used foams supplied and the double flange supplied all the rest are too firm on the centre core to stay on. I can push them in and take them out and adjust while wearing them without fear and worry of them becoming detached. The tips need pushing on fully past the lip at the bottom right to the threads.

My Zenith sound like Aten.
My Aten sound like rah.
My rah sound like the next model we don’t have yet lol.
This is great input / feedback. Mine havent arrived yet, but reading the tips eagerly. So to make sure I've got this right, you take a lower nozzle and remove the dampening material, in which case it doesnt matter which one because once the material is removed and the tip is applied, any vent would be covered. Is that correct. So find a tip you wont use and go with that....
 
Dec 28, 2019 at 6:06 PM Post #1,002 of 3,340
This is great input / feedback. Mine havent arrived yet, but reading the tips eagerly. So to make sure I've got this right, you take a lower nozzle and remove the dampening material, in which case it doesnt matter which one because once the material is removed and the tip is applied, any vent would be covered. Is that correct. So find a tip you wont use and go with that....

Not quite no. All the lower bass nozzles have no dampening material in them and they only vary by having a different size air hole bleed vent and then yes if the tip fits correctly it will cover the hole. I’m unsure why you say use a tip you won’t use though. This isn’t a way to increase bass, I feel that’s how you have interpreted it? It’s purely a comfort thing as to how it became a thing to do this and to my ears by default of not having the mesh screen seems to offer a sound better suited to me. One that gives me everything I look for and more of it and removes the small issues I don’t wish to have.
 
Dec 28, 2019 at 6:49 PM Post #1,003 of 3,340
The mesh in the upper filters seems to be glued in place. I removed the mesh on the green upper filters, but they didn’t just fall out. You can see where they were stuck and they sort of had to be forced out, leaving remnants of mesh on the green filter nozzle.
 
Dec 28, 2019 at 7:04 PM Post #1,004 of 3,340
Yes the sonions I mentioned. The same ones that are in the shouer tapes I own. Non energizer estats have been possible for a long time, like I mentioned the Mitchell and Johnson mj1 were an example of estats with no energizer it seems the real innovation is making them smaller

I own the M&J MJ2 & JP1. They are decent for the money I paid for them but the Rah is better than both soundwise in everyway. I forgot I had them till you mentioned them here and I got them out to compare to the Rah and remind myself what non energised electrostats sound like. The Rah totally blows them away.

Now I don't know whether to be excited for the Halcyon. I'm thinking can these get anywhere near Stax levels but I am also thinking I could have unrealistic expectations about what these electrostat drivers are capable of.

Has anyone heard iem electrostats and full size energised electrostats? The thing I love about the Stax is that on top of sounding perfect to me they have an energy or fizz that adds massively to the music. Sometimes if I am in the right mood its almost a physical sensation. Do iem electrostats have this energy to their sound? If not what can we expect electrostats to add to the Halcyon?

The M&J's don't have this energy but don't particularly sound like electrostats either. If you put stax on your head and turn them on you feel & hear the jolt of power almost feel the fizz without music playing. I'm wondering if this effect is possible without the energised powering them.
 
Dec 28, 2019 at 7:11 PM Post #1,005 of 3,340
Im following your experiments @EWASS with interest. I'm still on black/ black and will complete full burn in before I try this and other filters out.

I feel the same as you that during burn in they have lost some of their magic whilst tightening up and becoming more coherent. I think they are better now than out of the box but miss that holographic sound they had. So blue filters will be the first I try.
 

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