What are the differences that are immediately noticeable between the ATE(v) and ATR(ii)?
I have removed nylon grills from nozzles on my ATE 5th gen... so, I removed them also from ATR to compare and used exactly same wide-bore smallest tips, both without mic, same song looping few mins before change (
Lifesigns - Cardington - Different , 16/44 FLAC, iBasso DX5X HO with HW&FW mods ), with Y-splitter, changing IEMs fast as possible (with song @ pause).
These are most noticeable differences I could detect on 1 song basis:
* ATE sub-bass/bass is
slightly more present
* ATR soundstage depth layering/positioning is
slightly closer to headroom center point
* ATR has maybe slightly better soundstage
width but this maybe due to previous notice
overall, differences are very small and when not concentrating on details, one may not tell the difference.
But with good source gear and great mastered song - ATR is probably more "neutral" sounding and refined.
Personally I think I still prefer ATE due to seemingly slightly larger soundstage and slightly more distant presentation/imaging/layering.
Need more burn-in time as ATE is well behind 200h and ATR just about 5h playtime.
Let me remind You that ATE 5th gen nozzle inner diameter went larger slightly and to me seems has exactly same physical build as ATR.
Tomorrow will open both up and see if drivers are same looking or different as previously (ATE = red shell with tiny "tube" in front of diaphragm, ATR = blue shell without tiny "tube" and same hole size in front of diaphragm).