[makne]

I have no experience with Shure SE215 but I can say if you are looking for detailed sounding IEMs look elsewhere. Not that Noble X are dark sounding however I'd hardly call them revealing. For me even with JVC Spiral Dots or Hifiman tips they still sound too smooth and relaxed to be considered for critical listening.

Not necessarily looking for revealing, but more detail than the se215 would be nice. I don't like an analytical sound like HD800S, I prefer a tonality more close to Focal Elear, LCD-etc. Was mostly wondering how revealing the X is to know if I should invest in a portable dac/amp as well.

Sage or savanna if you r looking for a more critical sound signature within the noble line up

Thanks for the info, but I'd like to stay in the price range of the X.

If anyone could compare the X to other iem's like RHA, Shure se535 and others in the price range, that would be appreciated too.

 

[FullCircle]

If u haven't done it already, spend some time on the massdrop website Noble x discussion thread, u may find more information there as well

 

[musiclvr]

@makne I've found that the Noble X is more agile and extended than the Campfire Audio Nova. I haven't heard any of the Shure iem's though. I do like the Noble Savant a lot for its balanced incisiveness but I know that's a stretch price wise for you. I think you should also consider the Campfire Audio Orion's. They are more balanced imo than the X's but don't have as much body. Anyways just my .2

 

[makne]

Thanks for the tips. IEM market in Norway has very little diversity and import tax is a b*tch, so I kinda have limited options. Ended up pulling the trigger on a 2nd-hand pair of Noble X, looking forward to comparing them to the se215.

 

[Rmaza]

Thanks for the tips. IEM market in Norway has very little diversity and import tax is a b*tch, so I kinda have limited options. Ended up pulling the trigger on a 2nd-hand pair of Noble X, looking forward to comparing them to the se215.

I came from Shore 215 and i think the X will be a nice step up for you. I also have a Vsonic GR07 to compare them too. Again, the X is better to me in every way.

 

[makne]

Any 3rd party tips that are worth checking out?
My ears usually works well with any iem's, so most concerned about sonic changes. The guy who sold the X to me included some comply tips, anyone who knows how they change the sound?

 

[John Q Lin]

Not necessarily looking for revealing, but more detail than the se215 would be nice. I don't like an analytical sound like HD800S, I prefer a tonality more close to Focal Elear, LCD-etc. Was mostly wondering how revealing the X is to know if I should invest in a portable dac/amp as well.

Thanks for the info, but I'd like to stay in the price range of the X.

If anyone could compare the X to other iem's like RHA, Shure se535 and others in the price range, that would be appreciated too.

I have the rha t20 and t750i, I like the t20i better, better bass and the detail is about the same.

 

[makne]

Received my Noble X's! I want to post some early impressions, mainly compared to my Shure se215 (which I've used for 1-1,5 years with stock Shure Olive tips).

Bought these 2nd-hand and got some comply tips with them, which were the first tips I tried on.
Sound: A satisfying, pretty linear upgrade from my se215. Tonality isn't changed much but is more balanced, treble has slightly more air. Separation is better, soundstage feels deeper and maybe even a little wider.
Not a massive upgrade in resolution/detail, texture of voices, timbre etc. All in all I was neither impressed or dissapointed, just satisfied.

Then I switched the comply's out for the big, white/red silicone tips, and dayum:
Tonality is now more balanced, treble shines a lot more without even touching the border of harshness. Treble is airy, separation better. The biggest change was in detail, texture and overall perceived clarity, all a lot better.
It's a "safe" sound signature that is easy to listen to: Balanced with a warm tilt, satisfying bass, treble that comes through reasonably clearly and is never offending.
I'm pretty new to IEM's so don't really know what I can reasonably expect, but I'm happy with the sound I'm getting. Not mind-blowing like the iSine 20 was for me, but the X is really good compared to my se215 at least. For the price, I'm impressed.

On the comfort/ergonomics front, I was a big relief to put the X in my ears and feel how well they fit.
I was worried that the big shell (huge, compared to the Shure) and metal faceplate would make them feel bulky and heavy in my ears, but that's not the case at all. The inside of the shell is smooth and has a very ergonomic shape (for my ears at least) and they never feel bulky in my ears. The se215 actually feels heavier and more obtrusive in my ears, because of the thick, heavy stiff cable and memory-cable ear hook thing. The X's cable is super-light, flexible and thin which is great for comfort, but worries me a little about durability. Along with the lack of strain relief on the 3.5mm, I can't help feeling like the cable is rather fragile. Haven't seen any reports on them breaking though, so I'm probably just too used to the heavy-duty Shure cable. The cable is replacable anyway, so not really a big deal and IMO it's worth it for the gained comfort.
The comply tips are more comfortable to me, they go a little deeper inside my ear and feel very secure. Isolation is great too, just sucks that I don't love the sound from them (I had the same issue with the iSine).
The stock silicones are still comfortable and give a very good seal, but they don't go as far into the ear canal as I would like (I prefer a really deep fit, maybe I'm weird that way). They still stay in place very well though, used them for 2 hours straight when working out earlier today (normal bodybuilding stuff) and never had to adjust them. Isolation is still good enough, not really a big deal for me.

I have ordered some SpinFit tips in size Large, hopefully that's the right size (I use the biggest of the X's stock silicone tips). My hope is that the spinfits will give me the same sound as the stock silicones (or dare I hope even better?) and give a deeper, even more secure fit.

 

[doggiemom]

I have ordered some SpinFit tips in size Large, hopefully that's the right size (I use the biggest of the X's stock silicone tips). My hope is that the spinfits will give me the same sound as the stock silicones (or dare I hope even better?) and give a deeper, even more secure fit.

I use these exclusively with the SpinFits. They seemed anemic without, but now i like them a lot.

 

[makne]

I use these exclusively with the SpinFits. They seemed anemic without, but now i like them a lot.

Wow that's really encouraging, great!

I've tried swapping between Comply and stock silicone more, and impressions remain the same. Complys just flatten the sound, make it muddy. I even tried cutting off the tip of a pair with scissors to stop the treble kill (worked on isines), but no success here. With the stock tips they're really clear and snappy while still having a warm sound and non-offending treble.

 

[jaxz]

Spinfits work for me to, stock silicones keep falling from me ears. I never liked foamies:

 

[makne]

I got the spinfits today, size L seems like the right size for me.

I've been using some silicone tips from my old Monster Gratitude's, here's my initial impressions:
Sound quality improved with a better sense of clarity and air, due to tighter (not lighter) bass and a better extended, more present treble. Still not even close to sounding harsh, but more balanced and natural to my ears. This was basically the same thing I experienced when switching from stock silicone to the Gratitude's tips, and from comply's to silicones.

Fit:
I'm having a hard time getting a reliable, stable seal with these. I believe I just have to get used to them, since sometimes I get a very good, secure seal (more often after having trained a little on inserting them and experimenting with insertion technique).
These fit very comfortably in my ears, the material is very soft which results in a pretty light pressure against the ear canal compared to other silicones and foamies. They insert deeper than the stock tips, which I like. Isolation is not terrible, but poor compared to the other tips I've tried.

Once I've nailed the insertion method and can achieve a good seal every time I put them in, I think this is a good upgrade.. Compared to the stock tips, the improvements in sound and comfort are very much worth the price for the tips!

 

[FullCircle]

The Noble X is up for grabs on Massdrop

 

[Gilles De Rais]

The Noble X is up for grabs on Massdrop

And very nice they are indeed, having received mine last Friday. a perfectly acceptable EDC iem - blasting out some nu-disco on my morning walk to work. Congratulations to all at Noble and Massdrop for such a fine collaboration.

regards,

Giles

 

[FullCircle]

Big thanks!