I've been itching for some new in-ears since my Simgot EN700pro's broke. Initially bought the Final E4000s, but those just don't vibe with me -- especially in the details department, they are just a bit lacklustre and the whole sound just lacks energy. Plus despite having rather rolled-off highs, they do weirdly introduce some sibilance to my ears.
I was thinking to maybe splurge a little to get something quality so that I don't get this itch every year. But then I saw that these noble's are USD 105 currently with the introductory 20 USD massdrop coupon. I'm in the UK at the moment, so there's international shipping, conversion and taxes etc, but still it wont go much over 100 quid. Sounds very tempting but... The reviews on this one do raise some concerns that I was hoping some on this thread might help clear up:
- Are they power-hungry? I move too often for a real desk set-up to be practical and in practice rarely want the extra bulk of a DAP/mobile amp in my pocket, but from what I've read, an amp really helps bring out the highs.
- Do they have energy? I'm basically concerned that I end up with another 'pleasant but not exciting' IEM like the E4000s. From the reviews, these do seem rather laid-back and warm, though others have described it as mid-centric...
- A huge number of people seem to have trouble with the fit and tip rolling in general appears to be necessary. Spinfits are mentioned often, but how big of a change do they make?
- Can anyone compare them to the more recent chi-fi offerings? Reviews I'm finding are almost all from around the introduction, when these were more expensive but also when the competition at the low-end was not nearly as fierce...
Cheers!
I've had these since around December, and they were my "gateway" into the audio hobby. It seemed like a good price @ $125, and I remember being blown away by them at first. Now that I have other, better IEMs, I haven't touched these at all, but I decided to pop them in today and have a listen. Hopefully people know there are better options now... but Massdrop still sells them. So to put it nicely, and save people some money, the Noble X are simply not worth it.
In terms of accessories, there's no size small tips. So you'll have to procure those yourself. I ended up getting the Azla Sedna. You get a plastic, screw-top canister to store the IEMs: It's not exactly great, but acceptable. I actually rather like the cable. It's hard to tangle, light, and of decent quality.
As for the IEM itself...they are not power-hungry at all. In terms of sound, there is something wonky going on with the treble - it feels very rolled off - and the base is slightly boosted. This makes the vocals/mids sound "veiled" for lack of better word, although the mids are "full" as some reviewers have noted. And as a consequence, the overall sound comes off as bloated and quite muddy. Sure, they're definitely "laid back and warm" but at the expense of resolution and overall tonal balance. And while some people have called these "fun"...I respectfully disagree. They sound slightly dark which stamps that impression for me.
In terms of chi-fi offerings, the Moondrop Starfield is comparable price-wise and is much more energetic and balanced. It smacks the Noble X on pretty much every front; you also get that DD bass which is awesome.
Maybe these were good a few years ago, but they've definitely been eclipsed by cheaper, better-performing alternatives. I fell for the hype reading some of the reviews; hopefully people on the fence don't do the same. If you like them all the more power to you. But it's quite the niche sound signature, and I'd be hard-pressed to recommend them.
Edit: Welp, I didn't read first and noticed you bought them. Would be interested to hear how that panned out for ya.
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