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I just noticed that average_joe loves seeing the insides of his CIEMs
A thing of beauty, and throw in some quality artwork on the faceplate and things are golden!
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NP
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Thank you for this great comparison.
I currently have the UE RM and JH13 Pro demos here and I like the flat sound of the UE RM. The JH 13, however, is too bright/thin (not enough body) in the mids department and has too much bass for me.
- After reading comparisons the NT 6 (the cheaper, non-pro version) caught my attention, but I also read it offers more bass, but not how much more. I couldn't find any information elsewhere about the NT 6, can you elaborate how much it is?
(I dont know if it helps but i have the UE 900s here and while they're still tolerable, i wouldn't want to have more bass compared to the rest of the spectrum. Might be around +2db.)
- You also wrote that the UE RM sounds smeared compared to NT 6 and the resolution is lower. Is there a big difference or is it hardly noticeable?
- Last but not least, how does the midrange sound compared to UE RM? More/less "body"? Maybe the NT 6 sound clearer due to thinner soundsignature?
Greetings,
Andreas/Andrew
The NT-6 has very capable bass and a small enhancement in the deep bass region. What I mean by capable is, some songs have a high amount of bass in the recording that doesn't come through with lower end BA CIEMs and can sound bloated with dynamic drivers. This can lead to the NT-6 sounding bass heavy, although that doesn't happen much with my music.
In comparison with the IERM, the NT-6 is colder throughout the spectrum and I think the IERM is with more body down low and into the midrange. I would say the IERM is warmer than neutral and the UE900 is warmer and more bass enhanced than the IERM.. The clarity of the NT-6 comes in large part from the focus of the soundstage. One of the analogies is a manual focus camera: the IERM is a bit out of focus while the NT-6 has better focus. If you didn't have the two to put side by side, you would probably be fine with the IERM picture, but when the NT-6 picture is next to the IERM picture, you can readily see the issue (similar to my photos vs. a professional
). To my ears, it is readily apparent in comparison and also if I have been using the NT-6 (or others that perform on a similar level) and this leads to a cleaner and clearer presentation. The ultra-high level of focus also leads to the great detail levels.
The IERM, on the other hand, has a more 3D soundstage, so the NT-6 will let you hear all the detail of the instruments and is very good at presenting the entire performance while the IERM is excellent at presenting the entire performance, but it leaves something on the table as far as instrument detail goes. There are aftermarket cables for both that improve performance, but the Whiplash Hybrid V3 is an amazing match for the NT-6 and boost the performance quite a bit. Other than that, Heir is excellent to work with!
If you choose the IERM you won't have to be concerned about the focus since you won't have the NT-6 for comparison
You should make the decision based on your sound signature preference because if you decide to buy something based off technical performance, chances are you will wish you had something with a sound signature you prefer at some point down the road.
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average_joe,
I think I have it narrowed down to the 1964 V-3 (love the customization options). I was really hot for the Alclair Duals or Livewire Duals or Trip due to the lower price points but the customer service and a few reviews have cooled my enthusiasm for those. I like the Heir Audio CEIMs but having to ship off impressions and stuff to China made that a less attractive prospect for me.
Do you or anyone else know if I can try the 1964s anywhere around NYC? I think being able to try out a few models will push me into finalizing my purchase. Also, if there is anything comparable around that price point that I should consider, please let me know. I am NOT a musician just a girl that hooked on CEIMs for my iPod/iPad/iPhone use at the gym and on the subway.
One lesson learned from my Sonomax experience, buy CEIMs with a replaceable cord. Had I known that initially, I would still use them. The cord was the faulty factor after 5 years (bought 'em in 2008).
What negatives have you read about Alclair? I haven't seen any negative experiences, just one person making an incorrect assumption. Livewires used to have customer service issues, then Marc, the owner of Alclair took over and the CS issues went away. But, since he started Alclair, he has stopped making Livewires. The Reference is nice and joker did a comparison between that and the V3.
As for shipping to China, it can take some time. I shipped impressions to UM via USPS First Class International and it took 6 or 7 weeks to arrive. Since it was taking so long I shipped another set via USPS Registered First Class International, which arrived in a week and a half, and before the first set I sent, but it cost $20 or so.
What sound signature are you after?
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Depending on the sound signature MzTeaze wants, that could be a great value option.
