Hello all,
I just wanted to post this in a couple of places as it may help some people decide between the Katana and the Kaiser Encore. When I first received the Katana, I was so impressed with it that I just had to try the Kaiser Encore. I remember reading HisoundFi's review of the Kaiser Encore and thinking that his comparison of the Kaiser Encore and the Katana were conflicting with most of the impressions that I have seen. His review is below:
http://www.head-fi.org/products/noble-audio-encore-universal-flagship-in-ear-monitor/reviews/17688
Some of the more interesting things to note are that he stated the Katana was warmer and the Kaiser Encore had a better sense of space and air. Based on most of the stuff I've read, I thought the opposite would be true. However, after a few short comparisons today, I agree with HisoundFi's findings. I might also add that these are very initial impressions and the differences are only really noticeable when compared directly. I would've never considered the Katana to sound warm before hearing it side by side with the Kaiser Encore. I want to be careful not to give the impression that the Katana is laid back, colored, or fun sounding. They are both very refined, balanced, and musical to my ears. They're just slightly different flavors of the same candy. The differences will really come down to personal preferences as both are extremely competent IEMs. I would be happy with either as my primary IEM. Just my two cents.
Cheers