[fabio19]

I realize tonight after switching back to the 64Audio Fourte Blanc, how much of a difference there is in the BASS. Fourte Blanc is just a large mass of bass that when immediately switching from the Viking Ragnar, you will think, there is more quantity, but the bass is muffled. I had not realized prior to the Ragnar that many of the synthetic bass instruments that I thought I was hearing were in fact actual acoustical instruments or percussion instruments with a deep resonating and light tackle initial tap that quickly resonates into a deep note. I had been hearing a bit of a softer impact and blooming with the Blanc. Depending on the music, this is not unpleasant. It to an extent adds to the cavernous experience of the Blanc. But the size of the sound stage is more from low frequency reverberations and less from airy reflections from the openess of the Viking Ragnar.

Sort of contradictory to the notion of controlling blooming or bloating, the Vinking Ragnar does not need to dampen off the trailing edge of a note to maintain clarity. The notes actually sound like they have a proper sustain with a natural decay. It is very realistic. Wooden instruments and brass instruments as well as steel bells have a clarity and precision that is not competing for the space with a rumbling unclear or undefined midrange and upper bass.

It takes a bit of time and a more sparsely occupied choice of music to have a sense of normal with the 64 Audio Fourte Blanc. Only then does the mind accept this rendition of reality. Otherwise, the cognitive dissidence the transition between the two creates, I just can't help but want to go back to the Viking Ragnar or just start a new day with the Blanc with a fresh mind.

There are some types of music like Gymnopedie No. 1 or Vocalize that I just like how the Blanc creates an etherial space with some instruments extremely far in the distance. I now know this may not have been how the recording engineer envisioned the music, it is how the Blanc with its frequency response is creating this surreal depth. The Ragnar does not have this "problem" . Et Misericordia on the Natashia Marsh album Amour has a large choir in addition to an orchestra. The placement of the instruments, choir and Natsha March in the front never sounds like it was combined later in post processing. It sounds like it was recorded very well together. No one or instrument sounds like it was added later only to sound too distant or mashed up and lost in the confusion of other sounds. Instrument separation is just amazing. My favorite song on this album with the Viking Ragnar must be La Delaissado. I feel like looking for someone to put these earphones in their ears and asking them, can you hear this, do you hear this?

I own Ragnar, Traillii and RN6. But in my opinion Ragnar is really my favorite.

 

[drftr]

I realize tonight after switching back to the 64Audio Fourte Blanc, how much of a difference there is in the BASS. Fourte Blanc is just a large mass of bass that when immediately switching from the Viking Ragnar, you will think, there is more quantity, but the bass is muffled. I had not realized prior to the Ragnar that many of the synthetic bass instruments that I thought I was hearing were in fact actual acoustical instruments or percussion instruments with a deep resonating and light tackle initial tap that quickly resonates into a deep note. I had been hearing a bit of a softer impact and blooming with the Blanc. Depending on the music, this is not unpleasant. It to an extent adds to the cavernous experience of the Blanc. But the size of the sound stage is more from low frequency reverberations and less from airy reflections from the openess of the Viking Ragnar.

Sort of contradictory to the notion of controlling blooming or bloating, the Vinking Ragnar does not need to dampen off the trailing edge of a note to maintain clarity. The notes actually sound like they have a proper sustain with a natural decay. It is very realistic. Wooden instruments and brass instruments as well as steel bells have a clarity and precision that is not competing for the space with a rumbling unclear or undefined midrange and upper bass.

It takes a bit of time and a more sparsely occupied choice of music to have a sense of normal with the 64 Audio Fourte Blanc. Only then does the mind accept this rendition of reality. Otherwise, the cognitive dissidence the transition between the two creates, I just can't help but want to go back to the Viking Ragnar or just start a new day with the Blanc with a fresh mind.

There are some types of music like Gymnopedie No. 1 or Vocalize that I just like how the Blanc creates an etherial space with some instruments extremely far in the distance. I now know this may not have been how the recording engineer envisioned the music, it is how the Blanc with its frequency response is creating this surreal depth. The Ragnar does not have this "problem" . Et Misericordia on the Natashia Marsh album Amour has a large choir in addition to an orchestra. The placement of the instruments, choir and Natsha March in the front never sounds like it was combined later in post processing. It sounds like it was recorded very well together. No one or instrument sounds like it was added later only to sound too distant or mashed up and lost in the confusion of other sounds. Instrument separation is just amazing. My favorite song on this album with the Viking Ragnar must be La Delaissado. I feel like looking for someone to put these earphones in their ears and asking them, can you hear this, do you hear this?

Satie for me is more about being engulfed with a (if you wish) romantic, warm, kind of comfort to let the sparse notes sink in and take over my heartbeat. No doubt Blanc has the edge there because of its note weight. But play anything where the act needs to be cleaned up and Ragnar will end up being better - may I say "best".

Although Ragnar leaves me wanting a little more quantity-wise when listening to for instance timpani, double bass, cello, and piano, where for me note weight and timbre are equally important as impact, clarity, dynamics, what have you, no doubt from a technical point of view Ragnar currently tops them all.

drftr

 

[Mangodango369]

I just tried the stage 3, felt that it leans towards the darker side while still maintaining staging pretty well for it's price. 1 thing to note is that the shells are smallerl, fits my ears really well

 

[Lépine]

Satie for me is more about being engulfed with a (if you wish) romantic, warm, kind of comfort to let the sparse notes sink in and take over my heartbeat. No doubt Blanc has the edge there because of its note weight. But play anything where the act needs to be cleaned up and Ragnar will end up being better - may I say "best".

Although Ragnar leaves me wanting a little more quantity-wise when listening to for instance timpani, double bass, cello, and piano, where for me note weight and timbre are equally important as impact, clarity, dynamics, what have you, no doubt from a technical point of view Ragnar currently tops them all.

drftr

Hi Drftr, I don't disagree with you. I still enjoy the 64 Audio Blanc, U12t, and U18t. There is clearly a difference in how bass note reproduction is approached by this company. Blanc being my preferred of the 64s.

Ragnar with more heavy Rock music can does sound cleaner and clearer, but larger diameter drums seem perfect and proper. If you want and need more wow factor drum solo, it's a different experience. Now you might turn up the Ragnar volume because it's really outstanding, but fatigue may set in. There's more treble information too with increased volume.

With normal listening level music and less need for THX IMAX movie theater experience, I will choose Viking Ragnar every time. Renee Fleming, Hauser, Nobuyuki Tsujii they have not sounded better than with Viking Ragnar. I only wish I have the Mentor to compare with to see if I chose the best. I have suspicions my vague memory prefers the Ragnar as I didn't note the significant approaches to rendering bass notes between the Blanc and Mentor. I just at the time thought the Mentor improved over the Blanc in a few areas. Ragnar is technically superior in all aspects with much more resolution. There is no need to repeatedly A/B test as the differences are clearly memorable from the first swap. Listening fatigue maybe the only issue with Ragnar. It's a wonderfully detailed IEM, very musical, highly analytical, and about two hours is enough at a time. Or lower the volume a little bit

What cable do Blanc users prefer? Maybe I can get more detail in the bass with a better cable?

 

[Eoin]

From the very first moment I placed Ragnar in my ears, I was enthralled with what I was hearing. I described the experience as incredible.
Almost 8 months later, that has never changed despite having tried many other TOTL IEMs.

Surprisingly ... perhaps not to some here, my black damascus Sultan have also remained in my used collection, to offer something slightly different, yet familiar.

As for the rest in my collection, subjectively they are all great, but they remain boxed up and awaiting new owners. That says it all for me!.

Great to read other impressions on Ragnar

 

[drftr]

I only wish I have the Mentor to compare with to see if I chose the best

I think Mentor's bass would wow you more and it's very good indeed, especially because of its added spatial cues which goes a long way for mid bass. Having said that, I think you'd prefer Ragnar's precision in the bass region for any classical music to be honest as Mentor's bass may become too distracting and lead its own life. From reading your comments I take it you'd love what it adds, yet ultimately find it annoying instead of helpful. For me both Ragnar and Mentor are genre specialists, but there's nothing wrong with that if your bank allows.

drftr

 

[drftr]

Surprisingly ... perhaps not to some here, my black damascus Sultan have also remained in my used collection

Amen...

drftr

 

[Lépine]

I think Mentor's bass would wow you more and it's very good indeed, especially because of its added spatial cues which goes a long way for mid bass. Having said that, I think you'd prefer Ragnar's precision in the bass region for any classical music to be honest as Mentor's bass may become too distracting and lead its own life. From reading your comments I take it you'd love what it adds, yet ultimately find it annoying instead of helpful. For me both Ragnar and Mentor are genre specialists, but there's nothing wrong with that if your bank allows.

drftr

I am impressed with the Viking Ragnar, top to bottom, it speaks the truth to me. But, it does make sure I heard its treble correctly It's presentation is nicely even if you can call it even with the incline beginning from the top of the soprano region up to the ultrasonic region. The next day after listening to either the Blanc or the Ragnar, I do prefer to rest my ears. A pair of Savant II is like a cure for a hangover. The Viking Ragnar is wonderful, I would definitely run to buy it first if I needed to do this again. I just have to make sure I am not going to listen to several hours of Traja at live concert sound pressure levels which of course I don't do with any IEM or Headphone.

 

[Eoin]

I only wish I have the Mentor to compare with to see if I chose the best.

There is a slight aggressiveness in Mentor's note ringing and the sound stage is vast. It was intoxicating the first time I heard it, but it became tiring after long listening sessions.
It's not objectionable in any way, but I found myself focusing on this slight aggressiveness more so than the music and my sessions were not as relaxing and immersive as sessions with Ragnar's smoothness.

Phönix LE are very similar to Mentor in my ears, they do not have that aggressive ringing and a slightly more realistic soundstage FWIW.
But I honestly think, if your hearing is like mine, you've already chosen the best with Ragnar. Mentor's sound stage is slightly more expansive, but also a little artificial.
Ragnar give me something believable, where as Mentor makes my brain work processing the soundstage and results in fatigue.

 

[Lépine]

There is a slight aggressiveness in Mentor's note ringing and the sound stage is vast. It was intoxicating the first time I heard it, but it became tiring after long listening sessions.
It's not objectionable in any way, but I found myself focusing on this slight aggressiveness more so than the music and my sessions were not as relaxing and immersive as sessions with Ragnar's smoothness.

Phönix LE are very similar to Mentor in my ears, they do not have that aggressive ringing and a slightly more realistic soundstage FWIW.
But I honestly think, if your hearing is like mine, you've already chosen the best with Ragnar. Mentor's sound stage is slightly more expansive, but also a little artificial.
Ragnar give me something believable, where as Mentor makes my brain work processing the soundstage and results in fatigue.

I guess I won't have to dwell on it I do remember at the time, I was thinking, I have the 64 Blanc and it's not that far off from the Mentor. Do I really need to spend another $4,500 street price for the Mentor?

The Ragnar, I am certain. Yes, I want this and happy I have it and it only set me back $3,400 new factory sealed.

 

[FullCircle]

I just tried the stage 3, felt that it leans towards the darker side while still maintaining staging pretty well for it's price. 1 thing to note is that the shells are smallerl, fits my ears really well

 

[Xinlisupreme]

Is Stage 3 different from Jade tuning?

 

[Lépine]

Proof John reads everything we write hahahahaha

 

[Oniemtilt]

I own all of the iem’s being mentioned - Ragnar, Mentor, Ronin, Jewel, X, and many many more. To me it’s like choosing your favorite child - I love them all, each in their own way. The one that I don’t think is getting enough love (and perhaps it’s due to the lack of availability) is the Annihilator 2023. If you’re ok with V-shaped (no one would call these neutral) these are the guys that I’m listening to most these days. The remastered Steely Dan Pretzel Logic, just released, through these…OMG.

 

[FullCircle]

Proof John reads everything we write hahahahaha