[Sorensiim]

I'm really hesitating between the 8c and the k10.... Too bad no one has heard both of them

The thing is, I'd use them mostly outdoors, and heard that in this case a more bassy ciem would be better. And i loooove bass.
On the other hand, i feel I might miss something if not buying the totl k10, but the more neutral signature might not suit me...
I'm lost and desperate

With the DX50 and the R1 amp, I listened to some electro on the K10 yesterday - I could FEEL the bass in my head and in my throat. (Please keep the "that's what she said" jokes to a minimum, guys) I haven't heard the 8.C but I do have the 8.A. They ARE bassier than the K10 but not by that much (if the bass is in the music). Seing as the K10 uses the same bass drivers as the 8.A and the 8C, I'm pretty sure you could EQ the K10 bass to sound like the 8. 
 
Then again, the 8C is supposedly more neutral than the 8.A... 

 

[John0405]

Thanks sorensiim
I'm not a huge fan of eqing, a priori, but I'll use the k10 balanced, which might increase the bass response.
The thing is, the miracles I had were quite good, but I never got used to its lean sound. I wouldn't want to reiterate this experience.

 

[uchihaitachi]

  With the DX50 and the R1 amp, I listened to some electro on the K10 yesterday - I could FEEL the bass in my head and in my throat. (Please keep the "that's what she said" jokes to a minimum, guys) I haven't heard the 8.C but I do have the 8.A. They ARE bassier than the K10 but not by that much (if the bass is in the music). Seing as the K10 uses the same bass drivers as the 8.A and the 8C, I'm pretty sure you could EQ the K10 bass to sound like the 8. 
 
Then again, the 8C is supposedly more neutral than the 8.A... 

Soren do you prefer the K10 over the 8A?

 

[Sorensiim]

  Soren do you prefer the K10 over the 8A?

If I was forced at gunpoint to pick one over the other, I would probably as which kind of music I would be forced to listen to. For electro and (heavy) rock, I'd pick the 8.A. For a bit of everything (including electro and rock), I'd go with the K10. It really depends on how you want your music served. The 8.A is more laid back and comfy, with a hard-hitting bass. You can still hear all the minute details if you listen for them or you can just lean back and enjoy. The K10 is more direct in its approach without ever being aggresive. You don't have to listen for the details, they're served on a silver platter for you. The bass will hit you almost as hard as on the 8.A, but only if its in the music.

 

[project86]

I'm really hesitating between the 8c and the k10.... Too bad no one has heard both of them

The thing is, I'd use them mostly outdoors, and heard that in this case a more bassy ciem would be better. And i loooove bass.
On the other hand, i feel I might miss something if not buying the totl k10, but the more neutral signature might not suit me...
I'm lost and desperate

 
 
You could always email Wizard - surely he has more insight about the comparative sound signatures than anyone else on the planet. 
 
What I'm getting from you so far seems to point more towards the 8C - your love of bass, and outdoor use, means 8C seems like an ideal fit. And you mention the more neutral signature of the K10 might not suit you.... so it seems fairly obvious to me.
 
Just because the K10 is positioned higher in the lineup, doesn't make it automatically better for every situation. It's the same thing as other brands - the HiFiMAN HE-6 is their top model but for a lot of people, the HE-500 is a better choice. And if you like a darker and more weighty presentation, you might do better with the Sennheiser HD650, even though HD800 is their top model. I know some people who mistakenly chose JH16 rather than JH13 because it was newer, had more drivers, and cost (slightly) more. They ended up regretting their choice and wished for less bass - exactly what they would have received had they gone with the JH13 instead. 
 
You see my point, right? The K10 could indeed be the best CIEM in the world, but if it doesn't fit your preferred signature then you shouldn't try to force yourself to love it. Especially when there's another exceptionally good Noble model that does fit your style. Buying the wrong model just because it's the top of the line is like forcing yourself to listen to classical or jazz to be a better audiophile, when really you just want to play Pink Floyd or Soundgarden instead because that's what you really like. 

 

[John0405]

You could always email Wizard - surely he has more insight about the comparative sound signatures than anyone else on the planet. 

What I'm getting from you so far seems to point more towards the 8C - your love of bass, and outdoor use, means 8C seems like an ideal fit. And you mention the more neutral signature of the K10 might not suit you.... so it seems fairly obvious to me.

Just because the K10 is positioned higher in the lineup, doesn't make it automatically better for every situation. It's the same thing as other brands - the HiFiMAN HE-6 is their top model but for a lot of people, the HE-500 is a better choice. And if you like a darker and more weighty presentation, you might do better with the Sennheiser HD650, even though HD800 is their top model. I know some people who mistakenly chose JH16 rather than JH13 because it was newer, had more drivers, and cost (slightly) more. They ended up regretting their choice and wished for less bass - exactly what they would have received had they gone with the JH13 instead. 

You see my point, right? The K10 could indeed be the best CIEM in the world, but if it doesn't fit your preferred signature then you shouldn't try to force yourself to love it. Especially when there's another exceptionally good Noble model that does fit your style. Buying the wrong model just because it's the top of the line is like forcing yourself to listen to classical or jazz to be a better audiophile, when really you just want to play Pink Floyd or Soundgarden instead because that's what you really like. 

Well....thanks for this very thorough answer
The thing is, I'm listening to many different kind of music genres, going from classical to dubstep. Sorensiim seemed to say the k10 bass could hit also pretty hard...
Could you briefly comment on the 8c details retrieval, and also and it's highs...?

 

[Sorensiim]

Buying the wrong model just because it's the top of the line is like forcing yourself to listen to classical or jazz to be a better audiophile, when really you just want to play Pink Floyd or Soundgarden instead because that's what you really like. 

THIS! A THOUSAND TIMES THIS!

 

[Mimouille]

With the DX50 and the R1 amp, I listened to some electro on the K10 yesterday - I could FEEL the bass in my head and in my throat. (Please keep the "that's what she said" jokes to a minimum, guys) I haven't heard the 8.C but I do have the 8.A. They ARE bassier than the K10 but not by that much (if the bass is in the music). Seing as the K10 uses the same bass drivers as the 8.A and the 8C, I'm pretty sure you could EQ the K10 bass to sound like the 8. 

Then again, the 8C is supposedly more neutral than the 8.A... 

If we keep it at 1 "that's what she said" is it within acceptable boundaries?

 

[shadow84]

  Yes, it does almost look like a "print" but it is not.

What is it then? Cant be real gears placed inside, could it?

 

[Mimouille]

What is it then? Cant be real gears placed inside, could it?

Yes, and they actually spin at the pace of the music.

 

[Sorensiim]

  What is it then? Cant be real gears placed inside, could it?

It is. Cosmic Ears did it first though: 

 
 

Yes, and they actually spin at the pace of the music.

Silly Mimi, they drive the pistons that move the speakers, everyone knows that. Coal is inserted on the opposite sited.

 

[Mimouille]

Silly Mimi, they drive the pistons that move the speakers, everyone knows that. Coal is inserted on the opposite sited.

I thought it was wax fueled.

 

[Watagump]

Its a good thing the movement isn't from a Rolex, what a pain it would be to wind the CIEM's. I could see tons of lawsuits from people injuring their necks.

 

[project86]

Well....thanks for this very thorough answer
The thing is, I'm listening to many different kind of music genres, going from classical to dubstep. Sorensiim seemed to say the k10 bass could hit also pretty hard...
Could you briefly comment on the 8c details retrieval, and also and it's highs...?

 
Make sure you read the original post in this thread if you haven't done so already. The 8C has exceptional detail retrieval, which is one of the areas where it really changed most compared to the 8.A version. It's still smooth overall but seems more accurate now as compared to the buttery 8.A which was less balanced. 8.A is quite fun, and I still like it, but back to back comparisons make it sound lacking compared to the well rounded 8C. 

 

[Watagump]

I am not digging the Cosmic Ears design using the watch gears, the Noble Audio though, as I said in another post is SICK.