[vhsownsbeta]

Out of interest, why does Noble not talk about graphs? I have also not been able to find frequency range specs. Are these not useful tools in choosing what gear to audition? If Noble products were not so good, I would be suspicious of a company that does not publish performance specs.

I guess you cannot rely on the consistency or accuracy of the method in which your competitors measure their products. Expectations and/or preconceptions can often colour our experiences too...

 

[rmullins08]

Good measurements don't exactly mean a device is going to sound good

 

[Watagump]

Out of interest, why does Noble not talk about graphs? I have also not been able to find frequency range specs. Are these not useful tools in choosing what gear to audition? If Noble products were not so good, I would be suspicious of a company that does not publish performance specs.

I wouldn't, if it sounds good it sounds good. Plenty of people have posted their thoughts, which for me would make it easy to decide. If anything would worry me, it would be never being able to try them before buying them. That can still happen with others if you cant find any place to audition a potential purchase. It will always be a risk that you might not like any headphones etc if you cant try them first, so for me, a graph is pointless.

 

[fiascogarcia]

There has always been an air of mystery surrounding the design and specs of the Noble products, though it doesn't bother me since I can't read the graphs anyway!  I'm surprised there isn't graph info on the K10's put out by those head-fier's that enjoy doing independent testing.

 

[FullCircle]

  First time posting on this forum and on this site in general. But I do have experience with TOTL iems such as K3003 and Shure SE846. 
 
Just want to thank Brannan and Sunny for the absolutely phenomenal service I received on my K10. Since my order, reception then refit, we've exchanged no less than 50 emails and they were nothing but patient, professional and friendly. 
 
Also to Dr. Moulton, your CIEMs are beyond words. I've always been fascinated and impressed by your designs. But lately you've taken it to a whole new level. I remember looking at the Sweetgum Tree Prestige on the Noble Instagram page and just dropping my jaw for a solid five minutes.
I really really, genuinely don't understand how anyone can go back to other CIEM companies after owning a Noble TOTL. 
 
I do, however, have a question for Dr. Moulton. Are you content with the size of Noble? Or would you want to see it grow and expand in the future perhaps to the size of some of your competitors?
 
 
For some reason, I can't post pictures  
Can't share with you all the beauty of my K10s.

 
 
1 - Welcome to the forum
 
2 - Thanks for the compliments
 
3 - Size and growth  
 
     Something that shoud be understood, essentially all CIEM companies are built from grass roots efforts. Westone litterally started in a kitchen, a former start up of mine began in a bathroom, Noble fortunatley doesn't have that humble of a beginning, but it isn't that far off.   Jerry Harvey and his former wife started UE, 1964 ears apparently is a family venture & this type of story pretty much applies through out all bespoke type industries.    There really isn't one GIANT dominate company, UE is fortunate that it is now owned by Logitech, but at the end of the day, UE was originally a small company with a hand full of employees.  In fact read about "Skull Candy" and you will find the same type of stories as well.
 
As for Noble, growth and direction.  
 
We offer:
 
1) CIEMs
2) IEMs
3) premium studio monitor
4) wireless blue tooth technology
5) Premium build techniques utilizing "subtractive technology" rather than the "in trend" additive technology 
 
Im unaware of our comptitors offering monitors, blue tooth technology or producs built via subtractive technology.
 
 
Distributors
 
We have distributors/dealers in 12 countries, and Noble is also carried by Thinkng Group.which is no small feat for a company as young as Noble.
 
 
Accolades
 
There has been several, such as the Innerfedility Wall of Fame, and also the number 1 ranked CIEM on head fi, the Kaiser10 with 18 five star reviews
 
 
 
 
Am I satisfied?   No, I am not, but I am pleased to see how things have developed for a 18 month old boutique audio company and we aren't finished yet.
 
 
 
Cheers to Brannan and our lab team
 
 
 

 

[kova4a]

 

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

I know, I'm disappointed because I misunderstood the description, I thought it was saying it didn't have an issue I've noticed in IEMs with BA drivers, notably the lack of energy over 13-15kHz.
 
Here's what I mean:
http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/ShureSE846BlueFilterSample2.pdf
-40db at 12.5kHz, -50db (bottom of the chart) at 19kHz.
 
http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/UniqueMelody3X.pdf
All frequencies above 10k are lower than -25db, with 13k being -50db in one ear.
 
http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/ShureSE535.pdf
etc.
 
http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/EtymoticER4PT.pdf
etc.
 
The Noble PR does better than most, with the P tuning having better extension than the R.
 
http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/NoblePRRTuning.pdf
 
http://www.innerfidelity.com/images/NoblePRPTuning.pdf
 
All these IEMs (except the PR with P tuning) have some kind of distinctive drop between 10 and 20k, and a big one at that. I would normally chalk it up to unreliable high frequency measurements, but it's so distinctive and consistent, and you don't see it with measured full size headphones (which I'm more used to). I haven't had the chance to listen to nearly as many IEMs as I have full size headphones, but every one I've tried so far seems to have very little or no upper treble, which removes shimmer and air from music, which I quite like, and I find it hard adjusting to a lack of this part of the frequency range in music.
This is the "controversial dip in the treble" I thought the description was mentioning, and was trying to find out the reason for the dip (the upper treble one I'm talking about, not the 4k one). Is it a limitation of BA drivers? The small chassis of IEMs? Or perhaps Tyll's measuring setup?

 

I'm kinda interested in what kind of energy over 13-15khz you're referring to? Generally when people talk about treble energy there is the lower treble, which adds energy and sparkle and the upper treble circa 10 khz which adds shimmer and most of the air. A well extended upper end can add a touch to the overall ambiance but that's it and as far as the range over 13-15khz - it doesn't matter as most people can't hear anything above. If you're in your teens you can probably hear till around 16khz and that's only if you're listening to a frequency sweep test - I dare you to name a song and where in it you hear such a high frequency, especially with the Loudness war still going strong and all the heavy clipping.

 

[Saraguie]

I'm kinda interested in what kind of energy over 13-15khz you're referring to? Generally when people talk about treble energy there is the lower treble, which adds energy and sparkle and the upper treble circa 10 khz which adds shimmer and most of the air. A well extended upper end can add a touch to the overall ambiance but that's it and as far as the range over 13-15khz - it doesn't matter as most people can't hear anything above. If you're in your teens you can probably hear till around 16khz and that's only if you're listening to a frequency sweep test - I dare you to name a song and where in it you hear such a high frequency, especially with the Loudness war still going strong and all the heavy clipping.

Not sure I understand all the technical details. All I know is, when I listen to my K-10s I'm thinking about how they sound like my LCD3s. Needless to say they are the best IEM I've ever heard.

 

[kalrykh]

Send me your lcd3s so I can compare. Pm me for shipping info

 

[FullCircle]

I'm kinda interested in what kind of energy over 13-15khz you're referring to? Generally when people talk about treble energy there is the lower treble, which adds energy and sparkle and the upper treble circa 10 khz which adds shimmer and most of the air. A well extended upper end can add a touch to the overall ambiance but that's it and as far as the range over 13-15khz - it doesn't matter as most people can't hear anything above. If you're in your teens you can probably hear till around 16khz and that's only if you're listening to a frequency sweep test - I dare you to name a song and where in it you hear such a high frequency, especially with the Loudness war still going strong and all the heavy clipping.

Teens, or a girl.....

For some reason girls can hear high frequencies better than guys. The dominant theory as to why that is ...

It is theorized that the better hearing is in order to hear the cries of babies


Just a theory, your welcome to create one as well

 

[kova4a]

Not sure I understand all the technical details. All I know is, when I listen to my K-10s I'm thinking about how they sound like my LCD3s. Needless to say they are the best IEM I've ever heard.

The thing is that people often look at frequency response graphs, compare certain high-end stuff to other and completely base their opinion on measurements without understanding them. People quoting the frequency range of a product (you know who you are) and saying nonsense, especially about the upper extension and quoting numbers not only above 15k but actually beyond 20-30khz as well, which probably even Superman will have a problem hearing let alone us puny mortals. I'm just saying that aside from basic info about the overall sound signature such measurements aren't really enough to base your opinion on them, state it as a fact and complain of a product you haven't tried yourself.

 

[Saraguie]

Send me your lcd3s so I can compare. Pm me for shipping info

Will do. Give me your address and I'll check and see if the Pony Express services your area. 

 

 

[kova4a]

Teens, or a girl.....

For some reason girls can hear high frequencies better than guys. The dominant theory as to why that is ...

It is theorized that the better hearing is in order to hear the cries of babies


Just a theory, your welcome to create one as well

Nah, I put this theory to a test some time ago and in practice women in their early twenties couldn't hear as high as me, actually they heard till around 14khz at best. They might be a bit more sensitive to the lower treble though and in fact a baby's cry peaks at around 5khz so it has nothing to do with the upper treble.

 

[Watagump]

Teens, or a girl.....

For some reason girls can hear high frequencies better than guys. The dominant theory as to why that is ...

It is theorized that the better hearing is in order to hear the cries of babies


Just a theory, your welcome to create one as well

Thats interesting, when my ex use to scream at me I had no trouble hearing her.

 

[FullCircle]

Nah, I put this theory to a test some time ago and in practice women in their early twenties couldn't hear as high as me, actually they heard till around 14khz at best. They might be a bit more sensitive to the lower treble though and in fact a baby's cry peaks at around 5khz so it has nothing to do with the upper treble.

It's a scientific fact, women have a higher range of hearing, do a quick google on that one.... If I'm wrong then every audiology text book is a hoax, and I shouldn't have a license to practice audiology.

Women hearing babies cry is a theory accepted in the science of audiology.....

The basis for that theory is that essentially animals desire two things

1 to survive
2 replicate itself



It hasn't been until recent that we as humans strive to

1 survive
2 replicate
3 Own a k10.

 

[otakuflick]

I had sent my universal iems for repair  in late Mar, so i was told that it took 2 months to repair it. Two months passed i hear nothing from them, sending emails but no any responds. Finally i received a email from them telling me that i have to wait still July. I have yet to understand why it takes months to replace a missing faceplate on one side of the IEMs. Yes, the glue dried out and the faceplate dropped off without me knowing

. This is the first time i sent item to overseas for repair, am i being impatient?