[fiascogarcia]

  As the most senior K10 owner on the planet (polishes brass stars on shoulders), I can vouch for this. Going on third year of daily K10 use and they still amaze me. I'm typing this from work, while listening to the album "The Race For Space" by Public Service Broadcasting. I'm tapping my feet and bopping my head, letting the rythm carry me while I explore all the little details spread out in the wonderful soundscape.
 
In about half an hour it'll be crunch time, so I'll probably pop on some Kvelertak or Opeth to propel me through coding and troubleshooting - I know the K10 will be more than happy to keep up with the absolutely amazing arrangements and excuisite drumming from Opeth. The furious speed and screamo vocals from Kvelertak? Without fretting over the sub-par mastering? Psh, bring it. 
 
In the afternoon, some of the trickier problems will usually float up from first and second level support so I might just switch to something light and simple, like Sumie or perhaps something complex, like Zbigniew Preisner's fantastic soundtrack to Kieslowski's Bleu will be just the ticket. 
 
No matter what music I need, I know that the K10 will handle it with ease and elegance. 

New job, right?  Congratulations!

 

[FullCircle]

   
Hmm, good question.
 
I should preface that we all hear differently, and what sonics mean to someone is based on their individuality, but I am more than confidant that you are aware of this.
 
I will write more info in my EnjoytheMusic.com report, but I'll explain a bit here.
 
First up, I have dreamed about owning a K10 ever since its release, especially due to its near universal acclaim. I am aware that there are those who like the new Empire Ears Zeus and Campfire Audio Andromeda over K10, but almost everything you said about the description of the K10 is what I have been lusting over.
 
This next bit is a super succinct description of my audio gear to give you a taste of how I define and liken my gear, to give you a small insight of my tastes (won't include DAC's or amps because that'll be too long):
In my search for a personal nirvana of headphone gear and equipment, I absolutely love gear that sounds and is voiced like a single-source, but also a cohesion of frequencies.
This is something that is evident in (and possibly reinforced from) my choice of favourite speakers, the John Blue AudioArt JB3, with its 3" driver and super smaller tweeter whizzer cone embedded in main driver, and huge double magnet. My speakers are not truly technical but purely musical, with blooming but not too bloated bass and excellent near-field imaging, fantastic for almost any genre of music but predominately vocal work, acoustic instruments, jazz, classical, some electronica like Daft Punk and Disclosure (rather than Deadmau5 and Noisia). Mid's are probably it's best quality, but more with guitars; just enough bite and sweetness. However, I do not use my speakers for critical listening but for multitasking, gaming, films and TV, etc. Music is very infrequent. Also, this speaker is not as good at cohesion but excellent as a single-point source/voice.
Now, my Audeze EL-8 Titanium headphones (2016 drivers, and internally driver-wise the exact same as 2016 EL-8 CB) was the very first headphone that gave me that feeling of 'cohesion of frequencies' and 'single-voice' like quality, whilst having complete authority and thwack of sonics (lower mids, bass, and breathless treble). There is an almost monitor like quality to the EL-8 Ti, but packs in a tremendous amount of detail and resolution, something my older AKG K 712 (and even older AKG K 701) headphones do, but the EL-8 Ti is much clearer and grain less in its sonic prowess.
Sometimes this gets too much, and I switch over to my Meze Headphones 99 Classics Walnut Silver headphones; that headphone has comfy bass that smothers you over accuracy, and a midrange of sweetness with grip (with DHC Elite Molecule 22 pure silver balanced cable). It is a great way to cleanse and change up my sonic palate between my EL-8 Ti and JB3 speakers.
 
So, when I heard the K10, I was floored. Absolutely stunned.
It was like I was getting my JB3 speakers, EL-8 Ti, and the 'sweet, grippy mids' of 99 Classics, all in one IEM. INSANE I TELL YOU!
I also had a visceral impact of music too, something I love from my EL-8 Ti.
 
Yet, the Katana, was not far off from my above description, but had a different change up. It was like having my JB3 speakers, EL-8 Ti (but less impact and thwack), and comfy bass like my 99 Classics (but with far greater detail and accuracy), yet less sweet mids of 99 Classics, together.
 
For me, effortless sonic tapestry = no standout frequency, but not flat.
How? Well, flat frequency is a mathematical, measurable, theoretical line.
But, a piece of gear that does not have a standout frequency does not have to be flat, no, such gear has the confidence to display music without sounding flat; music that you can just walk through in your mind, float away with, giving you everything at once but not letting any singular part of the music pull or sway you.
I really find this hard to describe, because when I critically listen to music for enjoyment, I start writing worlds in my head, so the brilliance, vibrancy, etherealism, and realism of those worlds is relies on what gear I am using.
 
Thus, Katana is better at transporting me to my musical nirvana without distracting me over one sonic quality over another, just presents music in one cohesive, single voice.
I do not consider the Katana flat, as that would be closer to the Etymotic ER series, or Ultimate Ears UERM, or even Noble Savant.
I find it engaging that it somehow, simultaneously, does not emphasise any sonic trait yet still presents a massive musical presence beyond your mind. Effortless is the closest descriptor I can think of at this moment.
 
Had the Katana not existed, the K10 would have been the ultimate IEM for me, and it is still amongst the best IEM’s/CIEM’s on the planet.
The Katana, to my ears, is superior in only that ability to be more amorphous.
 
For some users, the K10 with its better visceral impact (mainly, but not excluded to, on mid-bass) is a better quality to have than to lose, but the Katana swaps that for a more natural sound (to me), and I liked it.
To be honest, I wish I could have had a switch to go between the two on a single IEM ha ha ha!!!
 
 
...
 
 
Oh no, I wrote too much, oops.... :/

 
 
 
in summary
 
 
 
The Katana is
 
 

 
 
 
 
More about Noble and the Katana can be found here. (the woman sitting to my right is my sister in law)
 
 
 

 

[TheOneInYellow]

Spoiler: FullCircle

   
 
 
in summary
 
 
 
The Katana is
 
 

 
 
 
 
More about Noble and the Katana can be found here. (the woman sitting to my right is my sister in law)
 
 
 

 

 
Ha ha ha, NAILED IT!
 
Thank you for the video to, watched it, awesome!
 
Hopefully I'll find the full conference version ^^

 

[theUKMrT]

Had the Katana not existed, the K10 would have been the ultimate IEM for me, and it is still amongst the best IEM’s/CIEM’s on the planet.
The Katana, to my ears, is superior...

I had precisely the same experience hearing them side-by-side at the London CanJam. My first listen to the K10 at their UK demo event had me thinking it would be my endgame iem, now I know for certain that accolade's going to the Katana.
 

The K10's all...

 

Where the Katana's more...

 

[TheOneInYellow]

Spoiler: theUKMrT

 
I had precisely the same experience hearing them side-by-side at the London CanJam. My first listen to the K10 at their UK demo event had me thinking it would be my endgame iem, now I know for certain that accolade's going to the Katana.
 

The K10's all...

 

Where the Katana's more...

 

 
 
Thanks dude!
 
Remember, we only tried the universal versions, at a show event, so the CIEM versions would be even MORE amazing!!!
 
Love the picture analogy too, except, I would add comfy cushions, or comfier seats, and retain everything else, to the black chair...
 
Btw, side topic, the chair I LOVE is Harrow Black Skull Armchair!!!
 

Spoiler: Harrow Black Skull Armchair

 
 
 
 
 

 
Also available in gold but yuck; black is BEAST!

 

[AndrewH13]

Hmm, good question.

Had the Katana not existed, the K10 would have been the ultimate IEM for me, and it is still amongst the best IEM’s/CIEM’s on the planet.
The Katana, to my ears, is superior in only that ability to be more amorphous.

For some users, the K10 with its better visceral impact (mainly, but not excluded to, on mid-bass) is a better quality to have than to lose, but the Katana swaps that for a more natural sound (to me), and I liked it.
To be honest, I wish I could have had a switch to go between the two on a single IEM ha ha

Oh no, I wrote too much, oops.... :/

You've hit the nail on the head here. I've been having a few private messages with Prism explaining why for me, I preferred the Katana to K10 after London Canjam demos, even though I'm listening primarily to rock.

While I really liked the K10, I don't feel a need for a mid bass boost like most iems have. Far more important to be 'musical' to me is a balanced sound, life-like, and 'live' if you were. What the Katona does is portray cymbals in a sharp incisive way. Now some may not like that, but I stand next to a drummer in band rehearsals and that is exactly how they sound! The openness and spaciousness is what really won me over, coupled with a fast tight bass, and I returned home with Katana rather than the K10 I had envisaged buying. Win for everyone that there is a choice.

 

[TheOneInYellow]

You've hit the nail on the head here. I've been having a few private messages with Prism explaining why for me, I preferred the Katana to K10 after London Canjam demos, even though I'm listening primarily to rock.

While I really liked the K10, I don't feel a need for a mid bass boost like most iems have. Far more important to be 'musical' to me is a balanced sound, life-like, and 'live' if you were. What the Katona does is portray cymbals in a sharp incisive way. Now some may not like that, but I stand next to a drummer in band rehearsals and that is exactly how they sound! The openness and spaciousness is what really won me over, coupled with a fast tight bass, and I returned home with Katana rather than the K10 I had envisaged buying. Win for everyone that there is a choice.

 
Well, if I hit the nail on the head with my post, then you were the hammer, because your post adds extra stuff that I completely agree with!
 
I urge those to try both, but simply put, you will NOT be disappointed getting either one.
I would say, if you enjoy a tiny amount of boost with a real creamy sound that's cohesive and hits hard but fair, and if you consider that musical, go with K10.
If you prefer a balanced, non-flat, engaging sound that is liquid fast (a tad faster than K10!), but doesn't sound boring, analytical, and yet still maintains a holographic trance like production of the music to your ears, go for Katana.
 
Seriously, I would love to compare Noble Audio Katana to Campfire Andromeda, Empire Ears Zeus, JH Audio Layla, etc. I would seriously say Katana is on par of being a true TOTL IEM.

 

[Malevolent]

 
No matter what music I need, I know that the K10 will handle it with ease and elegance. 

 
This is the hallmark of the K10, really; its absolute ability to play every genre with ease. Some it does generally well, and with others, like pop and rock, it's an absolute beast.
 
The K10's motto should be..
 

 

[The Life]

So will you also be the world's first and most senior Katana owner and do comparisons?  

NKA0001 is currently playing some old-school reggae in my ears right now

 

[ScottFree]

   
 
 
in summary
 
 
 
The Katana is
 
 

 
 
 
 
More about Noble and the Katana can be found here. (the woman sitting to my right is my sister in law)
 
 
 

 
Thanks for the post Dr John. Always wondered what your voice was like. Now I hear it sounds more Wizardy than I imagined.

 

[bangkokkid]

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Interstellar medium​

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[TheOneInYellow]

Spoiler: bangkokkid

Interstellar medium​

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Oh my good God Brannan!
That's the look I'm looking for for my Katana customs, with colours from Dark Souls Artorias of the Abyss artwork I showed you and an Interstellar look!

Spoiler: Dark Souls Artorias of the Abyss cover art

Interstellar x Dark Souls look basically.

That is utterly beautiful! Congrats to the owner of that pair ^^

 

[AndrewH13]

:

 

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Interstellar medium​

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Wow, some amazing designs. Sorry, I'm new to ciems, but I am right in thinking that Universal shaped cant have these beautiful colours?

 

[chef8489]

   
Wow, some amazing designs. Sorry, I'm new to ciems, but I am right in thinking that Universal shaped cant have these beautiful colours?

Just get a pair of customs. Once you go custom its hard to use universals again. They are just so cumfortable.

 

[krismusic]

Just get a pair of customs. Once you go custom its hard to use universals again. They are just so cumfortable.

Actually. That is not always the case. Mine are tolerable. Not comfortable.