[MCYL]

I’ve just started my own memory lane of tracks for each genre. Was surprised how many Japanese, Korean and Chinese songs was in the list and even more surprised that Apple Music curated so many foreign albums.

A Detour Back to the Music: Taeyeon's "Time Lapse"



There are some tracks that you just can't get out of your head years later, that you still play on the daily, and this is one of mine. "Time Lapse" is the oft-overlooked gem on Taeyeon's My Voice (2017) album alongside the CD-only bonus track, "Time Spent Walking Through Memories" (here's a live performance). I've wanted to write about "Time Lapse" for some time now, and I was recently re-inspired to after discovering the aforementioned CD bonus track. Both were written and composed with input from Kim Jong Wan, vocalist of the Korean alternative-rock band NELL. I should note that I don't really care for most rock music I've heard, but damn if I can make an exception for NELL's stuff. When you throw Taeyeon into the mix, only my favorite singer ever, you can bet that you have a product that sounds so refreshing from a lot of the music hitting shelves in K-Pop today.

Like so, it's immediately obvious that the production of "Time Lapse" is distinct from the pop-ballad oriented sound that characterizes my other favorites on the album such as "Fine". This partially lies in the structure of "Time Lapse" which, instead of peaking with the chorus after the first verse at 1:09, jumps directly back to the first verse, this time with the added presence of drums and synths for another build-up. You do get your chorus shortly after, but then something similar happens again at 2:10 where there's a brief interim consisting of mostly instrumentals allowing the listener time to reflect. It's worth noting that the average length of songs has dropped over time in an effort to capture more plays on streaming services, and I love that Kim Jong Wan just doesn't give a damn. At a total play length of 4:14, "Time Lapse" isn't afraid to take up your time...because it knows it's worth it. It makes excellent use of spacing and tempo to create build-ups that leave a lasting impression. More specifically, an impression that doesn't fade the moment you move to the next pseudo robot-generated track.

The instruments on this track are also quite different from the other tracks on the album. The impactful drum machines, forward snare cracks, and generous use of vocal overdubs have been eschewed for real drums, a different flavor of synths, splashy cymbals, and the sporadic entrance of piano. This generally gives the track a more homegrown, light touch. Distinctions aside, a common denominator between "Time Lapse" and Taeyeon's other tracks is, of course, her stellar vocal performance. Her voice doesn't seem like it's been over sharpened on this track, and there's a breathy, analog quality to the way her voice trails off on the verses. The chorus makes use of more background instruments which doesn't let her voice shine quite as much as on, say, "Fine", but there's no denying the raw emotion that she's able to convey in these runs. In fact, to a certain extent, by placing her voice more evenly in the mix, it enhances the aforementioned grassroots quality.

Lyric-wise, I won't pretend that "Time Lapse" would win awards for its writing. It's built upon the common premise of pining for, and reminiscing on, an old flame. Don't know what to write about in a song? Love, or some derivative of love, is always your fallback. Thankfully, this track is at least lyrically sound. Contrast this to the common practice in the K-Pop industry of slapping often non-sensical words into a track to meet a desired rhythm or timing. As a result, in many of these tracks, you basically end up with...well, some quite interesting lyrics, or worse, gibberish. And that's not to mention the lyrical content itself in these tracks which (at least when translated to English) tends to be rather superficial. But "Time Lapse" is able to really dig into creating the perception of something deeper despite the less-than-novel writing thanks to Taeyeon's vocal skill.

In essence, the pillars of "Time Lapse" are its unconventional, but welcome sound design and Taeyeon's powerhouse vocals. I wouldn't even necessarily consider the writing a weakness given that I certainly am not fluent in Korean and need to rely on English translations. No, my biggest criticism would really lie in the track's mastering. The dynamic range of "Time Lapse" is perplexingly weak despite it measuring similarly on the DR Meter to other tracks on the album. This is in the sense that, perceptively, the track's build-ups sound too consistent in loudness. This perceived flatness is exacerbated by what seems to be a dryness to the decay of the cymbals and string plucks. But I digress, as we're entering nitpicky audiophile territory. I definitely think this song is worth giving a listen alongside the CD bonus track, "Time Spent Walking Through Memories". I find the mastering on the latter is better, and it has the same vein of sound design (the same person wrote the track after all), while it's a bit more mellow in terms of the build-ups. You can't go wrong with listening to either.

 

[jlemaster1957]

A Detour Back to the Music: Taeyeon's "Time Lapse"



There are some tracks that you just can't get out of your head years later, that you still play on the daily, and this is one of mine. "Time Lapse" is the oft-overlooked gem on Taeyeon's My Voice (2017) album alongside the CD-only bonus track, "Time Spent Walking Through Memories" (here's a live performance). I've wanted to write about "Time Lapse" for some time now, and I was recently re-inspired to after discovering the aforementioned CD bonus track. Both were written and composed with input from Kim Jong Wan, vocalist of the Korean alternative-rock band NELL. I should note that I don't really care for most rock music I've heard, but damn if I can make an exception for NELL's stuff. When you throw Taeyeon into the mix, only my favorite singer ever, you can bet that you have a product that sounds so refreshing from a lot of the music hitting shelves in K-Pop today.

Like so, it's immediately obvious that the production of "Time Lapse" is distinct from the pop-ballad oriented sound that characterizes my other favorites on the album such as "Fine". This partially lies in the structure of "Time Lapse" which, instead of peaking with the chorus after the first verse at 1:09, jumps directly back to the first verse, this time with the added presence of drums and synths for another build-up. You do get your chorus shortly after, but then something similar happens again at 2:10 where there's a brief interim consisting of mostly instrumentals allowing the listener time to reflect. It's worth noting that the average length of songs has dropped over time in an effort to capture more plays on streaming services, and I love that Kim Jong Wan just doesn't give a damn. At a total play length of 4:14, "Time Lapse" isn't afraid to take up your time...because it knows it's worth it. It makes excellent use of spacing and tempo to create build-ups that leave a lasting impression. More specifically, an impression that doesn't fade the moment you move to the next pseudo robot-generated track.

The instruments on this track are also quite different from the other tracks on the album. The impactful drum machines, forward snare cracks, and generous use of vocal overdubs have been eschewed for real drums, a different flavor of synths, splashy cymbals, and the sporadic entrance of piano. This generally gives the track a more homegrown, light touch. Distinctions aside, a common denominator between "Time Lapse" and Taeyeon's other tracks is, of course, her stellar vocal performance. Her voice doesn't seem like it's been over sharpened on this track, and there's a breathy, analog quality to the way her voice trails off on the verses. The chorus makes use of more background instruments which doesn't let her voice shine quite as much as on, say, "Fine", but there's no denying the raw emotion that she's able to convey in these runs. In fact, to a certain extent, by placing her voice more evenly in the mix, it enhances the aforementioned grassroots quality.

Lyric-wise, I won't pretend that "Time Lapse" would win awards for its writing. It's built upon the common premise of pining for, and reminiscing on, an old flame. Don't know what to write about in a song? Love, or some derivative of love, is always your fallback. Thankfully, this track is at least lyrically sound. Contrast this to the common practice in the K-Pop industry of slapping often non-sensical words into a track to meet a desired rhythm or timing. As a result, in many of these tracks, you basically end up with...well, some quite interesting lyrics, or worse, gibberish. And that's not to mention the lyrical content itself in these tracks which (at least when translated to English) tends to be rather superficial. But "Time Lapse" is able to really dig into creating the perception of something deeper despite the less-than-novel writing thanks to Taeyeon's vocal skill.

In essence, the pillars of "Time Lapse" are its unconventional, but welcome sound design and Taeyeon's powerhouse vocals. I wouldn't even necessarily consider the writing a weakness given that I certainly am not fluent in Korean and need to rely on English translations. No, my biggest criticism would really lie in the track's mastering. The dynamic range of "Time Lapse" is perplexingly weak despite it measuring similarly on the DR Meter to other tracks on the album. This is in the sense that, perceptively, the track's build-ups sound too consistent in loudness. This perceived flatness is exacerbated by what seems to be a dryness to the decay of the cymbals and string plucks. But I digress, as we're entering nitpicky audiophile territory. I definitely think this song is worth giving a listen alongside the CD bonus track, "Time Spent Walking Through Memories". I find the mastering on the latter is better, and it has the same vein of sound design (the same person wrote the track after all), while it's a bit more mellow in terms of the build-ups. You can't go wrong with listening to either.

Really appreciated this. Recently invested in U12T after a lot of soul searching and reading reviews (yours included) and there comes a point where just listening to the music is the next best step for a while. Chillin along…

 

[Precogvision]

ThieAudio Elixir Impressions​

Configuration: 1DD
Price: $210
Unit kindly provided for review by Linsoul.
https://www.linsoul.com/products/thieaudio-elixir

The ThieAudio Elixir showed up yesterday and I spent most of today listening to it. I don't think I have the energy to devote to a full write-up, but I must confess it sounds pretty nice. Some brief thoughts:

• Resolution is a noticeable step ahead of the Tripowin Olina, and a small step ahead of the Hana 2021 and Moondrop Kato in A/B.
• It sounds more dynamic than I was expecting given ThieAudio's poor track record with this intangible. Transients have a pleasing snappiness to them that is distinct from the soft, dampened quality that, for example, the Moondrop Kato exhibits.
• The Elixir is certainly not as dynamic as the DUNU Zen, but it really does sound like the Elixir is using a novel dynamic driver plus the tonality is more palatable.
• The Elixir sounds like it has better treble extension than I would give credit for on paper. There's some sort of resonance in the upper-treble that struck me as odd on first listen - perhaps not dissimilar to Focal's headphones where there's hint of metallic sheen - but I find myself not minding too much with some brain burn-in.

Here's the bottom line: at $210, I feel this is a competitive IEM that is doing more than just meeting the status quo, something that I've not shied from criticizing the large majority of ThieAudio's IEMs for in the past. And speaking of which, the accessories included with this IEM are almost exactly the same as the ThieAudio L2's which is half the price. Pretty lame IMO. But on the basis of pure sound quality, the Elixir comes recommended.

Bias Score: 6/10

 

[WAON303]

So the Elixir has around the same resolution as the FDX1 but with better timbre? Sign me up!

Seems like that mouthful of driver fancy tech mentioned in the Linsoul product page isn't a gimmick after all.

I know both are different IEMs but how close is the Elixir's resolution compared to the B2 Dusk? You did say the Legacy 4's resolution was reasonably close to the original B2 and that set is probably a step below the Elixir.

 

[KutuzovGambit]

ThieAudio Elixir Impressions​

Configuration: 1DD
Price: $210
Unit kindly provided for review by Linsoul.
https://www.linsoul.com/products/thieaudio-elixir




The ThieAudio Elixir showed up yesterday and I spent most of today listening to it. I don't think I have the energy to devote to a full write-up, but I must confess it sounds pretty nice. Some brief thoughts:

• Resolution is a noticeable step ahead of the Tripowin Olina, and a small step ahead of the Hana 2021 and Moondrop Kato in A/B.
• It sounds more dynamic than I was expecting given ThieAudio's poor track record with this intangible. Transients have a pleasing snappiness to them that is distinct from the soft, dampened quality that, for example, the Moondrop Kato exhibits.
• The Elixir is certainly not as dynamic as the DUNU Zen, but it really does sound like the Elixir is using a novel dynamic driver plus the tonality is more palatable.
• The Elixir sounds like it has better treble extension than I would give credit for on paper. There's some sort of resonance in the upper-treble that struck me as odd on first listen - perhaps not dissimilar to Focal's headphones where there's hint of metallic sheen - but I find myself not minding too much with some brain burn-in.

Here's the bottom line: at $210, I feel this is a competitive IEM that is doing more than just meeting the status quo, something that I've not shied from criticizing the large majority of ThieAudio's IEMs for in the past. And speaking of which, the accessories included with this IEM are almost exactly the same as the ThieAudio L2's which is half the price. Pretty lame IMO. But on the basis of pure sound quality, the Elixir comes recommended.

Bias Score: 6/10

Good enough for me, just placed my order.

 

[Precogvision]

So the Elixir has around the same resolution as the FDX1 but with better timbre? Sign me up!

Seems like that mouthful of driver fancy tech mentioned in the Linsoul product page isn't a gimmick after all.

I know both are different IEMs but how close is the Elixir's resolution compared to the B2 Dusk? You did say the Legacy 4's resolution was reasonably close to the original B2 and that set is probably a step below the Elixir.

I don't have the FDX1 to compare and it's been a long time since I've heard it, but I'd say they're both in the range of "A-" technicalities. I can A/B them this weekend at Mark's place. Also planning to A/B the Elixir with the Zen Pro and the IE600.

I haven't heard the L4 in a long time, so I'm not sure if my thoughts on it still stand. For the Elixir versus the Blessing 2, I think the Blessing 2's slightly more resolving than the Elixir in A/B. But that might also just be the grit Blessing 2 has to decay which seemingly pulls out a little more reverb. It's splitting hairs, and I think it more comes down to how one interprets detail as I've written about before. Point being is that I would take my ratings on resolution with a grain of salt in general. While my thoughts generally line up with others in my "cohort", there's still a good measure of variation in our assessments on technicalities.

 

[syazwaned]

Looks like Oxygen is a way better single DD option than Elixir

 

[InvisibleInk]

Looks like Oxygen is a way better single DD option than Elixir

Oxygen is never a bad idea, but what makes you say that?

 

[WAON303]

Looks like Oxygen is a way better single DD option than Elixir

Why tho? There is nothing objectively wrong with the Elixir if it sounds like it graphs.

The Oxygen's midrange tuning is said to be a bit hot, haven't heard anyone say the Elixir has harsh mids.

I think both compete at around the same level and the score Precog gave both illustrates this.

 

[o0genesis0o]

Is it just me or it seems that decently tuned single DD IEMs are not that rare anymore nowadays? Hybrid and multi-BA are still wonky, though.

 

[WAON303]

Is it just me or it seems that decently tuned single DD IEMs are not that rare anymore nowadays? Hybrid and multi-BA are still wonky, though.

The CCA CRA shows that single DD IEMs can be decently tuned on the super cheap, there is literally no excuse to have poorly tuned single DD IEMs when the CRA does it fairly well for 14 bucks.

I appreciate single DD IEMs more than hybrids and tribrids, having a ton of drivers crammed into an IEM shell is overrated IMO.

 

[o0genesis0o]

The CCA CRA shows that single DD IEMs can be decently tuned on the super cheap, there is literally no excuse to have poorly tuned single DD IEMs when the CRA does it fairly well for 14 bucks.

I appreciate single DD IEMs more than hybrids and tribrids, having a ton of drivers crammed into an IEM shell is overrated IMO.

I still like multi-BA of hybrid / tribrid somehow. There is something cool about them, though they are not very cost effective. I guest I just need a 64 Audio in my collection )

 

[Precogvision]

Is it just me or it seems that decently tuned single DD IEMs are not that rare anymore nowadays? Hybrid and multi-BA are still wonky, though.

I agree there is a lot of decently tuned single-DDs these days. Budget stuff like the Moondrop Chu and CCA CRA+ are tuned better than would've been imaginable a couple years ago. I'd hazard that the distinction is that they're not tuned great, though. Multi-BA sets and hybrids are still the way to go if you want to hit a desired FR as closely as possible. These configurations afford more flexibility with your tuning parameters, and creative setups (like the Subtonic Storm for example) can get away without using dampening which is usually what's used to tune DDs efficiently. Sennheiser has done some interesting stuff with their milled chambers in the walls of the IE900, but even then, they rely on foam dampening in the tips to achieve the treble's balance. Then there's IEMs like the DUNU Luna which have incredible dynamics and technicalities, but due to a lack of dampening, their FR is not as desirable. In any case, that's why (at least in my opinion) all the top-tier sets remain multi-driver setups and I'm still waiting on that fabled single-DD endgame

 

[wagyuA5]

I agree there is a lot of decently tuned single-DDs these days. Budget stuff like the Moondrop Chu and CCA CRA+ are tuned better than would've been imaginable a couple years ago. I'd hazard that the distinction is that they're not tuned great, though. Multi-BA sets and hybrids are still the way to go if you want to hit a desired FR as closely as possible. These configurations afford more flexibility with your tuning parameters, and creative setups (like the Subtonic Storm for example) can get away without using dampening which is usually what's used to tune DDs efficiently. Sennheiser has done some interesting stuff with their milled chambers in the walls of the IE900, but even then, they rely on foam dampening in the tips to achieve the treble's balance. Then there's IEMs like the DUNU Luna which have incredible dynamics and technicalities, but due to a lack of dampening, their FR is not as desirable. In any case, that's why (at least in my opinion) all the top-tier sets remain multi-driver setups and I'm still waiting on that fabled single-DD endgame

I have seen conflicting opinions on the IE900, some people say that the foam is acoustically transparent. Has this been measured?

 

[Precogvision]

I have seen conflicting opinions on the IE900, some people say that the foam is acoustically transparent. Has this been measured?

It is definitely not acoustically transparent. I have it measured in my database with the filter in and removed; it makes a subtle difference in the treble region. But tip differences are usually not as pronounced on FR as they are in practice. I tip-rolled the IE900 with a dozen plus other tips because the stock tips collapsed in the ear too easily to create a consistent seal. I found every single other tip could not mimic the sound of the stock tip adequately - specifically in the upper-midrange and treble - and I ended up just selling the IE900 out of frustration