Precog's IEM Reviews & Impressions

[gLer]

I go the other way. The way I like to test the quality of an IEM is if it sounds better with lower volume than the one I am comparing it against. The reason louder volume sounds better is your ears are seeking more of something in the FR that it isn't getting. When it is perfectly in balance, you can turn it lower and still hear it. This is a great test of frequency response and resolution. If you have a really highly resolving IEM and turn the volume down, you can hear the entire FR, but just at a lower volume. This is why Odin is my favorite IEM. I can turn it down to 60 db and still hear everything.

I can hear everything at low volume on LX and Fourte too. But why would I want to?

 

[xenithon]

I go the other way. The way I like to test the quality of an IEM is if it sounds better with lower volume than the one I am comparing it against. The reason louder volume sounds better is your ears are seeking more of something in the FR that it isn't getting. When it is perfectly in balance, you can turn it lower and still hear it. This is a great test of frequency response and resolution. If you have a really highly resolving IEM and turn the volume down, you can hear the entire FR, but just at a lower volume. This is why Odin is my favorite IEM. I can turn it down to 60 db and still hear everything.

I agree with this. I also tend to be a relatively low level listener. It’s like my ears and brain can interpret everything a lot better and “make more sense” of the sonic information. If I have to turn it up too much it almost distracts me.

 

[HiFiHawaii808]

I can hear everything at low volume on LX and Fourte too. But why would I want to?

So that you can preserve your hearing.

 

[SteveK27]

Hello @Precogvision
Could you give me a recommendation which iem you would prefer between the Andromeda and Clairvoyance?

 

[Precogvision]

Hello @Precogvision
Could you give me a recommendation which iem you would prefer between the Andromeda and Clairvoyance?

Not sure; I still haven't heard the Clairvoyance, so I don't want to deal in absolutes. However, I didn't find the Monarch particularly technical outside of sheer macro-detail, and the Clairvoyance is considered to be even less technical due to its warmer tuning. Given other IEMs I've heard with a similar tuning to the Clairvoyance, for my preferences only, I'd probably prefer the Andromeda 2020.

The Clairvoyance is probably closer to neutral with a more "accurate" tonality than the Andromeda 2020, though. I could also see one going for it if they enjoy a more controlled bass boost with a DD backing it up.

 

[SteveK27]

Not sure; I still haven't heard the Clairvoyance, so I don't want to deal in absolutes. However, I didn't find the Monarch particularly technical outside of sheer macro-detail, and the Clairvoyance is considered to be even less technical due to its warmer tuning. Given other IEMs I've heard with a similar tuning to the Clairvoyance, for my preferences only, I'd probably prefer the Andromeda 2020.

The Clairvoyance is probably closer to neutral with a more "accurate" tonality than the Andromeda 2020, though. I could also see one going for it if they enjoy a more controlled bass boost with a DD backing it up.

Thank you for the response!!
This helps clear things up quite a bit and I really respect your reviews and opinions

 

[gLer]

So that you can preserve your hearing.

I'm all for safe hearing levels, but you don't have to listen at 60dB to preserve your hearing. In my case I have genetically induced moderate hearing loss, so listening at levels up to 85dB has no adverse effects on my hearing levels. That's according to my audiologist anyway. I would advocate listening at 80dB or lower for anyone with good hearing, however, although 60dB is a bit extreme?

 

[HiFiHawaii808]

I'm all for safe hearing levels, but you don't have to listen at 60dB to preserve your hearing. In my case I have genetically induced moderate hearing loss, so listening at levels up to 85dB has no adverse effects on my hearing levels. That's according to my audiologist anyway. I would advocate listening at 80dB or lower for anyone with good hearing, however, although 60dB is a bit extreme?

I have a sound meter and I regularly test volume levels with my AirPods Pro as it monitors specific sound levels. I regularly listen at around 70-75 db or less. I listen some times at 60 db because not many people have heard deep sub bass rumble at that volume while still hearing the entire frequency response. It’s truly a technical feat to hear that and very satisfying.

 

[gLer]

I have a sound meter and I regularly test volume levels with my AirPods Pro as it monitors specific sound levels. I regularly listen at sound 70-75 db or less. I listen some times at 60 db because not many people have heard deep sub bass rumble at that volume. It’s truly a technical feat to hear that.

It is indeed. I can't hear much at all at 60dB!

 

[eloelo]

I have a sound meter and I regularly test volume levels with my AirPods Pro as it monitors specific sound levels. I regularly listen at around 70-75 db or less. I listen some times at 60 db because not many people have heard deep sub bass rumble at that volume while still hearing the entire frequency response. It’s truly a technical feat to hear that and very satisfying.

What sound meter do you use?

 

[Precogvision]

Hey all, quick update.

https://precog.squig.link/?share=Precog_Target

@MRSallee was kind enough to hook me up with a domain and helped me set up the graph tool developed by Marshall Lochbaum and Crinacle. I spent today uploading the IEMs that I have graphed onto here. I don't have a set methodology for taking graphs though, so don't expect super consistent results. This is mainly just a tool for reference and so that I don't have to keep digging to find graphs on my computer haha.

Edit: Some quick comments on the "Precog" target. Most would notice that it's closely modeled after the 64 Audio U12t, although there's inspiration here and there from some other IEMs too. The goal here is a target that I think I would enjoy most; it is not an interpretation of neutrality. Here's an analysis of what it currently consists of:

• Bass shelf follows M20's amplitude; however, given my enjoyment of the Nio, I've added back in some more mid-bass. My curve is not as clean as a result, so I'm not sure if I'll switch this back or not.
• The lower-midrange is still fairly lean. Ear compensation is relatively gentle and peaks at around 2kHz. Where my curve deviates from a lot of others is in the upper-midrange. I've chosen to recess this region not necessarily because it sounds tonally accurate, but because this is what is most pleasant to my ears. This also has a tendency to benefit center-image distinction. The dip is not quite to the amplitude of the U12t's though, in order to compensate for the added energy sub-300hZ.
• Treble sports a bump at 5kHz for needed energy. I might shift this to 6kHz to mimic the IER-Z1R instead, but that's risky as I don't have a real-world example for how that would translate to this type of ear compensation and upper-midrange. I've also done away with the mid-treble dip and the upper-harmonic spike the U12t exhibits for a smoother, less polarizing treble response.

Currently, I do not think my curve is as ideal as some others - at least not in the sense that any IEM can pull it off and sound good. An IEM would need good intangible performance to get away with the upper-midrange recession and the slightly less-controlled bass; otherwise, there is a possibility it comes off as downwards-compressed and overly muddy.

 

[HiFiHawaii808]

What sound meter do you use?

sorry, I just saw this message.

This is the sound meter I use. I also use the sound meter in my Apple iPhone in conjunction with my Airpods Pro. What that does is gives me a reference volume level that I can compare against the readings I get from the sound meter for calibration purposes.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ECCZWWI/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[HiFiHawaii808]

I just saw the @Precogvision YouTube review of the Z1R. I thought he nailed it. Also a great comparison against the U12t. The only thing I noticed that he didn't mention is the timbre and coherence of the bass of the Z1R. I think it helps with the sense of richness of the bass response. I EQ out the recession in the upper mids to get a more balanced sound that is perfect for my taste. It's the bass of the Z1R that has me firmly in the DD bass camp and I can't get myself to go back to all BA IEMs.

 

[KuroKitsu]

...Z1R that has me firmly in the DD bass camp and I can't get myself to go back to all BA IEMs.

Yup, that was me after my first go with the Z1R. I didn't notice the recessed lower mids till my most current go with it though.

 

[Sebastien Chiu]

I just saw the @Precogvision YouTube review of the Z1R. I thought he nailed it. Also a great comparison against the U12t. The only thing I noticed that he didn't mention is the timbre and coherence of the bass of the Z1R. I think it helps with the sense of richness of the bass response. I EQ out the recession in the upper mids to get a more balanced sound that is perfect for my taste. It's the bass of the Z1R that has me firmly in the DD bass camp and I can't get myself to go back to all BA IEMs.

Great review by Precog, indeed! Especially knowing how much he loves the u12t, lol!