[Precogvision]

Campfire Andromeda 2020 review is up and can be viewed here. While it does run into some of the traditional bottlenecks of an all-BA IEM, particularly in dynamics, it's terrific as a whole. The out-of-head imaging, layering, and balanced tuning merit an "excellent score". In my opinion, it's more than competitive at the kilobuck price point.

Score: 7.5/10

 

[buonassi]

Campfire Andromeda 2020 review is up and can be viewed here. While it does run into some of the traditional bottlenecks of an all-BA IEM, particularly in dynamics, it's terrific as a whole. The out-of-head imaging, layering, and balanced tuning merit an "excellent score". In my opinion, it's more than competitive at the kilobuck price point.

Score: 7.5/10

First headphones.com review I've read of yours. I have to say I really like that headphones.com is finding articulate and concise reviewers to contribute to their site. You are no exception. Very well written review, balanced and honest. Looking forward to more. Congrats and keep this thread going!

 

[Precogvision]

Vision Ears EVE20 Impressions

Spoiler: Photo

Signed up for the tour a while ago and totally forgot about it. I won't go too in-depth with these impressions because, frankly, I don't find the EVE20 to be very remarkable. This is Vision Ear's annual special edition IEM that's using 6BAs.

It does sound vaguely reminiscent of the VE8. I didn't really care for the VE8's tonality albeit it being admittedly solid, so yeah, I'm not exactly vibing with the EVE20 either. The first thing that strikes me as different is the bass. It's still virtually textureless, but there's some more sub-bass emphasis and actual decay that the VE8 sorely lacked. That's a welcome change for sure. Their midranges sound close to identical from my memory of VE8, maybe more recessed positionally with the EVE20. Both play better with male vocals, and I hear more sibilance to the EVE20. But treble - what happened to the treble? If the VE8 was lacking extension, the EVE20 sounds even more rolled-off, it has a very smoothed, far-too-subtle quality to it. Can't say I'm a fan.

Technical capability is where the EVE20 really leaves something to be desired. VE8 had the same treble roll-off and ridiculously warm tonality, but it was still quite resolving - enough to play with some of the best. Conversely, I'm hearing that dreaded, low-fi "haze" to the EVE20's timbre, and pure resolution/detail retrieval is lacking; not at all what I would expect from something at this price point. Average imaging capability, slightly above average staging depth-wise that reminds me a bit of the VE Elysium. I think EVE20 does macro-dynamics decently, although it most definitely doesn't have the VE8's micro-dynamic capabilities.

The EVE20 is, well, mostly what I expected it to be. For better or worse, Vision Ears is very consistent. Nothing I've heard from them has "wowed" me, but I also struggle to critique their stuff. All of their IEMs are fairly safe, well-tuned, and they'd be easy recommendations if it weren't for the price. And really, that's my biggest gripe. I'm just not seeing a value proposition here, especially when there's stuff in the sub-$300 bracket playing ball with the EVE20.

Score: 5/10

 

[Precogvision]

64audio U12t Re-Visited

Spoiler: Photo

Everyone has an IEM that they're partial to or just can't stop singing its merits - this is mine. I bought the U12t with my own money, so I'm biased, subject to cognitive dissonance, the whole shebang. And yeah, despite two RMAs (one for a finicky connector point and another for a side randomly dying on me) in the span of three months...I can't sell it. The U12t really is like the prodigal son that I can't help but forgive wholeheartedly each time I hear it again.

Bass:
The U12t follow something of a U-shaped frequency response, it has a more laidback, slick, resolving sound. Let's talk about the bass. Quantity with the M15 module is a bit lacking for my preferences. More balanced, certainly, but the M20 module slaps on a small sub-bass shelf which adds that extra "oomph" I'm looking for in my bass. And terrific bass it is. The U12t's bass is more textured, nuanced, than a good deal of dynamic driver IEMs I've heard. Plus that natural decay; I don't think I've heard any other BA IEM that can match the U12t's response here. It's not perfect of course: There's a general lack of density to its notes, and the deepest registers of dynamic slam are notably absent. But it sets the bar impossibly high for most any other BA IEM I've heard, sans perhaps the Sony IER-M9, and it's enough to sate even my admittedly strong taste for bass.

Midrange:
My thoughts on the midrange haven't changed too much. I still think it's just about perfect in terms of note weight between male and female vocals; it's exceptionally safe. Perhaps more importantly, vocals are pushed quite a ways back on the stage. When you listen to the U12t, you're more of an observer - watching it all unfold in front of you - rather than in the mix itself. I've come to recognize that this is one of the key factors that decides whether an IEM breaks the head-stage barrier for me, and it gives the U12t's center-stage a good deal of depth. The U12t's midrange clarity isn't as good as I remember it being when I first listened to it, though. It's still incredibly resolving, don't get me wrong, but the attack takes a slightly blunted nature here, and there's a light haze.

Highs:
If there's one area in which my thoughts have changed quite a bit, it's in the treble. In my previous review I summed it up as being "natural and detailed". That's not quite right. Actually, it's mostly the opposite of the former, as there's a good deal of mid-treble suckout from 8-10kHz. Then it comes back up for air at nearly 20kHz. What this results in, to my ears, is a more laidback treble response that has excellent detail at the top. Still, it's not at all accurate relative to real-life instruments, and if you can't hear that high up in the frequency range, the U12t will sound rolled-off and lacking extension. Sorry, but this probably isn't the IEM for you if you've got hearing loss.

Technical Performance:
When it comes to technicalities, the U12t is a monster. It excels at scaling macro-details and very few IEMs come to mind that can match it in this respect. It's also got terrific layering capability; imaging, while not quite "holographic," is pin-point precise. And can we talk about the timbre? It puts to shame most every other BA IEM I've heard. Even some IEMs that I would consider to be the U12t's technical equivalent or even "superior" like the Vision Ears VE8 are marred by all-too-obvious BA artifacts. The U12t has decent density to its timbre, and it's fairly clean sans a thin, warm, blanket coloration.

I do have something of a love-hate relationship with the U12t's transients. Transient speed is fast - more than enough to make the Andro 2020 (an IEM I'd consider fairly quick) sound slow while A/Bing. Still, the transients take something of a blunted, round edge - particularly in the bass and midrange as I noted earlier - and as a result, the U12t lacks a certain crispness to its notes. This does play into the U12t's coherency, as there's a pleasant "mellowness" to its presentation that compliments the mid treble dip. It's the type of sound that you can listen to for hours on end without fatigue; it's decidedly inoffensive, and my issue here is more personal preference than anything.

To this effect, I know some will hold that the U12t is too boring, too analytical, and hey: I can see where some of those criticisms are coming from. But I think it's important to recognize that audio is characterized by a series of compromises. No IEM is going to do everything perfectly, and the U12t makes the least amount of compromises to my ears. That in itself makes it an IEM that plays at the very top (for me), as well as the gold standard by which I hold other flagship IEMs to. It's somewhat de facto, at least in the circles I hang in, that 64audio peaked with the U12t. And really, what can I say? It's not hard to see why - topping something this darn good is no easy feat. Now if 64audio could just get their quality-control straight.

Score: 8.5/10 9/10

Original score has been raised to reflect my most recent thoughts. I was a bit more conservative when I first rated it, as I wanted to account for any new-toy syndrome. Blame all the other flagships I've heard since for falling short in one way or another.

 

[Darkestred]

Vision Ears EVE20 Impressions

Spoiler: Photo

Signed up for the tour a while ago and totally forgot about it. I won't go too in-depth with these impressions because, frankly, I don't find the EVE20 to be very remarkable. This is Vision Ear's annual special edition IEM that's using 6BAs.

It does sound vaguely reminiscent of the VE8. I didn't really care for the VE8's tonality albeit it being admittedly solid, so yeah, I'm not exactly vibing with the EVE20 either. The first thing that strikes me as different is the bass. It's still virtually textureless, but there's some more sub-bass emphasis and actual decay that the VE8 sorely lacked. That's a welcome change for sure. Their midranges sound close to identical from my memory of VE8, maybe more recessed positionally with the EVE20. Both play better with male vocals, and I hear more sibilance to the EVE20. But treble - what happened to the treble? If the VE8 was lacking extension, the EVE20 sounds even more rolled-off, it has a very smoothed, far-too-subtle quality to it. Can't say I'm a fan.

Technical capability is where the EVE20 really leaves something to be desired. VE8 had the same treble roll-off and ridiculously warm tonality, but it was still quite resolving - enough to play with some of the best. Conversely, I'm hearing that dreaded, low-fi "haze" to the EVE20's timbre, and pure resolution/detail retrieval is lacking; not at all what I would expect from something at this price point. Average imaging capability, slightly above average staging depth-wise that reminds me a bit of the VE Elysium. I think EVE20 does macro-dynamics decently, although it most definitely doesn't have the VE8's micro-dynamic capabilities.

The EVE20 is, well, mostly what I expected it to be. For better or worse, Vision Ears is very consistent. Nothing I've heard from them has "wowed" me, but I also struggle to critique their stuff. All of their IEMs are fairly safe, well-tuned, and they'd be easy recommendations if it weren't for the price. And really, that's my biggest gripe. I'm just not seeing a value proposition here, especially when there's stuff in the sub-$300 bracket playing ball with the EVE20. But as always, I'll put more listening time on and update if anything changes.

Score: 5/10 (tentative)

I felt the same way. I have the current east coast tour kit. Put them in and right out they went. Very lacking and i totally get that low-fi "haze" you are talking about. Sounded thin too. Whereas the Elysium and VE8 had really wonderfully wide-open midrange.

 

[Precogvision]

Campfire Solaris 2020 review is up and can be viewed here. I can't say it's a bad IEM, not by a long shot. I can see why it has a cult-like following. But there's issues here and there - perhaps most notably in coherency -that ultimately impress the notion of something less than refined. The textureless bass, gritty midrange, and sparkly treble produce a strange amalgamation that sounds surprisingly decent in practice, but bothers me a good deal.

Score: 5.5/10

 

[Tristy]

Campfire Solaris 2020 review is up and can be viewed here. I can't say it's a bad IEM, not by a long shot. I can see why it has a cult-like following. But there's issues here and there - perhaps most notably in coherency -that ultimately impress the notion of something less than refined. The textureless bass, gritty midrange, and sparkly treble produce a strange amalgamation that sounds surprisingly decent in practice, but bothers me a good deal.

Score: 5.5/10

Would be interested to hear your comparison between the Solaris 2020 and SE. When I’m reading your review it seems like you are talking about a completely different IEM to what I’m hearing in the SE.

 

[Toom]

Campfire Solaris 2020 review is up and can be viewed here. I can't say it's a bad IEM, not by a long shot. I can see why it has a cult-like following. But there's issues here and there - perhaps most notably in coherency -that ultimately impress the notion of something less than refined. The textureless bass, gritty midrange, and sparkly treble produce a strange amalgamation that sounds surprisingly decent in practice, but bothers me a good deal.

Score: 5.5/10

You used the Final E tips, I see. That might explain things. Try the wide bore silicons instead.

See, this is one thing that bothers me about reviews - mostly they don't talk about tip selection and differences.

 

[buonassi]

^^^^agreed, tips can make or break an IEM for me. easily the most noticeable change in timbre and overall performance vs any other factor (cable, dap, etc).

 

[Precogvision]

Would be interested to hear your comparison between the Solaris 2020 and SE. When I’m reading your review it seems like you are talking about a completely different IEM to what I’m hearing in the SE.

They graph pretty differently, I wouldn't be surprised. The SE does seem to be the most popular iteration from what I can see.

You used the Final E tips, I see. That might explain things. Try the wide bore silicons instead.

See, this is one thing that bothers me about reviews - mostly they don't talk about tip selection and differences.

^^^^agreed, tips can make or break an IEM for me. easily the most noticeable change in timbre and overall performance vs any other factor (cable, dap, etc).

Heya, that's fair - I don't deny tips make an audible difference. Still, they've never been a major deciding factor for me. The Dunu Luna's a good example of this; one of the most tip-dependent IEMs I've heard and all the tip swapping in the world isn't going to save it to my ears.

I gave the wide-bore silicons a shot. They definitely smooth out the highs some, I can see why some would prefer a sound like this. Unfortunately, they only exacerbate my issue with the upper-midrange bloat. Maybe this is just me being stubborn, but I also thought the sparkle sort of played nicely into the IEM's signature - kind of what made it unique.

In the future, though, I can add some brief comparisons with different stock tips if I have time, as more information never hurts!

 

[aaf evo]

Big fan of your reviews. Looking forward to seeing you getting your hands on more gear and your impressions.

 

[Precogvision]

Audeze LCDi4 First Impressions

Spoiler: Photo

Probably the weirdest - and coolest - IEM I've heard. It comes with three cables you can use. One for your iPhone via Lightning, one for Bluetooth, and one for standard 3.5mm. Forget about using it with the 3.5mm unless you're willing to do some EQ-ing; it has some major screwed-up tonality. It's quite nice off of the Lightning cable, though, and that's where these brief impressions are coming from.

• Incredibly resolving. The fastest transients I've heard of any IEM. Heck, as cliche as it is, I noticed something new in a song I've listened to hundreds of times. The imaging capability is off-the-charts too, no doubt in due to the open-back design (they don't isolate at all).
• Great, great bass response. Sounds almost dynamic in nature.
• Something about the upper-midrange seems off to me, a bit telephonic. There's clearly some small tonal quirks moving up from the bass. And just in general, it's a bit too bright for my tastes. Not nearly as bad with the 3.5mm cable, though.

This is the most technical IEM I've heard (that is, if we're still considering this an IEM). Haven't looked at the specs to see what they're using (I know, I'm a great reviewer), but this thing can play with headphones no problem. It says right on the shell, planar magnetic. As for whether I'd buy it...nah. The fit is pretty awkward to say the least. It's also clearly a niche product, and there's some quirks sound/build wise. But still, major cool proof of concept.

In other news, the 64 Audio Nio review is done, and it's been sent off to be published. It's giving me a tough time with how I want to score it, but I'll figure it out soon.

 

[Jenerics]

I just bought a pair of iSine 10's because I've been curious about the sound signature and if I would actually use them enough to upgrade later on to the LCDi series - it didn't hurt that Adorama is selling b-stock at a price I couldn't turn down. Your review nails most of what I find enjoyable about these with the imaging, speed, and dynamics that gives them a much more quality headphone or speaker feel. The app is also useful in taming most of what I found odd in their signature.

I find myself using these mainly at night when the house is quiet to watch Netflix or listen to Tidal masters and still be able to hear what is going on around me. Not having full headphones on is also nice when the weather is hot. They are so refreshing to switch to for a total change of presentation. I keep coming back to them.

Nice review and looking forward to your thoughts on the Nio's as mine should arrive soon.

 

[normie610]

Audeze LCDi4 First Impressions

Spoiler: Photo

Probably the weirdest - and coolest - IEM I've heard. It comes with three cables you can use. One for your iPhone via Lightning, one for Bluetooth, and one for standard 3.5mm. Forget about using it with the 3.5mm unless you're willing to do some EQ-ing; it has some major screwed-up tonality. It's quite nice off of the Lightning cable, though, and that's where these brief impressions are coming from.

• Incredibly resolving. The fastest transients I've heard of any IEM. Heck, as cliche as it is, I noticed something new in a song I've listened to hundreds of times. The imaging capability is off-the-charts too, no doubt in due to the open-back design (they don't isolate at all).
• Great, great bass response. Sounds almost dynamic in nature.
• Something about the upper-midrange seems off to me, a bit telephonic. There's clearly some small tonal quirks moving up from the bass. And just in general, it's a bit too bright for my tastes. Not nearly as bad with the 3.5mm cable, though.

This is the most technical IEM I've heard (that is, if we're still considering this an IEM). Haven't looked at the specs to see what they're using (I know, I'm a great reviewer), but this thing can play with headphones no problem. It says right on the shell, planar magnetic. As for whether I'd buy it...nah. The fit is pretty awkward to say the least. It's also clearly a niche product, and there's some quirks sound/build wise. But still, major cool proof of concept.

In other news, the 64 Audio Nio review is done, and it's been sent off to be published. It's giving me a tough time with how I want to score it, but I'll figure it out soon.

Good review! Yes EQ is a must for i4, and cipher cable does a good job. However, I’d say the i4 with cipher only gets probably 80-85% of i4’s full potential. I drive them off the balanced output of 1Z and apply the EQ adjustment and i4 easily become the best sounding IEM I’ve ever heard, even compared to a lot of today’s TOTLs. If you’re a desktop person, then you can apply the Reveal plugin at the source level (PC/Mac using Roon, Audirvana, etc.)

But I do agree with you that the fit is not for everyone, and the use case is more specific than a pair of normal IEM. I’ve had them for more than 3 years now, and to me they’re still at the top of my list (with EQ of course )

 

[Precogvision]

64 Audio Nio review has been published and can be viewed here. The decay and timbral coloration are spot-on, but it does lack some control in the low-end - most notably, it bloats with the M15/M20 modules.

This one gave me a headache on how I wanted to score it. I've said a couple times that I really like the Nio. And what is a ranking list but subjective preference? Nonetheless, so far I've taken a more "objective" stance with some minor leeway for my preferences when ranking. Consistency should come first, so I don't intend to make an exception for the Nio despite how much I vibe with it. Just a friendly reminder that my scoring shouldn't necessarily mean jack relative to your preferences either, haha.

Anyways, the rational: Technicality-wise, the Nio's playing slightly under the Campfire Andro 2020 (7.5/10) and Sony IER-M9 (8/10). It also doesn't have the safe signature those two IEMs do unless we're talking with the MX module, and even then it seems to roll-off on both ends of the spectrum. Score's with the M15 module, as that hits my preferences most closely. I think I'll re-work my scoring in the future, make it more nuanced, perhaps with a "Bias" scale of sorts.

Score: 7/10