[ADUHF]

Which gets me to wonder: are there ANY actual TOTL giant killers?

Having never met any actual giants, it is hard for me to say. But I suspect there are. The hard part is finding them.

 

[ADUHF]

The main problem is that getting used to the correct sound is difficult. A person who goes to an audio show or meet can’t actually get a good demo test. The environment is not fully beneficial to discovering what a perfect IEM would be for the consumer. It could take two weeks or a month of listening to know what’s up. Listening at a show can tell a person the general idea, but mental burn-in is huge, and real. So if a person has less experience hearing when reproduction is correct, even the off ability of the $160 IEM is still going to be emotional and of a style of value. But if they eventually get better gear, they will go back and notice the deficiencies of that “Hyped” IEM with-in 30 seconds. It seems experience gives people 20/20 hindsight.

And I’m speaking of personal history, as I don’t want to come off being on a high horse here, or anything.

I thought we had decided there was no "correct" sound. (?)

 

[JEHL]

Well there's the Nectar Sound Pollinator for $349. Wonder how it fares against more established EST headphones/earspeakers out there.

While talking about EST. Does Mofasest Trio implement them well enough to put them into potential giant killing realm? I'd assume it's possible based on Crinacle's thoughts on the Sonion EST drivers on his Vision Ears Annihilator review. If he's to be believed, Sonion ESTs are capable of TOTL treble performance (or at least VERY close), and last time I checked they go for like $120 a pair (although AE prices is the only reference I got here, not sure about actual price on these, presumably going wholesale on Alibaba is cheaper in the long run or something wholesale). BUT are extremely difficult to implement them well enough to beat a BA tweeter, let alone extract the TOTL performance out of them due to the energizer taking up a LOT of space on the housing (presumably due to ESTs operating at like 300V or something).

 

[Redcarmoose]

I thought we had decided there was no "correct" sound. (?)

No general correct sound, but correct sound for what the individual wants; what their mind eventually accepts as the correct and natural playback. With-in discovery of that “ correct-sound” can be many either more technically competent or less technically considered competent levels of ability. And......there could be considered small aspects of color within that correct sound. The color is like a slight spice which is character.


(Just think at this very moment one person is listening to big floor standing speakers and another listening to 8 inch bookshelf speakers, yet both are perceived as correct.)


An enthusiast can even go back to gear they were happy about 10 years ago and find it not competent compared to what they use currently. How is that? It’s most likely that they had not heard the next level of ability available, so remained ignorant. Ignorance is bliss at Head-Fi.

Color:
Thus adding more chances for a “hype” IEM to have even a closer example of what the individual wants in tone (than what they may have had) yet still having abilities which are missing basic skills, which many popular flagships do easy.

Take a popular well regarded IEM like the U12t by 64 Audio. I’ve never heard it but it’s acceptance is probably due to being well balanced and having an ability of technical skill.

Though someone may want something with more of a character in one direction or another. That choice will be less balanced but still be technically competent having a “color” in one direction yet do many things great.

It’s at times this color with the “hype” IEMs that gets mistaken for ability.

Also at times an individual has to hear more conservative first for the brain to accept that it’s will to “enjoy” a weird an slightly unnatural flagship as correct and entertaining. Along with the getting used to of that flagship. The example may actually be one that does not do well on a first listen. This slight strangeness can actually become something a person gets used to and loves over time.


And that’s what makes this whole thing so complicated. Even if a person made a complete list of what they liked, and even if the IEM generated what’s on the list, there could be a set of tones with-in those parameters which come off boring or wrong. Basically even with-in great IEM choices there are a wide range of characters either a person is going to love or not get along with.

This all comes down at times to a single blaring character. Maybe the bass is just slightly too forward, or maybe the bass bleeds into the lower midrange just ever so slightly? Or for the other that character of bass bleeding into the mids becomes an attribute which they want.

 

[IEMusic]

BLON BL03, ThieAudio Legacy 3, FiiO FH3. Lucky number 3 for me!

 

[Zambu]

BLON BL03, ThieAudio Legacy 3, FiiO FH3. Lucky number 3 for me!

Have you tried the Tri I3 ?

 

[IEMusic]

Have you tried the Tri I3 ?

Not yet, but I’d love to.

 

[JEHL]

I love clear housings.

 

[IEMusic]

I love clear housings.

But then your neighbors can always see what you’re doing. No privacy?

 

[1TrickPony]

But then your neighbors can always see what you’re doing. No privacy?

He's a nudist.er, naturalist.

 

[Whazzzup]

had these for years

 

[1TrickPony]

had these for years

Maybe it's trying to tell you sumthin

 

[Taz777]

When you return to a pair of headphones after some time and they sound implausibly good and you wonder why you didn't listen to them more often.

 

[IEMusic]

When you return to a pair of headphones after some time and they sound implausibly good and you wonder why you didn't listen to them more often.

It’s a wonderful feeling, like getting a new toy.

 

[GREQ]

It’s a wonderful feeling, like getting a new toy.

Or just own too many headphones that you actually forget you owned some of them after a while....