[HunqVux]

What do you like about the Xelento over the Sennheiser twins? That's high praise for a single dynamic driver.

What makes the Xelento special is its superbly engaging presentation, it might not have the upper hand on some technical aspects of the IE900 or an appealingly v-shape tuning on the IE600. However, it has one of the most well-spreading imaging and a wide soundstage, which is also quite tall and outstandingly deep as well I've heard so far. The sound, In addition, just simply hits the perfect spot between a highly energetic and smooth, mellow signature. Every bit of the great things I've mentioned, with an incredibly balanced response for a V-shape IEM just makes it a highly enjoyable, and engaging IEM I've heard. To my ears, yes, it beats out both the IE600 and especially the ie900

 

[HunqVux]

You have a few that I want to buy… 3 and 4 were high on my list, due to “everyone” have them on their list as 1,2 or in the top 5.

I am aware of the fit issue with Sony’s but figured I could give it a try for 10% restocking.

Okay now my question… I am all about sound over durability/value (things I consider of value are: how well it’s built, warranty)

With this in mind if you had $2000 to spend would you consider the Sony’s, 64’s or go with JH x L-acoustic Contour XO? (I know virtually nothing about this one…) the carbon one looks like it’s 6-7 years old and while Amazon still seems to have some versions not sure I want to get those

Thanks!

If you want a highly technical IEM (detail retrieval, imaging, layering, separation, soundstage) blowing one of the most regarded IEM in this aspect out of the water, the U12T, then get the Contour XO, though the timbre could at times quite a bit off, piercing treble due to a giant peak at around 7-8khz

If you want the most natural experience that an IEM could produce, then out of the lEM list in my ranking, nothing could even get close to that of the IER-Z1R which also has the widest soundstage in my collection. Just in case you're looking for a bass cannon, this IEM would not satisfy you, the quality is certainly there, but the quantity might be not enough

If you want a relaxing IEM which I would personally choose to get through my tough day, there is a high chance that I'm gonna look for the Xelento

If you have problems with peaking treble, but still want a good bite on the high mids, look no further, the U12T is there for you, with a bonus out-of-this-world bass dynamism and highly nuanced

If you want the best midrange, go for the Layla, nothing in my collection and once-heard list of IEM beats it

 

[maceto]

If you want a highly technical IEM (detail retrieval, imaging, layering, separation, soundstage) blowing one of the most regarded IEM in this aspect out of the water, the U12T, then get the Contour XO, though the timbre could at times quite a bit off, piercing treble due to a giant peak at around 7-8khz

If you want the most natural experience that an IEM could produce, then out of the lEM list in my ranking, nothing could even get close to that of the IER-Z1R which also has the widest soundstage in my collection. Just in case you're looking for a bass cannon, this IEM would not satisfy you, the quality is certainly there, but the quantity might be not enough

If you want a relaxing IEM which I would personally choose to get through my tough day, there is a high chance that I'm gonna look for the Xelento

If you have problems with peaking treble, but still want a good bite on the high mids, look no further, the U12T is there for you, with a bonus out-of-this-world bass dynamism and highly nuanced

If you want the best midrange, go for the Layla, nothing in my collection and once-heard list of IEM beats it

I still have my Shure 846 I got like 8 years ago… when I buy I tend to either stick with it or not. I never buy anything used or sell much used. I am lazy…

It’s currently, in priority as it stands now:

Contour XO
IER-Z1R
U12t (safe option, but a very solid at that)

 

[HunqVux]

I still have my Shure 846 I got like 8 years ago… when I buy I tend to either stick with it or not. I never buy anything used or sell much used. I am lazy…

It’s currently, in priority as it stands now:

Contour XO
IER-Z1R
U12t (safe option, but a very solid at that)

Hmm, if you're familiar with the Shure se846, then I bet that the Contour XO is gonna be the safest option since their FRs are quite similar. On top of that, both are also made solely for stage artists, sound engineers, and live performers

 

[WilliamBlake]

Updated and specified, for the first three entries (I am too lazy for the rest...) :

Ok...

I had to find a solution... undecidable - I was - for the top position (#1). And I found it. Finally.

Here it is :

The magnificent ten, em... thirteen ! (or the thirteen assassins...)

DAP : Aune m1s, balanced output, fast filter (One gear to rule them all... ).

And :

1/ FiiO FH9 (Absolute - balanced - weapon of mass destruction). Stock balanced cable (just excellent) and tips "Canal Works 肉球 Gel Wide Bore" L.
And...
1/ Aure Audio Ringo (Perfect alliance of a reference tuning and a magic spell). Aaw Aoraki x4 balanced cable (TOTL as I think) and tips "Canal Works 肉球 Gel Narrow Bore" L.
And...
1/ Aure Audio Elixir (aka "Squaring the - colored - Circle"). PlusSound Tri-copper x8 balanced cable (one of it's kind) and tips "Canal Works 肉球 Gel Narrow Bore" L.

Then :

Well.... Craft Audio Aurum (PlusSound Tri-copper x8 balanced cable - one of it's kind - or EA Eros II x8 balances cable - way less good that the aforementioned Tri-copper x 8 or, "worse", Aaw Aoraki x4 cable - hell of a cable, one of the best as I think - ) and tips "Canal Works 肉球 Gel Narrow Bore" L) = a real problem about these uiem's... they are just power (current) hungry. Never seen a thing like that before !!!!... So, one of the best uiem I know, but one of the less drivable product too (worse, with my dap, than a full size headphone like a Final 8000 pro !! )... So about a real ranking ? I don't know... But they are really, really, really good, at the top of my food chain... In my top ranking gears, 3 or 4 places.

2/ Rhapsodio Supreme Mk2 (Lord of the Audiophile Rings)
3/ Final A8000 (Gods of infinite clarity)
4/ Rhapsodio Infinity Mk2 (Kaiser Encore on steroids !)
5/ Noble Kaiser Encore (Emperor of the razor-sharp... katana's)
6/ Empire Ears Zeus XRA (United colors)
7/ Jomo Flamenco (hidden son of Zeus XIV and Kaiser Encore)
8/ FitEar 435 (Muhammad Ali is back)
9/ FitEar To Go ! 334 v3 (Baron von tone)
10/ FitEar a111 (Japanese lightning fast feet )

Much, much, much more satisfying !

Almost terminated (life is cruel...) :

Campfire Solaris (very good, euphonic and fun sounding gear, but I have to choose), Oriolus Oriolus (the same), UM Mason V3 (so smooth and musical, liquid, but a little sleepy), Andromeda V2 (everything very good but nothing really exceptional, except for the soundstage)...

Terminated (RIP) :

U12t (boring, generic tuning...), u18t (very good but... no magic), Fourté Noir (very weird tuning !...), Legend X (too much BASS for me...), Dunu Luna (too safe for me), Sony Z1r (king of the V tuning but...), Jomo Trinity brass (no homogeneity...), Campfire Altas v1 (huge bass, and ?...), Fidue a83 (my first real love but... Meh... sorry), Brainwavz B2 (only treble), Qdc Anole vx (boring), Vsonic gr07 (no phonic isolation), Jomo Samba (well, very clean, but...?), Audio Technica IM03 (there is a long, long time ago... ), Ultimate Ears ue18+ v3 (very - boring...), TDK BA200 (flat, boring, muffled...), Earsonic Grace (I don't even understand what they wanted to do... veiled, muddy... a total mess ), Alambic Ears Mundaka (very fun but way to bassy for me, disbalanced)...

(...)

And a lot more, but I have forget them...

Want to hear :

Fir Audio Kr5, Thieaudio Monarch mkII, Empire Ears Legend X Evo and Odyssey, Nostalgia Audio Camelot, Istfit Fusion, UM Indigo, Alambic Ears Mentawai (last version), Noble Kublai Khan, Viking, Ragnar, JH Jolene... non-exhaustive list.

That's all folks

what did you use to drive aurum? and how do relate to fh9? they should be pretty different

 

[DaveStarWalker]

what did you use to drive aurum? and how do relate to fh9? they should be pretty different

Aune m1s. High gain (the same as when I am listening to a D8000 pro headset for example... except that the D8000 pro is much easier to drive !)

Their owner uses an AK Kann.

 

[sonicfanatic]

I would say copper. I was wowed by the Orpheus with it. I have not tried PW 1950’s with it yet. That should also work. You want a cable that allows the bass to flow and ever so slightly tame the highs. As the VX is very detailed already, smoothing the highs a bit should not be an issue.

Does anyone have recommendations for a much less pricey cable that could result in similar gains?

 

[Jaegermeister462]

1. Yanyin Moonlight
2. Sony Ier m9
3. Thieaudio Monarch MK II
4. Shozy Magma
5. Sennheiser IE 600
6. Penon Serial
7. IMR Opus Mia
8. Penon Vortex
9. Tangzu Zetian Wu
10. Raptgo Hook X
11. Shuoer S12
12. IMR R2 Red
13. Hidizs MS4
14. Tri X HBB Kai
15. 7hz Dioko
16. 7hz Timeless
17. Fiio FH 5
18. Moondrop Starfield
19. TRN Kirin
...

 

[SLC1966]

These are IEMs I own or have owned in order of my preference. I am into mids, detail, and timbre:

VE EXT
VE PHöNIX
VE Erlkonig LE
EE Odin
Noble Kublai Khan
VE Elysium
Noble Sultan
64 Audio Fourte Noir
Oriolus Traillii
Noble Katana Wizard
AAW Canary
UM Mason V3+
Earsonics Grace
UM Mason V3
UM Maestro V2
Rhapsodio Eden
Rhapsodio Eden SP
Noble K10L
Noble K10
EE Phantom
Rhapsodio Galaxy V1
Noble Khan
Noble Encore
Noble Jade
Noble Zephyr Prestige
Rhapsody Solar (japan version)
EE Legend X SE
NCM Bella V2
Dunu Luna
EE Legend X
EarSonics S-EM 9
Hyla TE-5T
EarSonics S-EM 6 V2
Dita Dream XLS
EE Evo
Rhapsodio Galaxy V2
Rhapsodio Galaxy V3
64 Audio Tia Trió
Rhapsodio Zombie
Rhapsodio Zombie mk2
CA Andromeda MW10
CA Andromeda S
CA Andromeda
Hyla Sarda
Itsfit Fusion
CA Solaris
CA Solaris 2020
Acoustune HS1551 CU
CA Atlas
CA Vega
CA Lyra II
CA Polaris
EE Bravado
Audeze iSINE20
Rhapsodio Extreme
Rhapsodio Saturn
CA Comet

 

[DaveStarWalker]

These are IEMs I own or have owned in order of my preference. I am into mids, detail, and timbre:

VE EXT
VE PHöNIX
VE Erlkonig LE
EE Odin
Noble Kublai Khan
VE Elysium
Noble Sultan
64 Audio Fourte Noir
Oriolus Traillii
Noble Katana Wizard
AAW Canary
UM Mason V3+
Earsonics Grace
UM Mason V3
UM Maestro V2
Rhapsodio Eden
Rhapsodio Eden SP
Noble K10L
Noble K10
EE Phantom
Rhapsodio Galaxy V1
Noble Khan
Noble Encore
Noble Jade
Noble Zephyr Prestige
Rhapsody Solar (japan version)
EE Legend X SE
NCM Bella V2
Dunu Luna
EE Legend X
EarSonics S-EM 9
Hyla TE-5T
EarSonics S-EM 6 V2
Dita Dream XLS
EE Evo
Rhapsodio Galaxy V2
Rhapsodio Galaxy V3
64 Audio Tia Trió
Rhapsodio Zombie
Rhapsodio Zombie mk2
CA Andromeda MW10
CA Andromeda S
CA Andromeda
Hyla Sarda
Itsfit Fusion
CA Solaris
CA Solaris 2020
Acoustune HS1551 CU
CA Atlas
CA Vega
CA Lyra II
CA Polaris
EE Bravado
Audeze iSINE20
Rhapsodio Extreme
Rhapsodio Saturn
CA Comet

HI,

Hell of a collection

Just in am surprised by this one :

64 Audio Fourte Noir

Weird tones, timbre no ? Precisely in the mids.

 

[Audiocratie]

Aune m1s. High gain (the same as when I am listening to a D8000 pro headset for example... except that the D8000 pro is much easier to drive !)

Their owner uses an AK Kann.

Hello Dave,
For the Kann I use it very rarely on the Aurums they are essentially powered by a DX220+AMP4s on which I put the gain on medium, volume between 70 and 90/100 depending on the albums (I specify I listen loud)

 

[DaveStarWalker]

Hello Dave,
For the Kann I use it very rarely on the Aurums they are essentially powered by a DX220+AMP4s on which I put the gain on medium, volume between 70 and 90/100 depending on the albums (I specify I listen loud)

Hi man,

OK my mistake

 

[TRHH]

Hi - I am looking for a storage case equipped with spikes - on which the ear tips can be placed.

Thanks for any suggestion

 

[SLC1966]

HI,

Hell of a collection

Just in am surprised by this one :

64 Audio Fourte Noir

Weird tones, timbre no ? Precisely in the mids.

Your point is very valid. To me Noir is like that partner that has numerous flaws but those flaws can be forgiven due to the high fun factor of the rest of the personality.

Traillii for example in contrast for me is like that partner that does everything in life very well and has really good mental health going on. But, so proper and so mentally healthy that the fun factor is gone.

 

[DaveStarWalker]

OK thanks. It makes sense