[474194]

UE 18+ Pro

Wow, a great write-up on the UE18+ and the "Circuit Board w/ Silver Wings" plus @Wyville 's upcoming Phantom. March Madness squared...

 

[Wyville]

UE 18+ Pro



Finally, was able to listen to them after busy schedule. Did a 10hr break-in before I made my listening sessions.
Finding the right ciem/iem for me took so many years. After having auditioned and owning some TOTL iems and HPs I did find what I was looking for in the 18+, but of course nothing is perfect. Now, I'm a believer, more drivers doesn't always mean the better.
What I did like on these, is that they sound so spacious and open to my ears. the bass have the right amount of quantity for me. Not too much and not too soft. At times, depending on the song it gives me a lot of bass and rumble. Mid bass have the right amount of punch but won't give me more which is fine for me. Mids are the highlight to me, I always wanted a very very natural sounding vocals(which I find on DDs, fx700, 1+2 & ex1000) without sounding too distant and too forward and not mid centric. Sometimes depending on the song setting or mix, the vocals would be a bit distant or forward (not too forward). I hear a lot of micro details in the vocals which I didn't hear before even on high end HPs. The vocals really sound like the're coming out of the throat and from the diaphragm and best of all, the layering on the tones of the vocals. I could tell if the artist is raising its vocals or playing with it. This kind of details is what I was looking for as they make it sound really natural to me. Every song sounds like the vocals are being performed live, warm but not overly so. I feel like I want to test this on a tube amp to make the vocals sound more romantic and emotional. the highs on this reminds me of the Focal Utopia, correct me if I'm wrong but they sound really alike and identical to me. The highs on these has lot of extension but not much spark. I am lucky that this never sounded sibilant on any of my flawed tracks. Nitpicking, one gripe would be the high mids, sometimes left me wanting a bit more but I understand maybe they tuned it this way to be fatigue free and it is. The presentation is just about right to my ears, one thing that did catch my attention was the focus on the instruments without being analytical. I was looking for this kind of sound. No, they are not too mid forward but enough to be upfront, it is very impressive on how they present the instruments to my ears like they are being played next to me and close. For that, I even feel more the dynamics of the instruments adding to the emotions of the song.
I had issues with the mids of to go 334, 335, lcd 3 as the vocals sound too much in my face giving me the feeling of being choked. With 18+ tbh, this was my first time to hear a very natural sounding vocal out of a BA. Over the past, the JH13FP was close but not enough, as it sounded sibilant to me that killed it. Was impressed by the bass on the Roxannes but that's just it. I also did like the Layla ll but still did not fulfill me and was also sibilant. the U18 sounded very impressive and fast for me, full of dynamics, but still something was missing. I almost lost hope of finding the right one for me after so many years of search. So I went back to my Sony MDR EX1000. This to me has a very nice tonality and natural sounding vocals and bass. Until, I was able to accidentally audition the demo of 18+ in Jaben and then surprised me, auditioned the UERR first and i was impressed and thinking of pulling the trigger but my gripe was the soundstage and then I turned to the 18+ and everything changed there.
But still, I would like to audition someday the Phantom and legend X.
Hope you all appreciate my impressions.

Great impressions, thanks for sharing! I was about to pull the trigger on the 18+ myself, but I wanted the universal version and while I was waiting for it to become available in the UK I heard about the Phantom and had to change my plans. I still think the 18+ offer outstanding value and it's just a shame I can't have them all.

 

[soullinker20]

Great impressions, thanks for sharing! I was about to pull the trigger on the 18+ myself, but I wanted the universal version and while I was waiting for it to become available in the UK I heard about the Phantom and had to change my plans. I still think the 18+ offer outstanding value and it's just a shame I can't have them all.

Hi thanks!

I didn't know about the Phantom til' last month. Never had regrets on my purchase. Still etching to hear the Phantom and Legend X though.
I was able to fit in my my ears my friend's non adel zeus, i did find it to have a deep soundstage, vocals sound natural too and has a nice timbre but didn't really got me interested. I'm thinking if the Phantom also sounds like it tonally with just more better technical aspects..

 

[Deezel177]

Hi thanks!

I didn't know about the Phantom til' last month. Never had regrets on my purchase. Still etching to hear the Phantom and Legend X though.
I was able to fit in my my ears my friend's non adel zeus, i did find it to have a deep soundstage, vocals sound natural too and has a nice timbre but didn't really got me interested. I'm thinking if the Phantom also sounds like it tonally with just more better technical aspects..

The Phantom is a tonal cousin to the Zeus-XIV. Although midrange presentation (transparency, imaging, placement, body, etc.) are similar between the two, the Phantom's treble is more linear than the Zeus. Because of this, you get the impression that the Phantom is less clear-cut/brittle/tacky and neutral up top. But, in return, you get a more natural timbre, a more realistic and smooth representation of the recording, and instruments gain physicality as well. The Phantom's top-end extends just as well, so none of that warmth turns into murkiness or veil. Instead, all they do is aid the IEM's overall sense of realism. My Phantom's are on a FedEx truck enroute to my house as we speak, so I'll be able to provide more impressions (and pictures) very, very soon.

The Legend X is somewhat similar to the Zeus-R midrange upwards, and I recommend you check out the small comparison I did on the EE thread IIRC.

 

[soullinker20]

The Phantom is a tonal cousin to the Zeus-XIV. Although midrange presentation (transparency, imaging, placement, body, etc.) are similar between the two, the Phantom's treble is more linear than the Zeus. Because of this, you get the impression that the Phantom is less clear-cut/brittle/tacky and neutral up top. But, in return, you get a more natural timbre, a more realistic and smooth representation of the recording, and instruments gain physicality as well. The Phantom's top-end extends just as well, so none of that warmth turns into murkiness or veil. Instead, all they do is aid the IEM's overall sense of realism. My Phantom's are on a FedEx truck enroute to my house as we speak, so I'll be able to provide more impressions (and pictures) very, very soon.

The Legend X is somewhat similar to the Zeus-R midrange upwards, and I recommend you check out the small comparison I did on the EE thread IIRC.

Thanks! Will do.

 

[proedros]

looks to me Phantom/legend X are sidegrades/minor upgrades over Zeus XIV/R , and since those 2 would cost me around 4K (to get then both) i think i will hold on to my Zeus XR which cost me way,way, WAY cheaper

but if a lottery prize comes my way , yeap these 2 are instant buys - until then i need to be happy and grateful for managing to get XR

meanwhile very eager to read more reviews and happy for people being able to get them

 

[Deezel177]

looks to me Phantom/legend X are sidegrades/minor upgrades over Zeus XIV/R , and since those 2 would cost me around 4K (to get then both) i think i will hold on to my Zeus XR which cost me way,way, WAY cheaper

but if a lottery prize comes my way , yeap these 2 are instant buys - until then i need to be happy and grateful for managing to get XR

meanwhile very eager to read more reviews and happy for people being able to get them

All three IEMs are rather different - despite their few similarities - and no one can replace the other. However, it's worth mentioning that although the Phantom and the Legend X cater to different crowds, they're just as musically versatile as the Zeus is. You don't really need both to replace the Zeus; just the one you like better.

But yeah, the Zeus is still a great IEM. I was just personally ready to move on from it.

 

[Wyville]

Hi thanks!

I didn't know about the Phantom til' last month. Never had regrets on my purchase. Still etching to hear the Phantom and Legend X though.
I was able to fit in my my ears my friend's non adel zeus, i did find it to have a deep soundstage, vocals sound natural too and has a nice timbre but didn't really got me interested. I'm thinking if the Phantom also sounds like it tonally with just more better technical aspects..

I wouldn't have had any regrets either, the 18+ are really impressive (granted, I only had a brief demo with them).

I (sadly) never heard the Zeus, but @Deezel177 of course knows those vs the Phantom very well. If money were no object, I would think that perhaps Zeus R would make a great compliment to the Phantom. Need to make sure to try those side-by-side at Canjam London.

 

[Wyville]

looks to me Phantom/legend X are sidegrades/minor upgrades over Zeus XIV/R , and since those 2 would cost me around 4K (to get then both) i think i will hold on to my Zeus XR which cost me way,way, WAY cheaper

but if a lottery prize comes my way , yeap these 2 are instant buys - until then i need to be happy and grateful for managing to get XR

meanwhile very eager to read more reviews and happy for people being able to get them

The operative word is "complimentary".

Just saying.

No reason.

​

 

[proedros]

@Wyville you have become my favorite head-fier here , especially with those 'devil talks'

xaxaxaxaxaxxxxaxxa <3

 

[Wyville]

Speaking of little devils.... They keep calling:

 

[Deezel177]

Speaking of little devils... Mine are already here.

 

[Wyville]

Speaking of little devils... Mine are already here.

Awesome! Now stop teasing and open the darn box!

 

[474194]

Hi thanks!

I didn't know about the Phantom til' last month. Never had regrets on my purchase. Still etching to hear the Phantom and Legend X though.
I was able to fit in my my ears my friend's non adel zeus, i did find it to have a deep soundstage, vocals sound natural too and has a nice timbre but didn't really got me interested. I'm thinking if the Phantom also sounds like it tonally with just more better technical aspects..

Congrats on the UE18+. It seemed to be a much longer ordering process than normal, but glad it worked out. The UE18+ has such a nice glassy, realistic natural vocals and instruments. It does seem close to live. With the Hugo2, it's quite a treat with no instruments dominating one another:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/cho...official-thread.831345/page-773#post-14108091

Just read these comments on THL from less than a year ago:

UE18+ in my opinion has the most realistic and detailed vocals, but the others are also a treat to listen to.

It's great they share some similarities with the Utopia. Never expected that POV.

Makes one consider consolidating instead of expanding down the line...

 

[proedros]

Speaking of little devils... Mine are already here.

[ insert famous brad pitt quote/gif from se7en ending ]