[seamon]

in my short demo what i feel in the term of airiness was zeus XR > aether , but aether still feel quite airy for me. still zeus beat aether in the definition and imaging, still haven't got a chance to demo U/A12 but from the general opinion it lend towards dark, maybe not really fit my preference but still gonna demo it if i got a chance , thanks!



thank you very much for the insight, it is really helpful, been eyeing on some XRA, but still wondering if i get to bite the bullet in the end, should i reshell it to non A or just keep the A, price wise A cost quite a lot more and it will be a loss to remove it. there is also more option by having the A version which enables us to switch module, when i want that thin airy sound just plug the adel module, when i want the sound that is near to the original XR i could plug the carrot module, too bad that it couldn't reproduce the exact same sound with the non adele version, if it could it would be perfect

by the way, which zeus did you have is it the Adel version or the normal one? and i have heard a lot issues about zeus sensitivity, last time i auditioned it using hugo i stil hear some hisses in the background. what source do you use with the zeus is it wm1a?



hope you could those iems soon, don't forget about the prelude too just stay away from hidition,samba and dream lookalike they may torture you with their treble representation

There could have been something wrong with the zeus I heard as people are calling it airy but I just didn't feel so.

 

[Deezel177]

Did you by chance try it with the S1 module. I am asking because I am using the G1 and it makes the upper midrange absolutely fantastic.
Also, U12 Treble at first looks very lacklustre but after getting used to it, you start to notice the air.

For me that is very important. I have no use of IEMs that sound amazing but are tiring after a while because I use mine all day long. They need to be smooth and non-fatiguing. I'm hoping I can arrange for a proper demo of the Harmony 8.2 and UE18+ Pro soon.

Yes, unfortunately, I've only heard it with the S1 module. Interesting to hear the treble is one of those "slow burn" types; my H8.2 is exactly the same and after 10-20 minutes, it finally clicks in my head. I'll give it another go with my Athena-ADEL's G1 modules when I get the chance.

The mid range of the UE18 is very magical too. It's different from the Tia Forte one though. UE18's mid range is very smooth and liquid and sounds like a part of the entire flow of music. It does stand out due to how nice it sounds, but it blends well with the music and doesn't shove the vocals in your face. The Fourte's vocals are magical where it creates a HUGE sense of space around the vocals. Like, all the instruments are miles away from the singing. The sound stage is holographic. What ruined it for me was the treble though. There was some peak in the higher treble section which made it unbearable for some music. Shame, really. The bass and vocals was really unheard of in any other IEM.

Dang, I did think the new revision's treble was sparklier than the CanJam demos, but not to this extent. Can't wait to give it another go, hopefully my brain's not at fault here and they haven't done too much to the initial tuning.

 

[Wyville]

The mid range of the UE18 is very magical too. It's different from the Tia Forte one though. UE18's mid range is very smooth and liquid and sounds like a part of the entire flow of music. It does stand out due to how nice it sounds, but it blends well with the music and doesn't shove the vocals in your face. The Fourte's vocals are magical where it creates a HUGE sense of space around the vocals. Like, all the instruments are miles away from the singing. The sound stage is holographic. What ruined it for me was the treble though. There was some peak in the higher treble section which made it unbearable for some music. Shame, really. The bass and vocals was really unheard of in any other IEM.

The UE18 are ones that Nic advised me to look into and as you describe them they are indeed something I would love. When I tried my Ei.3 with the Ares II they also had a liquid smooth quality to them and I loved that (I should have my own Ares II on order soon). I imagine the UE18 would be a significant step up.

Tried the U12? Might be right up your alley

I haven't had an opportunity to try them, but they are certainly on my radar!

hope you could those iems soon, don't forget about the prelude too just stay away from hidition,samba and dream lookalike they may torture you with their treble representation

Thanks for the warning! The prelude will unfortunately not be possible because they are custom only and I can't use those, they need to be available as universals.

 

[PinkyPowers]

Some comparisons:

Resolution, air, and transparency:
U12 is quite good, but Encore puts it to shame. tia Fourté puts Encore to shame.

Soundstage:
Encore is truly excellent, but U12 is a hair wider. tia Fourté is notably wider than U12, much deeper, and absolutely dwarfs it in height.

Encore's treble is it's specialty. It's very well extended, and accentuated enough to add massive detail. Tia Fourté extends much further (to my ears), as through there is no ceiling. And it feels wider, and more effortless. I don't find it splashy or peaky. But there is certainly enough of it that if you are overly sensitive to higher frequencies, it could bother you.

 

[Deezel177]

in my short demo what i feel in the term of airiness was zeus XR > aether , but aether still feel quite airy for me. still zeus beat aether in the definition and imaging, still haven't got a chance to demo U/A12 but from the general opinion it lend towards dark, maybe not really fit my preference but still gonna demo it if i got a chance , thanks!



thank you very much for the insight, it is really helpful, been eyeing on some XRA, but still wondering if i get to bite the bullet in the end, should i reshell it to non A or just keep the A, price wise A cost quite a lot more and it will be a loss to remove it. there is also more option by having the A version which enables us to switch module, when i want that thin airy sound just plug the adel module, when i want the sound that is near to the original XR i could plug the carrot module, too bad that it couldn't reproduce the exact same sound with the non adele version, if it could it would be perfect

by the way, which zeus did you have is it the Adel version or the normal one? and i have heard a lot issues about zeus sensitivity, last time i auditioned it using hugo i stil hear some hisses in the background. what source do you use with the zeus is it wm1a?



hope you could those iems soon, don't forget about the prelude too just stay away from hidition,samba and dream lookalike they may torture you with their treble representation

I have the non-ADEL Zeus-XR. I use the AK70, which doesn't hiss at all, and the Onkyo DP-X1, which barely hisses. I've used my Mojo as well, and I have to go go 5-8 steps up from 0 to get the music loud enough to completely remove hiss, despite my normal listening levels being 2-3 steps from 0. At those levels, the hiss is barely louder than noise that's in most modern recordings, and decently easy to ignore if you're not critically listening.

dunno where the sparkle and splash from the fourte come from (as i never tried fourte) but in my experience using UIEM , comply could help tame those nasty upper mid/lower treble peak (it alter the overall FR somehow though)

I agree, it might be a tip thing. I heard the new fourte revision with Final Audio tips and they sounded sublime, even if they're not as rich, beautifully relaxed and downright laidback as the CanJam demos. The FA tips tend to be more natural-sounding while the more standard SpinFit tips accentuate upper-mid and treble sparkle, which may be the cause of the splashiness.

There could have been something wrong with the zeus I heard as people are calling it airy but I just didn't feel so.

Like with the fourte, it might be a tip thing. I, too, find the XR a bit dulled when I tried them with Spiral Dots, particularly. Have you tried them with SpinFits or Final Audio tips?

 

[gearofwar]

That too is how I'd describe "air", along with space around the note where it lingers and decays after the initial transient. Well, I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree then, I too have only heard the universal U12 after all. Cheers!

And you also have the custom of Aether while he tried it as universal.

 

[seamon]

I think you are absolutely correct here.
I tries the Forte with comply and I didn't find the highs that fatiguing and I am especially sensitive to Treble.
I had heard the Zeus with silicon tips.

 

[seamon]

And you also have the custom of Aether while he tried it as universal.

I think custom makes a huge difference. It may be why I find my A12 so airy. While I did own a U12, I forgot how airy it was

 

[Deezel177]

I think you are absolutely correct here.
I tries the Forte with comply and I didn't find the highs that fatiguing and I am especially sensitive to Treble.
I had heard the Zeus with silicon tips.

I've never enjoyed the stock EE silicone tips. I'd suggest SpinFits to get a closer representation of the custom. I didn't get a chance to try the non-ADEL demo with Final Audio tips, but I imagine that would be the closest possible approximation to the custom version.

 

[kubig123]

Some comparisons:

Resolution, air, and transparency:
U12 is quite good, but Encore puts it to shame. tia Fourté puts Encore to shame.

Soundstage:
Encore is truly excellent, but U12 is a hair wider. tia Fourté is notably wider than U12, much deeper, and absolutely dwarfs it in height.

Encore's treble is it's specialty. It's very well extended, and accentuated enough to add massive detail. Tia Fourté extends much further (to my ears), as through there is no ceiling. And it feels wider, and more effortless. I don't find it splashy or peaky. But there is certainly enough of it that if you are overly sensitive to higher frequencies, it could bother you.

Now I'm really curious, wish I could demo one, I really enjoy the Encore for its treble and resolution, as you wrote, I wonder how far the Fourté can raise the bar.

 

[PinkyPowers]

Now I'm really curious, wish I could demo one, I really enjoy the Encore for its treble and resolution, as you wrote, I wonder how far the Fourté can raise the bar.

This far.

 

[gearofwar]

Now I'm really curious, wish I could demo one, I really enjoy the Encore for its treble and resolution, as you wrote, I wonder how far the Fourté can raise the bar.

There is a gap and it's quite noticeable, not a small gap either. Also Encore is probably not the best iem with treble and resolution compared to many iems on this shootout.

 

[kubig123]

There is a gap and it's quite noticeable, not a small gap either. Also Encore is probably not the best iem with treble and resolution compared to many iems on this shootout.

My personal taste, but I prefer the treble of the Encore to the one of Spiral Ear 5U, at least with the cable I use.

 

[gearofwar]

My personal taste, but I prefer the treble of the Encore to the one of Spiral Ear 5U, at least with the cable I use.

SE5U doesn't have the best treble in this shootout not because of its high rank which gives it that privilege. Even my custom Aether is better than it and I know some people don't like it either for what they consider "muted" treble compared to their iems.
People who enjoy SE5U is for its definition of notes and timbre also other areas such as staging and separation in combination. Heck, its too slow for metal
It seems like you have both of them, wouldn't mind sharing your comparison on here? also with other hp that you have.

 

[kubig123]

SE5U doesn't have the best treble in this shootout not because of its high rank which gives it that privilege. Even my custom Aether is better than it and I know some people don't like it either for what they consider "muted" treble compared to their iems.
People who enjoy SE5U is for its definition of notes and timbre also other areas such as staging and separation in combination

I didn't referenced the SE5U just because it's in the top 2, but it's the other ciem that I own and I can honestly compare to the Encore.

For sure in the next CanJam near NYC I'll spend much more time to test different iems.