[EagleWings]

It was, and still is very useful! I must have read it a few times already, although I still don't know which I would prefer. I love a bit of delicious bass (U12), but after my time with the U6 and Eros II I am salivating over the thought of pairing Eros II with the U10.

Hey, I'm an academic! Best of both worlds! ...or worst, depending on how you look at it.

U10 vs U12 is one of those decisions, that is difficult to make even after reading comparisons from a 100 people. I would have read InEarSpcace.com's comparison a hundred times and still couldn't come to a decision. Ended up putting a hefty deposit amount to get the loaner units of both IEMs from 64Audio and, only then was I able to decide.

What I can tell you is, between U10 and U12, U10 is definitely better suited for classical. The price of the b-stock U10 ($980), is one of the best deals there is on the internet. And plus there are still a couple of ADEL compatible units left for the same price. Sounds like a win-win to me. What do you think?

 

[Ike1985]

My music genre has no limit, but partial to jazz, rock, classic, latin. I was looking for a wide sound stage, with clarity and I'm a so so basshead. No MP3 hear, but wave, FLAC and DSD files.

I just pulled the trigger on the Zeus R as I can get it with the 4.4mm connector for my Sony NW-WM1Z

Can wait!!

Why not XR? Just a bit more and you get 2 signatures.

 

[Gavin C4]

Yup, if we are getting the Zeus, the Zeus-XR is the most flexible choice. If you want more bass simply flip the switch. If you want more focus on mid vocals and less bass, flick the switch again. You are getting best of both worlds with the XR model. It is sufficient to cover up most of your music genera.

 

[Deezel177]

Really? I saw that your impressions were positive, but I thought those were going to be mid-tier offerings, not quite at Zeus level, no? I could be entirely imagining that I read that somewhere lol.

Essentially a Zeus with more bass is exactly what I'm looking for. Either that OR, a Vega with more upfront vocals. So, if the Zeus and the Vega had a baby. Zega.

I was talking about price! I never said anything about "mid-tier" sound quality...

My music genre has no limit, but partial to jazz, rock, classic, latin. I was looking for a wide sound stage, with clarity and I'm a so so basshead. No MP3 hear, but wave, FLAC and DSD files.

I just pulled the trigger on the Zeus R as I can get it with the 4.4mm connector for my Sony NW-WM1Z

Can wait!!

Congratulations man! The Zeus-R will work wonders with the genres you've mentioned.

 

[Gavin C4]

I wonder if Nick got a comparison between Zeus vs Zeus- Adel? Didnt notice he said anything in the shoutout.

 

[Deezel177]

I wonder if Nick got a comparison between Zeus vs Zeus- Adel? Didnt notice he said anything in the shoutout.

Tadaa...

Hello everybody,

I have a small announcement to make. This might come as a surprise, but I have decided to replace Zeus-XRA with Zeus-XIV (non-ADEL) in the shootout.

Zeus already has a long history in its relatively short lifespan. First from XIV to R, and then adding ADEL. I have been fortunate to try all the different versions. ADEL has its advantages; in the first place because of the scientific claims for ear health, but it also creates a more spacious and airy stage. Unfortunately, it also has quite an impact on the sound. The most profound is the way it affects the bass, both in its low-end extension and overall quantity. As I've tried to explain in the past, the quantity of bass is not a deciding factor for me, at least in terms of impact. It's not that I don't appreciate it, I like bass as much as the next person. But it's not a determining factor, as I like a wide variety of signatures. I just prioritise a number of aspects more than low-end impact, such as tone and overall precision.

And that's where ADEL tech plays a large role; not just in the low-end impact, but in determining the warmth and fullness of the presentation, and accordingly, its overall tone. As a result of its loss of bass, Zeus-ADEL has become a reference monitor, even though it wasn't designed as such. But stripping its warmth simply results in a colder, more analytical presentation. Besides its tone, the ADEL tech affects the density and fullness of the midrange. And in terms of performance, it impacts the resolution, transparency, and precision of imaging. For a certain group, the benefits of ADEL tech is an important reason to jump on board, more important than whatever effect it might have on sound. And then of course there are some that just value its benefits for the stage. But for me, Zeus-ADEL sounds more like a vague resemblance of how it can and maybe should sound.

Zeus-ADEL is of course still a fantastic iem. It performs excellently across the board. It has an exceptionally large, 3D stage, and its transparency is still one of the best. Substituting Zeus XRA for XIV affects a wide range of its individual scores as well as final score, but it does not affect its rank. I will be basing the prizes on my initial scoring of Zeus XRA (which is effectively the same); so this does not affect anybody's predictions.

This is my shootout, and I feel Zeus-XIV deserves a place in it; over Zeus-XRA. So everybody's free to comment, but it's not really up for debate. The only person who's opinion matters in this case is Jack, but he gave the ok. I will write a separate review of Zeus-XRA somewhere soon.

Let me know if there are any questions.

 

[Wyville]

My music genre has no limit, but partial to jazz, rock, classic, latin. I was looking for a wide sound stage, with clarity and I'm a so so basshead. No MP3 hear, but wave, FLAC and DSD files.

I just pulled the trigger on the Zeus R as I can get it with the 4.4mm connector for my Sony NW-WM1Z

Can wait!!

Great to hear you made the decision. Enjoy!

U10 vs U12 is one of those decisions, that is difficult to make even after reading comparisons from a 100 people. I would have read InEarSpcace.com's comparison a hundred times and still couldn't come to a decision. Ended up putting a hefty deposit amount to get the loaner units of both IEMs from 64Audio and, only then was I able to decide.

What I can tell you is, between U10 and U12, U10 is definitely better suited for classical. The price of the b-stock U10 ($980), is one of the best deals there is on the internet. And plus there are still a couple of ADEL compatible units left for the same price. Sounds like a win-win to me. What do you think?

Yes, I think the U10 would be the better choice for classical music. Still need to wait a bit though as so much is happening right now (work, etc). All good things...

 

[Gavin C4]

Tadaa...

The Adel module / Apex module really make a difference in sound signature and I have a similar impression such as less bass impact and more air. Not every iem / sound signature suits the Adel / Apex module. Just like the full-sized headphone industry moving from close backed headphone to open backs. Ultimately it also depends on the user, some may prefer a more open sound, some may treasure better sound isolation, closed and meatier sound.

 

[subguy812]

I have tinnitus and owned the Zeus XRA. The best move I ever made with the Zeus was to reshell and remove the Adel. The Zeus definitively has a fuller sound now. Better isolation, IMO the Zeus doesn't need anymore air. Removing the Adel for me added more soul and increased bass with more extension. The Zeus in nature is not a bassy IEM and removing the Adel does not make it a bassy IEM, on the contrary it can be a bit bright at times and I felt Adel attenuated the negative traits of the Zeus.

 

[bana]

Yup, if we are getting the Zeus, the Zeus-XR is the most flexible choice. If you want more bass simply flip the switch. If you want more focus on mid vocals and less bass, flick the switch again. You are getting best of both worlds with the XR model. It is sufficient to cover up most of your music genera.

Yup, if we are getting the Zeus, the Zeus-XR is the most flexible choice. If you want more bass simply flip the switch. If you want more focus on mid vocals and less bass, flick the switch again. You are getting best of both worlds with the XR model. It is sufficient to cover up most of your music genera.

You guys are killing me!
Ok, on the advise

Why not XR? Just a bit more and you get 2 signatures.

Hi Ike1985/subguy812, Should I change my order to the XR?

 

[ranfan]

Haha. First (Hf) world problem.

 

[Ike1985]

You guys are killing me!
Ok, on the advise

Hi Ike1985/subguy812, Should I change my order to the XR?

I would man, it's only a few hundred more and you get 2 signatures in one IEM. What's not to like about that?

 

[Deezel177]

You guys are killing me!
Ok, on the advise

Hi Ike1985/subguy812, Should I change my order to the XR?

Honestly, if you can squeeze the extra cash out of your wallet, I'd say yes a thousand times over.

 

[proedros]

definitely worth it ,you are splashing so much cash already, you are gonna regret it later down the road if you just get the R tuning

get both r and XIV

 

[flinkenick]

Hello everybody,

It's been a while since I was around these parts. I love this thread dearly, but it became hard to be creative and productive in my work, when my mind is always slipping into this virtual world. And over the last year, the shootout has taken a toll on my PhD. I've always had a mixed relationship with Head-Fi, so over the last weeks I've decided to take a break from Head-Fi to focus on my PhD.

I have also taken a step back from reviewing. I will continue to review on occasion, but on a much smaller scale. I'm not sure yet how I will fill that in, but we'll see what the future holds. I have to admit that after dedicating every hour of my free time on writing or analyzing for the last two years, the freedom of doing as I please with my free time feels like a precious gift. Anyways, not to sound too dramatic or anything as I am still very much involved with this hobby. In fact, I will be back in a week or two with some very exciting news. In a way, it can be seen as an extension of the shootout, or a culmination of it perhaps. All I can say right now is that I think it will be pretty spectacular, and I hope you will find so too.

Since I will be leaving some space at THL, I set out to find a replacement. There were a few options, but I found there was only one that really stood out for me, and he's no stranger to anybody in this thread. During the course of the shootout, Daniel proved himself a more than capable listener when it comes to analyzing sound. He understands the intricacies of the vocal reproduction and separation, as well as aspects like timbre and smoothness. But especially his emphasis on valuing both tone and performance was important to me - the two pillars of sound reproduction. Analyzing the music is breaking it down into little pieces, but equally, seeing the music as a whole: the coherency of a presentation, the sum of all its parts. Even so, technical analysis by itself is only one half of a reviewer's task; the next is putting it in words. A review should be understandable, but it's also up to the reviewer to make it come to life. With his posts, Daniel has already demonstrated a similar flair as @PinkyPowers and @jelt2359.

There is no doubt in my mind Daniel is going to be a fantastic addition to THL. My only fear, is acknowledging the day he supersedes me. So with great pride I would like to introduce the latest addition to The Headphone List:

@Deezel177

​

Daniel will make his debut tomorrow with his first review.