mvvRAZ
Headphoneus Supremus
RAZ’s review thread, HP and IEM shootouts, comparisons and impressions
Add: this was meant to be a one off Summit-Fi comparison post but I've since decided to use this as a space for IEM and HP tryouts where I'll be posting impressions, comparisons and reviews on all things audio. The "My preferences section has also been edited as my tastes have evolved with time and the reviews need to be adjusted to that. Future changes are also possible, it's more of a disclaimer more so than anything else.
About me as a listener and audiophile: Ultimately, I’m just another dude with just another opinion on the internet, so if my statements and assessments offend you, press alt F4 and they will magically disappear. That being said, I have spent the good part of my life listening to music and I have provided dozens of recommendations to friends and fellow HeadFi-ers that for the most part have been successful.
It’s also worth noting that the absolute vast majority of gear I own is one I’ve purchased with my own money, so this thread is me discussing gear that I’ve invested in or have as a loaner - either way this will be explicitly stated in every review
My sound preferences and what I’m looking for in the gear I own: I've come to enjoy a variety of gear and signatures - I do love well pronounced upper treble, and a decently heavy bass response. I am by no means a basshead, but I have no real interest in gear that sounds overly clinical or sterile. The sound signature I'd say I'm most drawn to personally is a W shaped one, but there are a lot of flatter, or more V shaped IEMs/HPs that I also enjoy
Technical ability is very important to me as I find that tonality alone can only get me entertained for so long - I'm not really after any of that "realistic" sound - the more separation, width, dynamics and general wow that you give me, the happier that I will be
A disclaimer - I can't deal with gear that has an overly forward upper midrange, or in other words things that place vocals dead in your face - while I do realise that covers a whole lot of gear, I personally find it makes a whole bunch of music sound outright unlistenable, and even where it does work, it gives me the feeling of very artificially boosted and flat out wrong sound.
Posts:
Post #1 - deleted as it was outdated and didn't reflect how I feel about a lot of the stuff
Post #2 - TOTL shootout (IEMs)
Post #3 - Sources/DAPs (General discussion)
Post #4 - Sell and keep list (IEMs)
Post #5 - Erl vs Thummim - the battle of the titans (IEMs)
Post #6 - EE Odin closing thoughts (IEMs)
Post #7 - The BIASed Post (General discussion)
Post #8 - Chord Mojo vs Hugo 2 vs Hugo TT2 (TOTL sources on IEMs)
Post #9 - Sony IER M9 - the 1000$ slayer (IEMs)
Post #10 - Noble Sultan - the best Noble to date (IEMs)
Post #11 - Noble Zephyr (IEMs)
Post #12 - A12t vs A18S (IEMs)
Post #13 - Diana V2 and a peek into the Abyss 1266 Phi CC (HPs)
Post #14 - T+A Solitaire and the HEDDphone (HPs)
Post #15 - HP Reviews and rankings and how those are happening (HPs)
Post #16 - Abyss 1266 Phi CC - the *almost* perfect headphone (HPs)
Post #17 - Verite C - first proper venture into closed backs! (HPs)
Post #18 - Kann Alpha - the DAP to rule them all (DAPs)
Post #19 - Inifinity Mk2 impressions by @aaf evo (IEMs)
Post #20 - LPGT vs LPG impressions by @bluestorm1992
Post #21 - Jomo Trinity Brass - I'm a rockstar baby
Post #22 - oBravo's EAMT1C - when open backs and IEMs get naughty
Post #23 - Abyss 1266TC - plain insanity
Post #24 - PW1950s... sorry what?
Post #25 - Campfire Vega 2020 - a DD doing what a DD is supposed to
Post #26 - Rhapsodio Infinity Mk2 and what I hate about forward upper mids
Post #27 - MMR's Gae Bolg, aka the Hellboy
Post #28 - VE Elysium, vocal utopia
Post #29 - 64Audio Fourte Noir, the upper treble monstrosity
Post #30 - CFA MW10, when the tuning goes 1v9
Post #31 - The LP P6 Pro, portable R2R love
Post #32 - The 2020 IEM Shootout
Post #33 - The Focal Clear MG - another disappointment by Focal
Post #34 - PAW6000, LP W2 vs PAW S1, Odin revisit
Post #35 - Effect Audio EVO1
Post #36 - The JH AION Collection
Post #37 - JH Jolene demo impressions
Post #38 - UM FuSang - the King of reference
Post #39 - Softears RS10 - The 2000$ King of reference
Post #40 - Softears Cerberus - Coolest name in portable audio
Post #41 - PW Metropolis x 1950s - Where da blue at?
Post #42 - AK SP2000T - surrender to the 4.4 master race
Post #43 - Meze Audio Empyrean Elite - the EDC TOTL HP
Post #44 - LPGT Ti
Post #45 - Ne4/NF lineup thoughts and PAW S2, king dongle
Post #46 - Moses impressions
Post #47 - W4, W2 Ultra and Mojo2
Post #48 - PMG APX SE vs Moses
Infographics
Post #1 - 64Audio A18S
Post #2 - JH Audio Jolene
Post #3 - Oriolus Trailli
Post #4 - Sennheiser IE900
Post #5 - Elysium EXT
Post #6 - Craft Ears Aurum
Post #7 - FiR Krypton 5
Post #8 - FiR Xenon 6
Memorable posts by thread guests:
Dynamics in HPs/IEMs by @Liberatus
Micro and Macro Dynamics by @Deezel177
Dynamics and Transducers Pt2 by @Liberatus
The billion $ driver by @Liberatus
The notion of overpriced by @doctorjuggles
Add: this was meant to be a one off Summit-Fi comparison post but I've since decided to use this as a space for IEM and HP tryouts where I'll be posting impressions, comparisons and reviews on all things audio. The "My preferences section has also been edited as my tastes have evolved with time and the reviews need to be adjusted to that. Future changes are also possible, it's more of a disclaimer more so than anything else.
About me as a listener and audiophile: Ultimately, I’m just another dude with just another opinion on the internet, so if my statements and assessments offend you, press alt F4 and they will magically disappear. That being said, I have spent the good part of my life listening to music and I have provided dozens of recommendations to friends and fellow HeadFi-ers that for the most part have been successful.
It’s also worth noting that the absolute vast majority of gear I own is one I’ve purchased with my own money, so this thread is me discussing gear that I’ve invested in or have as a loaner - either way this will be explicitly stated in every review
My sound preferences and what I’m looking for in the gear I own: I've come to enjoy a variety of gear and signatures - I do love well pronounced upper treble, and a decently heavy bass response. I am by no means a basshead, but I have no real interest in gear that sounds overly clinical or sterile. The sound signature I'd say I'm most drawn to personally is a W shaped one, but there are a lot of flatter, or more V shaped IEMs/HPs that I also enjoy
Technical ability is very important to me as I find that tonality alone can only get me entertained for so long - I'm not really after any of that "realistic" sound - the more separation, width, dynamics and general wow that you give me, the happier that I will be
A disclaimer - I can't deal with gear that has an overly forward upper midrange, or in other words things that place vocals dead in your face - while I do realise that covers a whole lot of gear, I personally find it makes a whole bunch of music sound outright unlistenable, and even where it does work, it gives me the feeling of very artificially boosted and flat out wrong sound.
Posts:
Post #1 - deleted as it was outdated and didn't reflect how I feel about a lot of the stuff
Post #2 - TOTL shootout (IEMs)
Post #3 - Sources/DAPs (General discussion)
Post #4 - Sell and keep list (IEMs)
Post #5 - Erl vs Thummim - the battle of the titans (IEMs)
Post #6 - EE Odin closing thoughts (IEMs)
Post #7 - The BIASed Post (General discussion)
Post #8 - Chord Mojo vs Hugo 2 vs Hugo TT2 (TOTL sources on IEMs)
Post #9 - Sony IER M9 - the 1000$ slayer (IEMs)
Post #10 - Noble Sultan - the best Noble to date (IEMs)
Post #11 - Noble Zephyr (IEMs)
Post #12 - A12t vs A18S (IEMs)
Post #13 - Diana V2 and a peek into the Abyss 1266 Phi CC (HPs)
Post #14 - T+A Solitaire and the HEDDphone (HPs)
Post #15 - HP Reviews and rankings and how those are happening (HPs)
Post #16 - Abyss 1266 Phi CC - the *almost* perfect headphone (HPs)
Post #17 - Verite C - first proper venture into closed backs! (HPs)
Post #18 - Kann Alpha - the DAP to rule them all (DAPs)
Post #19 - Inifinity Mk2 impressions by @aaf evo (IEMs)
Post #20 - LPGT vs LPG impressions by @bluestorm1992
Post #21 - Jomo Trinity Brass - I'm a rockstar baby
Post #22 - oBravo's EAMT1C - when open backs and IEMs get naughty
Post #23 - Abyss 1266TC - plain insanity
Post #24 - PW1950s... sorry what?
Post #25 - Campfire Vega 2020 - a DD doing what a DD is supposed to
Post #26 - Rhapsodio Infinity Mk2 and what I hate about forward upper mids
Post #27 - MMR's Gae Bolg, aka the Hellboy
Post #28 - VE Elysium, vocal utopia
Post #29 - 64Audio Fourte Noir, the upper treble monstrosity
Post #30 - CFA MW10, when the tuning goes 1v9
Post #31 - The LP P6 Pro, portable R2R love
Post #32 - The 2020 IEM Shootout
Post #33 - The Focal Clear MG - another disappointment by Focal
Post #34 - PAW6000, LP W2 vs PAW S1, Odin revisit
Post #35 - Effect Audio EVO1
Post #36 - The JH AION Collection
Post #37 - JH Jolene demo impressions
Post #38 - UM FuSang - the King of reference
Post #39 - Softears RS10 - The 2000$ King of reference
Post #40 - Softears Cerberus - Coolest name in portable audio
Post #41 - PW Metropolis x 1950s - Where da blue at?
Post #42 - AK SP2000T - surrender to the 4.4 master race
Post #43 - Meze Audio Empyrean Elite - the EDC TOTL HP
Post #44 - LPGT Ti
Post #45 - Ne4/NF lineup thoughts and PAW S2, king dongle
Post #46 - Moses impressions
Post #47 - W4, W2 Ultra and Mojo2
Post #48 - PMG APX SE vs Moses
Infographics
Post #1 - 64Audio A18S
Post #2 - JH Audio Jolene
Post #3 - Oriolus Trailli
Post #4 - Sennheiser IE900
Post #5 - Elysium EXT
Post #6 - Craft Ears Aurum
Post #7 - FiR Krypton 5
Post #8 - FiR Xenon 6
Memorable posts by thread guests:
Dynamics in HPs/IEMs by @Liberatus
Micro and Macro Dynamics by @Deezel177
Dynamics and Transducers Pt2 by @Liberatus
The billion $ driver by @Liberatus
The notion of overpriced by @doctorjuggles
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