[gryphonos]

Yeah, from my perspective it would be very cool to meet you and @doctorjuggles in person.

I am very curious about your completed N8ii review.

Because of your recommendation I am already considering buying it.

 

[bluestorm1992]

Yeah, from my perspective it would be very cool to meet you and @doctorjuggles in person.

I am very curious about your completed N8ii review.

Because of your recommendation I am already considering buying it.

It is a very sweet player.

But frankly, I think it pairs great with the bird but not so much with Mason FS.

 

[KickAssChewGum]

Whoops need to add it to my signature ASAP. Yeah the N8II is an absolute keeper. Not the most comfortable considering just how portable my use case is, but definitely worth the hassle in terms of sound

Will be posting a complete review soon, but yes - 100% recommended

Also I heard you’ll be joining us in High End Munich?? Would be super cool to meet you in person and @doctorjuggles

I’m with Michael on this one. It’s the easiest DAP recommend ever. Truly spectacular sound for a portable device with several fine tuning options to match specific IEMs.

 

[Rockwell75]

Here goes the Elysium EXT infographic!

This was a great summary, and a great format. Upper Deck should release a set of high end IEM trading cards with these infographics on the back. I would collect every one.

 

[mvvRAZ]

Yeah, from my perspective it would be very cool to meet you and @doctorjuggles in person.

I am very curious about your completed N8ii review.

Because of your recommendation I am already considering buying it.

I’ll have the N8II, LPGT and LPGT Ti at the HE for other people to be able to try them, so we’ll chat about it

This was a great summary, and a great format. Upper Deck should release a set of high end IEM trading cards with these infographics on the back. I would collect every one.

Thank you!! I’m half retired at the moment haha, pretty sure this is the longest I’ve gone without buying IEMs. Kr5 GOAT

 

[mvvRAZ]

Taking recommendations for anything I should try at the Munich High End tomorrow! C9 is definitely on the list because I’m head over heals in love with the N8II, Diana TC from Abyss even though I’m not super into HPs right now… new CFA prototypes if they’re available I guess

Am I missing anything? Show’s a bit too HP focused so I think I might test a bit more stuff that work especially well with the N8II as opposed to being the usual IEM degenerate that I am but I’d be happy to be proven wrong

 

[leaky74]

Taking recommendations for anything I should try at the Munich High End tomorrow! C9 is definitely on the list because I’m head over heals in love with the N8II, Diana TC from Abyss even though I’m not super into HPs right now… new CFA prototypes if they’re available I guess

Am I missing anything? Show’s a bit too HP focused so I think I might test a bit more stuff that work especially well with the N8II as opposed to being the usual IEM degenerate that I am but I’d be happy to be proven wrong

Enjoy!

 

[ezekiel77]

Yeah, I’ll be retiring once I finish all the reviews I have left. I can’t really call it a biz if I don’t make any money off of it. But, I’ll still be active here for sure. There’ll basically be no difference in my activity, aside from no more reviews.

Noooooooo. Do you need to pick a successor before riding off into the sunset?

I still hope to see you again next Canjam. For me, retiring from reviewing is like lifting a heavy obligation off my shoulders. I could finally enjoy my own gears without the guilt of thinking up another excuse to delay another review lol. Ultimately it became more of a chore than something I genuinely enjoy. Now it's back to finding the best possible gear for myself, and enjoying the ride.

On that note. Gosh darn N8ii and Traillii are crazy good. I've been missing out!

 

[xenithon]

Taking recommendations for anything I should try at the Munich High End tomorrow! C9 is definitely on the list because I’m head over heals in love with the N8II, Diana TC from Abyss even though I’m not super into HPs right now… new CFA prototypes if they’re available I guess

Am I missing anything? Show’s a bit too HP focused so I think I might test a bit more stuff that work especially well with the N8II as opposed to being the usual IEM degenerate that I am but I’d be happy to be proven wrong

It is HP related but I’d really love to get your impressions on the new T+A Solitaire T wired and Bluetooth headphones.

 

[mvvRAZ]

Okayyy so some scattered show impressions. Might make a more coherent post at some point

- The things definitely worth hearing and the weeeeeeeeees:

1) Super super cool to finally meet @doctorjuggles and @gryphonos in person!

2)The Meze 109 prototype headphone, coming up late this summer. Tuning has been finalized, and it is glorious - incredible dynamics, a deep and textured bass with insane rumble, clean and warm midrange, treble extension for days... Can't pick out a single thing it does wrong, while being very technical and significantly more dynamic than the Meze Elite (although I tried that off some amp that was supposed to be esp good for it and it sounded pretty insane as well). Meze have definitely been doing very well lately, even though their newest IEM release was quite mediocre to me.

3) CFA Flagship - I'd call it a U-shape, maybe even a V shape. Very aggressive treble until you feed it a crapton of power, at which point it becomes more controlled, cleaner and generally more listenable. Noticeably huge stage, in all directions. Excellent bass and midrange, treble quality isn't quite Tia, but is certainly up there - would definitely recommend a listen, and will most likely be getting a unit myself at some point. Wasn't crazy impressed at first, but kept coming back to it for some reason - I guess might also be because everything else at the show kinda sucked

4) @doctorjuggles' 8 wire copper. Massively overlooked because the price point is very low, but the cable has a certain warmth and dynamics to it that are outrageous. Extremely tempted to place an order for one even though I'm super overstocked on cables

- The disappointments -

1) Meze Liric. Tried it again, was left with a huge meh once again
2) Cayin C9 - I think I'd like it a lot more if I didn't own the N8II, but to me the N8II straight up outperforms it while being in a "smaller" package, with tighter more impactful and punchy bass, cleaner and clearer treble and better technical ability
3) The AK Thummim-like IEM. Not sure what it's called, didn't bother checking because it sounded flat out awful.
4) Spirit Torino - was hyped to hear their lineup, everything up to like 3000 euros had some of the weirdest mids I've heard. The 6000 and 12000 euros sounded pretty good but I'd consider them if they were both at like half their respective prices.
5) The new CFA Planar - haven't heard a midrange this metallic from CFA. Should definitely go back and retune IMHO. Bass and treble are irrelevant with mids this poor.

 

[blotmouse]

5) The new CFA Planar - haven't heard a midrange this metallic from CFA. Should definitely go back and retune IMHO. Bass and treble are irrelevant with mids this poor

Custom only for production?
Its your metallic midrange forever, I guess.
Bummer.

 

[mvvRAZ]

Custom only for production?
Its your metallic midrange forever, I guess.
Bummer.

Yeah I think it’s offered as CIEM only. Whatchu mean my metallic midrange?

 

[Rockwell75]

Yeah I think it’s offered as CIEM only.

There is a limited HK only universal I'm contemplating. Your comments have put me at a bit of an impasse. Up to now I've heard only good things from people I know who have managed to demo them. Your impressions could serve either as the voice of clarity that saves me from a bad purchase or the singular anomalous impressions that detract me from something great. It will be entirely on me either way obviously...but I'm not sure which way it's going to go at this point.

 

[blotmouse]

Yeah I think it’s offered as CIEM only. Whatchu mean my metallic midrange?

Oh, sorry, I meant hypothetically (if one was to purchase as a custom only)

 

[blotmouse]

There is a limited HK only universal I'm contemplating. Your comments have put me at a bit of an impasse. Up to now I've heard only good things from people I know who have managed to demo them. Your impressions could serve either as the voice of clarity that saves me from a bad purchase or the singular anomalous impressions that detract me from something great. It will be entirely on me either way obviously...but I'm not sure which way it's going to go at this point.

Maybe the universal tuning is way different? Were your sources all custom versions?