[siruspan]

Drivers are electrostatic but to run without the energizer like KSE or Stax'es they have micro step up transformer so they are electret variation of electrostats.

 

[csglinux]

I've reviewed Empire Ears Valkyrie with this Sonion electrostatic driver (which is in fact electret variation) and Oriolus Percivali with double electrostat driver and no, they still can't match the KSE effortless highs.

I've not yet heard a comparable estat either. (In fairness to Sonion, the Valkyrie was/is a fairly poorly-tuned IEM.)

I have the KSE1500, but I start to be feed-up carying and charging a second Amp. So I am trying to find a "standard" IEM that can replace my SHURE and be plugged directly into my DAP.

I will be able to compare soon my KSE1500 with the FIR M5, which has Electrostatic driver for the upper-hights...

I will let you know if the KSE can be beaten or at least equal...

I'm doing the same. We should compare notes
Here's my main concern though... Price.

I know the KSE units aren't cheap, but at least there's some obvious R&D that had to be conducted and specialized components that had to be developed and built by Shure to produce what was a very different IEM to pretty much anything that had come before it. Just shoving an increasing number of your typical high-distortion BA drivers into larger and larger shells - is that innovation? BA drivers cost pennies. (Ok, the M5 also has one DD, but still.) Does the R&D really justify the $2500, $3000, $4000, $7000, etc., price tags? When the Tia Forte came out I thought it was daylight robbery, but some of the more recent models now make it look like a $10 bargain-bin cheapo earbud. The Vision Ears ERLKöNIG and FiR Audio M5 both have decent-looking frequency responses, and maybe one day I'll change my mind and sell my KSE to fund a partial down-payment for a deposit on one of these newer IEMs. But should we really indulge and support companies that are so obviously price-gouging?

As a parting thought, here's a comparison of the FiR Audio M5 against another headphone some of you already know. Their frequency responses aren't all that different:

P.S. Whoops. Apologies to Empire Ears. The Wraith was the model I didn't like. Valkyrie is ok. I still don't prefer Valkyrie to the KSE, but it's an ok IEM.

 

[joshnor713]

I've not yet heard a comparable estat either. (In fairness to Sonion, the Valkyrie was/is a fairly poorly-tuned IEM.)


I'm doing the same. We should compare notes
Here's my main concern though... Price.

I know the KSE units aren't cheap, but at least there's some obvious R&D that had to be conducted and specialized components that had to be developed and built by Shure to produce what was a very different IEM to pretty much anything that had come before it. Just shoving an increasing number of your typical high-distortion BA drivers into larger and larger shells - is that innovation? BA drivers cost pennies. (Ok, the M5 also has one DD, but still.) Does the R&D really justify the $2500, $3000, $4000, $7000, etc., price tags? When the Tia Forte came out I thought it was daylight robbery, but some of the more recent models now make it look like a $10 bargain-bin cheapo earbud. The Vision Ears ERLKöNIG and FiR Audio M5 both have decent-looking frequency responses, and maybe one day I'll change my mind and sell my KSE to fund a partial down-payment for a deposit on one of these newer IEMs. But should we really indulge and support companies that are so obviously price-gouging?

This is exactly my problem with all these chi-fi options. Not saying chi-fi can't be good, but the components don't speak for themselves. You need engineering to make a good product. Shure spent 8 years developing the KSE. I'm doubtful most chi-fi companies are putting the appropriate amount of effort into R&D. They fit in the components, tune it, and then brag about the technology their using. And people eat it all up, looking at the low price, without thinking about it. Quality is the key word.

/rant

 

[csglinux]

This is exactly my problem with all these chi-fi options. Not saying chi-fi can't be good, but the components don't speak for themselves. You need engineering to make a good product. Shure spent 8 years developing the KSE. I'm doubtful most chi-fi companies are putting the appropriate amount of effort into R&D. They fit in the components, tune it, and then brag about the technology their using. And people eat it all up, looking at the low price, without thinking about it. Quality is the key word.

/rant

Well, Vision Ears are German and Fir Audio are based in Washington and both their prices are at the other end of the spectrum, but I understand what you mean. I've noticed that larger, well-established companies (Shure, Sennheiser, Beyerdynamic, even Sony) are much more likely to have decent engineering and actual innovation and much less likely to inflate prices to randomly-high values*.

*An example of that: https://www.effectaudio.com/earphones/king-arthur.html

 

[jeffhawke]

I have the KSE1500, but I start to be feed-up carying and charging a second Amp. So I am trying to find a "standard" IEM that can replace my SHURE and be plugged directly into my DAP.

I will be able to compare soon my KSE1500 with the FIR M5, which has Electrostatic driver for the upper-hights...

I will let you know if the KSE can be beaten or at least equal...

Try also Alclair Electro, if you have a chance

 

[Deolum]

Hello dear headfiers,

is here any person who listened to the KSE 1200 as well as the 64 Audio A/U 12t and could give his or hers impressions in comparison?
My audio source is Amazon Music HD/Ultra HD into Chord Mojo.

Thanks a lot

 

[Moai]

Hello dear headfiers,

is here any person who listened to the KSE 1200 as well as the 64 Audio A/U 12t and could give his or hers impressions in comparison?
My audio source is Amazon Music HD/Ultra HD into Chord Mojo.

Thanks a lot

I really like the KSE1200 sound but because of having to carry the extra amp, I've been using them less and less to the point where they are actually just accumulating dust in a drawer.
So, recently, I've been looking for some other IEMs and especially some CIEMs. I went to audition the 64 audio line-up and was especially looking forward to hearing the A12t. From reading around I thought they would be the one and they were on point with my budget. Although I really enjoyed listening to them (especially the bass), I wasn't wowed by them and preferred the A18t. The dealer also made me listen to the FiR audio line up and I was really very impressed with the M5s, which were detailed but also fun and energetic.
But now that I was looking at items that were 1.5x more expensive, I thought to myself, why no try the VE Elysiums which I heard so much about lately. They sounded differently from everything I had heard before but had something from the KSE (maybe the intimacy and detail retrieval, hard to describe - still very new at giving my impressions on IEMs ). Anyway if you really enjoyed the the KSE1200 and are looking for something to replace them I would definitely advice to demo the Elysiums.

 

[Deolum]

I really like the KSE1200 sound but because of having to carry the extra amp, I've been using them less and less to the point where they are actually just accumulating dust in a drawer.
So, recently, I've been looking for some other IEMs and especially some CIEMs. I went to audition the 64 audio line-up and was especially looking forward to hearing the A12t. From reading around I thought they would be the one and they were on point with my budget. Although I really enjoyed listening to them (especially the bass), I wasn't wowed by them and preferred the A18t. The dealer also made me listen to the FiR audio line up and I was really very impressed with the M5s, which were detailed but also fun and energetic.
But now that I was looking at items that were 1.5x more expensive, I thought to myself, why no try the VE Elysiums which I heard so much about lately. They sounded differently from everything I had heard before but had something from the KSE (maybe the intimacy and detail retrieval, hard to describe - still very new at giving my impressions on IEMs ). Anyway if you really enjoyed the the KSE1200 and are looking for something to replace them I would definitely advice to demo the Elysiums.

Thanks very much ! I'll do that. Missed the chance to grab a new KSE1200 for 1300 bucks today anyway lol. But i'll try the Elysiums for sure if i find them in Europe.

 

[Moai]

Thanks very much ! I'll do that. Missed the chance to grab a new KSE1200 for 1300 bucks today anyway lol. But i'll try the Elysiums for sure if i find them in Europe.

Well Vision Ears is based in Cologne, so if you don't live too far in Germany, you could always go and demo them there. Plus I only heard how great and welcoming the owners are! I'm actually sort of sad I couldn't go there before ordering mine.

 

[Moai]

Missed the chance to grab a new KSE1200 for 1300 bucks today anyway lol

Wow, the is very low, definitely quite a bargain! Lately, I was considering putting my KSE1200 up for sale (to help me buy a nice DAP), but if new are selling that low, not sure anymore if it's actually worth it for me.

 

[Deolum]

Wow, the is very low, definitely quite a bargain! Lately, I was considering putting my KSE1200 up for sale (to help me buy a nice DAP), but if new are selling that low, not sure anymore if it's actually worth it for me.

It was on ebay competed only by two people and the auctionator won it in a lottery. So i think it's an atypical low price for a new one. You shouldn't take that as reference.

 

[Deolum]

Well Vision Ears is based in Cologne, so if you don't live too far in Germany, you could always go and demo them there. Plus I only heard how great and welcoming the owners are! I'm actually sort of sad I couldn't go there before ordering mine.

Lol i actually live in Cologne and never thought they're here. Always thought Vision Ears is an american brand like every other headphones. Love u for the recommendation.

 

[Moai]

It was on ebay competed only by two people and the auctionator won it in a lottery. So i think it's an atypical low price for a new one. You shouldn't take that as reference.

Oh good to hear ! You got me worried for a moment.

 

[Moai]

Lol i actually live in Cologne and never thought they're here. Always thought Vision Ears is an american brand like every other headphones. Love u for the recommendation.

Haha happy I could help!

 

[Mr.Toad]

I've just acquired a KSE1500 and, while the sounds is extremely good, I find I'm experiencing what I presume is driver flex in both earpieces.

With a good seal, pressing slightly on either earpiece, produces a click. On the right earpiece, the volume decreases along with the click. I even get a click on the right when moving my jaw significantly.

Is this normal for these IEMs?