[kong08]

As an owner of a U12T and had a rather long audition session with an M9. Imho, just skip the U12T.

I've been reading a lot of reviews about the IER-M9 being not as resolving as other TOTL IEMs, one of them is the U12T and I just don't get it. To my ears, the resolving ability of the IER-M9 is simply superior to the U12T, the M9 has better separation, layering, imaging, and note definition than the U12T so how could it be less resolving, and is less detailed to the U12T? This is the opinion of the one who was an owner of a newly bought U12T and listened to the IER-M9.

I wanna hear more about your opinions about these 2 IEMs. This is a true shock since if imaging, separation, layering, and detail retrieval are everything you desire, then probably nothing could beat the M9! Maybe except for the KSE series and the open-back IEMs from Audeze!

I WAS gonna ask you your thoughts on the U12T, then I saw this post. I haven't had the chance to listen to anything other than the M9, and I doubt I ever will without going to CanJam or Potafes or some similar show. I tend to buy blind, which means that I also tend to take a whole lot of time doing research, reading, watching and rinsing-and-repeating reviews until I've built up confidence to make a purchase.

While not having access to anything other than the M9, I still tried to do a sort of auditioning of the U12T's tonality via the M9. I created an EQ profile in PowerAmp in my DX320Max from AutoEq on Precogvision's squig.link site, to have the M9 sound as close to the U12T as possible. (I've been doing this for quite some time now with various IEMs), and I must admit that the reduced warmth is nice, but it also makes vocals sound thin to me... Something I'm not particularly willing to sacrifice. There's also other things that become more apparent to me, such as the increased distance between instruments, as a result of the more recessed mids, which also helps me hear effects like reverb more distinctly. But it's not like I couldn't notice those before. This profile just makes it a bit sterile to me, though, making me have second thoughts on the U12T.

I do admit as well, that there's other aspects that I'm not taking into account, such as quality of transducers, IEM design and more, when making my evaluation. But tonality and technicality are linked, to some degree, and this option lets me "peer" into other IEMs' tonality for free, and from there, I can supplement what is missing from my understanding with reviews from trusted sources, until I make a decision I can live with. Again, not a replacement for an actual audition, but a viable option in my situation.

 

[HunqVux]

U12T is a good IEM but the soft/mushy transients are a major bummer for me (basically blunted edge of notes, timbre is kinda off as well)

This is exactly what I felt about my U12T but no review I've came across talk about this!

 

[HunqVux]

I WAS gonna ask you your thoughts on the U12T

Alright, I'll try my best.

Starts with good things first:
- Extremely satisfying bass dynamism, a unique and special quality that I haven't found on any other IEMs, even DD-bass-driven ones!
- Great bass texture (not to the level of the M9).
- One of the deepest sounding IEM out there if not the deepest!

The bad side:
- Average imaging, detail retrieval, separation, layering!
- Fatiguingly high upper mid.
- Lack lower mid (to my preference).
- Soft/mushy transients (to my preference)
- Blunted edge of notes.

Imho, If you are into the tuning of the M9 and imaging, separation, layer, details are what you're after then just skip the U12T, stick with the M9.

 

[HunqVux]

- Average imaging, detail retrieval, separation, layering!

Only average when compared to other TOTL IEMs, the U12T is far better than lower tier ones like the Andromeda in these departments.

 

[BonGoBiLai]

This is exactly what I felt about my U12T but no review I've came across talk about this!

Peer pressure

 

[HunqVux]

My friends have the same opinions with us and the same question to me, that's why the U12T is so highly praised

 

[Vamp898]

Oh by the way, did you know that e-earphone released an reference song for testing?

Its Vocal + Guitar + Bass + Drums + Strings. The performance was highly optimized and recorded/mixed/mastered with focus on highest fidelity to be used as an reference as an recommendation to compare Headphone/Earphone/Sources

It is for free available here: https://www.e-earphone.jp/html/template/default/assets_time/music/Ourowntone_96k16bit.wav

It is free and legal to distribute this song but(!) there is still copyright on it. Just so you know, its not Open Domain. e-earphone only allows people to use this song as a reference to compare equipment, so you're obviously not allowed to sell it, broadcast it or use it in other ways (you are of course allowed to just listen to it normally and enjoy the song^^).

 

[BonGoBiLai]

Oh by the way, did you know that e-earphone released an reference song for testing?

Its Vocal + Guitar + Bass + Drums + Strings. The performance was highly optimized and recorded/mixed/mastered with focus on highest fidelity to be used as an reference as an recommendation to compare Headphone/Earphone/Sources

It is for free available here: https://www.e-earphone.jp/html/template/default/assets_time/music/Ourowntone_96k16bit.wav

It is free and legal to distribute this song but(!) there is still copyright on it. Just so you know, its not Open Domain. e-earphone only allows people to use this song as a reference to compare equipment, so you're obviously not allowed to sell it, broadcast it or use it in other ways (you are of course allowed to just listen to it normally and enjoy the song^^).

 

[kong08]

Imho, If you are into the tuning of the M9 and imaging, separation, layer, details are what you're after then just skip the U12T, stick with the M9.

A painful truth to accept. I suppose I’ll follow another user’s advice here and start tip rolling to help improve comfort. Haha. Is it possible to hit endgame without knowing it?

 

[HunqVux]

A painful truth to accept. I suppose I’ll follow another user’s advice here and start tip rolling to help improve comfort. Haha. Is it possible to hit endgame without knowing it?

Probably not

 

[DaveStarWalker]

This is exactly what I felt about my U12T but no review I've came across talk about this!

You'll find the same 'reviewers' gushing over the likes of Noble Viking Ragnar, an F- tier heap of garbage (well thats basically all Noble's Chinese/Thai sweatshop made stuff). Or CA Trifecta that looks and sounds like balls. Ear gouging piercing treble equates 'resolving' ability to these people. (Also Sony usually doesn't send their audiophile products to reviewers so there's that). Recently tried out the 64 Audio tia trio for a few hours (man it was terrible. very plasticky sound). U12T is a good IEM but the soft/mushy transients are a major bummer for me (basically blunted edge of notes, timbre is kinda off as well)

XM4 was sooo good with EP EX11 (the stock ones that come with M9). Too bad my unit developed battery issues and died withing 8 months. They have apparently solved the battery issue starting from the November 2022 batch though.

About the u12t ... Same ...

Really, for me, these u12t are a... complete mystery.

I don't understand how they are so praised.

To my ears, they are "competent" to a certain extent, "ok", but that's all. Too much polite (to be kind) and generic for my tastes.

But this is "only" my personal judgement...

 

[DaveStarWalker]

Alright, I'll try my best.

Starts with good things first:
- Extremely satisfying bass dynamism, a unique and special quality that I haven't found on any other IEMs, even DD-bass-driven ones!
- Great bass texture (not to the level of the M9).
- One of the deepest sounding IEM out there if not the deepest!

The bad side:
- Average imaging, detail retrieval, separation, layering!
- Fatiguingly high upper mid.
- Lack lower mid (to my preference).
- Soft/mushy transients (to my preference)
- Blunted edge of notes.

Imho, If you are into the tuning of the M9 and imaging, separation, layer, details are what you're after then just skip the U12T, stick with the M9.

Same.

Except I don't know the M9, but other references.

This being said, agreed.

 

[HunqVux]

Same.

Except I don't know the M9, but other references.

This being said, agreed.

Wahhh, My review is agreed by a

Headphoneus Supremus​

10x improvement in technicalities and tonality for my headphones today

 

[DaveStarWalker]

My pleasure lol

But you are right to trust more your own ears than mine

You can never really listen to anything through someone else's ears.

 

[HunqVux]

yeah, of course. Anyway, it's really great to find people who share the same views as mine. I even thought that my ear is not that good because of all the reviews praising the U12T.