The discovery thread!

[FreeWheelinAudioLuv2]

So the timber, note weight, and resolution in the treble on the Wu are better than the Salnotes Zero. So in this case, the planar beats a DD. Sub bass advantage Zero, as well as spacing and imaging, but that's it.

 

[Redcarmoose]

The Wu is 7X more cash? But both are totally winners! No sub-bass is better on the Wu? Those are the technicalities you get for your 7X more money. The Zero doesn’t own all that much bass emphasis, yet what it does with the midrange is special and incredibly special for the price of under $20. The Zero has rolled-off highs, where the Wu is more pronounced in the treble, with technical chops, but still not a priority with the Wu. Note weight, I would have to listen to them both (again) together, and see, still note weight is great on both, but note weight is better on the Salnotes Zero than the Dioko, that’s for sure!

So the timber, note weight, and resolution in the treble on the Wu are better than the Salnotes Zero. So in this case, the planar beats a DD. Sub bass advantage Zero, as well as spacing and imaging, but that's it.

 

[gmdb]

But at the same time I’m really looking for a way to make the product work-out in the end. Yet I will (all the time) disclose how I was able to make a product perform. Often a company misses the mark by just 20% or 30% by not supplying the correct cable or ear-tips. I’m “OK” with that, as maybe it’s me....my personal issues, so I uses different amps, DACs and cables to try and centralize the sound, and write a positive review.

This is such an important piece of advice and and I thank you for articulating it so well. Too many times I have seen people give negative opinions about equipment "straight out of the box" and not having patience to work a bit with the product to get the best result. Cable changes, tip changes and imepdance matching can all be important in taking an IEM from "it's okay" to "my brand new favourite" status. Certainly this requires some dedicated enthusiasm and at times it is easy to become jaded when the latest IEM from one company pretty much sounds the same as latest IEMs from others.

 

[Surf Monkey]

So the timber, note weight, and resolution in the treble on the Wu are better than the Salnotes Zero. So in this case, the planar beats a DD. Sub bass advantage Zero, as well as spacing and imaging, but that's it.

The Wu Zetian is great. It has fantastic treble extension and definition.

Evolving observations on the NX7 MK IV: I switched to the black nozzle and more atmospheric tracks. It has nice stage width and height. The instrument separation is superb. I’m using the large stock tips (the yellow core ones,) the stock cable and a BTR 7 wired to my iPhone 14 and playing Apple Music high resolution lossless. At the moment I’m playing The Orb - Orblivion. I feel like the stage depth could be better, but again, I’ve only got about 3 hours on them and I haven’t done any tip rolling.

I’m very hopeful for these. They sound really really good OOTB.

 

[Redcarmoose]

This is such an important piece of advice and and I thank you for articulating it so well. Too many times I have seen people give negative opinions about equipment "straight out of the box" and not having patience to work a bit with the product to get the best result. Cable changes, tip changes and imepdance matching can all be important in taking an IEM from "it's okay" to "my brand new favourite" status. Certainly this requires some dedicated enthusiasm and at times it is easy to become jaded when the latest IEM from one company pretty much sounds the same as latest IEMs from others.

Well, we are dealing with incredibly small differences. At times those differences can be perceived as one way, when after burn-in, tips or cable/DAC amp change, the whole program can migrate over to show other things. But there are a large group of high profile reviewers which don’t do burn-in. It’s an incredibly difficult thing to do when you have a bunch that all need 7 days of burn-in, but if you believe in it you have to do it. But as far as cables go sometimes the manufacturer supplies a great cable, though at other times a reasonably priced different cable does the trick. The thing is that many of us feel exactly the same way and the same exact way on exactly the same product. So part is individual preference and the other part has to do with “truths” that can be found. But I’m lucky in that pretty much 100% of what I believe to be true a whole group believe also, so that makes it easier. Though at the same time much is not able to be proven by science. Still science has only the answers it has, and there is still room for someday to have more questions confirmed. Yet at times you just have to go with your ideas and trust yourself, regardless of popular opinion.

 

[Surf Monkey]

This is such an important piece of advice and and I thank you for articulating it so well. Too many times I have seen people give negative opinions about equipment "straight out of the box" and not having patience to work a bit with the product to get the best result. Cable changes, tip changes and imepdance matching can all be important in taking an IEM from "it's okay" to "my brand new favourite" status. Certainly this requires some dedicated enthusiasm and at times it is easy to become jaded when the latest IEM from one company pretty much sounds the same as latest IEMs from others.

Truth. OOTB is only good for initial impressions. Discerning listeners will absolutely swap out tips at the very least. Not to mention run in, cables, amps, dacs… a lot goes into what is essentially a subjective experience.

 

[Surf Monkey]

The Wu is 7X more cash? But both are totally winners! No sub-bass is better on the Wu? Those are the technicalities you get for your 7X more money. The Zero doesn’t own all that much bass emphasis, yet what it does with the midrange is special and incredibly special for the price of under $20. The Zero has rolled-off highs, where the Wu is more pronounced in the treble, with technical chops, but still not a priority with the Wu. Note weight, I would have to listen to them both (again) together, and see, still note weight is great on both, but note weight is better on the Salnotes Zero than the Dioko, that’s for sure!

The Wu is like an even more technical sounding Hook-X with elevated, creamy bass.

 

[Redcarmoose]

The Wu is like an even more technical sounding Hook-X with elevated, creamy bass.

That’s why the Wu sits only one place above the HOOK-X on my published planar IEM list. We are reaching a point where a few IEMs are just so good, that they start to complement each other. Where maybe, just maybe you don’t need the HOOK-X if you already have the Wu. But at the same time (in a way) you need the Salnotes Zero as the presentation is just so different.

But exactly, there have been startling moments with the Wu when bass....... when in 96 kHz - 24 bit with the Shanling UA3, the Wu bass was way different in definition........ that the HOOK-X only dreamed it could do! The HOOK-X bass is a blob, where the Wu offers up sculpted refinement and individually placed into its own zone in the soundstage. Still the HOOK-X is great....for other things....

 

[FreeWheelinAudioLuv2]

The Wu is like an even more technical sounding Hook-X with elevated, creamy bass.

We're failing to mention the Wu's wide and deep soundstage. It's right there with the Salnotes Zero and my Senn's in the stage dept.

 

[Surf Monkey]

We're failing to mention the Wu's wide and deep soundstage. It's right there with the Salnotes Zero and my Senn's in the stage dept.

Agree. My favorite sets all have enormous sound stages and the Wu is amongst the widest. But wide in a cohesive way. It doesn’t sound weird or unnatural, just expansive.

 

[gadgetgod]

This is a new five-driver hybrid set of IEMs that I recently got. It sounds pretty good with a solid bass response, feels like a small sub-woofer to my ears lol, and at the same time maintains a clean midrange presentation. The soundstage here also impresses me a lot with the set.

This is a new brand, I am guessing this is their introductory pair as well. Price is supposed to be around 200$, oh i forgot to mention the stunning face covers that look exactly like Monarch MK2.

 

[r31ya]

This is a new five-driver hybrid set of IEMs that I recently got. It sounds pretty good with a solid bass response, feels like a small sub-woofer to my ears lol, and at the same time maintains a clean midrange presentation. The soundstage here also impresses me a lot with the set.

This is a new brand, I am guessing this is their introductory pair as well. Price is supposed to be around 200$, oh i forgot to mention the stunning face covers that look exactly like Monarch MK2.

in a glance i read it as "Awful Performer"

 

[WAON303]

This is a new five-driver hybrid set of IEMs that I recently got. It sounds pretty good with a solid bass response, feels like a small sub-woofer to my ears lol, and at the same time maintains a clean midrange presentation. The soundstage here also impresses me a lot with the set.

This is a new brand, I am guessing this is their introductory pair as well. Price is supposed to be around 200$, oh i forgot to mention the stunning face covers that look exactly like Monarch MK2.

Aful is like the worst brand name imaginable next to Faaeal.

Very nice faceplate tho.

 

[gmdb]

in a glance i read it as "Awful Performer"

Yes, that is what immediately springs to mind. However, in original meaning "full of awe" could be okay.

 

[gadgetgod]

Aful is like the worst brand name imaginable next to Faaeal.

Very nice faceplate tho.

Same thoughts here man!!