The discovery thread!

[Ace Bee]

Although you make some good points, I think people get caught up on price too much sometimes. Should we compare the oBravo Ra C-Cu to other $10k iems when it can't compete with $100 iems?

Ha! Outliers are always there.....but man, seriously? Never expected that! You heard it?

 

[Sunstealer]

Great! Looking forward for your HEXA impressions! I do have a personal hope that Truthear to release budget Softears RS10…for $200-300….

HEXA does have Softears RSV’s mid and upper mid, so I’m not being too lunatic. [Just the FR, timbre is different because RSV is highly sensitive and ultra low impedance IEM, for mid range Softears-MID-A, RSV has proprietary impedance and lowpass filter for its midrange, and capacitors for treble tweeter, technologies behind HEXA and RSV is slightly different ]

I'm thinking about a HEXA in the new year. I have had ER2XR in the past. Similar tonal balance and FR?

 

[W0lrince]

Haha hey mate did you see my old post of GK10 on this thread? Or if we coincidentally find same analogy in explaining GK10, that’s amazing.

Another old GK10 impression notes vs i3Pro

I remember that, it's like year ago! I remember after i listen to this set (i was new to this hobby at that time) i was like what are you describing, a speaker? This set? I was discovering j-music at that time, and it was a horrible experience

 

[AmericanSpirit]

@AmericanSpirit Have you tried the Allure yet? Curious on your thoughts. I do agree about Cadenza being less than great about distortion despite the agreeable tuning. Also do you mind sending that link again for those new ear tips, the textured clear ones that have that bulbous look, or any other tips you currently like. I’d appreciate others to chime in on some tips they’re liking right now too, thanks.

Actually I just ordered some extra from a new seller.

here is M570 tips that’s one of a kind —latest gen silicone with wide diffuser

Another rec’d with good internal tuning chamber, great fit issue solver
CP360

Latest Gen Ear Tips: Must Have
W1
Softears UC

Extra wide bore with different materials
TRI Clarion
JVC SpiralDot++

Wide Bore with quasi-latest gen soft clear silicone
Moondrop SpringTip (actually Chu’s link)

 

[Jmop]

Actually I just ordered some extra from a new seller.

here is M570 tips that’s one of a kind —latest gen silicone with wide diffuser

Another rec’d with good internal tuning chamber, great fit issue solver
CP360

Latest Gen Ear Tips: Must Have
W1
Softears UC

Extra wide bore with different materials
TRI Clarion
JVC SpiralDot++

Wide Bore with quasi-latest gen soft clear silicone
Moondrop SpringTip (actually Chu’s link)

Awesome, much appreciated my friend.

 

[AmericanSpirit]

I'm thinking about a HEXA in the new year. I have had ER2XR in the past. Similar tonal balance and FR?

From an audiophile’s standpoint, I would say they sound totally different, the tonal balance in upper mid approach of ER2XR and HEXA is different.

Ety and Softears has different gain peaks

Ety has higher peak amplitude with gradual peak in/out around 2.6kHz —Ety Curve, that’s mainly voice-focused)

while Softears RSV curve has slightly acute peak in/out around 3-3.1kHz —Mainly for audiences with higher peak resonance spot

They differ by 500hz of which if you have a perfect match with Ety Curve, HEXA’s peak will sound off tuned.

 

[Vonbuddy]

Is the newer version of the Oracle better than the first one, and is it an all around type?

 

[Jmop]

Ah, I see it’s that body along the mid incline on the ER2 that I really like, seems to flesh out the tone more.

 

[lgcubana]

I'm a bit behind the relevant half life, of the TRN TA1 Max. With a Pro this or a colaboration that, popping up every week.

But this is a sleeper, that doesn't get the respect that it deserves. This is a 9.8/10 for bassheads.

The TA1 Max is the little 4 banger with a T20 turbo, running on e85, spooling up to 600whp. After 20 hrs., the sub bass reminds me of the "kill" setting for a 15" kevlar subwoofer; it hits notes below the average human ear to register, so it's felt more than heard. But until the surround has sometime to break in, the decay is short lived. I'm hoping after some baking time, the TA1 Max will be a "This will decimate all, after, you put about fifteen grand in it or more. If we have to, overnight parts from Japan.", without the overnight upgrades.

This just proves that TRN can do a proper BA, in the neck of the nozzle, without tickling your ear drum. Vocals are accurate, but could probably gain some weight, if it was a dual BA

 

[AmericanSpirit]

I had an unopened Tangzu Wa'ner in my bedroom, had 22 dollars of credit on my Amazon account, decided to spend it on an IEM.

Decided to open it, very fancy box presentation, a bit too much if I'm honest but pretty neat

Color me impressed, HOW is this set only 20$?

I think everyone should own a pair.

This set is insane value for $20

Welcome to Tangzu sound!

Sennheiser’s warmth in a form of IEM.

Here is my notes taken for WESG

▶︎Once you run Wan’er for couple of hours, the distortions will be reduced

▶︎Tangzu is gifted. They’ve managed to tune Wan’er SG’s internal plastic /resin shell echo (“boxy resonance”) as an essence of the timbre.

So the housing resonance or box resonance in mid-bass is actually a part of this IEM’s final
Product as a whole. To my knowledge someone can handle housing’s internal resonance in a positive way of sonic presentations is very limited. JVC know how to, Denon, Sony. And from my speculation probably Oriolus knows it too.

▶︎Resolution/ Geo-dynamic tech is just your average single DD

 

[ChrisOc]

I would like to express my opinion here. See, I believe that a gear should be ranked within its price range, and not beyond is price range. Then all 100, 200, 300, up to 1000 bucks gears will be merely 2 stars since multi-kilobuck gears exist now and obviously they sound much better. Take for example the Blessing 2, it is at $200-$300 price range, Andromeda is at $1000-$1200 price range. To compare them with a $79 iem seems a bit unfair to the latter . To rate a $79 iem, I believe it should be compared with below $100 iems, preferably within the range of $50-$100. And here, I believe it can easily garner 4 star, may be even 5 star, if you feel it is delivering everything you expect from a below $100 iem. I believe perspective is very important in case of ranking the iems, and there should not be a universal standard, rather standards relative to definite price brackets. Hence, there should be multiple bechmark iems based on your experience so far in different price segments as per your preference, and ranking should be done based on that. That is how I do it.

I agree with you, gear should be graded within their price brackets, based on the initial set by the manufacturer MSRP or (Recommended Retail Price) RRP in the UK. Those prices are set because the manufacturer sees it as the point at what they can cover their costs and make a profit (although there are market spoiler, used for marketing or to disrupt the market).

An item may excel within its price group and that item deserves to be rated accordingly within its price bracket. Moving gear which excels within its price bracket to a higher priced group simply means we keep standards low, by limiting our own expectations of quality within the lower price bracket.

 

[Vonbuddy]

I agree with you, gear should be graded within their price brackets, based on the initial set by the manufacturer MSRP or (Recommended Retail Price) RRP in the UK. Those prices are set because the manufacturer sees it as the point at what they can cover their costs and make a profit (although there are market spoiler, used for marketing or to disrupt the market).

An item may excel within its price group and that item deserves to be rated accordingly within its price bracket. Moving gear which excels within its price bracket to a higher priced group simply means we keep standards low, by limiting our own expectations of quality within the lower price bracket.

With this in mind I am curious if you would put the new Oracle in the right price bracket. I wanted to buy the first one and it was just slightly lower in costs than the new one. I have been told it is better than the first one. I would like to know its competition in similar price bracket if you guys wouldn't mind sharing. I do own the Softears RSV.

 

[ChrisOc]

With this in mind I am curious if you would put the new Oracle in the right price bracket. I wanted to buy the first one and it was just slightly lower in costs than the new one. I have been told it is better than the first one. I would like to know its competition in similar price bracket if you guys wouldn't mind sharing. I do own the Softears RSV.

I am guessing that you do not mean me, myself, personally, I and I, do you?

I promise, I have nothing to do with the Oracle pricing! Honest

The only I have to do with audio gear is spending too much, and so says my wife!

 

[Vonbuddy]

I am guessing that you do not mean me, myself, personally, I and I, do you?

I promise, I have nothing to do with the Oracle pricing! Honest

The only I have to do with audio gear is spending too much, and so says my wife!

No, I was actually open to anyone but if you have listened to the Oracle do you find it worthy of the price and do you recommend any iems in that same price bracket?

 

[AmericanSpirit]

With this in mind I am curious if you would put the new Oracle in the right price bracket. I wanted to buy the first one and it was just slightly lower in costs than the new one. I have been told it is better than the first one. I would like to know its competition in similar price bracket if you guys wouldn't mind sharing. I do own the Softears RSV.

If I was you, I may want to wait for Someone who tried Thieaudio Prestige and found it was not their cup of tea, and decided to sell it right after very first session. There is a pre-order session going on.

You already have penultimate cohesive RSV that sounds like single dynamic, so there is little you can expect from Oracle.

This is my experience from both Monarch OG and RSV. Thieaudio’s bass dynamic driver isn’t very talented in technical expressions. So subtracting that fact and with “goodies” of Thieaudio EST hybrids —ultimate layering and texturing from 6BA and 2EST— to Variations like 2EST + 2BA, is not a step up from RSV. Only thing you could expect is degrade in overall tonal consistency, in an exchange of treble extensions and resolutions.

So, if you are seeking different spectrum of “excellence”, Monarch MKII or Prestige may be more rewarding.