[Redcarmoose]

So the Quintet hype is over? LOL Beaten by the Hype 2? NEXT!

Are they too similar to each other to get both?

The two IEMs, the Hype2 and Quintet are wildly different. I’m still reviewing the Hype2 and there will be a written comparison between the two in it. Short answer is yes, these two are almost complementary in that they are so different. The isobaric 10mm woofers in the Hype2 do a number to create a different style of bass than what the Quintet single DD does. Also the added styles of drivers in the Quintet gives it a more sculpted treble. There will most likely be people which prefer the Quintet, but the “one-ness” of the Hype2 offers an additional dimension of value. Just the fact that Thieaudio has tailored the Sonion (Hype2) BAs to seamlessly and smoothly join forces is a value here. Where I ask (while listening) if I need more treble interaction, and so far I’m fine with what the Hype2 does. Yet as we all know the treble details is what often separates the big dogs from the middle-Fi. Where the Quintet does offer that treble detail that is rare or never found in the under $250 price range. The Quintet will also still be one of the IEMs that 2023 will be remembered for, it’s just Thieaudio added another different one.

 

[Carpet]

Back in hospital again after picking up post-op infection. Decided against taking anything expensive and listening to a pair of KZ ZS10PRO X off Hiby R2. Way better than a few years ago when all I had to use was an old AM radio.

Also funny seeing people plugging the Magaosi V3, as that was the other option!

 

[WAON303]

How fast do Sonion ESTs discharge? Do they discharge over playtime or just time? There are so many good tribrids like Variations, Penon 10th, DTE900 and many more.

Baskingshark said maybe thousands of hours before total depletion but at that point you'll probably run into driver failure due to heavy wear and tear from use.

I don't think most people will care about this potential caveat unless they only daily drive a single tribrid IEM which let's face it, is unlikely as many people who own an EST IEM have other gear on hand.

 

[Leonarfd]

Back in hospital again after picking up post-op infection. Decided against taking anything expensive and listening to a pair of KZ ZS10PRO X off Hiby R2. Way better than a few years ago when all I had to use was an old AM radio.

Also funny seeing people plugging the Magaosi V3, as that was the other option!

Hope you get well soon. Sitting here late listening to DTE900
Modest setup of yours but its nice to have something your not afraid of when being at hospital, and music can be appreciated at all price points.

Some music to enjoy, no idea what you like. So as a all genre lover, some different stuff

 

[o0genesis0o]

The two IEMs, the Hype2 and Quintet are wildly different. I’m still reviewing the Hype2 and there will be a written comparison between the two in it. Short answer is yes, these two are almost complementary in that they are so different. The isobaric 10mm woofers in the Hype2 do a number to create a different style of bass than what the Quintet single DD does. Also the added styles of drivers in the Quintet gives it a more sculpted treble. There will most likely be people which prefer the Quintet, but the “one-ness” of the Hype2 offers an additional dimension of value. Just the fact that Thieaudio has tailored the Sonion (Hype2) BAs to seamlessly and smoothly join forces is a value here. Where I ask (while listening) if I need more treble interaction, and so far I’m fine with what the Hype2 does. Yet as we all know the treble details is what often separates the big dogs from the middle-Fi. Where the Quintet does offer that treble detail that is rare or never found in the under $250 price range. The Quintet will also still be one of the IEMs that 2023 will be remembered for, it’s just Thieaudio added another different one.

Hype2 (I was half sleeping when typing. Hype2, NOT Quintet. I have never listened to Quintet) is like Monarch II with better bass quality but worse detail retrieval. Very versatile and does not impose much if any colouring on the mid. If one finds Monarch II to be beautifully tuned, Hype2 is a bargain. If the Monarch II is boring like watching paint dry to you, this wouldn’t change.

 

[PROblemdetected]

Hope you get well soon. Sitting here late listening to DTE900
Modest setup of yours but its nice to have something your not afraid of when being at hospital, and music can be appreciated at all price points.

Some music to enjoy, no idea what you like. So as a all genre lover, some different stuff

Saving this list for tomorrow

 

[Ferdinando1968]

How fast do Sonion ESTs discharge? Do they discharge over playtime or just time? There are so many good tribrids like Variations, Penon 10th, DTE900 and many more.

Unfortunately I can no longer find the web page I had read about it.

Anyway I'll link you to some pages I've found now and that's the thing.

In essence, the fact is that these EST drivers for IEMs are not like those classic electrostatic drivers where there is a special power supply that generates a fixed electric field;
in the IEM there is no external power supply which maintains a fixed electric field within which the membrane 'stirred' by the audio signal moves.

The EST IEM drivers we are talking about are pre-energized at the source, and this energization decays over time.

I can't tell you how long, maybe years.

I believe the phenomenon also occurs when IEM is not used, and probably accelerates with use.

Probably @baskingshark has better info.

https://www.reddit.com/r/oratory1990/comments/qtso15/q_re_electrostatic_iems/

https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones...here_deterioration_over_time_of_iem_electret/

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/thieaudio-legacy-9.927889/page-44

https://www.sonion.com/wp-content/uploads/ds-EST65DA01_v2.pdf

 

[Enther]

Si.

Hype2 (estaba medio dormido mientras escribía. Hype2, NO Quintet. Nunca he escuchado Quintet) es como Monarch II con mejor calidad de graves pero peor recuperación de detalles. Muy versátil y no impone mucho color en el medio. Si uno encuentra que Monarch II está bellamente ajustado, Hype2 es una ganga. Si el Monarch II te parece tan aburrido como ver cómo se seca la pintura, esto no cambiaría.

La única diferencia entre el hype 2 y el monarca mk2...es decir, un producto de 299€ y uno de 1000€ es más detalle a costa de perder calidad de graves?

 

[o0genesis0o]

La única diferencia entre el hype 2 y el monarca mk2...es decir, un producto de 299€ y uno de 1000€ es más detalle a costa de perder calidad de graves?

Well, when you analyse (aka break down an IEM into parts), it’s kinda pedantic like that. But even though I tend to break an IEM down to individual aspects for easy discussion, we listen to the whole sound signature at once, so a bit improvement might make all the difference.

Anyhow, for me, personally, I would buy Hype2 and another IEM or a basic Android DAP like M11S rather than going with Monarch II if I have A$1600 to spend and I haven’t gotten any setup yet.

Monarch III, though. I can’t wait to try that one.

 

[cobrabucket]

Hope you get well soon. Sitting here late listening to DTE900
Modest setup of yours but its nice to have something your not afraid of when being at hospital, and music can be appreciated at all price points.

Some music to enjoy, no idea what you like. So as a all genre lover, some different stuff

Very cool of you to make a list of recommendations.
I really like Agnes Obel and will watch the Tiny Desk Concert in a bit.
Cheers!

 

[Jaytiss]

It isn't better than the thieaudio MK3 but it was a well-spent $1. https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/kz-krila.26621/reviews

Not sure if I want to review the Monrack. Do you guys review everything you get? for a while I was to help cripple my spending XD

 

[Vonbuddy]

Back in hospital again after picking up post-op infection. Decided against taking anything expensive and listening to a pair of KZ ZS10PRO X off Hiby R2. Way better than a few years ago when all I had to use was an old AM radio.

Also funny seeing people plugging the Magaosi V3, as that was the other option!

Take care and I will be thinking about you. You know I know hospitals.

 

[o0genesis0o]

It isn't better than the thieaudio MK3 but it was a well-spent $1. https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/kz-krila.26621/reviews

Not sure if I want to review the Monrack. Do you guys review everything you get? for a while I was to help cripple my spending XD

Monarch 3 vs night oblivion would be cool. I remember you have both

 

[Click]

Anyone looking to improve technicalities, improve treble, extend treble, have more details and clarity in their IEMs, Pentaconn Coreir Brass eartips might be your solution.

I've been using them with the ISN NEO 5 and Penon 10th AE for the past few weeks and they're awesome with these IEMs.

These Brass core eartips are really expensive and will make IEMs stick out of the ears more. They're sticky, crystal clear, very high quality, and comfortable (for me).

It wasn't a good match for the Monarch MKIII in my opinion. Changed the tuning too much, even though it boosted technicalities and treble quality.

 

[o0genesis0o]

Anyone looking to improve technicalities, improve treble, extend treble, have more details and clarity in their IEMs, Pentaconn Coreir Brass eartips might be your solution.

I've been using them with the ISN NEO 5 and Penon 10th AE for the past few weeks and they're awesome with these IEMs.





These Brass core eartips are really expensive and will make IEMs stick out of the ears more. They're sticky, crystal clear, very high quality, and comfortable (for me).

It wasn't a good match for the Monarch MKIII in my opinion. Changed the tuning too much, even though it boosted technicalities and treble quality.

In my experience, the preservation of upper treble energy reaching your ear drums seems to play a crucial role in the perception of space/ambience and details. It means avoid having upper treble absorbed by anything and avoid having any treble peak masking it.

How do we do that? By ensuring that the opening of the ear tips as close to the ear drums as possible. No, not etymotic-like depth. Reaching the first bend would be enough for most IEMs. Doing so requires you to put an IEM on properly (pulling the ears, twisting the earpieces into place).

Ear tips can help or prevent you from doing that. If an IEM has short and stubby nozzles, longer tips like these brass tips would be great. If an IEM has long and thin nozzles like 64 Audio or AFUL IEMs, then shorter tips would be great (in fact, the tips used to tune U12t does not extend above the nozzles at all.

The total length of nozzle + extension from the tips matters as well. Artificially extending this length can make the soundstage feels wider, but the depth might suffer due to weirdness in upper treble. IMHO, ideal length is when the earpieces rest against your conchas.

Other useful observations:

• The thickness of the stem impacts the perception of midbass and dynamic. Very clear with tip rolling the Hype2.
• Opening of the tips control the upper mid all the way up. But you risk introducing a peak at mid treble.

My advice: keep a few sets of tips with various parameters above, and match it with the IEM you are trying to use.

Happy listening, folks