The discovery thread!
Mar 4, 2024 at 2:44 PM Post #96,511 of 101,541
Kinera Verdandi Cosmos Black landed today, what beautiful IEM they have made here. Very hard to capture the depth of shell design, tried my best. Sound impression will wait, so far like what I hear.



 
Mar 4, 2024 at 2:46 PM Post #96,512 of 101,541
The Scarlett Mini sounds much more controlled from the DX300. The R3II completely fell apart when driving this one. It’s still boomy, but the bass is more textured and controlled now.

I still much prefer the Maestro Mini, but I can see the appeal of this Scarlet mini now.

Edit: nope. I am dizzy and nauseous when listening to bassy track with Scarlet again. Nope
I got to demo the FF GM, FF Scarlet, and SE at Can Jam. I loved the SE and GM a great deal, but ultimately decided to get Anni instead of GM. I think FF has a great lineup and competent tuners for sure. I haven't tried the Maestro mini, but it has seemed to fizzle out.

The issue I have is I can afford a GM if I wanted to, or I could get a few sets to review and compare and have more fun with to help the channel grow. Honestly, the big expensive item doesn't do very well view count-wise, so like what is the value in it all? Weird hobby right? You only get one pair of ears, you gotta enjoy your life and can't buy it all nor should you.
 
Mar 4, 2024 at 3:20 PM Post #96,513 of 101,541
the big expensive item doesn't do very well view count-wise, so like what is the value in it all?
Yup, you hit the nail on the head. Btw, do you have good # views? I think the only video with good view on my channel is the R3II, and I’m not particularly happy with how I review DAPs. Admire folks like TDM or our old friend AmericanSpirit who is always on the hunt for strange new IEMs and make new connections with boutiques. Me, I stick to the same old same old 😂

Anyhow, I love the Maestro Mini and just asked my circle about the tour discount for it. Just so versatile and ballsy IEM that plays well with everything, and easily 4/5 resolution and imaging (aka they don’t wow me like a 5/5 but they don’t annoy me like a 3/5 IEM). It’s more like neutral with tight bass boost, and the bass has incredible texture and “grip”. It plays with everything in my library.

The Scarlett on the other hand is unabashedly bass head. It’s all bass, and overwhelmingly so with bassy track. Luckily, the rest of the frequencies are good when the music is not bassy. If one looks for a truly bass IEM, this is it.
 
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Mar 4, 2024 at 3:38 PM Post #96,514 of 101,541
Mar 4, 2024 at 4:17 PM Post #96,515 of 101,541
Yup, you hit the nail on the head. Btw, do you have good # views? I think the only video with good view on my channel is the R3II, and I’m not particularly happy with how I review DAPs. Admire folks like TDM or our old friend AmericanSpirit who is always on the hunt for strange new IEMs and make new connections with boutiques. Me, I stick to the same old same old 😂

Anyhow, I love the Maestro Mini and just asked my circle about the tour discount for it. Just so versatile and ballsy IEM that plays well with everything, and easily 4/5 resolution and imaging (aka they don’t wow me like a 5/5 but they don’t annoy me like a 3/5 IEM). It’s more like neutral with tight bass boost, and the bass has incredible texture and “grip”. It plays with everything in my library.

The Scarlett on the other hand is unabashedly bass head. It’s all bass, and overwhelmingly so with bassy track. Luckily, the rest of the frequencies are good when the music is not bassy. If one looks for a truly bass IEM, this is it.
As a basshead Scarlett is needed for me to try one day 😁

My unit of Maestro Mini is a love/hate relationship, love the size and ergonomics. As a pure V shape it's not bad, and the tuning keep the bass not being to forward on some music. Bass quite good quality and very fun on correct music.

My unit was older but have the nozzle filter and has sort of grainy midrange, with slight peaky treble. Noticable against newer hybrid IEMs.
And for some reason sound much better in bass quality/quantity played loud. And I prefer to not play to loud that often.

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Mar 4, 2024 at 4:39 PM Post #96,516 of 101,541
Mar 4, 2024 at 5:10 PM Post #96,517 of 101,541
As a basshead Scarlett is needed for me to try one day 😁

My unit of Maestro Mini is a love/hate relationship, love the size and ergonomics. As a pure V shape it's not bad, and the tuning keep the bass not being to forward on some music. Bass quite good quality and very fun on correct music.

My unit was older but have the nozzle filter and has sort of grainy midrange, with slight peaky treble. Noticable against newer hybrid IEMs.
And for some reason sound much better in bass quality/quantity played loud. And I prefer to not play to loud that often.

My unit does not have filter. It’s kinda scary to see the nozzle BA and all the guts inside such a pricy IEM. IMHO, You need to turn up the volume until the midrange is upfront and clear, otherwise it sounds kinda dull, though not as dull as the Symphonium Meteor. As usual, I deep fit these IEM (as deep as I could. They are not designed to fit flush), so I tend to have less treble peaks and more treble extension.

I’m concerned about long term hearing health with these FF IEMs. They seal very tight, put a lot if pressure on the ear drums, and the bass is very loud. Like, human ears are less sensitive to low frequency, and these have a lot of it to the point that it can be dominant, meaning the actual amount of bass is very loud. They are also very hard to drive. If one has only something like the R3II, I say don’t bother with the Scarlett Mini. Just buy something else.

Edit: this album is just lovely

 
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Mar 4, 2024 at 6:11 PM Post #96,518 of 101,541
Speaking of Shozy btw...I gave my Hibiki away years ago, and found out recently that person is still using it. I see this as an absolute win! I've given IEMs away before and usually you find out later the person hardly ever used it. You gotta celebrate the small victories in life lol.
I gifted a pair of Letshouer Galileos yesterday to a friend who brought me a pizza with breadsticks during a visit back last August, no one ever brings me food.

It's the small things that matter sometimes. Funnily enough, he told me that he gave away a pair of cheap TWS recently only for me to give him an IEM.

Was gonna demo it for a few minutes, but forgot to try it out. Stock cable had a very good feel and handled well, easily one of the better stock cables I've tried so far. Stock case was honestly a bit too much but it's very well built and will keep your IEMs protected.
 
Mar 4, 2024 at 6:54 PM Post #96,519 of 101,541
I gifted a pair of Letshouer Galileos yesterday to a friend who brought me a pizza with breadsticks during a visit back last August, no one ever brings me food.

It's the small things that matter sometimes. Funnily enough, he told me that he gave away a pair of cheap TWS recently only for me to give him an IEM.

Was gonna demo it for a few minutes, but forgot to try it out. Stock cable had a very good feel and handled well, easily one of the better stock cables I've tried so far. Stock case was honestly a bit too much but it's very well built and will keep your IEMs protected.
its me, ur friend, here is a corndog, IEM please?
 
Mar 4, 2024 at 11:15 PM Post #96,520 of 101,541
Tansio Mirai TSMR-FEAT
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TSMR-FEAT is the newest IEM from Tansio MIrai that brings something new and unexpected from the group. What you guys have to understand is that these guys are not really known for their bass driven sound. Nope if there is one trait for the group that stands out. That would be how they tune for trebles more so than the low end. Tansio Mirais sound tuning has traditionally been about the trebles and all the sound aspects that audiophiles enjoy with a full bored treble end. However they have always had good to excellent bass for their IEMs as well.

The TSMR-FEAT uses dual knowles BAs for its mids and trebles and dual coaxial dynamics for its bass performance. The first thing I noticed beyond just how good looking these IEMs are is that they no longer use the Tansio Mirais switch system they have used on every single IEM they have made till now.

However this one signature they have used on the TSMR-FEAT happens to be a good one. In true hybrid fashion. We get the technical leaning precision and imaging associated with BA performance but then they added these outstanding coaxial dynamics to handle its bass performance.

I am gonna guess that the new FEAT will be sold at a lower price bracket than the TSMR-X. Safe to say as these are not exactly going for a better TSMR-X. What's interesting here is that I can hear the family resemblance to the TSMR-X especially on the bass boost 1 switch but there are a few aspects about the FEAT that are different.

Folks that have never heard a Tansio Mirai IEM before and you're a bass fan, these might be a good place to start. For the guys that own the TSMR-X do you need to get this one? Nope not really. Well that is unless you feel the need to get a more simpler bass driven version of the TSMR-X for out and about. And or your just a huge fan of what Tansio Mirai has been cooking up lately and have to have them all.

The TSMR-FEAT is all about giving the listener a true hybrid presentation. It's not masking the fact that it uses BAs for its clean detailed sound presentation or its push pull coaxial dynamics for its brawny bass end. This is a sound that maximizes what both types of drivers are good at. On one end you get a sound bore connected to the dual BA that throws out the mids to trebles the other sound tube is connected directly to dual 8 mm carbon dynamics that are stacked on top of each other in dual push pull configuration. It looks similar to what the TSMR-X is using for bass with a vent out the back of the shells. I can see tonal and cohesive purists not liking this one as Tansio Mirai is not hiding a damn thing when it comes to what both these types of drivers are doing for the sound here.
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One firm warming, the bass end was more than brawny out of the box. It's clearly a sub bass focused sound but had a burly presentation out of the box I was not ready for. I can literally hear the bass end tighten and is starting to get better definition now that I have had 50 hours or so of burn in. The bass end on these definitely needs a good run in before they start to sound correct.

What is interesting about these is that this is Tansio Mirais idea of a fun tuning. For folks that make IEMs dedicated for audiophiles that means these are bassy but also has a clean detailed sound tuning out of the box. Its clarity is on point but is nowhere near what the prior Tansio Mirai Sands or the Lands represent. These are the least treble focused Tansio Mirais to date actually. That bit of extra treble energy Tansio is known for is now focused toward the bass end. The balancing of the treble and the mids are closer to the recent TSMR-X more than anything they have brought out in the past. Where the sound cranks up a notch or two is in the bass department.

Its bass end is burly, rumbly with a slower realistic sub bass decay. They sound like subwoofers in the ears. These are pushing at least 8 dbs if not a bit more so toward the lowest of the lows. It is interesting when I first heard the bass end I could have sworn it was closer to the 1 switch on the TSMR-X but the more I listen to these they are actually tuned a bit like the reference 2 switch than the 1. It might be due to how impactful the sub bass is but it's not shy about bringing the bass. Let me put it that way. I can hear the air pushing the subs to new depths on this one. Before you ask. I don't feel the quality of the bass on the FEAT is up there with the TSMR-X. It has a slightly darker bass tonal character in comparison. Which provides a different contrast from what the TSMR-X bass end is doing. On the opposite end they don't have the same treble emphasis or the extension of the TSMR-X either. Which again brings a bit more attention to the low notes on this one. The good news there is that its bass is cleanly separated from the mids performance, helped out by utilizing a single bass bore to the ears separated from the mids and treble BA.

Let's get this out of the way. Really the TSMR-X is at a different level vs the FEAT in SQ and its overall presentation. I am assuming the FEAT will be a cheaper hybrid and hopefully one where most folks can afford a set.

Where the sound is engaging for the TSMR-X the FEAT has this going for it as well. But I can see a bit of a different scenario for the FEAT. TSMR-X is more of a home IEM, more refined and boutique in the way it presents sound. The FEAT on the other hand makes for a perfect out and about companion. Reason why I say this. The bass end on these are wild! Its sub bass performance you have to hear to believe. It is remarkable just how much these sound like real subwoofers. Its passive isolation is above average as well which helps you hear all of its glorious rumbly bass.
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The contrast of clean well imaged mids and treble with a full bored sub woofer like sound profile is what the TSMR-FEAT is about. If any of you guys owned the old GR07 back in the day. These are like a modern day version of those but actually has dimensional qualities to the sound profile and not so flat sounding like the GR07. None of the treble spikes associated with that monitor as well..This one is a much more refined experience in comparison.

Audiophile bass IEM? You bet. In a way the FEAT is focusing its sound on some of the better aspects of what the TSMR-X does but using less drivers. Sound is not as airy or as spacious as the TSMR-X, they don't have the same type of sound separation or the detail level either, you have to expect that as it is using 2 less BAs for its sound.. However it shares some similar aspects like balancing, and shares similar tonal qualities. What is surprising here is it retains much of that holographic sound presentation of the TSMR-X, which in turn allows the same ability to be able to pull off accurate acoustic and orchestral listening but is obnoxiously great for EDM, rock metal and hiphop just like the TSMR-X.

The crazy thing about the FEAT is that you can’t tell just how brawny the bass end is until a tune clearly has some subwoofer engagement. Meaning it has some very clear clean mids. Which I don’t think can work with just how much bass these things have from something like a single dynamic using a single sound channel for example. Folks that like clean sound tunings should love these things but then when the subs are engaged. Get ready to rumble!

This bass ability makes for an ideal IEM for out and about not to mention will be ideal for gaming and media watching due to its technical level and bass emphasis.

Bass here is tuned a bit differently than the bass end of the TSMR-X, while both are using carbon based dynamics and both are using that push pull configuration. These sound a bit more closed in by nature and dbs per db actually sounds more impactful, has just a bit more physical nature to its impact and rumble. Don’t know if it is the venting driver that was used on the TSMR-X but these are not quite as well controlled, I don’t feel the bass end here is sloppy on the other hand.
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Bass can and does get burly, definitely has more sub bass vs mid bass If I put the bass quality at a 8 out of 10 for the TSMR-X I would put the bass end at a respectable 7 out of 10 for the FEAT. Sub bass on the FEAT is where these become straight smile inducing experience. Its addictive rumble is shocking at times and has a slow decay for its sub bass rumble like a real subwoofer. As brawny as the bass can be, it is once again the control aspect for its bass which is clearly there. The bass for the FEAT has actually grown on me and you know you're dealing with a colored sounding IEM when other IEMs I go back to sound like they have weak bass in comparison.

I think if these came out before the TSMR-X I would have been head over heels over this one but as things stand, the TSMR-X has been making waves and I have a feeling it will be Tansio Mirais most popular IEM to date for a good reason. I do believe the TSMR-FEAT is a younger brother to the TSMR-X and as such there are a lot of striking resemblances to its sound formula.

So how does the TSMR-FEAT slot in the scheme of things? Well it gives a good solid 85% sound performance of the TSMR-X and it will be interesting to find out what prices these will be sold for. If I am a guessing man, these are easily competitive in the $300 price level but could be sold for less.

Its less aggressive treble balancing actually makes for easier listening while maintaining that clean mid range, Tansio is known for. The mids are positioned very similarly as the TSMR-X and this one is not for folks that like a more forward warmer mids profile. It's more neutral in its mids presence but still has that dimensional quality to the mids that becomes addictive to listen to.
If any of you guys reading this was curious about what the fuss was about on the TSMR-X. Depending on what price these will be sold for. This is a very good option to get yourself a legit audiophile bass infused IEM.
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Several negatives on this one, for folks that are curious about them but feel the TSMR-X is a bit too spendy for you. The TSMR-FEAT will make you curious about the TSMR-X. On the other hand it is most definitely competent enough of a sound on its own with its own flavor.

It has two contrasting tonal qualities, clean and dark at the same time. I feel cohesion has improved greatly since burning them in but it would be difficult to have this much dynamic bass emphasis for BAs to jive with tonally. If you have a 2.1 or 5.1 system at home you might get a good idea of how the sound projects in the ears for this one. Short nozzles, yes these have short nozzles. I had to revert to using a double flange which brings forward the mids and trebles a bit forward for better balancing. Otherwise I am waiting to find out what these will be sold for. In the end these are true audiophile bass IEMs. You want your detail and imaging a clean sound signature with a low visceral rumble? That is exactly what the TSMR-FEAT are all about.
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Mar 4, 2024 at 11:29 PM Post #96,521 of 101,541
Mar 5, 2024 at 12:02 AM Post #96,522 of 101,541
Moondrop little white landed from linsoul. By default Aptx adaptive is selected and didn't bring out it's best. Switching to LHDC, I can't believe the quality coming out of this bluetooth kit. It's very close to lossless on the wired stuff. Whole dynamic range and soundstage changes. Cherry on top is the PEQ on its app, even though it's just a 5 band equalizer, it's enough for me to cut down the sibilance on EW200.
 
Mar 5, 2024 at 2:41 AM Post #96,524 of 101,541
Mar 5, 2024 at 5:09 AM Post #96,525 of 101,541
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Day 2 with FF Scarlet Mini and Maestro Mini. I have given up in the Scarlet but the Maestro is getting more and more ear time. It’s such a tastefully done V-shaped IEM.

I’m not sure whether the amp of the DX300 struggles a bit, or that’s how the DX300 is tuned, but I hear and clearer and more forward upper midrange and a wider stage with the G5 as an amp rather than using the onboard Amp11 Mk1 card.
 

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