Very interesting! Yeah I play a lot of classical music alongside listening, my main instrument nowadays being bassoon. So I’ve had loads of experience in orchestras, chamber music etc. which is often why my most critical ear is for when I’m listening to classical. So it’s great to get some advice from another musician!
I’ll check out the truthear reds, especially since at that price it’s kind of a no brainer.
I’ll take a look at the review and have a think about eqing and if I have questions I’ll get back to you.
Have you found you don’t use the etymotic much nowadays then??
I stupidly sold them when I had to replace the cable after 4-5 years I had them.. Because they were not the most comfortable thing to put in your ear. I thought that I could easily find a better replacement, that has not been the case. But now with zerored and eq I listen just as good as with the etys (bass is a little better now, the rest is the same) and they are way more comfortable
Discovery thread newbie here wondering if anyone is a big classical music listener and if so what mid-fi price range iems have been enjoyable for you??
Currently on the war path figuring what to go for next…
Discovery thread newbie here wondering if anyone is a big classical music listener and if so what mid-fi price range iems have been enjoyable for you??
Currently on the war path figuring what to go for next…
Depends, I find you need a certain warmth for it to sound real paired with a neutralish tuning. But don't have to be a specific tuning as long the timbre sound good, and that depends from person to person. Can mention some I find okay for it that I have tried:
Discovery thread newbie here wondering if anyone is a big classical music listener and if so what mid-fi price range iems have been enjoyable for you??
Currently on the war path figuring what to go for next…
For budget friendly price, my favourite is AFUL MagicOne. I’m not 100% satisfy with anything in the $350 to $800 bracket (“mid-fi”) to make a definite recommendation, though I love how Bach’s violin partitas and Goldberg variations sound with 7th Acoustic Supernova. For larger recordings, I’m okay with AFUL Performer 8. There is a wildcard IEM that I absolutely adore for classical called Hiby Yvain, which was tuned by a classically trained musician. However, it has been quite divisive in all of my friend circle, so tread carefully, I guess.
To my untrained ears, it’s not common nowadays to have an IEM that is outright incorrect in timbre and tonality (though I did come across an IEM that butchered a piano recording recently.)
Etymotic ER2SE is supposed to be reference, and it indeed does not sound wrong, but there is something about the way it places orchestra in the soundstage that makes me want to tear my hair off.
Spill them nowwww!!!
1 of the few midfi that has my approval of tuning (and the new Dusk, and the Elysian Pilgrim - if they are turned out to be midfi, now I'm back to skeptical)
For budget friendly price, my favourite is AFUL MagicOne. I’m not 100% satisfy with anything in the $350 to $800 bracket (“mid-fi”) to make a definite recommendation, though I love how Bach’s violin partitas and Goldberg variations sound with 7th Acoustic Supernova. For larger recordings, I’m okay with AFUL Performer 8. There is a wildcard IEM that I absolutely adore for classical called Hiby Yvain, which was tuned by a classically trained musician. However, it has been quite divisive in all of my friend circle, so tread carefully, I guess.
To my untrained ears, it’s not common nowadays to have an IEM that is outright incorrect in timbre and tonality (though I did come across an IEM that butchered a piano recording recently.)
Etymotic ER2SE is supposed to be reference, and it indeed does not sound wrong, but there is something about the way it places orchestra in the soundstage that makes me want to tear my hair off.
Magic one is a solid set as well. Very neutral and correct. Great vocals. The key is to probably try a few first, then eventually buy something more expensive. Sometimes a 100-200 might be better if the fit is good and it works for your library.
I want to spend more time before I share extensive listening impressions but I’m certainly impressed so far, switched to the blue nozzle today which takes a warmer, immersive path yet still provides wonderful imaging and layering - highly captivating. Oh and the stumpy nozzles could definitely be a problem for some ears - highly recommend the Acoustune AEX07 tips as a solution here, I’m using XL which are 14mm wide and the slightly firmer construction provides an excellent seal and very comfortable… my top choice of tips now.
Blue nozzle update - I guess it’ll depend on the music but I had to switch to the black nozzles this morning as the album I was listening to sounded quite muted, lacked bite / detail and just a bit claustrophobic overall. With black it opens up nicely, much more airy, detailed, and a heightened sense of emotional engagement. Amazing difference between them!
From one of the B rolls today. I like how gentle this dongle is on battery. It’s ever so slightly better than the stock R3II, enough to make me decided to add the dongle to the EDC kit with the R3II.
Oh, and just after two days carrying the dongle dangling from my phone, my lightning to USB C cable seppuku itself
Spill them nowwww!!!
1 of the few midfi that has my approval of tuning (and the new Dusk, and the Elysian Pilgrim - if they are turned out to be midfi, now I'm back to skeptical)
Haha, the pair sounds phenomenal. Mid-bass is excellent, it is fast, snappy, and quite precise I would say, the vocals sound clear, crisp, and the treble also has good resolution and extension. Instruments sound very well-separated giving the set an open kind of feeling. Soundstage is enveloping(these impressions are with CMA18P, with the set in my ears since the past 2 hours hehe). Now on a break while my DX260 gets charged and I start listening with it.
The Penon Black Lacquer are some of the strangest ear-tips I have ever used. They become stranger and more wonderful weeks after I reviewed them? Weird? The way they don't want to come out of my ears, like the IEM is permanently lodged........I know I have an air-tight fit.
Discovery thread newbie here wondering if anyone is a big classical music listener and if so what mid-fi price range iems have been enjoyable for you??
Currently on the war path figuring what to go for next…
Haha, the pair sounds phenomenal. Mid-bass is excellent, it is fast, snappy, and quite precise I would say, the vocals sound clear, crisp, and the treble also has good resolution and extension. Instruments sound very well-separated giving the set an open kind of feeling. Soundstage is enveloping(these impressions are with CMA18P, with the set in my ears since the past 2 hours hehe). Now on a break while my DX260 gets charged and I start listening with it.
I think the blue one is nicest but as always, this tuning filters are just different density or tightness of nylon filters like mesh 250 on balance filter, mesh500 on bass enhanced filter etc.
I think I'm going to skip because of the lack of bites on lower treble region (too much dip valley on 6khz), although seems like they have good extension on 12khz for backup of the technicalities.
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