The discovery thread!

[kalibri]

Linux ... user

There are dozens of us!

 

[Zerstorer_GOhren]

There are dozens of us!

I used to own a Nokia N900 which has a Maemo OS, a debian-based distro. I used to put up some audio files out there and one of my first devices capable of playing of flac files natively but the stock player can't play in .cue format. Using Simfonie and Clementine player to play some audio files there.

 

[FreeWheelinAudioLuv2]

Been listening to the Lime Ears Terra most of the night (along with the Elysian Noir), paired with the Hiby R3 II (4.4mm, No EQ, H gain, untethered). Superb synergy, and it just take me places. It's so enveloping. That's the best way to describe the Terra. It's an enveloping listen, with keen detail retrieval, spatial cues, stage, and treble extension, while managing to still maintain a very refined midrange (especially upper). Simply fallen in love with this IEM. Thanks to @Jaytiss for the loaner, and @Emil Lime Stolecki for the audition demo.

 

[o0genesis0o]

White tiger used a pseudo planar, a voice coils on a membrane.
It used to be cheaper alternative to proper planar, the more expensive a micro-etched membrane.
Ultimately the voice coiled one is heavier to move compared to the proper micro-etched one. So one is faster and better at micro details and high freq.

The tech gets better overtime tough, now pseudo planar comes in myriads of form,

I’m almost certain that Simgot EW300 was one of the first Chifi that uses the real 6mm planar with micro-etched wires It’s possible that that driver is the same as the one inside another US-made IEM.

The Supermix4, on the other hand, uses the “square planar” that looks like BA drivers. They are likely the same drivers used in A&K Zero IEMs.

@saldsald likely have all of these drivers in his workshop

 

[FreeWheelinAudioLuv2]

I have 2 of his list. The Odyssey and the KE4.

How do you like the Odyssey? I have no desire for the KE4. If I was gonna buy something like it, I'd save the $100.00 and buy the KE Quartet again.

 

[BS5711]

This sums it up quite nicely.

Everyone hears differently. The bio-mechanical differences in each of our ears coupled with the physiological processing differences taking place in each of our brains are unique to each of us. Yes, there are commonalities; e.g., we know a bass and a cymbal when we hear them; however, how we perceive the quality of the bass, the intensity of the bass, the pluck of the strings and even who's playing them are unique to each of us. Yes, science can measure in two dimensions with objective accuracy but nothing can measure how one perceives what one hears. Some of us can distinguish differences - others cannot. It's just the way it is and no amount of cajoling will every change that.

Cables. DACs and amps can make a difference to some but not all. They used to call folks who couldn't differences 'tin ears'. Not fair, really, it is just their hearing. In this hobby, the adage, 'to each his own' should prevail. There can be a general consensus but rarely a unanimous consensus. As such, these arguments will never end.

Making the transition to IEMs from full range studio and high end audiophile gear was a revelation for me. The nuanced differences immediately became more pronounced. The damn things are stuck right in your ears and every little change can make a significant difference - "only if one can hear it!" Compound that with "you are not in my head and I'm not in yours" it becomes readily apparent what a fool's errand it is to dismiss another's experience under the guise of science. Again, measurements are two-dimensional. Once we accept the indisputable fact that we all hear differently, then we are free and unencumbered by bias to enjoy another's take on sound without dragging them or the issue through the mud. All that does is ruin the hobby and make sharing pointless.

To resist the messianic compulsion to proselytize requires tolerance and emotional intelligence. It is a very powerful urge for some, but I for one, was relieved when the Sound Science forum was created as a gathering place for like minds. The forum was implicitly dedicated to disputing audiophile heresy. Since joining this site in 2008, the creation of that sub forum was a welcome relief from the flame wars. I fervently support that decision as I fervently support this forum as a place for sharing objective impressions. To that end, I respectfully urge the 'science-is-the end-all-to-be-all' messengers to burn their objective crosses in the backyard created for them. let's not *** this up.

As a ghetto-philosopher friend of mine once said at a wedding reception, "What, so now meat loaf I gotta eat every night?"
Youse guys have good ears! I gain a lot for sure and enjoy reading your impressions (some 100+ IEMs later as a result...Jeez...

Nicely written.

You are missing my basic premise which was simply reviewers and folks in general taking an interest in assessing for themselves what they can legitimately HEAR rather than what they PERCEIVE.

It is of course very possible to believe we hear a difference in sound even if the gear is literally unchanged due to psychological reasons. Given our predisposition towards rather unreliable listening assessment a bit of individual assessment doesn’t seem such an odd thing to encourage.

Maybe I am just wired differently to most here, so be it, I will keep my interest in understanding audio perception to myself.

I’ve been appreciating your comments. I agree the differences in gear are subtle but then again haven’t dabbled in anything north of $400 so I can’t be totally sure. Honestly, I notice a bigger difference in cables. *Ducks for cover

That said, because of this subtle difference in the sources I want/can afford I don’t put a ton of credence into it when I watch reviews in order to make a purchasing decision.

Obviously it has rubbed some folks the wrong way, and yes, it’s probably for another thread, but I definitely think there is room for a discussion like this.

Thank you, it is often much easier to keep ones head down and remain quiet, I am thankful for knowing my intent wasn’t dismissed as the ramblings of a madman by everyone

 

[r31ya]

There is one IEM series from HiBy called “Crystal”. They are the ones that truely push midrange details to the front to the extreme. I listened to some weeb music and for the first time, I heard the “mouth shape” clearly, the subtle noise in the recording, even slight ruffle of the singer’s clothes and the very faint sound of music page flipping. I have never heard those, even when I listened to the same track with Annihilator. It’s a … unique experience.

i remember someone points out to me, "if you like Birdy and have decent gear (doesn't have to be great), you should be able to catch her chair creaking as she record while playing piano

---
as certain green lady retires,
somber weekend music recommendation

 

[bithalver]

I use Arch, btw

My choice is debian for myself; RedHat at work as I am a RHCE. I am a unix/linux expert for ~29 years now.

 

[bithalver]

I used to own a Nokia N900 which has a Maemo OS, a debian-based distro. I used to put up some audio files out there and one of my first devices capable of playing of flac files natively but the stock player can't play in .cue format. Using Simfonie and Clementine player to play some audio files there.

Nice !

I used smartphone before the word existed; mean: I had the last 3 Nokia Communicators. I was very far away to be called audiophile then so I just used the headphone provided with them (often with proprietary connectors. Different times, indeed.

 

[o0genesis0o]

i remember someone points out to me, "if you like Birdy and have decent gear (doesn't have to be great), you should be able to catch her chair creaking as she record while playing piano

---
as certain green lady retires,
somber weekend music recommendation

Thanks for the discovery! Youtube is not good here so I’ll save it to my watch later list

My choice is debian for myself; RedHat at work as I am a RHCE. I am a unix/linux expert for ~29 years now.

Wow, RHCE, so cool

I usually use PopOS but because of Hyprland window manager, I decided to take the plunge to use Arch. It was a good decision because it forced me to learn deeper into Linux. I carry PDFs of RHEL with me as learning material in this trip. Still trying to figure out some mysterious problems. All of my desktop/laptop are now on Arch/Hyprland. Real work servers are on Ubuntu server.

I’m very surprised that the audio stack on Arch (maybe just modern Linux desktop in general) works that well with zero problem so far on my machines. REW also works fine.

 

[kalibri]

My choice is debian for myself; RedHat at work as I am a RHCE. I am a unix/linux expert for ~29 years now.

Got my RHCE in 2009 I'm old too. I used to work for RH for a few years around that time but then I moved on.
I like Arch for my personal laptop as it's a rolling release and has all the recent stuff so everything just works, fingerprint reader, secure boot, TPM, etc.

Anyway, I'm thinking of buying the EPZ P50, supposedly open back DD + 2xBA + 2xPlanar.

 

[Zerstorer_GOhren]

Nice !

I used smartphone before the word existed; mean: I had the last 3 Nokia Communicators. I was very far away to be called audiophile then so I just used the headphone provided with them (often with proprietary connectors. Different times, indeed.

I actually have a Nokia N91 before. That's the ultimate Hi-Fi phone but I don't have an idea of a flac file at that era before switching to Nokia N95. The audio quality is indeed a downgrade on the N95.

 

[RedCurry]

Nicely written.

You are missing my basic premise which was simply reviewers and folks in general taking an interest in assessing for themselves what they can legitimately HEAR rather than what they PERCEIVE.

It is of course very possible to believe we hear a difference in sound even if the gear is literally unchanged due to psychological reasons. Given our predisposition towards rather unreliable listening assessment a bit of individual assessment doesn’t seem such an odd thing to encourage.

This was the basis for the Soundmeow ratings aggregator database - that all reviewers will have their own preferred tuning and rank IEMs accordingly. There will be personal bias though there's nothing wrong with that as we are all human. In averaging out the scores the website/database strives to reduce the bias and distill the rankings to a single score. Does it succeed? I don't know. You tell me.

There are also reviewers who score the various components like bass, mids, treble, technicalities etc and add on a Personal Enjoyment score. That seems to be a step towards reducing bias. Though I still find myself referring to their Personal Enjoyment score especially if I know they have similar tuning preferences to me.

 

[Zerstorer_GOhren]

Nice !

I used smartphone before the word existed; mean: I had the last 3 Nokia Communicators. I was very far away to be called audiophile then so I just used the headphone provided with them (often with proprietary connectors. Different times, indeed.

It's my dream to own a Nokia 9210i during my short stint in university around 2001.

 

[Zerstorer_GOhren]

I’m almost certain that Simgot EW300 was one of the first Chifi that uses the real 6mm planar with micro-etched wires It’s possible that that driver is the same as the one inside another US-made IEM.

The Supermix4, on the other hand, uses the “square planar” that looks like BA drivers. They are likely the same drivers used in A&K Zero IEMs.

@saldsald likely have all of these drivers in his workshop

I think that EW300 uses a flat panel types, the ones similar to those QDC Folk's flat panel driver.

The cheapest true planar magnetics are from KZ PR series, Kiwi Ears Melody and Kefine Klanar.