The discovery thread!

[MakeItWain]

Small mail call:

Penon Impact as part of a tour item for Audio Geek on the USA side.

4ESTs+10 BAs

$2500 retail

 

[FreeWheelinAudioLuv2]

I noticed that too. I wonder how their flagship Aurora is holding up today, it was an IEM I actually considered buying a while ago.

red loves it. Said it was one of his tentpole IEMs when it was released. Now does it hold up? That's subject to much speculation...

 

[jbfps116]

Testing the lightly toasted Nautilus against the Fan 3...[Again, in the "1" setting because that's what sounds best to me.]

Moch sa Mhadainn by Bear McCreary [an amazing piece from the Outlander series]
The Fan 3 sounds a little warmer and richer, but the Nautilus takes the cake with the effortless bass response.

Sketch for Spring by Cornelius. Again, Fan 3 sounded great, but the Nautilus is more clear and pristine, which is just my sound preference!

Tactics by Japanese Breakfast. The Fan 3: melodic...pleasing. Nautilus: that planar treble is just so CLEAN... It's a toss-up here because the Fan 3's musicality really shines on this song.

Les oiseaux du bonheur by Celine Dion: Nautilus: clear vocals and shimmery highs... accurate bass that knows its place [this isn't a bassy song anyway.] Fan 3: creamier vocals...[the Nautilus' vocals here were SLIGHTLY intense or... a bit TOO intense { hesitate to even say that} ] slightly warmer bass, similarly shimmery treble. I think the Fan 3 sounds better on this older recording.

This is just a taste of comparisons I'll be doing. I haven't really gotten into writing reviews but I AM trying to hone my audio description skills and should really get around to review the best sets I have, at least.

 

[FreeWheelinAudioLuv2]

hi guys, can someone help me out. Taking advantage of the 11:11. My daily driver is the UM Mext, but for a long time it was the panda P1 max, but they are destroyed now. I want to update them for a newer planar model.

Any suggestion ?

two ways to go about this one...1. You can just pick up the Letshuoer S08, which is infinitely easier to drive than the P1 Max, with better bass response and excellent stage, with solid technicalities. 2. Wait for that dual planar driver Wu Zetian from Tangzu!!! It's got the CFA Astrolith setup, but probably coming in at a couple grand less?!

 

[jbfps116]

I love that the Nautilus includes an airplane headphone jack adaptor. [although no planes I've ridden on recently still have those old-style jacks] you wear this bling on an airplane... not sure how safe that is HAHA

Also... Stickers. but hey, they're fun. I stuck one on my laptop, and one on the back of my R4.

 

[FreeWheelinAudioLuv2]

The aches and pains of aging suck. I know this very well at age 59. So do hearing loss and visual deterioration. But all of that is offset by the gift of wisdom as you age. I'm so much more calm at 59 than 29 or even 39 because life experience gives you knowledge and confidence to handle a lot of situations.

I never knew wisdom would be such a profound gift as you age. 'Tis. It really is.

I own the MagicOne and Explorer. While the MO is special due to its lovely mids presentation, the Explorer is a far better all-arounder that requires less work out of the box. You MAY need to tip roll with the Explorer -- that's it. With the MO, tip rolling is essential, as is a plethora of power. I'm grateful I have both models.

OK, this is what scares me about BCD. One, I don't want to have to constantly f*ck with my IEM in my ear to ensure BCD is working. I'm also not sure if I'm comfortable with the idea of something vibrating in my ear or tickling my ear hairs. That sounds like as much of a distraction from music as it is an enhancement to music.

Andy is a gem. Love the guy's style, his concise, insightful reviews, his lack of BS and the beautiful scenery of Malaysia in his videos. I would DEFINITELY like to have a beer with that dude someday.

I was watching his video (I pretty much watch them all, as I dig that guy, and we listen to the same metal genres), and having an anxiety attack watching his elbow rub up on his phone and dap sitting on that ledge. lol That scenery is serene afffff!!

 

[domq422]

Small mail call:

Penon Impact as part of a tour item for Audio Geek on the USA side.

4ESTs+10 BAs

$2500 retail

Sweeeeeeeet

I was part of that tour group at one time... I didn't give reviews to 2 IEMs because I thought they were mid and I'm pretty sure I was blacklisted

 

[FreeWheelinAudioLuv2]

11.11 update: Looks like the Anvil or P5+2 are on the shelf for a while.

My wife reminded me I had $1,000 worth of unscheduled car repairs last month -- new tires, and a front bumper/running light fix when some hillrod let all sorts of garbage fly out of the back of their pickup on the highway, and I smacked into a plastic lawn chair I couldn't avoid at 65 mph. Plus we went out for a nice dinner at a French restaurant and then danced our asses off seeing a PHENOMENAL Talking Heads tribute band last Friday, which was pricey, too. (By the way: Go see Start Making Sense -- the name of that band -- if they play near you. Closest thing you're going to get to original Heads these days. They're fantastic.)

So, it looks like my budget for this week is around $50 unless I can sell some stuff quickly. Within that range, what's a better bet for me, the Kefine Klean or Tangzu Yu Xuan Ji?

I'm probably selling my Kefine Delci (too much bass), Ziigaat Nuo (fine, but nothing special) and AKG N400NC TWS buds (great unit; I just don't use it very much) this week, which will leave the AFUL MagicOne, AFUL Explorer, Artti T10 and Tripowin Piccolo in my collection (may toss in the Piccolo into the sell bin above).

Between the Klean and Yu Xuan Ji, which compliments my collection best or adds something new or different? Which would go best with my preferred genres of rock, classic rock, alternative rock, alt-country, bluegrass, psychgrass, Americana and atmospheric/moody shoegaze/trip-hop?

Appreciate all pearls of wisdom from you cats. Thanks.

Kefine Klean is getting some big props from a swath, but I have only heard the fabulous and wide/holographic stage of the Ji, while the Klean has now twice been mentioned as having a regular stage, which I will take the liberty of saying is in your head or intimate (if my translation is off, so be it), so if you want that type of stage presentation ,the Klean sounds solid, but if you want resolving bass, very clean and clear mids, with little warmth, and tonally pristine treble and upper mids with extension for days, with that open back stage, then the Ji is for you.

 

[mrsergey]

Testing the lightly toasted Nautilus against the Fan 3...[Again, in the "1" setting because that's what sounds best to me.]

Moch sa Mhadainn by Bear McCreary [an amazing piece from the Outlander series]
The Fan 3 sounds a little warmer and richer, but the Nautilus takes the cake with the effortless bass response.

Sketch for Spring by Cornelius. Again, Fan 3 sounded great, but the Nautilus is more clear and pristine, which is just my sound preference!

Tactics by Japanese Breakfast. The Fan 3: melodic...pleasing. Nautilus: that planar treble is just so CLEAN... It's a toss-up here because the Fan 3's musicality really shines on this song.

Les oiseaux du bonheur by Celine Dion: Nautilus: clear vocals and shimmery highs... accurate bass that knows its place [this isn't a bassy song anyway.] Fan 3: creamier vocals...[the Nautilus' vocals here were SLIGHTLY intense or... a bit TOO intense { hesitate to even say that} ] slightly warmer bass, similarly shimmery treble. I think the Fan 3 sounds better on this older recording.

This is just a taste of comparisons I'll be doing. I haven't really gotten into writing reviews but I AM trying to hone my audio description skills and should really get around to review the best sets I have, at least.

Hello.
I was reading your first impression about the Nautilus and i got to a conclusion that they definitely not worth thier price tag (at least for me).
You have many iems that sound clean and clear with strong bass that are much cheaper, even the tansio mirai shock have probably better value. The shock have great bass and clean mids and they much more versatile thanks to their tuning wheels.
And i still think the shock overpriced.
No iems should cost above $300 unless they made from some expensive material like gold or silver.
Penon fan 3 are definitely worth the price i paid for them.
About the scratch, it's something small and make them look more "unique".
If they don't have issue with the sound then i wouldn't be bother to return them.
But if you also think that they overpriced then i would return them and use the money to buy other iems that people recommend in this forum.
If you think that they worth the price then you did a great purchase and you shouldn't care what other people think.

 

[pk4425]

I was watching his video (I pretty much watch them all, as I dig that guy, and we listen to the same metal genres), and having an anxiety attack watching his elbow rub up on his phone and dap sitting on that ledge. lol

Holy f*ck: I thought the EXACT same thing. Andy, YIKES! LOLOLOLOL.

Kefine Klean is getting some big props from a swath, but I have only heard the fabulous and wide/holographic stage of the Ji, while the Klean has now twice been mentioned as having a regular stage, which I will take the liberty of saying is in your head or intimate (if my translation is off, so be it), so if you want that type of stage presentation ,the Klean sounds solid, but if you want resolving bass, very clean and clear mids, with little warmth, and tonally pristine treble and upper mids with extension for days, with that open back stage, then the Ji is for you.

Thanks for this. I was leaning Klean, but I don't have anything that sounds like the Ji. Maybe the MagicOne is close, but I know it has its special magic.

So, I may give the Ji a go.

 

[FreeWheelinAudioLuv2]

ISN H60 back in papa's ears, and thru the N3U, in Modern Tube mode, I remember why it was #1 in my rota, and they stay true to their form. On the day I sold my Thieaudio Oracle MK III, there's simply no way the Oracle MK III was anywhere near being $300 above the H60. Not. Even. Close. Bud. I'd say the ONLY thing that the OIII has over the H60 is the air, sizzle, and extension in the treble region (EST's anyone?), but the tonality is superior in the H60, so I'm happy with this sole trade off. God, I missed this BASS.

Also the FAN 3 doesn't sound as good as I remember it? Hmm...listening it side by side with the H60, and it's losing in everything, except for that holographic stage, but BIG WHOOP.

 

[r31ya]

is that a midfi iem with waifu print on it?

 

[RenoGu]

two ways to go about this one...1. You can just pick up the Letshuoer S08, which is infinitely easier to drive than the P1 Max, with better bass response and excellent stage, with solid technicalities. 2. Wait for that dual planar driver Wu Zetian from Tangzu!!! It's got the CFA Astrolith setup, but probably coming in at a couple grand less?!

I think I will buy the s08, since it looks like a good alternative. Thanks for the suggestion. I wanted the s12 2024 but I can’t seem to find any reputable seller on AliExpress.

 

[FreeWheelinAudioLuv2]

ISN H60 > Cayin N3 Ultra (Modern Tube mode, No EQ, M gain, sharp roll off filter, untethered).

Count Basic - Life, Think It Over (1995). Simply stunningly fun acid jazz album from the 90's, filled with fun and frolic.

 

[FreeWheelinAudioLuv2]

I think I will buy the s08, since it looks like a good alternative. Thanks for the suggestion. I wanted the s12 2024 but I can’t seem to find any reputable seller on AliExpress.

Smart decision, and though the S12 (2024) is a better IEM in many ways to the S08, it's not $100 more separated, and has cleaner clearer midrange, with more balanced mid bass.