[Deferenz]

I do indeed, borrowed @xenithon's Noir to complete the set and test them all against each other with my music library on the R8. Full review coming soon, watch this space.

I am using the Trio on the R8 and so it would be good to hear someone else’s thoughts on that pairing itself and in relation to the other three IEMs.

 

[xenithon]

Cool. I have the Nio and am thinking of adding the Fourte or Noir (if it can be found), so I'm especially interested in the differences between those two. I have already read a few comparisons on this thread, but still not sure which would fit better with my music preferences (rock/metal).

I’d say this depends on whether you’re looking for something completely different to the Nio or something that shares some of its qualities.

Owning the Nio, Noir and Trio, the one thing I would say is that the Noir feels to me to a massive upgrade of the Nio; a “Nio on steroids” - rather than the “Trio on steroids” analogy I’ve seen a few times.

There is an elevation in the midbass of the Nio which imbues a warmth, body, musicality, and forgiveness that is present in the Noir. The similarities are in character only; the Noir’s technicalities are irreproachable (this is a key weak spot for me in the Nio). Clarity, layering, stage size, and emotion et al are all masterfully executed in then Noir.

I haven’t heard the original Fourte but from early discussions with @gLer and several other impressions I’ve read, the OG is a leaner, closer to neutral listening. It excels at separation, air, micro detail, with a thinner but punchier bass line. As such it’s less forgiving and more prone to sibilance.

Aa for the music type you listen to - depends on what your presentation preference is. If you enjoy the grittiness of the guitar and thumpier thwack of drums the OG may fit the bill. If you prefer a warmer sound with more body and cohesive stage, the Noir may be for you.

 

[xenithon]

I am using the Trio on the R8 and so it would be good to hear someone else’s thoughts on that pairing itself and in relation to the other three IEMs.

I also use the Trio with the R8 and personally find it a gorgeous pairing. The Trio has explosive dynamics which the R8 authentically reproduces. At the same time the Trio can tend toward shoutiness with certain material and an unpleasant shimmer / glassiness on female vocals.

The slightly warm tuning of the R8 counterbalances this well whilst still being highly detailed, nuanced and textured. In comparison to the R6 Pro for example, it is less coloured, but not sterile. It is able to extract a lot more information for the Trio, notably micro detail and positional cues on the Trio’s vast stage. R8 also has more authoritive bass control, delivering terrific dynamic punch.

 

[Vitaly2017]

I’d say this depends on whether you’re looking for something completely different to the Nio or something that shares some of its qualities.

Owning the Nio, Noir and Trio, the one thing I would say is that the Noir feels to me to a massive upgrade of the Nio; a “Nio on steroids” - rather than the “Trio on steroids” analogy I’ve seen a few times.

There is an elevation in the midbass of the Nio which imbues a warmth, body, musicality, and forgiveness that is present in the Noir. The similarities are in character only; the Noir’s technicalities are irreproachable (this is a key weak spot for me in the Nio). Clarity, layering, stage size, and emotion et al are all masterfully executed in then Noir.

I haven’t heard the original Fourte but from early discussions with @gLer and several other impressions I’ve read, the OG is a leaner, closer to neutral listening. It excels at separation, air, micro detail, with a thinner but punchier bass line. As such it’s less forgiving and more prone to sibilance.

Aa for the music type you listen to - depends on what your presentation presence is. If you enjoy the grittiness of the guitar and thumpier thwack of drums the OG may fit the bill. If you prefer a warmer sound with more body and cohesive stage, the Noir may be for you.

Yep exactly what I felt when I heard the Nio. We can call Nio the affordable Tia Noir hehe that is of course using the M20 module it brings nio super close ala noir soubd like.

 

[xenithon]

Yep exactly what I felt when I heard the Nio. We can call Nio the affordable Tia Noir hehe that is of course using the M20 module it brings nio super close ala noir soubd like.

I’d agree it is reminiscent of the Noir to a degree, as they share certain characteristic. Nio can’t compete in terms of technicalities though. It is versatile however, with its swappable modules.

 

[Damz87]

I’d agree it is reminiscent of the Noir to a degree, as they share certain characteristic. Nio can’t compete in terms of technicalities though. It is versatile however, with its swappable modules.

Listening with the mX modules was a huge revelation to me on how technical the Nio is. It’s really not as inferior technically as I originally thought. But yeah, the Noir would probably still be in a class above iirc. I’ve got my old Noir’s coming back to me, so I’m looking forward to hearing them again!

 

[gLer]

Yep exactly what I felt when I heard the Nio. We can call Nio the affordable Tia Noir hehe that is of course using the M20 module it brings nio super close ala noir soubd like.

I'll add that the Nio has a much 'bigger' bass response than the Noir, which is more controlled. Compared to the OG Fourte, the Noir adds a blanket of midbass that serves as a foundation to any music that has midbass in the track, giving it a thicker, warmer sound without actually adding that much bass amplitude compared to Fourte (with the 'downside' of hiding some of the details and constraining some of the soundstage the OG is revered for). The Nio on the other hand ramps up the bass across the board, especially with M20, making it more dominant in the mix, but squashing it's 'technicalities' compared to both Noir and Fourte. I'll delve into these and other similarities/differences in my review.

 

[gLer]

Listening with the mX modules was a huge revelation to me on how technical the Nio is. It’s really not as inferior technically as I originally thought. But yeah, the Noir would probably still be in a class above iirc. I’ve got my old Noir’s coming back to me, so I’m looking forward to hearing them again!

Agree, MX has quickly become my favourite option with Nio, which is strange given my affinity for bass. Probably because I was so surprised to hear how capable the Nio is technically, like you say, when you remove the bass blanket of the M15/M20.

 

[Stu Paddasso]

What's the difference between Noir and Fourte Noir?

 

[xenithon]

What's the difference between Noir and Fourte Noir?

None. They are one and the same.

There are differences, however, between the Tia Fourte (aka OG) and Tia Fourte Noir (limited edition).

 

[W1ll1eTheP1mp]

Hey. Finally pulled the trigger on U12T! Im so excited. After almost a year with research im finally there.

 

[MatW]

Thank you guys for your comments and input. (Can someone tell me how to link to other members? Not to a post, but to members.)

The first 64 Audio IEM I owned was the U12T. I liked it for its technical abilities but found it somewhat lean, which I learned is probably due to the lack of the dynamic driver. So when the Nio came out I bought it new and blind, and sold the U12T. I was not disappointed with that decision. I absolutely love the Nio, it offers great bass and a warm sound signature, and I think it still does quite well in terms of technicalities/detail retrieval. Yes, esp. with MX module, but I love the power of the low end so much that I keep going back to M15. What I am looking for is a complementary IEM that absolutely excels at technicalities and soundstage. I would accept/expect it to be less warm, but it should not be too lean in the low end.

Based on your descriptions it sounds like the OG might be more complementary than Noir, and ticking the boxes in terms of technicalities and soundstage. It still has to have some low end punch though, but I believe it does?

Apart from OG and Noir, I am considering the Odin to fill this spot in my collection of the ‘most resolving IEM with a decent punch and slam’. My worry with Odin is that it might be too bright, and one third of the price is for the cable. From my reading, I have excluded Elysium (too lean), Erlkonig (no DD, I believe, and expensive. I am intrigued by this one though...), and Oriolus Traillii (no DD, and way too expensive). Any candidates missing? Views on OG/Noir vs Odin?

Due to lockdown I would be buying blind, so no chance to hear any of these before buying I’m afraid, so your input is immensely valuable.

 

[gLer]

Thank you guys for your comments and input. (Can someone tell me how to link to other members? Not to a post, but to members.)

The first 64 Audio IEM I owned was the U12T. I liked it for its technical abilities but found it somewhat lean, which I learned is probably due to the lack of the dynamic driver. So when the Nio came out I bought it new and blind, and sold the U12T. I was not disappointed with that decision. I absolutely love the Nio, it offers great bass and a warm sound signature, and I think it still does quite well in terms of technicalities/detail retrieval. Yes, esp. with MX module, but I love the power of the low end so much that I keep going back to M15. What I am looking for is a complementary IEM that absolutely excels at technicalities and soundstage. I would accept/expect it to be less warm, but it should not be too lean in the low end.

Based on your descriptions it sounds like the OG might be more complementary than Noir, and ticking the boxes in terms of technicalities and soundstage. It still has to have some low end punch though, but I believe it does?

Apart from OG and Noir, I am considering the Odin to fill this spot in my collection of the ‘most resolving IEM with a decent punch and slam’. My worry with Odin is that it might be too bright, and one third of the price is for the cable. From my reading, I have excluded Elysium (too lean), Erlkonig (no DD, I believe, and expensive. I am intrigued by this one though...), and Oriolus Traillii (no DD, and way too expensive). Any candidates missing? Views on OG/Noir vs Odin?

Due to lockdown I would be buying blind, so no chance to hear any of these before buying I’m afraid, so your input is immensely valuable.

To link to other members just use the @ symbol like so: @MatW. You'll see a little popup with member names as soon as you enter @ and a letter, then pick the name you want.

It'll be a tough ask to recommend any of Fourte, Noir or Odin as a blind buy. All three have a huge fanbase but also many who just don't like the tuning.

The OG Fourte is probably the 'brightest' of the lot, even though I personally don't find it excessively bright because the bass and mids balance out the infinitely extended highs every well. The Noir takes the OG blueprint and makes it warmer, thicker and more cohesive, and in doing so creates its own character. I'd say as a different sounding complement to Nio with best-in-class technicalities the OG Fourte would be my pick, but only because I haven't personally heard the Odin so can't make a call on that at all. The Noir, for me, would be a replacement for Nio, albeit sacrificing some of that huge bass you alluded to.

If you can, drop @Jack Vang a PM and see what he can suggest regarding an Odin demo in your area. If nothing else he's a great guy to talk to about your preferences and actually does answer his PMs unlike many company heads out there.

You can also chat to @MrCypruz about the differences between the OG Fourte and Odin (he had both and prefers the Odin).

Good luck with the search!

 

[Damz87]

Thank you guys for your comments and input. (Can someone tell me how to link to other members? Not to a post, but to members.)

The first 64 Audio IEM I owned was the U12T. I liked it for its technical abilities but found it somewhat lean, which I learned is probably due to the lack of the dynamic driver. So when the Nio came out I bought it new and blind, and sold the U12T. I was not disappointed with that decision. I absolutely love the Nio, it offers great bass and a warm sound signature, and I think it still does quite well in terms of technicalities/detail retrieval. Yes, esp. with MX module, but I love the power of the low end so much that I keep going back to M15. What I am looking for is a complementary IEM that absolutely excels at technicalities and soundstage. I would accept/expect it to be less warm, but it should not be too lean in the low end.

Based on your descriptions it sounds like the OG might be more complementary than Noir, and ticking the boxes in terms of technicalities and soundstage. It still has to have some low end punch though, but I believe it does?

Apart from OG and Noir, I am considering the Odin to fill this spot in my collection of the ‘most resolving IEM with a decent punch and slam’. My worry with Odin is that it might be too bright, and one third of the price is for the cable. From my reading, I have excluded Elysium (too lean), Erlkonig (no DD, I believe, and expensive. I am intrigued by this one though...), and Oriolus Traillii (no DD, and way too expensive). Any candidates missing? Views on OG/Noir vs Odin?

Due to lockdown I would be buying blind, so no chance to hear any of these before buying I’m afraid, so your input is immensely valuable.

I haven’t heard OG Fourte so I can’t comment on that, but regarding Odin - I wouldn’t consider it bright per se, but it does have a cooler tonality than Nio with rather forward upper mids. But it’s incredibly technical and resolving. I personally find the soundstage quite large and holographic too. The bass is probably the best quality bass I’ve heard albeit not as elevated as Nio with M15. I’d say the bass quantity is somewhere between mX and M15.

 

[425455]

..... Erlkonig (no DD, I believe, and expensive. I am intrigued by this one though...), and Oriolus Traillii (no DD, and way too expensive). Any candidates missing? Views on OG/Noir vs Odin?

Intrigued with these two (erlky/traily) .. me too.

And the Fourte now!

Can't wait to see what you get and whether it ticks the right box for you