[ericr]

i saw some ppl selling their u12. Just wonder that they gonna upgrade to u18 or what lolz. Actually I'm interested in u18 too, but will it worth to upgrade from u12 ? Btw anyone has compared u18 and w900 yet ? My w900 is making.

No, but I was able to compare my Tia Fourte to the universal W900 on tour. The following was posted as a reply elsewhere, but I think it makes sense even without the original context.


My first 10-15 minutes with the Tia Fourte actually left me mildly disoriented - something I've never experienced before. Switching to the W900 felt normal.

At some point during my second stint with the Fourte it seems my brain caught on, and now the experience is *very* oriented. Effortless keeps coming to mind. There after, when switching from the Fourte to the W900 (which I really liked) most of that "very oriented" sense is lost and and the W900 seems to be working to impress me (with its rich bass and extended highs).

As @Torq mentioned, spending an hour with the W900 and I'm back to thinking "Wow, I really like this headphone".

If you are happy with your W900 and are not interested spending even more I suggest you just keep enjoying them, and not listen to the Fourte.

Putting cost aside, if the W900 is a headphone you really like the odds are high you'll find yourself quite moved by the Fourte.

 

[noplsestar]

i saw some ppl selling their u12. Just wonder that they gonna upgrade to u18 or what lolz. Actually I'm interested in u18 too, but will it worth to upgrade from u12 ? Btw anyone has compared u18 and w900 yet ? My w900 is making.

From what I read the A/U18 is more flat, reference tuning, so if you like big bass you won´t be happy with them. So it is no "bass" upgrade in quantity, but on the other hand you will get quality bass (as well as better technicalities). So in that way the A/U18 maybe is more an upgrade from the A10.

 

[jmills8]

No, but I was able to compare my Tia Fourte to the universal W900 on tour. The following was posted as a reply elsewhere, but I think it makes sense even without the original context.


My first 10-15 minutes with the Tia Fourte actually left me mildly disoriented - something I've never experienced before. Switching to the W900 felt normal.

At some point during my second stint with the Fourte it seems my brain caught on, and now the experience is *very* oriented. Effortless keeps coming to mind. There after, when switching from the Fourte to the W900 (which I really liked) most of that "very oriented" sense is lost and and the W900 seems to be working to impress me (with its rich bass and extended highs).

As @Torq mentioned, spending an hour with the W900 and I'm back to thinking "Wow, I really like this headphone".

If you are happy with your W900 and are not interested spending even more I suggest you just keep enjoying them, and not listen to the Fourte.

Putting cost aside, if the W900 is a headphone you really like the odds are high you'll find yourself quite moved by the Fourte.

In time the next new iem will give you that feeling.

 

[ericr]

In time the next new iem will give you that feeling.

Totally get what you mean but no, it's more than that.

I've had 15+ IEMs (and been in on most all of the recent TOTL tours).

Trust me, the Tia driver is a whole new experience.

FWIW, both were new to me as the Fourte and W900 arrived within three days of each other.

 

[ericr]

From what I read the A/U18 is more flat, reference tuning, so if you like big bass you won´t be happy with them. So it is no "bass" upgrade in quantity, but on the other hand you will get quality bass (as well as better technicalities). So in that way the A/U18 maybe is more an upgrade from the A10.

Read the A18 comments and review by @Barra and you will likely come away with a different impression of its bass.

 

[ChrisSC]

@ericr: is it fair to say that the fourte has a much more unique presentation than the w900, which sounds great too, but is more in-line with how most other IEMs sound?

 

[Barra]

me too !

If you are asking me, the Fourte' doesn't come in a custom format yet so it was not an option. In trying it, the fit didn't need to be perfect to get the incredible sound it produced, but comparing my A18 custom fit to the U18 and Fourte, the A18 was always perfect requiring no fiddling. My ears have an extreme bend that makes getting a good seal with universals very difficult. As has been said many times on Headfi, once you go custom, you rarely come back.

However, in a perfect world, I will own both as they serve very different purposes for me. So I am hoping to see 64 Audio launch the custom Fourte' this year........gotta have something to hope for. 1111111

 

[ericr]

@ericr: is it fair to say that the fourte has a much more unique presentation than the w900, which sounds great too, but is more in-line with how most other IEMs sound?

Yes, with the following exceptions:

1) To me the W900, with its dynamic driver, stands out from the the crowd (in a good way) as well.

2) "Unique" could mean just different. The Fourte is unique in that its presentation is so alive & so right, and yet effortless in doing so.


Does that help?

 

[ChrisSC]

Yes, with the following exceptions:

1) To me the W900, with its dynamic driver, stands out from the the crowd (in a good way) as well.

2) "Unique" could mean just different. The Fourte is unique in that its presentation is so alive & so right, and yet effortless in doing so.


Does that help?

Yes, definitely! It sounds like the tia tech might actually be a game-changer, and I'm very curious to learn more about how it compares to more traditional IEMs (although I suppose BA/DD hybrid isn't really that traditional). My primary IEMs for the last 3 years have been the tralucent ref 1s mostly because, while flawed, they have such an alive and unique presentation. I'm looking for an upgrade and seem to be gravitating between the w900 and tia fourte.

 

[ericr]

Man, I've long wanted to hear something from Tralucent and have never had the opportunity.

One more plus for the Tia Fourte is the Apex technology. I'm sensitive to volume & pressure and about 30 minutes was my maximum with the W900 and its impressive bass. I have done several hours many times with the Fourte and find it pressure and fatigue free.

 

[jmills8]

Totally get what you mean but no, it's more than that.

I've had 15+ IEMs (and been in on most all of the recent TOTL tours).

Trust me, the Tia driver is a whole new experience.

FWIW, both were new to me as the Fourte and W900 arrived within three days of each other.

Lets see by December.

 

[Sleepow]

Yes, with the following exceptions:

1) To me the W900, with its dynamic driver, stands out from the the crowd (in a good way) as well.

2) "Unique" could mean just different. The Fourte is unique in that its presentation is so alive & so right, and yet effortless in doing so.


Does that help?

I will need to give the Fourte another listen.
I was less pleased with it than both the 18 and Dita Dream when I listened to it at an event, but your comments convinced me that I should try it again.
Why? Because you articulated what I am looking for in audio while never having been able to express it: "effortless" and not "trying to impress".

Thanks to you I can finally have words to describe why I like the Stax 009 or why I chose the Dream over the Jomo TOTLs...., but now also looking forward to giving the Fourte another chance.

 

[ericr]

I will need to give the Fourte another listen.
I was less pleased with it than both the 18 and Dita Dream when I listened to it at an event, but your comments convinced me that I should try it again.
Why? Because you articulated what I am looking for in audio while never having been able to express it: "effortless" and not "trying to impress".

Thanks to you I can finally have words to describe why I like the Stax 009 or why I chose the Dream over the Jomo TOTLs...., but now also looking forward to giving the Fourte another chance.

The Dream is another I would love to try!

The A18/U18 also have a Tia driver - hopefully I will have more time with these soon as well.

 

[Sleepow]

The Dream is another I would love to try!

The A18/U18 also have a Tia driver - hopefully I will have more time with these soon as well.

I have had more time to demo the U18 since that event, but went with the Dream.
Why? Maybe for the same reasons I went for the 009 instead of the HD800: more emotions, less of a technical showpiece; ... but also cost.

... Yet I am still thinking about the U18 for a future purchase as it is technically impressive.
But who knows, the Fourte might be better for me. And the musicality might be less of a shock as more my daily earphone is less neutral than the Etys ER4.

 

[Likeimthere]

I thought I was the only one with the sharp bend in my ear. I had the same issue with universals. . . They never stayed in my ears, or if they did, they hurt like hell. . .It wasn't until I went to see an audiologist that I found out about the bed. Once I went custom. . . I haven't been able to look back. . . I own the A18 Tzar, and it really is just something different altogether in it's presentation...