[mvvRAZ]

Taking elysium as a reference iem is ridiculous. Elysium is very nice but nothing close to a reference tuning especially not for high frequency (electrostat drivers are enclined to sybilance)

Can you name a few estat IEMs that are sibilant and where you got that information?

 

[gnahra]

Can you name a few estat IEMs that are sibilant and where you got that information?

interesting comment...i have only heard/owned one estat (Valk), so obviously my experience is very limited, but one of the reasons I love it is because it is so sparkly without sibilance!

 

[mvvRAZ]

interesting comment...i have only heard/owned one estat (Valk), so obviously my experience is very limited, but one of the reasons I love it is because it is so sparkly without sibilance!

Estats can lack extension in some implementations, or fail to produce highs entirely unless you pair them with a really powerful source. Some can sound overly bright in the upper treble, but I have legitimately never heard an estat that produces any kind of sibilance.

I've heard the EE Valk, Wraith, MMR Thumimm and Homunculus, VE Elysium, FiR M5 and the Jomo Trinity Brass. I've owned 3 of the ones on the list and not a single one has produced any kind of sibilance with any player except the SP2000. The SP1000M has terrible bass and midrange texture, and is honestly quite awfully sibilant with loads of BAs (VE8 for example), but even it wasn't so treble boosted that it made an estat sibilant

Pretty confident that the issue is clearly with the iRiver player rather than the estats

 

[endre83]

Would I get hiss with 64 iem´s used with a Hugo 2?

Does an iFi iEMatch 3.5 help against the hiss?

Would it compromised the signal?

 

[Deezel177]

Nice impressions mate.

Thank you! 'Much appreciated.

Anyone know if there will be a new apex modules coming out soon? As the demo of A18s here in HK come with a pair of black modules which is quite impressive compare to M15 and M20, and it is ssaid to be a gift to the new order.

Yeah, I saw My IEM Store in Taiwan were doing it too. They call it a "mystery apex module," and it comes with all orders of the A18s. Perhaps it's an upcoming module that they're currently testing out, and may come out to the public if it ends up well-received.

 

[mvvRAZ]

Would I get hiss with 64 iem´s used with a Hugo 2?

Does an iFi iEMatch 3.5 help against the hiss?

Would it compromised the signal?

I use my A18S with the Hugo2 and it’s great - the LID filters out all the hiss. The A18t and the Fourte however would hiss quite badly

 

[KuroKitsu]

Thanks for the impressions. I have big ol' ears so thats not a problem. Im also able to sell the U12t for a minor loss over what I paid luckily and the Z1R I can get for £100 or so more so there's not much of a price difference for me.

ps. The Z1R's treble is handled by the smaller DD driver, I believe the mids are covered by the BA alongside the full range 12mm DD.

If price is not an issue, it becomes why not. Get both and sell the one that you don't like (Or keep both, they're fairly different animals) . Fit and price were my deciding factors against the Z1R. Otherwise I probably own one alongside the u12t.

The driver distribution is a bit more nuanced it seems, from @mvvRAZ review: the Z1R's DD actually performs the lows and mids, while the BA covers the upper midrange and lower treble. The second DD covers the ultra highs

So part of the treble is is done by BA. Still prefer the TIA setup though.

 

[hifihov]

Thanks for the feedback @KuroKitsu, @normie610 and @hkpants

I’ve done quite a bit of research in this thread as well as other cable threads, and appreciate £400 and £800 cables can improve above a £100 cable, but rather put the £700 towards a better source/RME ADI2.

I’ve swapped cables between my Rai Pentas and se525s and can hear the change, so wondered what cable to go for, around the £100 mark. ISNs SC4 seem to impress (in dsnuts thread), and can almost deliver the same as cables twice as much as the Ares 2.

I’ll consider the ISNs SC4, Ares 2 and Forza, and also been recommended Plussound.

 

[nrbatista]

Don't know if this was already mentioned but 64 Audio put back the original price for Tia Trió. I was afraid they would be discontinued or replaced after stock ended. Apparently not the case, at least not just yet.

Glad I grabbed mine discounted, great iems!

 

[mvvRAZ]

If price is not an issue, it becomes why not. Get both and sell the one that you don't like (Or keep both, they're fairly different animals) . Fit and price were my deciding factors against the Z1R. Otherwise I probably own one alongside the u12t.

The driver distribution is a bit more nuanced it seems, from @mvvRAZ review: the Z1R's DD actually performs the lows and mids, while the BA covers the upper midrange and lower treble. The second DD covers the ultra highs

So part of the treble is is done by BA. Still prefer the TIA setup though.

I’ve actually read some more on that, and Toranku made a case that the three drivers are all full range which is also partially where the coherency comes from.

truth is there’s no official info on that, so we’re all guessing ultimately

 

[luckyshot]

Hi guys selling my weeks old Tia Trio in mint condition like new, also Noble Tux5, UM MEST and Legend X 2020 all just weeks old purchased to evaluate for myself which is king in the group. All are like new. I’m in NYC if anyone is interested, in trades these are all TOTL in my opinion or endgame. Thanks

 

[Asadachi]

Placed my order for the A18s. Sent the impressions, so with rush processing it should be about 3 weeks give or take. Only time will tell. Im excited for them though! Looking to have an end-all CIEM purchase for at least another half decade or so.

 

[aaf evo]

Placed my order for the A18s. Sent the impressions, so with rush processing it should be about 3 weeks give or take. Only time will tell. Im excited for them though! Looking to have an end-all CIEM purchase for at least another half decade or so.

Share your design!

 

[Asadachi]

Share your design!

I was intrigued by the mother of pearl faceplate with the gold logo, simular to how the company website showcases them.

Being that my last reference was the JH-13 before the freqphase was released, these A18S will sure be a step up!

 

[Rockwell75]

I don't really know why harcore audiophiles still believe in Sony.

Sony is an institution and has legions of fans the world over-- myself included. I would wager that most of us in the hobby of portable audio (especially those of us born prior to 1990) were first drawn into it way back when due to the allure of a Sony product. I got my first Sony sport walkman back in 1991 and that started a lifelong obsession. Sony in many ways is the spiritual forbear to Apple. Both companies have a similar aesthetic and commitment to quality & style across the board. In some audiophile circles I've noticed that Sony products enjoy the same sort of haloed immunity to criticism that used to attend Apple products among chin stroking hipster types during the Steve Jobs era. You see a little of this with the Z1R. It's a great IEM in many ways but, like all products it has its flaws and depending on your own tastes and preferences you maybe be able to live with/overlook them or not. IMHO there are many IEMs on the market right now that are as good or better depending on what you're looking for. Sony DAPs, while underpowered for full size headphones, are among the best sounding out there. I would take a WM1Z over any AK dap myself. So while I would agree Sony products do tend to be over praised in some circles they should absolutely still be on one's shortlist if they're currently searching for TOTL gear on the market today.