[hifihov]

Bass bloat is not a term I've heard used with the U12t before. If you think the U12t are too bassy, best avoid Nio!

Bloat might be the wrong word, but the new cable is 1 silver and 4 copper strands, and it seems to have reduced the bass quantity slightly, and there is more bass detail.

So bloat is in the context of quantity masking the detail.

 

[Deezel177]

Hi Deezel,

I demoed the Elysium universal version. I believe it was with stock tips and cable but I got good seal. I didn’t try other tips and I’m sure it can help fine tune the sound (prefers universal over custom).

Please don’t get me wrong, the slight sibilance I heard is source/song dependent and it’s not really a bother to me either. Bigger concern is losing the DD bass slam I might missed later. But the Elysium is so nice with the excellent clarity, open stage and resolutions (I heard instruments almost like floating in the airy and stable stage amidst a black background lol). It’s certainly still on my radar for another hi-performance IEM; and I much appreciated the recommendation and confidence from someone with your experience. Tks.

ps: love your channel and professional reviews btw.

Of course, man, don't worry about it. I just hadn't heard it being called sibilant before (some have even called it warm, which I don't necessarily agree with), so I was a bit surprised. But, given how sparkly its treble is and how different tolerances to treble are (plus, in this case, the variety that can come from match-ups as well), I can definitely see the ELYSIUM coming across a tad harsh on some ears. The bass is also, indeed, more foundational and more of a team player than a star. I apologise for assuming wrongly, by the way. I was under the impression that you owned one from your earlier post. But, yeah, as always, different strokes for different folks, and the important thing is finding the right one for you.

Thanks so much for your kind words as well.

 

[DavidS11]

Of course, man, don't worry about it. I just hadn't heard it being called sibilant before (some have even called it warm, which I don't necessarily agree with), so I was a bit surprised. But, given how sparkly its treble is and how different tolerances to treble are (plus, in this case, the variety that can come from match-ups as well), I can definitely see the ELYSIUM coming across a tad harsh on some ears. The bass is also, indeed, more foundational and more of a team player than a star. I apologise for assuming wrongly, by the way. I was under the impression that you owned one from your earlier post. But, yeah, as always, different strokes for different folks, and the important thing is finding the right one for you.

Thanks so much for your kind words as well.

No worries man, it’s good to hear your impressions.

 

[mashuto]

Yo, agree the Sedna is too hard and not very comfy. They sound a bit on bright side for me as well (bought all 4 variants, not the Xelastec).

How do u find the ePro sound? I think they sound very different than other regular tips, hard to describe the sound. Sound stage seems bigger, sort of like listening in a big studio and bass is enhanced too (more textured and tighter control?). Sound energy seems also smoothen out, yet still image well like it has a blacker background... not sure I’m crazy lol

Yeah the ePro tips do deform easily due to thin material. I didn’t like it at first but later learned the right way to fit them. Trick is to insert the tips without pushing too hard into the ears, it will seal well.

Honestly I'm not really noticing any major differences that I would attribute directly to the tips themselves. Bass does seem punchier and has a little more physicality, but I think it may be less due to the tip itself and more due to just getting a better and tighter seal than I am with some others. They sound similar to the xelastec to me, but I think that's also because the xelastec seal quite well.

While I wait for my custom tips from custom art my number one goal is comfort over longer listening sessions, then seal second. Not necessarily going for any kind of sound tweaks from tips.

 

[DavidS11]

Honestly I'm not really noticing any major differences that I would attribute directly to the tips themselves. Bass does seem punchier and has a little more physicality, but I think it may be less due to the tip itself and more due to just getting a better and tighter seal than I am with some others. They sound similar to the xelastec to me, but I think that's also because the xelastec seal quite well.

While I wait for my custom tips from custom art my number one goal is comfort over longer listening sessions, then seal second. Not necessarily going for any kind of sound tweaks from tips.

Ok, thanks for the feedback.
Guess I‘ll just settle with the ePro tips on my Trio as I’m able to have good seal/comfort after trying many tips and they sounded ok for me. Best of luck with your custom tips.

 

[BobJS]

I've finally gathered all my tips from around the house and have them ready to try. Is anyone using 64Audio stock tips with Trio, Nio? Are they NG?

 

[Titienne]

Yeah it's still on my bucket list, even though I did spend some time with the silver Andros. I just want to hear how they compare to *my* gold standard of all-BA IEMs, the U12t.

I'm interested in that too-- my gold standard for BA IEMs (that I've heard so far) is the u12t along with the VE8.

Having owned the U12t for about 6 months prior to the announcement of the Nio, I can say that it's great and is very relevant still. The treble on the U12t is definitely more present and effortless compared to the Nio. At my usual listening level, the U12t is definitely the more balanced of the two (even without taking the bass into consideration) and detail retrieval is a bit better too. From memory, I think I still prefer the U12t for metal, just because of the speed and accuracy of the lower frequencies. You get a bit of bass bleed with the M15 module and the level of bass isn't enough for my tastes with the MX, so you need something in between. The Fir module O is a must have in my opinion, as it reduces the bass just enough to balance things out.

As @Mrcojocaru said previously, the Nio is very similar to the VE8, especially in the mids. They're right in the center, and you can hear them well. From memory, I'd say the vocals sound very similar and there's very good weight / emotion to them. For some reason, I don't find the Nio to be as thick sounding in the lower mids, especially with the MX module. The bass is probably a bit more controlled on the VE8, but it's obviously more impactful and realistic on the Nio. The VE8 hisses with almost everything and the sound changes a lot depending on the OI of your source, so that can be a negative for some.

Finally, there's the Andro 2020. Like I mentioned in a previous post, I would recommend it over the Nio if you're a low volume listener and you want the absolute best bang for your buck in the TOTL realm. If you NEED a DD for the lower frequencies and listen fairly loudly (around the 80 dB or more), then the Nio is a no brainer. Even after A/Bing against the Z1R, I felt like the bass wasn't very far behind (the Z1R has a more effortless bass). The only thing you're missing out on is the treble sparkle and maybe layering of the Andros. If you guys ever get the chance to try those two side by side, please let us know your thoughts !

 

[mwhals]

I've finally gathered all my tips from around the house and have them ready to try. Is anyone using 64Audio stock tips with Trio, Nio? Are they NG?

I use the stock silicone tips with Tia Trio. I tried others, but the stock tips work best for me and they are inexpensive.

 

[ctop]

I've finally gathered all my tips from around the house and have them ready to try. Is anyone using 64Audio stock tips with Trio, Nio? Are they NG?

Spiral Dot++ with the Trio

 

[Edyeded86]

I know everyone is on the Nio hype, but any recommendations for tips for the u12t?

 

[Titienne]

I know everyone is on the Nio hype, but any recommendations for tips for the u12t?

I like Azla sedna shorts a lot. Azla XELASTEC are great too.

 

[Malevolint]

Having owned the U12t for about 6 months prior to the announcement of the Nio, I can say that it's great and is very relevant still. The treble on the U12t is definitely more present and effortless compared to the Nio. At my usual listening level, the U12t is definitely the more balanced of the two (even without taking the bass into consideration) and detail retrieval is a bit better too. From memory, I think I still prefer the U12t for metal, just because of the speed and accuracy of the lower frequencies. You get a bit of bass bleed with the M15 module and the level of bass isn't enough for my tastes with the MX, so you need something in between. The Fir module O is a must have in my opinion, as it reduces the bass just enough to balance things out.

As @Mrcojocaru said previously, the Nio is very similar to the VE8, especially in the mids. They're right in the center, and you can hear them well. From memory, I'd say the vocals sound very similar and there's very good weight / emotion to them. For some reason, I don't find the Nio to be as thick sounding in the lower mids, especially with the MX module. The bass is probably a bit more controlled on the VE8, but it's obviously more impactful and realistic on the Nio. The VE8 hisses with almost everything and the sound changes a lot depending on the OI of your source, so that can be a negative for some.

Finally, there's the Andro 2020. Like I mentioned in a previous post, I would recommend it over the Nio if you're a low volume listener and you want the absolute best bang for your buck in the TOTL realm. If you NEED a DD for the lower frequencies and listen fairly loudly (around the 80 dB or more), then the Nio is a no brainer. Even after A/Bing against the Z1R, I felt like the bass wasn't very far behind (the Z1R has a more effortless bass). The only thing you're missing out on is the treble sparkle and maybe layering of the Andros. If you guys ever get the chance to try those two side by side, please let us know your thoughts !

Haha man am so relieved to hear someone else agree that the Nio somewhat similar to the VE8. It was difficult to be the first one to write it, especially without the VE8 on hand. I also agree about the lower mids aren't as thick and sound more detailed instead, but man, does it make up for it with upper mids. I don't think I've heard anything quite like it.

I discovered that while the MX is too little bass for most genres, it is perfect for bass heavy genres like edm or hop, where the m15 is overwhelming with midbass. For everything else, I like the excitement of the m15.

 

[Titienne]

Haha man am so relieved to hear someone else agree that the Nio somewhat similar to the VE8. It was difficult to be the first one to write it, especially without the VE8 on hand. I also agree about the lower mids aren't as thick and sound more detailed instead, but man, does it make up for it with upper mids. I don't think I've heard anything quite like it.

I discovered that while the MX is too little bass for most genres, it is perfect for bass heavy genres like edm or hop, where the m15 is overwhelming with midbass. For everything else, I like the excitement of the m15.

Yeah man, the mids are very very impressive on the Nio. When you see people talk about the Nio, it's mostly about the bass, but you can never forget the MIDS! The vocals are absolutely phenomenal and instruments have a good amount of weight / presence to them too. Truly top tier in that aspect.

 

[tawmizzzz]

Nios finally arrived! As several mentioned, have to wait til Aug 14th to try it with the silver cable so will let the DD burn in until then and then try and offer some additional impressions of Nio vs LX.

They def do look prettier in person though.

 

[Malevolint]

Yeah man, the mids are very very impressive on the Nio. When you see people talk about the Nio, it's mostly about the bass, but you can never forget the MIDS! The vocals are absolutely phenomenal and instruments have a good amount of weight / presence to them too. Truly top tier in that aspect.

This is a turning point, imo, because until now I don't believe there has been one hybrid with it's strength being mids. That's generally a weakness.