[mvvRAZ]

The i4 is a conditionally great IEM. It’s just that you need to be willing to EQ it (locking yourself into their Cipher cable), are okay with having zero isolation & lots of sound leakage, can get a good fit with those giant T-600 size nozzles & bulky design, and find the earhooks comfortable.

If you want to use them outdoors, in any public environment, in any quiet office/library environment, etc., then it’s a non-starter. Convenience is something I value in an IEM, which is why I don’t see myself ever getting products like the i4 and KSE1200.

I'm generally unwilling to EQ an IEM that costs more than a few hundred bucks - there's loads and loads of variety in the super high end market, I think it's easy to find something that both satisfies your needs to build quality, attention to detail etc, and also the sound signature.

EDIT: I'm a sucker for aftermarket cables too (the ALO Audio pure silver litz is one of my favourites), which once again completely disqualifies the i4

Personally for a fun and coloured IEM, the Andromeda S is my all time absolute favourite. It has the same effect on my music as the Fourte but with somewhat less bass which I appreciate. I also love neutral sound signatures with a large soundstage and loads of detail, so the A18t is a no-brainer

 

[seedubchris]

yeah just like how i prefer the 1500$ ue 18+ pro to the u18t.

I love my 18+pro 2nd gen and use them for stage performance before reaching for the 18t’s but The 18t is in another league in my opinion when it comes to referencing music . Given that I own both I can’t understand how you could prefer the UE. Maybe it’s your source ? The 18t can be quite demanding of its source .
This is where the Chord Hugo 2 and Hugo 2 TT s remove all question as to what these iem’s sound like when properly powered .

 

[mvvRAZ]

I love my 18+pro 2nd gen and use them for stage performance before reaching for the 18t’s but The 18t is in another league in my opinion when it comes to referencing music . Given that I own both I can’t understand how you could prefer the UE. Maybe it’s your source ? The 18t can be quite demanding of its source .
This is where the Chord Hugo 2 and Hugo 2 TT s remove all question as to what these iem’s sound like when properly powered .

A18t doesn't have the most fun signature out there. I haven't tried the UE18, but I know a lot of people who aren't after picking out every single detail in a song and getting the most realistic visualization of the music, which is the main strength of the A18.

In my experience they do impress more than almost any other IEM out there, but they aren't something many people can listen to all day every day

 

[Dt1193]

A18t doesn't have the most fun signature out there. I haven't tried the UE18, but I know a lot of people who aren't after picking out every single detail in a song and getting the most realistic visualization of the music, which is the main strength of the A18.

In my experience they do impress more than almost any other IEM out there, but they aren't something many people can listen to all day every day

Exactly. I got the u12t and decided to return it. They sounded great but were not fun. I got a similar vibe from the u18t. As an audiophile not a sound engineer or musician, enjoyment trumps technicalities for me. I saw myself just buying the u18t and leaving it on the shelf most of the time, as I would've done with the u12t.

 

[Dt1193]

I love my 18+pro 2nd gen and use them for stage performance before reaching for the 18t’s but The 18t is in another league in my opinion when it comes to referencing music . Given that I own both I can’t understand how you could prefer the UE. Maybe it’s your source ? The 18t can be quite demanding of its source .
This is where the Chord Hugo 2 and Hugo 2 TT s remove all question as to what these iem’s sound like when properly powered .

Because the u18t are boring. Listening to the ue18, I wanna dance around my neighborhood despite people may be thinking I'm mentally disabled.

 

[mvvRAZ]

Ok my point was heavily misunderstood. I found the 18t to be one of the most engaging IEMs I've ever listened to, as I love picking out details in my music and getting that really spacious and accurate presentation. I've tried dozens of IEMs and nothing has ever given me such a feeling of euphoria. The treble on them is also amazing, which is very important for my enjoyment

I'm not a sound engineer or musician either, we just enjoy different things, but you seem to be omitting the possibility that people enjoy technicalities

The main issue I have with a fun and coloured presentation is that I will, no matter what, always get bored of it. The two factors that have always kept me interested are detail and neutrality, with soundstage a close third - everything else would sooner or later get tiring.

 

[BananaOoyoo]

I don’t know how the u18t could be considered more boring than the ue18+ pro, but that’s just me I guess.

 

[Dt1193]

Ok my point was heavily misunderstood. I found the 18t to be one of the most engaging IEMs I've ever listened to, as I love picking out details in my music and getting that really spacious and accurate presentation. I've tried dozens of IEMs and nothing has ever given me such a feeling of euphoria. The treble on them is also amazing, which is very important for my enjoyment

I'm not a sound engineer or musician either, we just enjoy different things, but you seem to be omitting the possibility that people enjoy technicalities

The main issue I have with a fun and coloured presentation is that I will, no matter what, always get bored of it. The two factors that have always kept me interested are detail and neutrality, with soundstage a close third - everything else would sooner or later get tiring.

i have the beyerdynamic t1 and love and appreciate the hell out of it, so i know the joy of hearing all the details. nonetheless they sit in their case unused. im more of an emotional listener, not a critical listener. and i dont think the 'fun' style would bore me either, as i've loved the lcdi4 every single day for the past six months since i got it.

 

[mvvRAZ]

I don’t know how the u18t could be considered more boring than the ue18+ pro, but that’s just me I guess.

I also don't fully understand how one of the most technically impressive IEMs out there can generally not be enjoyed by people interested in music but hey, each to his own

 

[Dt1193]

I don’t know how the u18t could be considered more boring than the ue18+ pro, but that’s just me I guess.

ok well i only got to try the u18t for about twenty minutes. i got a similar, but better, but still similar vibe compared to the u12t. i actually bought the u12t but ended up returning them. the resolution and technicalities on the 12 were amazing but i would take something fun all day long.

 

[Dt1193]

I also don't fully understand how one of the most technically impressive IEMs out there can generally not be enjoyed by people interested in music but hey, each to his own

do you love the u12t as well?

 

[mvvRAZ]

do you love the u12t as well?

Like, not love - I find it to have a bit too much bass for my preferred sound signature. I do really enjoy the soundstage and detail retrieval, but the mids feel a bit more backwards compared to the 18, while the bass is further up ahead, which isn't my cup of tea

EDIT: Could you please explain what you refer to as fun? Are you talking extra bass or extra mids or more coloration etc?

 

[Dt1193]

Like, not love - I find it to have a bit too much bass for my preferred sound signature. I do really enjoy the soundstage and detail retrieval, but the mids feel a bit more backwards compared to the 18, while the bass is further up ahead, which isn't my cup of tea

EDIT: Could you please explain what you refer to as fun? Are you talking extra bass or extra mids or more coloration etc?

haha im not as tasteless as you mockingly make me out to be. having a true fun sound is not easy. and the ones that do stand out from the crowd gloriously. i would say coherence is probably the number one factor in a fun sound. like i said before, the fun iems are lcdi4, sony ier z1r, ue 18+, andromeda. i bet theres more out there. separation is very important as well. so coherence and separation.

 

[mvvRAZ]

haha im not as tasteless as you mockingly make me out to be. having a true fun sound is not easy. and the ones that do stand out from the crowd gloriously. i would say coherence is probably the number one factor in a fun sound. like i said before, the fun iems are lcdi4, sony ier z1r, ue 18+, andromeda. i bet theres more out there. separation is very important as well. so coherence and separation.

No no I'm not saying tasteless - I for example love on ocassion extremely mid-centric IEMs, where the bass and treble are barely present but the mids are amazing.

It just doesn't make a lot of sense to me what you're saying, because the U18 doesn't lack in any way or form coherence, and the separation is unlike anything I've ever heard

Do you think it could be a case of being prejudiced against the U18 because people online say they find them too neutral and boring? I myself get influenced quite a bit which is why I'm asking, genuinely not trying to be offensive

 

[GiullianSN]

Fun or boring is subjective to each omes taste and music genre. Lack of bass extension can be boring for hip hop, but can also be ok for classic rock.