Hey all, the U18S demo unit arrived today! I haven't gotten to much ear time on it, but here are some first impressions.
First off, they sound very different from the U18T. The U18T is considerably more mid-bass emphasized, upper-midrange forward, and significantly brighter. This culminates in a more in-your-face presentation. The U18S, then, is for people who did not enjoy the U18t and more closely aligned with the U12T’s sound. The U18S is more laid-back, sporting a gentle, U-shaped curve. The tonal balance here is terrific. The only issue I would point out is what appears to be the lack of mid-treble energy; the U18S’s treble can run on the darker side as it dips somewhere after ~8kHz. Like most of the 64 Audio IEMs, though, it comes back up for air at around ~15kHz, so you’re going to get that very airy zing. In general, this is an easy on-the-ears tuning that works terrific with the Apex modules for extended listening.
Technicalities are interesting. Imaging is expectedly excellent thanks to the spike of treble air; I swear those tia tweeters work magic. Detail on the U18S is fantastic too, enough to play near the top. It's noticeably more resolving than the U18T which is surprising given that the U18T is much brighter-leaning. To this end, I have to wonder if the drivers being used in the U18S have changed. The shell is slightly larger in width than the U18T and the other 64 Audio IEMs; the transient behavior of the U18S also sounds different to my ears. Of course, it's very possible that these are more the by-product of tonal shifts, but given the discrepancy between perceived detail and their respective tunings, I think there is some merit to this theory.
And of course, a comparison to the U12T is warranted. Although they sound very close tonally, they don't sound so similar when it comes to transient behavior. The bass on the U12T is more impactful to my ears, so I don't think these are the same drivers being used for the low-end in the U18S. The U12T remains my benchmark for BA bass. Unfortunately, the U18S also sounds noticeably flatter, more downwards-compressed to the way it scales dynamic swings. The U12T is smoother in transient attack and decay; the U18S is more micro detail-oriented, textured to my ears. So on the flip side, for sheer detail, the U18S is easily on par.
For now, I can confidently say that the U18S is solid work by 64 Audio and an apt foil to the A18T. Whether it’s "worth it" when the U12T exists is another matter that’ll have to be explored more closely, but suffice it to say I'd struggle to see a listener being unhappy with either of them. I also heard the U18T today, so with this I've heard the entire 64 Audio lineup!
First off, they sound very different from the U18T. The U18T is considerably more mid-bass emphasized, upper-midrange forward, and significantly brighter. This culminates in a more in-your-face presentation. The U18S, then, is for people who did not enjoy the U18t and more closely aligned with the U12T’s sound. The U18S is more laid-back, sporting a gentle, U-shaped curve. The tonal balance here is terrific. The only issue I would point out is what appears to be the lack of mid-treble energy; the U18S’s treble can run on the darker side as it dips somewhere after ~8kHz. Like most of the 64 Audio IEMs, though, it comes back up for air at around ~15kHz, so you’re going to get that very airy zing. In general, this is an easy on-the-ears tuning that works terrific with the Apex modules for extended listening.
Technicalities are interesting. Imaging is expectedly excellent thanks to the spike of treble air; I swear those tia tweeters work magic. Detail on the U18S is fantastic too, enough to play near the top. It's noticeably more resolving than the U18T which is surprising given that the U18T is much brighter-leaning. To this end, I have to wonder if the drivers being used in the U18S have changed. The shell is slightly larger in width than the U18T and the other 64 Audio IEMs; the transient behavior of the U18S also sounds different to my ears. Of course, it's very possible that these are more the by-product of tonal shifts, but given the discrepancy between perceived detail and their respective tunings, I think there is some merit to this theory.
And of course, a comparison to the U12T is warranted. Although they sound very close tonally, they don't sound so similar when it comes to transient behavior. The bass on the U12T is more impactful to my ears, so I don't think these are the same drivers being used for the low-end in the U18S. The U12T remains my benchmark for BA bass. Unfortunately, the U18S also sounds noticeably flatter, more downwards-compressed to the way it scales dynamic swings. The U12T is smoother in transient attack and decay; the U18S is more micro detail-oriented, textured to my ears. So on the flip side, for sheer detail, the U18S is easily on par.
For now, I can confidently say that the U18S is solid work by 64 Audio and an apt foil to the A18T. Whether it’s "worth it" when the U12T exists is another matter that’ll have to be explored more closely, but suffice it to say I'd struggle to see a listener being unhappy with either of them. I also heard the U18T today, so with this I've heard the entire 64 Audio lineup!
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