[fzman]

Whatever inspires someone to be a more compassionate person is worth its weight in gold in my book.

I somethimes think I'm just being a grumpy old guy, but I feel like people these days (present company very much excepted) do not seem to be even aware of the fact that thier behavior effects others, let alone care about, or take responsibility for those effects.

This makes good manners eem rare enough to qualify as a 'super power'. Glad to count all of you among my audio tribe!

 

[HarlanDraka]

Sooo, as someone PMed me to have a comparison between Oriolus Reborn, Mest MKii and U12t I though I would share it here as it may be useful for anybody who is interested in one of these iems.
NOTE: This is my SUBJECTIVE view based on my PERSONAL taste so take it as a grain of salt. What I may find important and pleasant in an iem can be less relevant to you.
And sorry for the long post

I like: Smooth and musical Iems with good separation of instrument. Impactful bass. Large soundstage.

I dislike: SIBILANCE. Sharp treble. Too forward High mids and vocals. In your head sound. Weak bass.

Background: Long time music enthusiast, I studied piano, guitar and now learning wind instruments (Sax, EWI and Ocarina). Played in a local band in my 20s (As singer/rythm guitar, Main Genres: Grunge, Rock, Punk). Now listening to many genres, from Rock to Edm, Ambient, Classical, jazz, blues and latino.
Testing and purchasing iems and headphones for the last 7 years. Had or tested around 100 iems, from TOTL to mid priced. Some of iems I had include Legend x, Phantom, Flamenco, PP8, SD5, Rhapsodio Solar, Solaris 20, Andromeda 19, Andromeda S, Vega, se846, Moondrop S8 etc etc. Full list in my profile, it’s really too long

Iems:
u12t+M20 module+leonidas II cable+sedna light (normal version) tips
Mest MKii+ stock cable+xelastec tips
Oriolus Reborn+pwaudio no 5 cable+spiral dots

Source: DX300

FIT
- NOTE: I personally prefer a more shallow fit than deeper more invasive fit

Oriolus Reborn: 10
Reborn have the biggest shells out of the three with the shortest nozzles. Very Shallow fit with the spiral dots. They are very comfortable.

u12t: 9
With the sedna light they are pretty comfortable. The shells are smaller than reborn but they have longer nozzles

Mest mkii: 8
They are the smallest of the three with thicker nozzles. Fit changes the sound the most compared to the other 2. Xelastec tips are a bit tricky to fit in the ears but after a while they get softer. Still, to my ears Xelastec are the best tips sound wise with mest mkii

SUB-BASS

Oriolus Reborn: 10
The sub-bass of God. Nothing else to say. Rumbles like an angry God of thunder but does never bleed. It’s also very controlled (unlike the headache inducing legend x)

Mest MKii: 9
Very good sub-bass. Less present than Reborn but still rumbles and goes deeep when called upon

u12t: 8
While the u12t has fantastic bass for an all ba iem, it still does not rumble in your chest as the other 2 dynamic drivers based bass. Anyway, sub-bass goes deep and has impact, just less rumble-you-feel-in-your chest

MID-BASS

u12t: 10
Yes, surprising from and all Ba but the mid-bass of u12t is tight, punchy, with right decay and never bleeds

Mest MKii:9
Punchy and tight mid-bass with the right tips. More or less present/punchy depending on tips/fit.Good decay. Never bleeds

Oriolus reborn: 8
Still excellent mid-bass impact/tightness. It’s a bit slower than the other 2 but does not bleed into mids. I would call it an euphonic take on midbass (with no5 cable). It changes with other cable pairings, becoming tighter but I preferwhere it is with no 5

MIDS:

Oriolus Reborn: 10
Lush euphonic musical mids. On the intimate side.Love them.

Mest MKii: 9
Very Spacious and musical Mids, holographic. Low mids are more present when the shells are more in contact with the ears due to bone conduction.

u12t: 8
Mids are on technical side but with still enough warmth and musicality. NEVER harsh or fatiguing

HIGHS:

u12t: 10
Tia treble. Extended but smooth.

Mest mkii: 9
Extended sparkly treble. With good seal it’s not harsh or fatiguins

Oriolus Reborn:8
The highs are not as extended as the other 2. Smooth and on the musical side.

SOUNDSTAGE:

Mest MKii: 10
HOLOGRAPHIC soundstage with correct tips/fit. AMAZING

Oriolus Reborn: 9
More intimate (not as wide) soundstage than the other 2 but holographic.

U12t: 8
Soundstage here is as wide as mest mkii but deeper than both mest miii and Reborn. Sligthly less 3d effect than the other 2 as the presentation in more laid back.


MUSICALITY:

Oriolus Reborn: 10
What the Reborn loses in technicalities compared to the other 2, it gains in musicality. Warm rumbling bass, lush and intimate mids and vocal, smooth treble. Presentation is more on the musical/emotional side, quite holographic soundstage

Mest Mkii: 9
Toe tapping sparkly presentation. The soundstage is..wow, never heard such holographic thing from an iem. SOUND ARE POPPING FROM EVERYWHERE.

u12t: 8
More laid back presentation, technical iem but still musical. Less emotional than the other 2

TECHNICALITIES:
u12t: 10
Best technicalities of the three. Does EVERYTHING right and nothing wrong

Mest MKii:9
Excellent technicalities. Very Spacious iem

Oriolus Reborn: 8
Loses a little bit in technicalities compared to other 2 because of the treble but wins many hearts with its musicality

ALL-AROUNDNESS/SAFEST CHOICE

u12t: 10
The best all’arounder iems I ever had or tried. It’s a safe tuning, warmish laid back and musical. Will not always touch your heart like the other 2 but it would be the first iem I would advise to try to someone looking for a does-it-all iem and the one I would choose if I could only have one iem.

Mest MKii: 9
Slightly wins on Reborn for the unique soundstage presentation and technicalities. Love how sparkly yet smooth it is.

Oriolus Reborn: 8 or 10
Now, this personally may be a 10 but it depends on what you think is important in an iem. Do you want to be moved from the music, feel emotions or hear and analize every single details? Do you prefer technicalities over musicality? Do you prefer a warmish iem or a bright one? Do you like a more intimate or laid back presentation?
Ask these to yourself and choose the rating

To close the post, I would say that they are all three fantastic iems and they complement each other very well. I hope this not short post will help some people in choosing

Edit: added photo

 

[RTodd]

Sooo, as someone PMed me to have a comparison between Oriolus Reborn, Mest MKii and U12t I though I would share it here as it may be useful for anybody who is interested in one of these iems.
NOTE: This is my SUBJECTIVE view based on my PERSONAL taste so take it as a grain of salt. What I may find important and pleasant in an iem can be less relevant to you.
And sorry for the long post

I like: Smooth and musical Iems with good separation of instrument. Impactful bass. Large soundstage.

I dislike: SIBILANCE. Sharp treble. Too forward High mids and vocals. In your head sound. Weak bass.

Background: Long time music enthusiast, I studied piano, guitar and now learning wind instruments (Sax, EWI and Ocarina). Played in a local band in my 20s (As singer/rythm guitar, Main Genres: Grunge, Rock, Punk). Now listening to many genres, from Rock to Edm, Ambient, Classical, jazz, blues and latino.
Testing and purchasing iems and headphones for the last 7 years. Had or tested around 100 iems, from TOTL to mid priced. Some of iems I had include Legend x, Phantom, Flamenco, PP8, SD5, Rhapsodio Solar, Solaris 20, Andromeda 19, Andromeda S, Vega, se846, Moondrop S8 etc etc. Full list in my profile, it’s really too long

Iems:
u12t+M20 module+leonidas II cable+sedna light (normal version) tips
Mest MKii+ stock cable+xelastec tips
Oriolus Reborn+pwaudio no 5 cable+spiral dots

Source: DX300

FIT
- NOTE: I personally prefer a more shallow fit than deeper more invasive fit

Oriolus Reborn: 10
Reborn have the biggest shells out of the three with the shortest nozzles. Very Shallow fit with the spiral dots. They are very comfortable.

u12t: 9
With the sedna light they are pretty comfortable. The shells are smaller than reborn but they have longer nozzles

Mest mkii: 8
They are the smallest of the three with thicker nozzles. Fit changes the sound the most compared to the other 2. Xelastec tips are a bit tricky to fit in the ears but after a while they get softer. Still, to my ears Xelastec are the best tips sound wise with mest mkii

SUB-BASS

Oriolus Reborn: 10
The sub-bass of God. Nothing else to say. Rumbles like an angry God of thunder but does never bleed. It’s also very controlled (unlike the headache inducing legend x)

Mest MKii: 9
Very good sub-bass. Less present than Reborn but still rumbles and goes deeep when called upon

u12t: 8
While the u12t has fantastic bass for an all ba iem, it still does not rumble in your chest as the other 2 dynamic drivers based bass. Anyway, sub-bass goes deep and has impact, just less rumble-you-feel-in-your chest

MID-BASS

u12t: 10
Yes, surprising from and all Ba but the mid-bass of u12t is tight, punchy, with right decay and never bleeds

Mest MKii:9
Punchy and tight mid-bass with the right tips. More or less present/punchy depending on tips/fit.Good decay. Never bleeds

Oriolus reborn: 8
Still excellent mid-bass impact/tightness. It’s a bit slower than the other 2 but does not bleed into mids. I would call it an euphonic take on midbass (with no5 cable). It changes with other cable pairings, becoming tighter but I preferwhere it is with no 5

MIDS:

Oriolus Reborn: 10
Lush euphonic musical mids. On the intimate side.Love them.

Mest MKii: 9
Very Spacious and musical Mids, holographic. Low mids are more present when the shells are more in contact with the ears due to bone conduction.

u12t: 8
Mids are on technical side but with still enough warmth and musicality. NEVER harsh or fatiguing

HIGHS:

u12t: 10
Tia treble. Extended but smooth.

Mest mkii: 9
Extended sparkly treble. With good seal it’s not harsh or fatiguins

Oriolus Reborn:8
The highs are not as extended as the other 2. Smooth and on the musical side.

SOUNDSTAGE:

Mest MKii: 10
HOLOGRAPHIC soundstage with correct tips/fit. AMAZING

Oriolus Reborn: 9
More intimate (not as wide) soundstage than the other 2 but holographic.

U12t: 8
Soundstage here is as wide as mest mkii but deeper than both mest miii and Reborn. Sligthly less 3d effect than the other 2 as the presentation in more laid back.


MUSICALITY:

Oriolus Reborn: 10
What the Reborn loses in technicalities compared to the other 2, it gains in musicality. Warm rumbling bass, lush and intimate mids and vocal, smooth treble. Presentation is more on the musical/emotional side, quite holographic soundstage

Mest Mkii: 9
Toe tapping sparkly presentation. The soundstage is..wow, never heard such holographic thing from an iem. SOUND ARE POPPING FROM EVERYWHERE.

u12t: 8
More laid back presentation, technical iem but still musical. Less emotional than the other 2

TECHNICALITIES:
u12t: 10
Best technicalities of the three. Does EVERYTHING right and nothing wrong

Mest MKii:9
Excellent technicalities. Very Spacious iem

Oriolus Reborn: 8
Loses a little bit in technicalities compared to other 2 because of the treble but wins many hearts with its musicality

ALL-AROUNDNESS/SAFEST CHOICE

u12t: 10
The best all’arounder iems I ever had or tried. It’s a safe tuning, warmish laid back and musical. Will not always touch your heart like the other 2 but it would be the first iem I would advise to try to someone looking for a does-it-all iem and the one I would choose if I could only have one iem.

Mest MKii: 9
Slightly wins on Reborn for the unique soundstage presentation and technicalities. Love how sparkly yet smooth it is.

Oriolus Reborn: 8 or 10
Now, this personally may be a 10 but it depends on what you think is important in an iem. Do you want to be moved from the music, feel emotions or hear and analize every single details? Do you prefer technicalities over musicality? Do you prefer a warmish iem or a bright one? Do you like a more intimate or laid back presentation?
Ask these to yourself and choose the rating

To close the post, I would say that they are all three fantastic iems and they complement each other very well. I hope this not short post will help some people in choosing

Liked this a lot, brief enough not to lose me in pros, just the facts and honest rankings.

Have you heard the Traillii?
To me it sounds closer to U12T as a safe musical all’rounder if overall U12T is an 8 Traillii is a 9.5, losing .5 because it has no color other than very close to perfect tuning.

To me you cannot have color and perfect tuning and the -.5 is because I like a little color if it is well done and does not call too much attention away from the music.

 

[Tristy]

Liked this a lot, brief enough not to lose me in pros, just the facts and honest rankings.

Have you heard the Traillii?
To me it sounds closer to U12T as a safe musical all’rounder if overall U12T is an 8 Traillii is a 9.5, losing .5 because it has no color other than very close to perfect tuning.

To me you cannot have color and perfect tuning and the -.5 is because I like a little color if it is well done and does not call too much attention away from the music.

So you would say the Traillii has a safe tuning? Because I’ve pretty much got strung up before for uttering such blasphemy

 

[Rockwell75]

I was musing privately with @Rockwell75 about Traillii ownership and my difficulties with the cost… He mentioned I should post it so if you can stomach the long winded rant…


“I guess I have this idea that I’ll try something like the Bravado 2 again and it will tick enough boxes to let me downgrade…
But the Traillii is really under my skin. I have been slowly going through old albums and songs and it’s not only the detail and clarity that is unmasking songs but it’s showing all the elements that make the song great. The clarity of each instrument lets me hear what it contributes to the song. The song never loses its majesty as other detailed iems have done for me … but I’m hearing what amazing chords and chord progressions in Joni Mitchell’s albums because I can hear the constituent notes of the chords. The. A guitar track will back it and I hear how it’s there to alter the emotion a bit, to convey the larger story she has crafted in each of her songs. This isn’t just a band that plays a part, each part has specific purpose to the song’s story.

I’m reminded of a soundtrack and how the music creates the tension and dissolution of the visual narrative, often unconsciously. Some music as we listen is like that. So many unconscious elements put together to create a song that we see in its gestalt. Often it’s because the musicians are essentially “asleep at the wheel” regardless of how good and novel they are. They channel a muse but it’s essentially unconscious. There is something to be said for that but that’s a primitive shamanistic (not pejoratively) approach. There is an idea of music as sacred though as a conscious form of prayer, not idolatrous prayer but real prayer for the sake of that which is greater, not our part in it.
In some ways, we profane music with it’s constancy and our control over it, in terms of accessibility. The ephemeral nature of a tone and its relationship to time and ultimately death is a means to reverence and appreciation of life. To know that to feel is to live.
The Traillii makes me wonder if I shouldn’t sell it and focus on learning an instrument… but then is an instrument learned for oneself another form of idolatry and selfishness? Is not the purpose of the musician like that of a priest or holy man? The conversation between performer and audience is why society developed its stratification, to honour the separation of tasks in a society. It’s our animal instinct that corrupts the society to be predatory.

As is obvious, my roots (genetic) are western Judeo-Christian as the sensual is a conduit to separation from the divine and therefore a vulnerability.

I sit here in a ferry line up next to a cattle trailer where the animals are clearly in distress. What a species we are with it’s on-ramps and cars, it’s willingness to laugh as we drive sentient creatures to the abattoir. And when I next eat meat I will push down my feelings and likely not even thank the creature that nourishes my existence..

I am saddened by that state of it all, but inspired by some of the true genius that can arise in a performer like Joni Mitchell. Is my appreciation enough to justify the cost of the Traillii in my own life? If it can inspire me to be a better person then perhaps.. because what else is there in life that is real..?.

…Another aspect of my Traillii ownership is that the sense of its inevitable end heightens my time with it. Every listening session is very special as I know that sooner or later this will be over. In a way it’s a metaphor for existence. I never take these for granted.

Thanks for sharing this man! This post is a perfect example of why I love coming to Head Fi. Having a place to share personal elements of our audio journey, and also to read & relate to the experience of others, all of whom are here because they share the same passions you do...is a true gift.

Whatever inspires someone to be a more compassionate person is worth its weight in gold in my book.

Indeed. And being able to convert ones kilobuck audio excursions into a moral imperative seems like a golden ticket in my book

I somethimes think I'm just being a grumpy old guy, but I feel like people these days (present company very much excepted) do not seem to be even aware of the fact that thier behavior effects others, let alone care about, or take responsibility for those effects.

That's been a sad trend in society ever since the onset of television...and it's only being compounded in this age of social media where people can treat others however they want without ever having to look into their eyes to really feel how their actions or words affected that person.

This makes good manners eem rare enough to qualify as a 'super power'. Glad to count all of you among my audio tribe!

Cheers man right back at you!

Sooo, as someone PMed me to have a comparison between Oriolus Reborn, Mest MKii and U12t I though I would share it here as it may be useful for anybody who is interested in one of these iems.
NOTE: This is my SUBJECTIVE view based on my PERSONAL taste so take it as a grain of salt. What I may find important and pleasant in an iem can be less relevant to you.
And sorry for the long post

I like: Smooth and musical Iems with good separation of instrument. Impactful bass. Large soundstage.

I dislike: SIBILANCE. Sharp treble. Too forward High mids and vocals. In your head sound. Weak bass.

Background: Long time music enthusiast, I studied piano, guitar and now learning wind instruments (Sax, EWI and Ocarina). Played in a local band in my 20s (As singer/rythm guitar, Main Genres: Grunge, Rock, Punk). Now listening to many genres, from Rock to Edm, Ambient, Classical, jazz, blues and latino.
Testing and purchasing iems and headphones for the last 7 years. Had or tested around 100 iems, from TOTL to mid priced. Some of iems I had include Legend x, Phantom, Flamenco, PP8, SD5, Rhapsodio Solar, Solaris 20, Andromeda 19, Andromeda S, Vega, se846, Moondrop S8 etc etc. Full list in my profile, it’s really too long

Iems:
u12t+M20 module+leonidas II cable+sedna light (normal version) tips
Mest MKii+ stock cable+xelastec tips
Oriolus Reborn+pwaudio no 5 cable+spiral dots

Source: DX300

FIT
- NOTE: I personally prefer a more shallow fit than deeper more invasive fit

Oriolus Reborn: 10
Reborn have the biggest shells out of the three with the shortest nozzles. Very Shallow fit with the spiral dots. They are very comfortable.

u12t: 9
With the sedna light they are pretty comfortable. The shells are smaller than reborn but they have longer nozzles

Mest mkii: 8
They are the smallest of the three with thicker nozzles. Fit changes the sound the most compared to the other 2. Xelastec tips are a bit tricky to fit in the ears but after a while they get softer. Still, to my ears Xelastec are the best tips sound wise with mest mkii

SUB-BASS

Oriolus Reborn: 10
The sub-bass of God. Nothing else to say. Rumbles like an angry God of thunder but does never bleed. It’s also very controlled (unlike the headache inducing legend x)

Mest MKii: 9
Very good sub-bass. Less present than Reborn but still rumbles and goes deeep when called upon

u12t: 8
While the u12t has fantastic bass for an all ba iem, it still does not rumble in your chest as the other 2 dynamic drivers based bass. Anyway, sub-bass goes deep and has impact, just less rumble-you-feel-in-your chest

MID-BASS

u12t: 10
Yes, surprising from and all Ba but the mid-bass of u12t is tight, punchy, with right decay and never bleeds

Mest MKii:9
Punchy and tight mid-bass with the right tips. More or less present/punchy depending on tips/fit.Good decay. Never bleeds

Oriolus reborn: 8
Still excellent mid-bass impact/tightness. It’s a bit slower than the other 2 but does not bleed into mids. I would call it an euphonic take on midbass (with no5 cable). It changes with other cable pairings, becoming tighter but I preferwhere it is with no 5

MIDS:

Oriolus Reborn: 10
Lush euphonic musical mids. On the intimate side.Love them.

Mest MKii: 9
Very Spacious and musical Mids, holographic. Low mids are more present when the shells are more in contact with the ears due to bone conduction.

u12t: 8
Mids are on technical side but with still enough warmth and musicality. NEVER harsh or fatiguing

HIGHS:

u12t: 10
Tia treble. Extended but smooth.

Mest mkii: 9
Extended sparkly treble. With good seal it’s not harsh or fatiguins

Oriolus Reborn:8
The highs are not as extended as the other 2. Smooth and on the musical side.

SOUNDSTAGE:

Mest MKii: 10
HOLOGRAPHIC soundstage with correct tips/fit. AMAZING

Oriolus Reborn: 9
More intimate (not as wide) soundstage than the other 2 but holographic.

U12t: 8
Soundstage here is as wide as mest mkii but deeper than both mest miii and Reborn. Sligthly less 3d effect than the other 2 as the presentation in more laid back.


MUSICALITY:

Oriolus Reborn: 10
What the Reborn loses in technicalities compared to the other 2, it gains in musicality. Warm rumbling bass, lush and intimate mids and vocal, smooth treble. Presentation is more on the musical/emotional side, quite holographic soundstage

Mest Mkii: 9
Toe tapping sparkly presentation. The soundstage is..wow, never heard such holographic thing from an iem. SOUND ARE POPPING FROM EVERYWHERE.

u12t: 8
More laid back presentation, technical iem but still musical. Less emotional than the other 2

TECHNICALITIES:
u12t: 10
Best technicalities of the three. Does EVERYTHING right and nothing wrong

Mest MKii:9
Excellent technicalities. Very Spacious iem

Oriolus Reborn: 8
Loses a little bit in technicalities compared to other 2 because of the treble but wins many hearts with its musicality

ALL-AROUNDNESS/SAFEST CHOICE

u12t: 10
The best all’arounder iems I ever had or tried. It’s a safe tuning, warmish laid back and musical. Will not always touch your heart like the other 2 but it would be the first iem I would advise to try to someone looking for a does-it-all iem and the one I would choose if I could only have one iem.

Mest MKii: 9
Slightly wins on Reborn for the unique soundstage presentation and technicalities. Love how sparkly yet smooth it is.

Oriolus Reborn: 8 or 10
Now, this personally may be a 10 but it depends on what you think is important in an iem. Do you want to be moved from the music, feel emotions or hear and analize every single details? Do you prefer technicalities over musicality? Do you prefer a warmish iem or a bright one? Do you like a more intimate or laid back presentation?
Ask these to yourself and choose the rating

To close the post, I would say that they are all three fantastic iems and they complement each other very well. I hope this not short post will help some people in choosing

Epic post thank-you so much for sharing. In its own way this streamlined, smooth, efficient by the numbers "just the facts maam" yet very effective approach is very analogous to the u12t's mode of presentation...it is not at all surprising you (and @RTodd given his comment below) hold it in such high regard .

I really liked how you broke everything down and the numbers & rankings you provided gave great insight into your preferences. I agree that of those 3 the u12t is probably the best "general rec" though my own choice as a generalist rec for someone knowing nothing of their tastes I would personally pic the Isabellae or the Andromeda 2020 over the u12t. YMMV.

I would actually rank the u12t higher than the MEST (either version) on mids. It's not really the tuning of the u12t that keeps it from the upper echelons of my personal rankings it's the fact that I find the whole signature a little on the thin side. I'd be very curious to see u12t like tuning only through one of CFA's 10mm DDs in one of their ceramic shells. That would be pretty bada$$.

I would probably personally choose the Reborn for midbass-- even though it's not emphasized I love the bass on the reborn so much. Beyond that I basically concur with all your numbers and relative placements of those IEMs. Thanks again for sharing

To me you cannot have color and perfect tuning and the -.5 is because I like a little color if it is well done and does not call too much attention away from the music.

That's an interesting perspective. I find all Oriolus' IEMs colored in the way they enhance and bring the mids, particularly vocals, into focus...but as you say it's very tastefully & unobtrusively done. Coloration done right. Oriolus & their tuning has actually helped solidify the opposite view for me-- namely that perfect tuning, at least if it is to be truly alluring and engaging requires some degree of coloration-- and it doesn't have to be in a way that violates or takes away from the sanctity of the original recording. I agree that the u12t is basically a masterpiece in its own little domain...but in terms of allure and engagement-- which is the reason many if not most of us listen to music-- I don't think it really works as a true generalist rec.

 

[HarlanDraka]

Liked this a lot, brief enough not to lose me in pros, just the facts and honest rankings.

Have you heard the Traillii?
To me it sounds closer to U12T as a safe musical all’rounder if overall U12T is an 8 Traillii is a 9.5, losing .5 because it has no color other than very close to perfect tuning.

To me you cannot have color and perfect tuning and the -.5 is because I like a little color if it is well done and does not call too much attention away from the music.

Trailii.. I read so much about them and I’d really love to try/buy one but..ordering one from Europe would mean very high custom fees on top of an already very high price. And if I like them so much that I will then retire to a desert island and leave headfi? I would miss the community..
Maybe one day..maybe..

 

[snapandslide]

Trailii.. I read so much about them and I’d really love to try/buy one but..ordering one from Europe would mean very high custom fees on top of an already very high price. And if I like them so much that I will then retire to a desert island and leave headfi? I would miss the community..
Maybe one day..maybe..

The problem with the Bird is once you have it you start looking at other parts of the chain. So I'm onto bloomin' sources now....

 

[HarlanDraka]

Thanks for sharing this man! This post is a perfect example of why I love coming to Head Fi. Having a place to share personal elements of our audio journey, and also to read & relate to the experience of others, all of whom are here because they share the same passions you do...is a true gift.



Indeed. And being able to convert ones kilobuck audio excursions into a moral imperative seems like a golden ticket in my book



That's been a sad trend in society ever since the onset of television...and it's only being compounded in this age of social media where people can treat others however they want without ever having to look into their eyes to really feel how their actions or words affected that person.



Cheers man right back at you!



Epic post thank-you so much for sharing. In its own way this streamlined, smooth, efficient by the numbers "just the facts maam" yet very effective approach is very analogous to the u12t's mode of presentation...it is not at all surprising you (and @RTodd given his comment below) hold it in such high regard .

I really liked how you broke everything down and the numbers & rankings you provided gave great insight into your preferences. I agree that of those 3 the u12t is probably the best "general rec" though my own choice as a generalist rec for someone knowing nothing of their tastes I would personally pic the Isabellae or the Andromeda 2020 over the u12t. YMMV.

I would actually rank the u12t higher than the MEST (either version) on mids. It's not really the tuning of the u12t that keeps it from the upper echelons of my personal rankings it's the fact that I find the whole signature a little on the thin side. I'd be very curious to see u12t like tuning only through one of CFA's 10mm DDs in one of their ceramic shells. That would be pretty bada$$.

I would probably personally choose the Reborn for midbass-- even though it's not emphasized I love the bass on the reborn so much. Beyond that I basically concur with all your numbers and relative placements of those IEMs. Thanks again for sharing




That's an interesting perspective. I find all Oriolus' IEMs colored in the way they enhance and bring the mids, particularly vocals, into focus...but as you say it's very tastefully & unobtrusively done. Coloration done right. Oriolus & their tuning has actually helped solidify the opposite view for me-- namely that perfect tuning, at least if it is to be truly alluring and engaging requires some degree of coloration-- and it doesn't have to be in a way that violates or takes away from the sanctity of the original recording. I agree that the u12t is basically a masterpiece in its own little domain...but in terms of allure and engagement-- which is the reason many if not most of us listen to music-- I don't think it really works as a true generalist rec.

I liked a lot the (three versions) of Andros I had in past (but never tried the 20 version). My only problem with (all) the Andros I had was they sounded very different from different sources due to output impedance. For example, they all sounded extrawarm and a bit muddy from iBasso Daps (all output impedance less than 1ohm). Good from AK players (close to 2ohm output) and…the best from ipod touch (yeah right?!). All of this coupled with the fact they hisss from most of the sources, at the time made me sell them. Dongles etc to take care of the hiss and output impedance exist, but I found them to destroy the Andros sparkle and soundstage.

But i have read good things about changes in andro 2020.

Never tested Isaballae and maybe I’ll get one if I find someone from Europe selling They may replace the xelento as my dynamic driver iem (I promised myself never more than 4 iems, possibly one for each type of drivers - all ba - all dd- hybrid - quadbrid)

I agree that Reborn mid-bass is fantastic and punches hard. However is a tiny tiny bit slower than the other 2 hence I rated it slightly lower.

Mest MKii mids..mmm..largely depends on fit. If the shells touch the ears, the bone conductors do their magic and magically the mids become natural and pretty organic and full. Especially for mkii. Those Mest are hit and miss with fit and tips choice. Easy to get a seal but the sound largely depends on many many other factors. Initially I couldn’t stand the xelastec, then they got softer, easier to fit a bit deeper and everything clicked in place

 

[HarlanDraka]

Btw, looking (out of curiosity..) for an isaballae on amazon japan, it seems like they restocked the reborn with no 5 cable(only 1 available)

If anybody was interested, they ship everywhere https://www.amazon.co.jp/-/en/Rebor...hild=1&keywords=oriolus&qid=1626874320&sr=8-6

Still cheaper on hifigo as amazon asks to pay custom fees in advance. However, the ones from hifigo are not with the no5.

 

[HiFiHawaii808]

Sooo, as someone PMed me to have a comparison between Oriolus Reborn, Mest MKii and U12t I though I would share it here as it may be useful for anybody who is interested in one of these iems.
NOTE: This is my SUBJECTIVE view based on my PERSONAL taste so take it as a grain of salt. What I may find important and pleasant in an iem can be less relevant to you.
And sorry for the long post

I like: Smooth and musical Iems with good separation of instrument. Impactful bass. Large soundstage.

I dislike: SIBILANCE. Sharp treble. Too forward High mids and vocals. In your head sound. Weak bass.

Background: Long time music enthusiast, I studied piano, guitar and now learning wind instruments (Sax, EWI and Ocarina). Played in a local band in my 20s (As singer/rythm guitar, Main Genres: Grunge, Rock, Punk). Now listening to many genres, from Rock to Edm, Ambient, Classical, jazz, blues and latino.
Testing and purchasing iems and headphones for the last 7 years. Had or tested around 100 iems, from TOTL to mid priced. Some of iems I had include Legend x, Phantom, Flamenco, PP8, SD5, Rhapsodio Solar, Solaris 20, Andromeda 19, Andromeda S, Vega, se846, Moondrop S8 etc etc. Full list in my profile, it’s really too long

Iems:
u12t+M20 module+leonidas II cable+sedna light (normal version) tips
Mest MKii+ stock cable+xelastec tips
Oriolus Reborn+pwaudio no 5 cable+spiral dots

Source: DX300

FIT
- NOTE: I personally prefer a more shallow fit than deeper more invasive fit

Oriolus Reborn: 10
Reborn have the biggest shells out of the three with the shortest nozzles. Very Shallow fit with the spiral dots. They are very comfortable.

u12t: 9
With the sedna light they are pretty comfortable. The shells are smaller than reborn but they have longer nozzles

Mest mkii: 8
They are the smallest of the three with thicker nozzles. Fit changes the sound the most compared to the other 2. Xelastec tips are a bit tricky to fit in the ears but after a while they get softer. Still, to my ears Xelastec are the best tips sound wise with mest mkii

SUB-BASS

Oriolus Reborn: 10
The sub-bass of God. Nothing else to say. Rumbles like an angry God of thunder but does never bleed. It’s also very controlled (unlike the headache inducing legend x)

Mest MKii: 9
Very good sub-bass. Less present than Reborn but still rumbles and goes deeep when called upon

u12t: 8
While the u12t has fantastic bass for an all ba iem, it still does not rumble in your chest as the other 2 dynamic drivers based bass. Anyway, sub-bass goes deep and has impact, just less rumble-you-feel-in-your chest

MID-BASS

u12t: 10
Yes, surprising from and all Ba but the mid-bass of u12t is tight, punchy, with right decay and never bleeds

Mest MKii:9
Punchy and tight mid-bass with the right tips. More or less present/punchy depending on tips/fit.Good decay. Never bleeds

Oriolus reborn: 8
Still excellent mid-bass impact/tightness. It’s a bit slower than the other 2 but does not bleed into mids. I would call it an euphonic take on midbass (with no5 cable). It changes with other cable pairings, becoming tighter but I preferwhere it is with no 5

MIDS:

Oriolus Reborn: 10
Lush euphonic musical mids. On the intimate side.Love them.

Mest MKii: 9
Very Spacious and musical Mids, holographic. Low mids are more present when the shells are more in contact with the ears due to bone conduction.

u12t: 8
Mids are on technical side but with still enough warmth and musicality. NEVER harsh or fatiguing

HIGHS:

u12t: 10
Tia treble. Extended but smooth.

Mest mkii: 9
Extended sparkly treble. With good seal it’s not harsh or fatiguins

Oriolus Reborn:8
The highs are not as extended as the other 2. Smooth and on the musical side.

SOUNDSTAGE:

Mest MKii: 10
HOLOGRAPHIC soundstage with correct tips/fit. AMAZING

Oriolus Reborn: 9
More intimate (not as wide) soundstage than the other 2 but holographic.

U12t: 8
Soundstage here is as wide as mest mkii but deeper than both mest miii and Reborn. Sligthly less 3d effect than the other 2 as the presentation in more laid back.


MUSICALITY:

Oriolus Reborn: 10
What the Reborn loses in technicalities compared to the other 2, it gains in musicality. Warm rumbling bass, lush and intimate mids and vocal, smooth treble. Presentation is more on the musical/emotional side, quite holographic soundstage

Mest Mkii: 9
Toe tapping sparkly presentation. The soundstage is..wow, never heard such holographic thing from an iem. SOUND ARE POPPING FROM EVERYWHERE.

u12t: 8
More laid back presentation, technical iem but still musical. Less emotional than the other 2

TECHNICALITIES:
u12t: 10
Best technicalities of the three. Does EVERYTHING right and nothing wrong

Mest MKii:9
Excellent technicalities. Very Spacious iem

Oriolus Reborn: 8
Loses a little bit in technicalities compared to other 2 because of the treble but wins many hearts with its musicality

ALL-AROUNDNESS/SAFEST CHOICE

u12t: 10
The best all’arounder iems I ever had or tried. It’s a safe tuning, warmish laid back and musical. Will not always touch your heart like the other 2 but it would be the first iem I would advise to try to someone looking for a does-it-all iem and the one I would choose if I could only have one iem.

Mest MKii: 9
Slightly wins on Reborn for the unique soundstage presentation and technicalities. Love how sparkly yet smooth it is.

Oriolus Reborn: 8 or 10
Now, this personally may be a 10 but it depends on what you think is important in an iem. Do you want to be moved from the music, feel emotions or hear and analize every single details? Do you prefer technicalities over musicality? Do you prefer a warmish iem or a bright one? Do you like a more intimate or laid back presentation?
Ask these to yourself and choose the rating

To close the post, I would say that they are all three fantastic iems and they complement each other very well. I hope this not short post will help some people in choosing

Nice review. Your description of the Oriolus Reborn bass makes me want to hear it. Seems like Oriolus has a great line up of IEMs.

 

[Rockwell75]

Btw, looking (out of curiosity..) for an isaballae on amazon japan, it seems like they restocked the reborn with no 5 cable(only 1 available)

If anybody was interested, they ship everywhere https://www.amazon.co.jp/-/en/Rebor...hild=1&keywords=oriolus&qid=1626874320&sr=8-6

Still cheaper on hifigo as amazon asks to pay custom fees in advance. However, the ones from hifigo are not with the no5.

There was one available on the Oriolus Japan website, but it's gone now.

Nice review. Your description of the Oriolus Reborn bass makes me want to hear it.

The quality of bass on the Reborn (and the Isabellae too for that matter) totally caught me off guard. I keep hearing Oriolus talked about in terms of the quality of their midrange tuning. While the mids are indeed fantastic the bass is no less amazing, if often relegated to a supporting role. It plays a great Scottie Pippen to the Michael Jordan of Oriolus' midrange tuning. I'm listening to Reborn as I write this in fact and I'm converging on a perspective around some of what makes the bass so good on these, and as I guess could be expected a lot of it comes down to genius in the tuning. Typically the biggest issue with hybrids are blending the varying textures and timbres of BAs and DDs (or whatever type of drivers). BA sound, particularly the bass, is in general a lot quicker and less dense than it is through a DD. This can often lead to a sense of contrast or incoherence within the sound signature. The Reborn seems to be tuned in such a way that the different textures of the different drivers work congruously to support each other. That is to say the relative thinness of the BA timbre is used to emphasize and bring out the best in the bass but in such a way that it doesn't seem jarring or incoherent. Sorry if this was a bit of a ramble I'm still trying to get to know this remarkable set of IEMs.

I liked a lot the (three versions) of Andros I had in past (but never tried the 20 version). My only problem with (all) the Andros I had was they sounded very different from different sources due to output impedance. For example, they all sounded extrawarm and a bit muddy from iBasso Daps (all output impedance less than 1ohm). Good from AK players (close to 2ohm output) and…the best from ipod touch (yeah right?!). All of this coupled with the fact they hisss from most of the sources, at the time made me sell them. Dongles etc to take care of the hiss and output impedance exist, but I found them to destroy the Andros sparkle and soundstage.

Yeah I'm aware of those issues with Andromeda. I can only go by my own experience, and I've only really heard the 2020 and the MW10, which both sounded fantastic through my n6ii + E01, PAW S1 and Shanling M8.

I agree that Reborn mid-bass is fantastic and punches hard. However is a tiny tiny bit slower than the other 2 hence I rated it slightly lower.

I wouldn't dispute that. For me with mid-bass the most important thing is grip & density and that's where imho Reborn shines above MEST (either version) and the u12t. YMMV etc.

Mest MKii mids..mmm..largely depends on fit. If the shells touch the ears, the bone conductors do their magic and magically the mids become natural and pretty organic and full. Especially for mkii. Those Mest are hit and miss with fit and tips choice. Easy to get a seal but the sound largely depends on many many other factors. Initially I couldn’t stand the xelastec, then they got softer, easier to fit a bit deeper and everything clicked in place

MEST II just didn't really work for me personally. It was a perfect example of an IEM with no glaring flaws but was somehow uninspiring on the whole...what I call a "tuned by committee" effect. I know I'm in the minority with that opinion, so again YMMV.

 

[Rockwell75]

I saw someone somewhere mention a "bass trifecta" and it got me thinking of all sorts of trifectas....

Usual caveats that this is all my personal choices relative to what I like and what I've heard. Would love to hear others' take on this

Bass Trifecta
1) CFA Dorado 2020 --> Mid-bass king (I'm a mid-bass head)
2) Sony IER Z1R --> Sub-bass king
3) Oriolus Reborn (All around bass king)

Runner up: Bravado MKii--> a Legend X with the bass driver from this could possibly displace one of my top 3. Note also that I have not heard the Odin.

Mids Trifecta
1) VE Elysium
2) Oriolus Traillii
3) Oriolus Isabellae

Runner Up: VE8

Treble Trifecta
1) Oriolus Traillii
2) VE Elysium
2) Sony IER Z1R

Runner Up: CFA Andromeda

Staging Trifecta
1) Oriolus Traillii (No words)
2) CFA Solaris (VAST)
3) Oriolus Reborn (DEEEEP)

Runner Up: IER Z1R

Overall Gestalt Trifecta
1) Oriolus Traillii
2) VE Elysium
3) Oriolus Isabellae

Runners Up: Andromeda & Solaris

Technical Trifecta
1) Oriolus Traillii
2) Anole VX
3) 64 u12t

Runner UP: Mest OG

 

[HiFiHawaii808]

I saw someone somewhere mention a "bass trifecta" and it got me thinking of all sorts of trifectas....

Usual caveats that this is all my personal choices relative to what I like and what I've heard. Would love to hear others' take on this

Bass Trifecta
1) CFA Dorado 2020 --> Mid-bass king (I'm a mid-bass head)
2) Sony IER Z1R --> Sub-bass king
3) Oriolus Reborn (All around bass king)

Runner up: Bravado MKii--> a Legend X with the bass driver from this could possibly displace one of my top 3. Note also that I have not heard the Odin.

Mids Trifecta
1) VE Elysium
2) Oriolus Traillii
3) Oriolus Isabellae

Runner Up: VE8

Treble Trifecta
1) VE Elysium
2) Sony IER Z1R
3) CFA Andromeda

Runner Up: Anole VX

Staging Trifecta
1) Oriolus Traillii (No words)
2) CFA Solaris (VAST)
3) Oriolus Reborn (DEEEEP)

Runner Up: Anole VX

Overall Gestalt Trifecta
1) Oriolus Traillii
2) VE Elysium
3) Oriolus Isabellae

Runner Up: Solaris

Techical Trifecta
1) Oriolus Traillii
2) Anole VX
3) 64 u12t

Runner UP: Mest OG

Great list.

Interesting you rate Z1R as your tops for subbass. I rank it tops for midbass.

 

[Rockwell75]

Great list.

Interesting you rate Z1R as your tops for subbass. I rank it tops for midbass.

Wow lmao...it's funny how differently we can hear things. The comparative lack of mid-bass oomph (to my ears) is one of the Z1R's only drawbacks. This is the first thing that struck me when I'd go from the Solaris to the Z1R. Z1R sub-bass though is fathomless in extension and so liquid, powerful and smooth. YMMV etc.

In other news my PW #10 is out for delivery

 

[RTodd]

So you would say the Traillii has a safe tuning? Because I’ve pretty much got strung up before for uttering such blasphemy

Safe Tuning is not what I meant, not even sure what that means.

Mostly just recognizing I liked the impressions made by @HarlanDrakanot was not trying to be controversial at all.

Joking a little here…U12T and Traillii do not have dangerous tuning to my ears.

By safe it was more about any genre to me sounds great with both sets. I got the feeling from the review that @HarlanDraka may like the Traillii, and how that would be scored.

Anyway just my opinion and I probably am not using the best words to describe that.