[Gus141]

…
Have you tried posting this question in the Shanling M8 thread? I actually don't do any streaming at all-- all my music is on a 1TB mini-SD card--

From reading your posts I was pretty sure you didn’t stream, but thought I‘d ask anyway since you are one of the most knowledgeable M8 users on H-Fi. I’ll drop a post in the M8 thread.

Thanks for all you do for this hobby. Your writing style is awesome.

Cheers,
Gus

 

[Rockwell75]

From reading your posts I was pretty sure you didn’t stream, but thought I‘d ask anyway since you are one of the most knowledgeable M8 users on H-Fi. I’ll drop a post in the M8 thread.

Thanks for all you do for this hobby. Your writing style is awesome.

Cheers,
Gus

Thanks man that’s really nice to hear

 

[Deezel177]

Hey, guys. I just published my thoughts on Oriolus's Isabellae over at Nic's thread. I think it's a very strong entry at its price point, especially in terms of dynamic range (or vividness), bass quality and imaging. And, it sports some of the best looks and build I've seen there too. It's definitely got a couple tuning quirks that won't be for everyone. But, all in all, it's, again, a very promising monitor if the tonality is for you.

You can find my full thoughts are at the following link: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/fli...dio-discussion.826876/page-2279#post-16470354

Cheers!

 

[ranfan]

Hey, guys. I just published my thoughts on Oriolus's Isabellae over at Nic's thread. I think it's a very strong entry at its price point, especially in terms of dynamic range (or vividness), bass quality and imaging. And, it sports some of the best looks and build I've seen there too. It's definitely got a couple tuning quirks that won't be for everyone. But, all in all, it's, again, a very promising monitor if the tonality is for you.

You can find my full thoughts are at the following link: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/fli...dio-discussion.826876/page-2279#post-16470354

Cheers!

​

Beautiful pictures, and amazing sound description Daniel It's not easy, but you managed to capture both with excellence. I've been gazing at your photos for a while now. They're really well-taken captivating stuff. Thank you for sharing them, and your impressions on the Isabellae

 

[Rockwell75]

Deezel177 said:
First things first, I really like the packaging Oriolus have put together for the Isabellae. It’s clean and simple aesthetically, but it’s cleverly accented by loads of little textures. And, the storytelling there with the bird imagery is a nice touch as well. I love the approach and attention-to-detail Oriolus have shown here,

I for one am a huge fan of simple, compact aesthetically appealing packaging. I received the Cayin Fantasy a couple days after receiving Isa and the contrast in packaging was rather dramatic. The Fantasy came in one of those large, multi-tiered boxes complete all sorts of layers, bells & whistles all of which will just sit in my closet (generally until I sell it to move on to something else). Oriolus' packaging (and Campfire's) is simple, efficient, effective and beautiful and I hope more companies start to go that route. It's nice being able to display the nice, artistically appealing little boxes, on a shelf in my house. My only personal beef with the packaging/accessories etc. is the lack of an included case.

Deezel177 said:
and I’d love to see it applied to their pricier IEMs too.

Shots fired. That said now that I've received Isabellae and most recently the Reborn my honest suspicion, especially given Oriolus' tendency towards the unconventional, is that the notably unassuming packaging of the Traillii, despite its Himalayan price, was meant as something of a statement suggesting that the tuning & sound quality is the real product and does not need to be bolstered by ostentatious, excessive packaging, bells & whistles etc. Maybe I'm way off but that's a little what it feels like.

Deezel177 said:
Lastly, I have to shoutout the included cable. While it isn’t necessarily anything special in build, it does come with a 4.4mm plug. I don’t know how others are gonna feel about it, but I personally love the inclusion. I appreciate their awareness that the Isabellae is probably going to power users with balanced DAPs. Though it may not be the case for everyone, I personally feel very happy about it, so it’s automatically a point towards it for me.

+1

Deezel177 said:
I find the Isabellae’s vocal delivery strong and dynamic. There’s a force to it that, again, when paired with its encompassing size, helps instruments really punch and project. At the same time, though, I do find its tone rather light and airy. There’s a reediness to it, which I feel is because it’s fairly reserved across 1-2kHz, relative to its high-mids. A vocalist like Rachael Price, whose voice is regularly very husky and rich, sounds a bit drier and more stripped-down on a track like Lake Street Dive’s Being A Woman. You don’t hear as much of that deep, weighty support coming from her chest. So, when she gets a bit raspy and growly on the chorus, that (plus the sizzle-y treble) results in a hoarseness that isn’t the most pleasant to listen to. But, on the other hand, I think that leaner, tighter style lends itself nicely to tracks like Jorja Smith’s February 3rd. The lightened vocals and guitars actually add airiness and space to the track, and it helps the sparse hits of bass stand out more as well.

And, once again, despite the leaner, drier tone of the midrange, there’s still that bigness and glow to it that - I assume - comes from the DD. It isn’t a midrange that’s too frail, or quick, or one-dimensional, or compact. There’s still an organic size and swing to it that compensates for the lighter tonality, along with the forwardness and power I’ve already mentioned. So, I think that’ll edge it towards a colouration that’s more subjective (to taste, musical genre, etc.), especially once you consider all the technical merits it’s got going on for it as well. Details and textures, once again, are quite vividly, crisply and cleanly defined here.
Click to expand...

That's a really interesting perspective. I actually EQ my Reborn down a bit at the 2K region and one of the reasons I've been so enamoured with the Isabellae is how much upper mids presence there is without it feeling shouty or stridant. I might fiddle with EQ on Isa a bit (which I haven't yet) in that region and see what happens.

Deezel177 said:
Speaking of the bass, it’s probably the Isabellae’s most enjoyable attribute to me. It’s where the in-ear is most dynamic, most resolving and most mature (or complete-sounding), and a large part of that is because of the linearity it’s got from 20-250Hz. It’s a transparent bottom-end that, whether it’s acoustic kick drums or 808s, will render rumble and thump in equal measure, which I personally love. And, the air the treble provides gives it the clarity and room to operate as well. There’s also a natural pace to it that’s enough to showcase its presence and character, but not enough to bleed warmth, so the Isabellae’s instruments remain crisp. Finally, it has a bulbousness and thwack to it too, which helps it cut right through the mix and complement those sizzle-y transients.

LOVED this description of the bass...i've been struggling to really put it into words but you nailed it. The quality of bass on all 3 Oriolus IEMs I've heard has really caught me by surprise.

Thank-you for sharing! A thorough, articulate, engaging and informative review as always.

 

[claud W]

Isa <3

That,s a very good picture of Isa. What cable is that?

this is a very personal thread for you and us, your folowers. I enjoy it because you are somewhat similar to us. You are not a paid schill and You don’t get a big discount as we don’t. We all here like the TOTL items too.

 

[Rockwell75]

That,s a very good picture of Isa. What cable is that?

It's the PW #10

 

[Rockwell75]

this is a very personal thread for you and us, your folowers. I enjoy it because you are somewhat similar to us. You are not a paid schill and You don’t get a big discount as we don’t. We all here like the TOTL items too.

It is. I started it because I wanted a central repository for all my audio writings but also because I wanted a general place to come philosophize, banter & share the love without being focused on any one brand or price tier.

Regarding the whole idea of "paid shills" etc. I just wanted to clarify my position (beause I know it is a touchy subject). I have no problem at all with reviewers who receive free samples, or people who get discounts on the grounds that they're going to share impressions, or that there are PR people all over the place here to represent different brands, either overtly or covertly-- all of these things are necessary for brands to stay competitive and for this hobby to continue flourishing the way it has been. I am also not bothered that some brands don't seem to be getting the attention they deserve, or that some seem people seem to be more motivated by marketing than hobbying-- this is natural and inevitable in any domain of human experience. For every reviewer who seems to be compromised by money interests or market agendas there is another who is utterly sincere-- receiving a free sample doesn't automatically mean one is not sincere and that their impressions aren't valid, just as someone being totally detached from any financial incentive does not automatically guarantee that that their perspective & approach will be free from bias. This hobby is a vast human canvas with every possible personality type & inclination represented somewhere. So long as it's possible for people who are willing to put in the effort to navigate through all the different information & resources and, following whatever path they're inclined towards, emerge out the out the other side having attained whatever form of fulfillment they were seeking, be it audio bliss or a fat paycheck-- all the while the products available to us keep getting better and better...well I have no real problem with any of it.

 

[fzman]

I think disclosure and transparency are key here. The truth is the truth, whether you were paid to say/write it or not/ Nor is their a literally bias-free perspecive. PERIOD.

In between, it is useful to know who is speaking/writing, where the reviewd products came from, where will they end up, and did the person get paid to write the review, and if so, by whom.

Buy from vendors that allow returns, trust reviewers when you have heard soome of the same tuff, and their assessment matches yours (or is 180 degree opposite.). Most important is to own your choices, and take responsibility for your actions and how they affect others.

 

[Rockwell75]

In between, it is useful to know who is speaking/writing, where the reviewd products came from, where will they end up, and did the person get paid to write the review, and if so, by whom.

It's useful to the consumer, but it's also very useful to vendors if people write/post stuff that is made to seem sincere & organic but is really calculated to hype some specific product or advance some market agenda or orthodoxy. Because of this latter reality I have accepted that such behaviour is as inevitable as gravity-- but I'm confident in my own ability to ferret out reviewers and sources of information that are helpful to me, and ignore the rest.

Most important is to own your choices, and take responsibility for your actions and how they affect others.

I agree to a point-- I try and be as plain as possible around what I like and where i'm coming from when I write about gear I love however if someone chooses to buy something based on how I feel about it and it turns out they don't like it I don't feel I am responsible in any way.

 

[fzman]

It's useful to the consumer, but it's also very useful to vendors if people write/post stuff that is made to seem sincere & organic but is really calculated to hype some specific product or advance some market agenda or orthodoxy. Because of this latter reality I have accepted that such behaviour is as inevitable as gravity-- but I'm confident in my own ability to ferret out reviewers and sources of information that are helpful to me, and ignore the rest.



I agree to a point-- I try and be as plain as possible around what I like and where i'm coming from when I write about gear I love however if someone chooses to buy something based on how I feel about it and it turns out they don't like it I don't feel I am responsible in any way.

I was speaking in general terms when I made my post, but i do have some follow-up comments:

It is useful to get great word of mouth advertising--it is considered the best form of advertising. Reminds me of the old joke that sncerity is so important, that if you don't have it, you need to be able to fake it really well! That said, and again, more in general that at you specifically, I think the landscape is really complicated these days, given the speed of information flow.

When i was a kid Consumer Reports Magazine would anonymously buy products and review them, based on a set of quantitative criteria they developed, and would publish comparative results like which vacuum cleaner is best....

Now it seems like there is a tendency for the same kind of ananymous buying, but reviews are published and have audience sponsors (Patreon?), who get a chance to 'win' the revieed products post-review. Like a DIY sweepstakes, perhaps-- interesting concept.

You also have legit reviewers who are constantly asked about how does x compare to Y and Z etc. In order to discuss these comparisons, given multipe l=pairings of tips, cables, sources, and iems, for example, the reviewer has to maintain a huge arsenal of review samples--how does.should pay for that, and why?

Yes, there is always dissembling and intentional misrepresentation, you do not need to be a cynic to hold htis viewpoint.

When I spoke about owning ones choices, I meant consumers, as well as reviewers and vendors -- people often (again, not you) rush to blame the vendor, and accept 0% of the responsibility for their own voluntary buying choices.

 

[HiFiHawaii808]

That,s a very good picture of Isa. What cable is that?

this is a very personal thread for you and us, your folowers. I enjoy it because you are somewhat similar to us. You are not a paid schill and You don’t get a big discount as we don’t. We all here like the TOTL items too.

I feel the same way you do.

 

[Rockwell75]

It is useful to get great word of mouth advertising--it is considered the best form of advertising.

Yup and the best mouths to get words from are those who, through experience & attunement , you know you can rely on. The best are those who are consistent and sincere but in a pinch consistency alone will do.

That said, and again, more in general that at you specifically, I think the landscape is really complicated these days, given the speed of information flow.

Not just the speed but the breadth and amount of it. When I/we were younger there were so few places to go for information. Now the problem is the opposite-- instead of looking for information in a desert we're instead drowning in an ocean of it and the challenge has become to learn to find the pearls we're looking in a vast ocean of conflicting, false and/or useless information.

When i was a kid Consumer Reports Magazine would anonymously buy products and review them, based on a set of quantitative criteria they developed, and would publish comparative results like which vacuum cleaner is best.

My mom subscribed to that magazine. It was one of my go-tos in the pre-internet age. My familiarity with that magazine and all the information it contained-- and its implications-- combined with the fact it was during an age when real investigative journalism was a thing overall contributed to me being in general quite cynical with respect to anything to do with marketing and advertising.

When I spoke about owning ones choices, I meant consumers, as well as reviewers and vendors -- people often (again, not you) rush to blame the vendor, and accept 0% of the responsibility for their own voluntary buying choices.

Barring cases of blatant false advertising or manipulation I don't think the vendor is ever at fault, or should be held accountable for, a buyer's choice. The same goes for when I'm selling used gear. I will answer any questions a buyer wants but my only responsibility is to deliver the product as advertised-- if it turns out not to be your ideal sig that's not my problem.

 

[NewEve]

What about (I'm reading Project Hail Mary): you're shipped off to space.

You get to take one source and one IEM.

Go

Lots of introspections these past few weeks.

I decided to update three different threads which helped me the most. One, two... and this one, together with @Rockwell75 's valuable inputs.

After which, I think I'll reach my 1000th post and will likely take a break from the mad circus of researching-buying-commenting-reviewing...

To answer my own question and the pairing with which I'm going on the aforementioned break is Astell & Kern's A&norma SR25 & Campfire Audio's Solaris 2020.

Both fulfil the trifecta I mentioned here as well as all space-faring requirements I have in mind

Thanks everyone & See you around

You can't always get what you want
But if you try sometimes, well, you might find
You get what you need​

 

[Rockwell75]

Astell & Kern's A&norma SR25 & Campfire Audio's Solaris 2020.

Thanks everyone & See you around

Good Lord! Good choices! and Good Luck! I know how difficult it can be to "walk away"...I wish you all the best-- I've valued your contributions & insight while you've been around and I am glad I was able to support you in some way. All the best and (perhaps) see you around again sometime.