[fabio19]

I am still gathering my thoughts on it. Spent a couple hours listening and another couple talking to the boys behind the project. These guys have set out with a vision/mission in mind, and that is to bring the experience/delight of what a studio monitor has to offer, in this case, the Genelec, to an IEM. Pretty ballsy, if you ask me. The belief is if you move up the ladder on a studio reference monitor and one that is purely musical, they converge at a single point and become one and the same thing. Is Storm it? Well, I don't know what Genelec or another studio reference sounds like, but if it is really supposed to converge, then I might be hearing it or something close! It is definitely technically sound, I cannot pick any flaws, just whether the tuning is your cup of tea -- for a BA bass, I am impressed, the mids were very balanced, I did not hear any funky quirks (like the FIRs) and the trebles, quite excellent. Resolution, details, all present. Timbre, very natural sounding, neither an enlarged or small soundstage, balanced. All in all, a very good all around performer. I thought there was a tinge of brightness that not only did I not mind, but I felt like it's the residual of great extension beyond the 10K range. Very nice. If there's one thing that really stood out for me, it is the transition from bass to mids to trebles, it is as natural and smooth as I have ever heard it in an IEM. I suspect it's the work they put into the crossovers, like how a full range speaker would have.

I was planning to pop over for a revisit with the Jewel after the Storm but ended up spending so much time with it, I never made it. Sorry, B.


I don't think I could ever rank IEMs from best to worst. What's the premise, the parameters? I think the Annihilator is much better than the Odin on the HM1K stack, but it's crappier than my AirPods on the SP2K! On to the rubber meets the road stuff, I find the gear I buy on the spot, the ones I must take home with me after listening, are usually the right decisions for me -- IEMs wise, those would be the Odin, Annihilator, DC Ti (and now the Storm). Those that I have to think about, to justify or make a case for, are the ones I usually regret. What separated the Storm with the other IEMS out there, for me, is it's not just engineered to be very good (like everyone tries to be good just for goodness sake), but it is product of a bold vision. Love it or hate it, the Storm is a representation of something that breaks away from the norm and be different from the rest. And I was sold more on that vision than just another good sounding IEM. Frankly, I am not surprised that @Precogvision has rated the Storm as highly as he did.

the problem is not so much to make a ranking. The problem is the parameters that are taken into account when making a ranking. And even so, a ranking has a relative sense as, like it or not, a ranking is made on the basis of parameters that are inevitably very subjective and not very objective. I give an example. If I were to personally say how much difference there is between Traillii and Isabellae, I would certainly say that I find it hard to say that Traillii is much superior to Isabellae. This is because personally I find listening to Isabellae more satisfying than to Traillii but to be honest, technically and qualitatively Traillii is much superior to Isabellae. But if I had to make a personal listening ranking I would put them almost on an equal footing. When in fact this is not the case.

 

[Rockwell75]

the problem is not so much to make a ranking. The problem is the parameters that are taken into account when making a ranking. And even so, a ranking has a relative sense as, like it or not, a ranking is made on the basis of parameters that are inevitably very subjective and not very objective. I give an example. If I were to personally say how much difference there is between Traillii and Isabellae, I would certainly say that I find it hard to say that Traillii is much superior to Isabellae. This is because personally I find listening to Isabellae more satisfying than to Traillii but to be honest, technically and qualitatively Traillii is much superior to Isabellae. But if I had to make a personal listening ranking I would put them almost on an equal footing. When in fact this is not the case.

This is a brilliant post that captures precisely why ranking lists (as much as I love making them) are really little more than pictures of someone's subjective preferences. Your comparison to the Traillii vs. Isabellae is well taken-- I feel the same way about the Dorado 2020. There are many more expensive IEMs that outstrip it on the technical and tonal front in objective terms-- however it's easily a top 10 IEM for me simply because of how much I enjoy listening to it. YMMV, as they say, is the spice & life of this hobby.

 

[F700]

I feel like I've got dumbo ears after seeing these!

It looks like x-mas turkeys ready to be stuffed and braised

 

[efftee]

the problem is not so much to make a ranking. The problem is the parameters that are taken into account when making a ranking. And even so, a ranking has a relative sense as, like it or not, a ranking is made on the basis of parameters that are inevitably very subjective and not very objective. I give an example. If I were to personally say how much difference there is between Traillii and Isabellae, I would certainly say that I find it hard to say that Traillii is much superior to Isabellae. This is because personally I find listening to Isabellae more satisfying than to Traillii but to be honest, technically and qualitatively Traillii is much superior to Isabellae. But if I had to make a personal listening ranking I would put them almost on an equal footing. When in fact this is not the case.

I may be off tangent here but how do you rate an IEM without bringing other factors that could have a direct impact on the subject, most notably source and choice, quality of material. Could you have enjoyed the Traillii more than Isabellae on a better synergized source? Or perhaps Isabellae's tuning suited your favored genre more, which may not be so for another person? So even if the ranking was personally accurate, it is not a fair representation for others, especially if they were relying on these rankings for purchasing decision making, don't you think?

 

[Ryokan]

the problem is not so much to make a ranking. The problem is the parameters that are taken into account when making a ranking. And even so, a ranking has a relative sense as, like it or not, a ranking is made on the basis of parameters that are inevitably very subjective and not very objective. I give an example. If I were to personally say how much difference there is between Traillii and Isabellae, I would certainly say that I find it hard to say that Traillii is much superior to Isabellae. This is because personally I find listening to Isabellae more satisfying than to Traillii but to be honest, technically and qualitatively Traillii is much superior to Isabellae. But if I had to make a personal listening ranking I would put them almost on an equal footing. When in fact this is not the case.

Isn't that why people's rankings are so much fun to read because there'll inevitably be surprises?: some may prefer a $500 iem over a $3k one. Maybe we're in danger of over analyzing and forgetting how something connects with us emotionally is also very important?

 

[Rockwell75]

I may be off tangent here but how do you rate an IEM without bringing other factors that could have a direct impact on the subject, most notably source and choice, quality of material. Could you have enjoyed the Traillii more than Isabellae on a better synergized source? Or perhaps Isabellae's tuning suited your favored genre more, which may not be so for another person? So even if the ranking was personally accurate, it is not a fair representation for others, especially if they were relying on these rankings for purchasing decision making, don't you think?

You can't rate it comprehensively but given the nearly limitless possibilities entailed with all the different combos of cables, sources, tips etc. out there one simply has to take a ranking at face value base on whatever cables and sources the individual has access to.

 

[Rockwell75]

Isn't that why people's rankings are so much fun to read because there'll inevitably be surprises?: some may prefer a $500 iem over a $3k one.

I think any issues with ranking lists can be avoided if we just accept that there is no absolute standard of "better" or "worse" that applies to everyone.

how something connects with us emotionally is also very important?

To some of us that is of primary importance

 

[efftee]

You can't rate it comprehensively but given the nearly limitless possibilities entailed with all the different combos of cables, sources, tips etc. out there one simply has to take a ranking at face value base on whatever cables and sources the individual has access to.

I see your point and appreciate the entertainment value of debating the merits (or demerits) on everyone's ranking list. For me, I just feel I cannot fairly rank one thing without holding all other related or connected things constant. Not sure but I think those that do ranking lists for a living, like the Crins and Precogs, who review and rate the IEMs using the same equipment and scales, would be an exception. Right or wrong, the consistency would make those lists useful references.

 

[HiFiHawaii808]

I may be off tangent here but how do you rate an IEM without bringing other factors that could have a direct impact on the subject, most notably source and choice, quality of material. Could you have enjoyed the Traillii more than Isabellae on a better synergized source? Or perhaps Isabellae's tuning suited your favored genre more, which may not be so for another person? So even if the ranking was personally accurate, it is not a fair representation for others, especially if they were relying on these rankings for purchasing decision making, don't you think?

It doesn't matter how you rank it. You can rank it anyway you want. I can look at your rankings and try to figure out why you ranked them that way. Then, I will factor in how I rank it and others and triangulate on truth which will only be verified once I hear it myself. But, any information you provide will be useful to me to figure out where it fits into my own mapping of IEMs.

 

[Rockwell75]

I think those that do ranking lists for a living, like the Crins and Precogs, who review and rate the IEMs using the same equipment and scales, would be an exception.

They may use the same equipment but I've seen no evidence that their lists in any way rise above the level of subjectivity into the holy domain of objectivity-- they're as biased & subjective in their assessments as anyone else. It doesn't matter how many scales, factors and measurements you use-- the ultimate determining factor is your own conscious perception & bias, which is always inherently subjective.

 

[Xinlisupreme]

Some PWAudio for Asian market…

 

[PHLHarmonic]

Some PWAudio for Asian market…

That third one (JDG) might look cool in person on the EXT?

 

[Scubadevils]

Busy day, these landed earlier and I'll finally get a listen shortly...

 

[RTodd]

They may use the same equipment but I've seen no evidence that their lists in any way rise above the level of subjectivity into the holy domain of objectivity-- they're as biased & subjective in their assessments as anyone else. It doesn't matter how many scales, factors and measurements you use-- the ultimate determining factor is your own conscious perception & bias, which is always inherently subjective.

If I had to assess the value for me of these popular ranking list I would be more on the side of raised irritation, than value.

Luckily I only bought my very first set blind, which turned out to be not the best choice for me. Living close to MusicTeck and Bloom Audio I have been able to kick tires on all the other players and IEMs I acquired.

At first I was using YouTube to determine what may be good to hear. These days I am mostly relying on you all to point me towards a great set. Placing no real stock in ranking lists.

 

[Rockwell75]

Busy day, these landed earlier and I'll finally get a listen shortly...

Beautiful IEMs. QDC sure loves that shade of blue (my Anole VX had a similarly coloured case). It reminds me of the case my grandma used to keep her hair curlers in in the 70s.