[Auricon]

Need to pick up another Plussound leather storage cases - perfect if you have thick 8-wire cables. Insert is removable or you can angle it inside to show off your IEM + cable.

 

[Garney]

Isabellae, and you save a lot of money.

As a catch all / all arounder?

 

[Rockwell75]

3 is indeed a magic number for IEMs. For me it amounts to one "perfect" TOTL at-home setup which for me right now is the EXT & M9. Add onto that a couple out and about IEMs in different flavours that I can choose between on a given day depending on my mood.

 

[Natesdailies]

Taking my pre-work out with the XE6 / N8ii SS. It nails songs like this:

Fire in our hearts - Swanky Tunes Joey Dale Remix (EDM / House)

That drop at 1:58 slaps

Ghost - Krewella (EDM / Trap)

Love the way it chops it up at 1:10

Legend has it - Run the Jewel (Hip Hop)


2pac - No Fear (Tupac / Biggie)

 

[14christ]

Need to pick up another Plussound leather storage cases - perfect if you have thick 8-wire cables. Insert is removable or you can angle it inside to show off your IEM + cable.

Me likey!!!

 

[Neweymatt]

on another note, i added the topping A90 to the H2 today and it's like listening to a new set of iem's

Mate, those of us using desktop gear for our IEMs are like an endangered species around here at the 'cooler LOL. But I bet that A90 sounds awesome on the Z1R! I've long wondered about Chord DACs, any comparisons you can make with your H2 vs other gear you have or had?

Edit: The original

Ha ha, that's the first thing I think of whenever this topic comes up...

 

[Rockwell75]

Really looking forward to whatever CFA will be announcing this Friday. I really hope a uni version of the Supermoon is in the works.

 

[rantng]

Custom UM Indigo available (20 sets) - https://shop.musicteck.com/collecti...indigo-limited-20-sets?variant=39744228556862

 

[endless402]

Mate, those of us using desktop gear for our IEMs are like an endangered species around here at the 'cooler LOL. But I bet that A90 sounds awesome on the Z1R! I've long wondered about Chord DACs, any comparisons you can make with your H2 vs other gear you have or had?

Ha ha, that's the first thing I think of whenever this topic comes up...

It's actually H2 -> A90 -> percivali for me since the Z1R is at work. I'm using an AET SIN Line EVD RCA cable on it...it's my only RCA cable at home so i'm not sure how much of it is due to the cable it self.
Generally my impressions of the A90 is that it makes the soundstage much larger, and the center vocal image is slightly wider. It makes it sound like a much larger headphone! That being said, the vocals are are a bit dry and makes the song less engaging.

I've owned a lot of chord gear (still have the Dave) and other dacs and I feel that H2 is a good blend of speed and detail. My only complaint is that it is missing a bit of the midrange warmth, which the H1 had. ZH1ES is also a good desktop dac...but not as detailed as the H2. That being said, it has a unique sound and is the perfect partner for the Z1R, boosting the midrange and rolling off the highs.

Based on my experience desktop gear > portable gear at the same price. I haven't tried the N8 or M9 yet though.

 

[Rockwell75]

Daniel,

You definitely need to bring your WA8 to your next Canadian meet up and pair it with an N8ii. When @Rockwell75 hear's his EXT with that set up, it is going to blow his mind. Been listening all morning and it sounds like I am listening to full sized headphones. The holographic imaging is outside my head and the subbass rumble feels like I have a subwoofer in the room. These EXT can really take power which pushes out the stage in a great way. The N8ii keeps everything relatively tight.

That will hopefully be when I have the Annihilator and X on hand.

 

[normie610]

Taking a pause from IEM with this tube galore :

Now back to Xe6 and N8ii!! This pairing might not be the most resolving, but it does have its own charm!

 

[blotmouse]

Which IEMs in your collection get the nod for the aforementioned genres?

I think I could get away with 2 IEMs as there isn't a huge variety of genres in my library. I rarely, if ever, listen to pop, radio rap, female vocalists, country or classical.

Genre set 1 - Metal (death, black, doom, progressive), rock (progressive, alt, indie), funk, EDM (trap, house, D&B).
IEM wants - punchy, prominent bass but mids that aren't buried. Smooth, well extended treble.
Considerations for the role - Neon 4 currently filling this slot. Xenon 6 as a potential upgrade. Maybe the Aroma Thunder.

Genre set 2 - Jazz, world music, piano, string and wind instruments, acoustic guitar / acoustic trios.
IEM wants - lots of clarity, well layered with plenty of instrument separation and gobs of detail. Visceral yet polite bass.
Considerations for the role - Odin. One of the Masons. Jewel or Traillii, maybe. EXT would be here if I could fit them comfortably.

I liked the EXT with jazz a lot. More so than the Ne4. The Neon suits my preferences better for heavier, more energetic genres such as metal and rock though.

I listen to selected artists in most genre's except country and the blues (and polka, but I am not ruling out polka)
I have some alterations on the genre sets you listed as I don't like a lot of bass in my metal. Think small club vs. stadium. And that removes the funk and EDM from the same categories you have them listed.

Genre 1 use case: Pop, Hip-hop, Electronica, Ambient, Choir, Symphony, Hi DR rock and metal can work here.
IEM wants - big stage, technical richness, dynamism, extension, biggest and richest of bass.
Fourte Noir holds this for now. A Legend variant would fracture it into multiple iem requirements, but could work. Due to Noir's unique tuning, nothing may challenge it directly. I'll just take one in addition to, thank you. Sorry new 3 iem rule, already moved to 4.

Genre 2 use case: Jazz, Classical, some rock, some metal, acoustic, brass, piano, vibes, harp, etc. Anything with textured delivery requirements.
IEM wants - timbral accuracy, treble extension, less bass focus to keep it from getting muddy but not vacant, tinge of analog warmth, decently heavy note weight.
The single dynamic driver Eden, the "titan of timbral texture" holds this, with no other heard from contenders so far. EXT got in the ballpark.

Genre 3 use case: All punk, rock, and metal genre's. Some indie vocal based hiphop and even some earlier and selected electronica.
IEM wants - timbral accuracy, coherence, wide stage, layering, proper note weight (my opinion of what that is anyway), tons of PRaT (for lack of a better description) midrange focus. Bass can be slightly elevated, but not a mud room shelf. Just don't be there all the time.
Softears Turii. Another single DD.
The energy and tonality of Turii on these recordings and how it can blend into how I imagine playback in the studio for all the decades worth of material is pretty great. I am constantly hit with "Yes, that's how I would expect playback equipment of that decade to sound in the studio" It just takes on the role you play though it. Its a fantastic reference chameleon for the harder rock genre's with a bit of its own added air and flavor (or lack of) It just gets the tonality of open back speaker cabs on fire like no other I've heard yet. And with the N8ii, and using the sharp DAC filter, it can even handle the extremest of extreme metal. And hearing that all through one DD is pure bliss. Perfect coherence. The N6ii and AR-M2 previously didn't allow Turii to flex in this way.
Turii doesn't have amazing treble, which suits its use case, but puts it in the backseat for a lot of folks with differing libraries and brings its awesomeness into perspective.
Thanks for asking. It allowed me to over-post about this.
I am hoping Xe6 will be the next contender that can play in all 3 categories. Not a generalist, but a specialist that wears different hats. That would be most welcome.

 

[pkcpga]

Mate, those of us using desktop gear for our IEMs are like an endangered species around here at the 'cooler LOL. But I bet that A90 sounds awesome on the Z1R! I've long wondered about Chord DACs, any comparisons you can make with your H2 vs other gear you have or had?

Ha ha, that's the first thing I think of whenever this topic comes up...

I have the Chord Dave, it’s phenomenal with headphones, never tried IEMs, guess I might as well tonight.

 

[twister6]

Taking a pause from IEM with this tube galore :





Now back to Xe6 and N8ii!! This pairing might not be the most resolving, but it does have its own charm!

Holy Batman! Look at that cable! Is that thicker than Orpheus?

 

[normie610]

Holy Batman! Look at that cable! Is that thicker than Orpheus?

I like ‘em thick! Well I’ve never seen Orpheus in real life so I have no clue whether it’s thicker or not.