[wazzupi]

Can agree here's my auteur hehe. Your Atrium is obviously a big step up from this.

Auteur classic isn’t that much of a difference imo and is the headphone I preferred when I listened to all the zmf line up in Chicago.

 

[gadgetgod]

Auteur classic isn’t that much of a difference imo and is the headphone I preferred when I listened to all the zmf line up in Chicago.

I have tried only the Verite Closed and Auteur, I would say Verite closed brings a little extra resolution but tonally the Auteur sounds more pleasing to me.

 

[gLer]

Is the N8 for Atriums on the same level as C9 in power/performance ratio? I am almost buying a C9 for my Atriums, but if the N8II does the job, I would prefer to keep a single device.

FWIW I wouldn't drive an Atrium direct from a DAP, unless the power requirement is substantially lower than Auteur. A C9 or similar would elevate it significantly I would think. You'd get it loud enough with a DAP, but loudness and control are two different variables when it comes to full size 300ohm cans.

 

[TheRH]

Hello all, what are your thoughts between the Auteur Classic and the Aeolus?

 

[xenithon]

FWIW I wouldn't drive an Atrium direct from a DAP, unless the power requirement is substantially lower than Auteur. A C9 or similar would elevate it significantly I would think. You'd get it loud enough with a DAP, but loudness and control are two different variables when it comes to full size 300ohm cans.

I'd tend to agree with this. On almost all headphones I have tested on R8 vs R8 with C9, the latter makes a substantial difference to control and quality of sound. Even with relatively easy-to-drive headphones, the C9 elevates the punchiness and texture of bass, and enhance imagine and spatial cues.

 

[AnalogandDigital]

Is the N8 for Atriums on the same level as C9 in power/performance ratio? I am almost buying a C9 for my Atriums, but if the N8II does the job, I would prefer to keep a single device.

I don't use it as I should or let's say not enough
But not due to the sound or capabilities
I just need to get a Pelican case or sortlike that can fit my N8ii and C9 together
My brother is Murphy and to be honest I'm a unbelievable gently user of my toys
And a scratch, dent or nick drives me nuts ...
Although I like to 'abuse' all soundwise
But the C9 definitely beats a lot of desktop amps for sure
I think you can call it the Luxury & Precision of portable amps
There's no better these days on the market but please do correct me if I'm wrong ...
.

 

[xenithon]

I don't use it as I should or let's say not enough
But not due to the sound or capabilities
I just need to get a Pelican case or sortlike that can fit my N8ii and C9 together
My brother is Murphy and to be honest I'm a unbelievable gently user of my toys
And a scratch, dent or nick drives me nuts ...
Although I like to 'abuse' all soundwise
But the C9 definitely beats a lot of desktop amps for sure
I think you can call it the Luxury & Precision of portable amps
There's no better these days on the market but please do correct me if I'm wrong ...
.

It really is a super piece of kit. I recently experimented different configurations (line in from DAP LO, pre in from DAP HO, and pre in from DAP LO - I can use the latter as the LO on my DAP is variable and not fixed). Quite a significant difference / benefit using the C9 in pre mode which is now my go-to config. Sound is more authoritive, clearer, more detailed, and the stage seemingly wider.

 

[ljnew]

Not really. In your own rankings, you have 13 IEMs ranked higher in the mids than the Z1R. And, it is tied with 11 others for 14th place which means they are actually tied for 25.. Nobody has ever said, I love the Z1R for its great mids.

I guess I'm the only person here who is more impressed with ex8000st than the Z1R. I have both but recently got the legendary EX800ST with tape mod.

There was a recent video that mentioned ex800st top iem for bassheads. I'm not a basshead but love slamming bass when listening to hip hop..

I didn't know a single driver could be this resolving. I can't remember a studio monitor with skull shaking bass that rivals lx with the tape mod. Especially not with a single driver. I've never been this amazed at an iem. What..

 

[Kiats]

Cross post from the FitEar thread: These photos were shared with me by @Uncle Wilson at Jaben Singapore. Looks fascinating: FitEar EST Ti. No details at this stage. Just waiting for the demo units to come in. But will be most fascinating if it is available in customs as well.

 

[gLer]

Love Dire Straits, my dad had the Alchemy live album and heard it quite a lot as a kid.

I haven't had time to listen all the way through this album this morning, but as I've got the Xe6 around, I'll share what I notice by comparison with the Z1R. I think the first couple minutes of "Water Of Love" highlight the differences in a nutshell.

At intro of this track, the percussion has a much more pronounced 'echoey' sound on the Z1R, as if the instruments all exist in a very large room with plenty of space around them. The Xe6 fills in bit more detail around each percussion hit, so that it feels a bit more closed in and intimate by comparison.

As the instruments start and when Mark's vocals come in a little later, the Xe6 casts a warm glow around them that enhances a sense of richness or fullness. The Z1R sounds clean and neutral by comparison.

From 1:50 I hear the backing vocals on the Z1R to be slightly muted and recessed into the background, whereas the Xe6 brings them forward with lush detail.

Depending on your preference, if you have one, you may consider the Z1R to be the more 'correct', and hear the Xe6 as 'smearing' the instruments and vocals. On the flip side, you may consider the Z1R to be 'stark' or 'cold', and the Xe6 to be the more 'warm' and 'engaging'.

That's very well articulated, exactly the type of in-depth comparison that makes it possible to 'hear' the differences in presentation without actually having access to other IEMs. I look forward to hearing the Xe6 one day, but meanwhile, on my sources (WM1Z and TAZ), I'd say Z1R sounds anything but stark or cold with this track (although maybe comparatively that makes sense). It's definitely very clear, and that's 'echoey' sound you mention is the secret sauce that, to me, makes the Z1R so special (and gives music a life-size sound that few other IEMs manage to do).

If you prefer a warmer, more intimate, lush and romantic sound, I agree the Z1R is probably not the best choice. Power, clarity, stage size and smoothness are where its strengths lie. It's surprisingly quite a 'neutral' tuning (I always expected the Z1R to be a warm IEM), and despite its outstanding bass performance, it's not really a basshead IEM either.

 

[wazzupi]

I have tried only the Verite Closed and Auteur, I would say Verite closed brings a little extra resolution but tonally the Auteur sounds more pleasing to me.

Just wanted to make sure you’re talking about the auteur classics ? Because auteur vs auteur classic the technical capabilities of the classic are far greater imo. More detail better controlled bass more resolving than the original just with the same lovely tuning of the OG auteur.

 

[TheRH]

My personal preference ranking chart, most recent edition:



The top two rows constitute my "S tier"-- but the IEMs on the top are there because they dovetail with my personal preferences or flat out knocked my socks off in some extraordinary way. The reason Jewel isn't on top is that I've only demoed it briefly and haven't spent enough time with it to really have a full sense of it.

In other news since it's officially summer I thought it would be a good time to revisit the "Watercooler charts". At the beginning of spring I asked everyone for the top 3 IEMs in their lives at that moment. The results were very interesting. Perhaps we could make this seasonal affair...so without further ado, what 3 IEMs own your heart at the moment? Criteria for selection is entirely up to you.

My votes:

1) Supermoon
2) EXT
3) Annihilator

The Bravado Mk IIs? I could not get into those; just too much bass. How long did you break those in?

 

[Royal Navy]

I love both of them. The Ampersand is great when you have a need for power and current. It really sounds good with Susvara and 1266TC with a form factor suitable for travel. if you want to travel with a Susvara, I have encountered no better option than the Ampersand.

The C9 is better for my other headphones since it has tube timbre and more features. If I didn't own the Susvara or 1266TC, I would have been fine with the C9 and preferred it because it makes more of my headphones sound great.

Hi Sorry for digging this up but The Ampersand is more powerful than the C9, right? I can’t find the exact wattage of those amps into Susvara’s impedance.
I’m looking a transportable solution for my new Susvara and those two amps are in my watch list.

 

[gadgetgod]

Just wanted to make sure you’re talking about the auteur classics ? Because auteur vs auteur classic the technical capabilities of the classic are far greater imo. More detail better controlled bass more resolving than the original just with the same lovely tuning of the OG auteur.

No sir, mine is standard Auteur not the classic.

 

[wazzupi]

No sir, mine is standard Auteur not the classic.

The OG auteur was and still is my favorite well the classic is now I guess… from zmf.