[Mehran]

Plot twist: I’ll wind up preferring Phoenix. Either way epicness guaranteed.

The good/bad thing is that after the bird 3900 dollars doesn't seem that crazy and out of order .lol

 

[aaf evo]

The good/bad thing is that after the bird 3900 dollars doesn't seem that crazy and out of order .lol

A used Traillii is about the same price now as an MSRP Phonix

 

[snowy8171]

That’s honestly not surprising given Sennheisers history. As for me it’s sounding more and more like all my IEM dreams have come to fruition in the EXT so that’s where my heart is at the moment.

Lol, same here. So excited for the EXT with the few impressions we have so far

 

[KutuzovGambit]

They are far less intrusive and have no isolation so you can wear for extended periods and also hear what's going on around you - incredibly comfortable, I honestly feel like I've nothing in my ears. From a sound perspective, much more airy and essentially like listening to an open back headphone - that gives an incredible sense of realism to the music. You've got the magic coherency and emotional connection as per a good single dynamic driver (think Isa or IE900) but delivered via a bud. The timbre is stunning, I don't think I've heard jazz for example sound this good with any other earphone, presumably the bit of air between the bud and ear canal allows for a more realistic sound.

I'm mostly listening at the moment in bed or while working but I expect I'll use in many more scenarios. I'm totally hooked and have Blur buds on the way now too, plus of course eyeing up others for further down the road...

After dipping my toes in the earbud world recently, I’ve gotta say that unless isolation or excellent bass extension are important, earbuds will on average give a superior experience at a far lower price point than IEMs. An example of this is the $5 Qian39 I just acquired, which I prefer over every IEM I’ve tried under $100 without question.

Caveat here is I’m a mids lover who prizes timbre above all else, so earbuds really cater to my sonic preferences as well as to my library consisting mainly of folk/acoustic/vocal/classical.

Basically IEMs usually win for isolation, bass, and possibly detail retrieval (though even that is mainly a result of isolation), while buds usually win for price/performance, comfort, timbre, coherence, soundstage.

 

[mashuto]

So much talk about earbuds almost makes me want to give them a try. Though I specifically remember getting seemed to be more prevalent before iems seemed to become much more popular. For me personally bass performance was so much better on the first iem I heard that I never went back.

Also didn't help that every earbud I ever tried hurt my ears. Something about the way they sit in the ear causes discomfort for me in a similar to way to how I seem to find a number of larger items uncomfortable. I can't really have anything putting pressure on the outer parts of my ears it seems.

 

[KutuzovGambit]

So much talk about earbuds almost makes me want to give them a try. Though I specifically remember getting seemed to be more prevalent before iems seemed to become much more popular. For me personally bass performance was so much better on the first iem I heard that I never went back.

Also didn't help that every earbud I ever tried hurt my ears. Something about the way they sit in the ear causes discomfort for me in a similar to way to how I seem to find a number of larger items uncomfortable. I can't really have anything putting pressure on the outer parts of my ears it seems.

Try PK shells if you decide to give them another go.

 

[Charlyro222]

I just bought 2 blur earbuds, one is focused on mids. When arrives I"ll try to review them against iems that I have tried, like Isabellae and Elysium.

 

[Scubadevils]

I just bought 2 blur earbuds, one is focused on mids. When arrives I"ll try to review them against iems that I have tried, like Isabellae and Elysium.

Yep I've two Blur on the way also, very excited to hear them.

Moondrop Chaconne on the radar next but I'll wait a while...

 

[Rockwell75]

This plus my Honeydews plus a surprise sunny fall day = bliss.

 

[Tchoupitoulas]

I keep Solaris OG around. It does the most fantastic job of giving the HiFi treatment to multi-era rock

I must say with all the gear I've been through in the past 3 years I don't know of anything that bests Solaris across the board on its own terms.

For the prices OG's are going for, its a no brainer jack of all trades and super value.

It's good to see all the love for the OG Solaris, not least because I've just purchased a pair - finally! (I'm only, what, three years behind the times?!)

I've heard the Solaris a bunch of times, have liked them very much, and have always wanted to own a pair. For one reason or another, I'd never quite gotten around to buying a pair, typically because of priorities lying elsewhere and the vague sense that prices would come down eventually. Given the Solaris's prices today, I decided the time was finally right. I'm very much looking forward to get to know the Solaris properly; my sense is that I haven't landed on the right tips or sources to appreciate them properly, and now I can.

I wonder if the Solaris has become one of those benchmark IEMs that people ought to hear - if only to get a sense of what a well-rounded, coherent, engaging, but also technically accomplished hybrid can sound like. I've mentioned previously in this thread a desire to own a pair of the Soranik Bastille Audiophile IEMs, but I don't think I can spring for them without having the frame of reference afforded by a Solaris.

Any thoughts on other potential benchmark IEMs? Surely one of the Andromedas has to count. And I'd say the Oriolus Isabellae does, too, as a beautifully tuned DD IEM that punches well above its price. I'll post my long-overdue impressions of the Isa this week.

 

[HiFiHawaii808]

Love the Van Nuys cases. Just picked up a new one to hold the IEMs.

 

[Rockwell75]

It's good to see all the love for the OG Solaris, not least because I've just purchased a pair - finally! (I'm only, what, three years behind the times?!)

I've heard the Solaris a bunch of times, have liked them very much, and have always wanted to own a pair. For one reason or another, I'd never quite gotten around to buying a pair, typically because of priorities lying elsewhere and the vague sense that prices would come down eventually. Given the Solaris's prices today, I decided the time was finally right. I'm very much looking forward to get to know the Solaris properly; my sense is that I haven't landed on the right tips or sources to appreciate them properly, and now I can.

I wonder if the Solaris has become one of those benchmark IEMs that people ought to hear - if only to get a sense of what a well-rounded, coherent, engaging, but also technically accomplished hybrid can sound like. I've mentioned previously in this thread a desire to own a pair of the Soranik Bastille Audiophile IEMs, but I don't think I can spring for them without having the frame of reference afforded by a Solaris.

Any thoughts on other potential benchmark IEMs? Surely one of the Andromedas has to count. And I'd say the Oriolus Isabellae does, too, as a beautifully tuned DD IEM that punches well above its price. I'll post my long-overdue impressions of the Isa this week.

Congrats on your purchase man...Solaris is indeed a benchmark IEM and easily one of the preeminent releases of the last 5 years. Benchmark is hard for me to define absolutely, but using my ranking chart as a personal reference and saying a score of 8 implies an IEM has attained a certain degree of greatness imho (and thus a "must hear" in some capacity) I would cite the following, with the obvious caveat that there are many great IEMs I haven't heard:

64 Audio: u12t (I have not heard the Fourte or u18s)
Campfire: Andro, Solaris, Dorado, Holocene
Empire: Bravado MK II, Legend X (I have not heard Odin)
Oriolus: Traillii, Reborn, Isabellae
QDC: Anole VX (only one of theirs I've heard)
Sony: IER Z1R
Unique Melody: MEST OG (I was disappointed by the MKii)
Vision Ears: Elysium, VE8 (I haven't heard Erlkonig)

 

[emusic13]

I just bought 2 blur earbuds, one is focused on mids. When arrives I"ll try to review them against iems that I have tried, like Isabellae and Elysium.

Im looking forward to honest impressions

 

[ranfan]

The Shure SE215 was my first ever "nice" pair of IEMs and I think the IEM responsible for my continued bias towards DD timbre. I'm tempted to pick one up again just to see how it sounds to me.

The AONIC4 has DD too, I think they're Shure's first hybrid design (1 DD x 1 BA). Pretty good if you ask me. I like the 4 for its warmer timbre and fuller lower-range. The upper-mids too are tuned linearly, but not too flat so to provide good enough clarity. Perfect for those with moderate sensitivity in that area. I wouldn't recommend the 215 unless you're after their wireless model, or simply nostalgia. The sound is rather blurry, but the precious DD timbre is there

I'm mostly listening at the moment in bed or while working but I expect I'll use in many more scenarios. I'm totally hooked and have Blur buds on the way now too, plus of course eyeing up others for further down the road...

Where did you order the Blur buds? I can't seem to find one.. Looking forward to hearing your impressions, they seem nice

Thoroughly enjoying listening to my Ancestor with some casette tape. That warm open sound.. Mm like liquid pouring. Beautiful analogue vocals

Here's one song that I like from that album

 

[claud W]

Love the Van Nuys cases. Just picked up a new one to hold the IEMs.

Where did you get that case? Have been wondering where to order.