[Amadeo Nospherathu]

Great shots! I think I saw a few of your nature pics on IG before

Yes. These are from the macro settings on my Leica Q2. I like the colours from it! Here is another angle:

Thank you. Your photos are also wonderful)

 

[Schugar]

Well if you've got a headphone preference between dynamic and planar and you prefer planar supermoon(technicalities are on par with 3k iems)might be your choice the difference is quite large as someone who has preferred planar in headphones I thought it was worth and hit above it's price. But I wasn't looking for that kinda sound in an IEM I had my headphones for that. I was looking for an IEM with really good vocal performance holographic soundstage superior imaging and overall good bass. That's how I ended up with the indigo instead(you're kinda stuck getting custom too)

the bone conduction if you've never heard an IEM with it and or never got a good fit(supposedly customs make the bone conduction have a better connection) it's just worth it I mean I tried all the empire ears line up and audio 64 and many more(I wish I auditioned the fir xe6) and I preferred the quality and quantity of bass(great texture and balance of sub and mid bass)the indigo presents. I honestly believe the indigo is a borderline totl IEM and definitely can be totl for those who preference it's sound.

My preference is planar for over ear although I keep several dynamic headphones in my collection just to have a more visceral listening experience depending on genre I'm in the mood for. That said I'm more just interested in the technical performance between the two overall and I don't have to have a planar. To me planar in iems right now is too soon to call it and having already listened to the 7hz timeless and S12 while I think both are great for the price they are still missing elements that I want in an iem. The Supermoon so far from what I've read though in various threads here is touted to be a few good leagues above those two so it has garnered my interest. If technical performance is close to that of say the Indigo or others I've listened to I could be potentially swayed to get it and the talk about it here has been enough for me to pursue a demo unit to at least see for myself what all the fuss is about.

I don't necessarily need an engaging or fun sound right now for an iem because I already have a uiem that fills that niche/void for the most part so I'm more looking for an analytical presentation. To me while planar in headphones do a very good job at that kind of presentation like the Arya in iems I'm curious if the Supermoon gets close to that in similarities. rev92's review here drew some similarities to the Arya Stealth for the Supermoon and that had me intrigued at the very least. Also I'm definitely set on getting a custom so my options that I've auditioned at least universal sets that are similar land me in either the camp of unique melody or 64 audio. The Supermoon just recently landed on my radar from the Canjam London impressions I read and that spilled over into me hunting down more information along with trying to get a demo unit from campfire directly.

 

[Scubadevils]

I hope you feel better I hate tooth problems... I am in the middle of fixing a broken on myself. The pain is gone now but I will be missing a tooth at CanJam as the graft heals up. Anyway feel better and enjoy the music!

Thanks, yeah it has been rather painful - I've not been able to eat/chew for two days, looks like a solution now though, to include strong painkillers! Good luck with yours and enjoy CanJam.

While I'm here, some previously unreleased material from the D&B legends Omni Trio - I've a flight in the morning and this is one of a few albums I'm purchasing as the soundtrack to my journey!

 

[blotmouse]

I have some sensitivity on upper mids and lower treb but Solaris 2020 is just about hitting my ability to tolerate those levels with comply foam tips. I listen to all genres thats my problem so I'm looking for a good 'all rounder' but that being said, my preferences are likely towards a more tame upper mids/lower treb sonic profile with a good bass impact and that 3D holography and imaging. I still want my mid range and vocals to shine as well. So teetering on a mild V shaped to W shaped sound signature. Hopefully that helps.

Even though I personally wasn't a fan, I'd probably go Indigo based on your descriptions. Only issue may be the lower treble.
Kr5 could be a tamed upper mid set for you, that in all aspects spanks the MEST line's rear. But is also, a couple hundred $ more than Indigo, and should be heard 1st to make sure it aligns with your use case and sonic preferences.

 

[MatW]

I have some sensitivity on upper mids and lower treb but Solaris 2020 is just about hitting my ability to tolerate those levels with comply foam tips. I listen to all genres thats my problem so I'm looking for a good 'all rounder' but that being said, my preferences are likely towards a more tame upper mids/lower treb sonic profile with a good bass impact and that 3D holography and imaging. I still want my mid range and vocals to shine as well. So teetering on a mild V shaped to W shaped sound signature. Hopefully that helps.

I'm also in favor of tame upper mids. Based on your description I think the Indigo will serve you very well. I haven't heard the KR5.

 

[dmphile]

Even though I personally wasn't a fan, I'd probably go Indigo based on your descriptions. Only issue may be the lower treble.
Kr5 could be a tamed upper mid set for you, that in all aspects spanks the MEST line's rear. But is also, a couple hundred $ more than Indigo, and should be heard 1st to make sure it aligns with your use case and sonic preferences.

Funny enough, I auditioned the Kr5, thanks to @Rockwell75 Frontier tour kit and it was pretty close to my taste but then I went back and forth between the Kr5 and Xe6 and after long hours of listening, I actually preferred the Xe6 more than the Kr5, strangely. I really don't know what it was about those sets but the bass was just insanely well textured and hard hitting from any other type of bass I've heard in an IEM and even then, it didn't 'move' me or illicit that emotional response that I was looking for when I put them through my very diverse library. Hard to explain and these sets are so well accomplished, technically proficient, hits all the check marks, so to speak, and yet it didn't do it for me.

 

[blotmouse]

Hard to explain and these sets are so well accomplished, technically proficient, hits all the check marks, so to speak, and yet it didn't do it for me.

They gotta "do it" for you I know what you mean though when it all lines up on paper but still leaves you unsure. At this price point unsure for me is a "nope. next one please". Gotta go with your gut.

Kr5 is divisive like Fourte apparently. You need to already have a library that it works with for it to click. For me it's about 55/45 that the tuning lines up with, which is actually quite good and I was like, "Yes, that's the money for these types of recordings" But not for everything out there.

 

[ljnew]

There's a terrible misconception that iems don't benefit from desktop power or they don't need that much power.

Switching to desktop from mobile daps for iems. I have the topping l30 2 stack separate dac and amp.

It makes my portable daps sound like a joke by themselves without a separate amp imho. Very dull, thin and boring.

I have to figure out how to make my desktop rig portable with a fanny pack and portable charger.

Fine print:

I prefer iems over headphones. Just my preference although i do listen to headphones. BETTER in the eye of the beholder not the price tag.

Power doesn't equal quality, but i notice the desktop soundstage and power is on another league IMHO.

 

[HiFiHawaii808]

There's a terrible misconception that iems don't benefit from desktop power or they don't need that much power.



Switching to desktop from mobile daps for iems. I have the topping l30 2 stack separate dac and amp.

It makes my portable daps sound like a joke by themselves without a separate amp imho. Very dull, thin and boring.

I have to figure out how to make my desktop rig portable with a fanny pack and portable charger.

Absolutely, many IEMs can benefit from a desktop system, but if you are going to sacrifice portability, you may as well use headphones. If you want a better portable sound, then get a better IEM or Dap.

 

[Amadeo Nospherathu]

Just came across the iBasso Liquid Metal Special Edition DX320 special edition. What an absolutely gorgeous device.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/ibasso-dx320-edition-x-available-for-preorder-at-bloom-audio.964775/

drftr

My friend, a craftsman of leather covers, knows how to curse from a photo. And I can already hear him mumbling something...

 

[Frankie D]

There's a terrible misconception that iems don't benefit from desktop power or they don't need that much power.



Switching to desktop from mobile daps for iems. I have the topping l30 2 stack separate dac and amp.

It makes my portable daps sound like a joke by themselves without a separate amp imho. Very dull, thin and boring.

I have to figure out how to make my desktop rig portable with a fanny pack and portable charger.

Don’t confuse power with quality. IEM’s only require millivolts to be driven properly. That does not mean a high quality amp cannot make them sound better.

 

[Amadeo Nospherathu]

Those little beasts are hungry, or it's OK ?

I would call them deceptively modest.
That is, they sounds good even from my laptop output. They don't need much in order to give high volume. But give them a powerful source - and you will see what they are really capable of.

 

[Amadeo Nospherathu]

They are good. I have found that over time, I still prefer the cable experience. I like the sound and the comfort of cables better.

When I need comfort - there are compact cables. For example, EA Cleo or Linum. They don't bother me even on modest bike rides.

 

[jwilliamhurst]

Supermoon thoughts so far…I am quite certain it still needs to burn in and is sounding better and better each time I listen. Most likely brain burn in. I hear some metallic timbre on some sharp s sounds only so far and very few and far between I’m extremely impressed with the piano timbre. It sounds real like how I grew up in church hearing it very often. The bass is also great. It’s a different kind of bass. Like it’s speaking to you instead of just hearing or feeling it. You’re in conversation with it. It resolves deep. I am loving how supermoon can replay the music with precision and emotion at the same time. That is not an easy feat. It gives its own flavor to each and every type of music, love it or hate it. But I for one am loving the unique flavor it brings.
Mids are quite good especially guitars I quite enjoy, very textured with good bite. Micro dynamics are really good, peeling apart layers quite well and macro dynamics are just on the great side. Not amazing but still a lot better than some others even beyond this price point. The loud to quite moments are not as obvious(dynamic) as I would prefer but it’s also not a deal breaker by any means because the resolving nature of a single driver is beyond most of the most dynamic of monitors with multiple drivers. This is just my opinion.
The treble is so smooth to me. Sounds very analog. Maybe a bit dry at the highest registers in some classical tracks but still resolving so well. Nothing to complain about tbh.
The micro dynamics are just incredible. They literally suck you in. once i closed my eyes…it stretched me into a vortex that was all encompassing literally losing myself in the music. The macro dynamic shifts are subtle, they are there just more subtle. The micro dynamics and coherency of a single driver such as this also being so resolving is very addictive and takes you inside the music in a new way. It’s really hard to fault it for anything when it makes you connect with the music and your own emotions. It’s def an experience like I’m crawling inside of the music and letting it become apart of me. Very addicting even more so than any single dd I have heard. Honeymoon phase and all though.
Vocals have really nice center image. And imaging is pretty impressive as well. Will be taking these in for the next few weeks and I am interested how my thoughts will evolve. So far so good. And imo miles and miles ahead of the timeless. YMMV

 

[HiFiHawaii808]

Don’t confuse power with quality. IEM’s only require millivolts to be driven properly. That does not mean a high quality amp cannot make them sound better.

Last week, I A/B tested all of my top IEMs with my desktop rig which is

Bluesound node 2i > Chord Hugo M Scaler > Chord Hugo TT2 > Ampsandsound Rockwell > IEMs on 8, 16 and 32 ohm taps.

The top 3 IEMS on this rig were in no particular order. IER-Z1R, U12t and Annihilator. All of these IEMs scaled up better than the rest and the biggest difference is how much more open the Sound stage presented itself. Since the tube amp is very mids focused, it could also be that these IEMs sound better with a warmer amp. Traillii, Jewel, Red Halo, all which sound better to my ear on my portable systems sounded not as good as the Z1R, U12t and Anni on my desktop system.