[metaljem77]

Are you saying Ragnar has less bass than KK and Sultan while being brighter than both? That probably wouldn't cut it for me unless the mids are truly spectacular. Can't remember if you have had Sultan though. Tnx...

drftr

I’ll preface with my standard caveat: different music genre preferences quite often, in my reading of members’ impressions, amplify how one feels towards an iem. Generalisations aside, I’ve also found fairly polarising impressions amongst fans of the same genre. So…. where does that lead us? Pretty much my rambling to no where. I recall you’ve heard KK as well, what do you think of the bass quantity vs that of Ragnar? And I need to iterate, it’s bass quantity; KK has more than Ragnar, to my ears. I’ve only bought a few iterations of Noble’s TWS, which sounded “brighter” in recent times, something I’m not a fan of.

 

[drftr]

I’ll preface with my standard caveat: different music genre preferences quite often, in my reading of members’ impressions, amplify how one feels towards an iem. Generalisations aside, I’ve also found fairly polarising impressions amongst fans of the same genre. So…. where does that lead us? Pretty much my rambling to no where. I recall you’ve heard KK as well, what do you think of the bass quantity vs that of Ragnar? And I need to iterate, it’s bass quantity; KK has more than Ragnar, to my ears. I’ve only bought a few iterations of Noble’s TWS, which sounded “brighter” in recent times, something I’m not a fan of.

Both KK and Sultan have near perfect bass levels for me, where I prefer the Sultan having more mid bass than KK and prefer KK for its better textured sub bass. But if Ragnar has substantially less than both then the difference with the U18t may not be worth it for me, especially if it's also brighter.

drftr

 

[Doug2507]

@Rockwell75

Yes....

 

[ranfan]

Which show is this?

Chainsaw man
Very good animation quality. The story is quite 'touching' too hehe

 

[Skyediver]

My CIEM Multiverse Mentor is finished and should be shipping out to me ASAP, I can’t wait! Got my head fi username engraved on one of the IEMs silver frame but it’s a little difficult to see due to the email app compressing the photos. I will have to take more glamor shots when I have them.

Beautiful! I’m really leaning toward getting a CIEM from Santa this year (either this or considering a few other desirables like a tube amp or headphone. Choices, CHOICES!)

For the custom Mentor, how long was the wait from ordering to delivery, May I ask?

 

[aaf evo]

Beautiful! I’m really leaning toward getting a CIEM from Santa this year (either this or considering a few other desirables like a tube amp or headphone. Choices, CHOICES!)

For the custom Mentor, how long was the wait from ordering to delivery, May I ask?

I ordered October 1st and received them November 4th, they had my STL files already. I’m fairly sure I was probably the first one to go custom on a Mentor so I doubt there was a long order line? Maybe reach out to @UniqueMelody and see what they current build time is?

 

[Skyediver]

Yeah it's a strange hobby. But it usually comes down to this: boy's toys. If you're willing to look past that, the 'old stuff' often sounds just as good and is much, much better value. But where's the fun in value, right?

I’m trying to make this a guiding principle for future purchases, especially in the IEM space where I think we’re still in a wave of some solid innovation: technique is to be patient and about a year behind what is getting a ride on the most current hype trains and buy what’s quietly still getting much love.

Problem is I don’t naturally have patience and get all goo-goo eyed drooling at the latest advancements that are so exciting. Hence, I’m a hopeless case

 

[Skyediver]

The UM Mentor has a massive, immersive, enveloping and engaging sound-- which means that when it works it's really phenomenal, and when it doesn't you really notice it. It's been hit or miss for me with some tracks over the last day and a bit-- and part of that I think has been me trying to find an optimal fit. Adjusting the IEMs and (as per @MaggotBrain's suggestion) the chin slider with an aim to engage the BCD has really helped. This is the first track that made me realize what a phenomenal listening experience Mentor can be:



The whole sound just envelops you and the layering, imaging and timbre of all the instruments is wonderful. This is a sound that takes the best of IEMs like the VE8, Phonix and EXT all wrapped into one and kicks it all up to the next level. In fact I would say that tuning wise Mentor is something of a hybrid of the VE8 and Phonix by Vision ears-- so imagine this with some BCD on top and you're some way there. People who haven't experienced BCD tech should really try to-- the effect is tangible and when done really well as it is here it is thoroughly mind blowing. The sound seems to emanate spherically from the centre of your point of focus within out beyond your head in all directions. Will report more as I continue exploring with this new and improved fit.

Very interesting, Jeff. I like a lot of what you’re describing here. The only concern is the idea of getting the best from the Mentor and its BCD sounds like it’s slightly up to getting a “perfect” fit with the chin cinch and all. I’d hate to think in normal use such “preciseness” was necessary. You find that’s the case or no, it’s not that finicky?

 

[Skyediver]

Survey question:

What are people's goals as far as their collection goes? I've heard some say they want an array of different driver types. Others have said they want a spectrum from reference tuning to more musical tuning-- this used to be what I thought I was after. This hobby has been a journey for me. At first I was after bass...then I discovered mids. Most recently thanks to the tuning of Lee Quan Min of Elysian Acoustic Labs I have discovered the joy of a well executed treble centric tuning. So much joy in fact that, honeymoon or not, the Elysian-EA collab IEM Gaea is presently the IEM I am most infatuated with and reaching for the most.

As far as goals or a collection go I'm presently thinking that my goal will be to have an IEM on hand each for bass, mids and treble. Presently the Gaea and Supermoon respectively cover off treble and bass...which means I'm now after a great IEM in the $1.5K range that excels at mids. The hunt is on.

Great question. At least I think it is because I’ve pondered over it endlessly over the last year or so as I’ve come back to the hobby with a specific focus on IEMs and portable audiophile listening vs. desktop setups and open backed headphones.

Soooo, I think I’ve landed on wanting to have 4 TOTL IEMs, and maybe two TOTL DAPs, and I’ll be able to stop endlessly searching for… whatever we’re searching for here,lol.

Now, for what those four will be, who knows? No immediate rush ti complete the journey. One BIG change is I was indeed going down a pathway of evaluating and tracking everything about IEM differences on an excel spreadsheet yada yada, but that was killing a bit of the joy for me, if I’m being honest. Too “work-like” for a process that should be nothing but pure JOY and FUN, so instead of emphasizing the excel spreadsheet processing and cold analytical process, I’m just gonna find four TOTL beauties that are all different enough to provide listening variety and I’ll be good.

 

[Skyediver]

well looks like I am the minority. I am one of those 1 iem guys and never looking back, the a18t has been a fantastic all rounder for me and I have stayed with it for 6 years.

I wish I could be this way, truthfully. It’d be great for my wallet, and I could think about other hobbies that I love just as much as music listening.

 

[Whazzzup]

I wish I could be this way, truthfully. It’d be great for my wallet, and I could think about other hobbies that I love just as much as music listening.

we do exist, granted we are lurkers as well.

 

[drftr]

we do exist, granted we are lurkers as well.

Confirming the existence No way I would ever want 2 IEMs unless for completely different reasons, like I have a TWS for travelling on public transport.

drftr

 

[Skyediver]

Had a chance this Monday here in Denver to see Smashing Pumpkins with Jane’s Addiction. What a great show! Audience was a bit older (think mostly people who appreciated these groups in their prime, so Gen Xers), but a nice segment of young peeps too. Both acts really did a nice job of nurturing the nostalgia angle without being obnoxious with it, mixing in other stuff too. I’m really enjoying getting back out this year and listening to live music with strangers. I’m the type that’s a bit outgoing and easily chatty with strangers especially if I’m partaking of a bit of the sticky icky, so the woman below? I have no idea who she is, but we were best buds for a couple of hours, lol.

Speaking of which, my wife works in the medical field so she’s asked me to mask up when I go to these music events. Recently, I’ve gone to quite a few concerts; I’d say that maybe 5% of people were masked up at them. This show? I’m not joking, I think I may have been the ONLY person wearing a mask. Too funny.

Concert love continuing: going to see my first “official” country music show next week by checking out Carrie Underwood. That should genuinely be interesting for me, as that’s a genre I know very little about, and assume there won’t be many middle-aged African American men in the audience, hah!

 

[Whazzzup]

My fav janes addiction vid

 

[Rockwell75]

Very interesting, Jeff. I like a lot of what you’re describing here. The only concern is the idea of getting the best from the Mentor and its BCD sounds like it’s slightly up to getting a “perfect” fit with the chin cinch and all. I’d hate to think in normal use such “preciseness” was necessary. You find that’s the case or no, it’s not that finicky?

It wasn't that bad for me and will probably depend a lot on people's ears. I found as long as I positioned the Mentor in my ears with an eye to maximizing contact I didn't have any issues at all.