[drftr]

For instance something crazy like this:

drftr

 

[Nostoi]

A/B time

More than happy to take the spare one - A or B, I'm not fussy.

 

[Garney]

Are there any IEM cables that come stock with a 1/4" option? Or do I have to get one made specifically with that?

I looked into this a while back when I wanted an IEM cable to use with my Asgard 3 amp. I didn't pull the trigger but bookmarked Hart Audio. They make IEM cables with a 4-pin mini-XLR connector so you can swap interconnects as you choose; 4.4mm BAL, 6.3mm (1/4"), etc. They'll make you a custom 1/4" terminated cable without the interconnect as well if you'd rather have a dedicated cable.

 

[drftr]

I didn't realize he had that as an option...I will reach out to him.

Perhaps have your Victoria re-terminated? Cheapest by far.

drftr

 

[jeanft]

Yeah, lie flats are nice. I would love to experience one of those private cabins some day.

When I did the bulk of my travelling, I loved to fly on the upper deck of the 747. Smoking was allowed back then on planes and the upper deck was usually smoke free.

That was something! https://www.executivetraveller.com/the-fabulous-bars-lounges-and-restaurants-of-the-boeing-747

 

[Skyediver]

Ready for my next Canjam. Flight and hotel booked for SoCal!

You motivated me, Nate: SoCal CanJam flights and hotel also booked; look forward to seeing you there! Appreciate the push; flights indeed are reasonable if not exactly cheap.

 

[toaster]

So, here is my personal opinion about Mentor vs. Viking Ragnar. These are just spontaneous impressions I have from an A/B comparison:

As far as I'm concerned Viking Ragnar simply has a whole other level of realism, clarity and soundstage/imaging than Mentor (which itself is already famous just for soundstage/imaging), the impression I have is that instruments and voices come out of a completely silent background like lightsabers in the most disparate directions (the soundstage is definitely wider but not so tall, but more airy and with more separation) and sound exactly "as they should be" (call it "neutrality"... maybe "reference"?! Just kidding! ). This level of realism is simply incredible - especially if you come from the Mentor or Trifecta. From this perspective, I don't even find Viking Ragnar (too) cold, bright or similar. It is just "right". Mentor is in this respect completely different, the opposite: intimate, tight but at the same time "big" (O-Soundstage), colorful with a very present (sub)bass. That BCD is simply addictive and I will never want to do without it again! Mentor is strong, pompous, powerful. it drops a veil hearing it after Viking Ragnar. Vocals are better on Viking Ragnar and are more in the foreground. On Mentor they are not as realistic, vivid and are more in the background - which I also like a lot! Viking Ragnar gives me in general more emotion, dispersion in the music (because of those mentioned peculiarities of sound reproduction) and "wow" effects. For me the resolution is also a bit higher, complicated passages are scanned better, the details are simply "there". With Mentor these details you have to "look for", to respect it sounds in certain very complex passages "blurred" (don't get me wrong, it is not at all so…). On the other hand Mentor is predictable since I have always had IEMs with similar timbres and so it is rationally "safer" for me, but emotionally I am now for Viking Ragnar.

If I had to make a decision between the two right now, I definitely couldn't decide. They both sound so damn opposite and great and I find that extremely attractive. It's amazing how the same music can completely transform when you listen to it with a different IEM. Sometimes I feel more "dark" and want to hear Mentor, sometimes I feel more "bright", so Viking Ragnar. To quote Animagus "As a listener, you can choose to use flat speakers, maybe add in a nice sub-woofer and calibrate them to play all FR regions evenly = which is what FLAT technically is. If you like coloured speakers that enhance bass and treble, sure, go for it! If one likes neutrally tuned IEMs/headphones to versions of well established target curves like Etymotic DF or Harman, great! Or if you like coloured IEMs/headphones that presents songs with a larger than life presentation, like you're listening to them in a concert arena, maybe even the Royal Albert Hall (lol!), that's great too! Why not have all of them for different moods!"

There is a lot here that I agree with, but one thing you said that has me scratching my head is the comment about mentor's vocals being in the "background." Mentor is one of the few iems that pushes vocals up and forward on the stage, so they have presence and focus. Of course, mentor's imaging allows it to spotlight virtually every sound that's created, so I'd actually go as far as to say that no sound on mentor is really ever in the "background," which is one of the things that makes its sound so unique.

If you are simply comparing vocal presentation on mentor vs ragnar, I can't comment on that yet, but I'll be able to tomorrow when ragnar arrives for a demo.

 

[toaster]

Le Jardin are my attempt to find true TOTL sound along with Trailli as people praised them like crazy and back then I found KK lack of something I can't explain like they sound so good but at the same time I felt lack of something. I ended up bought one Viking Ragnar and they sound like upgraded KK but still lack of something to my ears.

So fast forward I decided to blind buy Mason FS, and for the first time I heard Mason FS I was really disappointed SQ wise. They sound muddy and grainy compare to KK and Viking Ragnar.

So I read some thought of people about FS in this thread seem like people found them veil in mid which is exactly what I felt. And they said Red Halo, Le Jardin fixed that, So I blind buy Le Jardin and Trailli in additional just to hear true TOTL sound. But I was disappointed again because both didn't sound as realism as KK let alone Viking Ragnar.

Then I start to have a thought that maybe cable didn't do justice for them. So I opted in for Orpheus Shield. In the end it didn't help Mason and Trailli much (I even enjoy Trailli with Code 23 more.) But when I connected the Orpheus to my KK and Ragnar it's just OMG. Level of realism and details sweetness in sound basically everything I ever want. At first I think if IEMs can give me about 80% of what Susvara gave me will be miracle already. But now I really feel that these are even better than Susvara.

That my honest thought about all these earphones.

And I found I didn't touch or even want to touch Le Jardin at all. But MM is different definitely have something interesting in them. And now I try to trade Le Jardin with MM from my friend.

...will check orphy on ragnar.

orphy on mm is

 

[phiemon]

There is a lot here that I agree with, but one thing you said that has me scratching my head is the comment about mentor's vocals being in the "background." Mentor is one of the few iems that pushes vocals up and forward on the stage, so they have presence and focus. Of course, mentor's imaging allows it to spotlight virtually every sound that's created, so I'd actually go as far as to say that no sound on mentor is really ever in the "background," which is one of the things that makes its sound so unique.

If you are simply comparing vocal presentation on mentor vs ragnar, I can't comment on that yet, but I'll be able to tomorrow when ragnar arrives for a demo.

Exactly, I meant the comparison in the vocal presentation between Mentor and Ragnar. With Ragnar the vocals are a little bit more in the foreground (and with Trifecta even a little bit more than with Ragnar).

I would be very interested to read your impressions of Ragnar (also in comparison to Mentor) after you have received it.

 

[wazzupi]

More than happy to take the spare one - A or B, I'm not fussy.

Lol one is a demo I gotta send it back

 

[drftr]

Lol one is a demo I gotta send it back

You could bi-amp your Viking! One amp for the bass and one for the rest.Or a mono block for each channel.

drftr

 

[HarveyLowis]

Are there any IEM cables that come stock with a 1/4" option? Or do I have to get one made specifically with that?

Why dont you get pigtail for that? I got pigtail PW FT 4.4mm to 1/4” for connecting my 4.4mm cables to TT2, Hugo2 and Enleum 23R

 

[ranfan]

Well, you can always take the mix or pre-master used for the DSD master, and master it traditionally. Also, if DSD can be played as PCM, then there’s a good chance you could convert DSD to PCM, i.e. WAV, AAC, “standard” audio formats. So, conversion and comparison should be possible.


That’s the no. 1, unspoken danger of listening at shows like CanJam, for example. You spend 15 minutes listening to a new IEM from brand A, then you instantly go to a new IEM from brand B. Whiplash is guaranteed. And, in your case, you were able to expect that whiplash ‘cus you’ve heard the F5 and Trifecta, and you’re aware of how contrasting they are. If they’re new IEMs you’re just hearing at a CanJam, you won’t be able to prepare for it, and your first impressions of that IEM will be that very sense of whiplash. It’s why I always take 10 seconds after a demo, take a deep breath and try to clear my head as much as I can before going onto the next one.

This. Ideally you'd have the band play live in front you during that clearing moment, to reset your reference to reality

 

[Andorn]

Oops

There's definitely differences between versions. Sometimes it's just a case of how a DAP plays back DSD vs PCM, other times it's actual remastering differences (I really like the 2021 hi-res reissue of DSotM). Next Friday we get to hear the 50th Anniversary release, so another variation, possibly, along with a Blu-ray audio version for the surround sound buffs. Gotta love Floyd!

On a different note, it's quite incredible what's sometimes possible to do posthumously. Just had a listen to the 'new' Eva Cassidy release 'with' the London Symphony Orchestra. What a blessing (in my opinion) that we have many of Eva's greatest songs - and even lesser known oddities - available as vocal tracks that can then be used to reissue entire albums that bring her music back to life in new ways. Listening to this album I have to keep reminding myself that it's not a live performance, which makes it even more bittersweet than it already is.

​

The album is also playing quite often with me at the moment. Truly amazing!

 

[Zachik]

You motivated me, Nate: SoCal CanJam flights and hotel also booked; look forward to seeing you there! Appreciate the push; flights indeed are reasonable if not exactly cheap.

Skipping CanJam Chicago?!