[CodenameBK201]

in the times we’re living in “limited edition” is the biggest and greatest marketing bs. i am feeling sorry for who think otherwise.

For brand new releases? Yes, absolutely, and much of marketing plays on FOMO. But give it a few years and then, yeah, if you like that one particular thing, it may very well become harder to track down. We get spoiled by audio gear because by definition much of the consumer base is always looking to get the next big thing, so items are always being bought and sold, but that's less so in other communities. And some novelty items like Eletech's spartan case for their cables that came with the iliad certainly seem to be in shorter supply.

 

[rantng]

Point of philosophical discussion:

Why is it that the general impressions, thoughts and viewpoints in this thread are often so removed from those of so many self-declared IEM "experts" found on Youtube etc.?

Fixed it for you.

 

[mbirand]

For brand new releases? Yes, absolutely, and much of marketing plays on FOMO. But give it a few years and then, yeah, if you like that one particular thing, it may very well become harder to track down. We get spoiled by audio gear because by definition much of the consumer base is always looking to get the next big thing, so items are always being bought and sold, but that's less so in other communities. And some novelty items like Eletech's spartan case for their cables that came with the iliad certainly seem to be in shorter supply.

i see your point and i apologize i don’t know the pretext, but if i were to invest my money novelty audio items would be the last on the list.

 

[Eoin]

I do, and admittedly it's why I raise my eyebrows a bit at their pricing and the way in which they've seemingly reinvented themselves into the Apple of audiophile gear.

Re: depreciation, I think maybe the sole exception to this might be limited edition cables, or, alternatively, really limited edition sets, stuff put out by relative unknowns in hyper-limited quantities. My Khopesh were part of a set of 200 (100 acrylic, 100 metal) but it's true that aside from visual novelty, there likely will be IEMs that sound better or have more interesting gimmicks in 10 years time. Then again, the Noble K10s still sound good, so while collector's value might not be there in terms of fiscal appreciation, if you find the sound that's right for you, there's extra value if it's a limited edition set that you can't get easily anymore. The collector's value is there for the end-user.

Case in point: after getting on a Last of Us kick watching the HBO series, I got really into the wardrobe (as I do with most film and tv classics I like--ask me sometime about the outfit I own that includes the exact sweater, boots, chinos and a very close replica coat Ryan Gosling wore in Blade Runner 2049). The watch Joel wears is based on a long out of production Lum-tec combat watch. I got turned onto the watch brand and ended up falling in love with their combat bronze series, which uses the same physical bezel but in bronze instead of titanium. I got lucky in that I happened to find someone entirely random selling one on marketplace (they only made 250 or so of them). Is it going to appreciate in value? Not at all, it retailed for over $1200, and I paid about half that. Is it an ultra collectible watch? Not at all, there's several other more expensive, rarer watches out there, and by watch collector values, 600 is barely bending over money. But it's collectible and special to me, and at the end of the day, that's sort of really all that matters.

I’d forgotten about Lum Tec. I dug this out of the bottom drawer, can’t remember the last time I wore it or the GMT Version

 

[552609]

in the times we’re living in “limited edition” is the biggest and greatest marketing bs. i am feeling sorry for who think otherwise.

Yeah, take the Trifecta for instance. Don't say something is a limited release of 333 copies...then release a different color version that's the same thing with a different look. The RN6 may actually be limited to 300 copies, but they'll likely just make something similar later - or rename it. Or a different color, or whatever. Same with DAP limited editions, they're just a reimagining of the normal DAP with a different metal or whatever. None of them retain their value.

 

[552609]

Point of philosophical discussion:

Why is it that the general impressions, thoughts and viewpoints in this thread are often so removed from those of so many self-declared IEM experts found on Youtube etc.?

Because we're not getting paid to Youtube?

 

[Rockwell75]

Yeah, take the Trifecta for instance. Don't say something is a limited release of 333 copies...then release a different color version that's the same thing with a different look. The RN6 may actually be limited to 300 copies, but they'll likely just make something similar later - or rename it. Or a different color, or whatever. Same with DAP limited editions, they're just a reimagining of the normal DAP with a different metal or whatever. None of them retain their value.

I can't imagine we've seen the last of Rn6...especially in light of how popular it is. At the Fir booth in NYC I lamented that the Rn6, being what I saw as the best of all worlds Frontier IEM, was a limited release the response I got was something along the lines of "don't worry we've got other things in the works".

 

[wolfstar76]

Point of philosophical discussion:

Why is it that the general impressions, thoughts and viewpoints in this thread are often far removed from those of so many self-declared IEM "experts" found on Youtube etc.?

Number of viewers matter in this case. Most YouTuber IEM experts know the stuff, but they also know the interest of the mass. If they keep talking about the IEMs we are interested in this thread, the price tag will drive away majority of the viewers.

However, there will always be people like me who watched those YouTubers but eventually graduated and ended up in the head-fi.

 

[552609]

I can't imagine we've seen the last of Rn6...especially in light of how popular it is. At the Fir booth in NYC I lamented that the Rn6, being what I saw as the best of all worlds Frontier IEM, was a limited release the response I got was something along the lines of "don't worry we've got other things in the works".

Yeah, I imagine the next series will be released not too long from now since the Frontier series seems to be wrapping up.

 

[552609]

Number of viewers matter in this case. Most YouTuber IEM experts know the stuff, but they also know the interest of the mass. If they keep talking about the IEMs we are interested in this thread, the price tag will drive away majority of the viewers.

I mean even my budget pick (A5000) is the price of most people's Bose or Apple headphones...so...yeah. Though the 7Hz Zero is fantastic for $25.

 

[Delitia]

1) Noble Viking Ragnar
2) UM Red Halo FE
3) EE Wraith

I don't own either of the last 2 but I really want to hear both, especially with all the mixed reviews surrounding the Wraith and it's estats/power.

 

[HiFiHawaii808]

I can't imagine we've seen the last of Rn6...especially in light of how popular it is. At the Fir booth in NYC I lamented that the Rn6, being what I saw as the best of all worlds Frontier IEM, was a limited release the response I got was something along the lines of "don't worry we've got other things in the works".

I wonder why RN6 is a limited release IEM? It is so good. I think it has tuning that will resonate with more people on first listen. XE6 can take some time to get used to given its overloaded lower mids. They do sound different, but very similar.

 

[552609]

I wonder why RN6 is a limited release IEM? It is so good. I think it has tuning that will resonate with more people on first listen. XE6 can take some time to get used to given its overloaded lower mids. They do sound different, but very similar.

I think it's the pinnacle release of the Frontier Series - a magnum opus if you will. Just a guess (since they're impossible to get a hold of), but I think they'll be releasing the next series soon.

 

[Rockwell75]

Number of viewers matter in this case. Most YouTuber IEM experts know the stuff, but they also know the interest of the mass. If they keep talking about the IEMs we are interested in this thread, the price tag will drive away majority of the viewers.

It's not just that they're not talking about them, but there is a regular insinuation that we (and by we I mean in general those who indulge in higher end IEMs, not just in this thread) are all suffering from some sort of mass hysteria. In the automobile industry for instance, you can see reviews of mid or lower tier vehicles that take for granted that they are not at the level of performance as higher end products. That doesn't seem to be the case here. Perhaps this stems from the (IMHO) false assumption that FR is the only thing that is relevant.

Yeah, I imagine the next series will be released not too long from now since the Frontier series seems to be wrapping up.

We need the Fir Helium and Argon first.

 

[Rockwell75]

I wonder why RN6 is a limited release IEM? It is so good. I think it has tuning that will resonate with more people on first listen. XE6 can take some time to get used to given its overloaded lower mids. They do sound different, but very similar.

Rn6 is meant as an anniversary model. Given how good it is I can't imagine they won't take advantage of this fact and put out a general release of something similar.