[Deferenz]

Not that kind of poll my friend. Vote here if you want to participate.

My apologies. I saw ‘vote’ and just went for it.

 

[Sajid Amit]

I was going to buy a Bliss to go with my Holo May Dac. I decided to get a Riviera A1C-10 instead.

I would def get a Riviera if I still had a Susvara and other headphones. Not so much for IEMs.

 

[wolfstar76]

Chick-fil-A is decent. I do like their chicken sandwiches. However, Popeyes is the GOAT and Wendy's is right behind them.

Wendy's?! last time I eat at Wendy is at least 20 years ago.

 

[briantrinh86]

I was going to buy a Bliss to go with my Holo May Dac. I decided to get a Riviera A1C-10 instead.

I didn't a/b test them, but Bliss is great. I did hear them separately.

@HiFiHawaii808 In memory comparison, do u think riviera will be around 40-50% better than bliss or around 10-20%?

 

[kumar402]

I would def get a Riviera if I still had a Susvara and other headphones. Not so much for IEMs.

You will need XLR to 4.4 adapter though as 4.4 out has significantly high OI even in low Z mode. XLR out is best

 

[KuroKitsu]

Ok, this has been a point of contention between us for a while, it's time to settle it.

The In In Out fries are unique as they are literally fried potato. Think of it as the 'hot' equivalent of potato chips, and In In Out fries are designed to be ordered 'well done'. Anything else is a travesty. If you want the classic 'fries', yeah Five Guys is much better.

The burger is simple, no frills, no gimmicks. Toppings such as onion, lettuce and tomato are superior to Five Guys. The brilliance of such an insultingly simple combination begins at the first bite.

When you step into an In In Out, it's a time capsule. A simple menu with a handful of menu options. No gimmicks like hot dogs, grilled mushrooms, or bacon milkshakes. In In Out is where you grew up as a kid. Where you played hooky during 6th period with your friends. A place where you could have respectable dates in college when on a budget. As you're waiting for your food, you're seeing these memories being created. From families to love struck couples. Kids playing with the sticker sets, the toddlers donning the paper hats. Folks from the modest to wealthy and any ethnicity, all dining on these simple pleasures and common values. In In Out is a slice of America from the past, a place that my parents as immigrants envisioned what such times were, what could be...but what increasingly isn't today. Fast food chains will come and go, but what In In Out captures is culture. A culture of equality, opportunity and accessibility. Give me your tired, give me your poor and In In Out will have something for them. It may not be the absolute best, but it's honest, accessible, enduring and uncompromising. This is In In Out. This is America.

Nah pretty sure it's the Chicken Burger Place with a cow mascot.

 

[Deferenz]

I finally found some time to compile my thoughts on Annihilator (‘23). It’s rare for me to have two higher end IEMs in my small collection at any given time so I felt compelled to compare it against RN6, which I’ve owned since it launched earlier this year.



I find Annihilator to be highly engaging in an effortless sort of way. It has a presentation that draws you in deeper and deeper as you listen. RN6 is slightly easier to let fade into the background and doesn’t quite have the same intoxicating, tidal like pull that Anni has. Anni’s bass surprised me when I first heard it. It comes in BIG, with a weighty, midbass focused slam. It can rumble with a subbass swell also, but to me it’s the midbass punch that stands out most. Quality wise, it’s a bit less detailed and textured than RN6 but it does not disappoint me in the least. I find it much better than “just ok” in terms of quality. RN6 is more linear from subbass through midbass and can punch hard when the track calls for it, but overall it’s not as “bassy” as Anni is to my ear. Anni’s midbass foundation leads to full, forward and sweet mids. Mids are boxier than RN6 but with a clarity that cuts through the warmth. Electric guitars are killer on Anni with energy and physicality that is akin to standing in front of a Marshall stack at a show. From the upper mids there’s a well placed dip at 6k that eliminates any perceived sibilance or glare. This then smoothly carries up to a seemingly endless mid-> upper treble. The treble is unlike any I’ve heard in an IEM before. There’s a tactile vibrancy up top that somehow never gets hot or wince inducing. It’s both more present than RN6’s treble and yet also less fatiguing. Some seriously special EST tuning by Lee.

Anni’s soundstage is sizable but not massive. I hear it to be uniform front to back and side to side. Never congested nor artificially spaced out. Layering and resolution are excellent top to bottom. Electric guitars crunch and buzz with a palpable energy. Tom and snare hits decay satisfyingly and cymbal strikes are vivid yet silky. Anni has proved to be the most “ok, one more song” IEM I’ve heard in my short time in the hobby thus far. It’s kept me up well past bedtime more times than I care to admit since acquiring it. That, to me, is telling of just how damn good it is.

RN6 takes a different approach with a more balanced, lithe and spacious presentation. FiR’s kinetic DD is no joke, with gut punch levels of slam, defined texture and a linear profile that rumbles deep into the subbass realm. RN6 bass is not quite as elevated as Anni but it does not leave you wanting. Bass drum kicks are fast and authoritative. The mids on RN6 sound noticeably leaner and more etched to my ear than Annihilator’s mids. Vocals sit nicely forward on both sets but RN6’s upper mids have a more pronounced, almost abrupt “pillar like” placement where Anni’s feel more “filled in” and chestier.

Treble on RN6 is relatively smooth with good extension but falls slightly short of Anni’s overall quality and endless reach. RN6 can, on occasion, smear cymbals and take on an almost metallic like sheen that blurs space between quick successive strikes. I think a lot of this comes down to a recording’s production quality and mix so I can’t really fault RN6 but Anni is somehow able to manage these busy cymbal passages without ever becoming harsh or streaked.

Channel separation and overall staging width along the x-axis is greater on the RN6 than Anni. Channel pans are lifelike and will have you subconsciously moving your head from left to right as tom runs sweep across the stage. RN6 presents a more oval stage conpared to Anni’s rounder, sphere-like stage. Layering and resolution on RN6 is very good but a step behind Anni which grabs more detail even with its warmer, fuller midrange. To my ear, RN6 relies more on its svelte, balanced tuning to pull in detail and imaging.

To sum up, both are excellent IEMs and I find myself head bobbing and smiling while listening to either. RN6 is where I reach for a more balanced, “normal” listen which I’m loving lately for jazz, indie rock and acoustic music. Anni is more aggressive and doesn’t allow my attention to wander and is able to yield hours and hours of listening without fatigue. The bass impact and fullness that Anni brings, coupled with excellent resolution and a treble that seems to defy logic is downright addictive with every genre in my library.

What a great review. I only listened to RN6 for a short time but I get your point about it being more normal and balanced. I like how you talk about the Anni’s treble in that it ‘seems to defy logic’. It was the treble that completely blew me away when I heard it.

 

[bigbeans]

Nah pretty sure it's the Chicken Burger Place with a cow mascot.

I do like Chic Fil A, been craving a Deluxe Spicy Sandwich and Mac n Cheese. Perhaps after the holidays!

 

[emdeevee]

Here is a preview of the results from the "favorite sources" question. N30LE is the clear winner, followed by RS8.

The travesty is the absence of the Shanling M9+ which, for a variety of reasons, should be on this list.

That's because Five Guys is a classy establishment and they only want dine in or take out.

You said fast food burger! In n out, baby! Fast requires drive thru!

Five Guys and In-N-Out are my two favorite fast food burger places. I go there whenever I get a chance. I slightly prefer Five Guys because their burgers and thicker and juicier and their toppings are perfect for my taste. I love the freshness of In-N-Out burgers and the consistency and value that they deliver. There is no contest on the fries. Five Guys is a first round knock out. What I tell people is that I would rather own an In-N-Out franchise (which they don't offer since it is is a private company) and spend the money I earn on a Five Guys burger. In-N-Out's business model is far superior to Five Guys.

Nothing beats it. This is not iems.

 

[briantrinh86]

chic fill a and in& out are my favorite, especially chic fill A strips.

 

[Natesdailies]

"Unfortunately classifieds are filled with people looking for deals or only want to buy at prices they can resell for no loss or profit on. I get no one wants to lose money when trying new gear… but some people are ridiculous low ballers lol."

Sometimes you do run into very reasonable nice people in the classifieds though. Luck of the draw really. Some of my recent sales went to some amazing head fiers I felt.

I've generally had great interactions with people on the classifieds. Also grateful to be able to trade with friends in the hobby when the opportunity arises.

Budgets are tight. I applaud and understand the frugal mentality with how things are right now. However every now and then though I've run into unpleasant situations where people attempt to low ball severely despite the listing already being generous, and the listing being advertised as "firm".

 

[Neweymatt]

Guess whose (overkill) headphone amp for use with in-ear monitors has shipped today?





Waiting to be partnered with the CD player on my nightstand.

And a bevy of expectant IEMs await its arrival.

Mmmmmustard Ice cream

I am wondering if anyone here has brought your IEMs to the headphones booth, unplugged the headphones, and testing your IEMs from those desktop stacks in CanJams?

I reckon @Sajid Amit will be able to answer that from the comfort of his own place shortly.

 

[AEIOU9]

Storm would be my top vote. Viking Ragnar, next vote.

 

[wolfstar76]

Storm would be my top vote. Viking Ragnar, next vote.

You need to click the link to participate.

 

[MRT-Man]

In n out > shake shack > five guys

Thats my preference. I always felt five guys to be super greasy

+1. On the rare occaisions I get to have In-N-Out (maybe one a year), I get a little sad halfway through the burger, because I’m reminded that the awesome deliciousness of it will soon be over, and it may be quite a while before I get to have it again.

For me, part of what makes it special is how perfect it is. The bun is PERFECT. The slice of tomato is PERFECT. The slice of onion is PERFECT. The sauce is PERFECT. The patty is PERFECT. It’s so remarkably consistent.