[drftr]

I certainly have @Rockwell75 and @drftr to thank for that, who were so patient and helpful at the beginning of my journey when I annoyed with my many questions. Without you, I would have lost hope and given up.

At your service, sir. Just a mirror, that's all.

IDK how most people work on here but 6k is 33% more than 4k.

Make that 50% and I understand your story even better.

Please say hello to your family, Ben! One of those great unexpected meetings on my travels that made me continue like forever.

Good morning all from Europe. And Merry Christmas.

Next year i like to purchase Subtonic Strom. I hope release will not be delayed. My next one will be Noble Sultan, EE Raven and if Mr. Lee will release DIO, this is a duty for me.

I wish you all happy holidays.

Wishing you would chime in more often here on your journey!

drftr

 

[nikbr]

Getting back to more affordable gear is the way to keep your expectations and the never-ending chase of the ultimate audio dragon at bay. It's the EPZ Q5 for me after quite a while. Very tastefully done cheap single DD, but it takes a while to adjust to it after only listening to my Top 5 for a while.

Enjoyable nonetheless. Very enjoyable actually, after 30min I don't really miss anything. Just sitting here nodding my head to whatever Sting has to say

And it serves as a brain reset button. To be mindblown again when you reach for those top dogs in your collection.

 

[BlueA]

Question: What's the first IEM you expect to buy in 2024?

Subtonic has announced working on a model that focus on a warm and bass/subs that will be presented at next Singapour CanJam.
This is the missing signature in my collection! No name yet?

 

[Valrhona]

Sorry TAZ and MDR, you'll have to wait your turn

It's an altar.
Exciting times are here again.

 

[deep2285]

Seconded. An amazing little gem...

I it

 

[Kobe4ever]

Hey everyone, I’m hoping you can make a recommendation as I’d like to add a new IEM that can complement my existing lineup of Traillii, Jewel, and Legend X. My source is an AK 2000t, but that will likely be upgraded in 2024. I listen to a range of music from rock, live recordings, folk, pop, etc. I’m trying to keep it in the $3k range so possibly the perpetua, annihilator, or FW. I do like a more analog/warm sound and am somewhat sensitive to bright sound signatures. Would also like for it to sound somewhat different from current lineup. Appreciate your thoughts and happy holidays to everyone.

Little tip: Aroma Thunder, they are an IEM that give a balanced and dynamic sound, with excellent bass. They are suitable for any type of music and their cost is under 2500 USD

 

[deep2285]

I was thinking it would be that Dita sub $1k set but I'm starting to think I might instead blind buy that $500 (or so) Elysian IEM that was teased recently and whose name escapes me.

Elysian Pilgrimage

 

[CharlyBrown]

Like I said before you don't need to understand other people's preference. We are different each other and that's normal. I'm not an expert about the difference in lesser and more powerful amp, but I think usually it will affect the dynamics of the music. For example, you can feel the energy when you hear rock music and maybe EDM. It's not about the loudness, but those indescribable sensation like when you are in a dance floor if you get what I mean. What kind of music you usually listen actually?
I can say all that thing because I have that kind of experience with my Aroma Jewel. Back then when I'm still using N8ii, I almost want to sell my Jewel because it sounds so lifeless and boring. Too smooth and flat for me and I can barely enjoy anything from it. Fast forward, N30 AP comes and make the Jewel shines brighter than before. The difference in power output give me an immediate result. Better soundstage, better dynamics, I can feel the soul and the texture of the music. Now Jewel will be a permanent member of my portable nirvana

Thank you @RonaldS86. I think I will close this chapter for myself now and stay content with what I have. My explanation to myself is I'm just not sensitive enough to experience these minor changes in sound reproduction (I'm also immune to cable sound). This insensitivity will spare me a lot of money I can invest in IEMs and headphones. Also I'm happy that FOMO doesn't have the same effect on me like in the past. This is my greatest personal achievement of my audio year 2023

 

[RonaldS86]

OT: I always wanted to know: is there any way to turn off this thing where I have to wait a minute between messages in private? It's annoying!

I think that's usually how PM ing works
If we remove that limitation then it will be a real time chat like Whatsapp and prone to spam.

Yes. The other half of my N30LE AP is still in the jungle…

You're right, it's still available on MT. Go capture that tiger then

What a USB cable!

Those beautiful cable are from my local cable makers

Feel free to contact them

Just taking the Stax Sigma Pro out for a X’mas day listen. Shanling ET-3 which is a CD transport and so much more as source.

Abyss 1266 TC be like :

It's an altar.
Exciting times are here again.

Exciting times indeed. And I'm using a battered and tattered my bro in law Focal Clear
Still waiting for my Caldera on January

 

[Scubadevils]

Compared to GM's bass?

I haven’t heard GM unfortunately… I’m not sure I’d describe Loki as ‘bass head’ - there is certainly plenty of quantity but it’s the quality really grabbing my attention, definitely the excellent BCD at work - I keep seeking out tracks with a lot of sub bass, and having those ‘ahhh’ moments when sub is called for.

Detail, imaging, layering, stage size all spectacular too. Wonderful set.

Family stuff to do so back in the case till later…

 

[CharlyBrown]

DIO interests me a lot, and maybe Duality and even less Storm. But I was afraid they would all be too expensive.

Guys, what's going on with Raven? It's not even mentioned here (anymore). New impressions?

Same. I'd love to try Storm, at least, but not necessarily but it. I guess most of us experienced the psychological effect, called "shifting baselines". Where you first buy expensive gear at 300 and laugh at everybody who pays 1000 for more advanced stuff then you go into 1000 territory etc. My personal baseline shifted after years to the 3k+ region (but only for Mentor), which was a real pain for me because I suffered severe buyers regret. I'm not sure if 5k+ will ever be possible for me, psychologically.

I guess the next Elysian flagship will be out of this world, though. If Lee manages to keep Annis treble, expand soundstage and improve bass, this thing will be a winner for many enthusiasts. But if it really is twice the price of Anni...hard to swallow for me, even impossible.

I envy the watercoolers who managed to step out of the crazy game and are happy with sub 2k gear and don't even look out of this zone.

 

[RonaldS86]

Same. I'd love to try Storm, at least, but not necessarily but it. I guess most of us experienced the psychological effect, called "shifting baselines". Where you first buy expensive gear at 300 and laugh at everybody who pays 1000 for more advanced stuff then you go into 1000 territory etc. My personal baseline shifted after years to the 3k+ region (but only for Mentor), which was a real pain for me because I suffered severe buyers regret. I'm not sure if 5k+ will ever be possible for me, psychologically.

I guess the next Elysian flagship will be out of this world, though. If Lee manages to keep Annis treble, expand soundstage and improve bass, this thing will be a winner for many enthusiasts. But if it really is twice the price of Anni...hard to swallow for me, even impossible.

I envy the watercoolers who managed to step out of the crazy game and are happy with sub 2k gear and don't even look out of this zone.

At first it's 3k and now slowly drifting to 10k++
Someone please stop me

 

[audionewbi]

Question: What's the first IEM you expect to buy in 2024?

My hope for 2024 is to:
1)Sell all but two of my DAP.
2)Do not buy any new IEM.
3)Focus more on health.

I can't say 2023 was a good year for me in terms of audio. Sure, it was the year where I discovered two of my favorites' IEM, however I came to a realization that the market is heavily biased towards markup not necessarily out of greed, or that it is getting more costly to built things, but on the contrary, market has shifted towards more costly item because cheaper things aren't taken seriously.

Okay, maybe I'm in a bad mood because my RS8 just decided to not work properly. After inspecting it, due to heat, two of the resistor seems to have come loose. I always wondered how such intense heat can impact resistor long term, it looks like not too well, you can't avoid physics after all.

 

[psklrdk]

At first it's 3k and now slowly drifting to 10k++
Someone please stop me

This is going very fast up. But the demand is there. Actually it wonders me, because entry and mid level is developing insanely fast, delivering a good quality for a fraction of the price. And we have to clear say, that TOTL have also their flaws.

 

[RonaldS86]

This is going very fast up. But the demand is there. Actually it wonders me, because entry and mid level is developing insanely fast, delivering a good quality for a fraction of the price. And we have to clear say, that TOTL have also their flaws.

Their price