[gLer]

Duality is epic. I still have the proto with me atm and was listening to it this morning before Raven arrived. Going from Duality to Raven made Raven sound quite anaemic and bass-lite

It's a sad day when this is said about EE IEMs. Long live the Legend!

 

[ulverr]

Valentinum is THE BEST!

I ordered quite a few cases from him

Where do you order them? At Etsy?

 

[RonaldS86]

wow hello fellow indonesian
such a brave soul, taking 75 million rupiah iem with you to the public place like nothing. but should be fine i guess. worst case, they will take your airpod pro instead . Safe travel man

Hello too
Nah, nothing to worry about. My DAP & IEM are always with me wherever I go and I think everyone looking at me thinking "What are those thing with a big a$$ cable that weirdos put on his ear. Hearing aid?"

Short List of Things To Buy in 2024: (only IF I have the money)

1. Elysian DIO
2. Nightjar Duality
3. Luxury & Precision LP7Ti DAP

IF my mom lends me money:

1. Canpur 622b
2. UM Flagship (Unconfirmed)
3. Oriolus Flagship (Unconfirmed)

IF my dad lets me do installment payment to him:

1. Nightjar Blue Hour 8W
2. Mass Kobo 475 DAC/AMP
3. Subtonic Project "Cloudburst"

Things to watch for:

1. xMEMS IEM Development from Soranik

IF God wills it:

1. A House / Apartment
2. A Girlfriend

Will you settle for a Boyfriend that can give you everything you wish for?

 

[lycos]

with big bass if you know what i mean

So, you want gf with big bassy voice. Got it

 

[Damz87]

It's a sad day when this is said about EE IEMs. Long live the Legend!

Nah, Ravens bass is excellent. Duality is extremely bassy so it’ll make any IEM sound lacking down low if you’re directly comparing. Just needed a bit of time for my ears and brain to adjust to the different presentation.

And it goes both ways. Duality’s treble sounds dark and rolled-off if your ears have acclimatised to a more balanced IEM.

 

[mRaaghava]

Did anyone compared three IEMs from CFA, Black Star, Supermoon and Bonneville? I want to know peoples opinions on these three IEMs.

 

[Junmoe62]

Hi Cooler fam!
I wish everyone the best year ever for 2024!

For me 2024 is gonna be a big shift in life since I’ll be leaving China after living there for nearly 14 years! I’m planning on moving back to France for the foreseeable future. The bad news is that I’m heading straight to headfi no man’s land… But that might actually be a good thing for my wallet…

I’m definitely looking forward to some Cooler meetups in Europe! We gotta do something guys!!!


On the audio side, I’m still waiting for my CP622b custom to be delivered after a bit over a month. It was supposed to receive it for Christmas, but Santa left my package at the Chinese border and brought me flu instead…
Anyways, I should be receiving it this week.
I’ll let you guys know how the custom version turned out and I’ll go back to the store to compare against the universal version.

Happy New Year everyone. First question of the year.

What products are you most looking forward to hearing and/or buying in 2024?

Buying:

I’ll be buying the Rosenkranz Silver HB in the coming days. Just love this thing! Unique sound.
I‘ll probably buy a cable as well to pair up with HB, since it comes without cable. I’m hesitating between Ode to Laura, Sonnet of Adam or Cross Lambda Apollo.
Apollo is the best of the 3 I think but I need to try if the pairing is good. Also, Apollo is damn expensive, so there’s that…

BTW, it makes me realize that I’ve never seen this cable discussed here, which surprises me because it’s got to be one of the best sounding cable out there with Orpheus and Beat Audio Orbit Saga.

Here is a picture I took in the shop, for those who don’t know about this cable:

It looks, feels and sounds pretty close to Orpheus Shielded.
It’s got some of the best shielding tech on the market. The background is incredibly black.
It’s also cheaper than Orphy S.


Demo :

Except the Fatfeq lineup and Nightjar / Subtonic ones, not much else I’m looking forward to demo.
A shop received PMG Audio APX for demo, so I’ll go check that out this weekend.
Raven should be available for demo soon as well.

1. Canpur 622B
2. Rosenkranz Silver HB Ruthenium
3. Fitear Creator / DC Ti
4. Vision Ears Aura
5. Vision Ears VE10

drftr

Hey @drftr !
Maybe I can help with your 2 first ones! I should be back to north of France in early March and as far a I understand you’re from the Netherlands?! If you can wait until march, we could definitely meet! It’s not very far!
Also, note that my CP622b is a custom… it won’t be optimal but it should be possible to fit some ear tips on it to try out…


Lastly, I would thank all the cooler friends for sharing all their 2023’s favorite albums! Really cool stuff in there!
And also, a big thank to @Rockwell75 for all he’s doing for the community! Hats off to you sir!

Cheers guys and have a blast in 2024!

Julien

 

[Tanalasta]

Semi-lost in this 5000+ post thread. It seems having not perused the IEM sub-forum, I’ve missed a whole world of chi-fi and other IEM’s. Trying to tease these out is like learning Barolo (or Bordeaux) Cru without having a chance to taste the wines.

Wish list for 2024
1. A chance to audition a TOTL R2R DAP and calibrate my own thoughts as to where they stand compared to the Hugo 2 or AK44xx DACs
2. Audition UM or a bone-conduction IEM. I perceive BA drivers to have a very subtle ‘plasticy’ tonality and would be keen to move on with the times towards hybrid drivers.
3. How do people on average salaries afford these things again?

Can someone tell me why a high-end IEM cable that is a fraction of the gauge and length of a headphone cable costs just as much? I assume the worksmaship involved with braiding, soldering ends etc etc… but gauge wise I’m missing something. I’d love to see someone rig a $3000 headphone cable to an IEM and see what it sounds like

 

[slumberman]

Wow I love this case! I couldn’t find this design anymore Valentinum’s workmanship is

Message him. I had to, for the P6 Pro case since he wasn’t advertising it.

 

[slumberman]

Where do you order them? At Etsy?

Yup. You can also message them on Etsy if you have requests or questions. They’re very helpful.

 

[Deezel177]

I have watched this thread for awhile and envy some of the things y’all have gotten to listen to and respect the perspective some of you can bring ti this hobby. I’d like to ask something.

I am a portable listener and will be for the foreseeable future. I don’t have a desktop set up and my lifestyle isn’t suited to be able to use one much if I did.

I have tried a couple low level daps (ibasso DX170 and Tempotec V6) to see if they are portable enough and work well enough for my use case and to see if I like the sound better than my BTR7 through Bluetooth. If I did like them I would upgrade later to something “better.” I’m sorry but I just can’t pick up a big difference between wired through these daps and Bluetooth from btr7 and especially on the move not doing critical listening. I am a Spotify streamer and like the versatility to be able to switch songs from my watch through the phone app and not have to worry about pulling out another big device from my pocket. I also have the Tempotec v3 on the way for portable Bluetooth use.

So all that said what I am looking to do is find my endgame when taking into consideration my use case. I do spend some time at home where I can dial into the critical listening a little more but maybe not enough to justify such a huge price tag in the multi thousands. Something tells me I don’t need a multi thousand dollar set because maybe I won’t be able to see its potential without a desktop setup? Is this true? Maybe it isn’t.

My question is this: how much should I spend before I may start seeing massive diminishing returns considering my setup?

I am not a wealthy person so I would like to spend up to $800 and be done with it. Some sets I am looking at are Soundrhyme DTE900 and SR8 (a brand known to have incredible value) or AUR Audio Neon Pro or Ascension. I like a balanced/energetic signature with lush vocals that aren’t too recessed.

Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Happy New Year everyone!!

Your budget is pretty perfect, ‘cus $1000-$1500 is usually when you start to see diminishing returns really kick in. The Neon Pro gets a lot of good reviews, so you could be set there. 64 Audio’s U4s is another good option around that price range, but it’s closer to balanced than energetic. It definitely ticks the lush vocals box though, and its DD woofer is likely to beat everything else in that bracket.

You can definitely get the best out of a multi-thousand-dollar IEM from a portable set-up. Recent releases like the Aroma Audio Fei Wan are really easy to drive. It’s usually the in-ears with e-stats that benefit most from power. But, when you get to those tiers, it’s certainly best to do your research or ask around before making any big decisions.

Cross-posting from the Empire Ears thread:



Raven arrived this morning. The unboxing experience was great. Definitely an improvement on Odin and Legend Evo. Lovely accessories, in particular the launch edition leather case. The stock PW cable is decent. Reminds me of the UM MEST Mk2 cable. I like it more than the Genesis cable that came with Evo but I liked the Stormbreaker more than this one. The overall build quality seems excellent. No issues removing and reinserting the cable, and I love the Satin gold faceplate. To me it’s more understated and classy compared to the shiny faceplates. No fingerprints to wipe off every time you touch it

My initial thoughts on the sound quality are positive. It’s a highly energetic type of presentation with what sounds to me like a slight U-shape tuning. It has quite an energetic top end with lots of treble extension, much more than I remember Odin or Odyssey having. Mids are clear, revealing and resolving, leaning tonally bright. I found Odyssey's upper mids to be pulled back a little too far, making it sound somewhat hazy and too relaxed for me. I feel Raven has fixed this. Bass sounds slightly north of neutral, and pretty even between mid and sub bass (maybe a touch more sub bass than mid bass). The bass quality is superb, and I wouldn’t expect anything less coming from EE. Initially I thought a smidge more bass would've been nice, although after listening a bit longer the bass has opened up and I think more bass could potentially sound disjointed from the mids and treble.

On that note, I do find Raven to sound quite cohesive considering its configuration, and the technicalities overall are strong. The stage is large, and the imaging sounds precise. There’s loads of microdetail being picked up. Dynamics seem decent but not outstanding.

Overall my initial feeling on Raven is that it’s a very good IEM and ticks pretty much all the boxes for a flagship monitor. I think people looking for a warmer, bassier or relaxed presentation will need to look elsewhere, but if you’re a fan of a revealing, high-energy type of tuning with a slight U-shape emphasis, then Raven would be a pretty good choice in todays market. Ravens biggest problem in my opinion is that it's got some stiff competition in its price bracket that goes for a similar sound, such as Elysian Annihilator or Kinera Loki, and it's tough to recommend paying an extra ~$500 over those IEMs for Raven.

‘Great impressions, as always! Your thoughts line-up pretty much with my CanJam SG impressions, so I can’t wait to hear the final product; maybe in Japan, next week.

wow hello fellow indonesian
such a brave soul, taking 75 million rupiah iem with you to the public place like nothing. but should be fine i guess. worst case, they will take your airpod pro instead . Safe travel man

We’re growing in number!

Semi-lost in this 5000+ post thread. It seems having not perused the IEM sub-forum, I’ve missed a whole world of chi-fi and other IEM’s. Trying to tease these out is like learning Barolo (or Bordeaux) Cru without having a chance to taste the wines.

Wish list for 2024
1. A chance to audition a TOTL R2R DAP and calibrate my own thoughts as to where they stand compared to the Hugo 2 or AK44xx DACs
2. Audition UM or a bone-conduction IEM. I perceive BA drivers to have a very subtle ‘plasticy’ tonality and would be keen to move on with the times towards hybrid drivers.
3. How do people on average salaries afford these things again?

Can someone tell me why a high-end IEM cable that is a fraction of the gauge and length of a headphone cable costs just as much? I assume the worksmaship involved with braiding, soldering ends etc etc… but gauge wise I’m missing something. I’d love to see someone rig a $3000 headphone cable to an IEM and see what it sounds like

It actually has more to do with the minimum lengths you have to order from the wire manufacturers themselves. They only accept orders (especially custom blends) in the hundreds of feet. You also have brands like Eletech who have their hardware custom-CNC’ed by Pentaconn, which is extremely expensive.

 

[LFC_SL]

3. How do people on average salaries afford these things again?

They do not?

Or they choose to diligently save and spend as they choose

Actually that is relevant to Sajid's poll question the other day what common mistakes are made. I suggest do not assume costs more money equals better. That is just marketing speak and could be applied to any category of consumer spending.

A lot of online impressions are demos or funded through part exchange of selling other kit. So - in a non-lecturing way - do not incur bank loans chasing someone else's lifestyle or is not real. There is always someone with more disposable income or they have access to a source willing to provide samples

 

[boodi]

I have watched this thread for awhile and envy some of the things y’all have gotten to listen to and respect the perspective some of you can bring ti this hobby. I’d like to ask something.

I am a portable listener and will be for the foreseeable future. I don’t have a desktop set up and my lifestyle isn’t suited to be able to use one much if I did.

I have tried a couple low level daps (ibasso DX170 and Tempotec V6) to see if they are portable enough and work well enough for my use case and to see if I like the sound better than my BTR7 through Bluetooth. If I did like them I would upgrade later to something “better.” I’m sorry but I just can’t pick up a big difference between wired through these daps and Bluetooth from btr7 and especially on the move not doing critical listening. I am a Spotify streamer and like the versatility to be able to switch songs from my watch through the phone app and not have to worry about pulling out another big device from my pocket. I also have the Tempotec v3 on the way for portable Bluetooth use.

So all that said what I am looking to do is find my endgame when taking into consideration my use case. I do spend some time at home where I can dial into the critical listening a little more but maybe not enough to justify such a huge price tag in the multi thousands. Something tells me I don’t need a multi thousand dollar set because maybe I won’t be able to see its potential without a desktop setup? Is this true? Maybe it isn’t.

My question is this: how much should I spend before I may start seeing massive diminishing returns considering my setup?

Given my ( humble ) exp i would tell anybody >that can afford it< to shot for the top tier : to save time energy and upgradities .

Not a rule but surely very common that when affordable , and when sound and music is a constant or a need in life , one would experience upgradities and go through upgrade windows in life

Passing through upper tiers in IEM is not that bad really my exp.. 800$ in classifieds with a little patience and use can land you a lot of value : I saw V16 divinity that went used for 800$, they are already totl iems and very good reference sound besides signatures and preferences.. Just an example , there are many occasions Sony ier-z1r goes for similar price nowadays , Mest mkII or mkIII etc. : you have quite a market in this price range and it is a smart choice , a sweet spot for price/performance, and value.
So a budget that when well spent can definitely keep you happy for a time and a long on your case maybe , and it happened to me too ...after quite a time upgradities knocked my doors again, so.. it happens, again and again, many the reasons .

btr7

Passing straight from btr7 to any dap I have is quite a difference , for sound quality , it is something I can tell quite fast too: but this is true and noticeable on totl iems ( or kilobucks iems if you prefer) and a little less on more mid-fi gears ; and I can definitely echo what you wrote too : if I am walking around with the chain and through different ambients/noise and crowd scenarios , then the difference , still there and pleasurable , becomes a bit less evident and less strict on perception .. so if your case use is more casual and mainly on the move , you might be very well served with btr7 ; it is the best bt dongle I have had , up with ru6 and ru7 too or nearly so to my ears for sound quality - besides synergies differences and similar considerations - so it can definitely and already be a good option in your case, iems of choice and use

Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Happy New Year everyone!!

to you too!

 

[aaf evo]

Hi Cooler fam!
I wish everyone the best year ever for 2024!

For me 2024 is gonna be a big shift in life since I’ll be leaving China after living there for nearly 14 years! I’m planning on moving back to France for the foreseeable future. The bad news is that I’m heading straight to headfi no man’s land… But that might actually be a good thing for my wallet…

I’m definitely looking forward to some Cooler meetups in Europe! We gotta do something guys!!!


On the audio side, I’m still waiting for my CP622b custom to be delivered after a bit over a month. It was supposed to receive it for Christmas, but Santa left my package at the Chinese border and brought me flu instead…
Anyways, I should be receiving it this week.
I’ll let you guys know how the custom version turned out and I’ll go back to the store to compare against the universal version.




Buying:

I’ll be buying the Rosenkranz Silver HB in the coming days. Just love this thing! Unique sound.
I‘ll probably buy a cable as well to pair up with HB, since it comes without cable. I’m hesitating between Ode to Laura, Sonnet of Adam or Cross Lambda Apollo.
Apollo is the best of the 3 I think but I need to try if the pairing is good. Also, Apollo is damn expensive, so there’s that…

BTW, it makes me realize that I’ve never seen this cable discussed here, which surprises me because it’s got to be one of the best sounding cable out there with Orpheus and Beat Audio Orbit Saga.

Here is a picture I took in the shop, for those who don’t know about this cable:



It looks, feels and sounds pretty close to Orpheus Shielded.
It’s got some of the best shielding tech on the market. The background is incredibly black.
It’s also cheaper than Orphy S.


Demo :

Except the Fatfeq lineup and Nightjar / Subtonic ones, not much else I’m looking forward to demo.
A shop received PMG Audio APX for demo, so I’ll go check that out this weekend.
Raven should be available for demo soon as well.


Hey @drftr !
Maybe I can help with your 2 first ones! I should be back to north of France in early March and as far a I understand you’re from the Netherlands?! If you can wait until march, we could definitely meet! It’s not very far!
Also, note that my CP622b is a custom… it won’t be optimal but it should be possible to fit some ear tips on it to try out…


Lastly, I would thank all the cooler friends for sharing all their 2023’s favorite albums! Really cool stuff in there!
And also, a big thank to @Rockwell75 for all he’s doing for the community! Hats off to you sir!

Cheers guys and have a blast in 2024!

Julien

What’s the lead time on a 622B CIEM? I bought a universal to give it another go in case I missed on something during my audition. I have too many friends who consider it a top 3 set to not try it again. If I do end up enjoying it more I’ll likely get a custom. Do they have custom designs?

 

[maegnificant]

Pretty cool summary. I still can't, after many explanations given to me, ACTUALLY understand why this works.