I guess I am using different definitions. When I hear the term "no bass", "anemic" and non-existent, I think there's no QUANTITY of bass. Not bass quality. I think Diva's bass is more resolving, but it also is sub-bass focused. Anni has more mid-bass. I think that has more to due with its lower note resolution compared to a more sub-bass focused IEM.
The Watercooler -- Impressions, philosophical discussion and general banter. Index on first page. All welcome.
- Thread starter Rockwell75
- Start date
Royal Navy
100+ Head-Fier
Head-fi and WC threads in the early months of the year were filled with posts and photos related to CJ, along with tons of audio experiences and sideline meetings. Just by reading, I could feel the joy of everyone. I resonate deeply with someone's statement that we come together because of shared interests but stay for personality and friendship. Unfortunately, I am currently in a busy and important stage in my career and life, so I will save the joy of meeting you guys for another time. I hope that time will come soon.
Until then, I will try to stay engaged with this hobby by browsing this thread and participating in group chats regularly to keep up with the latest experiences from all of you. And to ensure this post isn't just spam, I would like to share my recent experiences with the Kinera Loki, my favorite IEM of last year.
As many of you may already know, the Kinera Loki comes in two versions, one being the original Chinese version, and the other being the international version retuned by Kinera after listening to feedback from a Western dealer, if I'm not mistaken, Elise Audio. Unlike most of the friends who own Loki here, mine is the Chinese version. And although I am very satisfied with it, I have always been curious about how the international version would sound.
An opportunity arose on a not-so-beautiful day when the titanium nozzle cap of one earpiece fell off. I decided to send it to Kinera to have it repaired and retuned into the international version. Having admired their craftsmanship in making IEMs with beautiful shells for a long time, I took this opportunity to request a new shell design that was a bit more unique.
Despite the CNY holiday period and being busy with a large number of orders and the launch of the new IEMs Verdandi, Kinera warmly and promptly accepted my request. They provided continuous updates and almost instant responses to my inquiries and change requests. Excellent customer service.
After a few weeks of waiting, the Loki returned with a new appearance and sound. Here they are:
Designed based on this image, I think Kinera's artisans did an excellent job.
It's truly beautiful, even more stunning in person, especially under sunlight. Following the advice of some friends, I asked Kinera to move the logo to the side to avoid obscuring those gorgeous faceplates. The text font was also changed to give it a more medieval look to better match the name Loki. Once again, I have to praise Kinera for being very accommodating to customers; they tried placing the logo everywhere possible and sent me photos until we agreed on the final design.
Isn't it amazing?
But how does it sound? After all, the sound of an IEMs is what we care about most, right?
My initial impressions weren't as enthusiastic as with its appearance. Although Kinera only tweaked the frequency from the upper mids up, to my ears, it seemed to have become a different IEMs.
Revisiting the Chinese Loki, its bass is truly awesome and creates a wow feeling, captivating you from the first listen. But what I like most about the Loki is its midrange. It's thick, full, sweet, and smooth like velvet. Combined with a note weight on the heavy side, makes it extremely musical and very suitable for slow-paced music. The high mids are slightly recessed, but the treble still extends well, making the sound of the Loki relaxed but not lacking in detail or airiness. All ranges coherent quite well, creating a slightly warm tonality.
Now, with the international tuning, the bass still retains its impressive quality. It is very prominent with proper definition, sharp attack, and sufficient decay time, making it very full-bodied and impactful. Along with the support of BCD, the bass experience achieves a sense of realism. Meanwhile, the midrange becomes a little intense; the singer's voice is no longer as thick and sweet. You can also easily hear more sibilance, and in some cases, a bit nasal. Typical examples include music from Halie Loren or Barbra Lica.
Overall, the midrange of the Loki becomes noticeably thinner. However, it must also be said that boosting the upper midranges and lower treble brings a significant improvement in clarity, even though the original version didn't feel lacking. It also makes the Loki more energetic and livelier. Its dynamic is also relatively better. This is evident when I switch to listening to music from Dream Theater or Aryeon with many instruments and ethereal vocal parts. Some might say that the sound of Loki has now become more "real", but personally, I still prefer the original presentation, especially with genres that are vocal-centric.
In summary, both the Chinese Loki and the International version are great IEMs, each catering to different tastes and perhaps suitable for different types of music. However, based on my limited experience, I find the Chinese version to be a special IEM worth keeping in the collection, while the international version is merely a technically proficient IEM without truly standing out among others in its price range. Nonetheless, with Loki, Kinera has undoubtedly solidified their reputation, and I am eagerly looking forward to the brand's new flagship IEMs.
edit: typos and grammar.
Until then, I will try to stay engaged with this hobby by browsing this thread and participating in group chats regularly to keep up with the latest experiences from all of you. And to ensure this post isn't just spam, I would like to share my recent experiences with the Kinera Loki, my favorite IEM of last year.
As many of you may already know, the Kinera Loki comes in two versions, one being the original Chinese version, and the other being the international version retuned by Kinera after listening to feedback from a Western dealer, if I'm not mistaken, Elise Audio. Unlike most of the friends who own Loki here, mine is the Chinese version. And although I am very satisfied with it, I have always been curious about how the international version would sound.
An opportunity arose on a not-so-beautiful day when the titanium nozzle cap of one earpiece fell off. I decided to send it to Kinera to have it repaired and retuned into the international version. Having admired their craftsmanship in making IEMs with beautiful shells for a long time, I took this opportunity to request a new shell design that was a bit more unique.
Despite the CNY holiday period and being busy with a large number of orders and the launch of the new IEMs Verdandi, Kinera warmly and promptly accepted my request. They provided continuous updates and almost instant responses to my inquiries and change requests. Excellent customer service.
After a few weeks of waiting, the Loki returned with a new appearance and sound. Here they are:
Designed based on this image, I think Kinera's artisans did an excellent job.
It's truly beautiful, even more stunning in person, especially under sunlight. Following the advice of some friends, I asked Kinera to move the logo to the side to avoid obscuring those gorgeous faceplates. The text font was also changed to give it a more medieval look to better match the name Loki. Once again, I have to praise Kinera for being very accommodating to customers; they tried placing the logo everywhere possible and sent me photos until we agreed on the final design.
Isn't it amazing?
But how does it sound? After all, the sound of an IEMs is what we care about most, right?
My initial impressions weren't as enthusiastic as with its appearance. Although Kinera only tweaked the frequency from the upper mids up, to my ears, it seemed to have become a different IEMs.
Revisiting the Chinese Loki, its bass is truly awesome and creates a wow feeling, captivating you from the first listen. But what I like most about the Loki is its midrange. It's thick, full, sweet, and smooth like velvet. Combined with a note weight on the heavy side, makes it extremely musical and very suitable for slow-paced music. The high mids are slightly recessed, but the treble still extends well, making the sound of the Loki relaxed but not lacking in detail or airiness. All ranges coherent quite well, creating a slightly warm tonality.
Now, with the international tuning, the bass still retains its impressive quality. It is very prominent with proper definition, sharp attack, and sufficient decay time, making it very full-bodied and impactful. Along with the support of BCD, the bass experience achieves a sense of realism. Meanwhile, the midrange becomes a little intense; the singer's voice is no longer as thick and sweet. You can also easily hear more sibilance, and in some cases, a bit nasal. Typical examples include music from Halie Loren or Barbra Lica.
Overall, the midrange of the Loki becomes noticeably thinner. However, it must also be said that boosting the upper midranges and lower treble brings a significant improvement in clarity, even though the original version didn't feel lacking. It also makes the Loki more energetic and livelier. Its dynamic is also relatively better. This is evident when I switch to listening to music from Dream Theater or Aryeon with many instruments and ethereal vocal parts. Some might say that the sound of Loki has now become more "real", but personally, I still prefer the original presentation, especially with genres that are vocal-centric.
In summary, both the Chinese Loki and the International version are great IEMs, each catering to different tastes and perhaps suitable for different types of music. However, based on my limited experience, I find the Chinese version to be a special IEM worth keeping in the collection, while the international version is merely a technically proficient IEM without truly standing out among others in its price range. Nonetheless, with Loki, Kinera has undoubtedly solidified their reputation, and I am eagerly looking forward to the brand's new flagship IEMs.
edit: typos and grammar.
Last edited:
Head-fi and WC threads in the early months of the year were filled with posts and photos related to CJ along with tons of audio experiences and sideline meetings. Just by reading, I could feel the joy of everyone. I resonate deeply with someone's statement that we come together because of shared interests but stay for personality and friendship. Unfortunately, I am currently in a busy and important stage in my career and life, so I will save the joy of meeting you guys for another time. Hope that time will come soon.
Until then, I will try to stay engaged with this hobby by browsing this thread and participating in group chats regularly to keep up with the latest experiences from all of you. And to make this post isn't just a spam, I would like to share my recent experiences with the Kinera Loki, my favorite IEM of last year.
As many of you may already know, the Kinera Loki comes in two versions, one being the original Chinese version, and the other being the international version retuned by Kinera after listening to feedback from a Western dealer, if I'm not mistaken, Elise Audio. Unlike most of the friends who own Loki here, mine is the Chinese version. And although I am very satisfied with it, I have always been curious about how the international version would sound.
An opportunity arose on a not so beautiful day when the titanium nozzle cap of one earpiece fell off, so I decided to send it to Kinera to have it repaired and retuned into the international version. Admiring their craftsmanship for a long time in making IEMs with beautiful shells, I took this opportunity to request a new shell design that was a bit more unique.
Despite being in the CNY holiday period, as well as being busy due to a large number of orders and the launch of the new IEMs Verdandi, Kinera still warmly and promptly accepted my request. They provided continuous updates and almost instant responses to my inquiries and change requests. Excellent customer service.
And after a few weeks of waiting, the Loki returned in a new appearance and sound. Here they are:
Designed based on this image, I think Kinera's artisans nailed the job very well.
And it's truly beautiful, even more stunning to look at in person, especially under sunlight. Following the advice of some friends, I asked Kinera to move the logo to the side so as not to obscure those gorgeous faceplates. The text font was also changed to give it a more medieval look to match the name Loki better. Again, I have to praise Kinera for being very accommodating to customers; they tried placing the logo everywhere possible and sent me photos until we agreed on the final design.
Isn't it amazing?
But how does it sound? After all, the sound of an IEMs is what we care about most, right?
My initial impressions weren't as enthusiastic as with its appearance. Although Kinera only tweaked the frequency from the upper mids up, to my ears, it seemed to have become a different IEMs.
To revisit a bit about the Chinese Loki, the bass on the it is truly awesome and is what creates a wow feeling, attracting you right from the first listen, but what I like most about the Loki is its midrange. It's thick, full, sweet, and smooth like velvet. Combined with a note weight on the heavy side, makes it extremely musical and very suitable for slow-paced music. The high mids are slightly recessed, but the treble still extends well, making the sound of the Loki relaxed but not lacking in detail or airiness. All ranges coherent quite well, creating a slightly warm tonality.
Now, with the international tuning, the bass still retains its impressive quality. It is very prominent with proper definition, a sharp attack with enough decay time, making it very bodied and impactful. Along with the support of BCD, the bass experience achieves a sense of realism. Meanwhile, the midrange becomes a little intense, the voice of the singer is no longer as thick and sweet. You can also easily hear more sibilance, and in some cases, a bit nasal. Typical examples are music from Halie Loren or Barbra Lica.
Overall, the midrange of the Loki becomes noticeably thinner. However, it must also be said that boosting the upper midranges and lower treble brings a significant improvement in clarity, even though the original version didn't feel lacking. It also makes the Loki more energetic and livelier. Its dynamic feel is also relatively better. This is evident when I switch to listening to music from Dream Theater or Aryeon with many instruments and ethereal vocal parts. Some might say that the sound of Loki has now become more "real", but personally, I still prefer the original presentation, especially with genres that are vocal-centric.
In summary, both the Chinese Loki and the International version are good IEMs, born to serve different tastes, and perhaps suitable for different types of music. But with my limited experience, I think while the Chinese version is a special IEM and worth keeping in the collection, while the international version just a technically proficient IEM but not really different or outstanding among many other IEMs in its price range. However, with Loki, Kinera have somewhat built their reputation, and I am eagerly looking forward to the new flagship IEMs from the brand.
Wow, those shells are beautiful!!!
Unique Melody Max just landed! Definitely the best looking IEMs I've owned. My phone camera doesn't do them justice.
Last edited:
drftr
Headphoneus Supremus
Stunning design! Congrats!
Designed based on this image, I think Kinera's artisans nailed the job very well.
drftr
- Joined
- Nov 18, 2011
- Posts
- 7,886
- Likes
- 47,186
Thanks! What was to be a quick test as to how they might sound with the RS8 became a fantastic almost two hours of musical bliss - the best I’ve heard the WP900 in the time I’ve owned them which must be almost two years now.
Head-fi and WC threads in the early months of the year were filled with posts and photos related to CJ along with tons of audio experiences and sideline meetings. Just by reading, I could feel the joy of everyone. I resonate deeply with someone's statement that we come together because of shared interests but stay for personality and friendship. Unfortunately, I am currently in a busy and important stage in my career and life, so I will save the joy of meeting you guys for another time. Hope that time will come soon.
Until then, I will try to stay engaged with this hobby by browsing this thread and participating in group chats regularly to keep up with the latest experiences from all of you. And to make this post isn't just a spam, I would like to share my recent experiences with the Kinera Loki, my favorite IEM of last year.
As many of you may already know, the Kinera Loki comes in two versions, one being the original Chinese version, and the other being the international version retuned by Kinera after listening to feedback from a Western dealer, if I'm not mistaken, Elise Audio. Unlike most of the friends who own Loki here, mine is the Chinese version. And although I am very satisfied with it, I have always been curious about how the international version would sound.
An opportunity arose on a not so beautiful day when the titanium nozzle cap of one earpiece fell off, so I decided to send it to Kinera to have it repaired and retuned into the international version. Admiring their craftsmanship for a long time in making IEMs with beautiful shells, I took this opportunity to request a new shell design that was a bit more unique.
Despite being in the CNY holiday period, as well as being busy due to a large number of orders and the launch of the new IEMs Verdandi, Kinera still warmly and promptly accepted my request. They provided continuous updates and almost instant responses to my inquiries and change requests. Excellent customer service.
And after a few weeks of waiting, the Loki returned in a new appearance and sound. Here they are:
Designed based on this image, I think Kinera's artisans nailed the job very well.
And it's truly beautiful, even more stunning to look at in person, especially under sunlight. Following the advice of some friends, I asked Kinera to move the logo to the side so as not to obscure those gorgeous faceplates. The text font was also changed to give it a more medieval look to match the name Loki better. Again, I have to praise Kinera for being very accommodating to customers; they tried placing the logo everywhere possible and sent me photos until we agreed on the final design.
Isn't it amazing?
But how does it sound? After all, the sound of an IEMs is what we care about most, right?
My initial impressions weren't as enthusiastic as with its appearance. Although Kinera only tweaked the frequency from the upper mids up, to my ears, it seemed to have become a different IEMs.
To revisit a bit about the Chinese Loki, the bass on it is truly awesome and is what creates a wow feeling, attracting you right from the first listen, but what I like most about the Loki is its midrange. It's thick, full, sweet, and smooth like velvet. Combined with a note weight on the heavy side, makes it extremely musical and very suitable for slow-paced music. The high mids are slightly recessed, but the treble still extends well, making the sound of the Loki relaxed but not lacking in detail or airiness. All ranges coherent quite well, creating a slightly warm tonality.
Now, with the international tuning, the bass still retains its impressive quality. It is very prominent with proper definition, a sharp attack with enough decay time, making it very bodied and impactful. Along with the support of BCD, the bass experience achieves a sense of realism. Meanwhile, the midrange becomes a little intense, the voice of the singer is no longer as thick and sweet. You can also easily hear more sibilance, and in some cases, a bit nasal. Typical examples are music from Halie Loren or Barbra Lica.
Overall, the midrange of the Loki becomes noticeably thinner. However, it must also be said that boosting the upper midranges and lower treble brings a significant improvement in clarity, even though the original version didn't feel lacking. It also makes the Loki more energetic and livelier. Its dynamic is also relatively better. This is evident when I switch to listening to music from Dream Theater or Aryeon with many instruments and ethereal vocal parts. Some might say that the sound of Loki has now become more "real", but personally, I still prefer the original presentation, especially with genres that are vocal-centric.
In summary, both the Chinese Loki and the International version are good IEMs, born to serve different tastes, and perhaps suitable for different types of music. But with my limited experience, I think while the Chinese version is a special IEM and worth keeping in the collection, while the international version just a technically proficient IEM but not really different or outstanding among many other IEMs in its price range. However, with Loki, Kinera have somewhat built their reputation, and I am eagerly looking forward to the new flagship IEMs from the brand.
To be honest, I do prefer the choice of this font compared to the original, as well as its positioning on the shell. The shell design is nothing less than stunning!
CharlyBrown
1000+ Head-Fier
Hi Anthony, thank you for mentioning me in your reviewI had the opportunity to check out the Elysian Diva and Annihilator (again) from the tour. I had already written an Annihilator Review here, but now I got a chance to write a review for the Diva and it was everything I was expecting it to be. I really enjoyed it a lot and found it well priced in the current market. If I didn't have so many similar sounding IEMs, I'd probably go buy it today. I preferred it with the BASS level on high, surprisingly.
I think I am becoming more of a basshead in my older days.
I like it very much because it is quick to the point without layers of wrapping of unnecessary information 
When you tried my set, it was also the 2023 version, but that’s just a small detail and it was of course not prolonged testing like with the set you used for the review
Are you planning to purchase the Annihilator, as well, or are you waiting for the next project DIO?
CharlyBrown
1000+ Head-Fier
I got to make my appearance once every 6 weeks to retain my associate membership right?
Oh, and this came in today. 2024 is not doing so well for quit audio already.
The PB5 sounds great. Barely broke it in, so I don't know how long this will last but there was some initial big big bloaty bloom, but it has calmed down a little bit now and it gives almost the perfect amount of bass to pair with the Subtonic Storm now -- something I've been toying with EQ lately. Now I don't have to. There's some charging quirks I don't like about this PB5 though -- mainly that it doesn't accept PD charging, which is a bit annoying for my current desktop cable setup. But that's pretty minor.
Nice! I’m also contemplating purchasing the PB5. But I’m not sure if it makes sense with the SP3000.
An alternative would be buying the D16 + PB5 and use them with an iPhone. That combo gives a full range of options with different powerful amps, with or without tubes.
How much of a difference do you hear with PB5 vs. Plain DX320max? I read the PB5 works great together with the Storm?
I’m not really a basshead but I like good and powerful bass. Each to their own and for me the Anni 23 doesn’t lack bass. Sometimes I prefer Annis bass over that of the GM, depending on mood and music.
This
Sold my EE Odin & SP3000 yesterday. While both are amazing pieces of gear, the Odin don't sound too different from my Monarchs (in fact I prefer a lot about them) and the SP3000 is INCREDIBLE, but too damn big and fragile.
Groove on the go!
thaslaya
500+ Head-Fier
Putting those on the sand is giving me anxiety...
Groove on the go!
Great picture, but uhm... doesn't dust get into the nozzles?!
Groove on the go!
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