[Yefry]

What’s your use case @Yefry?

I never heard the RN6 but read a ton of posts about it. Most owners say It’s the perfect allrounder for them as long as you are ok with not only elevated sub- but also mid-bass.

I bought the GM with bass/fun in mind (and it definitely delivers) but turns out I’m using it more and more as an allrounder and not only for bass focused music like electronic. Bass is definitely sub-bass focused with a nice drop in the mid-bass region. But to me the other parts of the spectrum are also that good, especially treble surprises me on a regular basis!

In the beginning I only used it with the switch to „full bass mode“, now I use it 70% of the time with „vocal switch on“, lowering bass a little bringing forward the mids. I‘ve still not changed the modules, stayed with the default black ones. The switch alone brings so much versatility without fiddling with modules.

But as I mentioned, initially I bought the GM for my bass needs, Mentor for mids and soundstage and Anni for treble and followed more of an specialists strategy. I kept all of them and use and love all of them and all for all kinds of music, I rotate all on a regular basis.

If I had no IEMs today and considered just one allrounder based on the thousands of pages and many many reviews I‘ve read in the past years, I‘d go for (and blind buy) the RN6. Best case would be you can compare them with your own music.

I'm really looking for an all-rounder, which is true that makes me think of RN6, however I'm looking for top-level bass, good technicalities and a wide soundstage.

The mid-bass doesn't bother me but I'm not a fan either, in fact I find that the Odyssey with N7 can often offer a mid-bass approach over sub-bass and I certainly prefer the sub-bass.

On the other hand, I like a natural tone and that it doesn't have advanced mids. I usually listen to a little bit of everything, mainly EDM, Pop and Rock.

Another important aspect is isolation, I need as much isolation as possible from the outside and I have a feeling that the RN6 with the metal casing and vented bass port may offer a slightly smaller compromise.

I know it's a very long list of 'demands' but I can only afford a TOTL and I must study all the details well

 

[chickenmcnug]

Could it be that the Watercooler has been hacked by watch aficionados??

Longing back to the days when this space was all about pets...

drftr

We need a Barnie update @Wyville

 

[twister6]

Borrowed these beauties for a few days from Musicteck, and will have a short detailed write-up soon. Very impressive stuff!

 

[UnknownOperator]

Borrowed these beauties for a few days from Musicteck, and will have a short detailed write-up soon. Very impressive stuff!

Have you run it off the R8II? That’s been my source so far. I still need to throw the Navigator into the mix. I tried pairing my AE with the Flash Acoustics Thanos and I have a Beat Audio Cyclone on the way. I am going to continue to play with accessories this weekend to see what direction that takes the Alter Ego.

 

[tone.texture.soul]

Hi friends! Some impressions to whet your appetite for the weekend: The Oriolus Monachaa and Canpur CP54E. Enjoy!

When I was in California last November I wasn’t in a good place mentally. When Andrew at MusicTeck sent me a care package of goodies to test, my impressions were surely colored by that. I loved the Fei Wan, but the CP622b and Monachaa got skewered pretty good by me that time. I shouldn’t have said anything, live and learn, but it reinforced a good lesson I’ve learned over the years. Many things can deeply affect your impressions - like bad sleep, jetlag and too much coffee, even just a bad mood is enough. And, it’s important to make sure the demo unit is fully burnt in, as this can make such a big difference, especially if there is a DD in there. In the case of the Monachaa I am now sure it was brand new at the time, and well, coupled with my bad mood, let’s just say it was a night and day change.

So, thanks to @Scubadevils and Andrew @MusicTeck I had a chance this past week to hear the Monachaa again, along with the Canpur CP54E, and I’m glad I did.

This time around the Monachaa is much much better. It’s natural, cohesive textured and lovely. What happened? Since DD mids/highs are rather rare, it occurred to me that the burn-in effect must be amplified here - we’re used to hearing the DD bass open up - but in this case the mids and highs changed their tonality dramatically. Much more so than BAs, and this could explain what I was hearing that threw me off. This is the exact same demo unit from November, but no doubt with lots more hours on it. The change was instantly recognizable.

This is definitely a U shaped IEM, with lots of texture. Great bass, with a very solid rumble, especially in the sub bass which is fairly lifted and forward. DD mids are to die for, so lush and natural, I wish more companies did this. The seemingly bizarre wonky-ness I heard is totally gone, and instead mids are spacious and really beautiful. The upper mids are still a tad too forward and thinned out for me, but they are very cohesive now, natural and lush. I know many love these kind of upper mids. Treble is nice and smooth, some sparkle to keep things interesting and clear. Bass and treble have more of your attention than the mids, which was surprising to me as I thought like the DC Ti, my staple for DD mids, Oriolus would make them center stage. But this is something else, and once you get into it, it’s very enjoyable. The stage is really big, very very open and spacious. I hear it having nice levels of detail, but more musical over micro detailed. Definitely hearing the difference between DD and BA for the mids especially, once you’ve gotten used to DD mids it can be hard to go back. Vocals and instruments are so realistic!

The shells are fairly chunky but small, so similar to the Traillii in some ways but more bulbous. I found fit to be just fine, settling on the Eletech Baroque for maximum comfort and sound. With the stock cable there is too much sub bass and lacking texture, but switching to Orpheus or RSD FC the details were much more present, texture was really really good, and the analog feel and vibe was a lot more evident. This guy needs a lot of power to shine, my WM1Z sounded a bit flat and thin, but swapping to the LP6 Ti AE, or adding in the Pico Origa SE got things far more open, bigger, with better bass and larger stage.


The Monachaa is something new, and should be appreciated as such. For me I would prefer a bit less sub-bass which did overpower some of my test tracks. When you want the bump it comes in spades for sure, electronic is amazing with these, but it could be a tad overwhelming for non bassy music. I would also prefer more forward mids, but that’s just me. While it may not be everyone’s all rounder, I think for some it might hit the sweet spot for them. Given the price it’s highly recommended!

Canpur really knows how to make an IEM comfortable - wow. The CP54 might be the most comfy IEM I’ve ever tried, fits totally flush with great isolation. The 622b was also amazing in that, it looked funny but in ear it was like a custom for me. I heard the 622b a second time, twice actually, and I loved it, it’s really fantastic. I’ll let my bad mood take the fall for that one, sorry if my initial impressions affected anyone’s purchase of this gem. While the 622b is fantastic, so is the cheaper brother CP54.

It has great punchy bass, guttural, and tight. It is very resolving, but a bit more intense and energetic than the 622b’s relaxed vibe, at least from my memory. They both have great sub bass, Canpur seems to know how to tease out the best bass BAs can make. 54s mids are very resolving with clear transients, engaging and forward, while note weight is thinner and leaner compared to the 622b which is meatier and slightly more relaxed. 622b might seem a bit more technical, but somehow achieves that with less intensity, one of its many magic qualities. There is no BCD in the 54, so perhaps that plays a part. The 54 is a bit spicy up top, though not to the level of discomfort at all. Treble is clean and clear, smooth and extended. Very nice.

These are very easy to drive and seem to sound great out of anything I tried. Stage is big, with seemingly equal dimensions on all sides.

I’m hearing a lot of -what I know now to be - the Canpur house sound, and it’s really great. They seem to really know how to tune an IEM. My only complaint with 54E is, I personally wish, again, that it had thicker mids, as instruments can be a tad thin. (I prefer thicker mids if you haven’t noticed.) The 622 solves this with some more girth and weight there. The Monachaa mids aren’t thin, just back in the stage, while the 54 places them front and center, but somewhat thinner and leaner. I do prefer 622b over the CP54, as I’m sure many do. But the 54 could easily be preferred by others, and I can understand that as well. It’s amazing for the price.

The stock cable is nice and comfy, soft and silver, but a tad too splashy up top. Looks like a silver/hybrid to me, I much preferred it with the Orpheus, (or another great copper cable) which opened up the stage, gave the mids more width and separation, and better bass control. It also smoothed out the slightly harsh sparkle, making it more balanced and more analog.

Between the two I prefer the texture and tonality of the Monachaa, but the tuning and balance of the CP54. CP54 can be a touch fatiguing after long sessions for me, this can be remedied with a darker cable. Monachaa wins for stage and texture, which is has in spades. I love DD mids and hope other companies start to do this with their TOTL offerings I found it to works very well for electronic, also jazz was nice, but lacking the forward mids rock and instruments didn’t quite come to life for me entirely. With a different library I can imagine this being someone’s new favorite. If somehow someone made an IEM with DD mids, and the balance and reference-ness of a more linear IEM, that would be a show stopper. As of this we only have the FitEar DC Ti and it’s basically impossible to get without physically going to Asia.


I wish to thank Andrew at @MusicTeck for giving me the opportunity to hear these IEMs. And to my pal @scubedevils for thinking of me before passing these demos back to the USA. I also shared my idea with Andrew that all dealers/manufacturers BURN-IN their demo units to avoid this kind of skewed impressions in the future. If I was making TOTL gear, and I wanted people to enjoy my creation as I intended, I would be very careful to send out demos that perform correctly right out of the box. At the very least, when demoing gear, one should simply ask to know if the unit is brand new or not.

As always, if anyone wants to buy these you all know where to go. Andrew is a gem, one of the nicest guys in the business - I cannot recommend @MusicTeck more. I get nothing from saying this, he just deserves it for being awesome. You can find them here and here.

Have a great weekend friend-os!

 

[emdeevee]

Hi friends! Some impressions to whet your appetite for the weekend: The Oriolus Monachaa and Canpur CP54E. Enjoy!




When I was in California last November I wasn’t in a good place mentally. When Andrew at MusicTeck sent me a care package of goodies to test, my impressions were surely colored by that. I loved the Fei Wan, but the CP622b and Monachaa got skewered pretty good by me that time. I shouldn’t have said anything, live and learn, but it reinforced a good lesson I’ve learned over the years. Many things can deeply affect your impressions - like bad sleep, jetlag and too much coffee, even just a bad mood is enough. And, it’s important to make sure the demo unit is fully burnt in, as this can make such a big difference, especially if there is a DD in there. In the case of the Monachaa I am now sure it was brand new at the time, and well, coupled with my bad mood, let’s just say it was a night and day change.

So, thanks to @Scubadevils and Andrew @MusicTeck I had a chance this past week to hear the Monachaa again, along with the Canpur CP54E, and I’m glad I did.







This time around the Monachaa is much much better. It’s natural, cohesive textured and lovely. What happened? Since DD mids/highs are rather rare, it occurred to me that the burn-in effect must be amplified here - we’re used to hearing the DD bass open up - but in this case the mids and highs changed their tonality dramatically. Much more so than BAs, and this could explain what I was hearing that threw me off. This is the exact same demo unit from November, but no doubt with lots more hours on it. The change was instantly recognizable.

This is definitely a U shaped IEM, with lots of texture. Great bass, with a very solid rumble, especially in the sub bass which is fairly lifted and forward. DD mids are to die for, so lush and natural, I wish more companies did this. The seemingly bizarre wonky-ness I heard is totally gone, and instead mids are spacious and really beautiful. The upper mids are still a tad too forward and thinned out for me, but they are very cohesive now, natural and lush. I know many love these kind of upper mids. Treble is nice and smooth, some sparkle to keep things interesting and clear. Bass and treble have more of your attention than the mids, which was surprising to me as I thought like the DC Ti, my staple for DD mids, Oriolus would make them center stage. But this is something else, and once you get into it, it’s very enjoyable. The stage is really big, very very open and spacious. I hear it having nice levels of detail, but more musical over micro detailed. Definitely hearing the difference between DD and BA for the mids especially, once you’ve gotten used to DD mids it can be hard to go back. Vocals and instruments are so realistic!





The shells are fairly chunky but small, so similar to the Traillii in some ways but more bulbous. I found fit to be just fine, settling on the Eletech Baroque for maximum comfort and sound. With the stock cable there is too much sub bass and lacking texture, but switching to Orpheus or RSD FC the details were much more present, texture was really really good, and the analog feel and vibe was a lot more evident. This guy needs a lot of power to shine, my WM1Z sounded a bit flat and thin, but swapping to the LP6 Ti AE, or adding in the Pico Origa SE got things far more open, bigger, with better bass and larger stage.


The Monachaa is something new, and should be appreciated as such. For me I would prefer a bit less sub-bass which did overpower some of my test tracks. When you want the bump it comes in spades for sure, electronic is amazing with these, but it could be a tad overwhelming for non bassy music. I would also prefer more forward mids, but that’s just me. While it may not be everyone’s all rounder, I think for some it might hit the sweet spot for them. Given the price it’s highly recommended!







Canpur really knows how to make an IEM comfortable - wow. The CP54 might be the most comfy IEM I’ve ever tried, fits totally flush with great isolation. The 622b was also amazing in that, it looked funny but in ear it was like a custom for me. I heard the 622b a second time, twice actually, and I loved it, it’s really fantastic. I’ll let my bad mood take the fall for that one, sorry if my initial impressions affected anyone’s purchase of this gem. While the 622b is fantastic, so is the cheaper brother CP54.

It has great punchy bass, guttural, and tight. It is very resolving, but a bit more intense and energetic than the 622b’s relaxed vibe, at least from my memory. They both have great sub bass, Canpur seems to know how to tease out the best bass BAs can make. 54s mids are very resolving with clear transients, engaging and forward, while note weight is thinner and leaner compared to the 622b which is meatier and slightly more relaxed. 622b might seem a bit more technical, but somehow achieves that with less intensity, one of its many magic qualities. There is no BCD in the 54, so perhaps that plays a part. The 54 is a bit spicy up top, though not to the level of discomfort at all. Treble is clean and clear, smooth and extended. Very nice.

These are very easy to drive and seem to sound great out of anything I tried. Stage is big, with seemingly equal dimensions on all sides.





I’m hearing a lot of -what I know now to be - the Canpur house sound, and it’s really great. They seem to really know how to tune an IEM. My only complaint with 54E is, I personally wish, again, that it had thicker mids, as instruments can be a tad thin. (I prefer thicker mids if you haven’t noticed.) The 622 solves this with some more girth and weight there. The Monachaa mids aren’t thin, just back in the stage, while the 54 places them front and center, but somewhat thinner and leaner. I do prefer 622b over the CP54, as I’m sure many do. But the 54 could easily be preferred by others, and I can understand that as well. It’s amazing for the price.

The stock cable is nice and comfy, soft and silver, but a tad too splashy up top. Looks like a silver/hybrid to me, I much preferred it with the Orpheus, (or another great copper cable) which opened up the stage, gave the mids more width and separation, and better bass control. It also smoothed out the slightly harsh sparkle, making it more balanced and more analog.









Between the two I prefer the texture and tonality of the Monachaa, but the tuning and balance of the CP54. CP54 can be a touch fatiguing after long sessions for me, this can be remedied with a darker cable. Monachaa wins for stage and texture, which is has in spades. I love DD mids and hope other companies start to do this with their TOTL offerings I found it to works very well for electronic, also jazz was nice, but lacking the forward mids rock and instruments didn’t quite come to life for me entirely. With a different library I can imagine this being someone’s new favorite. If somehow someone made an IEM with DD mids, and the balance and reference-ness of a more linear IEM, that would be a show stopper. As of this we only have the FitEar DC Ti and it’s basically impossible to get without physically going to Asia.


I wish to thank Andrew at @MusicTeck for giving me the opportunity to hear these IEMs. And to my pal @scubedevils for thinking of me before passing these demos back to the USA. I also shared my idea with Andrew that all dealers/manufacturers BURN-IN their demo units to avoid this kind of skewed impressions in the future. If I was making TOTL gear, and I wanted people to enjoy my creation as I intended, I would be very careful to send out demos that perform correctly right out of the box. At the very least, when demoing gear, one should simply ask to know if the unit is brand new or not.

As always, if anyone wants to buy these you all know where to go. Andrew is a gem, one of the nicest guys in the business - I cannot recommend @MusicTeck more. I get nothing from saying this, he just deserves it for being awesome. You can find them here and here.

Have a great weekend friend-os!

There's no doubt that Monachaa requires a full and long burn in to reach the place you describe. I know that the Monachaa WC tour unit was burned for 200 hours before being sent out for tour.

I also hear Monachaa much as you describe it. The DD mids are captivating, and the stage is mind boggling.

 

[drftr]

Hi friends! Some impressions to whet your appetite for the weekend: The Oriolus Monachaa and Canpur CP54E. Enjoy!




When I was in California last November I wasn’t in a good place mentally. When Andrew at MusicTeck sent me a care package of goodies to test, my impressions were surely colored by that. I loved the Fei Wan, but the CP622b and Monachaa got skewered pretty good by me that time. I shouldn’t have said anything, live and learn, but it reinforced a good lesson I’ve learned over the years. Many things can deeply affect your impressions - like bad sleep, jetlag and too much coffee, even just a bad mood is enough. And, it’s important to make sure the demo unit is fully burnt in, as this can make such a big difference, especially if there is a DD in there. In the case of the Monachaa I am now sure it was brand new at the time, and well, coupled with my bad mood, let’s just say it was a night and day change.

So, thanks to @Scubadevils and Andrew @MusicTeck I had a chance this past week to hear the Monachaa again, along with the Canpur CP54E, and I’m glad I did.







This time around the Monachaa is much much better. It’s natural, cohesive textured and lovely. What happened? Since DD mids/highs are rather rare, it occurred to me that the burn-in effect must be amplified here - we’re used to hearing the DD bass open up - but in this case the mids and highs changed their tonality dramatically. Much more so than BAs, and this could explain what I was hearing that threw me off. This is the exact same demo unit from November, but no doubt with lots more hours on it. The change was instantly recognizable.

This is definitely a U shaped IEM, with lots of texture. Great bass, with a very solid rumble, especially in the sub bass which is fairly lifted and forward. DD mids are to die for, so lush and natural, I wish more companies did this. The seemingly bizarre wonky-ness I heard is totally gone, and instead mids are spacious and really beautiful. The upper mids are still a tad too forward and thinned out for me, but they are very cohesive now, natural and lush. I know many love these kind of upper mids. Treble is nice and smooth, some sparkle to keep things interesting and clear. Bass and treble have more of your attention than the mids, which was surprising to me as I thought like the DC Ti, my staple for DD mids, Oriolus would make them center stage. But this is something else, and once you get into it, it’s very enjoyable. The stage is really big, very very open and spacious. I hear it having nice levels of detail, but more musical over micro detailed. Definitely hearing the difference between DD and BA for the mids especially, once you’ve gotten used to DD mids it can be hard to go back. Vocals and instruments are so realistic!





The shells are fairly chunky but small, so similar to the Traillii in some ways but more bulbous. I found fit to be just fine, settling on the Eletech Baroque for maximum comfort and sound. With the stock cable there is too much sub bass and lacking texture, but switching to Orpheus or RSD FC the details were much more present, texture was really really good, and the analog feel and vibe was a lot more evident. This guy needs a lot of power to shine, my WM1Z sounded a bit flat and thin, but swapping to the LP6 Ti AE, or adding in the Pico Origa SE got things far more open, bigger, with better bass and larger stage.


The Monachaa is something new, and should be appreciated as such. For me I would prefer a bit less sub-bass which did overpower some of my test tracks. When you want the bump it comes in spades for sure, electronic is amazing with these, but it could be a tad overwhelming for non bassy music. I would also prefer more forward mids, but that’s just me. While it may not be everyone’s all rounder, I think for some it might hit the sweet spot for them. Given the price it’s highly recommended!







Canpur really knows how to make an IEM comfortable - wow. The CP54 might be the most comfy IEM I’ve ever tried, fits totally flush with great isolation. The 622b was also amazing in that, it looked funny but in ear it was like a custom for me. I heard the 622b a second time, twice actually, and I loved it, it’s really fantastic. I’ll let my bad mood take the fall for that one, sorry if my initial impressions affected anyone’s purchase of this gem. While the 622b is fantastic, so is the cheaper brother CP54.

It has great punchy bass, guttural, and tight. It is very resolving, but a bit more intense and energetic than the 622b’s relaxed vibe, at least from my memory. They both have great sub bass, Canpur seems to know how to tease out the best bass BAs can make. 54s mids are very resolving with clear transients, engaging and forward, while note weight is thinner and leaner compared to the 622b which is meatier and slightly more relaxed. 622b might seem a bit more technical, but somehow achieves that with less intensity, one of its many magic qualities. There is no BCD in the 54, so perhaps that plays a part. The 54 is a bit spicy up top, though not to the level of discomfort at all. Treble is clean and clear, smooth and extended. Very nice.

These are very easy to drive and seem to sound great out of anything I tried. Stage is big, with seemingly equal dimensions on all sides.





I’m hearing a lot of -what I know now to be - the Canpur house sound, and it’s really great. They seem to really know how to tune an IEM. My only complaint with 54E is, I personally wish, again, that it had thicker mids, as instruments can be a tad thin. (I prefer thicker mids if you haven’t noticed.) The 622 solves this with some more girth and weight there. The Monachaa mids aren’t thin, just back in the stage, while the 54 places them front and center, but somewhat thinner and leaner. I do prefer 622b over the CP54, as I’m sure many do. But the 54 could easily be preferred by others, and I can understand that as well. It’s amazing for the price.

The stock cable is nice and comfy, soft and silver, but a tad too splashy up top. Looks like a silver/hybrid to me, I much preferred it with the Orpheus, (or another great copper cable) which opened up the stage, gave the mids more width and separation, and better bass control. It also smoothed out the slightly harsh sparkle, making it more balanced and more analog.









Between the two I prefer the texture and tonality of the Monachaa, but the tuning and balance of the CP54. CP54 can be a touch fatiguing after long sessions for me, this can be remedied with a darker cable. Monachaa wins for stage and texture, which is has in spades. I love DD mids and hope other companies start to do this with their TOTL offerings I found it to works very well for electronic, also jazz was nice, but lacking the forward mids rock and instruments didn’t quite come to life for me entirely. With a different library I can imagine this being someone’s new favorite. If somehow someone made an IEM with DD mids, and the balance and reference-ness of a more linear IEM, that would be a show stopper. As of this we only have the FitEar DC Ti and it’s basically impossible to get without physically going to Asia.


I wish to thank Andrew at @MusicTeck for giving me the opportunity to hear these IEMs. And to my pal @scubedevils for thinking of me before passing these demos back to the USA. I also shared my idea with Andrew that all dealers/manufacturers BURN-IN their demo units to avoid this kind of skewed impressions in the future. If I was making TOTL gear, and I wanted people to enjoy my creation as I intended, I would be very careful to send out demos that perform correctly right out of the box. At the very least, when demoing gear, one should simply ask to know if the unit is brand new or not.

As always, if anyone wants to buy these you all know where to go. Andrew is a gem, one of the nicest guys in the business - I cannot recommend @MusicTeck more. I get nothing from saying this, he just deserves it for being awesome. You can find them here and here.

Have a great weekend friend-os!

Agreed on bass, mids, and treble for CP54e as they mimic my impressions from our meetup in Amsterdam 100%.

After reading 3 or 4 Monachaa reviews I think I can safely remove them from my wishlist as I prefer a firm W, which for me stands for W-A-R-M.

Tnx for the write-up.

drftr

 

[Simpeler]

I’m back! (Not that you noticed I was gone )

After some personal drama, there is time again for that which makes our lives that much more enjoyable: music! (Or gear, maybe gear more lol)

 

[drftr]

I’m back! (Not that you noticed I was gone )

After some personal drama, there is time again for that which makes our lives that much more enjoyable: music! (Or gear, maybe gear more lol)

You were dearly missed in A'dam as you were begging to help us from the very start, but you won't get away with that so easily next time!

And before I forget: You're not allowed to sell Aura before the next meetup, got it?

drftr

 

[Lucikun]

Welp, I sent the Rn6 back. I hated them.. Disappointing as I was sure that I would love em, but oh well. At least I got to give them a test run. Back to the ol drawing board.

 

[Simpeler]

You were dearly missed in A'dam as you were begging to help us from the very start, but you won't get away with that so easily next time!

And before I forget: You're not allowed to sell Aura before the next meetup, got it?

drftr

Appreciate that, thanks! Really missed out on that one from what I have seen on the picture and posts it must have been quite the event.

Haha I have a feeling Aura will stay for a while.

Actually (hopefully this weekend) new stuff is also coming in (@SteffSergeant thanx ). The first bone conductor IEM I will try: Canpur 622B

 

[drftr]

Not sure if there's a written or unwritten rule about linking to someone else's content but since plenty of these mini-reviews are daily talk for us here please have a look at @DiFazio's great write-up on the CanJam Singapore thread:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/can...d-april-6-7-2024.972338/page-13#post-18079925

drftr

 

[Wyville]

We need a Barnie update @Wyville

Barnie update: Life is good when you are Barnie.

 

[KuroKitsu]

Just make sure you get the right length pins.

Yup, those are sorted out.

Turns out that Toni had tested on iems that had the old school UM/QDC 2 pins and them being extruded allowed for longer 2 pins.

From communications with iem manufacturers it was also the type of 2 pin sockets as well. Some are open at the back but a lot of them are actually closed at the prices we play in.

My Cleo is actually back with him at the moment to get that sorted out.

 

[zlayde]

Hi friends! Some impressions to whet your appetite for the weekend: The Oriolus Monachaa and Canpur CP54E. Enjoy!




When I was in California last November I wasn’t in a good place mentally. When Andrew at MusicTeck sent me a care package of goodies to test, my impressions were surely colored by that. I loved the Fei Wan, but the CP622b and Monachaa got skewered pretty good by me that time. I shouldn’t have said anything, live and learn, but it reinforced a good lesson I’ve learned over the years. Many things can deeply affect your impressions - like bad sleep, jetlag and too much coffee, even just a bad mood is enough. And, it’s important to make sure the demo unit is fully burnt in, as this can make such a big difference, especially if there is a DD in there. In the case of the Monachaa I am now sure it was brand new at the time, and well, coupled with my bad mood, let’s just say it was a night and day change.

So, thanks to @Scubadevils and Andrew @MusicTeck I had a chance this past week to hear the Monachaa again, along with the Canpur CP54E, and I’m glad I did.







This time around the Monachaa is much much better. It’s natural, cohesive textured and lovely. What happened? Since DD mids/highs are rather rare, it occurred to me that the burn-in effect must be amplified here - we’re used to hearing the DD bass open up - but in this case the mids and highs changed their tonality dramatically. Much more so than BAs, and this could explain what I was hearing that threw me off. This is the exact same demo unit from November, but no doubt with lots more hours on it. The change was instantly recognizable.

This is definitely a U shaped IEM, with lots of texture. Great bass, with a very solid rumble, especially in the sub bass which is fairly lifted and forward. DD mids are to die for, so lush and natural, I wish more companies did this. The seemingly bizarre wonky-ness I heard is totally gone, and instead mids are spacious and really beautiful. The upper mids are still a tad too forward and thinned out for me, but they are very cohesive now, natural and lush. I know many love these kind of upper mids. Treble is nice and smooth, some sparkle to keep things interesting and clear. Bass and treble have more of your attention than the mids, which was surprising to me as I thought like the DC Ti, my staple for DD mids, Oriolus would make them center stage. But this is something else, and once you get into it, it’s very enjoyable. The stage is really big, very very open and spacious. I hear it having nice levels of detail, but more musical over micro detailed. Definitely hearing the difference between DD and BA for the mids especially, once you’ve gotten used to DD mids it can be hard to go back. Vocals and instruments are so realistic!





The shells are fairly chunky but small, so similar to the Traillii in some ways but more bulbous. I found fit to be just fine, settling on the Eletech Baroque for maximum comfort and sound. With the stock cable there is too much sub bass and lacking texture, but switching to Orpheus or RSD FC the details were much more present, texture was really really good, and the analog feel and vibe was a lot more evident. This guy needs a lot of power to shine, my WM1Z sounded a bit flat and thin, but swapping to the LP6 Ti AE, or adding in the Pico Origa SE got things far more open, bigger, with better bass and larger stage.


The Monachaa is something new, and should be appreciated as such. For me I would prefer a bit less sub-bass which did overpower some of my test tracks. When you want the bump it comes in spades for sure, electronic is amazing with these, but it could be a tad overwhelming for non bassy music. I would also prefer more forward mids, but that’s just me. While it may not be everyone’s all rounder, I think for some it might hit the sweet spot for them. Given the price it’s highly recommended!







Canpur really knows how to make an IEM comfortable - wow. The CP54 might be the most comfy IEM I’ve ever tried, fits totally flush with great isolation. The 622b was also amazing in that, it looked funny but in ear it was like a custom for me. I heard the 622b a second time, twice actually, and I loved it, it’s really fantastic. I’ll let my bad mood take the fall for that one, sorry if my initial impressions affected anyone’s purchase of this gem. While the 622b is fantastic, so is the cheaper brother CP54.

It has great punchy bass, guttural, and tight. It is very resolving, but a bit more intense and energetic than the 622b’s relaxed vibe, at least from my memory. They both have great sub bass, Canpur seems to know how to tease out the best bass BAs can make. 54s mids are very resolving with clear transients, engaging and forward, while note weight is thinner and leaner compared to the 622b which is meatier and slightly more relaxed. 622b might seem a bit more technical, but somehow achieves that with less intensity, one of its many magic qualities. There is no BCD in the 54, so perhaps that plays a part. The 54 is a bit spicy up top, though not to the level of discomfort at all. Treble is clean and clear, smooth and extended. Very nice.

These are very easy to drive and seem to sound great out of anything I tried. Stage is big, with seemingly equal dimensions on all sides.





I’m hearing a lot of -what I know now to be - the Canpur house sound, and it’s really great. They seem to really know how to tune an IEM. My only complaint with 54E is, I personally wish, again, that it had thicker mids, as instruments can be a tad thin. (I prefer thicker mids if you haven’t noticed.) The 622 solves this with some more girth and weight there. The Monachaa mids aren’t thin, just back in the stage, while the 54 places them front and center, but somewhat thinner and leaner. I do prefer 622b over the CP54, as I’m sure many do. But the 54 could easily be preferred by others, and I can understand that as well. It’s amazing for the price.

The stock cable is nice and comfy, soft and silver, but a tad too splashy up top. Looks like a silver/hybrid to me, I much preferred it with the Orpheus, (or another great copper cable) which opened up the stage, gave the mids more width and separation, and better bass control. It also smoothed out the slightly harsh sparkle, making it more balanced and more analog.









Between the two I prefer the texture and tonality of the Monachaa, but the tuning and balance of the CP54. CP54 can be a touch fatiguing after long sessions for me, this can be remedied with a darker cable. Monachaa wins for stage and texture, which is has in spades. I love DD mids and hope other companies start to do this with their TOTL offerings I found it to works very well for electronic, also jazz was nice, but lacking the forward mids rock and instruments didn’t quite come to life for me entirely. With a different library I can imagine this being someone’s new favorite. If somehow someone made an IEM with DD mids, and the balance and reference-ness of a more linear IEM, that would be a show stopper. As of this we only have the FitEar DC Ti and it’s basically impossible to get without physically going to Asia.


I wish to thank Andrew at @MusicTeck for giving me the opportunity to hear these IEMs. And to my pal @scubedevils for thinking of me before passing these demos back to the USA. I also shared my idea with Andrew that all dealers/manufacturers BURN-IN their demo units to avoid this kind of skewed impressions in the future. If I was making TOTL gear, and I wanted people to enjoy my creation as I intended, I would be very careful to send out demos that perform correctly right out of the box. At the very least, when demoing gear, one should simply ask to know if the unit is brand new or not.

As always, if anyone wants to buy these you all know where to go. Andrew is a gem, one of the nicest guys in the business - I cannot recommend @MusicTeck more. I get nothing from saying this, he just deserves it for being awesome. You can find them here and here.

Have a great weekend friend-os!

I auditioned both the CP54E and the new Noble Audio Onyx and I ended up going for the CP54E. They're BOTH excellent really but the fit of the CP54E was just absolutely perfect for me. The Onyx is special. Very nimble down low and satisfying. I'm not sure it justifies the price difference between the two. The above is a good summary. The CP54E is a great deal in the world of $3k+ IEMs.