tgx78
Member of the Trade: tgxear
Nice Impressions as always!
The Watercooler -- Impressions, philosophical discussion and general banter. Index on first page. All welcome.
- Thread starter Rockwell75
- Start date
Thanks I meant to say also that I really like the tonal balance. Bass is nice and the upper mid region is forward and present without being too much. Sometimes I think it could use just a touch more bass but most of the time the muscularity and sure footed delicacy of the e-stat sound almost instantly makes me forget that thought. I'm going to flip the bass switch up and see what happens.
Anyone who is in the market for a ~$2K hybrid and who doesn't need DD timbre anywhere should take a serious look at these.
tgx78
Member of the Trade: tgxear
My pleasure, Jeff.
I am usually super critical about the DD vs BA timbre, but as you can see in my signature, I have about 20+ IEMs with a DD in them and I wanted to try something new. Spark was like a breath of fresh air in terms of how clean it separated everything and delineated imaging for me. As you mentioned, Mids are nicely positioned and overall tonal balance is hard to fault.
I do wish for a bit more midbass slam and sub-bass rumble, but I suspect only the Traillii can satisfy that itch currently among all BA driven bass.
I am usually super critical about the DD vs BA timbre, but as you can see in my signature, I have about 20+ IEMs with a DD in them and I wanted to try something new. Spark was like a breath of fresh air in terms of how clean it separated everything and delineated imaging for me. As you mentioned, Mids are nicely positioned and overall tonal balance is hard to fault.
I do wish for a bit more midbass slam and sub-bass rumble, but I suspect only the Traillii can satisfy that itch currently among all BA driven bass.
Yeah same though I almost immediately find myself second guessing that thought once I have it fearing the extra bass might interfere with the wonderful layering and staging. This, along with the holographic staging, is what prompted my comparison with the Solaris-- I often had moments of "this needs just a touch more bass but maybe not in case it ruins something else I love about the sound" with Solaris. I actually have the bass switch on now and I already want to switch it back down.
If I were going to go for a DD-less IEM just to be able to experience the characteristic staging, clarity, cleanliness etc. found in BA/e-stats then the the Spark is currently my choice-- ahead of the Andromeda, VE8 etc. The Spark has shades of what I loved about the Anole VX when I owned it only without the VX's slight but consistent tendency towards over-vibrant upper mids.
These things are also sensitive AF-- like 10 clicks down from where I'd listen to Andro.
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tgx78
Member of the Trade: tgxear
lol it is very sensitive indeed- reason why I told you to be careful with a gain setting. One time I forgot to reset the turbo gain + high volume after few hours with the Z1R and almost blew my eardrums out.
Yeah for that reason I always start every new IEM I try close to zero haha..going from Z1R/Ely to Andro/Spark is quit a jump.
tgx78
Member of the Trade: tgxear
Regarding the bass switch up (110 setting) on Spark: I didn’t enjoy it. It also raised a lower Mids and made everything a bit syrupy. aka loosing its magic.
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Thanks! It was lots of fun making it. I'm glad you enjoyed it. The Isa is definitely worth a try in my opinion. If not simply to satisfy your curiosity of what a single DD could potentially do. For work, I got a new Zirco Tenore which I recently purchased at the store. It is more neutral than the Mezzo, with farther treble reach. I especially like its lovely crisp and clear vocals
Thank you! Hopefully I didn't make too much of a mess grammatically there. It was a good fun listening and comparing them both. As you said, they're like a nice complementary pair. Light of day, and romantic shade of nightLoved it...everything you say resonates with me, particularly compared to Ely.
Wow, this sounds intriguing. Thanks for sharing. It seems to be very proficient in the technical side
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Following is a collation of my first-day impressions of the Spark.
All listening done on a Shanling M8.
TLDR: Epic grandeur, naturalness, balance, weight and clarity. Should be on the short list of anyone looking for a balanced sound with top tier technicalities and for whom DD timbre is not a necessity.
Quick glance:
+ punchy
+ dynamic
+ well balanced
+ mids and highs have a massive weighty vibrant and authoritative presence.
+ vivid, bodied, resonant highs
+ clear and natural sounding mid-range
+ Female vocals are seductive, sweet and hypnotic
+ massive engaging holographic stage
+ forward, present & even keeled mids
- Bass lacks the thickness and quantity some may require
- lack of DD timbre in the mids (this is really just a function of where I'm at personally-- DD mids are a must to sustain my attention and interest these days).
- The vocals are decent, especially female but after being spoiled by the Isa they don't completely hit the mark for me (though female vocals come very close)
- the mids are good, not synthetic sounding or anything like on something like the MEST-- but to my ears they lack the seductive naturalness of the Elysium or Isa.
Relative to what I've heard before I'm tempted to say they sound a little like a Solaris, with much better highs, more forward upper mids and the DD swapped out for BA for the bass, with similar quantity. Solaris achieved its holographic sound & spaciousness at least in part due to a recession in the upper mids-- Spark gets this same effect without a similar recession due to the weight & power brought to the fore by the e-stats. To my ears the Spark are a clear step up from the MEST ii and would probably sit in the vicinity of OG MEST and Solaris if I were forced to rank them based on what I've heard so far.
The true star of the show here imho are the e-stats. They didn't jump out at me right away, perhaps because I was more fixated on the vocal and instrumental timbre at first, but the more I listen to them the more I am aware of their subtle & profound effects. Compared to the gen 1 estats in Ely they seem to produce a sound that, while similar in speed and shimmer, excels them in note strength, weight, "3dness"-- the the sound is vivid, powerful, lifelike & present without ever being overly vibrant, smeared or tingy. Mid range timbre aside the Spark, with its well balanced mid-forawrd tuning, is almost akin to an Elysium "with its big boy pants on".
The layering, separation, pristine clarity, sense of air & space are all fantastic...surpassing what is possible using a DD for the lows & mids. In fact it's probably the only real advantage to not using a DD. Is the sacrifice worth it? On the whole for me...no. While I am loving the technical, precise, spacious and engaging sound...a bit of the romance is gone. There's something about a good DD tuning that just tugs at my heart in a way I've not yet really experienced with any IEM lacking a dynamic in there somewhere.
The two most prominent things on my IEM wishlist now are 1) a MKii Ely with these same e-stats and 2) an IEM tuned by Oriolus, Campfire Vision Ears-- with a DD doing the mids & lows and these e-stats doing the highs.
The tonal balance is fair. There is definitely a trend towards the mids and highs. Bass is nice, but cold use more weight and the upper mid region is forward and present without being too much. Sometimes I think it could use just a touch more bass but most of the time the muscularity and sure footed delicacy of the e-stat sound almost instantly makes me forget that thought...but it does persist somewhat.
Anyone who is in the market for a ~$2K hybrid and who doesn't need DD timbre anywhere should take a serious look at the Spark.
Sometimes I find myself almost wishing for a touch more bass oomph & rumble but I almost immediately find myself second guessing those thoughts for fear that the extra bass might interfere with the wonderful layering and staging. This one of the main things which drew a comparison with the Solaris in my mind. I often had thoughts like "this needs just a touch more bass but maybe not in case it ruins something else I love about the sound" with Solaris. The key to Solaris' sound is its reigned in bass...but the DD there gives it a weight and solidity that makes its presence known when the quantity is comparatively low.
If I were presently in the market for a DD-less IEM just to be able to experience the characteristic staging, clarity, cleanliness etc. found in BA/e-stats then the the Spark is currently at the top of my personal recs alongside the Andromeda, VE8 etc. The Spark also has shades of what I loved about the Anole VX when I owned it only without the VX's slight but consistent tendency towards over-vibrant upper mids.
These things are also sensitive AF-- like 10 clicks down from where I'd listen to Andro.
All listening done on a Shanling M8.
TLDR: Epic grandeur, naturalness, balance, weight and clarity. Should be on the short list of anyone looking for a balanced sound with top tier technicalities and for whom DD timbre is not a necessity.
Quick glance:
+ punchy
+ dynamic
+ well balanced
+ mids and highs have a massive weighty vibrant and authoritative presence.
+ vivid, bodied, resonant highs
+ clear and natural sounding mid-range
+ Female vocals are seductive, sweet and hypnotic
+ massive engaging holographic stage
+ forward, present & even keeled mids
- Bass lacks the thickness and quantity some may require
- lack of DD timbre in the mids (this is really just a function of where I'm at personally-- DD mids are a must to sustain my attention and interest these days).
- The vocals are decent, especially female but after being spoiled by the Isa they don't completely hit the mark for me (though female vocals come very close)
- the mids are good, not synthetic sounding or anything like on something like the MEST-- but to my ears they lack the seductive naturalness of the Elysium or Isa.
Relative to what I've heard before I'm tempted to say they sound a little like a Solaris, with much better highs, more forward upper mids and the DD swapped out for BA for the bass, with similar quantity. Solaris achieved its holographic sound & spaciousness at least in part due to a recession in the upper mids-- Spark gets this same effect without a similar recession due to the weight & power brought to the fore by the e-stats. To my ears the Spark are a clear step up from the MEST ii and would probably sit in the vicinity of OG MEST and Solaris if I were forced to rank them based on what I've heard so far.
The true star of the show here imho are the e-stats. They didn't jump out at me right away, perhaps because I was more fixated on the vocal and instrumental timbre at first, but the more I listen to them the more I am aware of their subtle & profound effects. Compared to the gen 1 estats in Ely they seem to produce a sound that, while similar in speed and shimmer, excels them in note strength, weight, "3dness"-- the the sound is vivid, powerful, lifelike & present without ever being overly vibrant, smeared or tingy. Mid range timbre aside the Spark, with its well balanced mid-forawrd tuning, is almost akin to an Elysium "with its big boy pants on".
The layering, separation, pristine clarity, sense of air & space are all fantastic...surpassing what is possible using a DD for the lows & mids. In fact it's probably the only real advantage to not using a DD. Is the sacrifice worth it? On the whole for me...no. While I am loving the technical, precise, spacious and engaging sound...a bit of the romance is gone. There's something about a good DD tuning that just tugs at my heart in a way I've not yet really experienced with any IEM lacking a dynamic in there somewhere.
The two most prominent things on my IEM wishlist now are 1) a MKii Ely with these same e-stats and 2) an IEM tuned by Oriolus, Campfire Vision Ears-- with a DD doing the mids & lows and these e-stats doing the highs.
The tonal balance is fair. There is definitely a trend towards the mids and highs. Bass is nice, but cold use more weight and the upper mid region is forward and present without being too much. Sometimes I think it could use just a touch more bass but most of the time the muscularity and sure footed delicacy of the e-stat sound almost instantly makes me forget that thought...but it does persist somewhat.
Anyone who is in the market for a ~$2K hybrid and who doesn't need DD timbre anywhere should take a serious look at the Spark.
Sometimes I find myself almost wishing for a touch more bass oomph & rumble but I almost immediately find myself second guessing those thoughts for fear that the extra bass might interfere with the wonderful layering and staging. This one of the main things which drew a comparison with the Solaris in my mind. I often had thoughts like "this needs just a touch more bass but maybe not in case it ruins something else I love about the sound" with Solaris. The key to Solaris' sound is its reigned in bass...but the DD there gives it a weight and solidity that makes its presence known when the quantity is comparatively low.
If I were presently in the market for a DD-less IEM just to be able to experience the characteristic staging, clarity, cleanliness etc. found in BA/e-stats then the the Spark is currently at the top of my personal recs alongside the Andromeda, VE8 etc. The Spark also has shades of what I loved about the Anole VX when I owned it only without the VX's slight but consistent tendency towards over-vibrant upper mids.
These things are also sensitive AF-- like 10 clicks down from where I'd listen to Andro.
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I would very much like to hear your thoughts on the Spark..in particular with respect to the Trailli. For someone not totally fixated on DD timbre (which is probably most people) then there is little to fault the Spark in terms of a balanced, grand, natural, engaging and technical sound. I could well imagine how the magical tuning of Oriolus applied to a similar driver config could lead to something quite special (IE., the Trailli). I'm sure they're very similar but I'm very curious how Spark and Trailli stand relative to one another.
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Summer Onset Update
My Current Favorite IEMs-- this is a ranking purely based on personal enjoyment and is in no way a statement about their objective standing relative to one another (if such a thing is even possible), or a ranking based on measurements or technical skill. It's worth pointing out that I love every IEM on this list and have owned all but #s 6 & 7 and all but two of them have been demoed on the Shanling M8.
1) Oriolus Isabellae-- Well balanced, decently technical, beautiful timbre...but for me what sets it apart is the inspired tuning, especially the mids, and vocals in particular. On par with the Elysium in this regard only with DD bass and the intoxicating coherence of a single DD. A splendid all rounder and currently the IEM that owns my heart.
2) Vision Ears Elysium-- Seductive, natural, effortless mid-centric tuning. A "Goldilocks" IEM for me if ever there was one-- there isn't really too much or too little of anything. Midrange on par with Isa only with superior highs and technicalities...but right now the simplicity of Isa's across-the-board DD timbre and single driver coherence has totally captured my attention.
3) Campfire Dorado 2020-- An entirely different tuning than the two above. Where Ely & Isa are more about balance, naturalness and tonal perfection Dorado 2020 throws all that to the wind and embraces a sound more primitive, wild and addictively engaging. Compared to #s 1 & 2 the Dorado 2020 as a much more muscular, bombastic, soulful and fun sound that to my ears is ultimately no less satisfying. .
4) Campfire Andromeda 2020-- A beautiful balance of reference like clarity & balance, addictive yet subtle musicality and sparkly spacious head stage. The first IEM that really hooked me with its coherence. The only reason this IEM is not at or near the top, and the only reason I don't own it anymore is my affinity for DD timbre.
5) Sony IER Z1R - I would probably get strung up in some quarters for saying this but the IER Z1R is actually similar in a lot of its salient features to the the Dorado... only with a more eastern FR.
6) Campfire Solaris - I've gone back and forth with the Solaris and IER Z1R for much of my audio life. Solaris has my preferred FR, and I would say is slightly better techically, but the Sony has more natural and detailed treble and at its best is more fun to listen to which is why it ultimately pulled ahead for me for the time being. Solaris SE still has the nicest male vocals I've heard. The addition of a ceramic tuning chamber in the SE gives the overall sound, particularly the mids, a weight and body that elevates it above the OG for me.
7) Tansio Mirai Spark - The newest addition to my list and as such the most likely to have its placement change dramatically and suddenly in the coming weeks...but here it stands for the time being. It's only been a couple days but this IEM definitely has some charms...grandeur, weight & clarity in the the mids & highs to an extent I've seldom heard...loses points from me as its bass lacks a bit of quantity & density for my liking...everything else is spellbinding though.
8) UM MEST (OG) - Not as purely emotive as my favorite IEMs but in terms of raw spectacle and "wow factor" it is probably near or at the top. Spellbinding to listen to and so much fun. It loses points for me for an almost synthetic sounding mid-range.
9) Empire LX - King of the beasts of bass...and on its own terms it's still peerless in some respects. But it loses points as a generalist for me because I find the signature to be lacking in air over longer listening sessions. In terms of bass texture it's on par with though different than the Dorado 2020 and IER Z1R. (LX -> boom boom, Z1R -> woob woob, Dorado 2020 -> thump thump is the easiest way to distinguish the 3 to my ears...each excels at its own thing).
10) Vision Ears VE8 - Wonderfully emotive, natural sig with some of the nicest BA bass & midrange in the game. Compared to the Andromeda 2020, which is essentially my reference for an all BA IEM, the VE8 feels a little congested in the mids. Perhaps that's part of the syrupy charm of the sound but I've really come to appreciate the depth and clarity of the Andromeda. I would probably also rank this IEM much higher if the Elysium & Isabellae didn't exist.
11) QDC Anole VX - My idea of a perfectly reference/technical sound that is minty fresh and imho super engaging. I've never understood people who call this IEM "dull" then go on to praise the IER M9 or u12t. The only thing I'd change would be to lessen some of the vibrance in the upper mid/lower treble region.
My Current Favorite IEMs-- this is a ranking purely based on personal enjoyment and is in no way a statement about their objective standing relative to one another (if such a thing is even possible), or a ranking based on measurements or technical skill. It's worth pointing out that I love every IEM on this list and have owned all but #s 6 & 7 and all but two of them have been demoed on the Shanling M8.
1) Oriolus Isabellae-- Well balanced, decently technical, beautiful timbre...but for me what sets it apart is the inspired tuning, especially the mids, and vocals in particular. On par with the Elysium in this regard only with DD bass and the intoxicating coherence of a single DD. A splendid all rounder and currently the IEM that owns my heart.
2) Vision Ears Elysium-- Seductive, natural, effortless mid-centric tuning. A "Goldilocks" IEM for me if ever there was one-- there isn't really too much or too little of anything. Midrange on par with Isa only with superior highs and technicalities...but right now the simplicity of Isa's across-the-board DD timbre and single driver coherence has totally captured my attention.
3) Campfire Dorado 2020-- An entirely different tuning than the two above. Where Ely & Isa are more about balance, naturalness and tonal perfection Dorado 2020 throws all that to the wind and embraces a sound more primitive, wild and addictively engaging. Compared to #s 1 & 2 the Dorado 2020 as a much more muscular, bombastic, soulful and fun sound that to my ears is ultimately no less satisfying. .
4) Campfire Andromeda 2020-- A beautiful balance of reference like clarity & balance, addictive yet subtle musicality and sparkly spacious head stage. The first IEM that really hooked me with its coherence. The only reason this IEM is not at or near the top, and the only reason I don't own it anymore is my affinity for DD timbre.
5) Sony IER Z1R - I would probably get strung up in some quarters for saying this but the IER Z1R is actually similar in a lot of its salient features to the the Dorado... only with a more eastern FR.
6) Campfire Solaris - I've gone back and forth with the Solaris and IER Z1R for much of my audio life. Solaris has my preferred FR, and I would say is slightly better techically, but the Sony has more natural and detailed treble and at its best is more fun to listen to which is why it ultimately pulled ahead for me for the time being. Solaris SE still has the nicest male vocals I've heard. The addition of a ceramic tuning chamber in the SE gives the overall sound, particularly the mids, a weight and body that elevates it above the OG for me.
7) Tansio Mirai Spark - The newest addition to my list and as such the most likely to have its placement change dramatically and suddenly in the coming weeks...but here it stands for the time being. It's only been a couple days but this IEM definitely has some charms...grandeur, weight & clarity in the the mids & highs to an extent I've seldom heard...loses points from me as its bass lacks a bit of quantity & density for my liking...everything else is spellbinding though.
8) UM MEST (OG) - Not as purely emotive as my favorite IEMs but in terms of raw spectacle and "wow factor" it is probably near or at the top. Spellbinding to listen to and so much fun. It loses points for me for an almost synthetic sounding mid-range.
9) Empire LX - King of the beasts of bass...and on its own terms it's still peerless in some respects. But it loses points as a generalist for me because I find the signature to be lacking in air over longer listening sessions. In terms of bass texture it's on par with though different than the Dorado 2020 and IER Z1R. (LX -> boom boom, Z1R -> woob woob, Dorado 2020 -> thump thump is the easiest way to distinguish the 3 to my ears...each excels at its own thing).
10) Vision Ears VE8 - Wonderfully emotive, natural sig with some of the nicest BA bass & midrange in the game. Compared to the Andromeda 2020, which is essentially my reference for an all BA IEM, the VE8 feels a little congested in the mids. Perhaps that's part of the syrupy charm of the sound but I've really come to appreciate the depth and clarity of the Andromeda. I would probably also rank this IEM much higher if the Elysium & Isabellae didn't exist.
11) QDC Anole VX - My idea of a perfectly reference/technical sound that is minty fresh and imho super engaging. I've never understood people who call this IEM "dull" then go on to praise the IER M9 or u12t. The only thing I'd change would be to lessen some of the vibrance in the upper mid/lower treble region.
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Thank you for sharing the update @Rockwell75 Gotta say I think the Ely to Isa is like a brother from different mother. They're both somewhat alike. Great-sounding IEMs. They complement each other well with their unique signatures and configuration
By the way, the Azla SednaEarfit Crystal is on sale today. Here are some more pictures of it
Just sharing.. They seem to come with nozzle adapter too. So smooth stem IEMs could attach more properly
Gotta say I think the Ely to Isa is like a brother from different mother. They're both somewhat alike. Great-sounding IEMs. They complement each other well with their unique signatures and configurationBy the way, the Azla SednaEarfit Crystal is on sale today. Here are some more pictures of it
Just sharing.. They seem to come with nozzle adapter too. So smooth stem IEMs could attach more properly
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