The Watercooler -- Impressions, philosophical discussion and general banter. Index on first page. All welcome.

Jan 11, 2025 at 8:52 AM Post #101,026 of 102,691
The new iBasso Jr. Klee an IEM playing way above his price point!

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/ibasso-jr-klee.975480/

DSC_0045.JPG
 
Jan 11, 2025 at 9:27 AM Post #101,027 of 102,691
So the only thing they have in common is that they're CFA? That's good news as I didn't like Bonneville at all unfortunately.
I’m almost positive the shell shape is the same as all the Chromatics, which is a big plus in my book.
 
Jan 11, 2025 at 9:54 AM Post #101,029 of 102,691
So I had the opportunity to compare the Clara and Astrolith to my UM Amber Pearl (AP).

I tested them with various tips and ultimately settled on the Devinus Velvet (regular bore) for the Clara, and the Eletech Baroque for both the Amber Pearl and the Astrolith.


Fit:

The Clara fits like a dream—possibly one of the best fits I’ve ever experienced with any IEM. Truly impressive! The shell and cable are also beautifully designed.

In contrast, I didn’t enjoy the fit of the Astrolith at all. Despite trying several tips, I couldn’t get a proper seal, which could already be a dealbreaker for me.

The Amber Pearl has a decent fit but is highly dependent on the tips used. Its fit is comparable to that of the UM MM and the Annihilator.

Clara >> Amber Pearl >> Astrolith


Bass:

The Clara’s low end is outstanding. I preferred it over both the Amber Pearl and the Astrolith. While the Astrolith offers slightly faster bass with better decay, the Clara’s dual dynamic drivers deliver a satisfying sense of weight and impact.

The Amber Pearl’s bass, on the other hand, is tip-dependent. With a good seal, it has slightly better quality than the Clara’s, though with less quantity overall.

Clara > Amber Pearl > Astrolith


Mids:

The Clara’s mids feel slightly recessed compared to the Amber Pearl. Vocals on the AP are among the best I’ve ever heard, making it the clear winner in this category. However, the Clara still performs very well for its price point, with no bass bleed into the mids.


The Astrolith’s vocals were disappointing to me, although this could be due to the poor fit.

Amber Pearl >> Clara >> Astrolith


Highs:

The Clara’s highs are smooth and free of any harsh peaks, which I really appreciated.

The Amber Pearl extends further into the treble and sounds both cleaner and smoother to my ears.

The Astrolith, on the other hand, felt too shouty and lacked refinement in this area.

Amber Pearl > Clara >> Astrolith


Stage and Resolution:

The Clara performs decently in terms of both stage and resolution, especially for its price point. However, it doesn’t quite match the Amber Pearl or the Annihilator in resolution. The stage is also slightly narrower compared to the Amber Pearl.


Overall, i think the Clara is a really good IEM and plays well above his price point.

IMG_3207.jpeg
 
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Jan 11, 2025 at 10:02 AM Post #101,030 of 102,691
@aaf evo
What do you think of Clara Ti compared to your other iems and playing on Dx340?

Hey man!

I personally prefer my CIEM Omnium still as its tuning is more what I look for overall in the mids and treble, but I’d give the Clara the upper hand in the bass as it’s more accurately bodied whereas Omnium is tuned for a leaner and deeper/more rumbly low end.

The mids are different. Clara I’d say is neutral in the low mids with a hint of warmth and it pushes female vocals quite forward but keeps the upper mid range more relaxed and not super clarify focused. Omnium is also say is neutral/warm in low mids but the upper mid range is quite a bit more emphasized with clarity so it can sound more vibrant and a little more resolving to me. I think both sets have really great vocals, but I prefer female vocal overall on Omnium as my library has a lot of vocalists that have a higher pitch.

Treble is probably where they differ the most. Clara to me is slightly soft and relaxed but doesn’t miss out in detail and extension. It’s quite fatigue free and tuned to be enjoyable over long sessions. Omnium is much brighter, more textured and gritty, and has more extension. If you are treble sensitive then Clara is the way to go but I think the Omnium treble is so well tuned that it gives you elevation, detail, a little spice, and extension but it doesn’t come off as peaky or uneven.

The biggest deal breaker for me, and the reason I plan to sell my Clara here shortly is that they’re just too damn sensitive for me (hello VE10 all over). Volume control is really important to me and Clara makes that quite hard to achieve. Even the Pilot 2 DAC it comes with makes it hiss like a mo fo and I literally have to put it on like 3% volume through my iPhone or it’s way way too loud.

Hope this helps.
 
Jan 11, 2025 at 10:05 AM Post #101,031 of 102,691
Finally got my DITA Audio Mecha, again confirms my love for great single dynamic driver sets. Might be one of my faovorite single DDs, good note weight and clear sound. Like the minimalistic titanium design, and built like a tank.

Just a DOPE set from DITA :L3000:

DSCF7337.jpg
 
Jan 11, 2025 at 10:20 AM Post #101,032 of 102,691
Finally got my DITA Audio Mecha, again confirms my love for great single dynamic driver sets. Might be one of my faovorite single DDs, good note weight and clear sound. Like the minimalistic titanium design, and built like a tank.

Just a DOPE set from DITA :L3000:

💯% Super fun and musical set
 
Jan 11, 2025 at 10:21 AM Post #101,033 of 102,691
Hey man!

I personally prefer my CIEM Omnium still as its tuning is more what I look for overall in the mids and treble, but I’d give the Clara the upper hand in the bass as it’s more accurately bodied whereas Omnium is tuned for a leaner and deeper/more rumbly low end.

The mids are different. Clara I’d say is neutral in the low mids with a hint of warmth and it pushes female vocals quite forward but keeps the upper mid range more relaxed and not super clarify focused. Omnium is also say is neutral/warm in low mids but the upper mid range is quite a bit more emphasized with clarity so it can sound more vibrant and a little more resolving to me. I think both sets have really great vocals, but I prefer female vocal overall on Omnium as my library has a lot of vocalists that have a higher pitch.

Treble is probably where they differ the most. Clara to me is slightly soft and relaxed but doesn’t miss out in detail and extension. It’s quite fatigue free and tuned to be enjoyable over long sessions. Omnium is much brighter, more textured and gritty, and has more extension. If you are treble sensitive then Clara is the way to go but I think the Omnium treble is so well tuned that it gives you elevation, detail, a little spice, and extension but it doesn’t come off as peaky or uneven.

The biggest deal breaker for me, and the reason I plan to sell my Clara here shortly is that they’re just too damn sensitive for me (hello VE10 all over). Volume control is really important to me and Clara makes that quite hard to achieve. Even the Pilot 2 DAC it comes with makes it hiss like a mo fo and I literally have to put it on like 3% volume through my iPhone or it’s way way too loud.

Hope this helps.
I really have no idea here and I would be very interested to know: what are the
advantages and disadvantages of sensitive IEMs? Did Clara or Storm "have" to have this sensitivity? So yes for sure, but why? What are the special features?

Maybe someone can answer the question.
 
Jan 11, 2025 at 10:30 AM Post #101,034 of 102,691
I really have no idea here and I would be very interested to know: what are the
advantages and disadvantages of sensitive IEMs? Did Clara or Storm "have" to have this sensitivity? So yes for sure, but why? What are the special features?

Maybe someone can answer the question.

I am not sure tbh. I’m happy with the middle ground stuff that isn’t crazy sensitive nor crazy power hungry. 😅

For me there are no advantages of anything as sensitive as Clara or VE10, but again that’s just me lol.
 
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Jan 11, 2025 at 10:30 AM Post #101,035 of 102,691
Sorry not sorry 😊 Can’t wait to meet you. Should be fun times.


And a sexy purple cable that matches 😍
For sure, I can't wait to meet up and hang out. It's cool meeting like-minded people and geeking out over great audio. 🎶

I'm a sucker for purple, I'm not ashamed of that...lol. :heart_eyes:
 
Jan 11, 2025 at 10:33 AM Post #101,036 of 102,691
Jan 11, 2025 at 10:45 AM Post #101,037 of 102,691
Any sharpness/shoutiness in the Mecha? I found the Project M a bit too much.
They are very different, Project M is what I would call bright. And for many has to much upper end energy.
Mecha is more warm and has okay up top without being bright or dark, I like both of them but Mecha is way more my thing.

Will use it over some weeks before starting the review, decided on these sets as comparisons.

DSCF7340.jpg
 
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Jan 11, 2025 at 10:52 AM Post #101,038 of 102,691
I really have no idea here and I would be very interested to know: what are the
advantages and disadvantages of sensitive IEMs? Did Clara or Storm "have" to have this sensitivity? So yes for sure, but why? What are the special features?

Maybe someone can answer the question.

For my needs and purposes Clara is "just right" in terms of sensitivity. It's less sensitive than the OG Andro & Solaris, a little more sensitive than Trifecta, and the level of hiss is so low with my 1Z that I don't even notice it if it's there.

I have a much bigger issue personally with IEMs that require tons of juice-- or even desktop gear-- to sound their best. This is a practical concern for me as I like my setup to be as portable as possible and don't have any interest in carrying a large stack, cables etc. around-- and also I don't like to deal with the nagging concern that whatever source I'm using isn't powering my IEMs to their ultimate potential.

Regarding why some manufacturers choose to make their IEMs more power hungry....I'm not sure exactly. Perhaps it allows them more control over the FR and overall signature and enhances background blackness?
 
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Jan 11, 2025 at 11:18 AM Post #101,039 of 102,691
Hey man!

I personally prefer my CIEM Omnium still as its tuning is more what I look for overall in the mids and treble, but I’d give the Clara the upper hand in the bass as it’s more accurately bodied whereas Omnium is tuned for a leaner and deeper/more rumbly low end.

The mids are different. Clara I’d say is neutral in the low mids with a hint of warmth and it pushes female vocals quite forward but keeps the upper mid range more relaxed and not super clarify focused. Omnium is also say is neutral/warm in low mids but the upper mid range is quite a bit more emphasized with clarity so it can sound more vibrant and a little more resolving to me. I think both sets have really great vocals, but I prefer female vocal overall on Omnium as my library has a lot of vocalists that have a higher pitch.

Treble is probably where they differ the most. Clara to me is slightly soft and relaxed but doesn’t miss out in detail and extension. It’s quite fatigue free and tuned to be enjoyable over long sessions. Omnium is much brighter, more textured and gritty, and has more extension. If you are treble sensitive then Clara is the way to go but I think the Omnium treble is so well tuned that it gives you elevation, detail, a little spice, and extension but it doesn’t come off as peaky or uneven.

The biggest deal breaker for me, and the reason I plan to sell my Clara here shortly is that they’re just too damn sensitive for me (hello VE10 all over). Volume control is really important to me and Clara makes that quite hard to achieve. Even the Pilot 2 DAC it comes with makes it hiss like a mo fo and I literally have to put it on like 3% volume through my iPhone or it’s way way too loud.

Hope this helps.
Sorry to hear that. With the DX340 on low gain I can hear a faint hiss (like barely noticeable) but nothing that I would be annoyed by. But like u said everyone has different tolerances for stuff like that. Plus when the music goes on all that fades away for me.
Anyway if u do sell them I'm sure someone will snatch them up fairly quickly.
 
Jan 11, 2025 at 11:44 AM Post #101,040 of 102,691
So I had the opportunity to compare the Clara and Astrolith to my UM Amber Pearl (AP).

I tested them with various tips and ultimately settled on the Devinus Velvet (regular bore) for the Clara, and the Eletech Baroque for both the Amber Pearl and the Astrolith.


Fit:

The Clara fits like a dream—possibly one of the best fits I’ve ever experienced with any IEM. Truly impressive! The shell and cable are also beautifully designed.

In contrast, I didn’t enjoy the fit of the Astrolith at all. Despite trying several tips, I couldn’t get a proper seal, which could already be a dealbreaker for me.

The Amber Pearl has a decent fit but is highly dependent on the tips used. Its fit is comparable to that of the UM MM and the Annihilator.

Clara >> Amber Pearl >> Astrolith


Bass:

The Clara’s low end is outstanding. I preferred it over both the Amber Pearl and the Astrolith. While the Astrolith offers slightly faster bass with better decay, the Clara’s dual dynamic drivers deliver a satisfying sense of weight and impact.

The Amber Pearl’s bass, on the other hand, is tip-dependent. With a good seal, it has slightly better quality than the Clara’s, though with less quantity overall.

Clara > Amber Pearl > Astrolith


Mids:

The Clara’s mids feel slightly recessed compared to the Amber Pearl. Vocals on the AP are among the best I’ve ever heard, making it the clear winner in this category. However, the Clara still performs very well for its price point, with no bass bleed into the mids.


The Astrolith’s vocals were disappointing to me, although this could be due to the poor fit.

Amber Pearl >> Clara >> Astrolith


Highs:

The Clara’s highs are smooth and free of any harsh peaks, which I really appreciated.

The Amber Pearl extends further into the treble and sounds both cleaner and smoother to my ears.

The Astrolith, on the other hand, felt too shouty and lacked refinement in this area.

Amber Pearl > Clara >> Astrolith


Stage and Resolution:

The Clara performs decently in terms of both stage and resolution, especially for its price point. However, it doesn’t quite match the Amber Pearl or the Annihilator in resolution. The stage is also slightly narrower compared to the Amber Pearl.


Overall, i think the Clara is a really good IEM and plays well above his price point.

IMG_3207.jpeg
Thanks for this, I think this answers mine and @phiemon ‘s question around resolution compared to Raven. I found Raven to be more resolving than Annihilator so Clara will likely be more toward Bonneville’s level.
 

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