[xenithon]

Gauntlet thrown Sir! Remember it's not a straight fight - EXT will have to contend against the Z1R/IE900 tag team

Well this is all relative to personal tastes & perceptions...but the mids were the deal breaker for me with both those IEMs.

I have a suspicion that the smackdown may not even get into the sound aspect; the fit may be a deal breaker before @gLer hits play

 

[gLer]

Madoo's philosophy is to create products that will be very competitive for the next 10 years.

I wish that was the mantra for the entire high-end IEM industry, and not just a few outliers. It's certainly what I look for when 'investing' in these ultra luxury premium products; longevity should be a given, not a rarity.

 

[Rockwell75]

Here's a non audio question for the Watercooler to help with a project I'm doing:

What is everyone's favorite online communication tool? Preferably one you know of that isn't as well known.

 

[mashuto]

I wish that was the mantra for the entire high-end IEM industry, and not just a few outliers. It's certainly what I look for when 'investing' in these ultra luxury premium products; longevity should be a given, not a rarity.

I mean if we are being real here, outside of some really low end and cheaply made stuff, most of these should last at least 5-10 years if they are treated well.

It just doesn't feel that way here since everyone is always swapping gear and looking for the next great thing. Always important to remember that if there something you like, it doesn't suddenly become worse just because something new comes out.

 

[gLer]

Well this is all relative to personal tastes & perceptions...but the mids were the deal breaker for me with both those IEMs. Not that they're not unquestionably two of the greatest IEMs out there right now.

Fair. Outside of wanting natural, realistic vocals, I'm not much of a mids guy. Couldn't tell you which instruments fall into the mids block to be honest. So for me, Z1R and IE900, vocal placement aside, are perfectly on point. That said, EXT (and Elysium before it) have built up such a massive reputation for 'mindblowing mids' (not least from one Mr. R Ockwell ) that it's inevitable this will be a major focus of the showdown. I want to hear what all the fuss is about, and will be only too happy to discover the midrange nirvana I'm continually told I'm missing out on.

I have a suspicion that the smackdown may not even get into the sound aspect; the fit may be a deal breaker before @gLer hits play

Very possible. There wouldn't even be a showdown if I'd listened to all the horror stories around here about Z1R fit, which turned out to be more like old wives' tales. Hopefully EXT's will be just as accommodating to my ears.

What is everyone's favorite online communication tool? Preferably one you know of that isn't as well known.

Hmm, aside from WhatsApp and Telegram I don't use any other communication tool. Do the Head-Fi forums count (I probably spend more time here than with the other two ).

Always important to remember that if there something you like, it doesn't suddenly become worse just because something new comes out.

Word. Until you discover something you like more than what you liked before...

In my case, I often discover older stuff I've missed or glanced over that sounds better than all the new stuff. But I also buy to a price, so don't often get to hear the rarified summit-fi stuff until it's no longer FOTM and becomes far more accessible.

I also believe you ultimately get what you pay for, so I'm patient enough to wait for the hype cycle to pass and new versions released before buying what I want at a better price. Which goes full circle back to your point that if it was great then...it's probably still great now.

 

[mashuto]

Word. Until you discover something you like more than what you liked before...

And that's why I'm feeling like I'm on the verge of needing to step away from these forums for a while. Too much temptation for things that logically I know will only provide minor and marginal improvements at best. Especially when I'm really quite satisfied with what I have, and the realization that I either can't hear those last tiny bits of performance or that I genuinely just don't care.

I also believe you ultimately get what you pay for, so I'm patient enough to wait for the hype cycle to pass and new versions released before buying what I want at a better price.

True, though maybe slightly less true recently. There's really some high quality stuff out there for quite cheap, and both quality in terms of sound and build.

 

[kevin638880]

Here's a non audio question for the Watercooler to help with a project I'm doing:

What is everyone's favorite online communication tool? Preferably one you know of that isn't as well known.

Microsoft Teams.

 

[Rockwell75]

And that's why I'm feeling like I'm on the verge of needing to step away from these forums for a while. Too much temptation for things that logically I know will only provide minor and marginal improvements at best. Especially when I'm really quite satisfied with what I have, and the realization that I either can't hear those last tiny bits of performance or that I genuinely just don't care.


True, though maybe slightly less true recently. There's really some high quality stuff out there for quite cheap, and both quality in terms of sound and build.

Off all the people in and out of here you and @gLer seem pretty adept at resisting temptation and not giving in to the will-o-the-wisp that often.

Agreed about your second comment-- Zen Pro is summit fi in terms of sound, accessories and build...and it's sub $1K.

All of this said if you could get the fit EXT would blow your mind imho.

 

[kevin638880]

My life is now complete.

Previous record was the Compact Monitors Stage 3 (2010-2018). My instincts are telling me that this is staying with me for longer.

 

[xenithon]

Here's a non audio question for the Watercooler to help with a project I'm doing:

What is everyone's favorite online communication tool? Preferably one you know of that isn't as well known.

Signal, in particular from a security perspective.

 

[DunkFealer]

Gauntlet thrown Sir! Remember it's not a straight fight - EXT will have to contend against the Z1R/IE900 tag team, which is only fair in terms of price. I'll be sure to leave no stone unturned referencing the good, bad and ugly across dozens of tracks. A showdown this important will be my biggest one yet, and the one that crowns my ultimate IEM King.

(And don't worry, I'll slap a TL;DR right up front for all you BA-only and Aroma people )

Man I'm excited to read this whenever it happens. Sounds like a very fun format for a review/shootout---a wrestling match type of thing haha.

 

[DunkFealer]

Here's a non audio question for the Watercooler to help with a project I'm doing:

What is everyone's favorite online communication tool? Preferably one you know of that isn't as well known.

Discord... but that's pretty well known (among the younger crowd at least).

 

[Rockwell75]

BAE (From VE's Insta)

 

[Rockwell75]

My life is now complete.

Previous record was the Compact Monitors Stage 3 (2010-2018). My instincts are telling me that this is staying with me for longer.

How does it fare vs. EXT & Erlkonig for you?

 

[mashuto]

All of this said if you could get the fit EXT would blow your mind imho.

I am still tentatively signed up for the audio tiers tour of it whenever it may come around.

But 99% chance that the fit won't work for me. I think I've identified the one area that gives me the most trouble and it's down near the stem, if that area is too bulbous and not thin (as it is with most iems including this one), chances aren't good that it'll fit well.

Edit: plus the dual DD lows in the Jolene are still working quite well for me. Hard to tell how they might compare to others since they aren't really on many peoples radars.