[Rockwell75]

View out my window this morning as the sun rises. Minus 15 for us here on the coast.

 

[Scubadevils]

Preparing for my review of FAudio Dark Sky - which will become my first 'intended' review. I had written extensive impressions back in May for IE900 as I had a pre-launch unit and was then encouraged to convert to a review due to the fact that impressions get lost in the thread over time.

Photos taken, several pages of notes gathered, and hope to type it up and publish over the next couple of days... some more comparisons to complete though first. While time consuming and tiring, I do enjoy the process - combining a love for music and technology and at the same time, learning more about this hobby.

 

[jwilliamhurst]

Preparing for my review of FAudio Dark Sky - which will become my first 'intended' review. I had written extensive impressions back in May for IE900 as I had a pre-launch unit and was then encouraged to convert to a review due to the fact that impressions get lost in the thread over time.

Photos taken, several pages of notes gathered, and hope to type it up and publish over the next couple of days... some more comparisons to complete though first. While time consuming and tiring, I do enjoy the process - combining a love for music and technology and at the same time, learning more about this hobby.

Very Much looking forward to your review Scuba! Appreciate all the hard work for the community.

 

[jwilliamhurst]

So it's almost the end of 2021, So I have compiled my favorite releases of the year. I hope you find this useful to find some new tunes *no specific order*

Favorite Albums of 2021

JAZZ:
Daniel Herskedal- Harbour
Cochemea- Vol II: Baca Sewa
Brian Jackson-Jazz is Dead 008
Brandee Younger-Somewhere Different
Marc Johnson- Overpass
Andrew Cyrille Quartet- The News
Lady Blackbird- Black Acid Soul
Nala Sinephro- Space 1.8
Gabriel Mervine- Say Somethin’
Maridalen- S/T
Isfar Sarabski- Planet
Hiroki Miyano- Laisse Rever
Tvuru- S/T
Anders Christensen, Laust Sonne, Jakob Dinesen- Blessings
Ola Kvernberg- Steamdome II: The Hypogean
John Coltrane- A Love Supreme: Live in Seattle
Enrico Rava- Edizione Speciale
Gregory Porter- Still Rising - The Collection
Daniel Casimir- Boxed In
Eivind Aarset- Phantasmagoria or a Different Kind of Journey
Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders- Promises


ROCK, R&B,ETC:
Erika De Casier- Sensational
L’Rain-Fatigue
Alice Phoebe Lou- Glow
Grouper- Shade
Leo Nocentelli- Another Side
Helado Negro- Far In
Idles-Crawler
Vanishing Twin-Ookii Gekkou
Marissa Nadler- The Path of the Clouds
Damon Albarn- The Nearer The Fountain, More Pure The Stream Flows
Circuit des Yeux- -io
King Krule- You Heat Me Up, You Cool Me Down (live)
Anna B Savage- A Common Turn
King Woman- Celestial Blues
Radiohead- KID A MNESIA
Tom Jones-Surrounded By Time
Arooj Aftab- Vulture Prince

CLASSICAL:
Jan Lisiecki- Chopin: Complete Nocturnes
Toumani Diabate / London Symphony Orchestra- Korolen
Gaspar Claus- Tancade
Peter Gregson- Patina
Nils Frahm- Old Friends New Friends
Sonoko Miriam Welde / Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra- Bruch, Vaughan Williams & Barber


ELECTRONIC/AMBIENT:
Slow Meadow-Upstream Dream, Happy Occident Reworks
Darkside-Spiral
HTRK- Rhinestones
Jon Hopkins- Music For Psychedelic Therapy
Arca- kiCK iiii, kiCK iiiii
AYA- Im hole
u-Ziq / Mrs Jynx- Secret Garden
Ross From Friends-Tread
Devendra Banhart / Noah Georgeson- Refuge (ambient album)

 

[Rockwell75]

So it's almost the end of 2021, So I have compiled my favorite releases of the year. I hope you find this useful to find some new tunes *no specific order*

Favorite Albums of 2021

JAZZ:
Daniel Herskedal- Harbour
Cochemea- Vol II: Baca Sewa
Brian Jackson-Jazz is Dead 008
Brandee Younger-Somewhere Different
Marc Johnson- Overpass
Andrew Cyrille Quartet- The News
Lady Blackbird- Black Acid Soul
Nala Sinephro- Space 1.8
Gabriel Mervine- Say Somethin’
Maridalen- S/T
Isfar Sarabski- Planet
Hiroki Miyano- Laisse Rever
Tvuru- S/T
Anders Christensen, Laust Sonne, Jakob Dinesen- Blessings
Ola Kvernberg- Steamdome II: The Hypogean
John Coltrane- A Love Supreme: Live in Seattle
Enrico Rava- Edizione Speciale
Gregory Porter- Still Rising - The Collection
Daniel Casimir- Boxed In
Eivind Aarset- Phantasmagoria or a Different Kind of Journey
Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders- Promises


ROCK, R&B,ETC:
Erika De Casier- Sensational
L’Rain-Fatigue
Alice Phoebe Lou- Glow
Grouper- Shade
Leo Nocentelli- Another Side
Helado Negro- Far In
Idles-Crawler
Vanishing Twin-Ookii Gekkou
Marissa Nadler- The Path of the Clouds
Damon Albarn- The Nearer The Fountain, More Pure The Stream Flows
Circuit des Yeux- -io
King Krule- You Het Me Up, You Cool Me Down (live)
Anna B Savage- A Common Turn
King Woman- Celestial Blues
Radiohead- KID A MNESIA
Tom Jones-Surrounded By Time


CLASSICAL:
Jan Lisiecki- Chopin: Complete Nocturnes
Toumani Diabate / London Symphony Orchestra- Korolen
Gaspar Claus- Tancade
Peter Gregson- Patina
Nils Frahm- Old Friends New Friends
Sonoko Miriam Welde / Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra- Bruch, Vaughan Williams & Barber


ELECTRONIC/AMBIENT:
Slow Meadow-Upstream Dream, Happy Occident Reworks
Darkside-Spiral
HTRK- Rhinestones
Jon Hopkins- Music For Psychedelic Therapy
Arca- kiCK iiii, kiCK iiiii
AYA- Im hole
u-Ziq / Mrs Jynx- Secret Garden
Ross From Friends-Tread
Devendra Banhart / Noah Georgeson- Refuge (ambient album)

NIce! Another one for the index. I'm hoping that the fact that impressions, discussions etc. in this thread will be indexed and easily accessed and referred to later will provide some incentive for others to share their impressions and thoughts here. As it says in the thread title "All Welcome".

 

[drftr]

@Rockwell75 I think many would appreciate double-posting your last comment from the ranking thread here...

EDIT: And perhaps guiding the poster to the cooler instead as I noted discussions/questions are often frowned upon over there while it is what we do over here. Your call of course!

drftr

 

[Ace Bee]

So it's almost the end of 2021, So I have compiled my favorite releases of the year. I hope you find this useful to find some new tunes *no specific order*

Favorite Albums of 2021

JAZZ:
Daniel Herskedal- Harbour
Cochemea- Vol II: Baca Sewa
Brian Jackson-Jazz is Dead 008
Brandee Younger-Somewhere Different
Marc Johnson- Overpass
Andrew Cyrille Quartet- The News
Lady Blackbird- Black Acid Soul
Nala Sinephro- Space 1.8
Gabriel Mervine- Say Somethin’
Maridalen- S/T
Isfar Sarabski- Planet
Hiroki Miyano- Laisse Rever
Tvuru- S/T
Anders Christensen, Laust Sonne, Jakob Dinesen- Blessings
Ola Kvernberg- Steamdome II: The Hypogean
John Coltrane- A Love Supreme: Live in Seattle
Enrico Rava- Edizione Speciale
Gregory Porter- Still Rising - The Collection
Daniel Casimir- Boxed In
Eivind Aarset- Phantasmagoria or a Different Kind of Journey
Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders- Promises


ROCK, R&B,ETC:
Erika De Casier- Sensational
L’Rain-Fatigue
Alice Phoebe Lou- Glow
Grouper- Shade
Leo Nocentelli- Another Side
Helado Negro- Far In
Idles-Crawler
Vanishing Twin-Ookii Gekkou
Marissa Nadler- The Path of the Clouds
Damon Albarn- The Nearer The Fountain, More Pure The Stream Flows
Circuit des Yeux- -io
King Krule- You Het Me Up, You Cool Me Down (live)
Anna B Savage- A Common Turn
King Woman- Celestial Blues
Radiohead- KID A MNESIA
Tom Jones-Surrounded By Time


CLASSICAL:
Jan Lisiecki- Chopin: Complete Nocturnes
Toumani Diabate / London Symphony Orchestra- Korolen
Gaspar Claus- Tancade
Peter Gregson- Patina
Nils Frahm- Old Friends New Friends
Sonoko Miriam Welde / Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra- Bruch, Vaughan Williams & Barber


ELECTRONIC/AMBIENT:
Slow Meadow-Upstream Dream, Happy Occident Reworks
Darkside-Spiral
HTRK- Rhinestones
Jon Hopkins- Music For Psychedelic Therapy
Arca- kiCK iiii, kiCK iiiii
AYA- Im hole
u-Ziq / Mrs Jynx- Secret Garden
Ross From Friends-Tread
Devendra Banhart / Noah Georgeson- Refuge (ambient album)

If only there were an option on head-fi to bookmark certain posts...mine would have been several pages long already

Preparing for my review of FAudio Dark Sky - which will become my first 'intended' review. I had written extensive impressions back in May for IE900 as I had a pre-launch unit and was then encouraged to convert to a review due to the fact that impressions get lost in the thread over time.

Photos taken, several pages of notes gathered, and hope to type it up and publish over the next couple of days... some more comparisons to complete though first. While time consuming and tiring, I do enjoy the process - combining a love for music and technology and at the same time, learning more about this hobby.

This will be one review I will be eagerly looking forward to. If only a comparison with FD7 was also there...
As per @Xinlisupreme 's suggestion, the HS1677SS also had my attention, but 2 aspects discourage me - 1. More energetic upper mids, 2. Proprietary pentaconn connector instead of mmcx.

 

[Rockwell75]

Ok @drftr

Below is a verbatim response I gave to a query in the referenced thread.

I'm wondering if you could help me elaborate on this? I've read a lot about the U12t and had it as my primary target as my end-game IEM but while, as you said, many in the community favor it, a lot of people find it hard to connect with, but I'm wondering why that is? Does it lack engaging qualities?

It depends what you mean by "engagement". For some a tight knit logical argument, or watching a game of chess is engaging...for others it bores them to tears. In my experience there are two broad types of engagement-- intellectual and emotional. Intellectual engagement stems from approaching things with your mind and intellect and is characterized by things that are well organized, intricate, logical, technically precise and so on. The two examples I just gave (the chess match and the logical argument) are examples of things that can be appreciated via intellectual engagement. Emotional engagement is more a matter of feeling and approaching things with the heart more than the intellect. Caleb Roseneau of Campfire audio in an interview I heard once described the main differences in BA vs. DD drivers being that BAs are better at "describing" sound and DDs are better at making you feel it. In light of the distinction I just made above DDs are more naturally suited to emotional engagement (evoking feeling) and BAs are more suited to intellectual engagement (being more detailed and technically precise). There is of course overlap but so far in my experience the best BA IEMs can't compete with the best DD IEMs in terms of sounding natural and evoking a certain type of emotional engagement and conversely the best DD IEMs can't compete with the best BA IEMs when it comes to technical skill and precision. The u12t is in many ways the pinnacle of a technically engaging sound but it's always sort of left me cold on the emotional front and I know many who feel the same. This is not to say they'd all agree with how I've characterized things here...but so far it's my best attempt at explaining my own perspective on the matter. So broadly speaking I would say "no" the u12t does not lack engaging qualities per se...but it's not as natural sounding or as emotionally evocative to me as my favorite DD IEMs. There is a big fat YMMV with all of this of course.

The others I'm considering are the Mest MKI or MKII. I know you prefer the MKI but I myself might prefer the MKII as I prefer more of a relaxed and warm tuning, and the smaller size of the MKII might suit me better.

I can only really spend $1500 if I do even upgrade, I may decide to hold off as the Blessing 2 Dusk is nice. So it's between used U12t, Mest MKI or MKII. Another dark horse candidate is Sony M9.

What are you upgrading from? I got the MEST II In the midst of a wave of personal self discovery that left me craving DD mids above all and the MEST II left me a little cold there. YMMV Etc. I'm going to go out on a limb here and suggest that for $1500 you take a hard look at the IER Z1R-- I would rate it head and shoulders above the MEST II both in terms of technical skill but also in terms of emotional engagement. If you're willing to consider a single DD the Dunu Zen Pro might also be of interest.

Sorry for the ramble I hope it proves to be helpful.

 

[drftr]

If only there were an option on head-fi to bookmark certain posts...mine would have been several pages long already

You can within your browser but within Head-Fi I think you can't. For the first option you'd simply create a map in your browser bookmarks and then right-click on the post number in the grey bar on the top right (if you're using a computer currently). That should give you normal bookmark functionality. It will add a bookmark with the post number as its name so you'd need to add some description not to go crazy later on.

drftr

 

[HiFiHawaii808]

So it's almost the end of 2021, So I have compiled my favorite releases of the year. I hope you find this useful to find some new tunes *no specific order*

Favorite Albums of 2021

JAZZ:
Daniel Herskedal- Harbour
Cochemea- Vol II: Baca Sewa
Brian Jackson-Jazz is Dead 008
Brandee Younger-Somewhere Different
Marc Johnson- Overpass
Andrew Cyrille Quartet- The News
Lady Blackbird- Black Acid Soul
Nala Sinephro- Space 1.8
Gabriel Mervine- Say Somethin’
Maridalen- S/T
Isfar Sarabski- Planet
Hiroki Miyano- Laisse Rever
Tvuru- S/T
Anders Christensen, Laust Sonne, Jakob Dinesen- Blessings
Ola Kvernberg- Steamdome II: The Hypogean
John Coltrane- A Love Supreme: Live in Seattle
Enrico Rava- Edizione Speciale
Gregory Porter- Still Rising - The Collection
Daniel Casimir- Boxed In
Eivind Aarset- Phantasmagoria or a Different Kind of Journey
Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders- Promises


ROCK, R&B,ETC:
Erika De Casier- Sensational
L’Rain-Fatigue
Alice Phoebe Lou- Glow
Grouper- Shade
Leo Nocentelli- Another Side
Helado Negro- Far In
Idles-Crawler
Vanishing Twin-Ookii Gekkou
Marissa Nadler- The Path of the Clouds
Damon Albarn- The Nearer The Fountain, More Pure The Stream Flows
Circuit des Yeux- -io
King Krule- You Het Me Up, You Cool Me Down (live)
Anna B Savage- A Common Turn
King Woman- Celestial Blues
Radiohead- KID A MNESIA
Tom Jones-Surrounded By Time


CLASSICAL:
Jan Lisiecki- Chopin: Complete Nocturnes
Toumani Diabate / London Symphony Orchestra- Korolen
Gaspar Claus- Tancade
Peter Gregson- Patina
Nils Frahm- Old Friends New Friends
Sonoko Miriam Welde / Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra- Bruch, Vaughan Williams & Barber


ELECTRONIC/AMBIENT:
Slow Meadow-Upstream Dream, Happy Occident Reworks
Darkside-Spiral
HTRK- Rhinestones
Jon Hopkins- Music For Psychedelic Therapy
Arca- kiCK iiii, kiCK iiiii
AYA- Im hole
u-Ziq / Mrs Jynx- Secret Garden
Ross From Friends-Tread
Devendra Banhart / Noah Georgeson- Refuge (ambient album)

I really like this post. Probably my favorite of yours. I am going to listen.

 

[HiFiHawaii808]

View out my window this morning as the sun rises. Minus 15 for us here on the coast.

Stunningly gorgeous. You inspired me. I tried to take a picture here just now, but it is a bit hazy and the picture didn't come out well. My wife gave me this picture from last Saturday at Sunrise from upstairs.

 

[Xinlisupreme]

I believe the August Fun is meant to be the 1960s 2 wire successor. I imagine that cable would be infinitely more popular if it had a… “normal” name, can’t wait to try it for myself eventually.

Yes I confirm you, Peter said me August fun is a new tuning of the 1960s, but dunno why people don’t consider Monile MK2 shielding….

 

[drftr]

Monile MK2 shielding

Care to share your thoughts?

drftr

 

[mashuto]

Stunningly gorgeous. You inspired me. I tried to take a picture here just now, but it is a bit hazy and the picture didn't come out well. My wife gave me this picture from last Saturday at Sunrise from upstairs.

Now you guys are just showing off.

 

[HiFiHawaii808]

I believe the August Fun is meant to be the 1960s 2 wire successor. I imagine that cable would be infinitely more popular if it had a… “normal” name, can’t wait to try it for myself eventually.

August Fun isn't exactly a great name. Compare that to mythological figures and places. August Fun seems like it should be an $89 cable just based on its name.

Athena, Zeus, Hercules, Aphrodite, Medusa, etc. Those are the names for thousand dollar cables.

Ruby, Emerald, Sapphire, Diamond, etc. Same thing.