[Rockwell75]

Everyone's entitled to their opinion but it's a little sad to me if a $3000 MSRP IEM isn't somehow considered TOTL. Having heard the Jewel myself I could say it sounds great but I also can't see why it costs $2000 more than the EXT.

It costs $2000 more than EXT because it's being marketed towards people who will pay that. Based on sonic quality alone EXT is most certainly on the same level as both Jewel and Traillii imho, though each IEM has its own individual identity and distinct strengths. If we're being honest TOTL starts at about $1K. Anything beyond that is fine tuning to preferences.

 

[aaf evo]

What are your gals/guys thoughts on burn in for DAPs? Yes, no? How long?

I don’t do any forced burn in unless I don’t like the sound out the box , then I’ll let it run and see if it changes any. I prefer to burn in organically so I can experience the changes, if any, myself.

 

[aaf evo]

It costs $2000 more than EXT because it's being marketed towards people who will pay that. Based on sonic quality alone EXT is most certainly on the same level as both Jewel and Traillii imho, though each IEM has its own individual identity and distinct strengths. If we're being honest TOTL starts at about $1K. Anything beyond that is fine tuning to preferences.

I actually find EXT overpriced at $2900 because it’s technical ability is average. Just my 2c/my opinion, blah blah.

It has a wonderful sound though

Edit: FWIW I think most IEMs at MSRP are overpriced. But I understand why things like Traillii and Jewel command such a high price tag.

 

[14christ]

I don’t do any forced burn in unless I don’t like the sound out the box , then I’ll let it run and see if it changes any. I prefer to burn in organically so I can experience the changes, if any, myself.

I'm attempting a burn in on the m17 as I find the treble a hair prominent with some of the music in my library. It's subtle so my hopes are the burn in will be just enough to smooth things out a tad.

 

[Garney]

What are your gals/guys thoughts on burn in for DAPs? Yes, no? How long?

I did some non-listening burn in with the M9 (first time ever doing that) but I’m mostly listening to put hours on like @Auricon and @aaf evo.

Still not convinced that burn in isn’t mostly “brain burn in.” But I do hear differences on the M9 since receiving it with minimal hours out of the box. I think it’s a mix of both electronics conditioning / settling in and my brain adjusting to the sound profile. Flip side of that - I haven’t noticed any major sonic changes on the DX300 which I bought new and now has 500+ hours on it.

 

[Rockwell75]

it’s technical ability is average.

I've never agreed with that assessment but I guess it depends on how you define "technical ability". In terms of raw detail and spaciousness then perhaps there is some truth in that however as I've indicated in previous posts I'm coming to view technical ability more as a collective of individual factors that make up an IEM's capacity to render an accurate and lifelike sense of space. Where EXT is unique for me is in its ability to present an almost fully realized sense of 3-d body to its sound. The closest I've come to experiencing this anywhere else is with the Traillii-- but where the Bird excels more in transparency EXT excels in bodied naturalness. Sure EXT is not as vast or visceral an experience as something like Xe6 but when you factor in EXT's much more natural timbre the overall effect for me is a much more satisfying and engaging listening experience. I personally consider the sum effect of EXT's presentation as a profound technical accomplishment-- but there really isn't anything out there like it to compare to so it isn't getting singled out for this like many other more traditionally technically accomplished IEMs are. So while I won't deny that EXT is behind certain IEMs in some technical respects my own opinion is that it has a healthy dose of its own technical secret sauce that places it almost in a category all its own in the current market and which more than makes up for whatever it might lack in other areas. Just my $.02 (YMMV and all that).

 

[14christ]

I did some non-listening burn in with the M9 (first time ever doing that) but I’m mostly listening to put hours on like @Auricon and @aaf evo.

Still not convinced that burn in isn’t mostly “brain burn in.” But I do hear differences on the M9 since receiving it with minimal hours out of the box. I think it’s a mix of both electronics conditioning / settling in and my brain adjusting to the sound profile. Flip side of that - I haven’t noticed any major sonic changes on the DX300 which I bought new and now has 500+ hours on it.

That's funny because the dx300 is exactly the reason I am attempting to burn in. The dx300 for me seems as if it has burned in after listening hundreds of hours so I thought well, maybe I can try it on the m17 in an expedited manner. I'll see in another couple days. One can hope atleast...

 

[Auricon]

I did some non-listening burn in with the M9 (first time ever doing that) but I’m mostly listening to put hours on like @Auricon and @aaf evo.

Still not convinced that burn in isn’t mostly “brain burn in.” But I do hear differences on the M9 since receiving it with minimal hours out of the box. I think it’s a mix of both electronics conditioning / settling in and my brain adjusting to the sound profile. Flip side of that - I haven’t noticed any major sonic changes on the DX300 which I bought new and now has 500+ hours on it.

Identical impression with my DX300Mk2/312 and both Fiio's 11+LTD and M17. I was able to hear differences with 3MAX as iBasso used NOS caps.

 

[Garney]

That's funny because the dx300 is exactly the reason I am attempting to burn in. The dx300 for me seems as if it has burned in after listening hundreds of hours so I thought well, maybe I can try it on the m17 in an expedited manner. I'll see in another couple days. One can hope atleast...

I liked the tonality of the DX300 from the get go and it’s sounded the same to me since. May be just that? I was also coming from the HiBy R5 (non-Saber) which I felt was a bit muted overall. Non-fatiguing but somewhat lacking in dynamics and refinement.

The M9 was a touch bassy and boomy to my ears initially. “Heavy” was how I described it after a few hours of preliminary listening. But it’s since tightened up and now sounds more refined and, for my preferences, has surpassed the DX300 in terms of synergy with my IEMs and overall sound signature.

I’ve listened to the DX300 a few times since using the M9 as my daily driver and it sounds as I remembered it.

This is why I’m still not sure what type of burn in I’m actually experiencing with DAPs. I think it’s a combination of brain and “real” burn in.

 

[discord]

Received the demo Jewel from MusicTeck. Been listening to this thing for about 4 hours now and it's a very familiar type of sound so far in that it goes for a lean and clarity type of presentation like Odin. It's got really nice extension in the treble with plenty of air up top and light feeling. Treble is less crisp sounding than Odin. Instrument timbre seems to be a bit more "correct" than Odin. The midrange, vocals especially, are super nice and life-like, one of my favorite mids so far and comes close to Phonix which has my favorite mids. The bass quantity actually surprised me in how close it was to Odin, as I was expecting a bit more based on graphs, but I guess this may have to do with my Odin being a CIEM and so I don't perceive that much of a difference except slightly more mid-bass. Soundstage is a bit wider and deeper than Odin, and detail retrieval is similar although I'll give the edge to Odin still by a bit.

That's all I got for now. Oh, and forgive the horrific cable in the image, that was Aroma's idea, not mine. Seriously one of the worst cables I've ever felt and seen on an IEM.

I'll keep listening over the weekend and see how my thoughts change.

Had another session today with the Jewel...it's getting even better.

 

[14christ]

Had another session today with the Jewel...it's getting even better.

Personally I like the mouse pad haha

 

[Deezel177]

TOTL and Flagship I see as different beasts. You can have multiple TOTL’s but only 1 Flagship.

Edit
Only time I see it as a draw is when an all BA and a Hybrid share the same cost in a portfolio. Otherwise, flag status goes to the more expensive one. EXT and Ace are TOTLs but not Flagships, imho.

To be honest, it's all just hierarchal semantics anyway; a label. Though it, more often than not, will suggest an IEM's level of performance within its line-up, it won't guarantee how much it's liked or anything like that.

 

[14christ]

To be honest, it's all just hierarchal semantics anyway; a label. Though it, more often than not, will suggest an IEM's level of performance within its line-up, it won't guarantee how much it's liked or anything like that.

True, look at the Wraith vs Odin/LX. An example

 

[blotmouse]

Argh, those seas be chaos matey.

 

[kevin638880]

I don’t do any forced burn in unless I don’t like the sound out the box , then I’ll let it run and see if it changes any. I prefer to burn in organically so I can experience the changes, if any, myself.

Agreed. My ZM2 is still at around 20 hours