[bigbeans]

I actually have a favor to ask of some of the more thoughtful and experienced Watercoolers. I mentioned a bit ago that I’m trying to improve my critical listening, and reviewing skills (not to be a reviewer, THAT seems like so much work, this is just for my own personal development in my audiophile journey).

To that end, I’d LOVE to hear about some of your critical listening methodologies and routines.

Respectfully in advance, I’m not interested in “listen more” responses, that won’t be helpful because that’s a given.

To give an example, if you’re listening to evaluate FR, are you listening three or four times to the same tune to evaluate bass vs sub-bass, or do you gather that on one or two passes? What style of note-taking do you do, detailed and thorough, or just a couple of words? Do you find you need to use a different process when comparing DAP vs IEMs vs cables? What do you do to shift from the “listening” to the “writing”? Specifically wondering about those who write such nuanced and detailed (and extremely helpful) recaps that dissect the most intricate aspects of the gear we love.

I could go on with the questions, but I’m genuinely curious about all of this, and am surprised it’s a rarely discussed in detail aspect of the reviewing process here, or anywhere on the interwebs, actually.

I could be wrong, and this could be a bit presumptuous of me to say it, but my sense is there would be many, many forum readers that would be interested about this subject.

I would find a song that elicits an emotional response at a particular point and see how different equipment changes that emotional response. Then you can connect a dot and understand the relationship between technicalities and how they illicit your emotional response. Also, use some electronic music for diagnosing a set. Well produced electronic music can tell you a lot about an iem voicing and technicalities.

Understanding the relationship between technicalities and enjoyment is crucial I think, as you can narrow down a sets performance parameters quickly and begin to tackle the less obvious aspects like dynamics (macro/micro), soundstage, separation etc. Such qualities are not obvious on a FR curve.

 

[Rockwell75]

I actually have a favor to ask of some of the more thoughtful and experienced Watercoolers. I mentioned a bit ago that I’m trying to improve my critical listening, and reviewing skills (not to be a reviewer, THAT seems like so much work, this is just for my own personal development in my audiophile journey).

To that end, I’d LOVE to hear about some of your critical listening methodologies and routines.

Respectfully in advance, I’m not interested in “listen more” responses, that won’t be helpful because that’s a given.

To give an example, if you’re listening to evaluate FR, are you listening three or four times to the same tune to evaluate bass vs sub-bass, or do you gather that on one or two passes? What style of note-taking do you do, detailed and thorough, or just a couple of words? Do you find you need to use a different process when comparing DAP vs IEMs vs cables? What do you do to shift from the “listening” to the “writing”? Specifically wondering about those who write such nuanced and detailed (and extremely helpful) recaps that dissect the most intricate aspects of the gear we love.

I could go on with the questions, but I’m genuinely curious about all of this, and am surprised it’s a rarely discussed in detail aspect of the reviewing process here, or anywhere on the interwebs, actually.

I could be wrong, and this could be a bit presumptuous of me to say it, but my sense is there would be many, many forum readers that would be interested about this subject.

I've yet to find a way to "listen critically" in the way that term is usually implied that doesn't nerf the overall enjoyment factor-- which is my first and only real reason for listening. I've got a few key points I keep in mind:

1) I'm after an emotional response-- if an IEM makes me want to go through my whole library anew it's won the day and everything else that can be said afterwards is merely a footnote.

2) Less important than any single quality or factor is how all the different factors play together.

3) I have a few mainstay test tracks that I generally start everything with-- the most prominent being Sultans of Swing by Dire Straits.

4) While I generally know fairly early if something is for me or not it takes me at least a few days to really get to know something .

5) Looking at FR curves is only really interesting to me after I have heard something. A IEM's FR cannot be meaningfully divorced from the type and amount of drivers it uses imho

I might add to this later if I think of anything else but these are a my starting points.

 

[Ojisan]

Curious on this one - what's the signature like?

It's generally a W-shaped signature with good full range DD supplemented by BA mids and piezo treble. I believe the DD is the same driver as their popular FAudio Major. It's not a bombastic bass, just right sweet and extended. There's a toggle switch to enhance bass/mids/treble. With all off, it's a very mild w or v-shaped that is neutral leaning character (I call it the A&K type tuning). The switch enhances each area very tastefully. Bass raises the subbass from a neutral bass. Mids switch adds body to the sound without being shouty. Treble switch adds top end giving a little more EST like sparkle. I tend to keep it at bass=on, mids=on, treble=off.

Relative to Traillii, it's more in-your-face type of presentation. Closer to the players. You can also hear the depth really well. I enjoy it with just about every genre. It scales up with source too.

One thing the piezo does is the sharp attack and rising edge. This is important for me since I play and listen to lot of guitar/stringed instrument music. Much better done than Hyla CE5. This nails the timbre for me. Traillii softens those edges which takes away the realism for me.

I think @twister6 had a comment somewhere on his show comments earlier this year.

 

[WilliamBlake]

Yeah, I guess that's a good option too. Especially the first ones.
If you need more mass and weight.
But if you need technical skills - rather the second ones. The first are more massive, but when it comes to technical records - there may be problems with speed.

Thanks for the tip!

 

[wazzupi]

I actually have a favor to ask of some of the more thoughtful and experienced Watercoolers. I mentioned a bit ago that I’m trying to improve my critical listening, and reviewing skills (not to be a reviewer, THAT seems like so much work, this is just for my own personal development in my audiophile journey).

To that end, I’d LOVE to hear about some of your critical listening methodologies and routines.

Respectfully in advance, I’m not interested in “listen more” responses, that won’t be helpful because that’s a given.

To give an example, if you’re listening to evaluate FR, are you listening three or four times to the same tune to evaluate bass vs sub-bass, or do you gather that on one or two passes? What style of note-taking do you do, detailed and thorough, or just a couple of words? Do you find you need to use a different process when comparing DAP vs IEMs vs cables? What do you do to shift from the “listening” to the “writing”? Specifically wondering about those who write such nuanced and detailed (and extremely helpful) recaps that dissect the most intricate aspects of the gear we love.

I could go on with the questions, but I’m genuinely curious about all of this, and am surprised it’s a rarely discussed in detail aspect of the reviewing process here, or anywhere on the interwebs, actually.

I could be wrong, and this could be a bit presumptuous of me to say it, but my sense is there would be many, many forum readers that would be interested about this subject.

1. Create a Playlist, music that you enjoy and have a unique quality.

2. Have the glossary handy when you're listening to music and just get into the intricacies of describing what you hear.
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/describing-sound-a-glossary.220770/

3. Don't dive too deep into frequency response
Just the basics will do. Ex: where mid bass sub bass upper mids lower mids start and finish and what kind of sounds are within that space. I've heard people try to guestimate how much db boost something might have I don't think that's necessary.....

4. Have Fun !
Also emotional response as mentioned by a few already is good too.

My listening style has changed, less classical/jazz but leaning more to electronic recently. The following is in no particular order.

1. CIEM UM Indigo
2. CIEM Elysian DIVA
3. Campfire Equinox

Sidenote: The Equinox and DIVA complement each other perfectly. Coherency, tuning, technology are very different.

Have you listened to the Gaea yet ? Any impressions on the equinox ?

 

[fiascogarcia]

I was going to wait until tomorrow to start this but it will help me this weekend if we get a head start today. It's officially fall up here in the northern hemisphere which means it's time for our seasonal poll.

Survey: What are the top 3 IEMs that own your heart right now?

Criteria for selection is entirely up to you-- favourites, new loves...what 3 IEMs are occupying your mind and heart at this moment in time? To see the results of the summer and spring polls head to the opening page of the Watercooler thread.

Same ol' same ol'. I don't bounce around much.
1. Traillii
2. IER-Z1R
3. Elysium custom

 

[wazzupi]

Amazon.jp is on point

 

[dmphile]

I actually have a favor to ask of some of the more thoughtful and experienced Watercoolers. I mentioned a bit ago that I’m trying to improve my critical listening, and reviewing skills (not to be a reviewer, THAT seems like so much work, this is just for my own personal development in my audiophile journey).

To that end, I’d LOVE to hear about some of your critical listening methodologies and routines.

Respectfully in advance, I’m not interested in “listen more” responses, that won’t be helpful because that’s a given.

To give an example, if you’re listening to evaluate FR, are you listening three or four times to the same tune to evaluate bass vs sub-bass, or do you gather that on one or two passes? What style of note-taking do you do, detailed and thorough, or just a couple of words? Do you find you need to use a different process when comparing DAP vs IEMs vs cables? What do you do to shift from the “listening” to the “writing”? Specifically wondering about those who write such nuanced and detailed (and extremely helpful) recaps that dissect the most intricate aspects of the gear we love.

I could go on with the questions, but I’m genuinely curious about all of this, and am surprised it’s a rarely discussed in detail aspect of the reviewing process here, or anywhere on the interwebs, actually.

I could be wrong, and this could be a bit presumptuous of me to say it, but my sense is there would be many, many forum readers that would be interested about this subject.

I don't have a specific approach or methodology but my heart is connected to my music, not my mind. If the gear can pull the strings and chords of my heart in a way that gives me goosebumps, bring memories of joy or can make my spidey senses tingle, it's a winner. I'm not a 'critical' listener in the traditional sense of measuring every aspect of the FR but rather on musicality and the emotive elements it elicits. Although, I do try to describe those elements in the mix to help others understand the combination of those traits that can elicit that emotional response.

I would find a song that elicits an emotional response at a particular point and see how different equipment changes that emotional response. Then you can connect a dot and understand the relationship between technicalities and how they illicit your emotional response. Also, use some electronic music for diagnosing a set. Well produced electronic music can tell you a lot about an iem voicing and technicalities.

Understanding the relationship between technicalities and enjoyment is crucial I think, as you can narrow down a sets performance parameters quickly and begin to tackle the less obvious aspects like dynamics (macro/micro), soundstage, separation etc. Such qualities are not obvious on a FR curve.

This resonates with my approach.

I've yet to find a way to "listen critically" in the way that term is usually implied that doesn't nerf the overall enjoyment factor-- which is my first and only real reason for listening. I've got a few key points I keep in mind:

1) I'm after an emotional response-- if an IEM makes me want to go through my whole library anew it's won the day and everything else that can be said afterwards is merely a footnote.

2) Less important than any single quality or factor is how all the different factors play together.

3) I have a few mainstay test tracks that I generally start everything with-- the most prominent being Sultans of Swing by Dire Straits.

4) While I generally know fairly early if something is for me or not it takes me at least a few days to really get to know something .

5) Looking at FR curves is only really interesting to me after I have heard something. A IEM's FR cannot be meaningfully divorced from the type and amount of drivers it uses imho

I might add to this later if I think of anything else but these are a my starting points.

Yup!

 

[Ojisan]

1) I'm after an emotional response-- if an IEM makes me want to go through my whole library anew it's won the day and everything else that can be said afterwards is merely a footnote.

This is the key aspect for me. If it moves me in some way and bring me tears, excitement, etc, that's it. Objective analysis comes afterwards, or at least I try to make some sense about it. Not a fit for a reviewer

 

[WilliamBlake]

Try FiiO FH9 bro.

Inexpensive, super stock cable, top gear (really).

I have a real crush with these little beasts.

You love Ferrari. Perhaps, you should love Lamborghini

About fh9, I fear that could be too similar to my VxV, at least according to the graph, specially in the bass/mids section

But no, I do not like Ferrari neither Lambo, not that I can afford either

 

[rantng]

I think for the most part I try to avoid "critical" listening these days. I still sometimes enjoy when I am able to pick out certain details & sometimes break down certain aspects/frequencies, but I've found I loathe writing reviews as it seems to take away from my overall enjoyment of the music.


1. Indigo
2. Infinity Mk2
3. Szalayi
Although I have fit issues with 2&3

 

[bigbeans]

Have you listened to the Gaea yet ? Any impressions on the equinox ?

I haven't but if Lee can't arrange a demo, I should be able to hear them at CanJam NYC. There was simply too much to do in 5 hours during CanJam Socal haha.

 

[Quartex]

They were all going to vote for the HoneySupermoon, I swear! Oh well...

drftr

Hmmm, I think I got duped. The low price should have alert me - guess I was just too greedy and did not read properly...

 

[RTodd]

What happens to me, I listen to a set with my 10 test tracks, covering high female opera vocals, smoky jazz female vocals, jazz trio, Prog metal, Latin percussion, piano solo, classical, and electronic for sub bass. And than the set sinks or swims. If it swims I listen some more. Typically I leave the distributor with nothing. Then sleep on it. If I am still thinking about one of the sets the next morning I may buy it. Some times it takes months because I am a turtle after all. Try hard not to collect junk I will not use. I get the set and spend weeks listening with it and I am happily making my way through the 5000 or so tracks I really love.
All is happy happy.

Then someone points out a flaw, and dog darn it, I hear it and cannot stop hearing it.

Why I am not cut out to be a reviewer.
So far no set has been perfect, they all have a compromise, the trick is to not dwell on that weak spot, and just enjoy the music.

 

[morserotonin]

I was going to wait until tomorrow to start this but it will help me this weekend if we get a head start today. It's officially fall up here in the northern hemisphere which means it's time for our seasonal poll.

Survey: What are the top 3 IEMs that own your heart right now?

Criteria for selection is entirely up to you-- favourites, new loves...what 3 IEMs are occupying your mind and heart at this moment in time? To see the results of the summer and spring polls head to the opening page of the Watercooler thread.

Well after CanJam here are my 3:

1 AK/Empire Ears Odyssey
2 Aroma Audio Thunder
3 Noble Viking Ragnar