[stacey]

Results so far:

Watercooler top 3 IEMs that own your heart right now, summer 2023 edition.

Rn6 x16
Mentor x9
Xe6 x8
Viking x7
Annihilator x6
Traillii x6
Phonix/LE x6

Ronin x5
Trifecta x5
u/a12t x5
Grand Maestro x5
Jewel x5
AüR Audio Aure x3
Maestro SE x3
IER Z1R x3

Mest III x2
P-Zero x2
AüR Audio Aurora x2
Impact x2
Indigo x2
Singularity x2
Quintet x2
Storm x2

Aful P8
RedHalo
Scarlet Mini
Inear PMX
SR8
Perpetua
Odin
Tesseract
Supreme v3
Fitear MH334SR
Valkyrie Mk 1
Goldplanar GL-AMT16
KSE-1200
Shure SE846
Dorado 2020
Elysian X
TGX Prototype
SR7
ISN Audio Neo 5
LOAK-TC
AüR Audio Neon Pro
Mentawai
FranQL Pegasus
Bqeyz Winter
Tangzu Heyday
Mason FS
ER4XR
ER2XR
EXT
Odyssey
IE600
RSV
Grand Duke
TXN DesTi
Thunder
Kr5
Mezzo LE
Evo
QDC v14
Legend X
Cadenza
IER-M9
XBA-N3
AK/VE Aura

It's a bit of a runaway train for Rn6 so far. Let's keep the votes coming, all you Watercoolers old and new.

It’s pretty impressive that the Trailii is still hanging around the top despite being released 3.5 years ago. That’s just my thoughts.

 

[phila]

Of the IEMs I've owned recently, I'd throw the following three into the mix, in no particular order:

Fir Audio Radon6
Oriolus Traillii
Campfire Audio Trifecta

Honorable mention:
Vision Ears Erlkönig

 

[Rockwell75]

The FatFreq stuff (the MSE and MM anyway) is more v-shaped to my ears than Singularity. The MSE for me is a specialist IEM because it lacks a bit of the "meat in the lower mids/mid-bass" area that I like. Singularity is more filled out in that region, has a impressive bass presence overall...but to my ears the sound on the whole comes off quite balanced in the FR.

It’s pretty impressive that the Trailii is still hanging around the top despite being released 3.5 years ago. That’s just my thoughts.

Or the pesky u12t at 7 years old and one less point than the bird.

 

[Garney]

Elise has a sample FR up:

https://eliseaudio.squig.link/?share=NightJar_Singularity_Sample1



Certainly graphs with some real bass kick, but as you say it might be quite different to listen... looking forward to more impressions in the coming days!

Oh wow. Wasn’t expecting Singularity to graph with such a substantial bass shelf. For whatever reason I had thought it was a fairly “neutral” tuning profile. I know graphs don’t tell the whole story but this looks promising.

Has there been any word as to what the price will be when regular sales go live at the end of this month?

 

[blotmouse]

The FatFreq stuff (the MSE and MM anyway) is more v-shaped to my ears than Singularity. The MSE for me is a specialist IEM because it lacks a bit of the "meat in the lower mids/mid-bass" area that I like. Singularity is more filled out in that region, has a impressive bass presence overall...but to my ears the sound on the whole comes off quite balanced in the FR.

Makes sense it's more down to the mid-bass prevalence. I need a good amount of meat on my lower mids as you do. If the IEM is adept at separation and the lower mids are not recessed to promote the uppers, I tend to enjoy the IEM. Those specific IEM's also seem to be somewhat rare.

 

[HiFiHawaii808]

The 3 IEMs I am currently listening to most:

1) Noble Viking Damascus
2) Subtonic Storm
3) Noble Ronin

then,

it's

4) Fir Audio XE6
5) Fir Audio RN6

 

[MRT-Man]

The 3 IEMs I am currently listening to most:

1) Noble Viking Damascus
2) Subtonic Storm
3) Noble Ronin

then,

it's

4) Fir Audio XE6
5) Fir Audio RN6

Are you finding the Damascus to be much different than Ragnar? (I believe you had a Ragnar?)

 

[named name]

Results so far:

Watercooler top 3 IEMs that own your heart right now, summer 2023 edition.

Rn6 x16
Mentor x9
Xe6 x8
Viking x7
Annihilator x6
Traillii x6
Phonix/LE x6

Ronin x5
Trifecta x5
u/a12t x5
Grand Maestro x5
Jewel x5
AüR Audio Aure x3
Maestro SE x3
IER Z1R x3

Mest III x2
P-Zero x2
AüR Audio Aurora x2
Impact x2
Indigo x2
Singularity x2
Quintet x2
Storm x2

Aful P8
RedHalo
Scarlet Mini
Inear PMX
SR8
Perpetua
Odin
Tesseract
Supreme v3
Fitear MH334SR
Valkyrie Mk 1
Goldplanar GL-AMT16
KSE-1200
Shure SE846
Dorado 2020
Elysian X
TGX Prototype
SR7
ISN Audio Neo 5
LOAK-TC
AüR Audio Neon Pro
Mentawai
FranQL Pegasus
Bqeyz Winter
Tangzu Heyday
Mason FS
ER4XR
ER2XR
EXT
Odyssey
IE600
RSV
Grand Duke
TXN DesTi
Thunder
Kr5
Mezzo LE
Evo
QDC v14
Legend X
Cadenza
IER-M9
XBA-N3
AK/VE Aura

It's a bit of a runaway train for Rn6 so far. Let's keep the votes coming, all you Watercoolers old and new.

Rn6
A12t
Z1R

 

[Neweymatt]

One man's round world is another man's flat earth. Such is the way of things. Just enjoy your hard wired cables mate


This is why I hate this thread. Do I need to listen to the RN6 now?

Ha ha, kidding aside, it's a huge credit to @Rockwell75 that this thread and these polls exist for our community. You can find plenty to like anywhere in that top 10-12 to suit any preference. I don't know how I'd navigate this hobby very well without this incredibly valuable resource.

In that case. By the time I make up my mind about the unheard's the poll will be over.

Kr5 (the black metal champ)
Singularity (gotta be better than tz700 and ie900. Will fill that single DD bass head space)
Turii OG (has micro detail issues but macro tuning has my target bass and mids on lock, can't quit it)

In the wings is Rn6. If it's closer to Kr5 + a tad bit more upper mids, it's a win. Closer to Xe6 + less mid bass, it'll be a loss.

Alright it's a loss.

I'll have my chance to give Rn6 a proper demo in the coming weeks/months, but it was these kinds of impressions that convinced me to all in and get the custom Xe6. Why on earth would I want an Xe6 that is less-Xe6-like? Crazy talk!!

2) Xe6. Smoooooth... great for long hours of listening with no fatigue. Great wow factor for bass-heavy genres. But there are some clear limitations with respect to the genres it works for.

Sure it's been a long honeymoon for me, but I keep wondering what these genres are? maybe I just don't listen to them...

Or the pesky u12t at 7 years old and one less point than the bird.

Go ahead and blame me for that for this and any future poll. GOATs just gonna goat.

 

[Natesdailies]

I liked hearing the Cayin N7 during my brief audition in Canjam NYC. I decided to finally silence this idea I had in my head.

Excited to hear it again as well as finding out how it scales amped!

 

[mbirand]

The 3 IEMs I am currently listening to most:

1) Noble Viking Damascus
2) Subtonic Storm
3) Noble Ronin

how would you compare Storm against Mentor ? I’ve seen some comments that it’s stage is narrower. What is your experience ? Is this a weakness of the Storm ?

How about Storm against the Bird in terms of soundstage ?

 

[EdvonSchleck76]

My favourites IEMs, though my experience is limited:

1) Oriolus Traillii
2) Aroma Jewel
3) UM Multiverse Mentor

 

[Rockwell75]

Rn6 x19
Mentor x11
Xe6 x10

Viking x9
Traillii x8
Annihilator x7
Jewel x7
Ronin x7
Trifecta x7
Phonix/LE x6

^^^Fairly Epic Top 10!^^^

u/a12t x5
Grand Maestro x5
IER Z1R x4
Storm x4
AüR Audio Aure x3
Maestro SE x3
Impact x3
Singularity x3

Mest III x2
P-Zero x2
AüR Audio Aurora x2
Indigo x2
Quintet x2
KSE-1200/1500 x2
Mentawai x2
Thunder x2
Kr5 x2

Aful P8
RedHalo
Scarlet Mini
Inear PMX
SR8
Perpetua
Odin
Tesseract
Supreme v3
Fitear MH334SR
Valkyrie Mk 1
Goldplanar GL-AMT16
Shure SE846
Dorado 2020
Elysian X
TGX Prototype
SR7
ISN Audio Neo 5
LOAK-TC
AüR Audio Neon Pro
FranQL Pegasus
Bqeyz Winter
Tangzu Heyday
Mason FS
ER4XR
ER2XR
EXT
Odyssey
IE600
RSV
Grand Duke
TXN DesTi
Mezzo LE
Evo
QDC v14
Legend X
Cadenza
IER-M9
XBA-N3
AK/VE Aura
Turii/Ti
MAD 24

 

[raylu]

https://www.head-fi.org/classifieds...-wires-best-silver-cable-on-the-market.50954/ if anyone is interested I am selling my belove silver concept cable for financial reasons thanks!　

 

[Rockwell75]

To plot, it looks like a very comparable tuning to the MSE:



That kind of bass performance with the coherence of a single Dynamic could be very special indeed!

Thanks for sharing this-- it's pretty in line with my knee-jerk reaction viz a viz MSE being a little more v-shaped and Singularity having a little more presence in the mid-bass/lower mid region.