[kevin638880]

The strange feeling of reading cable debates for the umpteenth time while on the other hand I have the Shirogane 8 wire coming in soon....

 

[Exekuhtor]

Rinko:
Suprisingly i don't dislike the Rinko sound, even out of the box. I also do find the tips very interesting, they are for people that dislike foam as a material but have all the benefits of it, these are foam tips with another rubber layer on top that is seperated. Bass is extreme but... i like it? It's a new experience as a non-basshead. It's also not sharp or painful, some amount of shout is present, ok, i think i can deal with that for that price. Am i a Zeos fanboy now? Also i don't mind the weeb crap.

Galileo (yes i also ordered that, i like Gizaudio's channel):
Extremely pretty shells, balanced sound. Very smooth and enjoyable, i can see it getting it boring over time. Bass is a soft breeze, almost non existent after the Rinko experience. Is that what people call "too safe tuning"?

Perfomer 8:
Holy sh!t, yeah, the fit is 1A+++. Thanks to the guy that recommended it, super comfortable! Sound is very good, i really like it. I thought that it may be too mid focused and shouty and i wouldn't like it, thankfully that's not the case. It's an energetic and forward, yet very balanced in-your-face experience that is smooth without any annoying factors. It sounds weird to combine that terms, but that's what i hear. Very nice IEM, totally worth the price.

And again, you get what you pay for, the P8 is just a class (or two) above these 100€ collabs.

My impressions of the stuff i ordered, also, Whizzer-ET100 tips are outstandingly comfortable.

 

[ulverr]

Sublime pairing. Insane dynamics. Not exaggerating when I say I turn down the volume before switching from classical to EDM. Mid bass bloat gone. Now it has articulated imaging?! Also the most resolving I've heard XE6.

Thank you for sharing this! I was just going to ask if someone found a synergy with XE6 that unveils it´s bass and lower mids. With some records I can still hear the veiling, no matter what tips, cables or sources I´m using. I haven´t tried external amping of XE6 yet...

 

[mashuto]

Exactly this. I think the problem with this most recent back and forth with @PhonoPhi is the use of the word “belief”

The audible differences cables can make do not require “belief” to exist. Those differences are often very small and subtle, and require close listening to discern. But exist they very much do.

Whether these differences are worth paying $100s or $1000s for is up to the individual hobbyist’s budget.

This is very much where I fall on this. Cables can absolutely make a difference. But it very much seems to be about tweaking things slightly rather than completely changing the sound as is sometimes discussed. But as with all things being described in this hobby there is a lot of (necessary) hyperbole otherwise often tiny perceived differences would be very tough to describe.

And for me I have never personally found worth in spending huge sums for what amounts to small tweaks that I likely wouldn't particularly notice much in every day listening.

What I absolutely don't get though is why anyone tries to convince others they are wrong for how they spend their money or enjoy the hobby. I guess some see it as sort of a noble crusade to save others from wasting their money. But if someone gets value from spending $1000 or more on a cable, and can afford it, who are any of us to say they are wrong.

Also unrelated to cables. Anyone have any more impressions of singularity to share? I am very much going back and forth on whether to get one when they are available again. Seems like it would be up my alley but definitely want to read as much about it first.

 

[KuroKitsu]

One more time for the leak from audio science in the back: I like cables they look nice. Now go away and let me enjoy them.

 

[Ike1985]

Such sentiments are so common based on a simple consumer perspective.
Otherwise, science and engineering are the ways to make things actually happen.

A counter quesstion - what would be the "methods", if any, applied in hearing/believing in/ the cable difference?

In a spirit of your comment
What if one comes to any cable shows and
1. Not hearing any difference.
2. Then making simple measurements ether pinpointing the source of difference in cables or showing that it does not exist.
3. Checking if anyone can hear the difference without seeing the cables that are measured similarly.

For the latter, one would think that those who can decisively hear the difference would jump on an opportunity to demonstrate that they can really hear the difference and educate others, rather than just 'believe" and stating those beliefs that can also be conveniently changed any time.
It does not happen for some reason, right?! The same reason, perhaps, that cable manufacters does not provide any comparative measurements, and then measurements attempting to compare cable difference by amateurs is beyond any critique...

In contrast with cables, DAC differences are quite pronounced to me. I rationalize it as DSP (or analogue signal modification) inherent to any amps.

Externally powered E1DA SG3 is my limited reference for the power and ability to drive low-impedance IEMs.
Most neutral to me is Tempotec Sonata HD pro and thr Apple dongle.
My preferred DACs now are Moondrop Space and Tempotec BHD pro and E44.

see @Deezel177 's post above for measurements.

Which cables did you test and decide made no difference?

Looking at your signature you have according to yourself well over 100 IEMs. I often find that people who have the most beef with cables are often people who have hundreds of relatively less expensive ~$100(still expensive) IEMs/sources as is the case for you. There seems to be two groups; people who save up/splurge on one or two TOTL IEMs then there's people who sit on the periphery but seem to be angry with people who have nice things, yet if you totaled up all the money guy A and guy B spent on the hobby it could very well be similar it's just that one spent it on 100 IEMs and 100 sources as in your case and one spent it on one/two IEMs/sources and may trade up over time, there isn't a lot of reselling of cheap IEMs/sources by the time you drive to the post office, pay shipping, etc it almost isn't worth it. The animosity towards cables seems to be more of a hatred of nice things which is often ironic since the person with the cheaper gear in many cases spends the same or similar over time as some with expensive gear. Then you have the 3rd category of people for whom the hobby is no expense at all and who buy everything that catches their eye but thats not most people.

 

[DaveStarWalker]

Such sentiments are so common based on a simple consumer perspective.
Otherwise, science and engineering are the ways to make things actually happen.

A counter quesstion - what would be the "methods", if any, applied in hearing/believing in/ the cable difference?

In a spirit of your comment
What if one comes to any cable shows and
1. Not hearing any difference.
2. Then making simple measurements ether pinpointing the source of difference in cables or showing that it does not exist.
3. Checking if anyone can hear the difference without seeing the cables that are measured similarly.

For the latter, one would think that those who can decisively hear the difference would jump on an opportunity to demonstrate that they can really hear the difference and educate others, rather than just 'believe" and stating those beliefs that can also be conveniently changed any time.
It does not happen for some reason, right?! The same reason, perhaps, that cable manufacters does not provide any comparative measurements, and then measurements attempting to compare cable difference by amateurs is beyond any critique...

In contrast with cables, DAC differences are quite pronounced to me. I rationalize it as DSP (or analogue signal modification) inherent to any amps.

Externally powered E1DA SG3 is my limited reference for the power and ability to drive low-impedance IEMs.
Most neutral to me is Tempotec Sonata HD pro and thr Apple dongle.
My preferred DACs now are Moondrop Space and Tempotec BHD pro and E44.

Hi,

No these are not "sentiments" but actually what the real science is :

Not a revelation
Not a new religion
Not a dogma
Not a belief
Not a...

But a method. A lot of different (sometimes in competition) methods to be honest.

Read carefully Sir Karl Popper, Sir Thomas Kuhn and Paul Feyerabend for instance, then, we could talk about science(s).

Epistemology is the best school to understand these considerations.

And engineering could be science based... Or not.

The ancient Greeks, like the Romans, knew engineering, but not science.

The beginnings of science, in the modern sense of the word, were becoming in the 18th century, not before.

As a... method.

 

[dooxtypoox]

Thought I'd share some thoughts for my AuR Audio Aurora (2DD 6BA, ~USD570)

AuR Audio is a Singapore company that strives to deliver as much bang for your buck with their products. The shells are well built and I prefer this semi-custom fit over their larger Neon Pro. I've attached some pics of the Aurora's internals from their Facebook page. The pressure relief system works well in reducing ear fatigue from pressure buildup so plus points for that.

Spoiler: Internals

Listening done out of my Fiio K7 balanced output, I listen to many genres but my mainstay is usually J-Rock, Metal and Pop Punk. I've attached a graph from MMagTech database and AuR Audio's own measurement.

Spoiler: Graph

FR seems to follow that trendy sub-200Hz bass boost with flat lower-mids before a conservative ear gain followed by downward sloping treble with modest upper treble extension. Listening impressions seem to align accordingly;

• Dual DDs do a good job "pumping" air at the lowest registers to scratch that itch for DD bass.
• Sub-bass doesn't reach basshead levels but this works well in the grand scheme of things - The (1) lack of bass boominess/cloudiness and (2) balance with the upper-mids lends the Aurora a cohesive presentation with orchestral music.
• Past the bass, there is a sufficient level of warmth in the lower-mids and said balance (with upper-mids) above leaves vocals in "neutral" territory. It does not cross into "lean" side of things such as the Helios and Variations which sound can get a bit dry and sharp to me.
• I acknowledge that everyone's perception of neutral is different. For me, it sounds "safe" and I cannot identify any tonal quirks with male and female vocals during ballads.
• The conservative ear gain and downward sloping treble does leave some room for tolerance to turn the volume up a bit more than other IEMs with treble peaks, at times giving the impression of better sound and detail. When forcing myself to listen at regular volumes (~60-70dB), overall technical performance (detail, separation/layering) remains solid. About 80% of my subjective perception of "top-tier" such as the likes of 64A U12t, Sony M9 & Z1R.
• The treble does indeed take the backseat. Despite being fairly well articulated, cymbal crashes sound distant in the background especially if you're used to Elysian treble extension or 64A's Tia driver. Somewhat similar in presentation to the Nightjar Singularity which I had the opportunity to audition recently.
• The presentation is smooth especially with the stock tips. After extensive tip rolling with the likes of Azla, Pentaconn and Spinfit, I've settled with the Final Type E to be my ideal pairing. Bass response is more impactful and I perceive a bump in the upper-mids to lower-treble which brings out more stick impact with the laidback cymbals as described above.
• Wide bore Azla and Pentaconn tips dry up the presentation a bit. While that may sound synergistic for the Aurora's smooth sound, they introduce an artificial glossy element to the timbre. Final Type E tips increase clarity, enhancing separation and layering while retaining all the qualities I like about the Aurora.

I placed my order after a single audition as the price was a no-brainer for me after having heard it for myself. Chose this over the Neon Pro because of pressure-relief and better fit.
Is this a Giant Killer? Nope.
But is this something I'd be happy to leave the hobby with? In the context of diminishing returns, yup.
Would I actually leave with this? Nah, my greed for different flavours of IEMs will keep pulling me to this thread and Canjams for years to come.

Spoiler: Other snaps

 

[Ryokan]

Religion, politics & cables, just don't go there

 

[Rockwell75]

You are both worrying me. While theories of course exist in science, much of science is also proven fact. And theories get proven and disproven over time as our capabilities increase.

That's true in principle-- but science like any other human endeavour is subject to human limitations, weaknesses and dogmas and it's naive to think that entire entrenched establishments will easily and willingly overturn cherished foundational beliefs simply because new evidence emerges. A classic case of this is the extent to which much of the scientifc enterprise is currently wedded to rank materialism. This is explained rather well in this video:

 

[Sajid Amit]

1. Go to CanJam
2. Listen to a high-end cable, like the PWA Orpheus or Brise Yatono 8w
3. Cable debate settled (in favor of high-end cables)

I'm fascinated by how often this keeps coming up. And it seems to be on one side, people making a theoretical scientific argument vs. on the other side, people who've actually listened to good cables.

I'm not a materials scientist. I have no idea what the physics is. I just know the sonic improvement provided by a good cable is ridiculously obvious. It's not subtle. It's not some sort of psychological trick. It's something you're going to hear unless you're deaf. 100% of people who've heard my PWA Orpheus have been able to hear the difference.

This is a very very easy debate to settle. Just go listen to one of the cables that are recommended here. I don't mean to offend, but there's honestly zero point in having a debate about this until you go and do that.

Just below, I’ve quoted a fantastic post by @DrummerLeo, where he took measurements of 3 different headphone cables. He includes an FR graph, a distortion plot and a CSD/waterfall plot. ‘Hope that suffices. Have a nice day.



‘Reminds me of when I mixed up the DITA Fealty and Fidelity back at CJ SG 2018. I compared my notes to Nic when he tried them a couple years later and was like, “Why are they exactly the same, but for the opposite IEMs?” ‘Turns out, I had them switched at the show.


As a couple others have mentioned, that’s just an inherent trait of analog volume pots. One channel’s gonna come in slightly quicker than the other. The key is to get an amp/IEM pairing, such that the channels are already unified by the time it gets loud enough for the IEM. It’s one of the reasons why powerful desktop amps are rarely paired with undemanding IEMs.

Never fails to surprise me how this is one thread where objectivists are routinely routed and subjectivists (I hate these labels as well, but you all know what I mean) can just enjoy music, gear and generally, get along really really well.

Apologies if this sounds “tribal” but apparently tribes are important for human well-being according to Gabor Mate.

From earlier studies, I have a repository of research built up on attributes that affect signal transmission (not all of which are equally applicable to IEM cables) namely resistance, capacitance, inductance, crosstalk, delay skew, and impedance mismatch, but I promised myself I won’t enter a cable date, not at this point of the audio journey.

Cable ethusiasts lives matter .

On another note: I've been listening to the XE6 for the past 3 days. I did a closer A/B comparison today and wanted to share my thoughts.



Annihilator is like that guy you know dressed immaculately (maybe a too well ) to a friends house party. He's dependable but also the type of guy that makes sure the "party" is functional.

XE6 then joins the party. He too likes to make his presence known but in a different way:



He left his house a little later but arrived with an 8 pack of beer. He's athletic, fun, easy going and has a bit of a "mid-bass" beer belly .

These are two very different iems. XE6 is bombastic sounding with its stadium-like staging (big height, width, depth) while Annihilator is more analytical with a CD like cleaner sound. Anni's staging is more wide than deep but still has ample depth.

Tuning differences: Anni is a U shaped warm-neutral-bright while XE6 is a warm W shape. What they both have in common for me is that I find both iems to be source picky (XE6 more than Annihilator) to get my desired playback.

Annihilator Source Pairings: ​

I posted about finding my ideal match with Anni recently. To delve in: Two things aspects I wanted to tweak with Anni was its bass and treble.
Bass: I liked that Anni has a thicker mid bass compared to Elysian X but it still had less punch vs Impact. Off R6P2 solo, I got decent dynamics but wanted a bit more.
Treble: Anni has one of if not the most extended treble currently. I like this energy and incisiveness for electronic. It also sounds awesome for electric guitars. For acoustics that tinge of treble, unchecked could be distracting and "tinny" sounding with cymbals. It also noticed that it changed the orientation for ensembles with brass instruments.



Ideal match: N7/Tsuranagi. N7 added a warmer glow to the low end as well as refining some of the harder treble edges. Tsuranagi deepened the staging. That guy at the party? As tidy but more fun.

XE6 ideal source pairings:



Disclaimer for Mr or Ms @PhonoPhi I am not scientist, nor do I have empirical PHD Harvard academic research papers about my results.
​

My previous best pairing was with N8ii + Ode to Laura back when I was discovering cables. From my experience it did make a notable difference thinning the lower mid range and mid bass. I got the upgraditis bug. To explore other daps, I sold N8ii but XE6 wasn't the same so I sold it. I purchased it a second time while I had SP3K. It was ok but had that "mid bass belly".

Enter Mass Kobo 475:



Sublime pairing. Insane dynamics. Not exaggerating when I say I turn down the volume before switching from classical to EDM. Mid bass bloat gone. Now it has articulated imaging?! Also the most resolving I've heard XE6.

A/B with 475 / R6P2 / Neochamp batteries:​

• Anni 21 has good dynamics but not XE6 level
• Anni 21 has sharper microdetails while XE6 is smoother but still detailed
• XE6 has warmer more forward mids (lower mid dominant) while Anni is tucked behind bass / treble while having an upper mid emphasis
• Treble extension is comparable. Anni wins on extension and speed while XE6 is still extended but has more weight behind cymbal strikes.

Both sets sound awesome but when I heard XE6 off this amp I knew I had to sell Anni and buy XE6 again. XE6 incoming

Your impressions absolutely mirror mine.

The XE6 is a keeper when paired with the right chain. I liked the Anni 21 but ended up selling it for the same reasons you did.

 

[gLer]

Long post incoming…

So yesterday morning I finally got to meet @MatW, who's in South Africa for a family holiday (I also got to briefly meet his lovely family). We weren't really going to do the whole 'audio meet' thing initially, but since Mat was staying close by, and I had a free morning, we made last minute plans to bring along some IEMs we each wanted to hear.

I brought Trifecta and MSE, along with Z1R and Zeta, while Mat was kind enough to bring his Jewel, KK and Thummim just so I could hear them. We left it a bit late for listening with all the personal chatter and getting to know each other better, but still got a good hour in, and quite an enlightening hour it was.

I took down a bunch of listening notes, as much as I could cram into 15 or so minutes with each IEM (and that included a few tip rolls for fine tuning), so just going to summarise my thoughts on each IEM below:

Kublai Khan. This was my first ever experience of a Noble IEM, and as expected, that nozzle length is scary! I managed to get a decent fit with my smallest tips though, but preferred the shallower fit with slightly larger tips (Spiral Dot).

Overall, the most impressive thing about this IEM was build quality; really nicely made and we'll finished. I immediately found the bass lacking quantity for my liking, although it was decent enough quality. I had to tip roll three times to get more bass, eventually getting it with Spirals. The main issue for me was treble - it's far too forward and lively for my liking, making KK sound bright and thinnish. Vocals are clear and crisp, but the whole presentation lacks weight, and there's some sibiliance there too. Detail is good, stage is ok, but generally speaking, not my cup of tea at all, especially with DD bass that sounds like it's coming from a BA.

Jewel. So glad I finally got to hear this! Instant jump up in quality from KK. In person it actually looks and feels much nicer than any of the photos I've seen. Smaller than I expected too, but very well made. The first thing that strikes me about the sound is the detail - Jewel's reputation as a technical detail monster is absolutely justified. Unfortunately, it also makes it quite a cold analytical listen. I still prefer Jewel's bass, mids, treble and technical performance to KK, and while it lacks bass quantity for my liking, quality is very good. Just comes off a bit thin in the mids, and not something I'd use for long sessions unless I was into purely technical listening with classical music, jazz and the like. That said, it's a really smooooth listen; I put some harsher tracks through it and it smoothed over the harshness very well, despite the incredible detail. Not the most exciting listen, but if technicalities impress you, this is one of the modern poster children for reference-tuned technical ability for sure.

Thummim. I wasn't going to listen to this, but since we had a bit of extra time, I'm glad Mat insisted that I do. Easily my pick of the trio. I immediately took to Thummim's warmer sound, with its generous bass and super smooth and seductive tonality. Plenty of detail despite the bass being a bit one-dimensional (I later found out it uses a Foster DD, which could explain that). Still I didn't find the bass overdone at all - on the contrary it added much needed weight to the sound the other two were lacking, and the thicker lower mids gave instruments more palpable presence too. Despite the off she'll, it fit me really well, better than the other two in fact, and I can easily imagine using it for hours on end with its relaxed yet detailed tonality and one of the larger, more interesting stages I've heard in a while. Super enjoyable IEM this!

I'll let Mat chime in about his thoughts on my IEMs if he feels like it, but I don't think I'm spoiling anything by saying Trifecta was his favourite, and an IEM I believe he's now considering adding to his impressive collection.

Best of all, though, was getting to know Mat a bit better, and swapping some life stories over coffee. What a privilege to meet good people and potentially lifelong friends though our shared interests. Pity his touring schedule means we won't get to meet up again on this trip, but I look forward to meeting up again in future, maybe next time I'm his beautiful home town near Amsterdam.

 

[Zerstorer_GOhren]

Thought I'd share some thoughts for my AuR Audio Aurora (2DD 6BA, ~USD570)


AuR Audio is a Singapore company that strives to deliver as much bang for your buck with their products. The shells are well built and I prefer this semi-custom fit over their larger Neon Pro. I've attached some pics of the Aurora's internals from their Facebook page. The pressure relief system works well in reducing ear fatigue from pressure buildup so plus points for that.

Spoiler: Internals

Listening done out of my Fiio K7 balanced output, I listen to many genres but my mainstay is usually J-Rock, Metal and Pop Punk. I've attached a graph from MMagTech database and AuR Audio's own measurement.

Spoiler: Graph

FR seems to follow that trendy sub-200Hz bass boost with flat lower-mids before a conservative ear gain followed by downward sloping treble with modest upper treble extension. Listening impressions seem to align accordingly;

• Dual DDs do a good job "pumping" air at the lowest registers to scratch that itch for DD bass.
• Sub-bass doesn't reach basshead levels but this works well in the grand scheme of things - The (1) lack of bass boominess/cloudiness and (2) balance with the upper-mids lends the Aurora a cohesive presentation with orchestral music.
• Past the bass, there is a sufficient level of warmth in the lower-mids and said balance (with upper-mids) above leaves vocals in "neutral" territory. It does not cross into "lean" side of things such as the Helios and Variations which sound can get a bit dry and sharp to me.
• I acknowledge that everyone's perception of neutral is different. For me, it sounds "safe" and I cannot identify any tonal quirks with male and female vocals during ballads.
• The conservative ear gain and downward sloping treble does leave some room for tolerance to turn the volume up a bit more than other IEMs with treble peaks, at times giving the impression of better sound and detail. When forcing myself to listen at regular volumes (~60-70dB), overall technical performance (detail, separation/layering) remains solid. About 80% of my subjective perception of "top-tier" such as the likes of 64A U12t, Sony M9 & Z1R.
• The treble does indeed take the backseat. Despite being fairly well articulated, cymbal crashes sound distant in the background especially if you're used to Elysian treble extension or 64A's Tia driver. Somewhat similar in presentation to the Nightjar Singularity which I had the opportunity to audition recently.
• The presentation is smooth especially with the stock tips. After extensive tip rolling with the likes of Azla, Pentaconn and Spinfit, I've settled with the Final Type E to be my ideal pairing. Bass response is more impactful and I perceive a bump in the upper-mids to lower-treble which brings out more stick impact with the laidback cymbals as described above.
• Wide bore Azla and Pentaconn tips dry up the presentation a bit. While that may sound synergistic for the Aurora's smooth sound, they introduce an artificial glossy element to the timbre. Final Type E tips increase clarity, enhancing separation and layering while retaining all the qualities I like about the Aurora.

I placed my order after a single audition as the price was a no-brainer for me after having heard it for myself. Chose this over the Neon Pro because of pressure-relief and better fit.
Is this a Giant Killer? Nope.
But is this something I'd be happy to leave the hobby with? In the context of diminishing returns, yup.
Would I actually leave with this? Nah, my greed for different flavours of IEMs will keep pulling me to this thread and Canjams for years to come.

Spoiler: Other snaps

Finally, for a long time, your first review this year. I hope that you will back in portable audio reviewing.

 

[Rockwell75]

Long post incoming…

So yesterday morning I finally got to meet @MatW, who's in South Africa for a family holiday (I also got to briefly meet his lovely family). We weren't really going to do the whole 'audio meet' thing initially, but since Mat was staying close by, and I had a free morning, we made last minute plans to bring along some IEMs we each wanted to hear.

I brought Trifecta and MSE, along with Z1R and Zeta, while Mat was kind enough to bring his Jewel, KK and Thummim just so I could hear them. We left it a bit late for listening with all the personal chatter and getting to know each other better, but still got a good hour in, and quite an enlightening hour it was.

I took down a bunch of listening notes, as much as I could cram into 15 or so minutes with each IEM (and that included a few tip rolls for fine tuning), so just going to summarise my thoughts on each IEM below:

​

Kublai Khan. This was my first ever experience of a Noble IEM, and as expected, that nozzle length is scary! I managed to get a decent fit with my smallest tips though, but preferred the shallower fit with slightly larger tips (Spiral Dot).

Overall, the most impressive thing about this IEM was build quality; really nicely made and we'll finished. I immediately found the bass lacking quantity for my liking, although it was decent enough quality. I had to tip roll three times to get more bass, eventually getting it with Spirals. The main issue for me was treble - it's far too forward and lively for my liking, making KK sound bright and thinnish. Vocals are clear and crisp, but the whole presentation lacks weight, and there's some sibiliance there too. Detail is good, stage is ok, but generally speaking, not my cup of tea at all, especially with DD bass that sounds like it's coming from a BA.

​

Jewel. So glad I finally got to hear this! Instant jump up in quality from KK. In person it actually looks and feels much nicer than any of the photos I've seen. Smaller than I expected too, but very well made. The first thing that strikes me about the sound is the detail - Jewel's reputation as a technical detail monster is absolutely justified. Unfortunately, it also makes it quite a cold analytical listen. I still prefer Jewel's bass, mids, treble and technical performance to KK, and while it lacks bass quantity for my liking, quality is very good. Just comes off a bit thin in the mids, and not something I'd use for long sessions unless I was into purely technical listening with classical music, jazz and the like. That said, it's a really smooooth listen; I put some harsher tracks through it and it smoothed over the harshness very well, despite the incredible detail. Not the most exciting listen, but if technicalities impress you, this is one of the modern poster children for reference-tuned technical ability for sure.

​

Thummim. I wasn't going to listen to this, but since we had a bit of extra time, I'm glad Mat insisted that I do. Easily my pick of the trio. I immediately took to Thummim's warmer sound, with its generous bass and super smooth and seductive tonality. Plenty of detail despite the bass being a bit one-dimensional (I later found out it uses a Foster DD, which could explain that). Still I didn't find the bass overdone at all - on the contrary it added much needed weight to the sound the other two were lacking, and the thicker lower mids gave instruments more palpable presence too. Despite the off she'll, it fit me really well, better than the other two in fact, and I can easily imagine using it for hours on end with its relaxed yet detailed tonality and one of the larger, more interesting stages I've heard in a while. Super enjoyable IEM this!

I'll let Mat chime in about his thoughts on my IEMs if he feels like it, but I don't think I'm spoiling anything by saying Trifecta was his favourite, and an IEM I believe he's now considering adding to his impressive collection.

Best of all, though, was getting to know Mat a bit better, and swapping some life stories over coffee. What a privilege to meet good people and potentially lifelong friends though our shared interests. Pity his touring schedule means we won't get to meet up again on this trip, but I look forward to meeting up again in future, maybe next time I'm his beautiful home town near Amsterdam.

Beautiful post man, not just for the impressions, but mainly for the loving community vibe that pervaded it...love this place. We're family...lol.

 

[Frankie D]

Long post incoming…

So yesterday morning I finally got to meet @MatW, who's in South Africa for a family holiday (I also got to briefly meet his lovely family). We weren't really going to do the whole 'audio meet' thing initially, but since Mat was staying close by, and I had a free morning, we made last minute plans to bring along some IEMs we each wanted to hear.

I brought Trifecta and MSE, along with Z1R and Zeta, while Mat was kind enough to bring his Jewel, KK and Thummim just so I could hear them. We left it a bit late for listening with all the personal chatter and getting to know each other better, but still got a good hour in, and quite an enlightening hour it was.

I took down a bunch of listening notes, as much as I could cram into 15 or so minutes with each IEM (and that included a few tip rolls for fine tuning), so just going to summarise my thoughts on each IEM below:

​

Kublai Khan. This was my first ever experience of a Noble IEM, and as expected, that nozzle length is scary! I managed to get a decent fit with my smallest tips though, but preferred the shallower fit with slightly larger tips (Spiral Dot).

Overall, the most impressive thing about this IEM was build quality; really nicely made and we'll finished. I immediately found the bass lacking quantity for my liking, although it was decent enough quality. I had to tip roll three times to get more bass, eventually getting it with Spirals. The main issue for me was treble - it's far too forward and lively for my liking, making KK sound bright and thinnish. Vocals are clear and crisp, but the whole presentation lacks weight, and there's some sibiliance there too. Detail is good, stage is ok, but generally speaking, not my cup of tea at all, especially with DD bass that sounds like it's coming from a BA.

​

Jewel. So glad I finally got to hear this! Instant jump up in quality from KK. In person it actually looks and feels much nicer than any of the photos I've seen. Smaller than I expected too, but very well made. The first thing that strikes me about the sound is the detail - Jewel's reputation as a technical detail monster is absolutely justified. Unfortunately, it also makes it quite a cold analytical listen. I still prefer Jewel's bass, mids, treble and technical performance to KK, and while it lacks bass quantity for my liking, quality is very good. Just comes off a bit thin in the mids, and not something I'd use for long sessions unless I was into purely technical listening with classical music, jazz and the like. That said, it's a really smooooth listen; I put some harsher tracks through it and it smoothed over the harshness very well, despite the incredible detail. Not the most exciting listen, but if technicalities impress you, this is one of the modern poster children for reference-tuned technical ability for sure.

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Thummim. I wasn't going to listen to this, but since we had a bit of extra time, I'm glad Mat insisted that I do. Easily my pick of the trio. I immediately took to Thummim's warmer sound, with its generous bass and super smooth and seductive tonality. Plenty of detail despite the bass being a bit one-dimensional (I later found out it uses a Foster DD, which could explain that). Still I didn't find the bass overdone at all - on the contrary it added much needed weight to the sound the other two were lacking, and the thicker lower mids gave instruments more palpable presence too. Despite the off she'll, it fit me really well, better than the other two in fact, and I can easily imagine using it for hours on end with its relaxed yet detailed tonality and one of the larger, more interesting stages I've heard in a while. Super enjoyable IEM this!

I'll let Mat chime in about his thoughts on my IEMs if he feels like it, but I don't think I'm spoiling anything by saying Trifecta was his favourite, and an IEM I believe he's now considering adding to his impressive collection.

Best of all, though, was getting to know Mat a bit better, and swapping some life stories over coffee. What a privilege to meet good people and potentially lifelong friends though our shared interests. Pity his touring schedule means we won't get to meet up again on this trip, but I look forward to meeting up again in future, maybe next time I'm his beautiful home town near Amsterdam.

Headfiers meeting. What could be better!