The Watercooler -- Impressions, philosophical discussion and general banter. Index on first page. All welcome.

[mashuto]

Alright. Let's go...

 

[RonaldS86]

No Bluetooth??

Don't know about that. I only see the output

 

[ma151]

Alright. Let's go...

Nice !! Congrats !

 

[Tristy]

Alright. Let's go...

So?....

 

[phiemon]

Alright. Let's go...

Impressions are of course mandatory

 

[mashuto]

So?....

Impressions are of course mandatory

Hah yea, wanted to give myself more than the 5 or so minutes I had been listening when I posted the picture to get an actual impression first before posting some impressions.

Ill start with fit. Really good so far. Seems to be as close to custom as possible. The real test though will be when I take them to work with me next week and see how they over a full work day, with longer individual sessions and likely a lot of taking them off and putting them back on again. Theres always one spot on my left ear that develops discomfort before anywhere else... and that may still be the case here. Too early to tell.

Also looks like these follow a lot of other campfires and are very low sensitivity (high sensitivity? I can never remember, its been a while). One of the few pairs I hear some hiss with the mojo2. Its not bad, but its there. And volume is definitely down lower than with others.

I also like the purple color. I was a little concerned as some of the pictures make it seem more like a hot pink. Its not that.

So, for some actual sound impressions... First thing though I have been kind of out of the game for a bit so I feel kind of rusty, and am having some trouble trying to put what I hear to words. But I will try to respond a bit to at least some of the things I mentioned from that review yesterday.

Starting with bass, I definitely dont get any deep rumble into my chest or anything, nor would I really describe the bass as anything I havent experience before. Its good. I am finding it quite satisfying. Is it the best I have ever heard in an IEM? Probably not. Is it earth shatteringly deep? No. I also am not finding it bloated or bleeding into the mids, but there does seem to be at least a hefty amount of midbass, so others may disagree there.

The other thing that was brought up was that there may be some sharpness in the treble. Im not really getting that at all. Treble is there and I think its decently extended, but it feels slightly softer edged than I think was expecting based on that review. I feel like Im getting more of a "ch" sound from cymbals rather than super sharp "ts". But that is a positive thing for me as sharp treble is something I am not usually a huge fan of.

Mids I have never been able to really describe all that well. But they dont sit too far back for me. And they feel full enough to satisfy me.

Truthfully, overall, it feels like a pretty safe tuning. A little bit of a warm tilt, maybe slightly v shaped. But nothing crazy. Maybe even a little boring... but boring in a good way where I am kinda just listening to the music, and not the IEMs.

I also reserve the right to change my mind or go back on anything I may have said here as I listen to them more.

 

[phiemon]

Hah yea, wanted to give myself more than the 5 or so minutes I had been listening when I posted the picture to get an actual impression first before posting some impressions.

Ill start with fit. Really good so far. Seems to be as close to custom as possible. The real test though will be when I take them to work with me next week and see how they over a full work day, with longer individual sessions and likely a lot of taking them off and putting them back on again. Theres always one spot on my left ear that develops discomfort before anywhere else... and that may still be the case here. Too early to tell.

Also looks like these follow a lot of other campfires and are very low sensitivity (high sensitivity? I can never remember, its been a while). One of the few pairs I hear some hiss with the mojo2. Its not bad, but its there. And volume is definitely down lower than with others.

I also like the purple color. I was a little concerned as some of the pictures make it seem more like a hot pink. Its not that.

So, for some actual sound impressions... First thing though I have been kind of out of the game for a bit so I feel kind of rusty, and am having some trouble trying to put what I hear to words. But I will try to respond a bit to at least some of the things I mentioned from that review yesterday.

Starting with bass, I definitely dont get any deep rumble into my chest or anything, nor would I really describe the bass as anything I havent experience before. Its good. I am finding it quite satisfying. Is it the best I have ever heard in an IEM? Probably not. Is it earth shatteringly deep? No. I also am not finding it bloated or bleeding into the mids, but there does seem to be at least a hefty amount of midbass, so others may disagree there.

The other thing that was brought up was that there may be some sharpness in the treble. Im not really getting that at all. Treble is there and I think its decently extended, but it feels slightly softer edged than I think was expecting based on that review. I feel like Im getting more of a "ch" sound from cymbals rather than super sharp "ts". But that is a positive thing for me as sharp treble is something I am not usually a huge fan of.

Mids I have never been able to really describe all that well. But they dont sit too far back for me. And they feel full enough to satisfy me.

Truthfully, overall, it feels like a pretty safe tuning. A little bit of a warm tilt, maybe slightly v shaped. But nothing crazy. Maybe even a little boring... but boring in a good way where I am kinda just listening to the music, and not the IEMs.

I also reserve the right to change my mind or go back on anything I may have said here as I listen to them more.

Great, thank you very much for the description. The enthusiasm seems to be... restrained. I'm curious if and how your impressions will change.

 

[Rockwell75]

Top 3 <= $1500 FINAL


Top:

Nightjar Singularity x19
CFA Supermoon x14
Elysian Diva x13
Sennheiser IE900 x12
UM MEST MKi/ii/iii x12
Thieaudio Monarch MKii/iii x12
CFA Bonneville x6
Thieaudio V16 Divinity x6
CFA Solaris x6
Symphonium Crimson x6
Sennheiser IE600 x6

Sound Rhyme DTE900 x4
Custom Art Fibae 5 x4
7th Acoustics Supernova x4
CFA Andromeda x4
64 Audio u/a4s x4
AüR Neon Pro x4
Dunu SA6/MKii x3
Aur Audio Aurora x3
FatFreq Scarlet Mini x3
Final E5000 x3
Sony IER Z1R x3
Technics TZ700 x3
Oriolus Isabellae x3
Night Oblivion Butasur x3
Oriolus Szalayi x2
Plunge Audio Unity x2
Bellos Audio X4 x2
EE Bravado MKii x2
Meze Advar x2
Airpod Pro 2 x2



EE Hero
Symphonium Helios
Truthear Nova
Sound Rhyme SR8
Westone Mach 70
Kinera Imperial Verdandi
Astell & Kern AKT9iE
Custom Art Fibae 7 Unlimited
Symphonium Helios SE
Dunu Falcon Ultra
MA Eclipse
Noble FoKus Prestige
AK Zero 1
Softears Turii
Noble Audio Stage 3
CFA Andromeda Gold
Penon Volt
Itsfitlab Fusion
Sony IER M9
Shokz Openrun Pro
Dunu Zen Pro
Madoo 821
634ears Miroak-II
Softears Twilight
Penon Serial
AüR Audio Alita
Fitear TG334
634ears LOAK-T
Unique Melody MEXT
Noble Mystique
Hyla TE5
Beyerdynamic Xelento 2
Westone Mach 60
Penon 10th
Audeze Euclid
QDC Anole Tiger
Penon Legend
Kinera Urd
64 Audio u6t
Inear Profile 8s
Etymotic ER4XR
Ikko OH5
Cayin YB04
Symphonium Meteor

Nice to see some representation for the much lauded Monarch. I've never been a particular fan but I know it's a popular IEM and it's nice to see where it sits around here. For the first time in any of our polls I own the top 2 and have at some point owned 5 of the top 10. Interestingly, not a single nomination for any Moondrop IEM, though maybe that's a sign all is well and balanced in the universe.

Picked the perfect time to jump down the Empyrean rabbit hole it seems


I'm solidly head over heels for it at this point but a couple thoughts jump out at me. First, it's got simply the best bass texture, impact, and decay I've ever heard, including Empyrean so far but don't hold me to that just yet as it's early days. Nothing feels quite like it; it's just a complete riot. I love how thick the low end is. Second, the most shocking thing to me now is how well behaved the midrange is despite the rioting in the bass. It's a really mature sounding midrange when you get down to it, but with gobs of texture. I feel like the midrange tuning is actually the secret sauce of the IEM and what makes it work for a much more diverse set of genres than one might be inclined to believe by looking at the bass levels. My favorite genre with them is hip-hop, but over time I've really enjoyed the way they present tons of other genres including Jazz, which I didn't expect. I used to play guitar and bass in a couple of jazz bands so getting to *feel* the double bass in many recordings was an unexpected delight. Third, by now I'd say that I enjoy the treble tuning too, although I remain more passionate about the bass and mids on the Trifecta. It's intense but once your brain gets used to it, it's an intense sound signature anyway so it fits.

Finally, they're a perfect, more wild, complement to the Traillii, which is precisely what I was looking for. So I'm extremely happy with my purchase and have been even happier to grow to appreciate their versatility over time. In this regard I think they're underrated, but it's a niche presentation style within a niche community so it's inevitable.

Awesome to hear! I picked up Trifecta this week for the first time since SoCal-- it's been all Bonneville with dashes of Anni for me since that time. This was the longest time I'd been away from it since I bought in December so i was curious to see how it would sound to me. Suffice to say it's still my favorite IEM by some margin.

I prioritize treble tonality, if it hurts it’s unlistenable, if it’s unbalanced everything sounds wrong. When treble sounds right and instruments and vocals decay well, boy does it feel good.

My answer would also be treble. Highs that are too sharp or rolled-off can ruin a whole signature. Get the treble right, and you’re halfway there for me.

I'm coming around to your line of thinking here. I've always disregarded treble as an afterthought, the quicker it gets out the way of the 'good stuff', the better. But I'm realising that most of my issues with IEMs invariably point to the treble - too hot, too sharp, too grainy, too prominent. I never thought that inoffensive and smooth treble could actually be the result of great treble, but the more I listen, the more this becomes apparent.

Sound density - not overly thin.

Had to think about this. It is engagement but that is vague. What is it that engages me in reproduced sound? I think what draws me in currently (at this stage of my audiophile journey) is the snap of reproduced sound, i.e. good speed and transient response. To me it is what makes me "feel" the music as if it were tactile. Without this aspect, I may lose interest pretty quickly.

For me it’s timbre/tonality. If the sound doesn’t sound life like I cannot gel with the rest.

Great thoughts everyone. @yaps66 I see where you're coming from. Engagement is my single number one priority overall-- if I'm engaged with an IEM then none of the other specifics matter. I agree that treble can be the hardest area of the FR to get right, but it's also the area of the FR I'm the least fixated on and the one I find easiest to fix if something is a little off. Timbre and tonality is another thing I'm very picky about-- hence my fixation on DDs etc. Agreed about sound density also.

For me the single factor that winds up being a deal breaker would be bass. If there is not a solid foundation of at least decent bass then engagement for me goes out the window and unlike treble it's virtually impossible for me to remedy weak bass with EQ/tips/cable swaps etc. YMMV.

I'm also quite partial to dynamics/impact. I do not like "relaxed" or laid back sound signatures-- I want some impact. A listening experience that is too passive is not something I'm interested in.

Regarding the unit variance on Annihilator that you all are in discussions of, here are some clarification on it:
1) All Annihilator will have +/-1.5db between units and +/-1db or less between left and right channel. Anything between this is considered normal and it is already the highest of standard in this industry, that being said, industry standard for unit variance and channel matching is +/-3db which is unacceptable by today's standard.
2) We (Elysian Acoustic Labs) will never use or even consider to use mismatched components be it capacitors/resistors/drivers. The letters printed on the black capacitors on Annihilator does not represent value, it represents manufacturing date and batch, please keep this in mind.
3) We (Elysian Acoustic Labs) matches the drivers in our IEM to +/-0.5db from 20hz to 10khz to be used on Annihilator and Diva, and will not compromise on this quality. Currently our discarded drivers some model stands at 70%, which means from 1 tray of drivers only 30% passes our QC.

Lastly, any buyer who bought Annihilator and has a serious channel mismatch are welcomed to send back for inspection and we will replace if necessary. We will honor our warranty on all our products.

Hope this message find everyone here good, peace to everyone and happy head-fing!

Best Regards
QM Lee (Founder)
Elysian Acoustic Labs PTE LTD

Thanks for chiming in. Great to see some direct representation from one of our favorite brands around here.

CFA Trifecta HK edition "Golden Sunset", with the Fusion 1 cable

That cable is a stunning match for Trifecta. I love the look of that Golden Sunset edition too

You mean the IEM with a fast food cafeteria table as its faceplate?

​

I just scrolled back through the last 30-50 pages and this comment had the most likes of any comment in that whole span.

Hah yea, wanted to give myself more than the 5 or so minutes I had been listening when I posted the picture to get an actual impression first before posting some impressions.

Ill start with fit. Really good so far. Seems to be as close to custom as possible. The real test though will be when I take them to work with me next week and see how they over a full work day, with longer individual sessions and likely a lot of taking them off and putting them back on again. Theres always one spot on my left ear that develops discomfort before anywhere else... and that may still be the case here. Too early to tell.

Also looks like these follow a lot of other campfires and are very low sensitivity. One of the few pairs I hear some hiss with the mojo2. Its not bad, but its there. And volume is definitely down lower than with others.

I also like the purple color. I was a little concerned as some of the pictures make it seem more like a hot pink. Its not that.

So, for some actual sound impressions... First thing though I have been kind of out of the game for a bit so I feel kind of rusty, and am having some trouble trying to put what I hear to words. But I will try to respond a bit to at least some of the things I mentioned from that review yesterday.

Starting with bass, I definitely dont get any deep rumble into my chest or anything, nor would I really describe the bass as anything I havent experience before. Its good. I am finding it quite satisfying. Is it the best I have ever heard in an IEM? Probably not. Is it earth shatteringly deep? No. I also am not finding it bloated or bleeding into the mids, but there does seem to be at least a hefty amount of midbass, so others may disagree there.

The other thing that was brought up was that there may be some sharpness in the treble. Im not really getting that at all. Treble is there and I think its decently extended, but it feels slightly softer edged than I think was expecting based on that review. I feel like Im getting more of a "ch" sound from cymbals rather than super sharp "ts". But that is a positive thing for me as sharp treble is something I am not usually a huge fan of.

Mids I have never been able to really describe all that well. But they dont sit too far back for me. And they feel full enough to satisfy me.

Truthfully, overall, it feels like a pretty safe tuning. A little bit of a warm tilt, maybe slightly v shaped. But nothing crazy. Maybe even a little boring... but boring in a good way where I am kinda just listening to the music, and not the IEMs.

I also reserve the right to change my mind or go back on anything I may have said here as I listen to them more.

Great impressions thanks for sharing. I see what you mean by "safe"-- this is something I was touching on when I referred to it as one their IEMs with potential for a more universal appeal. Looking forward to more thoughts.

 

[Rockwell75]

The enthusiasm seems to be... restrained.

That is @mashuto's way. If he ever really started gushing about something I'd immediately drop what I was doing and take a look.

 

[phiemon]

That is @mashuto's way. If he ever really started gushing about something I'd immediately drop what I was doing and take a look.

I think I'll ask my dealer if I can get a demo. I would still like to buy an IEM for max. 1500€. The last pool really comes in handy!

 

[Rockwell75]

The last pool really comes in handy!

It will be a mainstay. I've added these results to our list of poll results on the first page. The next time I do that seasonal top 3 I'll ask for three above $2k, and three below.

 

[mashuto]

Great, thank you very much for the description. The enthusiasm seems to be... restrained. I'm curious if and how your impressions will change.

Maybe a little restrained. But don't take that in any way to mean I think they are bad or anything. I think they compete favorably in the price bracket compared to some of the others I have heard. I just wanted to make sure I kept my expectations in check and in line with reality. Which can be hard to do as I think by necessity a lot of hyperbole is thrown around when discussing IEMs, so I try to avoid that as much as I can. So far I think the best way I would sum them up is that they are tuned in a way that as @Rockwell75 said in the quote below, is maybe going for a bit more of a universal appeal. They arent bombastically bassy, the treble isnt ultra crispy or sharp edged. Mids arent super forward or ultra lush or anything. Everything is just kind of there, with a little bit of emphasis added in a few spots to give it some flavor, but again, nothing crazy.

Out of the campfire IEMs I have heard I think these probably hit a sweet spot as far as the tuning goes. I would add a quick comparison to the solaris 2020 (which I havent had in years, so this is by memory). I thought it did a decent amount well, but for me it was really lacking the bass I was expecting to get from having a campfire DD in the mix. The bonneville seems to rectify that.

I am also not really well equipped to describe more of the intangible stuff. Which I know is a lot of what can separate some of the higher end gear.

Great impressions thanks for sharing. I see what you mean by "safe"-- this is something I was touching on when I referred to it as one their IEMs with potential for a more universal appeal. Looking forward to more thoughts.

Yes, I know safe and boring are not really the best words to use for anyone who might be interested in these. But yes, universal appeal might be a better way to describe it. Whereas I know some of the other campfire releases really try for doing things differently and often do not click with a lot of people.

 

[phiemon]

It will be a mainstay. I've added these results to our list of poll results on the first page. The next time I do that seasonal top 3 I'll ask for three above $2k, and three below.

Such pools have been a great idea. Thank you very, very much for the initiative. It's such a valuable contribution that moves the whole community forward!

 

[nikbr]

I'm pretty sure I read before how Bonneville is a typical Campfire Audio product with awesome this and extra that, but now it's just a 'more universally appealing' IEM? Something seems off. Oh well, not within my budget anyway.

 

[fejnomit]

Maybe a little restrained. But don't take that in any way to mean I think they are bad or anything. I think they compete favorably in the price bracket compared to some of the others I have heard. I just wanted to make sure I kept my expectations in check and in line with reality. Which can be hard to do as I think by necessity a lot of hyperbole is thrown around when discussing IEMs, so I try to avoid that as much as I can. So far I think the best way I would sum them up is that they are tuned in a way that as @Rockwell75 said in the quote below, is maybe going for a bit more of a universal appeal. They arent bombastically bassy, the treble isnt ultra crispy or sharp edged. Mids arent super forward or ultra lush or anything. Everything is just kind of there, with a little bit of emphasis added in a few spots to give it some flavor, but again, nothing crazy.

Out of the campfire IEMs I have heard I think these probably hit a sweet spot as far as the tuning goes. I would add a quick comparison to the solaris 2020 (which I havent had in years, so this is by memory). I thought it did a decent amount well, but for me it was really lacking the bass I was expecting to get from having a campfire DD in the mix. The bonneville seems to rectify that.

I am also not really well equipped to describe more of the intangible stuff. Which I know is a lot of what can separate some of the higher end gear.



Yes, I know safe and boring are not really the best words to use for anyone who might be interested in these. But yes, universal appeal might be a better way to describe it. Whereas I know some of the other campfire releases really try for doing things differently and often do not click with a lot of people.

Thank you for your impressions. Have you cable-rolled yet at all?