[wolfstar76]

Completely agree! The ie900 has been an incredible on the go and even gym Iem, very underrated due to bad reviews for not having the best neutral frequency response but I don’t care they hit so hard the bass is incredible,The clarity n details are wild and insanely comfortable a must have in my collection

Thank you and I have an IE900 incoming .

 

[metaljem77]

I don’t really understand the Chord hate. My M scaler and Dave combo is insane in terms of audio quality. The best I’ve ever heard, and I feel blessed to be able to listen to it every day. But it’s great to have options. Plenty of alternatives if you don’t like Chord.

I love your English

Shucks, thanks spewing bulls**t is my current mode of earning my bread and butter rofl

 

[Scubadevils]

Thank you and I have an IE900 incoming .

Oh congrats, hope you are in the appreciation club

 

[wolfstar76]

I don’t really understand the Chord hate. My M scaler and Dave combo is insane in terms of audio quality. The best I’ve ever heard, and I feel blessed to be able to listen to it every day. But it’s great to have options. Plenty of alternatives if you don’t like Chord.

I love your English

Poor man's M Scaler: HQplayer

 

[Rockwell75]

Mass Kobo amps, DCS DACS, ZMF headphones and way too many flagship level IEMS. More than I can count.

Question #2. I’d love to try IEMS from the FIR Audio line up. Any of them. Be a real pleasure I think.

#1: There's several brands that I really want to hear but have no easy way of doing so right now. To name a couple: FIR, Aroma, FatFreq. I've heard some UM IEMs but none since they started doing really good bone conduction, which makes me very curious. As far as IEMs themselves, I think the only real two that are noteworthy are the U12t or any regular version of the CA Andromeda. I've heard other 64 Audio IEMs and also a couple exotic variants of the Andros (S and Gold). However, I really would like to hear the U12t and OG Andros specifically not because I think I'd like them a ton, but because they seem to be such big milestones for the hobby as a whole. For that historical aspect alone I'm very curious.

In case you're not aware I do run a Watercooler Tour program that presently has in circulation the entire Fir Frontier lineup (and soon to add the E12) as well as the FatFreq Maestro SE and Mini. Just head over to the tour thread and sign up. @nephilim32 the Fir Frontier kit is presently out east on the last stop of the Canadian tour if you sign up I could get @jdan1457 to send it to you next week.

Mr. Fealer the Fir kit will be making its way to the US soon if you're interested. Between that and the FatFreq kit already down there I could knock two of those off your list.

I absolutely love the underlying principles and wording of this post. I used to eschew and told myself I would never buy an expensive cable or IEM, but here I am, hedonistic but not apologetic about it. Like many things in this world, I dislike the cost of things but call me weak-minded, overly-indulgent, it’s my life and I didn’t kill anyone when I spent my hard earned money to purchase insanely-priced or meretriciously-priced (however you want to look at it) audio gear. I’ve never felt the need to chastise anyone for deciding that competitively priced gear is the right way to enjoy this hobby, but I also don’t appreciate sanctimonious statements about anyone who think or do otherwise. One of the reasons I avoid posting many a time here is due to the disflavour in this regard. So thank you, Jeff for moderating and saying what I would have wanted to say, but feel that it is not my place to.

Thank-you for taking the time to write this-- it may seem trivial but these little positive shoutouts mean more than could be easily conveyed. This thread has become a meaninful place of fellowship and connection for me during these tumultous and bizarre times we live in and it means a lot if I can help ensure it remains that way for other people I care about. Also, your deft and (to quote someone else) facile use of the English only further cements my feeling that you are among the royalty of the Watercooler.

 

[BlueA]

Looking forward to this one too

I've unreasonable hope that this Dita Project M can be the XBA N3 (same drivers config it seems) of 2024.

Weekend survey question 1: What is a brand or IEM or piece of gear that has continued to elude you through the years?

=> FatFreq Maestro

Survey question 2: What item is #1 on your radar as we close out 2023?

=> Ibasso Elite as I've never had an opportunity to listen to this house sound and the enthusiasm found on this thread

 

[o0genesis0o]

Weekend survey question 1: What is a brand or IEM or piece of gear that has continued to elude you through the years?

Survey question 2: What item is #1 on your radar as we close out 2023?

Question 1: Elysian Acoustic Labs Annihilator. So many praises, so many drool-inducing reports and photos. Not a single sample unit available anywhere. Unless @Damz87 managed to pull a magic trick to make an Anni tour happen, I might just have to buckle up and put coins in a piggy bank to blind buy one (though I think even buying one is a challenge in and of itself)

Question 2: Hard to say. #1 IEM can push the boundary of what is possible, sonic wise, across all price range (think of the TOTL discussed in this thread). Alternatively, #1 IEM can push the the performance/price ratio to a new high. Both represents leaps in IEM R&D. Since I mostly “operate” in the budget friendly end of the market, my vote would be a daring single BA IEM called Magic One (I wrote an article here). It popped up as an anomaly in my dataset.

 

[linux4ever]

Ahh okay. I guess I just didn't expect Raphael to have THAT much of a sonic impact. Can't wait to hear it for myself!

The MSE is one good iem. It requires lots of power (those DD + 7 BAs + 4 ESTs). With the stock cable the bass was boosted and mids were hiding shyly behind and the highs were as good as absent and lacked resolution. Then I unplugged the stock cable and threw it out of my sight and started trying multiple cables that I've. Then Raphael came in. I'm not removing Raph from MSE. And I use N30LE as my source

 

[Xinlisupreme]

1. FITEAR
2. Nothing, I have so much already and love it all

I've been slow and unmotivated waiting for tours to show up at my doorstep. I have tried a bunch of things and nothing scratches the itch so my motivation is on life support. If I don't like audio gear constantly I get very unmotivated. I don't really think I like the hunt as much as most folks. It's time consuming and costly to end up in the same exact place over and over. I live vicariously through everyone here, so thank you!

Q1: +1 No doubt, FitEar! They make it hard to impossible to demo. They have their own dumb cable connection and mostly custom or you pay even more! Unless you want to make a $5000 hail mary, you may never hear one. They have the most barriers of entry of any IEM manufacturer. I assume they think they are creating exclusivity? But due to that, I care and I don't care. Elusive indeed.

Q2: I have a ton of gear on my "want to hear" list. But Anni 2023 has jumped to the top. (Good thing it's on it's way to demo)
I liked decently Gaea, and even more Diva, but not enough to reach for them over any of my old faithful's. Hoping Anni blends all of the good of those 2 and none of the bad.

I tried to do just this, even then it's not possible as you can only get impressions at a FitEar dealer. The impressions required are very unique, audiologists need to be trained to take a FitEar impression.

If you want to understand what sounds similar to fitear and in particular to TG334, but on TOTL level please try this crazy good set.
I’m blowed away, definitely.

 

[Scubadevils]

Reminiscing with @Xinlisupreme on my love for the NGaudio range tonight while he enjoys the EU tour! I must say, while I raved the most about Erebus, I probably miss Eurus+ the most of the three - funny when that is actually the cheapest of the range at just under $3k. While Erebus was clearly more technically competent, there is an incredibly addictive tuning with Eurus+ that will likely lead to me buying at some point early next year... definitely Traillii vibes, with some of the best mids I've heard in any IEM - along with some of the best BA bass I've heard, and spectacular EST uppers. Highly recommend a listen if the opportunity presents...

 

[Xinlisupreme]

Reminiscing with @Xinlisupreme on my love for the NGaudio range tonight while he enjoys the EU tour! I must say, while I raved the most about Erebus, I probably miss Eurus+ the most of the three - funny when that is actually the cheapest of the range at just under $3k. While Erebus was clearly more technically competent, there is an incredibly addictive tuning with Eurus+ that will likely lead to me buying at some point early next year... definitely Traillii vibes, with some of the best mids I've heard in any IEM - along with some of the best BA bass I've heard, and spectacular EST uppers. Highly recommend a listen if the opportunity presents...

This set is crazy good and I rate it on my top 3 ever heard.
More you listen more you appreciate this eargasmic tuning.

Erebus and khaos could be better than the Eurus+ for some parameters, but the Eurus+ have something magical that reminds me Fitear.
The Eurus+ among the 3 NGs is the one that makes me feel most at ease... it takes me 10 minutes to adapt but then I feel at home.

Eurus+ has a special sauce or soul if you prefer that isn’t easy to find in many products, you lose a bit on technical department but you get more prat.

 

[DunkFealer]

Mr. Fealer the Fir kit will be making its way to the US soon if you're interested. Between that and the FatFreq kit already down there I could knock two of those off your list.

Thank you very much for offering. To be honest, joining tours make me somewhat nervous due to traveling uncertainty in my schedule (especially going into next year), and I'd hate to inconvenience others if there are quirks in my schedule. I guess as a complete novice question: Is there flexibility in tours around issues of the sort? For reference, I expect to travel maybe 1 out of every 4-5 weeks over the winter and spring.

 

[Scubadevils]

This set is crazy good and I rate it on my top 3 ever heard.
More you listen more you appreciate this eargasmic tuning.

Agreed, a real hidden gem.

 

[Xinlisupreme]

Agreed, a real hidden gem.

Deserve a kidney

 

[RonaldS86]

I've been slow and unmotivated waiting for tours to show up at my doorstep. I have tried a bunch of things and nothing scratches the itch so my motivation is on life support. If I don't like audio gear constantly I get very unmotivated. I don't really think I like the hunt as much as most folks. It's time consuming and costly to end up in the same exact place over and over. I live vicariously through everyone here, so thank you!

Q1: +1 No doubt, FitEar! They make it hard to impossible to demo. They have their own dumb cable connection and mostly custom or you pay even more! Unless you want to make a $5000 hail mary, you may never hear one. They have the most barriers of entry of any IEM manufacturer. I assume they think they are creating exclusivity? But due to that, I care and I don't care. Elusive indeed.

Q2: I have a ton of gear on my "want to hear" list. But Anni 2023 has jumped to the top. (Good thing it's on it's way to demo)
I liked decently Gaea, and even more Diva, but not enough to reach for them over any of my old faithful's. Hoping Anni blends all of the good of those 2 and none of the bad.

I tried to do just this, even then it's not possible as you can only get impressions at a FitEar dealer. The impressions required are very unique, audiologists need to be trained to take a FitEar impression.

Just last night I ask my regular dealer about is it still possible to order FitEar Creator, but he said it's a hard to get IEM. Usually it's limited per region and even if you have money doesn't guarantee that you will get it. Playing hard to get kinda sounds like a luxury watch brand that starts with "R"