[Scubadevils]

Something was resonating with me when I read the band name. And yes, I love their song "On Division Street". I think your description fits perfectly (DM, New Order, 80s, Synth-Pop).

Thanks for the tip, let's dive into their new album

Oh, btw. their release from last week (Spare me the decision / Cutouts Remix) is a real bass test, Grand Maestro is pumping

I adore 'Across that Fine Line' from their previous album... stunning song that puts shivers through me each time I listen - one I sing with my kids in the car too during the summer!

 

[CharlyBrown]

I adore 'Across that Fine Line' from their previous album... stunning song that puts shivers through me each time I listen - one I sing with my kids in the car too during the summer!

Beautiful That's what music is about!

 

[mgsu]

I’ve rolled all the cables in my collection but end up with stock.

My 2nd favorite is EA Cleo II OCTA (under $1K new, on sale before price increase) and ET Raph. Cleo II OCTA while silver has copper-like characteristics with textural bass, slight mids fullness, extended and smooth treble for detail and instrument layering. Soundstage is similar to stock with slight increase in width. There’s other similarities to stock but RN6/E12 stock copper shielded silver is still my go to.

Looking forward to rolling C24 and C24-C when it arrives.

I think for RN6 to match its characteristics of the stock cable it should be a silver cable or silver plated copper.
Curious to hear how you like the Code 24.

Thanks to all Headfier who made suggestions.

Brise Cables looks also to be a good match (I lost this brand from my radar)

A side by side between Code 24, Yatono or Shurinage would be interesting.

 

[CodenameBK201]

Can anyone recommend a dealer or proxy for purchasing the official Nippon Dics Pentaconn NBP1-13-001 and/or NBH1-26-001 conversion cables in the US? Pentaconn doesn’t respond to emails, none of the typical dealers seem to have them, and e-earphone restricts the sale of this conversion cable using proxies. They seem to be impossible to source.
https://www.pentaconn.com/shopdetail/000000000035/conversion/page1/order/

I have an 3.5mm TRS to 4.4mm Pentaconn adapter from PW Audio but I don’t like the design of it.

https://www.fromjapan.co.jp/japan/e.../smartphone/detail.html%3Fid=000000000035/N_1

 

[Bosk]

Thanks for your review. I think it’s a little strange to pay that amount of money for a device to improve sound with IEMs (if that’s even possible or required) and then it brings noise to IEMs (at least to those with high sensitivity).

I would expect a completely clean output from such a device that’s designed for the only purpose to be used with IEMs.

In the end you then have a quirky and uncomfortable setup with several devices that need to be charged, need an additional expensive cable (sorry, interconnect) and the result is a noisy setup. This is the definition of over-engineering to me.

It might make sense for people who like to fiddle around much and use only more demanding IEMs though. But I’m not sure tbh.

I can't speak much for the Tsuranagi which I've only briefly demoed, but as someone who's owned many portable amps over the years here are a few thoughts.

There's a particular joy that stems from enjoying music through comfortable earphones with a supple cable, through a small digital audio player. The IEMs "disappear" and you forget they're even in your ears, and with the player resting in your pocket the illusion that music is appearing out of nowhere is blissfully created.

That's why for years I was insistent on using smaller, more comfortable single-DD IEMs with lighter, more flexible 4 wire cables - to preserve that priceless feeling.

However over the past two years my philosophy changed.

I now prefer larger hybrid IEMs with higher driver counts, beefier 8 wire cables, and almost always use my Mass Kobo 475 portable amp listening at home.

Why the change? My sound quality demands have increased.


Many people assume IEM performance is automatically maxxed out by spending thousands on a DAP, particularly a large one like the N30LE or 320MAX. It is not. There is scope for improvement by using a high quality external amp, which has the potential to grow the stage further, deepen bass, improve dynamics, increase imaging & resolution, and critically improve control during busy passages of music. Modern TOTL DAPs are amazing, but only so much amp that can fit in the palm of your hand.

Naturally many people argue if you're going to add an amp, why not go desktop and potentially get even greater performance & value? That's a valid option, because even modern budget IEMs can scale massively with amplification. I prefer portable amps that can be used in any room of the house without being tied down, but of course there's the hassle of charging them & having to use an interconnect. Once you're accustomed to the performance gains though... it's very hard to go back.

There's still a singular pleasure to using a one-box solution, which remains my preference when listening outdoors or on trips... but kicking performance up a notch at home by adding an amp is a seriously nice option to have. Sound Tiger portable amps are a great low-cost option.

 

[linux4ever]

I was really happy with the stock cable when I owned Rn6. FiR did a great job with that pairing. I didn’t try any high end cables, as I don’t own any, but did have a chance to audition @Auricon Eletech Raphael for a week and felt it synergized very nicely with Rn6. Minimal change to the bass response compared to the stock cable to my ear. Where I did hear a difference was in the midrange. Raph brings a nice lift and added “fullness” to the mids, without diminishing clarity and detail retrieval. Also a slight smoothing of the treble. Not a blunting or attenuation per se, but a subtle rounding to the leading edges on cymbal crashes that I really liked. Well below your $1.5k budget, too. I’m actually looking to pick one up now to pair with Xe6.

I personally think the hardware and copper wire matches Rn6 nicely as well.

Raph is a very nice cable to have around. Very light. Ergonomic. And pairs well with many iems. I don't have a RN6. But I've Fatfreq MSE with which it is an excellent pairing. And the MSRP is $500 in the world of thousand and multi-thousand cables.

 

[linux4ever]

On another note, I had a short travel trip and I took my Sony WM1AM2 + Eletech Iliad + Nostalgia Camelot along. This one was one good pairing. I hadn't paired Iliad + Nostalgia Camelot with WM1AM2 so far and was pleasantly surprised how good the synergy was. I've heard it with Camelot + the stock cable and the Iliad pairing bested it conveniently. Iliad helped bridge the gap that the stock cable (despite it being good) couldn't.

 

[kmmbd]

I have been using the Symphonium Crimson as a "daily driver" for the last couple of weeks. I am glad that I took the time to have a thorough listen before posting some concrete impressions, as these IEMs tend to surprise you in ways more than one.

I think the completely sealed shells of Symphonium IEMs tend to be the proverbial elephant in the room, so let's address that first.

Yes, there is some pressure buildup, which with certain tips (e.g. foams) may cause discomfort. I took the Crimson for an inter-city travel from Munich to Berlin, and in the ICE (that's what we call the high speed trains here) I felt some serious pressure in the eardrums whenever the train passed through tunnels.

Switching to silicone tips (Spinfit CP-500) made things somewhat manageable but I guess this is one of the areas where the Crimson might not be the right option (during such commutes).

Other than that, the build is essentially the same as Helios (which means - fantastic) with the carbon-inlaid faceplate adding some much needed flair. The red outline stands out as well. I do wish the 2-pin ports were recessed into the housing since, as you can see in the photo, the stock cable tends to stick out quite a bit.

Speaking of the cable, it's pretty good for a stock cable and I haven't felt the need to try something else, yet. Tight braiding, pliable sheathing, manageable - all the good stuff.

Let's get into the sound. There is a sizeable sub-bass boost that can punch seriously hard when called upon. In Eagles' Hotel California (the Hell Freezes Over version, 2018 remaster), the percussion from 0:31 onward literally rattles your brain. It's not just the sheer amount of the bass that caught me off-guard. The dexterity and the physicality was outstanding.

Unfortunately, mid-bass is not as "dense" sounding, resulting in comparatively less satisfying snare hits. Such tuning choice results in a "subwoofer effect" that suits sub-bass heavy tracks really well.

Lower-mids are lacking in some body, which would make baritone vocals stand out further. Upper-mids are well restrained and have no sense of shout or shrillness. It's the treble that will divide opinions.
While the mid-treble is well-controlled with no abrupt peaks or sibilance, the upper-treble can get spicy depending upon source and track. Heck, even the choice of eartips will have an impact here, e.g. foam tips will dampen the upper-treble noticeably. In most tracks, I had no issues with the added "sizzle", but going through an RHCP album turned out to be too much of an ordeal.

Staging and imaging are phenomenal, even better than expected given that the Crimson manages to convincingly portray an "out-of-head" sonic image, while central imaging is not diffused - an issue that plagues many IEMs even in the TOTL space. Microdynamic shifts are vividly portrayed, outlining even the subtlest changes.

Finally, the source matching. One look at the specs and you know the Crimson are outliers. 6 ohms impedance and 106dB/Vrms sensitivity equates to about 84dB/mW sensitivity. In terms of raw sensitivity value, that's Susvara grade, I kid you not.

Luckily, the Crimson are not as power hungry as the Susvara (that would be outlandish). Most dongles will get them sufficiently loud at high gain. The issue lies elsewhere: the ultra-low impedance. Most portable amps are not designed to match such low impedance loads. Most dongles perform best between 16 - 150 ohms, and even the likes of Cayin C9 are matched down to 8 ohms and no lower. This resulted in less-than-ideal dynamics.

So I had to resort to Questyle CMA Twelve Master, hoping the current mode architecture will help. Et voilà! It worked. With the CMA Twelve Master, the Crimson is supremely resolving with phenomenal dynamics and an engulfing stage.

And that brings me to the only "big" gripe I have with these IEMs - they are very difficult to match with the right source. Once I heard how well they can sound with the 12 Master, it's hard to go back to a dinky dongle. That sense of "something's amiss" with most portable sources (including LPGT and Cayin C9, to a degree) leaves me hanging.

So yeah, the Crimson are outstanding and perform well above the $1500 asking price - if you can feed them right.

 

[btwine]

Great few hours with the Erebus today. I’m especially impressed with how it well it presents female vocals, such as Jenny Lewis (this is her terrific recent album). Erebus has summit-fi technicals, is very balanced, and scales very well to different music. Generally a relaxed sound, but gets very activated when called for. Sometimes a little upper-mid peaky for me in those cases. But it’s early still, only 14 hours in.

 

[linux4ever]

I have been using the Symphonium Crimson as a "daily driver" for the last couple of weeks. I am glad that I took the time to have a thorough listen before posting some concrete impressions, as these IEMs tend to surprise you in ways more than one.



I think the completely sealed shells of Symphonium IEMs tend to be the proverbial elephant in the room, so let's address that first.

Yes, there is some pressure buildup, which with certain tips (e.g. foams) may cause discomfort. I took the Crimson for an inter-city travel from Munich to Berlin, and in the ICE (that's what we call the high speed trains here) I felt some serious pressure in the eardrums whenever the train passed through tunnels.

Switching to silicone tips (Spinfit CP-500) made things somewhat manageable but I guess this is one of the areas where the Crimson might not be the right option (during such commutes).

Other than that, the build is essentially the same as Helios (which means - fantastic) with the carbon-inlaid faceplate adding some much needed flair. The red outline stands out as well. I do wish the 2-pin ports were recessed into the housing since, as you can see in the photo, the stock cable tends to stick out quite a bit.

Speaking of the cable, it's pretty good for a stock cable and I haven't felt the need to try something else, yet. Tight braiding, pliable sheathing, manageable - all the good stuff.



Let's get into the sound. There is a sizeable sub-bass boost that can punch seriously hard when called upon. In Eagles' Hotel California (the Hell Freezes Over version, 2018 remaster), the percussion from 0:31 onward literally rattles your brain. It's not just the sheer amount of the bass that caught me off-guard. The dexterity and the physicality was outstanding.

Unfortunately, mid-bass is not as "dense" sounding, resulting in comparatively less satisfying snare hits. Such tuning choice results in a "subwoofer effect" that suits sub-bass heavy tracks really well.



Lower-mids are lacking in some body, which would make baritone vocals stand out further. Upper-mids are well restrained and have no sense of shout or shrillness. It's the treble that will divide opinions.
While the mid-treble is well-controlled with no abrupt peaks or sibilance, the upper-treble can get spicy depending upon source and track. Heck, even the choice of eartips will have an impact here, e.g. foam tips will dampen the upper-treble noticeably. In most tracks, I had no issues with the added "sizzle", but going through an RHCP album turned out to be too much of an ordeal.

Staging and imaging are phenomenal, even better than expected given that the Crimson manages to convincingly portray an "out-of-head" sonic image, while central imaging is not diffused - an issue that plagues many IEMs even in the TOTL space. Microdynamic shifts are vividly portrayed, outlining even the subtlest changes.

Finally, the source matching. One look at the specs and you know the Crimson are outliers. 6 ohms impedance and 106dB/Vrms sensitivity equates to about 84dB/mW sensitivity. In terms of raw sensitivity value, that's Susvara grade, I kid you not.

Luckily, the Crimson are not as power hungry as the Susvara (that would be outlandish). Most dongles will get them sufficiently loud at high gain. The issue lies elsewhere: the ultra-low impedance. Most portable amps are not designed to match such low impedance loads. Most dongles perform best between 16 - 150 ohms, and even the likes of Cayin C9 are matched down to 8 ohms and no lower. This resulted in less-than-ideal dynamics.

So I had to resort to Questyle CMA Twelve Master, hoping the current mode architecture will help. Et voilà! It worked. With the CMA Twelve Master, the Crimson is supremely resolving with phenomenal dynamics and an engulfing stage.



And that brings me to the only "big" gripe I have with these IEMs - they are very difficult to match with the right source. Once I heard how well they can sound with the 12 Master, it's hard to go back to a dinky dongle. That sense of "something's amiss" with most portable sources (including LPGT and Cayin C9, to a degree) leaves me hanging.

So yeah, the Crimson are outstanding and perform well above the $1500 asking price - if you can feed them right.

Thanks for the impressions and those excellent photos.

 

[stacey]

Happy to loan either one of you my wm1zm2 to do some more A/B test. It is a modified one by @Whitigir, that changed balanced wires to Neotech PE insulated 24AwG stranded Ultra Pure Silver and Gold alloy (99% of silver grade 99.999 purity and 1% gold) Neotech golden ratios. Solder used is Ss47 by Oyaide.

Does it drive headphones well?
I’d be interested in trying out the DAP and I’m pretty close to you

 

[Ike1985]

Are companies like PW audio ever going to go to the conx swap style kit. I'd much rather have multiple 2 pin adapters plugged into each IEM then just swap cables/IEMs easily. This is so superior to 2pin cables and it essentially negates damage to the female 2pin.

 

[linux4ever]

Are companies like PW audio ever going to go to the conx swap style kit. I'd much rather have multiple 2 pin adapters plugged into each IEM then just swap cables/IEMs easily. This is so superior to 2pin cables and it essentially negates damage to the female 2pin.

There are people that love Conx and there are people that can't stand it. Given that situation, it will be challenging for cable manufacturers to embrace it. I expect the current state of affairs to continue for some more time.

 

[esn89]

Is the Hyla company still alive, if I wanted to ask them for repairs? I sent them an email and no response.

 

[CodenameBK201]

Are companies like PW audio ever going to go to the conx swap style kit. I'd much rather have multiple 2 pin adapters plugged into each IEM then just swap cables/IEMs easily. This is so superior to 2pin cables and it essentially negates damage to the female 2pin.

Out of the box, probably not...yet. Eletech is finally doing it, but they're firm they're only offering it with their cables and current ETA on that is March. I imagine it'll be a standard option on anything you get built by them. That having been said, Effect Audio will do it with third party cables if you send to them. My xanadu pharaoh was sent to them to reterminate, then back to China to the distributor, then back to me here in the US when I purchased it, so depending on the distributor, they might--keyword might--be willing to send onwards for you to save the shipping back and forth on your end. I'd be surprised if swappable connectors weren't the future standard eventually. That said, outside of a demoing session, I don't tend to cable swap (I know @Auricon does plenty, so he's probably a better authority on it than I am). Most of my cables, once I've settled on one, tend to live with that IEM for a while (think months, if not years). Agreed on finding 2 pin fiddly--if anything, swapping cables makes me nervous for fear of breaking something. As it is, once my mmcx Victoria comes, if I don't find a Tyrian by then, I'll probably be bringing it with me to CanJam to hand deliver to Eletech to reterminate with versa adapters, not because I intend to use it with 2 pin IEMs, but because I like having the option to.