U18t (with the crappy stock cable) sounds phenomenal on N30LE. Guess it ain't easy to beat 18 drivers
N30LE plus Orpheus and Shirogane is such a bliss with all my IEMs... you understand why I bought a second N30 while the other one goes back to Cayin for rebias
I still have my U12t’s from 2016-17, Noble Savant’s from 2015.
My journey has been a back and forth between the novelty of highly technical hybrid IEMs and back to the cohesive and more natural single DD. My brain wants the stimulant effect of the former and my heart chases the essential sound of the latter. I recently acquired the JVC HA-FX1200 (11mm wood dome driver) that is almost 10 years old now. I haven't been able to put it down! It's open stage, deeply rooted lower frequencies and the impressive top end extension - it's delicious. It's true we're in a golden age of IEMs but this is making me wonder what we're leaving behind...
What sets are you guys still holding onto that are standing the test of time?
Had to search for it, this was in October 21.U18t (with the crappy stock cable) sounds phenomenal on N30LE. Guess it ain't easy to beat 18 drivers
Other than issues with impedance I actually believe 18t scales up with better sources. Interesting to know if anyone have plugged 18t into desktop rigs
The big question here is, what genres / bands do you listen too mostly?"Value" is arguably the most subjective element of this inherently subjective hobby. For me Trifecta is one of the few high end IEMs that fully justifies its price and one of the few I can listen to exclusively long term without feeling the need to migrate anywhere else. It really came together for me with the WM1Z and this combo has pretty much taken me out of this hobby for the time being. Stoked for NYC next week, but I have little interest in even demoing anything new at this point. YMMV, and all that.
Some folks have asked me to burn in the unit for 200hrs. To clarify, from @Rockwell75 directly (who had it before me):Rhapsodio Supreme MK3 First Impressions
- Mid clarity, crisper presentation, many 'veils' lifted
- Tuned neutral, mids are the spotlight, you may discover new notes in your music
- Overall tuning profile is imbalanced as the sub bass and mid bass don't give 'meat' to the notes (polar opposite to XE6)
- Supreme MK3 focused on upscaling the recordings (Mason FS focused on replicating the note presence)
- Cable is very microphonic, old hardware, needs to be replaced
- Requires power (eg M9 Plus, DMP Z1, Cayin N30)
- Solid metal shell doesn't feel heavy in ear
Rhapsodio is a brand which eludes much of the Western Market, until recently when Musicteck began stocking their IEMs. My first experience with Rhapsodio was the Infinity Ultra, an IEM which took me by surprise with it's crystal clear presentation which would make even the most stringent detail fanatic swoon. Having auditioned Supreme MK3 for a few hours, this IEM reminds me of my brief time with Ultra in e-earphone. Supreme MK3 takes the Aroma Jewel 'shining midrange' to another level, an exercise of extracting every detail in the midrange, as if multiple veils are lifted. This IEM, like the finest hifi speakers ought to be used only with the finest recordings as Supreme MK3 can be downright unbearable with mediocre recordings. If you are a listener that carefully picks top shelf recordings or publishers, and has the gear to match the IEMs demands, Supreme 3 will reward you in spades.
The Supreme MK3 focuses on reproducing the midrange with detail and clarity you would expect from a hardware upsampler such as Chord Hugo 2 or DAVE. You will hear notes and subtle reflections in the recording that you may not have paid attention to before. For those who master or compose music, you may want to try Supreme MK3. With Supreme MK3 one could appreciate the subtle differences between a Bosendorfer and a Steinway, or the difference between Battery Recording Studio and Abbey Road Studio. The metal shell of Supreme 3 may contribute to the harder reflections of sound, almost brittle at times. When playing acid jazz, Supreme MK3 begins to falter and it's as if there are too many notes, competing for the ultra bright stage lights in the mid range. With this IEM, simpler passages such as jazz vocals, instrumentals, up to 4 piece ensembles are enjoyable. Beyond this, the notes shove elbows with each other, resulting in a cacophony of cold hard notes and brittle sound. If a singer is a tad sibilant, Supreme MK3 will replicate this and you will not be spared. Cymbals will splash unreservedly, not sparing the timid. The issue I see with Supreme MK3 is a lack of an anchor or stickiness in the notes. I would like to see a mid bass presence to ensure the mid performance doesn't become hard and congested when the music becomes complex. Compare with Mason FS, the Bone Conduction gives each instrument solid footing, so when the passage does become busy, each note still retains some body. While Mason FS lacks the mid bass presence for my preference, I feel the note body is retained with a more complex passage.
For those interested in Supreme MK3, I would recommend your library is mid focused, especially with vocals. For vocals alone, this set should be demo'd. I've never heard vocal recordings with such stunning clarity, each layer of the voice being pulled apart as if I were in Pro Tools. If Chord were to make a mid centric IEM, this would be a great blueprint. You will be uncovering many layers of your song...but mostly in the mids. At the same time I am aware I am listening to recordings, listening to vocals, aching for a bit more emotion, I didn't have this feeling with Mason FS or Trifecta.
Gear used: Sony DMP Z1 exclusively. WM1Z Special Edition used for photo purposes only.
These Aurum rockI’m a huge fan of the FW1500 and FW10000, not as old as your FX1200 but around a few years which makes them seem ‘old’ in this fast paced hobby!
I’ve been listening to the Craft Ears ‘Aurum’ a huge amount since it arrived a week or so ago and being a set originally launched in 2020, it is somewhat old now too - but from a sound perspective, it is truly fantastic and again demonstrates the at times fleeting nature of the hobby with so many new sets always grabbing our attention!
The tuning leans a touch bright but with some of the best EST treble I’ve heard - it’s that addictive, visceral, ear-tickling sensation which reminds me a bit of Traillii but more extended. Incredibly precise imaging in a large stage, wonderful detail retrieval, clear and smooth mids, and well balanced low-end with again good sub extension - but definitely not bass head levels. A cohesive and highly engaging overall presentation that has completely exceeded expectations for me… I was stupidly sceptical due to its ‘age’ but very happy to have been proven wrong!
Fantastic set and yet another that I’d have guessed as being a lot more €€€ than the actual €1,295 price tag! Another set to sit with the likes of Fibae5 and Verdandi at a price point that offers fantastic value before getting into the kilobuck levels.
Even better: Take a DAP with two outs that work at the same time, two different IEMs with different cables and only insert one of each!What would happen if you took two TOTL cables and joined them with a transparent connector, say an orpheus and a shirogane 8w. Would the Orpheus brighten up?
