A couple new players joined my roster this week. I had never heard Amber Pearl or Jewel before after reading so many impressions and POV of these, and the time has come. I've only gotten a few hours with each so far, and much more to come. But a few quick takes:
AP is probably the best, most complete package of an IEM that I have ever heard. Major wow factor, not surprisingly given the raptures expressed about this set. And thanks to AP I've now heard top-shelf mids and have a standard to measure against. Its bass is warm, thick, and terrific - regardless of it being a BA/BCS package. It doesn't feature the definition and slam of a great DD set but I don't find myself missing that. Treble is crisp, detailed, not forward, not sibilant. No upper mids problems either. Staging isn't quite what Mentor is (from memory, having sold mine last fall) but that and AP's overall technical presentation, all very compelling. Most importantly, what a lovely immersive listening experience.
Jewel surprises me in a few ways. To me it is not quite the reference set that so many have described it as. I think of reference as being most notably neutral and balanced. However, Jewel in my experience (briefly so far) has a forward gust of upper mids / lower treble energy, close to too much for me. I was expecting maybe too-mellow treble, but in fact it is very detailed, kind of gravelly, with decent extension. And overall has more perk and is brighter than I thought it would be. Bass is also more than I was expecting.
One thing is clear: Jewel and Erebus are extremely similar, with very close sound profiles and comparable strengths and flaws. Maybe not surprising given they are probably cousins from the same manufacturing plant, as others have commented. This resemblance is partly what motivated my acquisition of Jewel, so I could A/B these sets. Some thoughts after a few hours of listening to a mix of live and studio jazz vocal and acoustic rock, with both driven by N30, using medium gain, class A/B, classic tube, P, no Hyper mode:
Jewel (with 1950s Shielding cable):
Slightly less detailed
More energetic nonetheless
Brighter
Treble more detailed, snappier transients, more extended
Forward, at times too energetic upper mids
Mids and vocals more forward
Less bass quantity and quality
More intimate stage, more sense of facing the stage instead of being surrounded by musicians
Erebus (with doctorjuggles copper cable):
Slightly more detailed
More relaxed in spite of that
Warmer
Smoother treble, and more rolled off
Similar forward, at times too energetic upper mids
Mids and vocals more receded
More bass quantity and quality
Bigger stage, more holographic, more immersive
I probably won't keep both given their overlap. But for now it is fun having variations on the same themes to go back and forth with.