[emdeevee]

In future polls that break by price range, it seems to me the market looks like this: 1) sub $1500 2) $1500-$3000, and 3) $3000+

Thoughts?

 

[fejnomit]

The Monachaa has become my first choice for dense, complex, bass heavy techno and dub because of how fast and agile it presents this music.

Me too. Curious about the Alter Ego in this realm.

 

[Rockwell75]

In future polls that break by price range, it seems to me the market looks like this: 1) sub $1500 2) $1500-$3000, and 3) $3000+

Thoughts?

I dunno we've gotten some pretty good mileage so far with the dividing line between pleb-fi, low-fi, mid-fi and totl-fi being about $100, $500 and $2000 respectively.

 

[MonochromeFashionLawyer]

no driver is actually "adding" information to the source, it's either doing a more complete or a less complete job of allowing the information on the source to come through to your ears. This is something that I think about a lot when I read the majority of impressions about the sound of a cable or an IEM. They can't actually "add" anything. They do not produce sound, they pass it along.

I 100% agree with your take. I always remember that I’m paying for how the manufacturer tuned or “colored” the set to a specific signature.

 

[shinna]

I'm not sure about the name as Mark never mentioned it, but it is Melodic Artification's 4W Silver Alloy Cable with 4.4mm jack, it's a dark grey cable and it is a separate cable that can be bought, not an upgrade option.
Here's a a pic of that cable that my friend @Loafy took:



while this is the stock cable, i believe it's either a SPC or Copper cable with 4.4mm jack:

Thanks! The stock cable is good enough though.

 

[Onurb8690]

For $3K+, A&K’s new SP3KT very interesting with Dual Raytheon JAN6418 MIL-SPEC vintage tubes and there’s neutral resolving iBasso DX320MAX, A&K SP3K, Cayin N8ii (maybe too revealing for RN6). If you’re looking for smooth analog R2R natural tonality, there’s A&K SE300 and HiBy’s RS8 (my favorite). Then there’s Cayin’s limited edition N30LE and N30LE Amber Pearl (more resolving of the two) with triple tube timbre.

Forgot Shanling M9 Plus

 

[UnknownOperator]

Me too. Curious about the Alter Ego in this realm.

I haven’t gotten to it yet. I got mine Thursday and have been busy with life but I plan to dig in later tonight. I will report back.

 

[Trance_Gott]

No problem, mate.

Favorites for metal would be Trifecta, XE6, Grand Maestro with Eletech baroque tips, Supermoon, Sony IER Z1R, Noble Sultan and Empire Ears Raven.

If you like a thicker bass like I often do, something that’s not lopsided in only presenting heaps of subbass, I would like at the Trifecta, XE6 and Supermoon. All three have their unique traits.

Trifecta is very sensitive to cable rolling and sources, and sometimes, cables. It can have a fat midbass and a bothersome treble with the wrong accessories and sources.

The XE6 is incredible for how large and engulfing its bass sounds but can sound boxy and muddy with the wrong tips. It’s treble is probably less of an x-factor than that of the Tri, but can vary in its airiness, again depending on tips and sources and cables.

Similar problems but their tunings are still very different. I would recommend trying them first. The XE6 is phenomenal for metal once dialed in.

The Supermoon I use spinfit double flange tips and it has possibly the most underrated bass in the business which works with metal because its fast, heavy, and memorable and also has energy in the higher frequencies for a more energetic presentation.

These would probably be my top 3.

The Raven is also worth a look. The Raven has the characteristic deep EE subbass but it can sound “one-note” sometimes.

The Grand Maestro is also very good for metal as I am discovering.

Trifecta, XE6, Grand Maestro are phenomenal for metal!
I also find Raven great but wish for more mids.
I'm 95% of a metal head and would put in MM and Fourte Blanc. The last one has incredible fast bass for a DD and the soundstage of the MM with Prog Metal is out of the world good!

 

[pkcpga]

Interesting discussions around "fun" sounding TOTL iems; between Fei Wan, Trifecta, Xe6 and Ravens for metal music only, what would you guys choose with either an Se300 or a hugo2?

I personally would choose the Fei Wan, for myself it’s the only one in the group I’d consider a TOTL. Since it has all parts of the range clean clear detailed with great separation and note weight. The others I would say are specialists that are missing something that would affect more than one type of music. Trifecta way too congested in the mids for classical, XE6 female vocals take a big back seat to male vocals and instruments. Raven I think can handle most music, but I’d recommend having a listen to it as I find it’s more abrasive sounding with less finesse on its edges. Definitely not as detailed or as much separation as the Fei Wan. Fei Wan has a noticeable amount more refinement in the highs. But given the price difference it should.

 

[fidgeraldo]

and I’m sure

Scuba

I found you...there you hiding

Cheers!

 

[Garney]

+1. Xe6 is an acquired taste but once you understand it, it is unique and soulful!


Xe6 takes time to understand. On first listen, you could be put off it.

This has been my experience as well. Honestly, I almost always need to “adjust” to Xe6 when I first start listening to them, even after months of ownership. Genre dependent to a degree. Electronica and jazz requiring less of an adjustment period versus stuff like rock / metal.

They do fill somewhat of a specialist role for me. I don’t find them to be ideal for metal which makes up most of my listening. But in a collection where you’re wanting different “flavors,” they’re a more unique offering than Rn6 which plays things a bit more safe.

To @gLer point, you could happily own both Xe6 and Rn6 as have your bases completely covered and be wanting for nothing if you jive with FiRs house tuning.

 

[PinkyPowers]

When one person says "Good for Metal" it could be something drastically different than another person.

For me, Good for Metal means smoother, maybe slightly rolled off highs, so those bright sounds found in Metal don't fatigue me.

Another person might WANT those bright Metal notes highlighted, with no fear of treble fatigue.

 

[fejnomit]

I personally would choose the Fei Wan, for myself it’s the only one in the group I’d consider a TOTL. Since it has all parts of the range clean clear detailed with great separation and note weight. The others I would say are specialists that are missing something that would affect more than one type of music. Trifecta way too congested in the mids for classical, XE6 female vocals take a big back seat to male vocals and instruments. Raven I think can handle most music, but I’d recommend having a listen to it as I find it’s more abrasive sounding with less finesse on its edges. Definitely not as detailed or as much separation as the Fei Wan. Fei Wan has a noticeable amount more refinement in the highs. But given the price difference it should.

No offense but something like the Trifecta simply isn't going for the sound of something like the Fei Wan. It's not a question of the one having achieved something better than the other and therefore costing more. They are different tunings and have different values. Also, I find mids on Trifecta to be top-notch, although I don't listen to classical. To me, this is another one of those cases where you could go "all-rounder" and find it excels at nothing or you could go more "specialist" within the genres you actually listen to and find that it slays.

 

[pkcpga]

RN6 are very easy to drive. Pretty much any portable DAP or DAC/AMP dongle can drive them. Is there a price range? Source signature – colored, warm, neutral?

On the portable end, there’s HiBy R6 Pro II, iBasso’s latest DX260, Shanling M6 Ultra, A&K R35. Cayin’s N7 was a favorite of mine with unique 1Bit DSD DAC. If you don’t need streaming, Cayin’s new N3 Ultra with dual Raytheon tubes for $549.

Warm neutral such as HiBy R8 II brings a lot of value for $2K and just north of that is Shanling’s M9+.

For $3K+, A&K’s new SP3KT very interesting with Dual Raytheon JAN6418 MIL-SPEC vintage tubes and there’s neutral resolving iBasso DX320MAX, A&K SP3K, Cayin N8ii (maybe too revealing for RN6). If you’re looking for smooth analog R2R natural tonality, there’s A&K SE300 and HiBy’s RS8 (my favorite). Then there’s Cayin’s limited edition N30LE and N30LE Amber Pearl (more resolving of the two) with triple tube timbre.

Personal pick, HiBy R8II followed by portables HiBy R6 Pro II and iBasso DX260.

Personally really like the N8ii with the RN6, in either A mode or AB tube mode. The RN6 definitely doesn’t need much to drive them. The A&K sp3000t might be a nice match (haven’t heard the combo), the DX320 max ti was too peaky in the highs for my personal taste. A&K sp3000 is also great. I thought it sounded good with my brother’s Sony brick as well, little warmer in the vocal range.

 

[Auricon]

Forgot Shanling M9 Plus

Refresh? I was still writing