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New Head-Fier
Anyone have experience with both the Flipears Legion and the BGVP Phantom SE? I was thinking of getting a Legion but don’t know if they’re as large or larger than the Phantom?
The Watercooler -- Impressions, philosophical discussion and general banter. Index on first page. All welcome.
- Thread starter Rockwell75
- Start date
AntiqueMusician
Head-Fier
Funny enough I just had a demo at MusicTeck comparing the FlipEars Legion to the BGVP Phantom SE and others in its price range. My notes below… TL;DR I found the BGVP vastly better sonically and ergonomically.
FlipEars Legion - Very strange fit for my ears. Beautiful build. A bit muddy on busy passages. Recessed mids aren’t working for me.
Alpha Omega Ra - Slow, dark presentation, slightly veiled sound signature. Too dark for me but very comfortable fit. Nice build quality.
Jomo Nautilus - Precise, clean, fast. Missing emotion, reminds me of DCA headphones where technically nothing is wrong. A little too technical and bright for my tastes. Perfect comfort/fit for my ears.
BGVP Phantom SE - Amazing balance between emotion and technicality. Most balanced set of the batch. Bass impact still hits. Kick drums are still quick enough to maintain the song’s integrity. Wow.
EE Triton - Driver flex… I found this annoying having never experienced that before. Similar presentation to Nautilus. Missing something for the price.
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Wow Man, great job with listing your impressions, I know it’s quite difficult, especially in crowded sessions. Good that you mentioned the source as well,On 30th March 2025, there was an audiophile showcase event in New Delhi, India. It was hosted by Headphonezone.com (HPZ), one of the top online retailers of audiophile gear in India. HPZ also has dedicated teams that give free of charge consultations across all price segments to any interested buyer.
They also had a dedicated ‘buy & sell’ platform on their website, which they are revamping into a brand new dedicated website.
Since 2015, HPZ has held over 45 such events, and the one I attended in Delhi was held at the Taj Palace, New Delhi. Timings were 10 A.M. to 5 P.M.
My prerogatives:
1) I was looking for a warm source for my Empyrean 2, so I had planned to try different amps/DACS that would help me attenuate the treble. I bought it after listening to it on Auralix Taurus MK2 and loved it. So I was looking for something similar.
2) I was there to try other headphones from ZMF, especially Focal and Audeze. I haven’t tried many headphones before.
3) AudioGeeks India has sent me the Rival for reviewing and listening. I have decided that I will tread into the 2000-4000 USD iem segment and wanted to see if that one iem to rule them all would be Rival or the ones I have reviewed before, or the ones I get to hear at the HPZ connect. I am looking for an IEM with loads of mid bass, forward vocals and detailed yet attenuated treble. Like I want it to stay resolute to details without treading into the sibilance territory.
4) I currently own a Mojo2, Dx320, amp13 &14, D16 & PB5. I wanted to see if I could use DX340 instead of all of these and retain the amp cards. Also wanted to try M8T and wanted to A/B D16 Vs SP3000T and maybe retain PB5 and liquidate everything else.
Disclaimer: I bought my first iem VE bonus 3.5 SE on May 13 2022, and have been upgrading ever since. My preferred signature is warm, bassy, with forward mids and non-sibilant and smooth highs. I am a fan of organic timbre and currently love the D16. This is my kind of tuning on a source.
I am 38 years old and might have lost some listening proficiency as well.
What I want to say is I am not someone who knows what he is talking about. I am just gonna pen down how I felt and don’t expect it to be the gospel truth. I will take you through this day chronologically, and it’s going to be a long read.
Brace yourselves.
Time: 0200 hours: 250 kms away from the venue, I wake up at my home in Chandigarh. The idea was to pack for one hour. And be on the road by 4 after getting ready. The task looked monumental, and I stayed in bed listening to my library for an hour. I was thinking of cancelling my plan as it seemed arduous, but I reminded myself of my prerogatives and swung into action.
I was on the road by 5, and drove relatively slowly and reached the event like 10 minutes before 1000 hours. Everything was arranged meticulously at the event, and I was greeted by the founder of HPZ, Mr. Raghav Somani. He is always present at such events. I have attended 3 till now, and he is always there from start to the very end. I like that. He is ready to engage with you and solve your audio queries as well, and is always accessible during the event.
I got to meet my friends from the HPZ team as well, whom I have known since previous HPZ events. The day was off to a great start, and my partner from Delhi, Kashyap Doulani, took me to the Headphone section. We happened to meet through AG and Kashyap, being more seasoned, opined that we try open backs first, as currently no one else was around, and we would get a better sonic experience.
There he is rocking the Penon Rival with the Penon Totem Ultra Cable
1) Dx320(Coax out)à Topping DX9 à Empy2:
It sounded better than D16+PB5 but wasn’t as organic as the D16. The soundstage and overall resolution, and dynamics improved. It was an enjoyable listen, but not my endgame desktop setup. I am looking for something a tad warmer than this.
2) DX320(Coax out) à Topping Dx9 → Caldera Open
Hands down, the best headphone I have ever tried. The fit was so comfy, and the driver placement was a little farther from my ears. The pads cupped my ears fully, and I wish ZMF made pads for EMPY2.
The mid bass wasn’t as much as I would like in my endgame, but the amount of resolution, soundstage and most importantly, the timbre felt so correct. It was like sweet nectar of the gods pouring into my ears. Despite the anaemic mid-bass, I would trade my Empy2 in a jiffy with this. I love the mid-bass on Empy2, but Caldera, I hope I can EQ and get great results as well.
Mr. Somani opined that the virtue of a great transducer is its ability to convince you that you are actually inside the studio where it is being recorded (paraphrased). Caldera is the most convincing headphone that offers the perfect amount of musicality/analytical ratio. Expansive soundstage and 3d imaging that gave my goosebumps left, right and centre.
I also have the LCD2C and I like it a lot. The only gripe is that they are too heavy for my head. Caldera Open didn’t have that issue. I dig for this kind of fit and cannot emphasise enough how great they feel around my ears.
3) Dx320(Coax out) → Topping Centaurus → Cayin HA-2A → Empy2
It was a better pairing than DX9 but also much more expensive than the DX9 solo. The improvement in timbre came through. I was looking for a less digital hifi and more towards analog and warm signature, and I got that. From memory, it still wasn’t as grand and warm as the Auralic Taurus Mk2 fed by a SP3000. It was better than my portable setup, but I was keen on assessing whether it justified the price and having heard the Auralic Taurus mk2, it didn’t fit the bill for me.
4) Dx320(Coax out) → Topping Centaurus → Cayin HA-2A → Caldera Open
Caldera sounded even better on these. I still felt the mid-bass was lacking, but the overall experience was warmer and still had great soundstage and technicalities. I tried the OS/NOS modes to assess what Goldensound pointed out in his recent video. I would be lying if I said I was able to make out the difference between the two modes. I couldn’t tell the difference between the modes, but indeed felt that I could find a better vfm proposition for my empy2.
5) DX320(Coax out) → Gustard R26 → Burson Audio Soloyist Voyager → Empy2
This was indeed the best pairing with Empy2 that I tried at this event. But for me, the price vs performance ratio doesn’t justify the spend, especially on the Voyager. My opinion might change in the future, as it has incase of transducers, but for now I couldn’t enjoy the music thinking about the price, knowing that I won't be buying any of these anytime soon. Yes, it was the best pairing, but what Auralic Taurus MK2 delivered was “Better” for me(from memory). I think it's more about the tuning I am looking for, rather than technicalities and overall performance. Either way, I did feel that Taurus Mk2 is gonna be my endgame amp.
6) DX320(Coax out) → Gustard R26 → Burson Audio Soloyist Voyager → Caldera Open
I have the same thoughts regarding this pairing. It is indeed the best pairing, but the vfm quotient is not letting me praise this combo enough. Taurus Mk2 FTW!
I was listening to random music from my library till now and decided to choose a test track for all my future listens as I ventured into the iem and portable sources section. My choice of test track was https://music.apple.com/nz/album/killers-and-cartels-single/1667777236
Love this track. I will share my opinions using what I heard on this track in the gear mentioned below.
7) DX320(Coax out) → D16 → Nostalgia audio Lacelot → Nostalgia Audio Camelot
Thanks to Mr. Pulkit, I got to hear this amazing combo. The instruments before the rap started sounded amazingly well separated. When the rap hits, it hits like a truck. I felt that there was an amplifier inside the IEM itself. The vocals felt as if the vocalist is pretty close to me, and I can listen to every nuance that they are singing. It was surreal how lively and emphatic the vocals were. The treble was again top tier and endgame territory with just a smidgen more than I would prefer in my endgame.
Mid-bass attack was also very well controlled and was incredibly satisfying. It’s just a no-brainer and breaks all records of vfm for me at a 1200 USD price tag for a used unit. No matter the tuning preference, this is my go-to IEM at this price and also an IEM I could retire with.
I don’t know how much of those sonic characteristics were imparted by the cable pairing, as I didn’t test the cable with my daily use iems. (Should have done that)
Maybe with a warmer cable, this could very well be my endgame. The fit was also nice, but could be better considering other options in the market. I am thinking Penon Pyramid 8W to tame this relentless beast.
Also, this is a ‘Big Boy Iem’. More on this later.
8) DX320(Coax out) → D16 → Nostalgia Audio Durandal
I listened to this set for like 20 seconds and didn’t delve into much as it was brighter than Camelot. Remember the prerogatives, we are looking for a detailed, big soundstage and a smooth tuning. It wasn’t that smooth, so I didn’t focus much on the rest of the sound. Not enough recollection here.
9) Dx320(Coax Out) →D16 → Noble Audio Onyx
On the Noble booth, I was greeted by Jim Moulton and Kai Moulton. I told them about my preference for a smooth bassy totl iem. I had been following the VGP rankings as well, so I wanted to try Onyx.
The part of our test track from 7 seconds to 11 seconds sounded best on Noble Onyx(out of all the iems at the event). It happened every time I tried it. The cymbals and the drums that start at 7 seconds till 11 seconds had the best accuracy, reverb, imaging and had a very 3d kind of delivery in their spatial presentation. The echoes at 0:40 seconds sound incredibly vivid on the Onyx.
I was hooked on noble onyx like a moth to a flame. I wanted to listen more and more, but kept repeating the same song.
It’s a highly accurate and yet very fun-sounding set. The fit was nice, and no complaints over here. Subtle looks. The bass is clean, tight, and due to the immaculate instrument separation, it never treads on the mids. Like never.
This is the second, ‘Big Boy iem’. More on this later in the post.
10) Dx320(Coax Out) →D16 → Campfire Audio Clara
Extremely close to my desired tuning with just a little more treble, I would say. And I am saying that not because I found it sibilant or harsh or anything. I just guess that after an hour, I might find it fatiguing. That’s it.
Hands down, the most delicious bass, it's not the most accurate bass representation and has a wider footprint. The impact has a bigger signature than all other iems, and it is utterly satisfying listening to hip hop on this set.
It has the CA timbre for me, which I would describe as this ‘John Mayer’ effect. CA iems to me add a little huskiness to the sound, which makes them very distinct and likeable. Without a CA iem in your collection, I believe you are missing out on something very innate.
The mids were also very clean, vivid and natural.
Treble was not leaning towards lots of details but towards a smooth and musical representation. The highs amalgamated well with the overall tuning without inviting much attention in the mix.
What made this iem qualify for the finale “Big Boy Duel” is the isolation, the fit, the bass and the CA timbre.
Oh yeah, and technicalities wise not its forte, but still has the right ingredients. Full score on soundstage and spatial representation. If you are looking for a dark pitch black, silent background, then this is not it; that’s why I said it’s not forte. To me, that warmth sprawled across the lows, mids and highs sounds very enjoyable.
11) Dx320(Coax Out) →D16 → CA Supermoon
I have the CA atlas and Bonneville, and while purchasing the Bonneville, I was considering Supermoon as well. I am glad I went for the Bonneville. No complaints with the supermoon. Great fit, CA timbre. But not enticing enough to be invited for the evening fireworks.
Don’t remember much about it now, but from my notes.
“Great bass
Great vocals
Good treble
A little too much treble for me, but very palatable and enjoyable.
Wide soundstage”
I don’t remember much impression from the supermoon at the time of writing, so I won't delve further into it.
12) Dx320(Coax Out) →D16 → CA Astrolith
I was advised by Mr. Karan Soni from the headphonezone team to try Astrolith as it’s a dual planar and has its secret sauce.
Don’t have much memory of the tuning, but I will share my notes here again.
My major focus was deciding on one factor: ‘Is this going to be my endgame? ’ Astrolith is too bright for my preference, so I didn’t listen to it much.
My notes say,
“Bright but at the same time not too harsh. I am sure treble heads will enjoy this iem”.
Fit was nice, but not as great as Clara or supermoon. Clara’s fit is the best, btw.
13) Dx320(Coax Out) →D16 → LETSSHUOER Cadenza 12
Again, a recommendation by Mr. Karan Soni. I was delighted that he recommended this iem. It nails my target tuning. It does nothing wrong for me and delivers a sibilance-free experience. The bass is tactile and has a slight boom when compared to big boy iems, but still a good set.
No complaints. Very difficult to condemn this iem in any regard. A very safe choice I would say.
Why it doesn’t make it to the big boy finale is that it’s a jack of all and master of none. It lets me choose where I want to pay my attention to and offers lows, mids and highs in a clean, balanced manner. Nothing pops instantaneously. Nothing stands out(to me). Nothing offends me either. It’s the presence of other iems.
14) Dx320(Coax Out) →D16 → Mystic 8
It sounded balanced to me. It had good bass. With the rest of the iems I am eyeing, the technicalities felt a little lacklustre.
Wouldn’t be able to comment if it fits the bill, as ‘Prerogatives’ were different.
15) Dx320(Coax Out) →D16 →VE10
Definitely another ‘Big Boy iem’. I was pleasantly surprised at how effortlessly it juggled through all the instruments and the vocals. Fit was nice, and I liked the way it looked as well.
Build quality was totl, but the tuning sounded more balanced. I found another VE iem to take to the big boy duel, which had more tricks up its sleeve. So that’s why it will also be a spectator to the big boy duel.
Also, two brands where I can’t say I identify their house sound or timbre are VE and Noble. They don’t have a peculiar signature/timbre for me. Their iems just sound timbreally neutral. Like they don’t put a house sound flavour IMO to their iems and try to stay faithful to the sound.
16) Dx320(Coax Out) →D16 → IE900
Definitely bang for the buck iem. Great bass, good vocals. Good technicalities for the price. The deal breaker was the fit. Small iems don’t fit me well. If I want to doze off to sleep, I can wear them whilst lying down, but not otherwise. Overall, it lives up to its U-shaped tuning and delivers great value for money.
17) Dx320(Coax Out) →D16 → Softears RS10
The most natural mids and treble. It has that quality of making you believe that this is the actual recording. This is how music should sound. I had heard it for like a minute last year and eventually bought Cerberus. Cerberus has much better/more bass than RS10. With the big boys around, this doesn’t stand a chance this time because of the anaemic bass. The lower rumble and mid bass were lost in the mix.
The mids and treble are big boy level, though. Technicalities, I can’t remember much now, but mids and treble were clean, natural and vivid. No harshness, no sibilance.
Still, hoping for an RS10 super bass edition from Softears.
18) Dx320(Coax Out) →D16 → 64 Audio Fourte
Big boy technicalities, but brighterfor my liking. 64 audio iems don’t fit me really well due to their smaller signature and less groovy shells.
I won’t complain about it, just the tuning wasn’t to my liking. Also, another brand where I can’t infer a house timbre. It’s dead neutral, timbre-wise. No house sound is perceived.
19) Dx320(Coax Out) →D16 → FATfreq – Maestro mini Universals
There was no harshness, but the bass left me asking for a little more. Don’t remember much, but inoffensive iem. Dark sounding and easy to listen to.
20) Dx320(Coax Out) →D16 → Scarlett Mini Universals
Big boy bass on a budget. Doesn’t have totl technicalities but the bass, so good. I intend to buy this one as my budget daily driver. It nails my target curve. Maybe a little more detail in the highs and wider soundstage would be nice, but it does bass so well that I can’t take my hands off it.
A Basshead iem with zero sibilance and total value for money proposition if you can let go of a little soundstage. A better soundstage can definitely be found in other options in this price range. Two thumbs up. Great iem. This will get a front row seat to the big boy competition.
21) Dx320(Coax Out) →D16 → Noble Audio Sultan
Sounded like a balanced tuning to my ears. Equal amounts of bass, treble and slightly recessed mids, but mostly enjoyable throughout. Technicalities are one notch below Onyx, but it retained the sound fidelity overall.
22) Dx320(Coax Out) →D16 → Noble Audio Kublai Khan
So the reason this didn’t reach the ‘Big Boy Duel’ is the price. I believe this is my subconscious bias because noble onyx is pricier. If I talk about tonality, then this is what I want. This is what’s gonna be my noble audio pick.
I hate to admit it, with the smoothness in the highs of Kublai Khan I also had to let go of the details the onyx had.
With Khan, I know for sure it won’t get fatiguing for me and with Onyx, I know for sure I will eq after a while to alienate the treble.
I tend to go for more bass as I delve deeper into my listening sessions. Still, I think my bias towards Onyx being the flagship made me choose to give more time to Onyx, but Khan, in all honesty, is also a ‘Kick-Derriere Big Boy’ and was not invited to the finals due to malicious meddling.
23) Dx320(Coax Out) →D16 → VE EXT MK2
Mr. Karan Soni insisted that I listen to this iem and I would have regretted it so much if I didn’t try it.
First thing – Fit is custom-made for me. It sits as if matched to the atomic level for my ears. Even if I am not listening to music, wearing Clara and EXT MK2 is a feeling in itself. The craftsmanship in fashioning such a great fit immediately catapulted to the battle of the big boys.
Tuning-wise wise it was smoother than EXT 10 and had a better fit. The fit on EXT MK2 and Clara is in a league of their own. No other iems match my preference in this aspect.
The sound? – Very neutral timbre. I won't be able to tell a VE iem from a Noble audio iem. It had great bass, pristine, vivid vocals. Non-sibilant treble and everything you could ask for and then some.
24) Dx320(Coax Out) →D16 → Noble Audio Shogun/Viking Ragnar
Both these iems were brighter than onyx, so I didn’t fancy them much. Ragnar seemed to be better at handling busy tracks, or say our test track. Shogun sounded a bit more energetic than Ragnar. Ragnar again was totl sounding, iem out of the tw,o I like Ragnar better for its darker background and handling of busy tracks with more authority.
I loved the shogun’s looks, though. Looks like royalty.
I wanted to try Noble Audio’s Rex5 as well, but time was against us.
25) Dx320(Coax Out) →D16 → Softears Enigma
Don’t remember much about this iem, but it didn’t make it to the finale as everything was a notch below the asking proficiency.
Better luck next time. J
26) Chord Dave → Focal Utopia 2022
I have tried the Focal Clear OG(Silver one) before and didn’t fancy the overall sound. The same goes for Utopia. It didn’t feel as natural as Caldera or as bassy as the Empyrean 2. I didn’t like maybe the timbre, but it wasn’t flawed or anything, but just didn’t sound like a 4000 headphone to me.
Won’t be able to comment on Chord Dave as no clue how it would sound with other transducers, so no baseline.
So, after trying all this gear, some folks who wanted to try the Penon Rival also auditioned it with us.
1) Sai Kiran from the HPZ team – After listening to Rival, the gentleman stood bamboozled for a minute and kept listening. When he removed the iems he said he didn’t find any flaw and everything is just perfect.
2) (forgetting the name) – Another gentleman, tried Rival with us for the whole time I was conducting the ‘Big Boy Finale’. He often opined Rival was perfection. He asked me to download this track for him - https://music.apple.com/in/album/kill-jill-feat-killer-mike-jeezy/1712187306?i=1712187309 and went on to listen to this track on repeat.
3) Abhaydir – He instantly loved how the lacquered 4W Penon Totem Ultra feels and looks. His impressions of the sound are smooth-sounding with a big soundstage.
4) Kashyap Doulani – My AG mate had these notes based on his first listen to Rival.
-Heavy cable and a tad difficult to manage
-Dark background
-Better extensions
-Treble smoothed out a bit. I prefer the PW audio (stock) more in that regard.
-Wide & Deep Soundstage
DX340 VS D16 Vs SP300t
I should have paired PB5 with SP3000T. It lacked amplification and didn’t sound as dynamic as others. I felt it was less smooth than the other two. Still totl sound, but I attended more to the other two.
Dx340 is a tad brighter than D16. D16 may have a slightly wider soundstage. Overall, I will say D16 is 100 and Dx340 is 95 to my liking, and with the DC power mode on, it should easily surpass D16.
I feel that both the D16 and the Dx340 are very close otherwise, and it’s hard to tell on a blind test. Having one of the two makes a lot of sense, but acquiring both doesn’t make sense to me. I might switch from D16+PB5 to Dx340+amp cards. Eagerly waiting for AMP17 and AMP18.
Big Boy Finale
Who are the Big Boys?
If an alien race asks me to send them the very best iems mankind has ever made, I would send them these big boy IEMS to showcase how much sound fidelity and overall sonic experience humans can derive from recorded audio files.
Listening to these iems is an experience that brings tears of joy to my eyes.
There are two other Hybrids which would have bettered these iems objectively, I believe, but their soundstage is so big and their overall sound is too engaging for me. Yes, too engaging. There needs to be a separate category as they don’t sound like iems anymore but like hybrids between iems and headphones. AME Mousa & Rhapsodio V3. V3 is more of a demon than Mousa is, but Mousa is smoother than V3, so gets my preference. Mousa – Best bass on the planet, but treble not for my endgame smooth sound.
So I have conveniently reduced my dilemma and deem this as a competition where iems sound like iems. Will do a “Hybrid IEM comparison when I find a smoother tuning”
Honorary mention: Craftears Omnium is one of my all-time favourite iems and it would have been a part of this comparison, but it got bettered by Rival in every way. What it does for me, Rival does it on steroids. Still, it’s an old flame that will always live in my heart.
The top 4 contenders are
CFA Clara
VE EXT MK2
Penon Rival
Noble Audio Onyx
Nostalgia Audio Camelot
Here is the breakdown:
Looks: I couldn’t care less about the looks and only looking for the best fit and sound. Objectively, I think Clara wins the beauty pageant and Rival in the last.
Fit: Clara and EXT MK2 run circles around others in this regard, for me. They are hands down the best fitting iems I have put on my ears, and I am not exaggerating when I say there would be times when I would be wearing either of the two for hours without playing any music and doing the chore I otherwise need to attend to. The other 3 also provide a good seal but not as customy as the Clara and the EXT MK2 two.
Lows: Clara is the one I will pick as the most bass-head rendition out of the 4 because it’s all about the bass kind of mix. The tonality suits a smoother preference, and the bass is not as controlled as others, and relatively has some boom in comparison. The other three focus more on precision and control. Rival at 10 o'clock bass dial is very close to Clara, minus the CA timbre and more detailed and extended highs.
EXT Mk2 again had flawless bass, controlled yet meaty. I don’t remember much about the EXT MK2’s lows, but all I remember is there was no issue with them.
Noble leaned more towards control, no boom whatsoever. It feels like the lows are being delivered with unmatched punch and control. Totl mid-bass and sub-bass rumble on Onyx. Rival sounds a lot like Onyx at 12 o’clock bass dial.
NA Camelot had the best of both worlds kind of bass. It sounds like a sweet spot between control and quantity. Rival sounds like Camelot at 2 o'clock. Like a lot.
Mids: My instantaneous attention goes to Camelot. When I turned the music on and the rap from 10 to 15 seconds in the beginning felt so emphatic. It’s like there is a separate amplifier inside the IEM for mids. They have the most amount of authority among all of the Big Boy Iems.
Rival when tuned at 2 o'clock. I wasn’t able to pass a blind test. That’s how close they were.
VE EXT 2 Mids – don’t remember much in particular. I was just too enamoured with the fit. But surely totl vocals for sure.
Noble Audio onyx – Vocals, as a nitpick, wasn’t as natural as others. A tad less forward in the mix than others.
CFA Clara – has this CA timbered that I fancy a lot. I can listen to this tuning and timbre all day long.
Rival has this Penon house timbre, which adds a very subtle nasal tinge to the vocals that makes the vocals sound truly melodic.
Highs: Rival runs circles around the competition here. The treble on the Rival is smooth, full of detail and second to none. I have listened to it for hours while fiddling with the bass dial as well, and it's never sibilant or harsh. I need this in my endgame.
Noble Audio Onyx and Camelot would be two iems that would be the most bright out of these 5, and I like them so much that I won't change their tuning at all. I love them the way they are and still opt for them when I want a more energetic listen.
Clara’s treble may have had some peaks here and there, but it largely felt smoother than the Onyx and Camelot.
VE EXT MK2 – don’t remember much, but it was non-intrusive. No sibilance, otherwise it would not have made the list.
Technicalities: Noble Audio Onyx comes to mind because I felt it had the best imaging, which portrayed the cymbals and drums at 7sec to 11sec better than any other iems.
I haven’t found a bass dial setting that I would say is close to Onyx on the Rival, but in general, bass dial at 2 o'clock is a close clone.
Clara has a big, nice soundstage, but is not great at championing a dark background like others. It has this warmth written all over the sound field that has this grainy, smooth texture to everything.
VE EXT MK2 – don’t remember much, but everything totl.
Camelot is no slouch either. It is second to none here. Very clean sounding and pitch black dark background.
Rival – (disclaimer – it's a love at first sight) – So Rival has this option of offering me Clara, Camelot, and hundreds of other combinations running circles in technicalities around every other iem if we include versatility.
I adore the feature of starting my listening session at 2 o'clock. After an hour, I dial it up to 12 o'clock. And after another hour, maybe 10 or 9 o’clock, depending on my preference.
I will discuss this feature in detail in a detailed review for Rival.
Result: I am rocking a monarch MK3 at the moment and waiting for Omnium Ti’s release. After listening to Omnium Ti, Duality & Annihilator 2023, I will make up my mind.
If you have reached this far, I thank you for reading and offering my views your valuable time.
I would like to thank AudioGeeks and Headphonezone for this opportunity to gain so much exposure in the hobby. Without AG, I don’t think I would have ever delved into the hobby as much as I do now. Blessed to be around such fun folks at AG, I am enjoying my journey in the hobby thoroughly while having fun with like-minded people.
Ciao
Only one limitation I could see if the source pairings with different gears, while DX320 -> D16 is no slouch, but its not necessary that all the iems/hps will have synergy with this stack, nevertheless great work you did there
FreeWheelinAudioLuv2
Headphoneus Supremus
The Legion shell is massive, but it's contoured in such a way and weighted in such a way, that I even went to sleep with them on. Did not bother me. Now I do have big ears, but regardless, yes, they are BIG, but again, contoured in such a way that I really did not get any discomfort from wearing them for long sessions.
Rich comments! Nautilus and Phantom SE are the ones that seem to have been left out in this sea of launches and hypes...
FreeWheelinAudioLuv2
Headphoneus Supremus
@jbfps116 has the Jomo Nautilus, and we have very similar tastes, and he loves his, so describing it as fast, clear, bright , and technical speaks my language fluently, but it came in at $800.00, and at the time it became available, I took the dive on the similarly priced ISN EBC80. I wanted EST drivers with BCD, and the EBC80 has that. No regrets. The Jomo has micro planar drivers for the highs, and I already have the DUNU DK3001BD, which has that same driver set up, but Nautilus still remains intriguing, and something I plan on hitting at Can Jam.
There is a steal deal going on on Musicteck that I do not know if anybody is aware of, because if they were, it should have been sold out by now:
Timsok TS-316 for a freaking $399!!
I have recently borrowed @gadgetgod 's unit a few days ago, and since then I was so freaking amazed by it that I bought it off him (thank you @gadgetgod for being generous enough to let it go.) I have paired the Verus Audio Magni C4 cable with it and it has been absolutely rocking my world.
This is like the very example of how versatile and yet efficient a single dynamic driver iem can be. All the frequencies are playing in a field that is both exciting and refined. It is not specialist iem; it is a Jack Of All Trades who knows its purpose and tolerance and makes the most out of them.
I love a deep and robust bass. TS-316's bass goes deep and hits with a nice slam, and yet feels very deftly controlled. I can notice the bass is not as full and robust like my other sets, but nevertheless I can feel the fun and emotion just right. This is for sure a first experience for me.
The midrange is quite fine - notes feel sufficiently bodied and have a distinct presence with ample energy. What immediately got me hooked is the rather three-dimensional presence of the notes that makes the midrange come alive even more!
The treble feels so wonderful - energetic and extended with the right dips and the right peaks. I can enjoy this section to my heart's content without being afraid of sibilance. It is quite evenly energised and has an excellent airy feel - making the whole experience ethereal and refined.
The soundstage is sufficiently expanded in the width and depth, but feels above average in height. But honestly, it is more than enough for me.
The original price of $599 was definitely justified, but at the current $399 price it is absolutely a no-brainer deal. This is one iem that is a nice palette cleanser and can act as a reference point for a variety of tastes. Like the LOAK2-TX01, it is never leaving my collection. The perfect pocket carry for me - knowing it will never fail me (Sorry @gadgetgod you are not getting it back.)
Timsok TS-316 for a freaking $399!!
I have recently borrowed @gadgetgod 's unit a few days ago, and since then I was so freaking amazed by it that I bought it off him (thank you @gadgetgod for being generous enough to let it go.) I have paired the Verus Audio Magni C4 cable with it and it has been absolutely rocking my world.
This is like the very example of how versatile and yet efficient a single dynamic driver iem can be. All the frequencies are playing in a field that is both exciting and refined. It is not specialist iem; it is a Jack Of All Trades who knows its purpose and tolerance and makes the most out of them.
I love a deep and robust bass. TS-316's bass goes deep and hits with a nice slam, and yet feels very deftly controlled. I can notice the bass is not as full and robust like my other sets, but nevertheless I can feel the fun and emotion just right. This is for sure a first experience for me.
The midrange is quite fine - notes feel sufficiently bodied and have a distinct presence with ample energy. What immediately got me hooked is the rather three-dimensional presence of the notes that makes the midrange come alive even more!
The treble feels so wonderful - energetic and extended with the right dips and the right peaks. I can enjoy this section to my heart's content without being afraid of sibilance. It is quite evenly energised and has an excellent airy feel - making the whole experience ethereal and refined.
The soundstage is sufficiently expanded in the width and depth, but feels above average in height. But honestly, it is more than enough for me.
The original price of $599 was definitely justified, but at the current $399 price it is absolutely a no-brainer deal. This is one iem that is a nice palette cleanser and can act as a reference point for a variety of tastes. Like the LOAK2-TX01, it is never leaving my collection. The perfect pocket carry for me - knowing it will never fail me (Sorry @gadgetgod you are not getting it back.)
F700
Headphoneus Supremus
Nice case anywayNope. It’s the case I got with my sp3kt.
Great impressions. Phantom SE is arriving soon and I hope that I have the same thoughts as you since I've owned all the IEMs in your list above apart from the Phantom and the Ra.
For anyone wanting to support a great guy and engineer:
I just found this on AliExpress: NOK4,405.50 | RUVIEST Prelude 1 Dynamic + 6 Balanced Armature Hybrid HIFI In–Ear Monitor
https://a.aliexpress.com/_EJX7uNe
If you follow his AliEx store and add a AliEx sales coupon price dips below 270 euros. I am certain this is a steal for what we will get
I just found this on AliExpress: NOK4,405.50 | RUVIEST Prelude 1 Dynamic + 6 Balanced Armature Hybrid HIFI In–Ear Monitor
https://a.aliexpress.com/_EJX7uNe
If you follow his AliEx store and add a AliEx sales coupon price dips below 270 euros. I am certain this is a steal for what we will get
cagix
100+ Head-Fier
Yes i have it on dc elite. On fiios m11 isnt function. But on elite is like straight from bass to highs without thickening overpowered. It is only iem i listen that dont sound blured, blunted against cantor. For better tech from it is better neutral source for sure. What is to me most surprising is with cantor you know details will be there basicaly you know it. With ts 316 is like you dont but there ares layering after layering when you listen more. But to me it isnt easy iem to give that presentation for first source you try it is iem that need finding your and then game begins.There is a steal deal going on on Musicteck that I do not know if anybody is aware of, because if they were, it should have been sold out by now:
Timsok TS-316 for a freaking $399!!
I have recently borrowed @gadgetgod 's unit a few days ago, and since then I was so freaking amazed by it that I bought it off him (thank you @gadgetgod for being generous enough to let it go.) I have paired the Verus Audio Magni C4 cable with it and it has been absolutely rocking my world.
This is like the very example of how versatile and yet efficient a single dynamic driver iem can be. All the frequencies are playing in a field that is both exciting and refined. It is not specialist iem; it is a Jack Of All Trades who knows its purpose and tolerance and makes the most out of them.
I love a deep and robust bass. TS-316's bass goes deep and hits with a nice slam, and yet feels very deftly controlled. I can notice the bass is not as full and robust like my other sets, but nevertheless I can feel the fun and emotion just right. This is for sure a first experience for me.
The midrange is quite fine - notes feel sufficiently bodied and have a distinct presence with ample energy. What immediately got me hooked is the rather three-dimensional presence of the notes that makes the midrange come alive even more!
The treble feels so wonderful - energetic and extended with the right dips and the right peaks. I can enjoy this section to my heart's content without being afraid of sibilance. It is quite evenly energised and has an excellent airy feel - making the whole experience ethereal and refined.
The soundstage is sufficiently expanded in the width and depth, but feels above average in height. But honestly, it is more than enough for me.
The original price of $599 was definitely justified, but at the current $399 price it is absolutely a no-brainer deal. This is one iem that is a nice palette cleanser and can act as a reference point for a variety of tastes. Like the LOAK2-TX01, it is never leaving my collection. The perfect pocket carry for me - knowing it will never fail me (Sorry @gadgetgod you are not getting it back.)
For the folks who do not know, RUVIEST Prelude is made by the tuner/creator from AüR Audio. He has had this brand in mind for along time, as his own without the co owner from AüR. Not here to make drama, but folks who probably know it has been some problems at times due to him.For anyone wanting to support a great guy and engineer:
I just found this on AliExpress: NOK4,405.50 | RUVIEST Prelude 1 Dynamic + 6 Balanced Armature Hybrid HIFI In–Ear Monitor
https://a.aliexpress.com/_EJX7uNe
If you follow his AliEx store and add a AliEx sales coupon price dips below 270 euros. I am certain this is a steal for what we will get
It is about to be sold out from first batch, I think its more than just me who was excited for him to start something away from AüR.
There is a steal deal going on on Musicteck that I do not know if anybody is aware of, because if they were, it should have been sold out by now:
Timsok TS-316 for a freaking $399!!
I have recently borrowed @gadgetgod 's unit a few days ago, and since then I was so freaking amazed by it that I bought it off him (thank you @gadgetgod for being generous enough to let it go.) I have paired the Verus Audio Magni C4 cable with it and it has been absolutely rocking my world.
This is like the very example of how versatile and yet efficient a single dynamic driver iem can be. All the frequencies are playing in a field that is both exciting and refined. It is not specialist iem; it is a Jack Of All Trades who knows its purpose and tolerance and makes the most out of them.
I love a deep and robust bass. TS-316's bass goes deep and hits with a nice slam, and yet feels very deftly controlled. I can notice the bass is not as full and robust like my other sets, but nevertheless I can feel the fun and emotion just right. This is for sure a first experience for me.
The midrange is quite fine - notes feel sufficiently bodied and have a distinct presence with ample energy. What immediately got me hooked is the rather three-dimensional presence of the notes that makes the midrange come alive even more!
The treble feels so wonderful - energetic and extended with the right dips and the right peaks. I can enjoy this section to my heart's content without being afraid of sibilance. It is quite evenly energised and has an excellent airy feel - making the whole experience ethereal and refined.
The soundstage is sufficiently expanded in the width and depth, but feels above average in height. But honestly, it is more than enough for me.
The original price of $599 was definitely justified, but at the current $399 price it is absolutely a no-brainer deal. This is one iem that is a nice palette cleanser and can act as a reference point for a variety of tastes. Like the LOAK2-TX01, it is never leaving my collection. The perfect pocket carry for me - knowing it will never fail me (Sorry @gadgetgod you are not getting it back.)
This is such a great single DD, one of the better ones in its price range. Nice to see you finally hear it, I do think we have talked in private before about it
Next you should try the Letshuoer DX1 once its available, more neutral tuned than TS-316. But awesome new budget champion, I belive the price will be around $169. But price is just wrong, if from a different brand it could have been sold for much more. 
Nice to see some good old friends featuring in Noble's CanJam Singapore vid!
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/noble-audio-the-wizard-returns.684787/page-2496#post-18661441
drftr
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/noble-audio-the-wizard-returns.684787/page-2496#post-18661441
drftr
