I mean the one at 3:44, the zing is at 3:45 and then later at 3:50 and there are a few more. It's kind of a slow zing XD
THIEAUDIO ELIXIR UNIVERSAL IN EAR
- Thread starter Redcarmoose
- Start date
Redcarmoose
Headphoneus Supremus
Day 2.
Thick yet having all the details. I switched to the Sony 1A which offers a more midcentric style of response over the 1Z. Also I went back to the stock cable. While 4.4mm does access a slightly more vivid amp from both players, yesterday I found 3.5mm as well as using the included cable to be nice. So upon revisiting it does seem like a little burn-in seemed to help. I’m at about 24 hours of burn-in still looking probably for a full 100, just to be on the safe side.
Somehow this IEM draws you into music that contains more reverb. It of course could be that it does decays well.........so you look for them? Often the decay can be found holding up it’s vary own section of the soundstage. Obviously this in not exactly true but the Elixir is finding the instruments and taking them there. Meaning that probably the most fun is finding the new renditions of songs you already know, but simply learning what the Elixir’s version of them could be. Everything sounds upright and correct, no off timbre or off instrument tone, despite the slight darkness abound.
I have also found this IEM to be very forgiving of file quality. Of my three styles of IEMs.....Finicky, Bad or Great. This fall into the well rounded great section. Which basically means it runs well off all sources, plays all genres well and is well mannered. There will always be the subjective decision, of if it is correct or not.
With that said there really is not a lot wrong here? The slight smearing and loss of clarity in busy passages is amazingly gone from yesterday. Probably the best judge of this is other IEMs. Meaning I’m simply at basic comparisons at this point, though another IEM arrived with the Elixir. Hidizs Mermaid MM2 ends-up being the only thing I have been listening to besides the Elixir. The Hidizs Mermaid MM2 is only a $79 USD IEM but is in a way a great contrast to the Elixir. Of course 100% of the members would rather me do comparisons up-sale. And that is the goal, to find out just how close the Elixir comes to bettering the older pack of IEMs.
I will say this......there is nothing out-there that sounds exactly like the Elixir. Why?
It has this phenomenon going on. It has a deep wide soundstage that utilizes this well done lower midrange. That and a deep profound bass that with what is offered in the midrange and treble makes it incredibly bombastic. That’s really the word that fits it’s personality. That bass just keeps on giving and never gives up. Probably the ultimate sub bass is actually the real kicker hear. And you actually have to search out music that has those lower lowest of subterranean frequencies. They are not always found in daily listening. The fact that wide placement of piano keys also follows this wild bombastic tale too. So far my favorite 2 albums have been Hans Zimmer & Junkie XL: Batman vs Superman and Within Temptation “The Silent Force” ........both big on atmosphere and decay. Also really good bass. In ending........basically the instrument placement (imaging) and the fullness that makes all this so exciting. The way the strings sit on the outside of the soundstage, that and hearing the very few super low sub drops every once in a while.
So it’s likable due to a very generalized bombastic middle-of-the-road style....but at the same time offers nice excitement. Probably it just boils down to bass and soundstage for me, that and imaging? The fact that it draws you in and takes you away!
Thick yet having all the details. I switched to the Sony 1A which offers a more midcentric style of response over the 1Z. Also I went back to the stock cable. While 4.4mm does access a slightly more vivid amp from both players, yesterday I found 3.5mm as well as using the included cable to be nice. So upon revisiting it does seem like a little burn-in seemed to help. I’m at about 24 hours of burn-in still looking probably for a full 100, just to be on the safe side.
Somehow this IEM draws you into music that contains more reverb. It of course could be that it does decays well.........so you look for them? Often the decay can be found holding up it’s vary own section of the soundstage. Obviously this in not exactly true but the Elixir is finding the instruments and taking them there. Meaning that probably the most fun is finding the new renditions of songs you already know, but simply learning what the Elixir’s version of them could be. Everything sounds upright and correct, no off timbre or off instrument tone, despite the slight darkness abound.
I have also found this IEM to be very forgiving of file quality. Of my three styles of IEMs.....Finicky, Bad or Great. This fall into the well rounded great section. Which basically means it runs well off all sources, plays all genres well and is well mannered. There will always be the subjective decision, of if it is correct or not.
With that said there really is not a lot wrong here? The slight smearing and loss of clarity in busy passages is amazingly gone from yesterday. Probably the best judge of this is other IEMs. Meaning I’m simply at basic comparisons at this point, though another IEM arrived with the Elixir. Hidizs Mermaid MM2 ends-up being the only thing I have been listening to besides the Elixir. The Hidizs Mermaid MM2 is only a $79 USD IEM but is in a way a great contrast to the Elixir. Of course 100% of the members would rather me do comparisons up-sale. And that is the goal, to find out just how close the Elixir comes to bettering the older pack of IEMs.
I will say this......there is nothing out-there that sounds exactly like the Elixir. Why?
It has this phenomenon going on. It has a deep wide soundstage that utilizes this well done lower midrange. That and a deep profound bass that with what is offered in the midrange and treble makes it incredibly bombastic. That’s really the word that fits it’s personality. That bass just keeps on giving and never gives up. Probably the ultimate sub bass is actually the real kicker hear. And you actually have to search out music that has those lower lowest of subterranean frequencies. They are not always found in daily listening. The fact that wide placement of piano keys also follows this wild bombastic tale too. So far my favorite 2 albums have been Hans Zimmer & Junkie XL: Batman vs Superman and Within Temptation “The Silent Force” ........both big on atmosphere and decay. Also really good bass. In ending........basically the instrument placement (imaging) and the fullness that makes all this so exciting. The way the strings sit on the outside of the soundstage, that and hearing the very few super low sub drops every once in a while.
So it’s likable due to a very generalized bombastic middle-of-the-road style....but at the same time offers nice excitement. Probably it just boils down to bass and soundstage for me, that and imaging? The fact that it draws you in and takes you away!
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Redcarmoose
Headphoneus Supremus
You do. You do.
Don't say I need it
olliegn
Member of the Trade: Kuba Audio (investor)
When I listened to it, I heard exactly a wobbly sound above the lows on about 3:37. It repeats every now and then.
Redcarmoose
Headphoneus Supremus
That is an incredible bass song. As well as multifaceted. I’ll look for that.
rarewolf
100+ Head-Fier
I was just trying to think of another DD IEM in this price range. Do you have access to a Kato set? I imagine it’s the one of the very few we like to see the Elixir compared with… leastwise, with respect to hype…
Redcarmoose
Headphoneus Supremus
I was think when I wrote that to include (in my experience) but then I forgot. No I haven't heard the Kato. The single DDs I have heard are.....BLON BL-01, Triptowin TC-01, DUNU Zen, Tipsy TTROMSO PineStone Sea, Tripowin Leá. But also it does not sound like any of my others ones either.
mochill
Headphoneus Supremus
So how does the bass compare to the ier z1r
Redcarmoose
Headphoneus Supremus
Elixir Prototype review:
As far as bass quantity, they are just about equal. I had to go back and forth between the two IEMs 6X as the Elixir is way more efficient. Not having a way to electronically equalize volume levels meant a big deal really. So I kinda had to lower the volume to the Elixir with a guess. This ends being not a full comparison as I only used one song that I knew really well. Probably to go to the next level comparing the two would be later to find orchestral music that is recorded well and has deeper sub-bass drops. Off the top though, I would say that the IER-Z1R bass is slightly clearer (simply sculpted), but there are way more metrics that would take a lot more time. Strangely, I thought that the Elixir would show much more contrast as far as bass decay, because that's what I hear in comparison to memory of the Z1R? But back to back they are surprisingly the same in that regard. The biggest difference has to do with the upper-end midrange and treble separation. The IER being a Hybrid, obviously exploits those common metrics into a more separated and delineated response.
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mochill
Headphoneus Supremus
Might have to buy nowAs far as bass quantity, they are just about equal. I had to go back and forth between the two IEMs 6X as the Elixir is way more efficient. Not having a way to electronically equalize volume levels meant a big deal really. So I kinda had to lower the volume to the Elixir with a guess. This ends being not a full comparison as I only used one song that I knew really well. Probably to go to the next level comparing the two would be later to find orchestral music that is recorded well and has deeper sub-bass drops. Off the top though, I would say that the IER-Z1R bass is slightly clearer (simply sculpted), but there are way more metrics that would take a lot more time. Strangely, I thought that the Elixir would show much more contrast as far as bass decay, because that's what I hear in comparison to memory of the Z1R? But back to back they are surprisingly the same in that regard. The biggest difference has to do with the upper-end midrange and treble separation. The IER being a Hybrid, obviously exploits those common metrics into a more separated and delineated response.
Redcarmoose
Headphoneus Supremus
Elixir Prototype Review:
Ok, so this is the run-down. THIEAUDIO has basically emulated the Z1R bass quantity, and how it sits in the soundstage. It doesn’t have quite the phase correctness or sculpting, but it’s fantastic for the price and what it is. The Elixir mid-range is slightly boosted in comparison to the IER-Z1R. But when driven loud that Elixir pinna gain runs the risk of sounding intense. So the Elixir does have the ability to go intense on you with too much volume and the wrong file. But that is rare and the reason I still rate the Elixir as well-rounded. The Z1R has a Hybrid array which offers a more complex treble. Stuff is found spread out farther in those upper (soundstage) regions. And interestingly the reason I thought the Elixir was slightly darker than the IER-Z1R is because of just that, the treble involvement seems to make the IER-Z1R less dark, but only a smidge. Where the Elixir is offering a style of coherence due to being a single driver. So even though there is more midrange in the Elixir and vocals normally come-off more forward, generally the IER seems less dark, but only by a little. I still need to investigate why there is a special magic going on with the Elixir low end? Maybe if you remove the upper emphasis, mental focus on that area just occurs naturally?
I really don’t study graphs as they affect my IEM interpretations. But the treble peek was pointed out to me, so I did investigate it.
I don’t hear it, it may be there, or an artifact of graphing, or the energy at 15k is so small that it’s not showing. That or my age could affect treble interpretations? So maybe a youngster could hear it, and take issue? I don’t know? As far as I’m concerned it’s a wash.
Ok, so this is the run-down. THIEAUDIO has basically emulated the Z1R bass quantity, and how it sits in the soundstage. It doesn’t have quite the phase correctness or sculpting, but it’s fantastic for the price and what it is. The Elixir mid-range is slightly boosted in comparison to the IER-Z1R. But when driven loud that Elixir pinna gain runs the risk of sounding intense. So the Elixir does have the ability to go intense on you with too much volume and the wrong file. But that is rare and the reason I still rate the Elixir as well-rounded. The Z1R has a Hybrid array which offers a more complex treble. Stuff is found spread out farther in those upper (soundstage) regions. And interestingly the reason I thought the Elixir was slightly darker than the IER-Z1R is because of just that, the treble involvement seems to make the IER-Z1R less dark, but only a smidge. Where the Elixir is offering a style of coherence due to being a single driver. So even though there is more midrange in the Elixir and vocals normally come-off more forward, generally the IER seems less dark, but only by a little. I still need to investigate why there is a special magic going on with the Elixir low end? Maybe if you remove the upper emphasis, mental focus on that area just occurs naturally?
I really don’t study graphs as they affect my IEM interpretations. But the treble peek was pointed out to me, so I did investigate it.
I don’t hear it, it may be there, or an artifact of graphing, or the energy at 15k is so small that it’s not showing. That or my age could affect treble interpretations? So maybe a youngster could hear it, and take issue? I don’t know? As far as I’m concerned it’s a wash.
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Redcarmoose
Headphoneus Supremus
Well, it’s unique in what it does and a value!Might have to buy now
Someone on discord helped me out! All good thanks!
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Redcarmoose
Headphoneus Supremus
You never posted a question in this thread, it was another?
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/the-discovery-thread.586909/post-16945065
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/the-discovery-thread.586909/post-16945065
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