[denis1976]

Not agree at all but it's okay.

For me, the (relative) average guy is the Z1r for instance. I wasn't impressed... at all. Ok, it's a decent "V"... But great lack of coherency and homogeneity (tones, drivers signatures, balance... ). To much typed for me. No offense too.

Direct confrontation with Ringo's, Supreme MK2 (perhaps the biggest soundstage I know, alone with the Fir Kr5 : only the soundstage), Infinity MK2...

Another meh boy, worse by far : the Fourte Noir... Not impressed at all and... very weird tones (human voices). Phase mismatch ?

Really, I maintain without any hesitation : FH9 = totl level, any prices, any technologies. In the way I have indicated.

But we won't agree so we might as well leave the (mellow) dispute here.

I hope to have the opportunity to listen to MMk2 soon thanks to a friend.

The statment that you made about the Fh9 in the previous thread , i have to make the same about the Z1R, are you hearing the same Z1R that i am? Probably no....

 

[DynamicEars]

The infamous dave and his FH9

 

[DaveStarWalker]

The statment that you made about the Fh9 in the previous thread , i have to make the same about the Z1R, are you hearing the same Z1R that i am? Probably no....

Probably.

Yes or no, I don't know.

The only merit I recognise for the Z1r is the physicality of the low end. And the vitality and the extension of the treble end. That's all.

But, it is too disconnected, and the mids are too recessed...

Fit and seal perfect, to be precise.

 

[DaveStarWalker]

The infamous dave and his FH9

They deserve it

Really. I am the first one to be surprised, but... Yes.

They can scale very highly. Very. It's amazing, but that's what I see everyday... Against real monsters...

I should point out that I am not a Fiio fanboy at all (on the contrary, I was quite a snob about this brand to be honest... But it was before ). I am not interested in any brand or product. I am only interested by the results.

And I am finally a crazy optimizer.

Any product. Any prices. I am only interested... by the results.

 

[denis1976]

Probably.

Yes or no, I don't know.

The only merit I recognise for the Z1r is the physicality of the low end. And the vitality and the extension of the treble end. That's all.

But, it is too disconnected, and the mids are too recessed...

Fit and seal perfect, to be precise.

Yes mids a little recessed, but if you heard the z1r with a dap/source that is up to it and thats your overall conclusion , no we dont listened to the " same" z1r

 

[DaveStarWalker]

Yes mids a little recessed, but if you heard the z1r with a dap/source that is up to it and thats your overall conclusion , no we dont listened to the " same" z1r

Good point.

So it is with a lot of others gears. Like Fh9 for instance.

Otherwise, neither of the others uiems I was listening for, need to change the dap I was using...

No permanent conclusion, but...

 

[denis1976]

Good point.

So it is with a lot of others gears. Like Fh9 for instance.

Otherwise, neither of the others uiems I was listening for, need to change the dap I was using...

No permanent conclusion, but...

Is just your opinion, is worth what is worth, just like mine....

 

[DaveStarWalker]

Is just your opinion, is worth what is worth, just like mine...

Anyway, what else but opinions here?

Sometimes we are agreed, sometimes not.

And you can't listen with the ears of others. This is especially true with uiems. Many parameters come into play, starting with the tips, the way you fit them, etc.

 

[Sharppain]

The statment that you made about the Fh9 in the previous thread , i have to make the same about the Z1R, are you hearing the same Z1R that i am? Probably no....

You see, if we discuss some unknown iem we may have a 'fight' but when we discuss iems that a recognized like benchmarks you should have a bit different approach. Yes my hearing is not yours, and guess the cable and tips are different, and the chain... So guess I hear different replay from the Z1R. But for me Z1R's bass is top TOTL and it has amazing soundstage width. The Helios is a sub-bass TOTL and great highs extension.... The MMk2 is TOTL balance, naturality, great details.
If you are interested I can share my daps and chains.

 

[Sharppain]

Probably.

Yes or no, I don't know.

The only merit I recognise for the Z1r is the physicality of the low end. And the vitality and the extension of the treble end. That's all.

But, it is too disconnected, and the mids are too recessed...

Fit and seal perfect, to be precise.

Yes, agree for the mids but with the right source the mids are brought forward.
Second, what you say for the low end, the extension in the highs and the stage width is keeping it quite a benchmark for a collection. I do not want all my iems replaying the same, just upgrading in technicalities. I am playing with different set-ups - 8 daps/dongles, 6 desk dacs, 7 desk amps....

 

[Sharppain]

Yes mids a little recessed, but if you heard the z1r with a dap/source that is up to it and thats your overall conclusion , no we dont listened to the " same" z1r

Absolutely! The Hiby RS2 makes miracle with it. And the IFI Pro iDSD is top notch source for it.

 

[emdeevee]

Good point.

So it is with a lot of others gears. Like Fh9 for instance.

Otherwise, neither of the others uiems I was listening for, need to change the dap I was using...

No permanent conclusion, but...

I see you use the canal works tips in large and I was just wondering if you have a big ear or if these are just a little small. I got a pack of medium, which is my usual tip size, but they seem a little small. They otherwise feel great and the indigo sounds great. Maybe I need to switch to large.

 

[iFi audio]

And the IFI Pro iDSD is top notch source for it.

Thank you very much, it's always a pleasure to read such posts!

 

[RIGATIO]

Subjectively the Monarchs 2 are the best for me but lets take a more objective take on them (purely on sound).

1. The tuning. One of the best if not the best tuned iems on the market. The only little drawback could be mid bass which is on a more reserved side but pairing with a warmer source (the Shanling M8 in my case) and swapping the cable can fix this "issue" to some degree.
2. Imaging. Fantastic- precise, pinpont, suggestive, the only iem/headphone ive heard that almost physically sculptures the sounds for a black background.
3. Detail. Well, its on a level of an end game, humans really dont really need more to appreciate every detail in music. There are slightly more detailed iems, like Odin for example but i would say maybe 2-3% at max.
4. Soundstage/air. Not the most spacious iems on the market but still having huge staging (bigger than the Mests or a headphones Abyss Diana for example) and a great amount of air between each instrument. Still more than enough than we honestly need to hear everything clearly.
5. Allrounder. This is a very important factor. This is the first iem that plays EVERYTHING at least very good. No trebles peaks, even with K-POP (which i dont listen, just checked out of curiosity). Mids are the most realistic and natural sounding ive heard, especially vocals. The bass can be on a basshead level when the song calls for it.

There are some 3k+ iems which are specialists in some areas but its really hard to find a real allrounder in this price category.
I love Mest Mk2 but they arent as natural in timbre and vocals as the Monarchs. And they arent as coherent and realistic.

 

[domq422]

Subjectively the Monarchs 2 are the best for me but lets take a more objective take on them (purely on sound).

1. The tuning. One of the best if not the best tuned iems on the market. The only little drawback could be mid bass which is on a more reserved side but pairing with a warmer source (the Shanling M8 in my case) and swapping the cable can fix this "issue" to some degree.
2. Imaging. Fantastic- precise, pinpont, suggestive, the only iem/headphone ive heard that almost physically sculptures the sounds for a black background.
3. Detail. Well, its on a level of an end game, humans really dont really need more to appreciate every detail in music. There are slightly more detailed iems, like Odin for example but i would say maybe 2-3% at max.
4. Soundstage/air. Not the most spacious iems on the market but still having huge staging (bigger than the Mests or a headphones Abyss Diana for example) and a great amount of air between each instrument. Still more than enough than we honestly need to hear everything clearly.
5. Allrounder. This is a very important factor. This is the first iem that plays EVERYTHING at least very good. No trebles peaks, even with K-POP (which i dont listen, just checked out of curiosity). Mids are the most realistic and natural sounding ive heard, especially vocals. The bass can be on a basshead level when the song calls for it.

There are some 3k+ iems which are specialists in some areas but its really hard to find a real allrounder in this price category.
I love Mest Mk2 but they arent as natural in timbre and vocals as the Monarchs. And they arent as coherent and realistic.

May I ask, have you ever listened to the OG Dark Magician? To me, they have mids that rival and sometimes downright beat the mids of the Monarchs. The tuning is something like a work of art with those. They're very special to my ears.