Toranku's Thoughts and Reviews (and target EQ filters!)

[Mimouille]

You tried the M9 yet? You should give it a shot if you haven't. It's one of the more forgiving, laid back monitors that perform at a higher level that I know

I tried briefly and found it good but sounding a bit tame. Maybe it's because it's not very punchy. I wonder if I couldn't get more or less the same with more punch with the Dita P71 (still a couple here in China). I liked it but could not compare both.

 

[toranku]

Hum, it is very source dependent. If you are ever around Beijing you can try to force fit mine. My Paris friends were fairly impressed when they did. I doubt they could be damaged. The main risk is more canal shape and orientation. If you force fit there is a chance on or several of the six holes could be obstructed this dramatically changing the sound.

I am having a hard time defining the SE6 sound. This is why I never reviewed it. I don't really know what to say to convey how good they are. They don't really try to impress, but I have not encountered better.

Starting from SE5 ref to ultimate to SE6, I think Grzegorz went for increasing neutrality and technical performance. The S6 retains none of the warmth of the earlier models. I isn't bright per day like my FD01, but fairly neutral, maybe a slight W. It is also not thick at all, bass and subbass have body, but there is no warmth or thickness in the mids, more focused on being delicate and clear. Highs are super extended and well defined.

In general, bad recordings might pierce your ears a bit, I think many recordings could sound better on the ref. Imaging and separation are top class, without the space being unnatural like in the Fourte. To be honest, they are hard to describe, the are super transparent to the file and source, bringing the best and worst out of them. They are not hard to drive but indeed scale quite well. For Instance with AK380SS, the imaging takes a huge bump in quality if you add a good amp.

Tonally, they seem quite close to the KEF LSX speakers I have.

In conclusion, since my other go to are the miffed FD01, and that I don't listen to my VE8 much (uncomfortable to my ears and not really my sound), I have no easy listening stuff.

Oh man, the SE6 sounds like a treat. If I ever fly to BJ I'll hit you up!

 

[toranku]

I tried briefly and found it good but sounding a bit tame. Maybe it's because it's not very punchy. I wonder if I couldn't get more or less the same with more punch with the Dita P71 (still a couple here in China). I liked it but could not compare both.

I can see where you're coming from. To some guys in my local community the M9 sounds too "dead" to them. The line between "dark and low resolution" and "laid-back but technical" is really thin. Nowadays for a non fatiguing monitor, I find myself liking a slightly warm + uppermid boosted monitor. Makes for very easy listening ime. IEMs that are too lower mid heavy (VE8, 334, JH stuff) fatigues me out faster when they are marketed to be more fatigue-free with their laid back tunings.

 

[EagleWings]

@toranku , how’s the M9 compared to the U12t. I have a U12t on loan here and I’m liking it very much for its almost neutral, but slightly laidback nature. Is the M9 as laidback/smooth as the U12t?

As for the stage, I am guessing M9's stage isn't as large and airy as the U12t.

 

[TooPoorForHiFi]

@toranku

Elysian Acoustic Labs got nothing in the Single DD & Hybrid department that is worth mentioning / good?

 

[491326]

mim looks more and more like he's out of retirement

 

[toranku]

@toranku , how’s the M9 compared to the U12t. I have a U12t on loan here and I’m liking it very much for its almost neutral, but slightly laidback nature. Is the M9 as laidback/smooth as the U12t?

As for the stage, I am guessing M9's stage isn't as large and airy as the U12t.

M9 is actually smoother than the U12T. The 12t does show peaks at the treble region. M9 next to it would sound smoother, more blunted and not as energetic. In terms of tonal balance I do prefer u12t but the upper treble peaks are a bit too much with cymbals which makes it quite intense for me (in contrast to how you find it laid-back, even!). I think you might find M9 dead and lifeness next to it, haha.

U12t does have a bigger stage too, yeah. A way I describe the M9 often is that the presentation is like a TV in front of you whereas with typical IEMs the presentation is more like a very curved TV that wraps around your ears.

@toranku

Elysian Acoustic Labs got nothing in the Single DD & Hybrid department that is worth mentioning / good?

They don't have a single DD. Their Hybrids are the Cora V2, Poseidon and Annihilator (tribrid). I do find Cora to be the weakest link within the entire lineup.

Poseidon on graph is quite similar to the Terminator V2 but doesnt have as much 2-5khz. I find that in practice, terminator strikes a better balance to compensate for the bass boost while Poseidon can be seen as muddied next to Terminator V2.

 

[Max Choiral]

@toranku

Hello,

do you have a possibility to provide some impressions on Technics EAH-TZ700?

I'm not sure if it's available right now outside Japan stores though.

 

[Levanter]

@toranku

Elysian Acoustic Labs got nothing in the Single DD & Hybrid department that is worth mentioning / good?

His Dio model won 1st place in a Foster competition in Japan few months ago. Hybrid using Fostex dynamic driver and an expensive cable which is hard to source for him...

 

[Mimouille]

mim looks more and more like he's out of retirement

People are exaggerating all the time. It's not like I bought an Aroma A100 amp with power supply, AK380SS with amp, Hum audio 4.4 to 4.4 fully balanced amp, RME Adi-2 DAC, custom tips for my JVC Fd01 and some other stuff. Cuz THAT would be insane.

 

[toranku]

@toranku

Hello,

do you have a possibility to provide some impressions on Technics EAH-TZ700?

I'm not sure if it's available right now outside Japan stores though.

Cool, never heard of this brand before. Likely will never reach Singapore, though. Owned by Panasonic, certainly interesting.

His Dio model won 1st place in a Foster competition in Japan few months ago. Hybrid using Fostex dynamic driver and an expensive cable which is hard to source for him...

The DIO is the same as the Annihilator but comes in a different cable for the unaware

People are exaggerating all the time. It's not like I bought an Aroma A100 amp with power supply, AK380SS with amp, Hum audio 4.4 to 4.4 fully balanced amp, RME Adi-2 DAC, custom tips for my JVC Fd01 and some other stuff. Cuz THAT would be insane.

Suspicious..

 

[EagleWings]

M9 is actually smoother than the U12T. The 12t does show peaks at the treble region. M9 next to it would sound smoother, more blunted and not as energetic. In terms of tonal balance I do prefer u12t but the upper treble peaks are a bit too much with cymbals which makes it quite intense for me (in contrast to how you find it laid-back, even!). I think you might find M9 dead and lifeness next to it, haha.

U12t does have a bigger stage too, yeah. A way I describe the M9 often is that the presentation is like a TV in front of you whereas with typical IEMs the presentation is more like a very curved TV that wraps around your ears.

Thanks man. Yea, for some reason I seem to be quite immune to the upper treble peaks on the U12t. Looks like the M9 wouldn’t be a bad choice either.

 

[Mimouille]

I saw you tried a bit of Canal Works stuff. I am interested in them for the sexiness factor. The 77 doesn't seem to be my type. Have more thoughts on the more neutral 72? I also saw they now have a U73 which seems interesting.

 

[Max Choiral]

I saw you tried a bit of Canal Works stuff. I am interested in them for the sexiness factor. The 77 doesn't seem to be my type. Have more thoughts on the more neutral 72? I also saw they now have a U73 which seems interesting.

For the sexiness factor, you might consider Kumitate Lab.

 

[Redcarmoose]

..........because it sound good