Usually I don't talk about source pairing but I feel that for acoustune 16xx stuff it does make a difference. With the "correct" source the 16xx series Acoustunes can have incredible texture at the bass. The 1655 well suited for lower volume listening in my experience with it. The boosted low end means I don't have to increase the volume much.
Was comparing side by side with the m9 but decided to go for the 1655 as i already have the m7. But the detail, separation and imaging was exceptional on the m9. But maybe the slightly recessed midrange made it a tad dull and maybe the dynamics that toranku mentioned in his review?
Toranku are there any other iem's that are very detailed, with good separation and imaging qualities (that are not lean), slighlty warm like the m9 but with more excitement? But I'm not sure it seems the more you listen to it the more you enjoy it...it seems like those earphones that don't immediately grab you but you will appreciate it with time.....
That's what I feel about M9 - it doesn't impress immediately but over time I appreciate it more and more for what it is.
Detailed, good separation and imaging qualities but with a slight warm tone like M9 but with more excitement...if I could think of one I'd already have bought one lol! Still chasing the dragon that does not exist...yet?!
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Noble Audio has been involved in CIEM manufacturing for a while now & are best known for their incredibly beautiful "Wizard" designs. They have seen success with their most popular model "Noble Kaiser 10 (K10)" back in the days.
Savant 2 14 March 2020
Low resolution, hazy, plasticky/boxy sounding bass due to upperbass hump. Lower treble is dipped and does not help. Diffuse sounding presentation where the image is stretched but remains unfocused.
Tux5 14 March 2020
Noble's response to people who wanted more bass out of the Khan. In typical Noble fashion, imaging is rather diffuse. It is V-shaped with the recession at the uppermids. Uppermids are suppressed here & are hazy and undefined. Bass sees a big, warm boost that digs deep but lacks control. Phat bass notes. Treble is quite...interesting. Due to its recession at the uppermids/lower treble, cymbals seem to focus more on mid and upper treble presence. Its a little undefined sounding since the low treble is dipped.
Overall, okay effort from Noble. Not the worst.
Kaiser Encore 14 March 2020
Noble's release that put them on the roadmap. Overall tone is hard to describe with whatever shape.. The Encore's vocals come off brighter leaning but the timbre is quite plasticky and lacks naturalness. Bass is more mid-upper bass focused with a subbass roll off. Same plasticky, weightless bass with noble BA bass. Treble is quite odd here - a bit dipped in lower treble but spikes up in the midtreble so the treble can sound suddenly forward in certain tracks. But honestly this one sounds okay as a whole. The overall presentation works if you're into something like that.
Katana 14 March 2020
Similar to the Kaiser Encore. More diffuse, less bright sounding than Kaiser Encore but they share similar characteristics. This one is more tonally accurate IMO but vocals can sound just a tad nasal. I'd describe this one as more midforward than the Encore. Bass also seems to have a smidgen more quantity as well.
Khan 14 March 2020
The most un-Noble sounding Noble. It's a completely different take from what I am used to hearing from the brand. Most technical sounding of the lot with great separation. However very thin sounding. I'd go as far as to say the midbass is recessed. There's more subbass rumble to try to balance it out. Vocal range is thin, nasal and shrill. The uppermidrange sounds suppressed but not suppressed at the same time. Schrodinger's Upper Midrange. But I've to say that the treble is at the biggest fault here as it is dipped at the lower treble but has a big midtreble and upper treble spike. Very lean and thin sounding cymbal reproduction. It is a very colored sounding monitor that sounds too clean and sterile due to it's lack of warmth in the lower midrange. A confusing listen but at least it is nice to see a fresh take in sound compared to the rest of the lineup. To me it trades too much tonal balance in the pursuit of technical ability.
Sultan 15 Aug 2020
Warm, low mid bloated, almost smeared. Rolls off into the subbass and upper treble. Sound is intimate and technical chops are only average. Hard pass.
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Usually I don't talk about source pairing but I feel that for acoustune 16xx stuff it does make a difference. With the "correct" source the 16xx series Acoustunes can have incredible texture at the bass. The 1655 well suited for lower volume listening in my experience with it. The boosted low end means I don't have to increase the volume much.
That's what I feel about M9 - it doesn't impress immediately but over time I appreciate it more and more for what it is.
Detailed, good separation and imaging qualities but with a slight warm tone like M9 but with more excitement...if I could think of one I'd already have bought one lol! Still chasing the dragon that does not exist...yet?!
Or maybe 1670ss? A lot of people has compared it with andromeda, which the m9 has also been compared to also due to similarities between those iem's...
Or maybe 1670ss? A lot of people has compared it with andromeda, which the m9 has also been compared to also due to similarities between those iem's...
Of the Acoustunes, I found the 1695Ti to be way more worthwhile than the 1670SS. It still has the upper midrange slightly too forward, but the treble quality and control are much better, with slower bass decay and improved timbre across the board
Or maybe 1670ss? A lot of people has compared it with andromeda, which the m9 has also been compared to also due to similarities between those iem's...
I did experiment EQ with M9. Dialed down the mid-upper bass closer to my target curve. Resulted in less warmth but I felt that the bass did not improve in terms of dynamics. Great natural tone otherwise.
1670 is quite shrill to my ears. I'd describe it as an exaggeration of the acoustune house sound where the boosted uppermids are now taken a notch further. Quite intense for me.
Favourite would be the 1695 but I do know that the typical DD 5.5khz treble peak kills some of my friends. Waiting on the 2xxx next gen acoustunes..
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I did experiment EQ with M9. Dialed down the mid-upper bass closer to my target curve. Resulted in less warmth but I felt that the bass did not improve in terms of dynamics. Great natural tone otherwise.
1670 is quite shrill to my ears. I'd describe it as an exaggeration of the acoustune house sound where the boosted uppermids are now taken a notch further. Quite intense for me.
Favourite would be the 1695 but I do know that the typical DD 5.5khz treble peak kills some of my friends. Waiting on the 2xxx next gen acoustunes..
I enjoyed the 1695 too but only had a brief listen but chose the 1655 in the end as i got it for a good price and i wanted slightly more bass. But yeah, the 1695 had great clarity and details. But i didnt compare it side by side with the m9 so i forgot how they compares to each other...
Yes, i did. Very good clarity and details with slightly more forward vocals than the 1655 but not overly done. Less bass than the 1655 and good treble energy without sounding shrill.
Having demoed the Khan and Kantana, your interpretations I feel are accurate. Loved the part where you use the adjective “Sterile” describing the Khan, and pointing out that the tune is sacrificing tonal balance in it’s reach for technicalities.
For me the biggest surprise was the Khan thin areas making way for more detail, at the expense of soul? I just summed it up to not liking the midrange, and knew right away.
I own and I really love the Encore despite it’s lack of realism. Your review is exactly what it is; reconfirming the Encore’s use of artistic freedom.
Thought of replacing M9 with VX for my daily listening... but, now listening to my speaker setup, M9 is the one closest to the sound, not even Z1R.. also remember the sound of orchestra in a studio-like venue (smallish, damped), and sound of M9 is closest.. but not really close also, just the closest
@toranku Bought the ER2XR on your review. Sounds like a narrower M9 to me, would you agree? Wish Ety had better eartips, but really impressed with their entry-level pricing.
@toranku Bought the ER2XR on your review. Sounds like a narrower M9 to me, would you agree? Wish Ety had better eartips, but really impressed with their entry-level pricing.
I love ER2XR's bass response. So clean and completely rid of bloat IMO. M9 does sound "dirtier" with the boosted upperbass response that induces more warmth to my ears as well. The Ety I love best
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I love ER2XR's bass response. So clean and completely rid of bloat IMO. M9 does sound "dirtier" with the boosted upperbass response that induces more warmth to my ears as well. The Ety I love best
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