KuroKitsu
Headphoneus Supremus
This is my first attempt at a shootout following my forays into iem reviews about a year ago (Shoot virginity I guess). I've been mostly posting impressions on Flickenick's thread and started migrating those to reviews earlier this year. You may have noticed a couple of those make the front page, of which I was fairly surprised as I didn't consider my impressions to be close to some of the more noted members of the community.
So I've been in this hobby for about 4 years going now, and thanks to some local members I've met here and local brick & mortar Headfoneshop (of which I shill hard for GTA folks) I've been able to go through a LOT of iems, close to the entire S and A tiers on Crin's ranking (pre-clean up) for reference. I started posting impressions in August 2020 as I finally had a solid idea of what sound signature I preferred.
I have some guidelines for my reviews and shootouts as follows (Mostly my response after a couple of years of reading reviews):
No Marketing Fluff: You can find that from the manufacturer. No more having to go 3 pages before you get to the sound. Tech and design will be mentioned in line if I feel that it contributes to fit and/or sound.
No Pictures (Mostly reviews): I'm a landscape photographer, macro not so much. Again plenty of eye candy shots are available on the site. I'll most likely be breaking that rule with at least a picture for shootouts (or whenever I can make @riverground take pictures for me)
Entertaining: I aim to have a theme for post, sometimes there will be more references (or fewer) depending on how it flows. Overall, it's meant to make it a short(er) but entertaining read.
No reviewer units: All units are either a) Personally owned , b) a demo model at a B&M or c) a loan from a friend.
All that said here's the one picture. Odin really steals the show with those faceplates though
Preamble:
Considering my Empire fanboy status (7 Empire iems owned in total), it was a no brainer to do a shootout of their flagships. Obviously this has changed over time as they've added models to their lineups. I decided on the 3 that I liked: Zeus (My first ToTL iem), Wraith (the champion of second chances), and my current personal favourite, Odin. I have to thanks @Colors for meeting up with me to let me demo his XIV and @riverground for lending me his XRA and Wraith to do impressions for them and directly allow for this shootout to exist.
Merriam Webster defines "Triune" as "consisting of three parts, members, or aspects". I find this an apt descriptor for 3 of my favourite Empire Ears flagships (old and new alike): The Zeus, Wraith and Odin. While from a mythological perspective, Wraith might not be a skyfather, lets just roll with it for the theme of this shootout. Each member embodies a different
While there is a clear refinement in the sound from the earliest to the latest model, each of those does have a particular specialty that allows it to stand on it's own even with my clear bias for Odin.
Design:
Each member of the triune has a differing shell, with Zeus itself having 3 different shells of it's own. The common criticism (par for Empire's universals) is the lack of a actual lip to hold to tips. This isn't an issue with fresh tips, but with sufficiently used ones tip rolling ends up becoming a chore. I've had cases where I had to leave tips on overnight otherwise they would slide right off when taking the monitors out of my ear. Though once the tips manage to stay on, they ARE more or less secure.
Odin uses what appears to be a variation of the revised shell that came with the advent of the EP and X lines, though slightly thicker nozzles and thicker shell due to the pentabore and cramming all that tech inside. This is my personal preference as the Odin stays securely in my ear even for longer sessions, though the chonkier nozzle and shell might cause issues for some.
Wraith uses the revised shells and I found this to be a very safe bet for the vast majority of people. Turns out not having to shove estats or DDS into an existing hybrid design might not do wonders in terms of fit. I would have preferred the nozzle to be a bit thicker as I did have to use wider tips to get the Wraith to stay in, thought once I figured that out, it was snug and secure for longer sessions.
I've tried 3 iterations of the Zeus shells: Original Olympus, XRA (Closer to revised shells + Chonky nozzle) and the Drop. The Olympus was probably the worse offender: deep nozzles and no lip (compared to the pseudo lip of later designs). I would not recommend this one at all as my ears kept pushing them back out over longer listening sessions. The Drop version went for a shallow nozzle with a metal lip, this is probably my favourite in terms of fit for the Zeus even with the XRA. The XRA had something akin to the EP and X shells, but similarly with a chonky nozzle and a partial lip like the Odin but a lot thinner owing to the pure BA design. Oddly I had an issue with them staying in despite it's similarity to the Odin. I would strongly recommend getting one with custom faceplates and the revised shell by talking to @Jack Vang or the Drop one if you want to go for the Zeus.
Regarding the faceplates, they also tend to lean into the triune analogy quite readily. Odin has the Bifrost, capable of dazzling or being demure depending on how it catches the light. Wraith has the Amethyst, which leans in the classy elegance direction. Not as dazzling as the Bifrost, but dark in the way of the Wraith's stage. Zeus is available in a variety of faceplates unlike the other 2 and can be as dazzling or as elegant as you want. Of course you would be looking at a used set or a new pair from Empire. The Drop shells are rather plain and just look cheap, but if aesthetics arn't your thing you can save a bit of money to get the tech AND sound behind Zeus.
Testing:
These are the same from the individual impressions that I've done for each one, but I'll list them here:
Zeus: 1960s/Stormbreaker + ADV Ovals + Low Gain 4.4 at 30
Wraith: Cleopatra + Symbio Ns + High Gain 4.4 at 30
Odin: 1960s 2 wire + Azla Sednas + Low Gain 4.4 at 55
Bass:
If you're looking for head thumping bass, you're really looking in the wrong direction and I'll have to direct you attention towards the LX and LX SE (Shameless plug for Empire!). The trio go on the side of a more balanced and controlled audiophile bass enough to satisfy audiences south of basshead territory.
The Odin with it's dual W9+ takes the cake for the sub bass. Digging the deepest and most prominent sub bass of the three. Wraith takes a more middle ground: while not as prominent or deep, the sub bass is still present. Zeus takes in the same manner, but due to tuning reasons requires a cable swap to bring this region a bit more prominence, even then it tends to be a wallflower in this region.
In turn, Wraith takes it's spotlight with the mid bass. Despite the dual W9+, Odin doesn't really have as much quantity or slam owing to tuning reasons (A justification I'll use over and over again). Similarly Zeus does so for the same reason, but dials it back even further, Again requiring a cable swap to give it a slight boost.
Wraith similarly takes the prize with the upper bass while retaining excellent separation from the lower mids. Giving the region a thicker and warmer sound and carrying into the lower mids. Odin and Zeus go into the opposite direction with Odin going into a bit of a recession into the lower mids. While Zeus plateaus the region. Separation like the Wraith, is top tier but depends on how you like the lower mid regions in the case of those two.
Overall for the bass, I rank them as follows:
1. Odin
2. Wraith
3. Zeus
My preference for a sub bass bias in the bass with gradual bass shelf and a recession in the lower mids shows clearly here. Odin dominates overwhelmingly in this kind of bass tuning. Despite the more mid bass dominated signature, the Wraith takes second but with a caveat of being very close to the Odin. The thicker and warmer upper bass/lower mids combinations evoked memories of the Phantom when putting Wraith through it's paces. Zeus follows as a distant third and really isn't the cup of tea if bass as a background to the midrange is not what you're looking for, it is however possible to make it slightly more prominent without losing the distinctiveness of the midrange, but that's potentially a $650 (used) to $1k (new) cost on top of the price tage of a flagship
Mids:
Zeus is the clear winner in an "T Pose to assert dominance" kind of way. Wraith and Odin don't even come close to touching the Zeus and it feels kind of unfair to even compare them with essentially the king of mids specialists iems. And this is before even attaching the 1960s (it only gets better post 1960's @proedros can attest to that). The emotional appeal of the mids on the Zeus comes across loud and clear even with a plastics one cable. Of course this comes at the expense of sub AND mid bass presence and treble sparkle, but when you're swept away by the mids, the bass and treble steps back anyways. Despite a small dip in the upper mids, it's still relatively boosted and there's plenty of air in that region unlike say the Phantom which just sucks the air out.
Empire really wasn't just saying it for the sake of marketing when they positioned Wraith as the successor to Zeus. Like it's predecessor, Wraith excels in the midrange as well. Forward, clear and always centre stage but with a more intimate presentation. The result is not as emotional as Zeus, but adds a sense of intimacy to the in exchange for some of that spaciousness. It also takes some cues from the lower tiered sibling in the EP series Phantom. Mids are well bodied and the lower mids benefit from the thicker bass tuning. The boosted upper mids might not be for all listeners though, I personally loved the bump from the Zeus giving even more air in the region but some folks might disagree vehemently.I also have to add that the Wraith has a unique phenomenon that I personally really like. On tracks where bass gets busy, it tends to get mixed in with the lower mids and given male vocals a recessed impression. However this unique interplay in the region makes it quite enjoyable.
Odin takes a safer tuning in between Wraith and Zeus for the mids. It retains the clarity but dials back the forwardness a bit more. While not always centre stage, it focuses on balance. Easing off on the intimacy, it gives ample room to breathe without being overly large. While it may not scream emotion and intimacy like the other two, it exudes a balanced character that the other two don't have when considered as a whole. One of the noted criticisms (and have led some members to sell their Odin) is the upper mids. Rather than dip into the lower treble like the Zeus, Odin keeps going. It feels an odd route for Empire to take since upper mids tend to more contentious for listeners that gravitate to western music. But given the response of asian audiophiles, the reception there and the depth of the Empire lineup is perfectly capable of handling such a split. For lovers of upper mids, read on! In comparison to other upper mids boosted iems, Odin takes a more refined and gradual approach as opposed to the more abrupt approach of something like the QDC DMagic. Whereas the DMagic was close to approaching sibilance on some tracks, Odin avoids that altogether.
Overall for the mids, I rank them as follows:
1. Zeus
......
2. Wraith
3. Odin
Despite my preference for a balanced sound, I do appreciate emotional mids. And I can not emphasize enough how well Zeus does to take the prize in this category by a HUGE margin. This does make the Zeus a specialist in every sense of the term, but when you're lost in the music you're not going to be wondering where the bass went or the treble doesn't have enough energy. Wraith and Odin take second and third respectively but that's just nitpicking. Both are variations of a balanced approached and it becomes a question of preference as to total balance or a intimate and emotional balance. Of course the dreaded upper mids discussion will also play a huge factor and the Odin's tuning there is polarizing enough for me not to put it in a tie with Wraith.
Treble:
When properly powered, the Wraith's treble is anything but wraith like. Presenting sparkle and energy in spades that if taken in a vacuum would be fatiguing, the bass and mids properly balance it out to give a musical and non-fatiguing listen. That power is essential for the Wraith, making it sound like a completely different iem. Wraith ends up tilting towards the JH house sound when running low and is worth giving a second try with a better powered source if you found the treble dark and boring. Treble heads should also give the Wraith a try.
While no slouch, Odin takes a more dialed back approach in the treble. Sparkle and energy do exist, but owning to the sheer detail and resolution have to be dialed back as not to cause fatigue. It doesn't scream excitment in the way Wraith does and won't satisy treble heads in this approach though. I have to admit that occasionally I find myself wishing for the Wraith's treble even though the Odin would allow me to listen for longer periods of time. I actually preferred the Wraith over the Odin for my treble test track
Zeus is the proverbial elephant in the room. It's worth noting that I had an issue with certain tracks running hot on my original Olympus Zeus R and I was never able to determine if that was the tips, insertion depth or something else causing the issue. Of note is the peak between 7-8K, which similar to the JH Lola makes up for the upper mids dip. I enjoyed it much better than the Lola, since there was no recession in the upper mids that needed to be compensated for. For other sensitive to treble peaks this might be an issue though. Zeus has plenty of treble energy, but almost no sparkle at all. This is fairly noticeable as the energy transitions into the sparkle only for a whimper. The reduction of the sparkle actually plays into the mids specialist tuning, but I would not recommend for treble heads.
Overall for the treble, I rank them as follows:
1. Wraith
2. Odin
3. Zeus
Given the updated estat setup on the Odin requiring less power to drive properly when compared to the Wraith, It seems like a shoo-in for Odin to take this category as well. And that would have been the case....Had my impressions of Wraith limited to the ones I had at it's release done in low gain. Since it's release, the Wraith's treble has been a highly controversial topic in the community. The estats requiring power is not something that was exactly made known by Empire to buyers and that could have been handled better. It's interesting how much of a difference that driving the estats properly on the Wraith can completely change the impression of the iem. The energy and sparkle of the Wraith catapults it directly into first. Odin takes second again for a balanced approach dialing back the energy and sparkle. Zeus has plenty of energy but utterly lacking in any sparkle, playing something like Galaxy Supernova just wasn't enjoyable. Taking a distant third Zeus just isn't treble tuned.
Soundstage:
Again Odin takes the crown effortlessly here. The soundstage isn't just wide, but equally deep placing you in the middle of a square stage. Not overly spacious as to have gaps in the stage for certain tracks, but not overly intimate where separation of sounds might be an issue. There's an ease with which you can switch between enjoying the music as a cohesive whole or focusing on a particular area in the stage to pinpoint an instrument.
Wraith takes a close second. Opting for a more intimate sound, it pairs width with a reasonable depth (not equal to width though). Combined with the bodied mids it's a very unique. It doesn't leave room for gaps, but focuses slightly towards enjoyment of the music as a cohesive whole. Separation is superb, but it takes a more conscious effort to pinpoint a particular area in the stage than say the Odin.
Zeus takes a distant third. One of my biggest issues over time was the overly wide stage. On certain tracks, I heard gaps in the stage that the sound didn't carry too and it became a distraction. Coupled with a shallow stage and the incredibly forward mids however it presents an incredibly intimate sound that the other two are incapable of matching on their best days. I particularly enjoyed Zeus on orchestral tracks and live tracks recorded in arenas because of the very vastness of the soundstage's width.
Overall for the soundstage, I rank them as follows:
1. Odin
2. Wraith
3. Zeus
The differences in soundstage (and descriptors) I've used between the three are incredibly relative. Odin's has the kind of effortlessness that I like when going from a work to play mindset that I prefer across my iems and will always be first in this regard. Wraith's sacrifices the effortlessness slightly to opt for a more playful nature like leaving work early on Friday afternoons. Zeus's is no joke either, but for my preferences and the nature of it's tuning ends up putting it in "last". Like most of the other categories, Zeus sacrifices everything in pursuit of mids, and that results in a lower ranking across the different components outside of the mids. But make no mistake about the Zeus being inferior in any way.
Conclusion:
So my ideal Empire iem would have: Odin's Bass + Zeus's Mids + Wraith's Treble (With easier driven estats ofc!) + Odin's Soundstage. But I'm just a lone audiophile that has no idea how tuning works, so this naturally would be incredibly difficult to do if at all. Jack's probably laughing at the audacity of this clown right now. But asking Empire to make my ideal iem with the tunings of 3 separate iems is not really the point of a shootout is it?
You'll notice that there's no actual ranking I present overall, and that's exactly the result I knew I would reach from the start of writing this 4 year in the making shootout. Obviously mentioning triune in the preamble hinted in this conclusion as well. Zeus, Wraith and Odin are all incredibly well designed and technically proficient monitors. Trying to establish a ranking of them even in light on my clear Odin bias makes no sense at all. They all do completely separate things and as such I'll present what I think each of the 3 excels at.
Zeus > Mids Specialist. Sacrificing everything in pursuit and to support the presentation of the most intimate and emotional mids I have heard in an iem. I have yet to hear something that comes close to the goosebumps the Zeus gives me everytime I hear it. I maintain as a bucket list of iems to hear. Bass and treble heads alike and those with treble sensitives might say a no to that though.
Wraith > Musical all rounder. The Wraith restores a lot of the sacrifices made on the Zeus and becomes a solid all rounder but with a more musical slant. Bass is enough to satisfy the average basshead despite it being BA while there's enough treble for days to tame most treble heads. It's effortless for the most part if enjoying the music is your primary occupation for this iem.
Odin > THE all rounder. While Wraith is an all rounder as well, it doesn't have the effortlessness that Odin presents the music with. The effortlessness is what sets Odin apart and my designated all rounder monitor, despite the other incredibly capable iems in my stable. While not close to the Zeus in terms of the bass and treble presentation, bass and treble heads may still find it lacking in those areas for them. The biggest concern might be the upper mid/lower treble being not palatable for the majority of western genre inclined listeners or an outright sensitivity in the region.
If any of those sound up your alley, what are you waiting for? Take out your wallets and ask @Jack Vang to take your money!
Separate reviews for each of the 3 can be found on my profile. Second shootout being planned is Z1R, Odin and undecided. Suggestions are welcome!
Addendum (7/5/21) as requested by @proedros : a score for the lows, mids and highs of the 3
Zeus
Bass: 6.5/10
Mids: 10(12)/10
Treble: 7.5/10
Wraith
Bass: 8/10
Mids: 10/10
Treble: 10/10
Odin
Bass: 9.5/10
Mids: 8.5/10
Treble: 9/10
So I've been in this hobby for about 4 years going now, and thanks to some local members I've met here and local brick & mortar Headfoneshop (of which I shill hard for GTA folks) I've been able to go through a LOT of iems, close to the entire S and A tiers on Crin's ranking (pre-clean up) for reference. I started posting impressions in August 2020 as I finally had a solid idea of what sound signature I preferred.
I have some guidelines for my reviews and shootouts as follows (Mostly my response after a couple of years of reading reviews):
No Marketing Fluff: You can find that from the manufacturer. No more having to go 3 pages before you get to the sound. Tech and design will be mentioned in line if I feel that it contributes to fit and/or sound.
No Pictures (Mostly reviews): I'm a landscape photographer, macro not so much. Again plenty of eye candy shots are available on the site. I'll most likely be breaking that rule with at least a picture for shootouts (or whenever I can make @riverground take pictures for me)
Entertaining: I aim to have a theme for post, sometimes there will be more references (or fewer) depending on how it flows. Overall, it's meant to make it a short(er) but entertaining read.
No reviewer units: All units are either a) Personally owned , b) a demo model at a B&M or c) a loan from a friend.
All that said here's the one picture. Odin really steals the show with those faceplates though
Preamble:
Considering my Empire fanboy status (7 Empire iems owned in total), it was a no brainer to do a shootout of their flagships. Obviously this has changed over time as they've added models to their lineups. I decided on the 3 that I liked: Zeus (My first ToTL iem), Wraith (the champion of second chances), and my current personal favourite, Odin. I have to thanks @Colors for meeting up with me to let me demo his XIV and @riverground for lending me his XRA and Wraith to do impressions for them and directly allow for this shootout to exist.
Merriam Webster defines "Triune" as "consisting of three parts, members, or aspects". I find this an apt descriptor for 3 of my favourite Empire Ears flagships (old and new alike): The Zeus, Wraith and Odin. While from a mythological perspective, Wraith might not be a skyfather, lets just roll with it for the theme of this shootout. Each member embodies a different
While there is a clear refinement in the sound from the earliest to the latest model, each of those does have a particular specialty that allows it to stand on it's own even with my clear bias for Odin.
Design:
Each member of the triune has a differing shell, with Zeus itself having 3 different shells of it's own. The common criticism (par for Empire's universals) is the lack of a actual lip to hold to tips. This isn't an issue with fresh tips, but with sufficiently used ones tip rolling ends up becoming a chore. I've had cases where I had to leave tips on overnight otherwise they would slide right off when taking the monitors out of my ear. Though once the tips manage to stay on, they ARE more or less secure.
Odin uses what appears to be a variation of the revised shell that came with the advent of the EP and X lines, though slightly thicker nozzles and thicker shell due to the pentabore and cramming all that tech inside. This is my personal preference as the Odin stays securely in my ear even for longer sessions, though the chonkier nozzle and shell might cause issues for some.
Wraith uses the revised shells and I found this to be a very safe bet for the vast majority of people. Turns out not having to shove estats or DDS into an existing hybrid design might not do wonders in terms of fit. I would have preferred the nozzle to be a bit thicker as I did have to use wider tips to get the Wraith to stay in, thought once I figured that out, it was snug and secure for longer sessions.
I've tried 3 iterations of the Zeus shells: Original Olympus, XRA (Closer to revised shells + Chonky nozzle) and the Drop. The Olympus was probably the worse offender: deep nozzles and no lip (compared to the pseudo lip of later designs). I would not recommend this one at all as my ears kept pushing them back out over longer listening sessions. The Drop version went for a shallow nozzle with a metal lip, this is probably my favourite in terms of fit for the Zeus even with the XRA. The XRA had something akin to the EP and X shells, but similarly with a chonky nozzle and a partial lip like the Odin but a lot thinner owing to the pure BA design. Oddly I had an issue with them staying in despite it's similarity to the Odin. I would strongly recommend getting one with custom faceplates and the revised shell by talking to @Jack Vang or the Drop one if you want to go for the Zeus.
Regarding the faceplates, they also tend to lean into the triune analogy quite readily. Odin has the Bifrost, capable of dazzling or being demure depending on how it catches the light. Wraith has the Amethyst, which leans in the classy elegance direction. Not as dazzling as the Bifrost, but dark in the way of the Wraith's stage. Zeus is available in a variety of faceplates unlike the other 2 and can be as dazzling or as elegant as you want. Of course you would be looking at a used set or a new pair from Empire. The Drop shells are rather plain and just look cheap, but if aesthetics arn't your thing you can save a bit of money to get the tech AND sound behind Zeus.
Testing:
These are the same from the individual impressions that I've done for each one, but I'll list them here:
Zeus: 1960s/Stormbreaker + ADV Ovals + Low Gain 4.4 at 30
Wraith: Cleopatra + Symbio Ns + High Gain 4.4 at 30
Odin: 1960s 2 wire + Azla Sednas + Low Gain 4.4 at 55
Bass:
If you're looking for head thumping bass, you're really looking in the wrong direction and I'll have to direct you attention towards the LX and LX SE (Shameless plug for Empire!). The trio go on the side of a more balanced and controlled audiophile bass enough to satisfy audiences south of basshead territory.
The Odin with it's dual W9+ takes the cake for the sub bass. Digging the deepest and most prominent sub bass of the three. Wraith takes a more middle ground: while not as prominent or deep, the sub bass is still present. Zeus takes in the same manner, but due to tuning reasons requires a cable swap to bring this region a bit more prominence, even then it tends to be a wallflower in this region.
In turn, Wraith takes it's spotlight with the mid bass. Despite the dual W9+, Odin doesn't really have as much quantity or slam owing to tuning reasons (A justification I'll use over and over again). Similarly Zeus does so for the same reason, but dials it back even further, Again requiring a cable swap to give it a slight boost.
Wraith similarly takes the prize with the upper bass while retaining excellent separation from the lower mids. Giving the region a thicker and warmer sound and carrying into the lower mids. Odin and Zeus go into the opposite direction with Odin going into a bit of a recession into the lower mids. While Zeus plateaus the region. Separation like the Wraith, is top tier but depends on how you like the lower mid regions in the case of those two.
Overall for the bass, I rank them as follows:
1. Odin
2. Wraith
3. Zeus
My preference for a sub bass bias in the bass with gradual bass shelf and a recession in the lower mids shows clearly here. Odin dominates overwhelmingly in this kind of bass tuning. Despite the more mid bass dominated signature, the Wraith takes second but with a caveat of being very close to the Odin. The thicker and warmer upper bass/lower mids combinations evoked memories of the Phantom when putting Wraith through it's paces. Zeus follows as a distant third and really isn't the cup of tea if bass as a background to the midrange is not what you're looking for, it is however possible to make it slightly more prominent without losing the distinctiveness of the midrange, but that's potentially a $650 (used) to $1k (new) cost on top of the price tage of a flagship
Mids:
Zeus is the clear winner in an "T Pose to assert dominance" kind of way. Wraith and Odin don't even come close to touching the Zeus and it feels kind of unfair to even compare them with essentially the king of mids specialists iems. And this is before even attaching the 1960s (it only gets better post 1960's @proedros can attest to that). The emotional appeal of the mids on the Zeus comes across loud and clear even with a plastics one cable. Of course this comes at the expense of sub AND mid bass presence and treble sparkle, but when you're swept away by the mids, the bass and treble steps back anyways. Despite a small dip in the upper mids, it's still relatively boosted and there's plenty of air in that region unlike say the Phantom which just sucks the air out.
Empire really wasn't just saying it for the sake of marketing when they positioned Wraith as the successor to Zeus. Like it's predecessor, Wraith excels in the midrange as well. Forward, clear and always centre stage but with a more intimate presentation. The result is not as emotional as Zeus, but adds a sense of intimacy to the in exchange for some of that spaciousness. It also takes some cues from the lower tiered sibling in the EP series Phantom. Mids are well bodied and the lower mids benefit from the thicker bass tuning. The boosted upper mids might not be for all listeners though, I personally loved the bump from the Zeus giving even more air in the region but some folks might disagree vehemently.I also have to add that the Wraith has a unique phenomenon that I personally really like. On tracks where bass gets busy, it tends to get mixed in with the lower mids and given male vocals a recessed impression. However this unique interplay in the region makes it quite enjoyable.
Odin takes a safer tuning in between Wraith and Zeus for the mids. It retains the clarity but dials back the forwardness a bit more. While not always centre stage, it focuses on balance. Easing off on the intimacy, it gives ample room to breathe without being overly large. While it may not scream emotion and intimacy like the other two, it exudes a balanced character that the other two don't have when considered as a whole. One of the noted criticisms (and have led some members to sell their Odin) is the upper mids. Rather than dip into the lower treble like the Zeus, Odin keeps going. It feels an odd route for Empire to take since upper mids tend to more contentious for listeners that gravitate to western music. But given the response of asian audiophiles, the reception there and the depth of the Empire lineup is perfectly capable of handling such a split. For lovers of upper mids, read on! In comparison to other upper mids boosted iems, Odin takes a more refined and gradual approach as opposed to the more abrupt approach of something like the QDC DMagic. Whereas the DMagic was close to approaching sibilance on some tracks, Odin avoids that altogether.
Overall for the mids, I rank them as follows:
1. Zeus
......
2. Wraith
3. Odin
Despite my preference for a balanced sound, I do appreciate emotional mids. And I can not emphasize enough how well Zeus does to take the prize in this category by a HUGE margin. This does make the Zeus a specialist in every sense of the term, but when you're lost in the music you're not going to be wondering where the bass went or the treble doesn't have enough energy. Wraith and Odin take second and third respectively but that's just nitpicking. Both are variations of a balanced approached and it becomes a question of preference as to total balance or a intimate and emotional balance. Of course the dreaded upper mids discussion will also play a huge factor and the Odin's tuning there is polarizing enough for me not to put it in a tie with Wraith.
Treble:
When properly powered, the Wraith's treble is anything but wraith like. Presenting sparkle and energy in spades that if taken in a vacuum would be fatiguing, the bass and mids properly balance it out to give a musical and non-fatiguing listen. That power is essential for the Wraith, making it sound like a completely different iem. Wraith ends up tilting towards the JH house sound when running low and is worth giving a second try with a better powered source if you found the treble dark and boring. Treble heads should also give the Wraith a try.
While no slouch, Odin takes a more dialed back approach in the treble. Sparkle and energy do exist, but owning to the sheer detail and resolution have to be dialed back as not to cause fatigue. It doesn't scream excitment in the way Wraith does and won't satisy treble heads in this approach though. I have to admit that occasionally I find myself wishing for the Wraith's treble even though the Odin would allow me to listen for longer periods of time. I actually preferred the Wraith over the Odin for my treble test track
Zeus is the proverbial elephant in the room. It's worth noting that I had an issue with certain tracks running hot on my original Olympus Zeus R and I was never able to determine if that was the tips, insertion depth or something else causing the issue. Of note is the peak between 7-8K, which similar to the JH Lola makes up for the upper mids dip. I enjoyed it much better than the Lola, since there was no recession in the upper mids that needed to be compensated for. For other sensitive to treble peaks this might be an issue though. Zeus has plenty of treble energy, but almost no sparkle at all. This is fairly noticeable as the energy transitions into the sparkle only for a whimper. The reduction of the sparkle actually plays into the mids specialist tuning, but I would not recommend for treble heads.
Overall for the treble, I rank them as follows:
1. Wraith
2. Odin
3. Zeus
Given the updated estat setup on the Odin requiring less power to drive properly when compared to the Wraith, It seems like a shoo-in for Odin to take this category as well. And that would have been the case....Had my impressions of Wraith limited to the ones I had at it's release done in low gain. Since it's release, the Wraith's treble has been a highly controversial topic in the community. The estats requiring power is not something that was exactly made known by Empire to buyers and that could have been handled better. It's interesting how much of a difference that driving the estats properly on the Wraith can completely change the impression of the iem. The energy and sparkle of the Wraith catapults it directly into first. Odin takes second again for a balanced approach dialing back the energy and sparkle. Zeus has plenty of energy but utterly lacking in any sparkle, playing something like Galaxy Supernova just wasn't enjoyable. Taking a distant third Zeus just isn't treble tuned.
Soundstage:
Again Odin takes the crown effortlessly here. The soundstage isn't just wide, but equally deep placing you in the middle of a square stage. Not overly spacious as to have gaps in the stage for certain tracks, but not overly intimate where separation of sounds might be an issue. There's an ease with which you can switch between enjoying the music as a cohesive whole or focusing on a particular area in the stage to pinpoint an instrument.
Wraith takes a close second. Opting for a more intimate sound, it pairs width with a reasonable depth (not equal to width though). Combined with the bodied mids it's a very unique. It doesn't leave room for gaps, but focuses slightly towards enjoyment of the music as a cohesive whole. Separation is superb, but it takes a more conscious effort to pinpoint a particular area in the stage than say the Odin.
Zeus takes a distant third. One of my biggest issues over time was the overly wide stage. On certain tracks, I heard gaps in the stage that the sound didn't carry too and it became a distraction. Coupled with a shallow stage and the incredibly forward mids however it presents an incredibly intimate sound that the other two are incapable of matching on their best days. I particularly enjoyed Zeus on orchestral tracks and live tracks recorded in arenas because of the very vastness of the soundstage's width.
Overall for the soundstage, I rank them as follows:
1. Odin
2. Wraith
3. Zeus
The differences in soundstage (and descriptors) I've used between the three are incredibly relative. Odin's has the kind of effortlessness that I like when going from a work to play mindset that I prefer across my iems and will always be first in this regard. Wraith's sacrifices the effortlessness slightly to opt for a more playful nature like leaving work early on Friday afternoons. Zeus's is no joke either, but for my preferences and the nature of it's tuning ends up putting it in "last". Like most of the other categories, Zeus sacrifices everything in pursuit of mids, and that results in a lower ranking across the different components outside of the mids. But make no mistake about the Zeus being inferior in any way.
Conclusion:
So my ideal Empire iem would have: Odin's Bass + Zeus's Mids + Wraith's Treble (With easier driven estats ofc!) + Odin's Soundstage. But I'm just a lone audiophile that has no idea how tuning works, so this naturally would be incredibly difficult to do if at all. Jack's probably laughing at the audacity of this clown right now. But asking Empire to make my ideal iem with the tunings of 3 separate iems is not really the point of a shootout is it?
You'll notice that there's no actual ranking I present overall, and that's exactly the result I knew I would reach from the start of writing this 4 year in the making shootout. Obviously mentioning triune in the preamble hinted in this conclusion as well. Zeus, Wraith and Odin are all incredibly well designed and technically proficient monitors. Trying to establish a ranking of them even in light on my clear Odin bias makes no sense at all. They all do completely separate things and as such I'll present what I think each of the 3 excels at.
Zeus > Mids Specialist. Sacrificing everything in pursuit and to support the presentation of the most intimate and emotional mids I have heard in an iem. I have yet to hear something that comes close to the goosebumps the Zeus gives me everytime I hear it. I maintain as a bucket list of iems to hear. Bass and treble heads alike and those with treble sensitives might say a no to that though.
Wraith > Musical all rounder. The Wraith restores a lot of the sacrifices made on the Zeus and becomes a solid all rounder but with a more musical slant. Bass is enough to satisfy the average basshead despite it being BA while there's enough treble for days to tame most treble heads. It's effortless for the most part if enjoying the music is your primary occupation for this iem.
Odin > THE all rounder. While Wraith is an all rounder as well, it doesn't have the effortlessness that Odin presents the music with. The effortlessness is what sets Odin apart and my designated all rounder monitor, despite the other incredibly capable iems in my stable. While not close to the Zeus in terms of the bass and treble presentation, bass and treble heads may still find it lacking in those areas for them. The biggest concern might be the upper mid/lower treble being not palatable for the majority of western genre inclined listeners or an outright sensitivity in the region.
If any of those sound up your alley, what are you waiting for? Take out your wallets and ask @Jack Vang to take your money!
Separate reviews for each of the 3 can be found on my profile. Second shootout being planned is Z1R, Odin and undecided. Suggestions are welcome!
Addendum (7/5/21) as requested by @proedros : a score for the lows, mids and highs of the 3
Zeus
Bass: 6.5/10
Mids: 10(12)/10
Treble: 7.5/10
Wraith
Bass: 8/10
Mids: 10/10
Treble: 10/10
Odin
Bass: 9.5/10
Mids: 8.5/10
Treble: 9/10
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