[lookingforIEMs]

Hey guys... I'm currently looking to get my first pair of CIEMs. I thought I'd already narrowed down my options to the Hidition NT6, given my preference for extreme clarity. BUT when I demoed the Merlins, I was blown away by the perfect combination of bass and clarity that made me question whether I was still a basshead( I was really into bass maybe like last year? ). I've asked on the NT6 thread if there are demos in my country but so far, no response. So you can see the dilemma here, I haven't tried the NT6 yet but given the many reviews I think I'll love them, HOWEVER I've heard the Merlins and REALLY love them. Price wise, I could get a good amp to go along with the Merlins for the price of the NT6. So guys, what should I do?


Sean

 

[Bazirker]

Hey guys... I'm currently looking to get my first pair of CIEMs. I thought I'd already narrowed down my options to the Hidition NT6, given my preference for extreme clarity. BUT when I demoed the Merlins, I was blown away by the perfect combination of bass and clarity that made me question whether I was still a basshead( I was really into bass maybe like last year? ). I've asked on the NT6 thread if there are demos in my country but so far, no response. So you can see the dilemma here, I haven't tried the NT6 yet but given the many reviews I think I'll love them, HOWEVER I've heard the Merlins and REALLY love them. Price wise, I could get a good amp to go along with the Merlins for the price of the NT6. So guys, what should I do?


Sean

 
I know nothing about the NT6, and I think you and I have different tastes if clarity is your #1 priority (I definitely consider myself a basshead.)
 
That said, the clarity of my Merlins blows away that of any other IEM's I have ever owned or listened to extensively.  While the Merlins do have elevated bass, I don't find that it in any way detracts from the presentation of any other part of the music, in part because the separation and clarity is good enough that the mids and treble aren't forced to compete with the bass.  I really enjoy the 3D nature of the soundstage of the Merlins and find this boosts clarity as well.
 
Good luck with your decision! 

 

[lookingforIEMs]

I know nothing about the NT6, and I think you and I have different tastes if clarity is your #1 priority (I definitely consider myself a basshead.)
 
That said, the clarity of my Merlins blows away that of any other IEM's I have ever owned or listened to extensively.  While the Merlins do have elevated bass, I don't find that it in any way detracts from the presentation of any other part of the music, in part because the separation and clarity is good enough that the mids and treble aren't forced to compete with the bass.  I really enjoy the 3D nature of the soundstage of the Merlins and find this boosts clarity as well.
 
Good luck with your decision! 

Thanks dude! I think I've already made up my mind, after watching the galaxy note 3 trailer. I think I might get the Merlins and a note 3 on a data plan with the spare money cos my iPhone is giving serious problems. i just spent $88 replacing the LCD screen... So yeah I guess usability wise new phone > new amp so I guess the amp might have to wait

Cheers!
Sean

 

[reginalb]

Well, I bit the bullet, sent payment for Merlins this evening, and will ship out the impressions from work tomorrow. This is going to be a very hard wait. My DX50 arrives this week. Closer to the time these are set to arrive, I will probably order an RWAK100 as well, and compare the two with them.
 
I am very excited. 

 

[DragonOwen]

  My DX50 arrives this week.

Merlins sounds fine with DX50, but Merlins can sound much better (so much that I wouldn't recommend to buy Merlins if DX50 is the only source you will be using them with, IMO it's wasting money...), for example on DX100... also there is a slight background hum clearly hearable when music not plays and hum volume is stronger on LO Gain (on MID and HI gain it's almost the same hum volume).

 

[reginalb]

  Merlins sounds fine with DX50, but Merlins can sound much better (so much that I wouldn't recommend to buy Merlins if DX50 is the only source you will be using them with, IMO it's wasting money...), for example on DX100... also there is a slight background hum clearly hearable when music not plays and hum volume is stronger on LO Gain (on MID and HI gain it's almost the same hum volume).

 
Thanks for the tips. I plan to try a couple sources. If I don't like the RWAK100 or the DX50, the DX100 would be the next to try out. 

 

[Bazirker]

I A/B'd my Merlins with a set of demo JH16's and the new Roxanne's at CanJam this past weekend,
 
I MUCH preferred my Merlins to the JH16.  The 16's were less clear and the timbre (particularly for the bass) was not to my liking.  I almost bought JH16's rather than Merlins and am feeling very, very good about my decision.
 
The Roxanne's, however, sounded excellent.  I would provide detailed impressions, but some guy (possibly a JH employee?) was standing there staring at me the whole time I was listening and wanting to know what I thought.  It made it difficult to focus.  Either way, the Merlins at the very least seemed to keep up with a CIEM priced twice as high.

 

[Ony38]

 
Merlin with RSA SR71B or Intruder is really heaven, RSA sound give to the Merlin the grain in the mids who miss when I heard for the first time the Merlin. Moreover, the soundstage are like a 3D sphere with lot of detail and a good separation between each sound/instrument.

 
Ibasso DX50 + RSA Intruder/SR71B are a step upper than a DX100 for the same price !

 

[GBagley]

Just ordered a set of Merlins! Now comes the hard part (waiting...)

 

[reginalb]

Just ordered a set of Merlins! Now comes the hard part (waiting...)

Congrats. We should be receiving ours around the same time. Can't come soon enough!

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

 

[Ony38]

So difficult to waiting, I order Miracle at the beginning of september and I will get it in november...

 

[Stephen Guo]

With new technicians and added machines, all orders should be finished within 8 weeks starting October.
8 weeks after we receive your package.

Sorry about the waiting times, and we will cut it down even further in the coming couple of months.

 

[Ony38]

Good news

 

[reginalb]

With new technicians and added machines, all orders should be finished within 8 weeks starting October.
8 weeks after we receive your package.

Sorry about the waiting times, and we will cut it down even further in the coming couple of months.

 
Hey Stephen, that's awesome that you're working to ramp up production!
 
That said, there is no reason to apologize. You were up front with me that it would be around an 8-week lead, and that's all I ask. The waiting is hard, but there wasn't meant to be any negative connotation there, it's hard because I can't wait to have my Merlins! But it's definitely not something I hold against you, and while I can't speak for the others here, I think my feeling at least should be representative of the group. 

 

[reginalb]

Well, I am half way through the quoted wait time for my Merlins. 
 

 
Guess they exceeded expectations there!