[SBranson]

I live in Victoria, British Columbia and would like to participate in the tour. I agree to follow the terms of the tour. I have emailed my required ID verification documentation to billb@audiotiers.com

 

[efejoao]

I live in Vancouver, British Columbia and would like to participate in the tour. I agree to follow the terms of the tour. I have emailed my required ID verification documentation to billb@audiotiers.com

 

[1TrickPony]

I live in Montreal, Quebec and would like to participate in the tour. I agree to follow the terms of the tour. I have emailed my required ID verification documentation to billb@audiotiers.com

 

[Kevintj604]

I live in Vancouver, British Columbia and would like to participate in the tour. I agree to follow the terms of the tour. I have emailed my required ID verification documentation to billb@audiotiers.com

 

[Otto Motor]

I live in Calgary, AB, and would like to participate in the tour. I agree to follow the terms of the tour. I had emailed my required ID verification documentation to billb@audiotiers.com previously

 

[Barra]

+1 for canada

Added, but need to apply/verify - catching up with new applicants ASAP.

 

[uthood]

Elysium and VE8 arrived today from @Wildcatsare1 and everything looks to be included for both sets. Will be firing up the SE200 tonight for a bit of listening! Excited to compare these to my 64 Nio over the weekend.

 

[Wildcatsare1]

Elysium and VE8 arrived today from @Wildcatsare1 and everything looks to be included for both sets. Will be firing up the SE200 tonight for a bit of listening! Excited to compare these to my 64 Nio over the weekend.

I'm looking forward to reading your thoughts, I need to formalize my notes!

 

[uthood]

This is a stream of consciousness comparison of the Ely against the Nio. These are songs I know well, compared side by side (along side several glasses of Willet Rye), with gut reactions. Disclaimer that my descriptions and accuracy may have declined as I progressed…

Tl;dr - they're both special and I'd recommend either easily depending on what someone is looking for.

Miscellaneous

• Ely tested with stock 2.5mm balanced cable
• Nio tested with 64 Audio premium silver 2.5mm balanced cable
• Used Spinfit CP100 and SE200 AKM side for both
• Nio used Fir M0 module
• Huge difference in trying to volume match the two, which I’m sure I got wrong 100% of the time (about 17 (+/-2) clicks)
• Lack of Apex modules is noticeable, feels slightly congested with Ely, probably not noticeable long term but back to back it’s easily noticeable and not very comfortable for me, felt like descending in an airplane
• I don’t have any experience to tell me that cables would make a difference, but when I tried the Nio/Ely cables back to back on both the Nio and Ely I noticed a wider stage with the Ely 8 wire; maybe placebo, maybe volume matching due to different impedance, who knows, but I heard it
• Playlist linked here:

9 Song Comparison:

Hotel California – I feel obligated to test with this track

• Ely
  • Bass light during the intro intro
  • Snare surrounds front/back/left/right/up/down when it comes in at 0:53
  • Good separation and imaging as things fire up around
  • 4:20 can feel the guitar crunch in the both solos
  • Feels very “musical” listening to Ely
• Nio
  • Bass much more present in intro, rumbles not heard with Ely
  • Snare more rich, but almost muddy compared to Ely, not as large soundstage
  • Separation and imaging good, but more intimate
  • 4:20 guitar not as visceral, seems less pronounced and more “mixed-in” to the rest of the instruments
• Verdict
  • Ely wins
  • While I do enjoy the extra bass with the Nio, the Ely is more cohesive for this song
  • The bass on the Nio was a bit overdone during some parts (especially the end during the fade out)

Each Coming Night – one of my favorites for a modern day Simon and Garfunkel

• Nio
  • Soundstage not very large
  • Voices feel on top of each other with the lower harmony bleeding over the high harmony
  • At 1:23 when the banjo plays the mix with the humming feels well done, but when the banjo stops it’s noticeable that the mic records some pretty bad hiss (especially noticeable at 2:20)
• Ely
  • Soundstage wider, vocals centered in my head
  • Vocals have better separation with the high harmony having more presence
  • At 1:23 when the banjo starts I notice the guitar more prominently, which I hadn’t noticed with the Nio, seems better mixed; the hiss is still present, unfortunately part of the recording
• Verdict
  • Ely wins
  • Extra bass doesn’t help here, muddies a song that benefits from less coloring and good separation

Choctaw Hayride – impressive instrumental with a ton of complexity

• Ely
  • Good soundstage
  • Bass light at 0:30, but separation is good with the complexity (there’s a lot going on!)
  • At 1:11 there isn’t as much weight in the accent note as I’m used to
  • Dobro missing weight during many sections (assume because of the lighter bass)
  • 1:44 imaging on the fiddle is clearly off to the right with the guitar placed slightly left of center, at 2:11 dobro nearly centered, well done on imaging
• Nio
  • Stage sounds wider during the intro, noticeably more weight to the dobro
  • Standup bass more present at 0:30, separation good but not as good as the Ely
  • Dobro weight is back!
  • 1:44 fiddle is to the right, though not as clearly, guitar has more weight and is still left of center, but separation is much better than I expected, loving this section
  • The dobro at 2:11 sounds thicker/weightier as I’d expect it to sound
• Verdict
  • Nio wins
  • I expected the Ely to win based on the complexity of the song, but the Nio held its own
  • The added bass really helped the guitar and dobro and helped add that extra bit of weight that made the song more engaging for me

Unchain My Heart – good test for male vocals, bass, and sax

• Nio
  • Nice, centered vocals at 0:10, plenty of weight with Hugh Laurie’s deeper male vocals
  • 0:46 female vocal imaged off center to the left, decent stage height
  • 1:17 everything seems to surround the vocals without taking attention away from them
  • 2:06 sax off center to the left, noticed organ playing backup on the right side, that was a new realization for me
  • 2:55 vocals a bit on top of each other
  • 3:14 cymbals play nicely in the back, not overpowering
• Ely
  • I noticed here that the fit of the Ely made a difference in the perceived congestion without the Apex module, had to restart the song a couple of times because I thought I heard channel imbalance that was from the fit not being just right
  • Vocals more clear during the intro but not as much weight, soundstange wider and taller
  • 0:46 female vocals left and back of center, imaging more precise and female vocals more noticeable
  • 1:17 vocals more prevalent, separation cleaner
  • 2:06 less weight to the sax, imaging similar to Nio, organ less prevalent
  • 2:55 vocal separation is fantastic
  • 3:14 cymbals less noticeable but feels like the vocals are more forward, maybe overpowering the cymbals here
• Verdict
  • This one is a draw
  • Hugh Laurie’s deeper voice benefits from the extra low end of the Nio, giving the advantage here
  • But, the Ely does a great job being really cohesive while maintaining separation

Money for Nothing – Also feel obligated to choose Dire Straits, but Brothers in Arms is too sleepy for me, this song is my childhood (what were my parents teaching me?!?)

• Ely
  • 1:13 drums don’t have a ton of weight
  • 1:28 wait, yes they do!
  • 1:37 guitar is crisp and clean, nice to hear really well mixed music, Ely shining here when everything kicks in at 2:05
  • Everything is super clean, separated, and well mixed, thank you Mark Knopfler
  • 3:28 synth has better weight than expected
  • 3:39 higher pitched vocals shining here with the Ely
  • 4:49 the separately mixed backing guitar on the right side is goosebump inducing
  • 6:09 “I want my (Ely) for free”, this IEM is made to play this song! Insanely clean, well staged, well imaged, which works beautifully here
• Nio
  • So happy to have the Apex back in at this point!
  • Stage in the intro is similar to the Ely
  • 1:13 drums still don’t have a ton of weight until mixed higher
  • 1:37 guitar surprisingly crisp, bass much more noticeable with the bass and the vocals
  • Soundstage is still more intimate than the Ely, separation is still good
  • 3:28 synth is bringing me back to the 80s!
  • 3:39 vocals not as vibrant here as with the Ely
  • 4:49 separation not quite as good, but the weight of the separately mixed guitar is great
  • 6:09 the Nio is hanging toe to toe with the Ely, bringing a different specialty to the fight, one that’s more raw and visceral
• Verdict
  • It’s a surprising draw for me
  • I thought for sure the Ely would outpace the Nio with this type of rock music
  • Even though the Ely excels with a song like this, the Nio held its own by bringing some oomph to the low end without muddying anything, just put a little more stank on the guitar and synth

Invincible – video game-y and EDM mixed, my jam

• Nio
  • Stage in the intro is good with some accent notes bouncing from left to right pretty wide
  • 0:35 the kick drum is felt but not overpowering
  • 1:07 I’m in it, this is when the Nio is hitting it’s stride, handling a bit of complexity with good separation
  • 2:05 I have a hard time believing the Ely will come close to the impact of the song right here
  • 4:25 nice staging for a more electronic song, mixed a bit more on the right side (feels weird to say a synthesizer is imaged on the right side, hah!)
• Ely
  • This is the first song I think the Ely doesn’t have a chance with based on genre alone
  • 0:35 the kick drum is more present than expected, but still missing some weight
  • 0:52 the snare is much more engaging here
  • 1:07 it’s really well balanced and separated, managing the complexity better than the Nio, but it’s not nearly as engaging
  • 2:05 confirmed, not much impact, lots more treble, very little slam
  • 4:25 separation impresses here, not surprisingly at this point; what is surprising is that the synth is more crunchy and enjoyable here
• Verdict
  • Nio, and it’s not really close
  • I thought the Ely was running away with things overall, but this genre is in the sweet spot for the Nio

Elouisa Villa Remix – hard not to move to this one, good mix of vocals and some EDM components

• Ely
  • 0:10 the separation with this IEM is so good and so natural here!
  • 0:58 I wouldn’t complain about BA bass right here, it’s super engaging with the kick drum
  • 1:30 I can’t help but feel the Nio will shine here, missing some impact with the Ely
  • 1:55 the complexity of this section is really well handled, separation with the Ely continues to impress
  • 2:45 I can still hear everything separately, which is crazy with all that’s going on
  • From that point forward I just want to be in the middle of this song
  • 4:39 it’s hard not to move during the breakdown and build here, the low piano notes are basic but just right
• Nio
  • Man, the Apex continues to feel great!
  • 0:10 separation isn’t as good but what’s there feels cohesive
  • 0:58 oh yeah, that’s what DD bass feels like, though it is on the edge of muddy, but not quite
  • 1:30 now this is “jump around because the music is moving you” worthy
  • 1:55 I’m surprised at how well the Nio is handling the complexity here, not quite at the level of the Ely, but it’s still really impressive
  • 2:45 I’m missing the separation of the Ely now even though the Nio is performing admirably
  • I’m similarly in the thick of this song, it’s just such a good track!
  • 4:39 never thought I’d say this, but the highs of the Nio are pulling me in here, and the breakdown of this song just demands dancing from me
• Verdict
  • Reluctantly, a draw
  • The song has something for both, the Nio with EDM musicality and the Ely with crazy complexity
  • I really want one of the two to impress me more, but I’d be happy listening to this song on either IEM

Blinding Lights – modern pop that I can get behind

• Nio
  • Right from the start there’s a rumble that the Nio does well with
  • 0:18 it’s punching me in the face and I love it
  • 0:29 the sub bass is really shining
  • 1:02 the vocals are good but I can’t help but think something is missing
  • This song is more in the Nio’s wheelhouse
  • 1:49 there’s a bit of complexity here that I’m excited to hear with the Ely, Nio is doing well but now I have data points that give me certain expectations with the Ely, hah!
  • 2:19 really cohesive here with the higher vocals
• Ely
  • No rumble at the start
  • 0:18 it isn’t punching me in the face, but the drum beat is shining
  • 0:29 sub bass sounds anemic, this is the first time I’ve really understood the limitations of a BA driver with low bass; the sub is there, but it sounds unnatural
  • 1:02 the Ely does some special stuff with vocals for sure
  • The Ely is performing admirably, but this ain’t it’s specialty
  • 1:49 I had to go back a few times to verify, but I actually think the Nio handled this section better than the Ely, who knew?
  • 2:19 yes, vocals on Ely are great, confirmed again
• Verdict
  • Nio wins
  • I expected the Nio to be more engaging because of the bass in this one
  • But, I expected the Ely to shine with the vocals
  • Both were true, but surprisingly, the Nio did as well as the Ely with the vocals and complexity

Breathing – deep bass and dirty EDM

• Ely
  • 0:08 that’s ripping! Then the haunting vocals…
  • 0:46 what a transition, Ely is handling it masterfully even with a BA for bass
  • 1:18 that’s just nasty!
  • 2:39 this is good, but I can’t wait to hear it on the Nio
  • 3:27 decent weight to the female vocals
  • 4:27 weight was lacking, leaving me wanting
  • 5:27 I’m back in it, the bass is there plenty to keep me moving here
• Nio
  • Such a difference with DD for bass
  • 0:08 much dirtier on the Ely but the vocals here are also haunting
  • 0:25 I didn’t realize what bass was missing
  • 0:46 this…is…filthy! The bass weight is moving
  • 2:39 the extra grit is here with the Nio, my (closeted) basshead is becoming more evident
  • 3:27 I actually prefer the mids here, maybe because of the lower register female vocals having a bit more weight
  • 4:27 the weight was also actually lacking here
  • 5:27 the bass is almost too much here, but for this song it works
• Verdict
  • Nio
  • I think this one is genre dependent as well
  • Though the Ely did well, it’s no Nio for this type of music

________________________________________________________________________________________________

Summary

That's two for the Ely, four for the Nio, and three that were a draw. Ask me on a different day, when I'm in a different mood, and those draws could have gone either way. I think the final score has more to do with song selection than capability.

The Ely is amazing at staging, imaging, and separation, reminding me of some of my favorite things about the OG Solaris that I only sold because it was too heavy and big for me. I don’t have those problems with the Ely. Not surprising given the frequency response of the two (red = Solaris OG, blue = Ely), which was closer than I expected.

Ely/Nio frequency response comparison. Note this is with the M15, which is more bass heavy than the Fir M0 I used (green = Nio M15, blue = Ely).

I expected the Nio to get blown out of the water in terms of technicalities, imaging, and staging. While the Ely was better, and very different, the Nio did much better in terms of imaging and staging than I expected.

They’re both musical in a different way, and clearly excel with different music genres. Never before have I liked the thought of having multiple IEMs, but these two could help me make the case (wallet be damned!). I wouldn’t say one is better than the other since they’re so different, but I’d recommend both easily depending on what someone is looking for.

The last thing I’ll say is that, comparing back to back, I’m much more appreciative of the pressure clearance the Apex module gives you. Thanks for that, @64Audio !

Finally, thanks to @Barra and @Vision Ears for making this happen. It's amazing what you're doing for the community.

 

[Rockwell75]

This is a stream of consciousness comparison of the Ely against the Nio. These are songs I know well, compared side by side (along side several glasses of Willet Rye), with gut reactions. Disclaimer that my descriptions and accuracy may have declined as I progressed…

Tl;dr - they're both special and I'd recommend either easily depending on what someone is looking for.

Miscellaneous

• Ely tested with stock 2.5mm balanced cable
• Nio tested with 64 Audio premium silver 2.5mm balanced cable
• Used Spinfit CP100 and SE200 AKM side for both
• Nio used Fir M0 module
• Huge difference in trying to volume match the two, which I’m sure I got wrong 100% of the time (about 17 (+/-2) clicks)
• Lack of Apex modules is noticeable, feels slightly congested with Ely, probably not noticeable long term but back to back it’s easily noticeable and not very comfortable for me, felt like descending in an airplane
• I don’t have any experience to tell me that cables would make a difference, but when I tried the Nio/Ely cables back to back on both the Nio and Ely I noticed a wider stage with the Ely 8 wire; maybe placebo, maybe volume matching due to different impedance, who knows, but I heard it
• Playlist linked here:

9 Song Comparison:

Hotel California – I feel obligated to test with this track

• Ely
  • Bass light during the intro intro
  • Snare surrounds front/back/left/right/up/down when it comes in at 0:53
  • Good separation and imaging as things fire up around
  • 4:20 can feel the guitar crunch in the both solos
  • Feels very “musical” listening to Ely
• Nio
  • Bass much more present in intro, rumbles not heard with Ely
  • Snare more rich, but almost muddy compared to Ely, not as large soundstage
  • Separation and imaging good, but more intimate
  • 4:20 guitar not as visceral, seems less pronounced and more “mixed-in” to the rest of the instruments
• Verdict
  • Ely wins
  • While I do enjoy the extra bass with the Nio, the Ely is more cohesive for this song
  • The bass on the Nio was a bit overdone during some parts (especially the end during the fade out)

Each Coming Night – one of my favorites for a modern day Simon and Garfunkel

• Nio
  • Soundstage not very large
  • Voices feel on top of each other with the lower harmony bleeding over the high harmony
  • At 1:23 when the banjo plays the mix with the humming feels well done, but when the banjo stops it’s noticeable that the mic records some pretty bad hiss (especially noticeable at 2:20)
• Ely
  • Soundstage wider, vocals centered in my head
  • Vocals have better separation with the high harmony having more presence
  • At 1:23 when the banjo starts I notice the guitar more prominently, which I hadn’t noticed with the Nio, seems better mixed; the hiss is still present, unfortunately part of the recording
• Verdict
  • Ely wins
  • Extra bass doesn’t help here, muddies a song that benefits from less coloring and good separation

Choctaw Hayride – impressive instrumental with a ton of complexity

• Ely
  • Good soundstage
  • Bass light at 0:30, but separation is good with the complexity (there’s a lot going on!)
  • At 1:11 there isn’t as much weight in the accent note as I’m used to
  • Dobro missing weight during many sections (assume because of the lighter bass)
  • 1:44 imaging on the fiddle is clearly off to the right with the guitar placed slightly left of center, at 2:11 dobro nearly centered, well done on imaging
• Nio
  • Stage sounds wider during the intro, noticeably more weight to the dobro
  • Standup bass more present at 0:30, separation good but not as good as the Ely
  • Dobro weight is back!
  • 1:44 fiddle is to the right, though not as clearly, guitar has more weight and is still left of center, but separation is much better than I expected, loving this section
  • The dobro at 2:11 sounds thicker/weightier as I’d expect it to sound
• Verdict
  • Nio wins
  • I expected the Ely to win based on the complexity of the song, but the Nio held its own
  • The added bass really helped the guitar and dobro and helped add that extra bit of weight that made the song more engaging for me

Unchain My Heart – good test for male vocals, bass, and sax

• Nio
  • Nice, centered vocals at 0:10, plenty of weight with Hugh Laurie’s deeper male vocals
  • 0:46 female vocal imaged off center to the left, decent stage height
  • 1:17 everything seems to surround the vocals without taking attention away from them
  • 2:06 sax off center to the left, noticed organ playing backup on the right side, that was a new realization for me
  • 2:55 vocals a bit on top of each other
  • 3:14 cymbals play nicely in the back, not overpowering
• Ely
  • I noticed here that the fit of the Ely made a difference in the perceived congestion without the Apex module, had to restart the song a couple of times because I thought I heard channel imbalance that was from the fit not being just right
  • Vocals more clear during the intro but not as much weight, soundstange wider and taller
  • 0:46 female vocals left and back of center, imaging more precise and female vocals more noticeable
  • 1:17 vocals more prevalent, separation cleaner
  • 2:06 less weight to the sax, imaging similar to Nio, organ less prevalent
  • 2:55 vocal separation is fantastic
  • 3:14 cymbals less noticeable but feels like the vocals are more forward, maybe overpowering the cymbals here
• Verdict
  • This one is a draw
  • Hugh Laurie’s deeper voice benefits from the extra low end of the Nio, giving the advantage here
  • But, the Ely does a great job being really cohesive while maintaining separation

Money for Nothing – Also feel obligated to choose Dire Straits, but Brothers in Arms is too sleepy for me, this song is my childhood (what were my parents teaching me?!?)

• Ely
  • 1:13 drums don’t have a ton of weight
  • 1:28 wait, yes they do!
  • 1:37 guitar is crisp and clean, nice to hear really well mixed music, Ely shining here when everything kicks in at 2:05
  • Everything is super clean, separated, and well mixed, thank you Mark Knopfler
  • 3:28 synth has better weight than expected
  • 3:39 higher pitched vocals shining here with the Ely
  • 4:49 the separately mixed backing guitar on the right side is goosebump inducing
  • 6:09 “I want my (Ely) for free”, this IEM is made to play this song! Insanely clean, well staged, well imaged, which works beautifully here
• Nio
  • So happy to have the Apex back in at this point!
  • Stage in the intro is similar to the Ely
  • 1:13 drums still don’t have a ton of weight until mixed higher
  • 1:37 guitar surprisingly crisp, bass much more noticeable with the bass and the vocals
  • Soundstage is still more intimate than the Ely, separation is still good
  • 3:28 synth is bringing me back to the 80s!
  • 3:39 vocals not as vibrant here as with the Ely
  • 4:49 separation not quite as good, but the weight of the separately mixed guitar is great
  • 6:09 the Nio is hanging toe to toe with the Ely, bringing a different specialty to the fight, one that’s more raw and visceral
• Verdict
  • It’s a surprising draw for me
  • I thought for sure the Ely would outpace the Nio with this type of rock music
  • Even though the Ely excels with a song like this, the Nio held its own by bringing some oomph to the low end without muddying anything, just put a little more stank on the guitar and synth

Invincible – video game-y and EDM mixed, my jam

• Nio
  • Stage in the intro is good with some accent notes bouncing from left to right pretty wide
  • 0:35 the kick drum is felt but not overpowering
  • 1:07 I’m in it, this is when the Nio is hitting it’s stride, handling a bit of complexity with good separation
  • 2:05 I have a hard time believing the Ely will come close to the impact of the song right here
  • 4:25 nice staging for a more electronic song, mixed a bit more on the right side (feels weird to say a synthesizer is imaged on the right side, hah!)
• Ely
  • This is the first song I think the Ely doesn’t have a chance with based on genre alone
  • 0:35 the kick drum is more present than expected, but still missing some weight
  • 0:52 the snare is much more engaging here
  • 1:07 it’s really well balanced and separated, managing the complexity better than the Nio, but it’s not nearly as engaging
  • 2:05 confirmed, not much impact, lots more treble, very little slam
  • 4:25 separation impresses here, not surprisingly at this point; what is surprising is that the synth is more crunchy and enjoyable here
• Verdict
  • Nio, and it’s not really close
  • I thought the Ely was running away with things overall, but this genre is in the sweet spot for the Nio

Elouisa Villa Remix – hard not to move to this one, good mix of vocals and some EDM components

• Ely
  • 0:10 the separation with this IEM is so good and so natural here!
  • 0:58 I wouldn’t complain about BA bass right here, it’s super engaging with the kick drum
  • 1:30 I can’t help but feel the Nio will shine here, missing some impact with the Ely
  • 1:55 the complexity of this section is really well handled, separation with the Ely continues to impress
  • 2:45 I can still hear everything separately, which is crazy with all that’s going on
  • From that point forward I just want to be in the middle of this song
  • 4:39 it’s hard not to move during the breakdown and build here, the low piano notes are basic but just right
• Nio
  • Man, the Apex continues to feel great!
  • 0:10 separation isn’t as good but what’s there feels cohesive
  • 0:58 oh yeah, that’s what DD bass feels like, though it is on the edge of muddy, but not quite
  • 1:30 now this is “jump around because the music is moving you” worthy
  • 1:55 I’m surprised at how well the Nio is handling the complexity here, not quite at the level of the Ely, but it’s still really impressive
  • 2:45 I’m missing the separation of the Ely now even though the Nio is performing admirably
  • I’m similarly in the thick of this song, it’s just such a good track!
  • 4:39 never thought I’d say this, but the highs of the Nio are pulling me in here, and the breakdown of this song just demands dancing from me
• Verdict
  • Reluctantly, a draw
  • The song has something for both, the Nio with EDM musicality and the Ely with crazy complexity
  • I really want one of the two to impress me more, but I’d be happy listening to this song on either IEM

Blinding Lights – modern pop that I can get behind

• Nio
  • Right from the start there’s a rumble that the Nio does well with
  • 0:18 it’s punching me in the face and I love it
  • 0:29 the sub bass is really shining
  • 1:02 the vocals are good but I can’t help but think something is missing
  • This song is more in the Nio’s wheelhouse
  • 1:49 there’s a bit of complexity here that I’m excited to hear with the Ely, Nio is doing well but now I have data points that give me certain expectations with the Ely, hah!
  • 2:19 really cohesive here with the higher vocals
• Ely
  • No rumble at the start
  • 0:18 it isn’t punching me in the face, but the drum beat is shining
  • 0:29 sub bass sounds anemic, this is the first time I’ve really understood the limitations of a BA driver with low bass; the sub is there, but it sounds unnatural
  • 1:02 the Ely does some special stuff with vocals for sure
  • The Ely is performing admirably, but this ain’t it’s specialty
  • 1:49 I had to go back a few times to verify, but I actually think the Nio handled this section better than the Ely, who knew?
  • 2:19 yes, vocals on Ely are great, confirmed again
• Verdict
  • Nio wins
  • I expected the Nio to be more engaging because of the bass in this one
  • But, I expected the Ely to shine with the vocals
  • Both were true, but surprisingly, the Nio did as well as the Ely with the vocals and complexity

Breathing – deep bass and dirty EDM

• Ely
  • 0:08 that’s ripping! Then the haunting vocals…
  • 0:46 what a transition, Ely is handling it masterfully even with a BA for bass
  • 1:18 that’s just nasty!
  • 2:39 this is good, but I can’t wait to hear it on the Nio
  • 3:27 decent weight to the female vocals
  • 4:27 weight was lacking, leaving me wanting
  • 5:27 I’m back in it, the bass is there plenty to keep me moving here
• Nio
  • Such a difference with DD for bass
  • 0:08 much dirtier on the Ely but the vocals here are also haunting
  • 0:25 I didn’t realize what bass was missing
  • 0:46 this…is…filthy! The bass weight is moving
  • 2:39 the extra grit is here with the Nio, my (closeted) basshead is becoming more evident
  • 3:27 I actually prefer the mids here, maybe because of the lower register female vocals having a bit more weight
  • 4:27 the weight was also actually lacking here
  • 5:27 the bass is almost too much here, but for this song it works
• Verdict
  • Nio
  • I think this one is genre dependent as well
  • Though the Ely did well, it’s no Nio for this type of music

________________________________________________________________________________________________

Summary

That's two for the Ely, four for the Nio, and three that were a draw. Ask me on a different day, when I'm in a different mood, and those draws could have gone either way. I think the final score has more to do with song selection than capability.

The Ely is amazing at staging, imaging, and separation, reminding me of some of my favorite things about the OG Solaris that I only sold because it was too heavy and big for me. I don’t have those problems with the Ely. Not surprising given the frequency response of the two (red = Solaris OG, blue = Ely), which was closer than I expected.



Ely/Nio frequency response comparison. Note this is with the M15, which is more bass heavy than the Fir M0 I used (green = Nio M15, blue = Ely).



I expected the Nio to get blown out of the water in terms of technicalities, imaging, and staging. While the Ely was better, and very different, the Nio did much better in terms of imaging and staging than I expected.

They’re both musical in a different way, and clearly excel with different music genres. Never before have I liked the thought of having multiple IEMs, but these two could help me make the case (wallet be damned!). I wouldn’t say one is better than the other since they’re so different, but I’d recommend both easily depending on what someone is looking for.

The last thing I’ll say is that, comparing back to back, I’m much more appreciative of the pressure clearance the Apex module gives you. Thanks for that, @64Audio !

Finally, thanks to @Barra and @Vision Ears for making this happen. It's amazing what you're doing for the community.

That was an interesting and well-thought out report--- thank-you for sharing. The N8 is the only 64 Audio IEM that's ever really interested me and given that the Nio is by most accounts a tweaked universal version of the N8 I've been quite curious about it for a while and I am hoping for a chance to demo one soon. My suspicion has been basically what you've said-- they're fundamentally different in their presentation. But this may mean the Nio is a great candidate for a more "fun sounding" complement to my Ely. Thanks again!

 

[uthood]

That was an interesting and well-thought out report--- thank-you for sharing. The N8 is the only 64 Audio IEM that's ever really interested me and given that the Nio is by most accounts a tweaked universal version of the N8 I've been quite curious about it for a while and I am hoping for a chance to demo one soon. My suspicion has been basically what you've said-- they're fundamentally different in their presentation. But this may mean the Nio is a great candidate for a more "fun sounding" complement to my Ely. Thanks again!

Thanks!

Maybe we'll get enough people to sign up for another 64 Audio tour that will include the Nio. My big surprise during the comparison how well the Nio did technically. I figured the bass would bloat enough to reduce detail retrieval but that was, surprisingly, not the case. I definitely appreciate the Nio more after the comparison.

If the Ely had just a tad more bass, done with a DD, while maintaining the mids/staging/imaging, I'd say that would be perfect for me. I find it very similar to the Utopia in that regard, though the Utopia definitely has a more tactile bass (not surprisingly).

 

[mikejazz]

Hi
My name is Mike Arnopol. I live in the Chicago area. I agree to follow all rules regarding the tours. I'd also like to get involved in writing reviews. I'm an audiophile and top working jazz musician
thanks

 

[Barra]

Hi
My name is Mike Arnopol. I live in the Chicago area. I agree to follow all rules regarding the tours. I'd also like to get involved in writing reviews. I'm an audiophile and top working jazz musician
thanks

Hey Mike, have you joined AUDIOTIERS and applied for membership yet supplying verification docs? If not, you will find links in my signature to all these things. @uthood has the kit now and would be shipping your direction soon if you are verified.

 

[mikejazz]

Hey Bill!
Yes I did on the AudioTiers site.I haven't heard anything as far as an approval, but on the site I am listed as a member. I also got an email from AudioTiers saying that my avatar inadvertantly got deleted.(I actually haven't put an avatar pic in yet) I'm totally new to this (Kevin suggested that because of my background as a professional musician I could be an asset) Hopefully I did everything right!

Just checked on my profile on AudioTiers and it says that I am a member. It says "new member" as of 2/13 and that I am "group registered". I did apply with all docs

 

[Wildcatsare1]

Hi All, I'm assisting Bill in managing the tours, and I need some info from your participants. Pleas4 note in the thread when you receive the tour unit, and note when you’ve sent it on to the next participant. I appreciate everyone’s assistance in making AudioTiers better for all members!