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Lonelyers
100+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Oct 25, 2013
- Posts
- 105
- Likes
- 60
Let me start by saying that I like VE Monk. At its price, it is very affordable, and I can easily buy a few pairs and put them in different places - in the office, in my backpack, in my laptop accessories bag ... it just makes things so convenient. Nonetheless, I long for an in-ear version of Monk. I once went on a plane with an Android phone filled with videos and a pair of Monk - bad idea. No matter how I wore the Monk, the isolation was not good enough. And to make matters worse, that particular phone could not drive the Monk very well - not enough power (I know, my fault). That made me wonder - if VE could just make an in-ear version, then I could use the Monk in the subway and on the plane.
And after a long, long wait, my wish is granted.
I am very grateful that I am among one of the very lucky individuals receiving the all-new Venture Electronics (VE) Monk IEs (in-ear). There will be more impressions after further burn-in, but I bet the new Monk IEs - the Biggie and the Smalls (yes, there are two different models) - will, like the Monk earbuds, blow our minds once again.
(Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with VE. I am among one of a small group of people offered the opportunity to try out the pre-production / production model of the IEMs. There may be further changes before the IEMs are officially released. As a long-time and dedicated VE customer, I paid a price slightly lower than the expected retail price. As a customer, I am free to offer my views on the IEMs.)
And without further ado, let's take a look at a few (unprofessional) photos of the VE Monk IEs - Biggie and Smalls.
VE Monk IEs: Smalls (white, left) with Opus #1; Biggie (black, right) with Aune M1S. Sorry for making this look like a mess, but I am not a good photographer. My package comes with one small case, the two IEMs, 3 cables and a pack of eartips. That's all. The retail version could be different.
This time, the cables are replaceable (standard CIEM 0.78 mm 2-pin cables). Each pair of VE Monk IE will come with 3 cables - the Espresso cable (paired with Smalls in the photo), the Silver cable (paired with Biggie in the photo), and the 1-button Mic cable (top right hand corner).
A closer look at VE Monk IE Smalls. The Smalls are easy to drive, and are supposed to pair well with mobile phones. Paired with Opus #01 and the Espresso cable, the balanced Smalls has a fun and enjoyable sound signature - nice dynamics, warm but not too bass-heavy. This is the IEM for casual, on-the-go listening.
A closer look at VE Monk IE Biggie. The Biggie are much harder to drive, and would benefit from an amplifier. Paired with the Aune M1S and the Silver cable, the balanced Biggie has a more mature sound than the Smalls - clearly it is the model catering for audiophiles. The mids and highs come forward in this model, as well as the vocals. Not sibilant even with the Silver cable. The soundstage of Biggie is wider than that of Smalls. Biggie is also more detailed and has better imaging. This is the IEM for more serious, sit-down listening.
Take note that the above are only initial impressions, as I have only burnt in the IEMs for around 5 hours - I just received them today. So far, I am very satisfied with the sound of both IEMs. On the design, I have the following personal comments:
(1) I do hope that this is not the final design. I would rather keep the faceplates clean, and put the words somewhere else - maybe on the inner side of the IEMs. I can't come up with what to put on the faceplates at the moment.
(2) Although it is easy for me to identify the left / right side, a L-R indicator on the IEMs would still be helpful for some. I noticed a small protrusion on the inner left side - but beginners could benefit from an L-R indicator. (Note: The cables have L-R indicators.)
And now, to the topic everyone is concerned about: the price.
With 3 cables, there is no way that the IEM will be for $5 or $10 per pair. I learnt from Lee of VE that the Biggie and Smalls will both retail at around USD$40 per pair (either Biggie or Smalls), and each pair will come with the 3 aforementioned cables. VE would encourage interested customers to get the premium package, at USD$60. The premium package would come with BOTH (!) Biggie and Smalls, same 3 cables, pack of tips, the carrying case, and most importantly, a premium version of VE Monk earbuds - likely the Monk in Espresso cable. You can choose between balanced or unbalanced options. Judging from initial listening, I think the price is very reasonable, despite a steep price increase when compared with the earbuds. I think both Biggie and Smalls punch WELL ABOVE their weight. I would definitely recommend getting the Premium package.
I also learnt from Lee that the Monk IEs will be available for retail sales in November - December 2017. So don't spend all your money on Black Friday sales! Save up a little for these lovely IEMs!
Any questions are welcome, but I really need to get some sleep first - its well past midnight here in Hong Kong. And I still need to go to work ...
(Edit: After clarifying with Lee, the price for the Premium Package at 60USD should be for both Biggie and Smalls; while 40USD would be for one of the two. Balanced and unbalanced options of the IEMs are available. Changes have been made to the above text accordingly.)
And after a long, long wait, my wish is granted.
I am very grateful that I am among one of the very lucky individuals receiving the all-new Venture Electronics (VE) Monk IEs (in-ear). There will be more impressions after further burn-in, but I bet the new Monk IEs - the Biggie and the Smalls (yes, there are two different models) - will, like the Monk earbuds, blow our minds once again.
(Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with VE. I am among one of a small group of people offered the opportunity to try out the pre-production / production model of the IEMs. There may be further changes before the IEMs are officially released. As a long-time and dedicated VE customer, I paid a price slightly lower than the expected retail price. As a customer, I am free to offer my views on the IEMs.)
And without further ado, let's take a look at a few (unprofessional) photos of the VE Monk IEs - Biggie and Smalls.
VE Monk IEs: Smalls (white, left) with Opus #1; Biggie (black, right) with Aune M1S. Sorry for making this look like a mess, but I am not a good photographer. My package comes with one small case, the two IEMs, 3 cables and a pack of eartips. That's all. The retail version could be different.
This time, the cables are replaceable (standard CIEM 0.78 mm 2-pin cables). Each pair of VE Monk IE will come with 3 cables - the Espresso cable (paired with Smalls in the photo), the Silver cable (paired with Biggie in the photo), and the 1-button Mic cable (top right hand corner).
A closer look at VE Monk IE Smalls. The Smalls are easy to drive, and are supposed to pair well with mobile phones. Paired with Opus #01 and the Espresso cable, the balanced Smalls has a fun and enjoyable sound signature - nice dynamics, warm but not too bass-heavy. This is the IEM for casual, on-the-go listening.
A closer look at VE Monk IE Biggie. The Biggie are much harder to drive, and would benefit from an amplifier. Paired with the Aune M1S and the Silver cable, the balanced Biggie has a more mature sound than the Smalls - clearly it is the model catering for audiophiles. The mids and highs come forward in this model, as well as the vocals. Not sibilant even with the Silver cable. The soundstage of Biggie is wider than that of Smalls. Biggie is also more detailed and has better imaging. This is the IEM for more serious, sit-down listening.
Take note that the above are only initial impressions, as I have only burnt in the IEMs for around 5 hours - I just received them today. So far, I am very satisfied with the sound of both IEMs. On the design, I have the following personal comments:
(1) I do hope that this is not the final design. I would rather keep the faceplates clean, and put the words somewhere else - maybe on the inner side of the IEMs. I can't come up with what to put on the faceplates at the moment.
(2) Although it is easy for me to identify the left / right side, a L-R indicator on the IEMs would still be helpful for some. I noticed a small protrusion on the inner left side - but beginners could benefit from an L-R indicator. (Note: The cables have L-R indicators.)
And now, to the topic everyone is concerned about: the price.
With 3 cables, there is no way that the IEM will be for $5 or $10 per pair. I learnt from Lee of VE that the Biggie and Smalls will both retail at around USD$40 per pair (either Biggie or Smalls), and each pair will come with the 3 aforementioned cables. VE would encourage interested customers to get the premium package, at USD$60. The premium package would come with BOTH (!) Biggie and Smalls, same 3 cables, pack of tips, the carrying case, and most importantly, a premium version of VE Monk earbuds - likely the Monk in Espresso cable. You can choose between balanced or unbalanced options. Judging from initial listening, I think the price is very reasonable, despite a steep price increase when compared with the earbuds. I think both Biggie and Smalls punch WELL ABOVE their weight. I would definitely recommend getting the Premium package.
I also learnt from Lee that the Monk IEs will be available for retail sales in November - December 2017. So don't spend all your money on Black Friday sales! Save up a little for these lovely IEMs!
Any questions are welcome, but I really need to get some sleep first - its well past midnight here in Hong Kong. And I still need to go to work ...
(Edit: After clarifying with Lee, the price for the Premium Package at 60USD should be for both Biggie and Smalls; while 40USD would be for one of the two. Balanced and unbalanced options of the IEMs are available. Changes have been made to the above text accordingly.)
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