Vision Ears and Rhines Custom Monitors (formerly Compact Monitors)

[nardkumz]

Just finish demoing VE2 and VE3. Boy, they are AMAZING! I ended up ordering VE3 because of the spacious soundstage and better resolution, and here's my short impression based on the demo units.

VE2
I came with low expection, knowing that it's 2 driver and it's not the 'most discussed thing' among the VE line ups. And i was positively surprised!
- resolution is good, it's not as full sounding as my CE6P, but it does hold the ground as a dual driver
- bass is there and the quantity is more than VE3, it's punchy but there's no rattle. It's not overpowering and controlled. It's deserved to be called v-shaped
- mids and highs are okay, i can say the treble extension is excellent and they are good, but not xtraordinary. Treble lacks sparkle and details, but once again, it's dual driver.
- sound stage is compact with really good instrument separation. It's quite wide, but there's no depth in it. I got a feeling of a small room when i test it with 'canon in D for strings'. This is one deciding factor why i chose VE3 over VE2.

VE3
I demoed VE2 first and then moved to VE3. First impression: it's MORE SPACIOUS.
I tested it with 'glorious ruins-hillsong', '93 million miles-jason mraz', 'canon in D for strings', 'a new day has come-celine dion'.

Glorious ruins: percussion in the intro (bass), vocal separation, instrument separation

93 million miles : mids, treble, vocal

Canon in D : soundstage

Bass: as some have said, bass is not the strength of VE3, it's there when the song called it, but there's no bass rumble, the quantity is even less than the bass of CE6P

Mids: amazing resolution, not too much coloration, but not boring at all. I don't really know how to put this, but it sounds just right, the clarity, resolution, placement, details are there. Simply pleasant to hear

Treble: goes hand in hand with mids, the flute, cymbals sounded so real. The soundstage helps the highs to shine, it's glorious. In comparison to CE6P -> CE6P is a warmer CIEM in overall, and i find the treble of CE6P is thicker but smooth, whereas VE3 is slightly thinner and precise.

Soundstage: this is one thing that convinced me to fill in the paper it's wide and deep, beautiful 3D soundstage dare i say. Now, i haven't listened to UERM or H8P, but VE3 (demo) is the first IEM that gave me the taste of 3D soundstage. It's spacious, distance from one instrument to another is real. The depth of it is amazing, with canon in D for strings, i can really feel standing in the room and can tell the position of each instrument. I expect the CIEM version to be equivalent to this, if not better.

The VE3 is in overall more flat than VE2 and CE6P, which is good. And the fact that it lacks in bass department is okay for me, i love the whole package at the end of the day.

Now let the waiting begins!

PS: sorry if there's some wording mistakes

 

[GoingBackHome]

Hey Guys,
 
im a little bit confused of the VE 6 X1 and the X2. The Bass on the Demo Unit on the X2 should be less than the Custom Version one? So do you think the Bass on the X2 is enough and not only straight natural like a AKG k701? Every time i read reviews about the VE 6 X1 and 2 - i think the second one is the better InEar but missing the Bass ground and the X1 has powerful more bass but loses Details and clarity. Which one has more "emotions"?

 

[malifact]

Hey Guys,

im a little bit confused of the VE 6 X1 and the X2. The Bass on the Demo Unit on the X2 should be less than the Custom Version one? So do you think the Bass on the X2 is enough and not only straight natural like a AKG k701? Every time i read reviews about the VE 6 X1 and 2 - i think the second one is the better InEar but missing the Bass ground and the X1 has powerful more bass but loses Details and clarity. Which one has more "emotions"?

It really depends how you like your vocal presentation. The X1 mode pushes the vocals more close up so that they are intimate. But the X2 mode is a tad more detailed and not as fatiguing with the more neutral bass. This is just my experience from the demo unit. If you are a vocal lover, you may want to consider the new VE5.

 

[GoingBackHome]

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[GoingBackHome]

I heard the VE 5..i think for Vocal Singers this one is a Great Monitor but for me as a normal guy who loves music with much instruments its to heavy...
 
When i heard the VE6 X2 a lot and after than the X1..it feels like a blanket full of Bass on the Soundstage. The Sound is more alive but its destory a bit the natural image of the Sound. Its more Fun and accessible. I use a Fiio X5 and i think the X1 has from time to time enough Bass.
 
But i read this in a Review:
 
I did prefer the X2 position over the X1 using the X5 by a small margin, especially with female vocals such as Diana Krall. Sometimes that weightier X5 bass signature can get in the way with the X1 profile for anything outside of EDM.
 
http://headfonics.com/2014/12/the-ve6-xcontrol-ciem-by-vision-ears/3/
 
So its seems the Bass comes from the Fiio and not from the natural of the VE 6 X2. 
 
In another opinion i think the VE 6 X2 is a very unique InEar that gives you a very natural Soundstage, with clarity, Dynamic and Details. You read a lot of comments who compared the X2 with the HD 800 and thats is in my opinion a big step forward for Custom InEars.
 
On the other Side - the VE 6X1. It is more adorable and mainstream. Its sounds on the first look better but its not so brilliant. I think a lot of InEars and Headphones do the Same Job as the X2 (but not so good so far). But the X1 is some more special i think.

 

[aLm0sT]

Had the chance to listen to the VE5’s today. I was using my iPhone6Plus with Tidal app.

In short: they sounded incredible. Mid’s were definitely it’s strong point. Vocals were the best I’ve heard from an IEM so far. It felt like the singer was sitting right in front of me. Very addictive!

Highs were very well extended and detailed which also contributed to the wide soundstage the VE5 has. If I had to nitpick, I felt like they sounded just a tad harsh with a few songs but coming from the UM Merlin (which I think has big treble roll off) it could also just be that my ears aren't used to such crystal clear highs.

Bass was good but sound a bit dry and lack the body/impact and rumble that I get from my UM Merlin (which was to be expected since they use a DD for the low end). Merlins bass also sounds fullers/richer and extends slightly lower. While the Merlins low end sounds more natural and fun, the VE5’s are more accurate and provide a lot more detail. I found it to have plenty of bass for most tracks and only when I was listening to some aggressive HipHop I wished it had a bit more impact. Dubstep on the other hand sounded very good.

Overall, the VE5’s outperform my Merlin’s in every aspect by a wide margin. VE5 provides loads more details, has a bigger soundstage and is very well balanced across the entire spectrum. Very detailed and yet musical with a slight touch of warmth but far from colored. What I like most about the VE5 is how easily they make you get lost in the music. It didn’t feel like I was listening through IEMs. I could see myself listening to them for hours (unlike the SE846 which I owned for a while and eventually sold for that and other reasons).

I also tried the VE6X and wasn’t impressed with it at all. It sounded dull and boring in comparison. Yes it may be a bit more detailed and accurate but it didn’t connect me to the music the way the VE5’s did.

I also had a brief listen with the UERM. I was sure I wouldn’t like it since I assumed that neutral and flat would translate to sounding boring. I couldn’t be more wrong. I enjoyed them a lot and loved how true/honest and revealing they sounded. I would definitely pick them over VE6.

IMO, VE5 are a more musical sounding version of the UERM with similar details/soundstage but smoother and more engaging with slightly more emphasized mids and highs.

Hope this helps.

P.S: My local dealer is getting a demo of the Rhines Stage 7 next week which I'm also very curious about, but the guy who assisted me said it doesn't sound as good as the VE5.

 

[GoingBackHome]

Sounds great for the VE 5. Which Music do you hear and prefer for? I think a big Sound with  much instruments does not fit with the VE 5 like a DT 990. Only 2/3 Instruments and a big Voice forward works great with this.

 

[malifact]

ALm0st thanks for your impressions of the VE5. I'm surprised it has a slight touch of warmth, as I assumed it would be bright due to the emphasis on highs and upper mids. I'm glad it seems adequate in the bass department. I'm not a basshead, but I like enough bass for pop and R&B.

I would really love it if Vision Ears created a CIEM that took the best of the VE6 X1 and X2. I really liked the vocal presentation and energy with the X1 mode, but preferred the bass on X2 (I found the X1 bass a tad bloated on a few of my demo tracks).

 

[Jobbing]

Would anyone be able to make a comparison between VE5, CE6P/B and Legend-R/Omega, especially with regard to soundstage and hiss? Thanks!

 

[Ultrainferno]

Would anyone be able to make a comparison between VE5, CE6P/B and Legend-R/Omega, especially with regard to soundstage and hiss? Thanks!

 
I'm picking up my VE5 next thursday and have the CE6B and Legend R. Legend R is the most hiss sensitive monitor I've ever had.

 

[Jobbing]

I'm picking up my VE5 next thursday and have the CE6B and Legend R. Legend R is the most hiss sensitive monitor I've ever had.

Thanks for that! I do like my Supra's and Earwerkz as a company/service, the hiss on the Supra's and Legend-R is keeping me from buying the -R/Omega.

EU based and having a local Rhine dealer I'm considering the VE5. I'm looking forward to your impressions, have fun tomorrow!

 

[Ultrainferno]

 I'm looking forward to your impressions, have fun tomorrow!

 
Thanks, but it's next week

 

[Jobbing]

Thanks, but it's next week

Woops, sorry for the wait Will you be picking them up in Germany or at a local Belgian dealer?

 

[Ultrainferno]

I'm going to Köln. Company visit

 

[Jobbing]

I'm going to Köln. Company visit

Lucky you!!!
Getting a VIP treatment, company tour, playing around with toys.....some guys have all the luck
Enjoy!