Vision Ears and Rhines Custom Monitors (formerly Compact Monitors)

[Tristy]

I’m currently using a Chord Mojo 2. Are you familiar with it, and could you tell me the difference in sound and whether it would be a significant upgrade?

I have both at home so can do a side by side when i am back on Saturday. I can tell you that they sound very very different, mojo 2 is much more neutral and digital sounding. N7 is more natural, higher resolution and more tangible sounding due to the 1-bit DAC.

 

[LowBeat91]

I have both at home so can do a side by side when i am back on Saturday. I can tell you that they sound very very different, mojo 2 is much more neutral and digital sounding. N7 is more natural, higher resolution and more tangible sounding due to the 1-bit DAC.

Even better! Please don’t stress yourself, but I would be very grateful. If possible, please also relate everything to the EXT if you still have it.

 

[Yifang]

I’m currently using a Chord Mojo 2. Are you familiar with it, and could you tell me the difference in sound and whether it would be a significant upgrade?

Mojo2 has a DAC component that rivals most flagship tier DAPs. You'd be better off just adding a portable amp to your chain if possible and keep the Mojo2 as your DAC component, given the only weakness of the Mojo2 is the amplification ability.

However, if that is too inconvenient and you just want a one device solution, then you'd still need a flagship DAP to make it a worthwhile upgrade over the Mojo2 and it won't necessarily be cheap. I'd recommend trying to find a Shanling M9 Plus on the used market, it is one of the most affordable while having very powerful amplification abilities and the sonics in general I think is one of the best, regardless of price. It's an extremely good pairing with EXT too.

 

[Tristy]

Mojo2 has a DAC component that rivals most flagship tier DAPs. You'd be better off just adding a portable amp to your chain if possible and keep the Mojo2 as your DAC component, given the only weakness of the Mojo2 is the amplification ability.

However, if that is too inconvenient and you just want a one device solution, then you'd still need a flagship DAP to make it a worthwhile upgrade over the Mojo2 and it won't necessarily be cheap. I'd recommend trying to find a Shanling M9 Plus on the used market, it is one of the most affordable while having very powerful amplification abilities and the sonics in general I think is one of the best, regardless of price. It's an extremely good pairing with EXT too.

Without comparing the two side by side, I can still tell you for certainty that the N7 + C9 combo is more detailed and impressive than the Mojo 2 + C9 combo. If you replace the C9 with the C9ii this gap widens even further. There is some synergistic magic going on between the Cayin components which can’t be underestimated. The Mojo 2 + C9 combo is very good and raises the Mojo 2 to a new level but it’s still not playing on the same level as the N7 + C9 IMO from my years of listening.

 

[Tristy]

An excellent review of the Vision Ears EXT MKii mirroring my sentiments nearly exactly. I’ve been meaning to post some impressions after some (ext)ended listening time with this beauty but life keeps getting in the way… another flavour of my favourite IEM of all time and arguably a more mature, versatile and technical offering over its older sibling… I can’t pull them out of my ears.

https://headfonics.com/vision-ears-ext-mkii-review/

 

[LowBeat91]

Has anyone happened to listen to the Vision Ears EXT with the Cayin RU6 and RU7 and can share their impressions? I do have a Mojo 2 but am looking for something more portable for on-the-go use. I’m considering carrying a dongle DAC in the future or perhaps going for a DAP instead.

 

[hiltm]

Has anyone happened to listen to the Vision Ears EXT with the Cayin RU6 and RU7 and can share their impressions? I do have a Mojo 2 but am looking for something more portable for on-the-go use. I’m considering carrying a dongle DAC in the future or perhaps going for a DAP instead.

I can personally vouch for DC Elite (if combined with copper cable) but the headfonics review for EXT mkii compares dongles performance with it

 

[Deferenz]

EXT Mkii certainly looks interesting. I liked the OG. They were one of the best fitting IEMs I ever tried.

 

[LowBeat91]

I can personally vouch for DC Elite (if combined with copper cable) but the headfonics review for EXT mkii compares dongles performance with it

What do you like about the DC Elite? Ist a bit expensive in comparison to Cayin RU7 or even Chord Mojo 2. It would cost me 449€

 

[Nightshifter]

An excellent review of the Vision Ears EXT MKii mirroring my sentiments nearly exactly. I’ve been meaning to post some impressions after some (ext)ended listening time with this beauty but life keeps getting in the way… another flavour of my favourite IEM of all time and arguably a more mature, versatile and technical offering over its older sibling… I can’t pull them out of my ears.

https://headfonics.com/vision-ears-ext-mkii-review/

Hope I can hear them somewhere here in the future
Really like the more refined version from what I'm reading.
I'm still waiting for my EXT to come back. It is waiting in the VE laboratory to get a look at which makes me really sad given the remaining options I have.

 

[Tristy]

Hope I can hear them somewhere here in the future
Really like the more refined version from what I'm reading.
I'm still waiting for my EXT to come back. It is waiting in the VE laboratory to get a look at which makes me really sad given the remaining options I have.

I’m smitten with it, as much as I was with the original. I think the mk2 sits in between the Elysium and EXT OG in terms of tuning and tonality. Hopefully you get to hear it soon.

 

[Stu Paddasso]

I’m smitten with it, as much as I was with the original. I think the mk2 sits in between the Elysium and EXT OG in terms of tuning and tonality. Hopefully you get to hear it soon.

Does it have more bass than Elysium?

 

[LowBeat91]

I’m smitten with it, as much as I was with the original. I think the mk2 sits in between the Elysium and EXT OG in terms of tuning and tonality. Hopefully you get to hear it soon.

Is it possible to EQ the EXT to the MKII?

 

[hiltm]

What do you like about the DC Elite? Ist a bit expensive in comparison to Cayin RU7 or even Chord Mojo 2. It would cost me 449€

The DC Elite is gloriously punchy and transparent, while I never tried Mojo2 IMO it out-resolves Questyle CMA18P. I've used Astral Acoustic Pulse cable to give the EXT enough warmth and vocal presence at the cost of slower decay, so DCE synergizes well with my chain. The treble is quite ethereal; it doesn't have much attack but shimmers well, and it doesn't fatigue me as someone who's treble-sensitive.

 

[Tristy]

Does it have more bass than Elysium?

Yeah and it’s much more impactful, it’s a lot closer to EXT than Elysium in that regard. The mid bass has just been dialled back slightly and it’s tighter which makes it cleaner sounding. It also seems to have a lot more sub bass presence and depth, im not sure if that’s due to the changes to the tuning or whether it’s DD differences between the 2… probably a combination of both.