shotgunshane’s IEM (custom and universal) recommendations, favorites and classics

Discussion in 'IEMs and Portable Gear' started by shotgunshane, Jun 7, 2016.

  1. jaker782

    jaker782 Friend

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    Key word there is "almost"... I am in a perpetual state of almost being done buying gear. Haha!

    Yest, the Mest MKII is supposedly pretty great. Since I am in the office full time again I am considering a new iem purchase. Lots of good options out there! I was just curious about the bone conduction tech and if it was the real deal and actually makes a difference. I love me some good sub-bass rumble!
     
  2. Stuff Jones

    Stuff Jones Friend

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    Has anyone here heard the Oriolus Traillii? Thoughts? I'm decidedly not tempted to purchase them given their absurd price, but the feedback on HF both in terms of positivity and volume (considering the absurd price) is pretty insanely positive. Of course once you spend 6k on IEMs, I suppose you're going to be pretty committed to justifying it.
     
  3. Claud

    Claud Living the ORFAS dream

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    You can also get a taste of the Trailli by buying the Isabellae. about $600 @ MusicTeck. Best DD IEM you can buy. Scales up nicely with a Satin Audio Athena cable.
     
  4. YMO

    YMO Chief Fun Officer

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    Hey y'all...

    I'm dumb enough to order the new Drop + JVC HA-FWX1 because I'm too curious. I'll blab about it in a few weeks.
     
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  5. Tchoupitoulas

    Tchoupitoulas Friend

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    Interesting that so many are up for sale on head-fi. Not sure if this says something about the IEMs themselves or the (surprisingly large number of) people willing to buy them in the first place?

    [​IMG]
     
  6. Stuff Jones

    Stuff Jones Friend

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    Looking forward to your impressions. I'm close to pulling the trigger on the Aune Jasper, which sound like a promising mid priced DD. When I have a little time I want to start a DD IEM thread and compile my own impressions, invite others to do the same and link to existing reviews and impressions of DD IEMs scattered across this site.
     
  7. YMO

    YMO Chief Fun Officer

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    I wanted a higher end warmer IEM above the Moondrop Starfield that doesn't suck. Moondrop Starfield (and the Aria) is still the warm sounding IEM value king, but I wanted something more on this area than the Starfield. I'm not too sure that the FWX1 will be the ticket, but the more I review it and researching it the more I'm curious about it. I never heard a woodie JVC before.
     
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  8. Claud

    Claud Living the ORFAS dream

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    Most people that I have talked with that own the Trailli are selling it because they don't want that much of their hobby cash tied up by one set of IEMs. They all agree that the Trailli is the best sounding set of IEMs. Most of them have the Isabellae which is very satisfying for a single DD
     
  9. shotgunshane

    shotgunshane Floridian Falcon

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    I’m Interested in the Jasper too. Crin’s measurements show it to be a little bassier Illumination, which should have a lot of potential. I own and really like Illumination, which is akin, IMO, to a dynamic driver ER4XR.
     
  10. Stuff Jones

    Stuff Jones Friend

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    Didn't realize he had them measured. Looks similar to the FDX1 too, though with a little more mid bass/ lower mids presence, which is welcomed by me. Any concern about the big dip at 11k?
     
  11. shotgunshane

    shotgunshane Floridian Falcon

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    Illumination lacks airiness but on the plus side is an easy to listen to treble with good timbre. I assume Jasper will be similar.
     
  12. Brause

    Brause Friend

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    Quick notes on the Moondrop KATO...still testing and comparing...only with steel nozzles so far

    Super coherent, everything well measured, absolutely superb overall presentation. Way more cohesive/homogeneous than the Starfield (=KXXS).

    Not the punchiest bass but realistically dosed; so-called audiophiles will love it for being realistic. The boom-boom guys will not. Tighter low end than Starfield.

    Mids finally not thin and neutral anymore. Body and temperature added to match the bass. Superb vocals presentation, absolutely natural. No shoutiness.

    Treble: sweet with good extension.

    Stage: deep, tall, I am not sure it is wider than average, but it is certainly not outright narrow.

    In summary: biggest traits are the homogenous presentation and sugar mids, I much prefer the KATO over the ($800) Moondrop Illumination and ($700) Cayin Fantasy...which is subjective.

    I used the KATO for several hours yesterday and did not want to take them out of my ears...which rarely happens. Good synergy with AudioQuest DragonFly Cobalt and Earstudio HUD100.

    I think Moondrop have raised the bar in the <$200 segment.


    KATO vs. ARIA

    KATO with richer, fuller sound, warmer bass and mids, and better imaging. Aria are leaner sounding but have more (I would not say better) top-end extension.

    All measurements with the usual tips I used for measurements, unless indicated otherwise.

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    Last edited: Sep 24, 2021
  13. Brause

    Brause Friend

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    Got a technical question. I remember a discussion how the pinna gain (rise) is placed best by the tuners. I think the consensus was between 1 and 2 kHz. In the case below, the pinna gain rises between 1 and an 4 kHz, in many other cases between 1 and 3 kHz.

    What principal sonic differences are expected between these tunings? I added a hypothetically altered tuning (red line) to the Evo below.



    [​IMG]
     
  14. lemon07r

    lemon07r New

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    What would you guys consider good DD iems for under $300?
     
  15. Rockwell

    Rockwell Friend

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    I'm probably alone in this around here given this site's tendency to prefer more neutral-type signatures, but I'm a big fan of the CFA Honeydew. It's a guilty pleasure for sure but it's a bass heavy signature done right imho. Another IEM I've been fond of recently is the Zero Audio Carbo Mezzo. It's only $50 and deceptively good for the price imho
     
  16. shotgunshane

    shotgunshane Floridian Falcon

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    Moondrop Kato
    Drop x JVC FDX1
    Tanchjim Oxygen
     
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  17. Stuff Jones

    Stuff Jones Friend

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    I'd also consider stretching for the UM 3DT at USD 320.
     
  18. shotgunshane

    shotgunshane Floridian Falcon

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    Isn’t a mod (simple; removable) recommended? Maybe link to it if you know where it is.
     
  19. shotgunshane

    shotgunshane Floridian Falcon

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  20. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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