IEM general discussion thread

Moondrop Aria or for a few dollars more, The Moondrop Kato. ( good review, here, at good old SBAF.)

 

Thanks you very much guys. I will check those reviews and give him based on what you said. Appreciated!

 

Moondrop Aria is currently 15% off. I paid $68.00 at Amazon.com.

 

IEMs are all I have since I gave up my dedicated HP setup.

No splitting time betwixt various IEMs for me. I use the astounding Sony MH755 with Comply tips. I use this exclusively and for a change of pace I occasionally put the Sony silicone tips on but quickly go back to the Comply.

 

I'm trying the Audeze isine 10, purchased on closeout for $199. Not a fan of the ergonomics, and the supplied fit accessories are weak, but the sound through the iOS cable is superb. Android via MoJo and UAPP not nearly as good out of the box, but I found some good EQ recs as a starting point. I've ordered a lightning to usb c adapter that allegedly works perfectly with the iOS cable, and really looking forward to that setup.

I just got the Stardust for my son, he's very happy with them so far.

 

Long term thoughts on UM 3DT vs FDX1. 3DT has 80% micropore mod and hybrid gel/foam tips. JVC has Spiral Dot+ tips, the middle filters (I forget which color), and both are being fed into the a Sony ZX300 with MrWalkman’s latest firmware with warm tuning and Plus mode via 4.4mm balanced cable. I’ve also used the 3DT lately with a modded Modi Multibit/Vali 2+ combo.

UM has hot treble to my ears even with the micropore mod applied, which tames the treble considerably. With the ZX300 in particular, treble can be piercing at times. With the Vali 2+/MM, it was far smoother. I know many consider the FDX1 to be shouty but the treble is far more relaxed to me compared to the presentation on the 3DT.

However in every other sonic aspect, the 3DT stands as a cut above the FDX1. For me the most immediate improvement is in the bass. The 3DT has taut, finely controlled bass with wonderful presence and texture. At no point does the bass creep into the mids. On some songs I can hear the plucks of individual bass strings. The FDX1 bass has far less definition and resolution. It sounds boomier and with more slam at the expense of landing in that territory where bass definition gets lost and I just hear wubwubwub.

The 3DT has better resolution and clarity across the board, as well as a greater sense of space. It’s much easier to separate what each individual instrument is doing with the 3DT. The 3DT has kind of killed my enjoyment of the FDX1. Just wish I could tame the treble on the 3DT more.

 

Has anyone looked at the new Grell TWS? It looks like it could be a very good alternative to the APP for android users given all the APP love here, tempted to buy one myself but I'd like to hear impressions from the people I trust before pulling the trigger.

 

Anyone knows of an IEM with soft attack in the uppermids and boosted bass and lower mids range, with recessed uppermids and treble?

The soft attack is the most important part

 

Not entirely sure about the soft attack, but the Dunu EST 112 might be worth reading up about.

 

I have a Final E5000 at the moment, and while the signature is quite dark and bassy, the leading edge has this hard impact, most evident on synthethic snares, that no matter how I mod them, can’t go away.

 

Lol, seeing your question I was about to recommend the E5000. See if you can find a FLC 8D or an 8N. I find their attacks to be softer than the E5000. Soft attack usually comes with compromises in other areas. So it’s not that easy to find good IEMs with soft attacks.

 

Thanks for the reccomendation. Do they also have as much bass and lower mids as the E5000? I love the signature of the E5000, except for the hard attack and 3khz emphasis.

If either one of these has the signature of the E5000, except with softer attack and less uppermids, that would be perfect for me.

 

Has anyone here heard the Monster Turbine Pro Gold?

 

Interesting new single DD from 7hz. A diaphragm that looks like a woofer but with a generic DD surround and suspension.

https://hifigo.com/collections/new-arrival/products/7hz-eternal

I'm glad that the market is shifting from BAs, they finally realized they're only good for hearing aids .

 

Interesting but big. Looks like a beer bottle cap.

 

Larger diaphragm at 14.5mm too, not quite as big as the EX1000 but looks like a similar type/config. It'll be interesting to see how this performs, as the Timeless seems really good and I'm considering trying one out. The Eternal's design is not really my style.

 

Forgive me if part of this doesn't line up with that, but it sounds quite a lot like one of my favorite IEMs, the YanYin Aladdin.

Soft attack is actually the one strike against its timbre for some instruments, but I think it plays as a strength in other areas.




My taste in IEMs up until this set had me thinking a high pinna gain was key to an overall sound I liked, but these proved me very wrong there.

I'm not personally as big of a fan of the Mangird Teas, but they graph fairly similarly. Can't remember what their attack was like.

 

If you're still looking: have you seen the 7Hertz Timeless thread? I wouldn't call the upper mids recessed (except by comparison to overly Harmanized things) or the lower mids boosted, but otherwise they might fit your tastes.

Another to consider might be the Oriolus Isabellae (warmer in the lower mids for sure), but that's 3x the price of the Timeless.

 

Thanks. Does the Aladdin suffer from BA timbre or driver incoherency, since it’s a multiple driver IEM?