New Noble Universals

Noble has completely revamped its universal product line, switching to aluminum housings.

http://nobleaudio.com/en/shop/universal/

Going to be interesting to see whether they are making under-the-table deals on their remaining inventory of the old models at Can Jam this weekend.

 

Man, I sure hope they do offer some nice deals to clear out inventory.

 

Curious if the lineup is changed besides name. The N4 was pretty perfect.

 

I didn't realize this when I read the email earlier, but it looks like they're also available in custom, replacing the whole line except for k10 and savant. Anyone know how well those aluminum shells fit?

Edit... and wow they raised the k10 custom and universal by 50, I got in just in time. Looks like a few others are higher as well based on memory

 

I'm curious about the fit too.
Design looks slightly better than their previous more industrial look. That asymmetrical dimpled back does trigger my tryphophobia though *shudder*

 

Oh damn- I didn't even know that was a thing and just Googled it!

If the shells on these are similar to the K10u (which they look like they are, just shallower), the fit should be okay. I'm wondering what they look like worn- didn't take a picture of myself wearing them and can't find any pics on the internets of people wearing them.

 

Jude made a Can Jam sneak peak featuring these. According to the video, these are "re-tuned." What that means i have no idea. Some impressions from people going to Can Jam Socal would be awesome. If it's just a reshelling then I'll look for a used N4.

 

DAMN I shouldn't have be so curious to google that word! Send chills to my spine!

 

I spent probably 40 minutes at the Noble booth at Canjam listening to the Tridents, Savannas, and Savants. I also listened to another attendee's Noble 4 for a bit as I was considering buying them. Maybe I had a fit problem with the Noble 4s, because they sounded a bit distant and lifeless to me. The Savannas, which are the comparable IEMs to the 4 in the new line, sound fantastic, with incredibly rich and vivid vocals that really jumped out. To me, they seem like a more than worthy upgrade and I actually ordered a pair because I didn't want to take them off. I was playing them single ended through my Pono and listening to a variety of artists, styles, and genres.

The Tridents were a big step down for me, not worth the price of entry IMO. Everything sounded a bit dull, a bit grainy, and the resolution just wasn't there. I heard much better low end offerings from other vendors. The Savants were close to the Savannas, but with a mid bass hump that gave a fuller low end, although to me it sounded a bit more muddy as a result.

The Savannas really hit the sweet spot between price and performance. I detected no obvious shortcomings with them, which is a comment I often heard about the 4, but to me the Savanna is a step up from what I heard of the 4.

The build quality also feels more premium with the new Nobles, and they fit easily without any problems.

Now I just have to wait for Noble to ship my pair next month.

 

I just got the custom Dulce Bass. It is in the process of blowing me away. I'm enjoying it much more than the N4, Savants, Andromedas and, for certain genres (chopped-and-screwed rap and grime), more than even my K10s. What has surprised me is how versatile it is. I had obviously expected a signature suited to bass-driven genres but I didn't expect it to be so suited to acoustic genres.

Having owned 4/6th of the Noble lineup, I can say pretty confidently that the Dulce Bass is the closest to the K10. It sounds like the the bass of the K10, tuned to decay more slowly, with about 90 % of the mids of the K10, and 50 % of the highs of the K10.

 

Man, I would of thought the Django would sound more like the K10 since its supposed to be a similar all rounder. I have heard some impressions on Dulce Bass saying the mids are very forward and striking, so maybe that's why it's so well performing on acoustic.

Is the bass pretty controlled then? How recessed does the treble sound compared to the mids/bass?

 

Ugh don't remind me. I did not realize I had that until a few years ago when I was on the internet and saw some random stuff and nearly had a panic attack for no reason.
On the other hand, I want to see how they plan to get rid of the old stock and if there is going to be a worthwhile discount.

 

The bass is not "uncontrolled" but it is looser and slower than the bass of the K10s or Andromedas or really any other BA iem I've ever heard (It's almost dynamic-like) but for me it is a feature, not a bug.

The treble is recessed but not recessed, as in, it is at a lower volume relative to the bass and mids but because of the clarity of the mids, the treble cuts through cleanly and is never drowned out. Because of this, treble is clear but never sibilant and sharp.

 

Tried the Dulce Bass and Django today. The 5-driver bass-heavy Dulce Bass is basically something between the first incarnation of Beats and TH900. The Django is super duper nice. It fixed my complaints about the original 6 in the weird timbre. Nice non-bloated bass with some of the cleanest macro-detail presentation. The bass feels slightly uncontrolled and lack in focus however. Django may be a good contender vs Jupiter as a easy kick-back session choice.

 

Nice! So far it looks like Noble really did put some effort into refining the classic line. Savanna, Dulce, and Django all seem like really good IEMs and do their intended signature right. I wonder if Trident is an improvement over the 3.

 

... Please note I in no way indicated Dulce Bass is good. Imagine you are listening someone hysterically shouting at you through a half-broken phone while you are at the doorstep of a night club. That's Dulce Bass.

 

Hahahaha. I disagree with that description, but it's hilarious. The Dulce is the first BA iem to satisfy my basshead cravings.

 

How would you describe the mids? Are they more up front or are they recessed? Just trying to get an understanding of these, being a basshead, there are never enough options, especially when I want mids and treble to sound great as well.

 

The mids are way forward and vocals really stand out. It works really well with tracks that have female vocals and deep bass. I've heard V-shaped IEMs with strong bass + strong treble, but this is the first IEM I have heard that combines a very strong bass with a very forward midrange. The treble is recessed, but because of the overall clarity of the midrange, the treble doesn't get buried.

To put it in perspective, I was a very happy early adopter of the Andromeda (I bought and received it before it was even officially released). I received my Dulce at the beginning of this week and used it exclusively for a day or two. By Wednesday evening, I couldn't spend more than a few minutes with the Andromedas without missing the deep bass impact, the "sweet" vocals, and the warm presentation of the Dulces. By Friday I had sold the Andromedas.

Everyone's mileage will vary, as with all things audio-related, but with my preferences and my tastes in music, I can't recommended any IEMs for a basshead who appreciates mids more profusely than the Dulces.