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

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

  1. kitantisune

    kitantisune Acquaintance

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    Holy moly, from most other people this would be an "overhype" moment but from you? Next up I'll be hearing it from Marvey or something.
    There don't seem to be many solid contenders on the market (at least according to your list) at these price points, and I'm assuming this must crush the other offerings (im02, Orion, etc) as well.

    From your description would it be accurate to say the Plus sounds like a Orion with the Andromeda bass and similar rolled off treble? How does this compare to, say, Polaris, which sits right at the 600 mark you mentioned?

    Edit: Oh, and if these aren't hyper sensitive (both to noise floor and impedance) then chalk that up as a step up from the Andromediva
     
    Last edited: Oct 6, 2017
  2. shotgunshane

    shotgunshane Floridian Falcon

    Staff Member Pyrate Flathead IEMW
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    It wasn’t until I started working on the UERM comparison that I became bowled over. I was a little dumbfounded how well it compared. The more I compared, the more impressive it became.

    Yeah you could say that I suppose. I’m thinking Orion will sound a little honky in the midrange compared to the Plus though. I can’t remember how well Orion treble extended but Andromeda extends better than the Plus.
     
  3. shotgunshane

    shotgunshane Floridian Falcon

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    @Stuff Jones I forgot to mention that there will be other reviews and impressions coming. Muppetface has some on HF and I’m sure Marv will have some soon.
     
  4. imackler

    imackler Key Lime Pie Infected Aberdeen Wings Spy

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    @shotgunshane So without having heard a UE4 mysel, I'm guessing the MD+ (see what i did) has more subbass, similar mids and less treble extension than the UE4? Does that sound about right? From memory, are there other ways, besides subbass, that this clearly beats the UE4? (I know its tough comparing ciems to iems). Thanks!

    Edit: (and of course price!)
     
  5. Vansen

    Vansen Gear Master (retiring)

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    I have one too, and have posted a pre-impressions snippet over on the Plus thread.

    I also have an Orion to compare to this weekend, but it's not an Orion with Andromeda bass, even if it looks like it on a graph. Mid-diffuse bump is shifted a little, with difference prominence. Additionally, with the bass bump and the way the mid-diffuse bump is on the Plus, vocal presentation is different on the Plus than the Andro and Orion. It's a little more laid back.
     
  6. shotgunshane

    shotgunshane Floridian Falcon

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    Plus midrange is clearer than the UE4. I can’t remember UE4 treble extension but UE usually has better than most in that department. The Plus is overall better than the UE4 and competes with the UERM. Heck the Plus is clearer than the UERM, however the UERM is still more transparent.
     
  7. MuppetFace

    MuppetFace Sultana of Seafoam Green - Moderator

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  8. Stuff Jones

    Stuff Jones Friend

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    From CEE TEE at Massdrop:

    https://www.massdrop.com/buy/massdrop-plus-universal-iems/talk/1836493
     
  9. ald0s

    ald0s Facebook Friend

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    If only it was MMCX for the MUC, although to be honest I think 2-pin in the better connection. Still looks glorious and I'm so stoked about the (hopeful) fanatically comfortable fit.
     
  10. shotgunshane

    shotgunshane Floridian Falcon

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    Finally getting around to posting some 64 Audio Tia Forte impressions:

    Vs Andromeda

    Andromeda is brighter, crisper. Both have excellent/realistic treble decay and timbre. Forte bass quantity is larger. resulting in a thicker/richer, fuller bass with better texturing. Forte feels overall further away from listener compared to Andromeda, yet Forte presents vocals more forward in the mix. Andromeda feels noticeably wider left to right, while Forte has a stronger center image, but both feel excellently proportioned. The more focused center image of Forte lifts vocals out for a slightly cleaner, more dimensional experience.


    Vs ProPhile-8 (with switches off)

    PP8 bass has similar fullness as the Tia but is less in quantity and warmth. Bass texturing is more overt in the Tia Forte. The W shaped response of the Forte is more evident when comparing with the more even and linear PP8. Treble sparkle is much more forward and overall brighter with the Forte. Both have similar forward projection of vocals but the Forte once again puts more focus on separating the center image from the extremities. The PP8 sounds more in-head in direct comparison to the more dimensional sounding Forte.


    Nit Picks
    1. Cable has too much memory effect, holding on to the shape it was last stored.
    2. Nozzle is too smooth and should have a bulge near the opening to better hold tips.
    3. Tip selection is minimal; stock silicone tips aren’t very good
    4. Would like to see 64 Audio develop a more ergonomic shape, like InEar, for the money
    5. Would also like to see more premium finishing for the money.
    6. Requires deeper fit to control treble. Shallow fit accentuates treble peaks becoming too U shaped at the extremities.
     
  11. Poleepkwa

    Poleepkwa Friend

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    I have recently sold of all my headphones that could use the excellent V-Moda Boom Pro(not sure I would like to buy another pair of M100's).
    I would like to try some IEM for gaming that has a good microphone and of course good sound (double duty for on the go with the phone). What would people around here recommend I start to look at?
     
  12. Galm

    Galm Still looking for Little Red Riding Hood

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    I just wanted to get some opinions of the people who have used a ton of iems here to see if I'm crazy. I just got back from RMAF. I got to try the Tia Fourte/X/Y/A18, Zeus XR Adel, LCDi4, Andromeda, Vega, Katana, Kaiser Encore, Layla, Lola, and more.

    And my favorite are still the Dita Dreams... I felt overwhelmingly in most cases that they just had far more detail especially in the low end than everything else. This wasn't at all what I was expecting (if anything I kinda liked the idea of the Tias and really wanted to like them with the 20% show discount). My friend came with me the whole time and loved the Tias. He didn't try mine until today but also said he though the Ditas were really detailed especially in the low end.

    Am I crazy, or wrong about expecting some of these BAs to have more detail? My second favorite were the LCDi4 with their crazy slam for an iem (idk if I'd like them to own, but they sure sounded fun) so maybe I am...

    Also @shotgunshane I agree completely with your comparison of Fourte vs Andromeda. Almost exactly how I would have said it. Have you tried the Dreams?
     
  13. Mimouille

    Mimouille Facebook Friend

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    I tried the Dreams extensively and I agree on the bass. Plus the stage is impressive. However I found the mids really thin and dry sounding...at 2k I was hoping for a much more balanced sound.

    It depends what you mean by detail, I guess it is more that dynamic drivers have more bass depth and texture, and the decay suits your tastes better.
     
  14. Grahad2

    Grahad2 Red eyes from too much anime

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    Ditas have weird (show-stopping) tonality and stage for me, but dynamics tend to have significantly better low end texture than BAs for some reason or another. That's why most hybrids have dynamics for bass and BAs for everything else, not the other way round.
     
  15. deafdoorknob

    deafdoorknob Almost "Made"

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    aside from isolation and ergonomics, is there anything about the dream that is superior to the ex1k? this is both a genuine question and a rhetorical one lol... it has dawned on me that it's likely that am more attracted by the idea of the dream than the iem itself.
     
  16. Grahad2

    Grahad2 Red eyes from too much anime

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    Doesn't have the ice picks in the treble.
     
  17. deafdoorknob

    deafdoorknob Almost "Made"

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    ice picks remedied by deep insertion & small bore nozzles... or deafness by now.
     
  18. Crinacle

    Crinacle Friend

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    Agreed with the thinness and dryness. I tried pairing it with various sources (like the fanboys told me to) to no avail. WM1A, WM1Z, AK380, Mojo etc. etc... that metallic treble kept shining through.
     
  19. shotgunshane

    shotgunshane Floridian Falcon

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    I haven't heard the Dream yet. There is a tour on HF but I haven't signed up yet. Really busy with my pending move to Florida; just haven't had the chance.
     
  20. Stuff Jones

    Stuff Jones Friend

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    The drop is live - with a ship date of Jan 18.
     

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