Soranik IEMs Impressions and Discussion 2

Discussion in 'IEMs and Portable Gear' started by rhythmdevils, Feb 24, 2021.

  1. rhythmdevils

    rhythmdevils MOT: rhythmdevils audio

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    What have I done to myself

    [​IMG]

    I’m trying to write brief impressions of them all but I don’t even know their names or how many penises they have for some good old bias.
     
  2. rhythmdevils

    rhythmdevils MOT: rhythmdevils audio

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    Missing one image which I will provide.

    [​IMG]
     
  3. rhythmdevils

    rhythmdevils MOT: rhythmdevils audio

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    @shotgunshane you’re going to love the ergonomics of these iem’s.
     
  4. rhythmdevils

    rhythmdevils MOT: rhythmdevils audio

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    Soranik iem Impressions

    1. Soranik is offering all of SBAF 20% off all their iem’s. (I will figure out how to best order them and post here)
    2. These will all go on loaner very soon in pairs of two. You will be welcome and encouraged to choose to borrow all 6 at once if you like with extra time to listen.


    Soranik iem’s build quality

    All of Soranik iem’s are made of a composite material i believe is common for universal iem’s. Some kind of very high quality plastic. It is made well and every iem has a beautiful face plate that is also done very well. They have a unique ability to look kind of flashy without being blingy. They exude quality craftsmanship and are obviously very strong and will stand the test of time.

    The cables are 2 pin which I don’t like but they are glorious cables, every bit as good as Campfire Audio’s Smokey Litz cables. They feel like thin string in your hands. Super flexible and thin and non microphonic. They don’t have as tight a weave as the CA cables but it’s actually prettier this way. They are silvery colored. It goes with the aesthetic of their iem’s.

    Ergonomics

    They obviously put a huge effort into ergonomics with all their iem’s. None of them fit like any other iem’s I’ve worn. I think people will absolutely love how they fit. The Bastille especially has a very special way of tucking into and filing all the nooks of your ears without touching them it’s kind of miraculous. I think they are bigger in total volume than the og Solaris but they are covered in curves and when you put then into your ears it’s kind of amazing how well they fit.

    tips fit properly on these iem’s which after hearing multiple recently that let the tips slide way down the nozzle is a big deal. The tips hold well and there’s a stop lip to keep tips sitted as they are supposed to. Good.

    Technology

    All Soranik iem’s are tubeless snd crossoverless. From Soranik: “There is no crossover nor passive components inside so the electric current goes straight from your DAP/Amp to the drivers.” They are very proud of this and I think they should be because there’s no resonance in any of them. I don’t understand why this doesn’t translate into something more special sonically though.

    Sound

    There are an amazing number of very neutral iem’s here. The house Soranik sound seems to be quite neutral albeit on the thin side (to be nit picky) with unfortunate BA timbre. 3 of them deviate from neutral one on purpose and the other 2 I don’t know (or like)

    I’ve got 6 iem’s here so I’m going to be rather brief for my sanity as well as yours and I also don’t want to tarnish others impressions too much. I’d prefer you all sign up for the loaners and we create collective impressions of them as opposed to me writing detailed impressions that define them for everyone. I will start things off with some brief general impressions though.

    NOTE: I listened to these and wrote these impressions before knowing anything about these iem’s, not the name, driver type or price. And I’m just going to leave them as is because that’s fun and interesting.

    Bastille Signature

    $1299

    “An additional dynamic woofer and ‘roofless’ tweeter making it 5 drivers in total. All of them are tubeless/crossoverless hence no potential wasted”

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    This is my favorite Soranik iem.

    The Soranik iem Marv reviewed and measured was the “Bastille Audiophile” which is the same iem as this but with a very tasteful upper midrange bump that I think many people will love but I obviously don’t like. The Signature is I’m assuming their attempt at a reference neutral iem. And it succeeds here very well.

    First and foremost it has far and away the biggest soundstage of any iem I’ve ever heard. People praise the Solaris for its soundstage. Well the Bastille slaughters it. It doesn’t sound like a little thing stuck in your ears with a spacious presentation it actually projects instruments way outside the in ear zone. I bet it might beat some full size headphones in soundstage and separation. Really. It’s that good.

    The sound is very neutral though ever so slightly thin and with a tiny bass emphasis with zero output impedance source. I tend to turn down the bass a bit and turn up the lower mids a bit on my Loki.

    It is very resolving - up there with the best iem’s.

    It’s weakness is having some BA plastic-y timbre unfortunately.

    This iem reminds me in many ways of a super Nair. It’s not quite as neutral but in the world of iem’s it’s very neutral and it has better resolution and soundstage than the Nair but similar BA timbre. Maybe a bit better.

    Bastille Audiophile

    $1299

    “An additional dynamic woofer and ‘roofless’ tweeter making it 5 drivers in total. All of them are tubeless/crossoverless hence no potential wasted”

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]


    Everything I just said but with an upper midrange bump which I don’t like obviously for anyone who knows me at all but I even think that for being intentionally colored it’s done very tastefully.

    For some unknown reason this version of the Bastille has dramatically less BA timbre. Maybe it’s the upper midrange bump I don’t know. It also seems to have an even bigger soundstage. Unlike most colored iem’s this one does not have a V shaped signature. No bass boost. Just an upper midrange bump that is coherent and will bring out female vocals. I really think a lot of people would love this iem. Crinacle from what I know I think would love it.

    Most people probably wouldn’t even hear the upper midrange bump it’s so well done.

    No treble emphasis either. It’s neutral with an upper midrange bump (not peak)

    ion 2

    $199

    “Both of these make use of the Magnetostatic driver coupling with a DD driver all in 1 package. The goal is similar to that of using Electrostatic driver in a hybrid setup: increase resolution.”

    information about Magnetostatic Drivers

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    I don’t like this iem at all I’m so sorry Soranik.

    It has a bass emphasis that increases as you get into the sub bass so even when I eq the bass down on my Loki the sub bass is still thudding.

    Vocals are recessed and cloudy/hazy/muddy.

    BA timbre is here just the same.

    Slightly wobbly FR

    Not Sensitive at all. I’m at 11:00 with the 789 on low gain

    ion 2S

    $199

    “Both of these make use of the Magnetostatic driver coupling with a DD driver all in 1 package. The goal is similar to that of using Electrostatic driver in a hybrid setup: increase resolution.”

    [​IMG]

    I can’t tell much difference between the 2 and the 2S. The 2S has less cloudy midrange but is equally recessed. Both have the same boosted bass. These seem to have a bit more bass. Slightly better in some ways and slightly worse in others but it’s subtle and kind of insignificant.

    ?

    Ion 4

    $499

    “This one is an upgrade of the dual hybrid driver IEMs with 2 additional BAs on each side, making it 4 drivers in total. A huge increase in SPL thus easier to drive, plus the signature is more mainstream, easier to listen to, and much better clarity”

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    I’m guessing by the shape of the shell and the sound that these are DD BA Hybrids. (I still haven’t gotten that info from Soranik)

    They have elevated bass with zero output impedance source but the bass is well balanced with 2 ohms output impedance.

    These are nice iem’s. They have good tone and FR is very well balanced. No peaks at all. The BA drivers have the same BA timbre as their all BA iem’s however. There is definitely a house sound here.

    The bass is surprisingly fast sounding and not bloated or exaggerated. These are surprisingly neutral for hybrids. They also seem cohesive as far as driver integration.

    Not that resolving is my main problem and the BA timbre in the mids to treble which is unfortunate. The CA Solaris is better in every way with much better timbre and rendering of the tonality of instruments especially the treble.

    Versailles

    $1199

    “Full BAs, a configuration of 3 drivers including: 1x super tweeter, 1x tweeter, and 1x woofer. All in tubeless/crossoverless configuration making it the first of its kind.”

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    This one sounds like a refined ion 4 to me. The midrange is better, tonality is better across the spectrum. Bass is more controlled. Lots of slam but not overdone at all. I think the bass is really spectacular actually it sounds more detailed than the Solaris. It’s fast like BA bass but without the BA timbre issues. They still have that pesky BA timbre in the mids to treble though which seems to ruin all of these well tuned iem’s for me.

    Soundstage is the same as the Solaris

    Solaris still wins overall due to its better timbre but these are honestly tuned better than the Solaris and have better bass response.

    Im still listening to these so that’s a good sign. They are my second favorite Soranik iem.


    Conclusion/Reflections
    (after knowing the factoids on their iem’s)
    • it’s interesting that the Versailles is not a hybrid yet I thought it sounded like a refined ion 4 (a DD BA hybrid)
    • I had no idea the Bastille had a DD. This is impressive.
    • Soranik does a really really good job with bass response in their iem’s. Not in a basshead sense at all. Control, timbre, cohesiveness with upper frequencies, detail, punch.
    • It’s interesting how well my impressions match their prices. Basically an exact reflection of their prices. My favor of them wound up increasing with the price tag. This is good it means they are not crazy.
    • I was worried they were going to go 64 Audio on the pricing but I think the prices are reasonable.
    • I can’t wait to see what revisions they make. This is a new company and AFAIK this is their first attempt at a lineup of iem’s. If they can improve the BA timbre they will be a force to be reckoned with. And hopefully they don’t increase prices.
    • Please don’t take my review for gospel and do try these yourself since you have the opportunity. Soranik went to a lot of effort to get these to us.
    • Custom faceplates are available for additional cost.
     
    • Epic Epic x 12
    • Like Like x 10
    • List
  5. NeLey169

    NeLey169 New

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    Have you heard Soranik DES ?
     
  6. rhythmdevils

    rhythmdevils MOT: rhythmdevils audio

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    Do you mean QES? They tried to get me a QES but didn’t have time before the holidays. I’ve left the door open for them to send one at a later time ;)

    (QES stands for Quad Electrostatic uhhhhh Something)
     
    Last edited: Mar 6, 2021
  7. NeLey169

    NeLey169 New

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    https://www.facebook.com/soranik.audio/posts/2528733943837759/
    DES...

    __
    What is the difference between Bastille Audiophile / Signature and Bastille Reference?
     
    Last edited: Mar 5, 2021
  8. tranhieu

    tranhieu MOT: Soranik

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    The Ref is still being developed and we will not release it anytime soon unless it is good enough. Feedback is being collected as it is passed around but yeah, experimental for now.

    Btw, I like your avatar. Still waiting for part 2.
     
  9. NeLey169

    NeLey169 New

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    Soranik has been established since 2013. They're not a new company anymore.
     
  10. rhythmdevils

    rhythmdevils MOT: rhythmdevils audio

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    Update from Soranik:

    They will have an order page up on their website soon but until then or instead, you can order their iem’s by pm’ing @tranhieu , the Soranik rep here on SBAF. All SBAF members get a 20% discount and those participating in the loaners get a 25% discount. That makes the Bastille 900$ which is a really good price for that iem.

    So if you have any interest you should sign up for one of the loaners.
     
  11. Bill-P

    Bill-P Level 42 Mad Wizard

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    I can send over an SP1000 and my QES for review, so... if you would like to try it, please let me know, @rhythmdevils. :bow:

    P.S.: absolutely pummeled at work so I most likely won't be able to enjoy them for at least another 1-2 months anyways.
     
  12. tranhieu

    tranhieu MOT: Soranik

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    The Wizard has spoken!

    I'm testing the web's function. Should be online next week or so.
     
  13. jaker782

    jaker782 Friend

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    I know this is a lot to ask, but are there frequency response graphs for any of these? I noticed Crinacle has a graph for the Bastille, which looks quite v-shaped to me and not how I would expect a neutral iem to graph. I assume this is not the same iem?

    https://crinacle.com/graphs/iems/soranik-bastille-v/
     
  14. rhythmdevils

    rhythmdevils MOT: rhythmdevils audio

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    I don’t know what “V” stands for but either that's not the same 2 Bastille models I heard or that measurement is bad.

    @purr1n measured the Bastille Audiophile here and that is the more colored version of the two that I received. The Signature is more neutral than what Purrin measured.

    however even Purrin’s graph looks much worse than they sound. As I have said the Audiophile’s upper midrange bump is subtle and tastefully done. Only a bit harsh on the harshest tracks which I’m not sure most people will hear.
     
  15. jaker782

    jaker782 Friend

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    Thanks! I guess I didn't realize the mystery iem was the Bastille Audiophile version. That graph actually looks pretty good to me.
     
  16. rhythmdevils

    rhythmdevils MOT: rhythmdevils audio

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    thsts my understanding based on what Soranik told me but I could be wrong. Either way Crinnacle’d graph doesn’t represent what either of these 2 Bastille iem’s sound like.
     
  17. tranhieu

    tranhieu MOT: Soranik

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    Sorry for the confusions, V is the name we used for the Signature before we decided on its official name. The measurement was pretty uneven between the 2 sides since we rushed the demo to meet the shipping date of another package to Singapore. We thought the sound design was interesting and wanted to see what other people think, and a package was scheduled for Singapore so why not?

    Is the measurement neutral? Definitely not, we did not plan the Signature to be something by the book, as long it impresses people in a good way, then we are all good. Some might perceive the Signature to be neutral and I reckon it is because of the nature of having no tubing nor crossover inside, just pure, unaltered signal. I am not talking about tonality though so that is another story.
     
  18. rhythmdevils

    rhythmdevils MOT: rhythmdevils audio

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    The signature is one of the most neutral iem’s on the market. Give yourself some credit here. ;) Crunacle’s graph is just bonkers or you sent him a bun unit. Maybe Purr1n can measure the signature. He would like it.
     
  19. scapeinator1

    scapeinator1 Once You Go Black You'll Never Go Back

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    @rhythmdevils what do you consider neutral? Like is Crinacle's target FR with linear bass and a slight uplift in the upper mids what you consider neutral or is like basically flat what you consider neutral?
     
  20. rhythmdevils

    rhythmdevils MOT: rhythmdevils audio

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    i don’t know enough about iem measurements to say what I consider a neutral iem measurement to be. I know what neutral sounds like. (Iem measurements are complicated and don’t seem that useful to me)

    but. The Gaudio Nair is absolutely the most neutral iem I’ve heard so you can use its measurement as a reference for what I consider neutral. The Nair and Bastille Signature are not far off FR wise. If you look at Purr1n’s measurements of the Nair you will not see that huge rise in the upper mids-treble that Crinacle’s graph shows. (No offense intended to Crinacle, measurement mishaps happen and so do bum units. @purr1n can attest to a strange tendency for faulty units to get sent in for measurements)
     

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