Massdrop x Noble X

Discussion in 'IEM Measurements' started by purr1n, Nov 21, 2016.

  1. kittenuwu

    kittenuwu Acquaintance

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    I actually usually like the music my gym plays, but it's at this weird volume level that's too quiet to get pumped over but loud enough to require that I crank the volume some/use decently isolating IEMs there

    the cheapest option would probably be to just befriend whoever runs the audio there :p

    The noble doesn't look like it'd isolate much more than average, but I might just think that based on it not being shaped like an ety ear-dildo
     
  2. Cspirou

    Cspirou They call me Sparky

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    With the ability to swap out tips I don't see how seal is unique to the Noble X. Just buy whatever tips seal well and use them on some Skullcandy IEMs.

    Travel is fine. You spend a lot of time doing nothing which allows you to actually focus on what you are listening to. You might even notice how bad the iPhone dongle sounds. At the gym if your focus is on listening then you are wasting your gym membership. I get how music can enhance your workout experience because it's scientifically proven that "Eye of the tiger" enables you to bench press a car. But halfway up if you are thinking about how analytical the low end is, you're going to lose steam and the Honda Civic will end up on your chest. Do you really want to waste the fire departments time on getting a car off some gym rat?!

    Leave the Nobles at home and buy tips that fit what you already have. Or better yet, don't listen to anything while working out. Real life has pretty good resolution.

    Signed,
    Grandpa CSpirou
     
  3. gixxerwimp

    gixxerwimp Professional tricycle rider

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    Had a listen to the CA Andromeda today at a local "headphone festival", and then the Noble Savannah. This saved me from going in on the drop. The Savannah was OK, but sounded "meh" in comparison to the Andro. So I'm going to save my money for a real upgrade in the future. Plus I just got back from a vacation (credit card bills), took the car in for servicing, insurance is up ...
     
  4. kittenuwu

    kittenuwu Acquaintance

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    The main issue is that I currently have nothing but 2 pairs of open overears

    The resolution on real life is normally pretty okay, but it gets substantially worse in the gym. I'll probably just pick up some Chinese cheapies
     
    Last edited: Dec 4, 2016
  5. gamerstudent

    gamerstudent Acquaintance

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    thanks for this! Although I have never found the EQ5 to be lean or overly bright (compared to other IEM's I've actually owned and used) I have always wanted more bass and low end without the use of EQ, which I use quite a bit with the EQ5s.

    It sounds like the MDxN X might fit the bill for me :)
     
  6. Out Of Your Head

    Out Of Your Head Friend

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    Thanks to Brannan, I just received a pair of Massdrop Noble X's.
    I just started listening a few minutes ago, but I wasn't expecting much at this price. (I have been listening to the entire Noble line over the weekend.)
    But, I am amazed at how good these sound! They seriously remind me of my K10C (1st gen). They are darker than the K10C's and missing the top octave, as @Marvey mentioned, but they still have lots of detail. The bass is pretty strong considering it's only to BA drivers. I am not sure how they get that much bass out of them, but it's quite good.

    The sound signature will probably make all recordings sound good since the highs are tame and forgiving with bad recordings. I am guessing that's by design so that there's no sense of harshness or sibilance no matter what you listen to. This makes sense if they're trying to please the largest group of people possible.

    Overall, they sound great and I could listen to these all day long and be happy.
     
  7. Huxleigh

    Huxleigh Almost "Made"

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    @Out Of Your Head: Jealous! The Noble X appears to be a bargain as advertised. I wouldn't be able to stomach the wait for one from Massdrop, though. :confused:
     
  8. mscott58

    mscott58 Friend

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    Agree. Almost pulled the trigger myself, but then realized by the spring the buzz would have faded. I blame TV and the internet for my need for more immediate gratification! Cheers
     
  9. Out Of Your Head

    Out Of Your Head Friend

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    Yes, that's the problem with Massdrop. But it makes sense from the manufacturers end. What a win win for them.
    While it may hurt sales to some extent, with items like the K7XX, HD6XX, and Noble X's, they don't seem to be hurting too much.

    By March, sure, who knows what will be out there, but the Noble X's are the real deal. I can't imagine they would sound worse by March. :D I guess if something new comes out between now and then that blows everything else away, that could happen. I doubt it though.
     
  10. Merrick

    Merrick A lidless ear

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    They won't sound worse by March but I'll be you can get a lightly used pair for $180 by then.
     
  11. Augmentin

    Augmentin MOT - DUNU IEM Company

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    JM2C: I prefer the bass *level* of the Savant, but the mids and highs of the Sage (which I don't feel are any more strident than those of the Savant). I prefer both to the Noble X, which is nice, but will never be mistaken for one of Noble's more premium products. It has a mild-V shape and is a better appeal to recent entrants to the world of non-crap earphones, and it won't alienate experience users. But veterans will find more intriguing offerings in other places.
     
  12. Pyotr

    Pyotr Acquaintance

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    Great stuff. I have the Savanna right now and even though I've been enjoying it, there's still something "off" with it. I don't know, it's like I have to search for those little details that make sounds more realistic, even though everything sounds natural to my ears. I guess they just lack top-tier resolution and are only mildly resolving all together. Andromeda sounds like it could solve those issues and more, so I'm hoping I can find a good used one soon that's priced resaonably and realistically.

    Do you remember how bright the Andros were compared to the Savannas?
     
  13. gixxerwimp

    gixxerwimp Professional tricycle rider

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    The Andromedas definitely had more air than the Savannas and were just a bit brighter IIRC, better extension at both ends for sure.
     
  14. zerodeefex

    zerodeefex SBAF's Imelda Marcos

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    I share your sentiments.

    I have a pair I've been testing out (the two pics at the bottom of the first post are from me). I can say I'm REALLY enjoying these guys. They're just a great listen.


    Don't exaggerate. Like other items with long lead times, low margins and high value, you'll be seeing $220 around launch and $200 6 months later. To see 28% depreciation in the secondhand market immediately it would have to royally suck and these are quite enjoyable.
     
  15. Bill-P

    Bill-P Level 42 Mad Wizard

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    So... I have contemplated this post multiple times for the past multiple hours because:

    1) As mentioned, some of us here are friends with @CEE TEE, so we don't want to appear too shilly. SBAF is not a place where people should go "ZOMG! DIS IS DA NEXT BEST THING EVAH!"
    2) It's just plain HARD to hold back excitement about this IEM so I may end up writing something shilly again... (which goes against #1)
    3) But I simply cannot RESIST writing about it, because I LOVE IT! <- so I'm biased.

    So... please please please PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE(!!!) take the following words with some very healthy skepticism and salt (and then sprinkle some more spice and salt on top):

    More caveat: my preference slants towards a more neutral-ish presentation (a la HD580/HD600, my modded HE-5, and such).
    And even more caveat: when I got to try CA Andromeda, though briefly, I didn't quite like it. There was an obvious peak somewhere in the lower to mid treble that sounded a bit "razory", "sharp" to me. Could have been because I had it plugged directly into my iPhone. It wasn't "unlistenable" (in the same sense that the Utopia on the wrong songs may be unlistenable), but that peak stood out to me, and I value long-term listening comfort over technicality for portable products. That said, I do recognize that it has great technicality, with "air", and an overall pleasing tone. Still minus the sharp razor peak. Now that I think about it carefully, it was more like portable Utopia to me. "Love it or hate it" all over again.

    So, with that said:

    I actually got to try the Noble X first after the last Can'tJam meet where CEE TEE pulled me into his room (okay, not LIKE THAT! :p Don't run your imaginations now), and I was able to compare it against the headphone it was supposedly "based on". My experience with IEMs is pretty limited because, quite frankly, I just don't like IEMs. They either have too much bass, bass too muddy, not impactful enough, soundstage too small, vocals are off (compared to HD580/600), or lacking "air", etc...

    The Noble X was... none of that. I got to try it with a grand total of an hour or so, with music that I was familiar with, and again, straight out of my iPhone. Andromeda got off my head when I got to the "wrong songs". Noble X didn't go off. In fact, it was a very pleasant and enjoyable-ish listen. My only complaint probably had to do with comfort. At the time, CEE TEE didn't get the right tips on, so they were a bit big for my ears, and fit just loosely on the outside. The sound was just "okay, yeah, I can see this being an enjoyable listen" rather than "wow, ZOMG, I MUST HAVE DIS!" at the time. I enjoyed it, but wasn't impressed with it, so to say. Definitely not so much that I'd decide to purchase one when the drop comes.

    Flash forward until now, CEE TEE sent me a pair with proper tips. I just received it yesterday. They fit better this time. And oh dear...

    ...it strongly reminds me of an HD650 on Crack (the amp, not the "medicinal substance").

    Maybe the fit was too shallow last time, so they didn't go in all the way, but this time, with a much better fit (and comfort), I was finally able to hear them for what they are.

    So a deeper insert was the key, I guess. A shallower fit makes vocals a bit too shill, or too forward, but a deeper fit pushes bass up from the lowest octave, and relaxes upper mid down to just about the "right" amount. Treble never became annoying to me, and I echo sentiments that it's missing that last bit of clarity/sparkle/air up top, but again, I'm not too bothered. I actually enjoy the relaxed and smooth presentation more, because on the go, I'd have to crank up the volume to a level at which any treble trouble will come out and potentially damage my ears.

    This is it! It's finally an IEM that I can comfortably listen to any mainstream recording on, and not be afraid of sibilance, sharp peaks, razory sounds, or anything of the like. There is a bit of an upper mid bump around 3-4KHz, almost like HD580/600 as well, but it's more tamed. I think more like HD650 in this regard. Damn, now I'm missing the HD650.

    So yeah, this won't have the TOTL technicality of Andromeda, but it gets very very very close. Gone is the sub bass rumble and muddiness that I have heard in so many other IEMs more expensive than this, and also gone is any midrange or treble peakiness that plagued the other IEMs for me. This is a tuning perfect for a product meant to be on the go IMO. Hell, I find this a more enjoyable sound than some other bigger headphones with the same tuning, like, say... Oppo PM-3, or TH-X00. Massdrop has always kind of "gotten close" with the other products, but this one is IT! It's a sound signature that I can enjoy, and that I can proudly wear anywhere.

    Last but not least, what's a headphone impression post from me without hints of possible mods? :punk:

    I took a small strip of dynamat and "shaved" away the black goo part until there was just barely enough of it left (basically makes the dynamat strip much thinner). Then... I wrapped it around the nozzle of the Noble X, and put the ear tips back in place. Now the tips stay secured, the dynamat strips are "hidden" from plain view (so they don't "destroy" the looks of the headphone), and... guess what? That brought the treble levels back to par IMO, but still retained the smoothness of the IEM. Now it does sound like, maybe... 80-90% of an HD650.

    A friend of mine asked me: "so when will you post the Noble X mod?" and I went "never, because it doesn't need one"

    And I still stand by that. The stock headphone doesn't need any mod. But if you want to sweeten your purchase that little bit more, then the above is more of an "extra thing" you can do to your pair, whenever you get yours. I didn't commit to the drop after Can'tJam, but I'm glad CEE TEE sent this pair to me and gave me another chance to listen to this IEM. It's now my go-to whenever I go out. Committed to the drop, and will be SAD to see this pair go back, but will be HAPPY to wait for my actual pair to come in.
     
    Last edited: Dec 7, 2016
  16. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

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    Too late for answers, but you had some good questions.

    Noble X is warmer, more organic, bassier even than ER4XR. The deep insertion and smaller footprint of the Etys might be better for gym, but also less comfortable for some.

    Andromedas are endgame to me and many others here. It is much more expensive than Noble X though. Andromeda is also more neutral (bass is somewhere in between Noble X and ER4XR) , much more extended in the last octave in the treble, and really in another class. To me, the proper price point of the Andromeda is $1799 considering all the overpriced expensive crap out there.

    Now that being said, I actually do enjoy the Noble X for its more "fun" tuning while maintaining a very good amount of technical ability. I'll probably bring it with me along with the Andromeda on my upcoming trip to Dubai. A bassier IEM comes in handy on a 16 hour plane ride where there is always low frequency engine drone. The A380s and Dreamliners are pretty darn quiet though.
     
    Last edited: Dec 7, 2016
  17. gixxerwimp

    gixxerwimp Professional tricycle rider

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    Thanks for the feedback. Going straight from the Andros to the X probably wasn't being fair to them, as I was still strongly under their spell. Lots of variables like fit and insertion depth I didn't have the patience to play around with in that environment.

    As I said before, I wouldn't mind another set of more normal fitting IEMs to go along with my Etys. Agree with the inflight low frreq thing. Etys isolate but it's hard to overcome that bass rumble.

    I've also found this with most IEMs I've tried. I love my modded HD650s so your comparison is making me reconsider. Must ... resist ....
     
    Last edited: Dec 7, 2016
  18. zerodeefex

    zerodeefex SBAF's Imelda Marcos

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    This is a good point. I would say anyone who has Andromedas and needs a more affordable fun second IEM, this is the right choice. I really think it's very complementary. A steal at $250.
     
  19. gixxerwimp

    gixxerwimp Professional tricycle rider

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    Couldn't resist. Just joined. Damn you guys. :mad:;)
     
  20. Decomo

    Decomo Almost "Made"

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    I feel you... I did not even think of purchasing Noble X and just browse this website since I have half an hour to kill... I found this page and read last few posts from @Bill-P, @Marvey and @zerodeefex who I trust their opinion dearly so went to Massdrop to check it out and found that it is only 2 hours left... :eek: so just joined the drop.. It was total impulse purchase and there it goes my Christmas shopping budget..... :oops:
     

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