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

The bass on the 846 is honestly not tiring in the long term, more addictive, the issue (to me) is more the lack of air in the treble, the lack of space. Sounds a bit congested after a while.

Alternatives you can consider several things, IE800s is nice, still a bit bassy, and dynamic bass is more fatiguing to me as it moves air more.

The S-EM9 is really nice, well balanced, fast, fun, musical and non fatiguing. But not very spacious if you need that.

 

Well put. That is what I was trying to express earlier.

 

FW01 and FW02 are actually "co-flagships" according to various japanese interviews (on phileweb and sandal audio), the FW01 is a continuation of the FX850 sound but with less treble peak, the engineers call it "refined but colourful" whereas the FW02 is a "monitor" tonality and balanced with a shallower "U" shape and meant for a "wider range of genres".

i tried both a while back and definitely found the FW02 a fair bit more open sounding with less upper bass and more subbass. i didnt get either due to fit issues.

http://head-bank.com/xha-9000-ha-fw02-open/

http://head-bank.com/wood01-02-03-su-ax01/

https://www.phileweb.com/sp/review/article/201612/09/2347_3.html

 

Damn I wish I had known. Would have gone for the FW02 then.

 

but their "monitor" sound is still not "neutral-neutral". i think you would find the new empire ears hybrids to have a lot to like.

 

@deafdoorknob .. did you get ears on the Empire Ears ESR, by chance.. thoughts?

 

I love the coherence of a single driver and the DD sound, though I've never heard a hybrid yet.

 

yes but just briefly as i ended up getting more head-time with the phantom. ESR is very close to the spartan but with more but still shallow and broad U shape, the bass is better defined but also more assertive, the lower mids have more density than the spartans. the treble has clarity but not a lot of that diffused air

i would say it straddles the flat (dimension wise) clinical bordering on strident PP8 with the more dimensional presentation, ethereal sound of the andros.

tdlr Spartan with slightly more meat on the bones

 

I have a Bravado and my ESR should be here Friday. I'm hoping for a improved Spartan (not as lean and less brittle upper mids).

 

Any chance you could provide your impression/any comparisons of the Bravado? I've only been able to find a couple.

 

i got the bravados as well... i liked them too much to be objective atm, like i said elsewhere, i like it as a whole a lot more that my other iems, despite being technically inferior than some of them. It's rather bassy but the bass is so tactile and detailed that its quite remarkable. it is broadly W shaped but not in a vega way.

 

Anyone hear the PEARS? This review makes them sound neutral + musical, the holy grail for many. Plus they look killer and are priced reasonably for a supposed TOTL set.

https://www.headfonia.com/review-pears-sh-3/

 

It looks like Alclair has created a CIEM with an electrostatic tweeter. It should be interesting.
https://www.facebook.com/AlclairAudio/posts/1853695661364196

 

His first solo album on ECM is still my fave.

check out skuli sverrisson seria and seria 2

 

Just deleted. Wrong thread! I will check it out though, thanks.

 

@james444

Sorry for the callout, but I was reading a thread on HF and saw you had very positive early impressions on the NUARL NX01A. Can you elaborate on them anymore here? 10 mm DD is always intriguing...

 

I don't disagree with their reviews and impressions, but take issue with how they sometimes use overtly superfluous language and unecessary fluff for little actual purpose except perhaps to put a positive spin on everything.

Like it's one thing to add some flair into your writing, but sometimes you just gotta call it straight. I don't really know how to express this, but using all the adjectives in the dictionary to describe each equipment kinda makes it hard to establish a yardstick to calibrate my own understanding with what you're trying to put forth.

 

True. But it seems like it should be only a matter of time before the Swiss make a killer IEM.