IEM general discussion thread

Have any of you had to choose between the Andromeda and UERM? I have both; the UERM is universal. Do any of you find the Andromeda just a little fatiguing, a splash too demanding? It could be my source; I'm using the iem match output of an iFi Nano IDSD Black Label. The UERM is out of my Leckerton. I keep thinking about selling the UERM, but part of me is like, "But it's just so easy to listen to!" (I may be a smidge worried about knocking about the Andromeda too much, to be honest.) More just looking for discussion, sharing common experiences, etc. I know I'd miss the "awe" of the Andromeda, but I think I might grab the UERM more!

 

My most favourite earphone since the JVC HA FDX1: The 4+1 Shozy Form 1.4. Shunned and trashed in the comments section of drop.com, this earphone is superb as ist strikes the fine balance between timbre and technical abilities. Tonal signature is slightly warm L-shaped (forward-sloping), wonderfully balanced and therefore a Swiss army knife for all musical genres. Yep, it does classical music very well, too and does not have that typical BA timbre.

Standing out is that silky bass that has something special and a well sculptured midrange. Nothing peaky or boomy.

A very nice surprise.

Spoiler: FR

Spoiler: Picture

 

What other IEMs have you compared it with? Are you using the stock cable that came with them?

 

What wall powered amplifier is everyone using with their sensitive IEM's? I don't want to rely on the IEMatch for quiet background and good volume range

 

I would say that RME ADI-2 DAC on IEM setting is great, just completely quiet with even something crazy sensitive like Shure SE846, MD+ was pretty sensitive too if I remember. But my best amp for IEM is Bryston BHA-1 on low gain, using SE output. My unit has been modified to reduce both high and low gain by 12dB and it gives a good volume range with almost any headphones and IEMs. I like it the most with CA Vega, BHA-1 keeps very tight grip on the Vega lovely bass, otherwise it is very transparent and the background is pitch-black.

 

New 2020 Campfire Audio lineup: Andromeda 2020, Ara & Solaris 2020!
Very interesting evolution, especially the Ara (mix of MW10 and Andro Gold) and the now 20% smaller all black Solaris!

 

Very interesting, I am on the lookout for some new IEMs, will have to see how these review!

Edit: Side note, is there anywhere on this forum that has a thread that teaches about IEMs? I haven't used many and wanted to jump in and learn more, but dont know where to start. Anybody have some advice?

 

Claud, I use the stock cable...

I wrote:
SHOZY FORM 1.4 COMPARED

The Shozy Form 1.4 resolves and images better than my beloved JVC HA-FDX1 $250 single dynamic driver, but does not quite reach its timbre (because of the BA drivers). The same accounts for the $109 single DD Moondrop Starfield, which is inferior to the JVC in all aspects. Where the Shozy outclasses the Starfield is in the three-dimensionality: the Starfield sound much flatter. The Form 1.4 does not have the wooly bass of the otherwise great BQYEZ Spring 1. I don’t know any other $100-200 iems to compare them to, but I also don’t think this is necessary as the Shozy Form 1.4 does most things very well. To me, the Shozy Form 1.4 is definitely an upgrade over the $150 BQEYZ Spring 1, hence I don’t feel it is outright overpriced, also considering that prices are all over the place.

Spoiler: link

https://www.audioreviews.org/shozy-form-1-4-review-jk/

Spoiler: Another opinion

https://thecontraptionist.blog/2020/04/15/shozy-form-1-4-emotional-technology/

 

Those black Solaris 2020 look sweet. Highly curious to compare them to the OG Solaris.

 

I've heard from a few people that the THX789 is tough to dial in low volume with IEM's such as the Andromeda. Do you have any experience with that? The 789 has been high on my list due to my success with the HPA-4 and Andromeda combination.

 

HPA4 uses a very good stepped attenuator. You are probably not going to find any good volume control implementation in the affordable range. But the 789 is probably going to be silent with the Andro, even if you dial up the volume knob. So if you are using a PC, you could try knocking off 10-15 dBs in the digital pre-gain, so that it will give you some headroom to increase the volume.

 

This. Running the Bifrost 2 Balanced in the THX AAA will give less to work with on the Volume Knob with Andros.

 

I'm a happy camper with Bifrost 2 (single ended) to Asgard 3 to Solaris (and for a little bit Andro, no hiss problems).

 

No iFI Match? Any Schiit amp in my experience is too fing loud without the Match. Then again, the Match also makes the Andros and your Solaris lose it dynamic balls. So on the THX the balls are hanging up and down while on the Schiit stiff it's too close to my shaft as a wall of sound.

 

Yeah, no IEMatch. I was kind of expecting there to be channel imbalance, but none that I could detect running the Asgard down at the 8 o'clock range on the dial. Solaris plays a little better with Asgard than Andro, FWIW. Splitting hairs, tho.

 

Have you heard the THX789 yota? I spoke to someone recently who had the 789 and Asgard 3 and said they both were silent for the most part, but the 789 played better with IEM's in general. I'd prefer to go the Asgard 3 route personally (to support the company and not for any other reason)

Not sure if Schiit has anything coming up in the pipeline that is a mini Aegir?

 

Yeah, borrowed a THX 789 from a local friend for about 2 weeks. Only had Andro at the time, but I would agree that 789 does a smidge better on technicalities w/ Andro (but it's kinda flat and boring). I was more interested in something that did both IEM and 50mm dynamic driver/HD650. Kind of a hard job, but Asgard 3 was more (going on memory, so YMMV) cohesive for both big cans and IEMs.

Oh, and you know full well Schiit's doing an Aegir for HPs and a 200w monster Aegir (cause Purrin asked for it, duh...). Good things come to those who wait, as the saying goes.

 

Thank you for your point of view on it. I have a Krell Klone that works for most of my tougher headphones and a couple tube things that are basically dedicated to Hi Z phones (Senn stuff)

I'd really love something like a Ragnarok/Aegir in an Asgard form factor. Remote control / stepped relay / effortless class a sound.