TOTL IEM consideration list - 2 week test window

Hi folks,

I want a better IEM (than my Shure se215). Marv mentioned recently that in his opinion it's a waste to shoot for mid-price; that if you can afford $600 you should shut up and pony up $1200. I tend to look for a strong $$/value proposition rather than spending excessively for incremental gains, and that said $1200 is entirely doable. It sounds like Marv is convinced that's where the better value prop lies. I;m thinking universal at this point.

I've got a narrow window to test, but I can ship ahead to a friend for my arrival. SQ of course is key, but so is fit - my SE215s fit well, but all the phone supplied stuff including the LG QuadBeat 3 fit like shit, and good aftermarket tips are not available here either, so I can't tell how correctable a bad fit is with tips.

I listen to a wide variety of music, but tend to listen to more female vocal, folk/rock material. My intellectual brain says more neutral than colored would make more sense...but then again I like the se215 with it's apparently 'bloaty bass' .

Sources are LG V10, Mojo and GOV2.

I want to narrow down a list to try and test. So far the following are on my list:

• Andromeda
• Noble K10
• UERR
• SE846

Given my taste and fit history, what would you add or remove? Any other guidance?

 

This would have been perfect for 'the all purpose advice thread'...

http://www.superbestaudiofriends.org/index.php?threads/the-all-purpose-advice-thread.19/

Any of those monitors can be TOTL/endgame/unicorns depending on preferences. You probably won't be able to demo Andromeda (massively backordered) or UERR (very few universals) unless you visit ALO/UE.

 

Personally I'd exclude the SE846 and more contentiously the K10, both being too colored and unresolving. However jowls is right about availability being difficult. How's the audio scene in Cape Town? I've been there to visit my family there a couple times.

 

Mods feel free to merge .

 

Having owned two of the four you list (and having listened to and considered the 846) my advice would be, if your goal is to listen to gear and audio files, get the Andromedas, if your goal is to listen to music, get the K10s. That isn't a slight of the Andromeda, it is the best incarnation of the neutral iem sound that I have heard.

 

Hey Hitman...there is a small but vibrant audio scene in Cape Town that meets regularly. Our current economy and tanking exchange rate makes things tough, but we find a way .

 

OK, it's between Campfire and Noble now, and both Campfire CS and Brannan have confirmed they can get me a pair shipped to Seattle during my stay. And of course we have the 44 hours of Wizard Birthday sale at 20% off, which is compelling. #FirstWorldProblems indeed!

Out of respect to Kunlun, I won't ask 'what would you get, K10U or Andromeda?' . Either one is a massive step up for me. What my mind turns to now is fit and comfort. Shure se215 fit me decently, as a reference point, whereas cellphone IEMs fit like shit - little to no seal at all and most feel like they want to drop out of my ears. I have seen a few reviews of K10U with difficulty getting a seal, and some discomfort with Andromeda (which is hopefully sorted in the new tweaked version) but it sounds like Andromeda tends to seal well with supplied tips.

I am flying blind here whether I like it or not, so anyone who can chime in who has had good-fitting experience with Shures (medium silicon works for me) and has tried either Campfire or the new Noble universals would be appreciated. Another option would be to order both and try them...but at a 20% restocking fee...I have to hesitate.

I'd also like to know whether it's generally true that you can find a good seal and fit through tip-rolling? I have no issue loading up on a bunch of tips while I'm in the U.S. We don't have access to any 3rd party tips here (comply, spiral dots, etc.) so I have no reference point there.

Given the Wizard sale is about to start, I have 44 hours and a couple of minutes to make up my mind.

 

I currently own a Campfire Orion, AFAIK the fitting experience should be identical to an Andromeda. I agree with sentiments that it is really tip dependent, with the foam tips the entire housing has a tendency to hang off your ear, which makes it feel a little loose while walking around but otherwise avoids discomfort with the sharp edges.

With the very short bore + silicone tips the housing sits snugly in the ear, I personally don't feel any discomfort due to the edges but depending on the size and shape of your concha I could see some having issues. So with two different styles to choose from, I think it can work for most people.

 

Thanks, k4rstar...appreciate the feedback.

 

Yes, tip roll. Order spiral dot tips in several sizes (I needed ML, for example, there are 5 sizes). Get a few other brands of tip and see what works for you.

You already know my other advice! And no, "either one is a giant step up for me" isn't good enough. You can buy a $1,000+ iem that people rave about and if it's not the tuning you want, then you won't like it, period.

 

I wish I had a handy way out of that quandary, Kunlun.

I just don't have enough reference and no way to get it except to fork out $220+ for restocking to test them. I appreciate both the bassy se215 and my on-ear neutral KEF M500s and that's what I have to work with. Philosophically I'd like to hear what the producer intended...but that's assuming the producer cared as much, or achieved what they intended in the first place.

I have euphonic in the K10U and neutral in the Andromeda. Neither seem to get bad reactions from reviewers...but I imagine K10U would be 'safer' since I really want to listen to music and not mince about with gear ad nauseam. Then again, if I may use photography post-processing as an analogy, I don't appreciate saturating the shit out of an image to make it look good - if that's what the K10U does musically then I'll take something neutral thanks, even if it's not as 'amazeballs'. I listen predominantly to female vocal, folk and rock. I have a wide range though, but that's the bread and butter.

I have done some mucking about with EQ to see what I like that way, and I know I don't like sucked out mids, so the V shape doesn't seem to be my cup of tea. The m500 is pretty flat, and I really like those. Neither the Andromeda nor the K10U seem to be that way (v-shaped), so it's more the euphonic/saturation vs neutrality issue - any suggestions on how to simulate that with EQ and some lowly se215s?

 

Good question!

How do you feel about treble in terms of brightness? The andro is brighter, picks up on some mild harshness/sibilance in certain tracks, could be good, could be not as good, depends on you.

 

@Marvey: Did you feel that the UERR was less resolving than the UERM? Are the new CA IEMs significantly more resolving than the UERM?

 

The Andromeda has better resolution than the UERM in my opinion. It is possible that the filter-less design helps in this regard.

 

I own the UERM and Andromeda, and have listened to the Jupiter and universal UERR. I 100% agree with your appraisal. Once I got a chance to compare the UERM directly to the Andromeda, I've never gone back to the UERM.

 

You can't get the andromeda as CIEM, though, right?

 

Correct, I use comply mediums with the Andromeda (but I'm thinking of trying out some spinfits soon just for the hell of it). They tend to sound best with a shallow insertion, and they seem to settle into the right place after a minute or two of listening without any effort on my part with the comply mediums (at least with my ears).

They're super comfortable and seem to isolate about as well as my UERM.

 

I used comply foams once for a while, absolutely hated it. Silicone tips at least isolate instantly, comply foams take ages until it finally fits correctly.
Once I took them out, even for a short time, the whole thing started over. Isn't really cool for work or on the go like this.
CIEMs are just perfect in this aspect. Fit instantly and perfect (Obviously).

Very sad you can't get the Andromedas as CIEM :/