So initial thoughts after a coupe of hours with the 1988's vs cv181.
Quite a bit darker sounding and I'll put this down to reduced stage and treble. Not really paid attention to width but the height on the periphery is notably reduced.
Treble doesn't have anywhere near the same air around the notes and I'm hearing less resolution / definition / decay.
For me these are negatives vs the psvanes.
On the positive side...
Bass. Bit more meat on the bones here and also more linear into lower mids which is welcome. More punch than psvanes and this is notable even up to the snare. I'd say the bottom end is quite a bit fuller but also tighter vs cv181. Need more time with them for detail.
Overall, prefer psvanes with Full Music but appreciate what the brimars bring to the table. Stock combo treble is killer, far more open presentation which gives everything space to breathe & in turn gives superb stage and timbre.
Pretty much grasped the fundamentals of tube rolling straight away (synergy!) so next step will be putting the Takatsukis in when they arrive which hopefully will restore balance running the brimars. If the taks open things back up, reinject the sense of air, then it'll be heading in the right direction. Whether that also gives treble back it's resolution will remain to be seen.
181's back in for now, Brimars again when the Taks show up.