[Kerouac]

Beautiful photo. All the red, blue and cream just seems to blend well together. The initial photo doesn't do it justice as it seems to shrink in size, you have to click on photo and view the larger photo in it's own modal. The EE just blipped on my radar since it seems to synergise well w/ the R4. I wonder if any hiss on Hugo2?

It's too early to comment as I only have less than 5 hours on the R5 and UE18+. 0 time on the R4. I just rely on THL R5 review as a reference point for the comparison.

So nice to have another SilverFi impression. Thanks for sharing. Will save web page post and photo for archives.

Thanks for the compliment on the photo. I was also pretty content with it, considering that it was made with a phone (Note III)
Enjoy your R5 and UE18+

I am kinda itching to try Warbler Prelude. I would love to review it.

Well, what's holding you back? It's not that expensive (compared to most totl models out there) and I was immediately wowed with its sound / signature

Like I said, it is difficult to convey tone, so no offense meant. But since there are no demos, some impressions flying around are from people who force-fitted their friends'...so no credibility there. And also, to be honest. the character of the SE5 Ultimate is hard to define. But I would say there are three cases when you might not like it:

- If you want significant mid bass impact (dynamic like physical impact)
- If you want very sparkly treble
- If you want thick mids like Fitear
- If you want ultra fast BA (but I don't find it super slow either)

Hey Mim, I usually enjoy reading your posts in multiple threads on HF and I think that besides a suitcase full of totl iem/dap experiences (that I take very seriously), you have a great sense of humor as well.
But....(and here it comes, as that introduction had to lead to something, didn't it? ) about the bold part above, as I suppose you (also) had me in mind when you wrote that:
Yes, I force fitted and listened with Nics SE5U for some weeks. However, force is a big word as I could get it in/out very easily, had a great seal and I'm pretty convinced that therefor I could hear the signature and sq as it's meant to be heard.
So, no credibility there? That's quite a statement imo, and based on what?

Anyway, I thought the SE5U was a superb sounding ciem and I can totally see/understand why it ended at #1 in two (also FFAB) heavy weight iem shootouts.
I've also seriously considered ordering one myself, but chose a different route (for the upcoming months) myself.

All the best and cheers!

 

[Mimouille]

Thanks for the compliment on the photo. I was also pretty content with it, considering that it was made with a phone (Note III)
Enjoy your R5 and UE18+


Well, what's holding you back? It's not that expensive (compared to most totl models out there) and I was immediately wowed with it's sound / signature


Hey Mim, I usually enjoy reading your posts in multiple threads on HF and I think that besides a suitcase full of totl iem/dap experiences (that I take very seriously), you have a great sense of humor as well.
But....(and here it comes, as that introduction had to lead to something, didn't it? ) about the bold part above, as I suppose you (also) had me in mind when you wrote that:
Yes, I force fitted and listened with Nics SE5U for some weeks. However, force is a big word as I could get it in/out very easily, had a great seal and I'm pretty convinced that therefor I could hear the signature and sq as it's meant to be heard.
So, no credibility there? That's quite a statement imo, and based on what?

Anyway, although I thought the SE5U was a superb sounding ciem and I can totally see/understand why it ended at #1 in two (also FFAB) heavy weight iem shootouts.
I've also seriously considered ordering one myself, but chose a different route (for the upcoming months) myself.

All the best and cheers!

It is possible that your fit is so close to Nic's that your impressions are accurate. As a general rule, custom iems sound like they are supposed to only if you get perfect seal and the bores are perfectly unobstructed. So what I have always read / heard is that is almost impossible to get the right sound if they are not yours. I chose to give little / less credence to impressions from borrowed customs, but in your specific case I could be wrong. Piotrus could chip in here...

 

[piotrus-g]

Unfortunately this is incorrect. You should have said Zobel Networks HAVE BEEN around for years.

Haha, I stand corrected! I shall now proceed to proverbially put my foot in my mouth




Lesson learned... first coffee then head-fi, not the other way around

 

[Kerouac]

It is possible that your fit is so close to Nic's that your impressions are accurate. As a general rule, custom iems sound like they are supposed to only if you get perfect seal and the bores are perfectly unobstructed. So what I have always read / heard is that is almost impossible to get the right sound if they are not yours. I chose to give little / less credence to impressions from borrowed customs, but in your specific case I could be wrong. Piotrus could chip in here...

Athough I'm pretty sure that I got a perfect seal, I'm not totally sure that the bores were perfectly unobstructed inside my ear canal. So, there could have been room for improvement on sq in that part indeed.
I'm also curious about Piotrs (being an expert) opinion on that

 

[flinkenick]

Unfortunately this is incorrect. Zobel networks has been around for years it's not a patentable solution. Consider, FIBAE 1 features no passive components.

Unfortunately this is incorrect. You should have said Zobel Networks HAVE BEEN around for years.

Actually, by using a capital letter for 'Networks' it implies that 'Zobel Networks' is binded as a single name. In that case, the correct use would be 'Zobel Networks has been around', since Zobel Networks is one entity. However, the name is just Zobel, and networks a function. So the correct use in this case is 'Zobel networks have been around'. How's that coffee coming along Mim?

 

[flinkenick]

The 5-Way is an elusive iem, for several reasons. First of all, it is somewhat of a chameleon since it displays a lot of variation on the track; the vocal forwardness, transparency, and stage dimensions can all vary based on the original recording, more so than with other iems. Second, it has a rather high impedance compared to other BA iems, and can require more power to drive. The LPG and modded Sony are very good sources to drive it, for both signature and power. With my AK, it is predominantly warm.

Still, I would overall classify the 5-Way as a warmer than neutral iem resulting from its attenuated mid- to upper treble tuning. I've noticed the term 'attenuated' often results in confusion. This does not mean it is rolled-off, it means that the quantity of the combined treble region is collectively a few db lower than the bass or midrange. However, the extension itself is of very high quality, since it is both very well extended as well as linear, resulting in a stable 3D image. It does not have issues with pace, in either the bass, midrange or treble.

@Tulku1967 I agree with you that the U/A18 is very nice for classical music. Especially with a nice cable the upper treble peak becomes more linear, and it is a beautiful combination of clarity and accuracy. Combined with a wide stage, it should reproduce classical symphonies very nicely. The 5-Way is really on a very different end of the spectrum. It has an accurate timbre, but there is a touch of warmth overlapping it. If you listen to a lot of violins, you might miss the clarity and sparkle of the top-end; especially when coming from an iem like the U18. So if you enjoyed the U18 very much, I fear the 5-Way might disappoint. You really sure about this specific switch?

@Rollk2 The EM10 is incredibly easy to listen to, very smooth with a beautiful tone. Part of its unique tuning results from a relatively lifted upper bass, which interferes with its transparency, and the cleanliness of the separation. Relative is the keyword here, but you asked why I considered it below the ultimate top. By comparison, VE8 also has a lifted upper bass resulting in thick notes and a forward sound, placed in wide stage: the VE8's engaging presentation. However, it compensates the upper bass more effectively by means of higher quality extension, resulting in an airy stage with excellent separation.

 

[subguy812]

If any of you non English first guys want

@Rollk2 The EM10 is increcibly easy to listen to, very smooth with a beautiful tone. Part of its unique tuning results from a relatively lifted upper bass, which interferes with its transparency, and the cleanliness of the separation. Relative is the keyword here, but you asked why I considered it below the ultimate top. By comparison, VE8 also has a lifted upper bass resulting in thick notes and a forward sound, placed in wide stage: the VE8's engaging presentation. However, it compensates the upper bass better by means of higher quality extension, resulting in an airy stage with excellent separation.

Nic communicated this re. EM10 very well. I totally agree.

 

[flinkenick]

Also, just a few words on the A18. The A18's general tone is fairly accurate, when we look at its midrange and lower-treble tuning. The reason why I would not classify the A18 as predominantly natural or accurate in timbre, is because of its upper treble peak, which adds an extra touch of sparkle/brightness to its instruments. So, you could say that the core body of the A18's notes is accurate, the foundation of the sound so to speak. However, the additional touch of sparkle is what keeps it from being completely accurate - again, relatively speaking. This in turn results in an even more detailed presentation as well as a wider stage, compared to other top-tier iems; so it is a very simple trade-off. But altogether, the A18 is an absolute personal favorite and I would include it if I was only allowed a few iems, as I consider it the most 'exciting' when it comes to signature.

 

[PinkyPowers]

Also, just a few words on the A18. The A18's general tone is fairly accurate, when we look at its midrange and lower-treble tuning. The reason why I would not classify the A18 as predominantly natural or accurate in timbre, is because of its upper treble peak, which adds an extra touch of sparkle/brightness to its instruments. So, you could say that the core body of the A18's notes is accurate, the foundation of the sound so to speak. However, the additional touch of sparkle is what keeps it from being completely accurate - again, relatively speaking. This in turn results in an even more detailed presentation as well as a wider stage, compared to other top-tier iems; so it is a very simple trade-off. But altogether, the A18 is an absolute personal favorite and I would include it if I was only allowed a few iems, as I consider it the most 'exciting' when it comes to signature.

This is true for tia Fourté as well. Those highs are not what I would call natural, as there is very little warmth in them. But they give so much air and detail, without coming off harsh or messy, that I'm okay with it. The bass and mids sound quite realistic and natural. So it all comes together in a phenomenal presentation that outclasses everything else I've heard.

 

[Tulku1967]

The 5-Way is an elusive iem, for several reasons. First of all, it is somewhat of a chameleon since it displays a lot of variation on the track; the vocal forwardness, transparency, and stage dimensions can all vary based on the original recording, more so than with other iems. Second, it has a rather high impedance compared to other BA iems, and can require more power to drive. The LPG and modded Sony are very good sources to drive it, for both signature and power. With my AK, it is predominantly warm.

Still, I would overall classify the 5-Way as a warmer than neutral iem resulting from its attenuated mid- to upper treble tuning. I've noticed the term 'attenuated' often results in confusion. This does not mean it is rolled-off, it means that the quantity of the combined treble region is collectively a few db lower than the bass or midrange. However, the extension itself is of very high quality, since it is both very well extended as well as linear, resulting in a stable 3D image. It does not have issues with pace, in either the bass, midrange or treble.

@Tulku1967 I agree with you that the U/A18 is very nice for classical music. Especially with a nice cable the upper treble peak becomes more linear, and it is a beautiful combination of clarity and accuracy. Combined with a wide stage, it should reproduce classical symphonies very nicely. The 5-Way is really on a very different end of the spectrum. It has an accurate timbre, but there is a touch of warmth overlapping it. If you listen to a lot of violins, you might miss the clarity and sparkle of the top-end; especially when coming from an iem like the U18. So if you enjoyed the U18 very much, I fear the 5-Way might disappoint. You really sure about this specific switch?

@Rollk2 The EM10 is incredibly easy to listen to, very smooth with a beautiful tone. Part of its unique tuning results from a relatively lifted upper bass, which interferes with its transparency, and the cleanliness of the separation. Relative is the keyword here, but you asked why I considered it below the ultimate top. By comparison, VE8 also has a lifted upper bass resulting in thick notes and a forward sound, placed in wide stage: the VE8's engaging presentation. However, it compensates the upper bass more effectively by means of higher quality extension, resulting in an airy stage with excellent separation.

So the U18 is a great siren. Awakening, enchanting, I'm in the musicians. But .. It does not let me calm down, it's so credible that I have to be on it all the time, it does not turn me off ...
Layla is like a sweet dream ... calm down, relaxing, moving to another world ...
This is what I expect from SE5 as well...
Both are excellent IEM, but I am 50 years old and have a better relaxation than the sparkling
This is the main reason and of course the silicone CIEM.

About cables:
Many people do not believe in the cables. I personally did not find a single stock cable so far adequate for IEMs. Already a normal OCC copper cable (Forza, Ares) can cause big changes in the sound image.
I use a 40- to 50-year-old German OFC litz and have such an organic voice that gives each IEM a real, natural sound.
Never regret our money from the cable (of course within the limits of reason)

 

[Mimouille]

So the U18 is a great siren. Awakening, enchanting, I'm in the musicians. But .. It does not let me calm down, it's so credible that I have to be on it all the time, it does not turn me off ...
Layla is like a sweet dream ... calm down, relaxing, moving to another world ...
This is what I expect from SE5 as well...
Both are excellent IEM, but I am 50 years old and have a better relaxation than the sparkling
This is the main reason and of course the silicone CIEM.

About cables:
Many people do not believe in the cables. I personally did not find a single stock cable so far adequate for IEMs. Already a normal OCC copper cable (Forza, Ares) can cause big changes in the sound image.
I use a 40- to 50-year-old German OFC litz and have such an organic voice that gives each IEM a real, natural sound.
Never regret our money from the cable (of course within the limits of reason)

So is the age important with the cable? Is it like wine? Are there good years and bad years?

 

[proedros]

i think the age thing was about what kind of signature he prefers more, a more relaxed sound rather than a sparkling/exciting sound

btw A18 must be a great ciem , too bad it's 3K amazing

 

[Wyville]

i think the age thing was about what kind of signature he prefers more, a more relaxed sound rather than a sparkling/exciting sound

btw A18 must be a great ciem , too bad it's 3K amazing

I quite prefer a relaxed sound over something sparkling and exciting and I am not that old. In fact, I am quite juvenile and irresponsible for my age.

Funny how the VE8 really impressed me during the demo and their sound certainly lingered, but the image of the VE5 has really stuck with me. I have half a mind to go back to Harley Street on Thursday and spend another hour listening to just the VE5...

 

[Tulku1967]

Exactly!

Like white wines (for red wines it is 20 years maximum)
For example, cable production in Germany was the peak vintage of 1934-1944

 

[noplsestar]

i think the age thing was about what kind of signature he prefers more, a more relaxed sound rather than a sparkling/exciting sound

I‘m sure Mim made just a joke