[Zeppmeister]

Maybe I just like the night then.

 

[matze76287]

I have a hunch why many people are hesitating to buy. The entire thread here is full of praise that the Enigma is the best IEM someone has heard so far. But there are hardly any comparisons with other TOTL IEMs. That seems very strange. I've been reading along here for some time and am eagerly awaiting a comparison with Kublai Khan, etc. Without that, I can't make much sense of it all.

 

[mekap]

What is this?
You should try Cayin RU7 dongle with Enigma. You will be blown away

This is ibasso DC Elite

 

[dakchi]

I have a hunch why many people are hesitating to buy. The entire thread here is full of praise that the Enigma is the best IEM someone has heard so far. But there are hardly any comparisons with other TOTL IEMs. That seems very strange. I've been reading along here for some time and am eagerly awaiting a comparison with Kublai Khan, etc. Without that, I can't make much sense of it all.

There is 0.1% chance that you will see such comparison one day. Who will own them and then review them?

 

[dakchi]

This is ibasso DC Elite

Thanks. I'm done with Delta Sigma based DAPs and dongles. I much prefer R2R, 1bit or tubes

 

[rottoman]

I have a hunch why many people are hesitating to buy. The entire thread here is full of praise that the Enigma is the best IEM someone has heard so far. But there are hardly any comparisons with other TOTL IEMs. That seems very strange. I've been reading along here for some time and am eagerly awaiting a comparison with Kublai Khan, etc. Without that, I can't make much sense of it all.

This is a valid point.
But With only 50 odd Enigma made some in this group would need to own totls and compare. Comparisons might come eventually.

But 840 - 999 eur is nowhere near totl iems. So a comparison is unfair.

For example I own a Thie Audio v16 which is the top thie audio model and I can safely say the Enigma competes easily.

At 999 eur i would pick the Enigma over the v16.
Though both are different sounding and I alternate between them.

 

[rottoman]

Maybe I just like the night then.

You will love the Enigma . I'm sure of it. Its the sweetest sound I've heard so far from an iem.

 

[dakchi]

In addition to that, Brandon told me that there are no plans to have new releases this year before months. I still believe that this is the end of IMR. So, you have the opportunity to buy the best and probably last of IMR at 999 euros

 

[bk123]

I agree with everything you said. I liked Enigma and Enigma+ so much that I sold all my IEMs because I will not listen to them anymore. I just don't understand why there is no interest for my listing of Enigma

I know I am nobody to advise you on this. But as you said it is already your endgame, if I were you and have no financial urgency, then I would keep enigma as spare. IEMs are bound to fail and if it does IMR will not have any spare to repair it what we have already seen in some cases in the past.
Just keep it in a safe somewhere instead of selling it for less

P.S. Please accept my apology in advance if my comment offended you in any manner.

 

[dakchi]

I know I am nobody to advise you on this. But as you said it is already your endgame, if I were you and have no financial urgency, then I would keep enigma as spare. IEMs are bound to fail and if it does IMR will not have any spare to repair it what we have already seen in some cases in the past.
Just keep it in a safe somewhere instead of selling it for less

P.S. Please accept my apology in advance if my comment offended you in any manner.

You don't have to apologise. We are here to discuss
Actually, I can't afford to keep a spare IEM at this price

 

[DrewVz]

The main advantage of higher-end IMR IEMs is that they are not Harman-tuned. Their strengths are clean, quality sub-bass, lower bass, and upper mids to the extent that they maximize the positive aspects of a track and minimize the "noise". So the perceived clarity is off the charts, while maintaining the important essence of the sound while minimizing the less-important details. It's a tuning that you need to hear on a quality system to appreciate. IMR sounds like nothing else out there, and I've heard quite a bit of them. Not to mention the fact that these top level IEMs from IMR incorporate the latest technology out there (planar, bone conduction, quad EST, MEMS, and AMT drivers). IMR definitely isn't afraid to push the envelope and the results are top notch.

Certain other TOTL IEMs on the market can definitely sound spectacular and I can appreciate the extra detail, full range of "equally balanced" frequencies, and focused imaging. But IMR pushes some (not all) of that aside and instead presents a particular staging and presentation that is just plain captivating and unique. On EDM tracks, you just know when the DROP hits that it will stimulate your emotions and create excitement around the music. And isn't that what this is all about?

Sure, some self-proclaimed "audiophiles" may pick apart the frequency balance and claim that their $3000+ IEMs are "better", but when it comes down to musical enjoyment, IMR has cornered the market. It's just too bad that more folks haven't woken up to the fact that "audiophile purity" isn't the endgame. Too bland, too sterile, too boring. Eventually they'll figure it out and these old IMR units (Titan, Enigma, etc.) will be in high demand.


EDIT: I have my EDP ACEs packed up in my travel setup with my M3 Pro DAP and I took it with me out of town last week. I haven't really listened to it since my last trip, but wow what an incredible IEM. HUGE soundstage and bass for days, with just enough detail and sparkle to allow my brain to drift off into bliss, separating myself from reality for a few hours. After all the kilobuck IEMs I've owned/sold/own, I still maintain that the EDP ACE has the best bass implementation I've ever heard. And with the M3 Pro, which is a bit bass-heavy, it just accentuates the ACE's strengths. Super pairing. I can't wait to go on my next trip! Lol.

 

[fablestruck]

Couldn't state it better.
Though as I insisted time and again, I would love to see (hear) better implementation of Bone Conduction Drivers in high end IMR units. These add a palpable dimension to the way low frequencies are 'felt' and it is a technological advantage of IEMs as such. Meaning, it is difficult to implement it in an overear eg due to different anatomical characteristics of placement and fit.

 

[Headphoneprobs]

I have a hunch why many people are hesitating to buy. The entire thread here is full of praise that the Enigma is the best IEM someone has heard so far. But there are hardly any comparisons with other TOTL IEMs. That seems very strange. I've been reading along here for some time and am eagerly awaiting a comparison with Kublai Khan, etc. Without that, I can't make much sense of it all.

I briefly owned kks that I got for a very good deal and returned them due to driver flex and related pressure issues. No IEMs, much less expensive ones, should be designed to flex or feel like they are bulging your ear drum on insertion/removal. I remain ignorant, as I think everyone else on the planet does, as to whether flex is actually damaging or just a nuisance. Either way, a nuisance at x,000s is not acceptable.

Going from memory: the sound was to me incredible. I'm treble shy and yet the highs somehow had more reach and weight/content/information to them than the Titans and consequently felt like they provided a hell of a lot more detail.

Bass was satisfying and reached deep enough and vocals and mids also impressive. In total, like the Titans, they felt very complete and capable. Unlike Titans, there was a level of audio refinement that I'm not sure IMRs have ever been bothered with.

If kks without flex existed, I'd buy them in a heartbeat.

 

[paggio]

I have a hunch why many people are hesitating to buy. The entire thread here is full of praise that the Enigma is the best IEM someone has heard so far. But there are hardly any comparisons with other TOTL IEMs. That seems very strange. I've been reading along here for some time and am eagerly awaiting a comparison with Kublai Khan, etc. Without that, I can't make much sense of it all.

As I said once a friend of mine, who owns Enigma+, that has listened the most part of top tier iems like fir's, fatfreq's, canopur's, Empire Audio's, Noble Audio's and other, underlined that Enigma has a really unique mids thanks for the AMT driver. There is something more in treble in some of the competitors, but you have to spend more than twice of the price to listen to some difference.

 

[dakchi]

Enigma is really underrated