I first encountered Beat Audio cables during our recent EU meet-up in Amsterdam in March when one of the other guys brought along a whole selection of them. The whole range uses bold colours, which may not be to everyone’s taste, but visually they leave you in no doubt you are looking at a Beat Audio cable!

A colourful range of cables also come in a full range of prices and as I check the Musicteck site now, prices start at $599 for the Emerald MKIII all the way up to $7299 for the 8-wire flagship “Orbit Saga”.

The cable I am reviewing here is the 8-wire Cyclone, which Musicteck sells for $1399. A 4-wire version is also available for $899.

Cyclone is an OCC copper-based cable that also embeds a silver/ copper core. You can read more of Beat Audio’s marketing description of the cable's construction on the Musicteck site or their own site here.

Cyclone has one of the more subtle visual designs in the range with copper-coloured cores that have a slight speckle running through them. The hardware is light and nicely designed and has a bronze colour to it. The cable feels very well built, and it has to be the most supple 8-wire cable I have encountered.

It is very easy to wear, doesn’t get caught in anything and is light enough that it doesn’t disturb the fit of your IEMs if you are moving about with it. I have some 4-wire cables that are heavier and less ergonomic so I am very impressed with the overall design.

When I heard Cyclone for the first time in Amsterdam, it was after a long day of trying many of the god-tier cables that are available today. Many of these cables obviously provide a very clear and detailed listening experience so when I listened to Cyclone, I found it to sound quite coloured in comparison.

Like everything, though, it really depends on your reference point, and when I picked one up for myself and compared it to some of the other copper cables I have here, I didn’t find it any more or less coloured than you would expect from a high-quality copper cable.

I have spent a lot of time comparing this cable against the other cables I own in a similar price bracket. What you are going to read below are just my opinions based on my hearing, tastes, and previous experience. You may disagree with them, and that’s fine, but just treat them as one opinion.

Fir Audio XE6​

Using my XE6 and the Hiby RS8 to test, I compare Cyclone with the EA Fusion 1 and my Khanyayo Cardas Clear cable.


EA Fusion 1

Listening to “Brother” from the Alice in Chains Unplugged Album (Vol 41/ Low Gain/ Class A/Turbo mode on)

In hand, both cables feel about the same size, but Cyclone is lighter and more supple. Both cables can be quite “bling” when they catch the right light.

After listening to “Brother” several times using both cables, I noticed a few very clear differences. Neither cable stretched the soundstage as wide as I have heard it with other cables listening to this track, but both do a decent job of spreading the instruments around you. Cyclone stretches it out a little further, though and instrument positions are more clearly defined.

There are clearer differences in how different parts of the frequency range are presented when using each cable. Higher frequencies with Fusion 1 sound a little rolled off. There isn’t the same extension in the treble, and as a result, there is a lack of a sense of air in the track.

Vocals sit further back in the mix, too. When it comes to bass and lower mids, Cyclone has more mid-bass quantity, and it feels like there is more impact from the Kinetic bass and sub-bass. Guitar notes sound more natural and detailed using Cyclone.

Overall, Cyclone is a technically better cable. Details, layering, and note definition are noticeably better than with Fusion 1, which can be on the edge of sounding muddy with XE6 at times.



Khanyayo Cardas Clear

With the Khanyayo cable being 4W it is smaller physically but there isn’t much difference in weight overall. Cyclone has better ergonomics though and is easier to manoeuvre and manipulate.

This was an interesting comparison and didn’t turn out the way I was expecting. Before I compared them directly, in my head I believed the Cyclone would be the warmer of the two.

It is not quite as straightforward as that, though. With Cyclone all notes carry more weight so when a kick drum hits, you hear and feel it more than with the Cardas Clear cable, but this carries across the rest of the frequency range, too so it is not just the lower frequencies being affected.
Stringed instruments, vocals, and cymbal crashes all have a little more intensity and are slightly more detailed, or at least you perceive them to be, with Cyclone.

When you swap back to the Cardas cable, the lower end sounds warmer with a slower decay but there is still a nice sense of space to the soundstage.

I listened to the tracks many times going back and forth between the cables and I lean towards preferring Cyclone as it does a better job of presenting the mids and treble through the bass-heavy tuning of XE6.

Kinera Loki (International Version)​

I used my Hiby RS8 connected in line out to a Mass Kobo 475 for these comparisons. Volume was adjusted to suit each track and local Flac files were used.

I have my Kinera Loki paired with a Vortex Cables Lavinia. I find them to be a perfect match, as the cable allows Loki’s abilities to shine. I find Lavinia, in general, to elevate sub-bass levels; mid-bass is tightly controlled, and vocals come through crystal clear and detailed when paired with Loki.

Listening to “Lose Control” by Teddy Swims, first with Lavinia, straight up it is the vocals that grab your attention. There is a huge amount of detail and the singer’s voice sounds very natural. The vocals are ahead of the instruments which play a supporting act.

Swapping over and listening with Cyclone, the vocals and instruments are more on an even playing field. There is more impact from the drums and the other instruments are more prominent than they were with Lavinia. My initial impressions of the vocals were that they sounded less natural with Cyclone but that’s possibly a consequence of the instruments coming more forward in the track.

Cyclone produces a more impactful listen with everything on an even footing whereas Lavinia brings focus to vocals in the track. In the end, it came down to what you wanted to focus on while listening. If you wanted to enjoy the vocal aspects of the track I would pick Lavinia. If you want to enjoy the track in totality, Cyclone helps deliver this better.



“Killing in the Name” by Rage Against The Machine

When switching between Lavinia and Cyclone, small differences stand out. With Cyclone, the stage stretches out further in every direction, and the positioning of instruments is more precise. The more subtle details in the tracks stand out more, and the background seems blacker. The higher-pitched notes from the electric guitars are a little sharper, and I had to adjust the volume down a touch to my listening level with Lavinia.

Swapping over to Lavinia, there isn’t the same perception of detail and clarity, but it is a minor difference overall. Where Lavinia has the edge on Cyclone would be in the tactility of notes. There is more weight to the electric guitar notes, and it is more involving, so to me, it comes across as more life-like. It is splitting hairs between the two cables overall, though and will come down to what you value more in your listening experience.

Aroma Audio Fei Wan​

I usually use my Cardas Clear cable with Fei Wan so I will be comparing Cyclone to it. I used my Cayin N3 Ultra in Tube Timbre in Line Out mode to my Mass Kobo 475 for the first test track.

“Used to Say” by Don’t Blink.

This is a toe-tapping track with great female vocals that builds and drops several times throughout the track. I got lost in the music, going back and forth between these two cables while listening to this track. They both do an excellent job.

While subtle, there are some differences though. With Cyclone there are more details coming through in the track. From the small synth and cymbal sounds to the vocals and bass line. Everything sounds clearer and fuller with Cyclone compared to the Cardas Clear cable. When I swap between the cables, there is the sense of notes being a little rounded and less clearly defined with the Cardas cable, especially in the bass frequencies.

The soundstage stretches out further with Cyclone, too, and overall, it is a more engaging listen. There aren’t huge differences, but they are noticeable, especially when the track crescendos and you are presented with a lot of different sounds. The extra clarity and space make it sound more in control.



“Queen of Ice (Nora En Pure Club Mix)” by Claptone/ Dizzy

I used my Hiby RS8 connected in line out to a Mass Kobo 475 for these comparisons. Volume was adjusted to suit each track, and a local Flac file was used.

I listened to the track with the Cardas Clear cable and then swapped to Cyclone. The first thing I picked up on was that the intro sounded more intense. There was more presence to the underlying tone and when the vocals came in, there was more clarity to them. It definitely seems like everything has a fuller, more resolving sound.

As the track progresses though, it is not all positive as some of the sounds become a little sharper and edge towards being too intense. Listening to the track with Cyclone it feels like everything has dialed up and stepped forward. For a lot of the track, this works and the extra detail is very noticeable but some of the higher frequency notes can hit a little too intensely.

Overall I preferred the track with Cyclone but careful volume management was required considering the external amp was being used.

Conclusion​

I’ve been really impressed with the Beat Audio Cyclone since I picked one up. The ergonomics of the cable are superb. It is so light you barely feel you are wearing it, and is really easy to move and reposition. The quality of the materials used is also on point, and I would have no concerns about how the cable will hold up over time.

From a sound point of view, the cable is also very impressive. The darker background it helps create allows sounds to stand out in a clear and more detailed fashion. While bass texture and impact stand out with the cable, it also has an effect across the whole frequency range, which enhances detail and allows all the different sounds in a track to come forward and be enjoyed.

Like any cable, I have found it to work better with some IEMs and sources than with others, but when you find the right pairing, it is an excellent cable in its price range.

The Beat Audio Cyclone 8-wire is available from Musicteck now.

Having owned or heard several Aroma Audio IEMs over the last few years, their latest flagship, Fei Wan, is an interesting departure from their previous releases in both tuning and appearance. The Fei Wan utilises 10 balanced armature drives and 2 dynamic drivers to deliver its sound and comes in what can only be described as “Bling”, gold-flaked shells.

I’ve been listening to Fei Wan for about four weeks now before starting this review, which has given them enough time to burn in and for me to appreciate the sound. Like everything in this hobby, what you are going to read are just my opinions based on my hearing, tastes, and previous experience. You may disagree with them, and that’s fine, but just treat them as one data point.

Packaging​

There isn’t a whole lot to talk about here. The materials used are high quality, and the packaging feels solid. The box opens in the middle, and the contents are pushed forward to present you with the IEMs in a case, a gold-coloured badge with the logo imprinted, some information cards, and a set of ear tips. Considering the price of the IEM, I think the packaging and contents are quite basic, and I would have expected a bit more in this price bracket. The IEMs come with Aroma’s “Sparkle” cable, which is a 2-pin SPC cable with a 4.4mm termination. We’ll discuss that more later.

Design​

The shells have a fairly standard shape and size for a hybrid with this many drivers. There are some small bulges on the back, which at first, I thought may have caused fit issues, but that hasn’t been the case at all. They have fit perfectly and never caused any discomfort at all. They are also very light, so it’s easy to get a good fit that requires no readjusting at all.

The IEM uses flush-mounted 2-pin connectors for the cable. Those 2 pin connections are extremely tight. Removing the stock cable was an experience, to say the least, and fitting aftermarket cables has been an endeavour of cautiousness given the recent shell-shattering experiences people have had with another brand’s flagship. They have loosened with some use now, but you would have to say they are excessively tight to begin with.

The appearance of the shells has been a little polarising. They are certainly “in your face” with the gold flakes, but if they are not your thing, you can order custom designs in both the UIEM and CIEM versions.

The stems are just long enough for me to get a good fit with my ears. The opening of the stem is quite large, so you need a fairly flexible silicon tip to fit them easily. Tips with a more solid core can be problematic.

Sound​

Fei Wan was not a “love at first listen” type of experience for me by any means. When I first got to demo them a couple of months ago, I listened with the stock cable and a Hiby R6 Pro II. I found that combination to be a little jarring at times, and treble was quite spikey. I then had the chance to demo it for a little longer and got to try more sources, which performed far better, but as the set wasn’t my own, I stayed away from trying different cables with it.

There were undoubtedly some impressive moments during that demo that lingered in my memory, and as time went by, I decided to give them another try and see if I could find a setup that would work for me.

There is no doubt for me that some of the recent IEM releases, such as Fei Wan and the Kinera Loki, have taken a step forward with the details and resolution they can produce. Possibly, it is a new generation of drivers that is available, I’m not sure, but they sound significantly better than most of the previous IEMs I have owned or tried.

I’ve found the sound Fei Wan produces to be affected a lot by the chain you use to listen with. There are some sources and cables I just haven’t liked it with for my tastes, but thankfully, there are others that make it shine. I am biased towards R2R sources in general, and for my tastes, this is where I have found the best synergy with Fei Wan. I have also done the majority of my listening using a Cardas Clear cable, which also has been the best match for me. I cover this more in the Cable section below.

Fei Wan is a technically impressive IEM. It can create a large soundstage that stretches as far back to front as left to right. It has excellent layering and imaging, and the detail level and resolution mean no matter how complex a track is, everything is clear and distinguishable. It is also able to do this with a broad range of genres, and by no means is what you might classify as a specialist. I would stop short of saying it is an all-rounder, as its more V-shaped bass and treble tuning won’t suit everything.


Bass is, for sure, one of the most impressive parts of this IEM. There is pretty much the same level of sub as mid-bass. The quality of the mid-bass is excellent. It’s a very adaptable set and can deliver all types of bass from different genres competently. The texture and decay, along with its ability to change the speed at which the bass is delivered as the track requires, are all first-rate. Fei Wan is just as happy delivering the banging bass a techno track requires as it is with the opening percussion sequence in Pink Floyd’s “Time”.

The mid range is full sounding, detailed and highly resolving. Stringed instruments lean warm, especially when combined with the lingering bass notes from the DDs. Vocals can sit slightly back in the mix, but there are tons of detail.

I have found that Treble is more affected by tip/ cable/ source than any other part of the frequency range. Also, before the dynamic drivers had some time to settle in, the sound signature was more dominated by higher frequencies, which is worth noting if you demo a new set. With the wrong chain, I have encountered spikes with certain music, but on the whole, I have had very few issues. It is an energetic top end for sure, but it is detailed and extends well. Through the many hours of listening and making comparisons for this review, I began to appreciate Fei Wan’s treble much more. It works well for EDM and is very nice for cymbals in Rock and Heavy Metal.

Cables​

I have found Fei Wan to respond well to cable rolling, allowing you to fine-tune the sound to your tastes. The stock cable is a big improvement over the stock cable that came with Jewel, but I haven’t always got on well with it from a sound point of view, depending on what source I use. From a distance, you could be forgiven for mistaking it for a PWA cable with its braid and the material used for the jacket. It is very light and easy to wear. The hardware also looks nice, and a chin slider is included.

I compared it with my Cardas Clear 1950s clone and the EA Fusion 1 cables listening to “Moonbeam, Midnight, Howl” by Kerala Dust.

Cardas Clear

After listening first with the stock cable and then swapping to the Cardas Clear cable, you straightaway notice a greater sense of air to the track. When the vocals start, there is a significant jump in details and clarity versus the stock cable. When the bass drum hits at around the 01:08 mark, it does so with a lot more authority. As the track goes on, the vocals feel more encompassing. Overall, there is a lot more detail with the Cardas Clear cable, and it’s presented in a larger stage in all directions.

EA Fusion 1

Listening with Fusion 1, things don’t sound as closed in as with the stock cable, but the stage size increase isn’t as significant as it was with the Cardas cable. Vocals are more detailed, but they sound smoother than with both of the other cables. The bass drum hits aren’t massively different than the stock cable. There is slightly more impact, but they can sound a little rounded and lacking a little control. The short guitar solo, which comes in around 02:29, sounds good and is an easier listen than with the stock cable, with which it sounds a little spikey.

I also tried Fei Wan with a number of “cheaper” full copper cables I own, and I really enjoyed the results. For my tastes, I wouldn’t personally pick the EA or stock cable to pair Fei Wan with, as the Cardas Clear pairing is significantly better than both, in my opinion.

Comparisons​

When it comes to comparisons, I try to spend as much time as possible to find a setup that brings the best out of the sets I am comparing. It is often hard to get this across in a review, and I hate to think that people would read one of my reviews and think I just plugged an IEM into whatever source was closest at the time and lazily started to compare.

I burn everything I purchase in for at least 100 hours, sometimes more if I feel it needs it and then set about finding the best possible chain to allow a set to shine. By the time I come to review, I have settled on what I feel works best for a set, and if I was unable to find a good chain, I wouldn’t be writing.

I am obsessive when it comes to this process. I will try every source I own at every class or gain setting it has available. If it has a line out, I will try it with every amp I own and at every gain setting. I will try it with my desktop gear, and I will try it with all the cables I own. Once I have settled on something I feel is acceptable, I will start to listen to my library, and only then will I start to gather impressions.

Sources play as vital a part here as anything else. To think there is one source that fits all is to believe there is one IEM to suit all. For Fei Wan and for some of the IEMs I compare it to below, finding the correct source was vital to getting the best out of the IEMs and there can be quite a variance in listening experience between different sources.

Elysian Annihilator 2023



Thanks to greater availability, Annihilator has become a favourite among many in the community. Having owned the Elysian X in the past and at the time adored it for EDM, I was interested to hear how things have progressed in the last few years for Elysian and see if they finally mastered good bass.

When I owned X, it was its ethereal treble that really made it stand out. To this day, I don’t think I have come across treble in an IEM that is better for my tastes with EDM. Its biggest issue, though, was bass. While it was just about acceptable, it was far from class-leading.

I never had the chance to hear the 2021 version of Annihilator, but from impressions, I concluded its bass was quite similar to X. When the 2023 version launched, I read many impressions about how the bass was improved, but still wasn’t all that much to write home about. Annihilator 2023 was still mainly being mentioned for its treble.

Thankfully, one of my good audio friends picked up Anni and was kind enough to send me his to demo, and I have been blessed with good timing again for this review. I had a picture in my head of what Anni would sound like. X left a lasting impression, and I was looking forward to experiencing that treble again. As it turned out, that picture I had in my head couldn’t have been more wrong.

To shine, Annihilator certainly likes some power, and my listening volume was significantly higher with it than with any other IEM in my collection right now, no matter the source. To compare Anni to FW, I settled on the Hiby RS8 paired with the Mass Kobo 475. In my opinion, this pairing really brings the best out of Anni.

While Fei Wan doesn’t “need” the type of power the MK475 can put out, it certainly enjoys it, too, and it creates an encompassing and engaging listen.

I will point out before I begin that I have listened to both these IEMs through sources that don’t match well, and I have experienced somewhat disappointing results. It would be easy to dismiss either set in such a case. I have also experienced both these IEMs when they are driven correctly and with a source that allows them to shine. The takeaway here is don’t be too quick to write off either of them if they don’t work for you initially. Spend some time exploring.

I have selected a couple of tracks which I loved listening to on both sets to compare. Both are from electronic genres, which I feel both Anni and Fei Wan are best suited for my library.

“Lose Myself” by Space Motion



(RS8 Settings for Anni: NOS/ Volume to suit on MK475)
(RS8 Settings for FW: NOS/ Volume to suit on MK475)

Listening first with Anni, the track starts with a heavy beat and some varying cymbal sounds. Everything is detailed and easy to hear. There’s plenty of mid-bass thump from that beat, but it is controlled. You can focus on individual parts of the track easily.

As the track breaks at around 01:02 and starts to build, the dominant synth sound that is introduced brings a lot of sub-bass that you can feel across your head and chest. As the track progresses and the intensity increases, Anni handles it all effortlessly. There is a nice mix of sub and mid-bass throughout, and all of the higher frequency synth and cymbal sounds are detailed and cut through the mix with ease.

The soundstage with Anni stretches a good distance from left to right, and I have the sense of a 180-degree bubble in front of me, but I don’t get a sense of the stage wrapping around my head, so to speak.

Swapping to Fei Wan (and being very mindful of turning the volume way down first!), during the intro of the track, there is slightly more impact from that heavy beat, and likewise, there is a little more energy in the cymbals, but the thing I noticed first is that sounds are in a more 3D soundstage.

When that synth sound comes in, there is a great sense of sub-bass too, but I think slightly less than with Anni, but there are small margins between them. If you are someone who has gone to a lot of gigs in your time, I think you will enjoy the sub-bass Anni produces.

The biggest difference I pick up on is with the vocals, which have greater resolution and detail. When listening with Anni, I was quite happy with the vocals, but when you compare, there is a clear step up in details and clarity with the vocals with Fei Wan.

It is very easy to enjoy the track with both sets. There are small differences in sub and mid-bass levels between the two, but when you compare directly, the things I found to be noticeable were Fei Wan having a more encompassing and 3D soundstage and greater resolution and details with the vocals.


“Traveller (feat. Lizwi) [Kususa & QueTonrik Remix]” by DeMajor

I love this track, and it’s one I regularly use to test IEMs to see what type of listening experience they can produce. The track is rhythmic and has an almost tribal beat to it. It is the type of track you just want to be sucked into. Close your eyes and tap your feet.

Listening with Anni, the track starts with a beat that has an almost equal sub and mid-bass impact. For me, it produces that experience of almost being there live, listening to it and feeling the rumble from a stack of speakers.

Anni does a great job reproducing this. The track progresses and intensifies with many different drum, cymbal and synth sounds, all of which are presented clearly and add to the experience. As the vocals come and go through the track, they never get lost behind the other sounds, and they give a good sense of the left-to-right size of the stage with their placement. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to the track with Anni.

Listening to the track with Fei Wan, my impressions of the differences between the two sets from the last track ring through here again. There are slight differences, with Anni having more sub-bass and Fei Wan having more mid-bass impact.

With Fei Wan, every sound impacts a little harder. Each drum and cymbal strike just grabs your attention a little more. There is just more intensity in the track. Whereas the vocals with Anni were more in line with everything else in the track, with FW, they step forward more, and the peaks feel higher.

There is more information being presented by Fei Wan and the difference in soundstage is quite clear again. When I listened to the track first with FW after coming from Anni I found it a little jarring at first, and it took me several times going back and forth to get a handle on what was happening.

With Anni, the sounds are being presented in a semi-circle in front of you. The sounds blend together well within it, and the rhythmic nature of the track makes it easier to get lost in as there isn’t as much jumping out and grabbing your attention.

With Fei Wan, the different sounds in the track are coming at you from left to right and back to front, and they all impact slightly more than they do with Anni. Your attention is being grabbed from what seems like many more directions in the 3D space around you than with Anni, and it takes a little time to adjust between the two different presentations.

For me, it hasn’t been a case of which IEM was better. Once I listened to one or the other without comparing, I enjoyed the experience both created enormously. Anni, with its more rhythmic and engaging nature, or Fei Wan putting on a display of details in an encompassing 3D space. Both of these sets are special in their own way. Often, I found Fei Wan’s treble to be superior to Anni’s, and likewise, I often found I preferred the sub-bass Anni could produce when adequately driven.


Kinera Loki Emerald

When I first had the chance to demo Fei Wan, I used that time to compare it to Loki, which I was then reviewing. It has been very interesting for me to revisit this comparison now that I own both sets, and I have had a much longer time to acclimatise to Fei Wan.

For sources, with the music I chose to compare with, I found the Hiby RS8 on its own to be the most suitable source. I enjoyed both of the sets with my desktop R2R gear, too, which it is more neutral sounding than the more coloured RS8.

“Dead Skin Mask” by Slayer

(RS8 Settings for Loki: Class A/ Mid Gain/ Turbo Mode/ Vol 45/ Soundfield Plugin/ Darwin Ultra Filter)
(RS8 Settings for FW: Class A/ Low Gain/ Turbo Mode/ Vol 44/ Soundfield Plugin/ Darwin Ultra Filter)

I have been asked a number of times what Fei Wan would be like for listening to Heavy Metal. It wouldn’t be the genre I think of first when it comes to Fei Wan, but I said I would give it a listen for the review.

I loved this track when I was a teenager and listened to it on cassette, so it was interesting to revisit it now with very different listening equipment!

With Loki, in the intro of the track, as the guitars are playing on one side and then the other, and the kick drum and vocals then come in, it creates a very engaging listen, and you get a good sense of its layering ability. The drums are very detailed and easy to hear throughout, but there isn’t a massive impact, even when the double kick drum pedals are in use. They sound excellent, though, as do the cymbal strikes throughout. The main guitar riff is the focus of the track up until the vocals take centre stage. As the track progresses, the guitar solo is superb. The track finishes out with the guitars, drums and vocals all seeking your attention, and Loki handles it all with ease.

Listening to the track with Fie Wan basically highlights the main differences between these sets. The guitars are positioned almost the same, and there is very little difference in how they sound. The first difference that is presented is the cymbal strikes in the intro. There is more intensity, and there is more of the metallic sound you would expect. The sound is very distinguishable above the guitar riff, whereas with Loki, it was sitting behind the guitars somewhat, likewise, with the kick drum. There is more impact from each hit, and there is also slightly more sub-bass. The drums and the guitars are on more of an even footing with Fei Wan, but with Loki, it is the guitars that take your attention.

The vocals sit slightly further back, with Fei Wan behind the more impactful drums versus Loki, where they step forward of everything. For this comparison, I think most people would lean towards favouring Fei Wan as it is more impactful, and that’s what you kind of expect from this genre. There is more detail in the guitars and vocals with Loki, but in totality, Fei Wan is more suited to this track.


“Cornflake Girl” (2015 Remaster) by Tori Amos

I really enjoyed this track with both sets, so it proved to be a good one for the comparisons.

(RS8 Settings for Loki: Class A/ Mid Gain/ Turbo Mode/ Vol 42/ Soundfield Plugin/ Darwin Ultra Filter)

Listening first with Loki, the soundstage is very intimate. The instruments feel like they are situated very near to you. I can hear the lower notes of the piano coming from the left side and the higher notes coming from the right, so it feels close. When the vocals come in, they are centred, so it creates a kind of sense of the singer being surrounded by the instruments.

The knock-on from this is that the track becomes intense at times as all of the music is happening in a small area. Loki handles it well, though, and even when the vocals are hitting the high notes, and the track is at its peak, it never really breaks a sweat. Using the RS8 as a source, the bass and piano have a nice warmth to their tone but still stay true to life. Vocals are detailed and crystal clear, as you would expect.

Swapping over to Fei Wan, I keep all of the settings the same except for dropping to low gain and increasing the volume to 45.

The soundstage stretches out slightly more with Fei Wan to the sides and the rear, but there isn’t a huge difference. Initially, when the vocals come in, it’s noticeable that they are not as detailed as they are with Loki. I think across the range, notes are a little softer and don’t have the sharper edges they do with Loki. As a result, the vocals blend in more with the instruments with Fei Wan, and even though there isn’t the same detail or sense of it, it all comes together, and I enjoyed how the track was presented.

With Loki, every note is really defined and accurate, whereas Fei Wan presents a smoother and warmer version of the song with RS8. I listened to the track with more neutral sources, and while you can increase the note definition and make it sound more accurate, it simply isn’t as much fun as it is to listen to it with RS8. The enjoyment factor would make me pick RS8 as the source every time. Both Loki and FW do an excellent job with this track, and it really just depends on what you are in the mood for to pick one. A little more fun with Fei Wan or the life-like presentation of Loki.

Fir Audio XE6

XE6 has been my favourite IEM for many years. It has outlasted every other IEM I have owned and is one of two CIEMs I own. I listen only to EDM with XE6, and increasingly, that is the genre I most enjoy Fei Wan with.

While I know the tuning of XE6 will not be for some, there were parts of it which I felt were class-leading when it launched. Being a lover of BCDs, the kinetic bass that Fir created with the Frontier series was something very special for me. While it isn’t a traditional BCD, it certainly adds that tactile bass experience, which is seldom found in a set that doesn’t have some tech like this in it. It also has some of the best treble I have heard.

When I listened to FW out of the box, it was pretty different to the demo I had with it during my Loki review. Until the dynamic drivers had quite a bit of burn-in, the sub and mid-bass levels were far off where I would want them to be for EDM. With XE6 being my go-to then for comparisons, I felt Fei Wan may have only been passing through!

10+ days of burn-in later and giving myself some time to recover from covid, which I picked up at Christmas again, my experience has been quite different. We often talk about how mood, environment and tiredness, among other things, affect your listening experience, but I truly got to experience how poor health and a combination of those other factors really put a downer on things.

The tracks I have picked for comparison are exactly the type of tracks I love listening to with XE6.

For electronic music, I prefer Fei Wan with the RS8 and MK475, but the external amp is just too powerful for XE6, so for a fair comparison, I have just used RS8 with both IEMs.

“Walking with a Ghost” by Anyma

(RS8 Settings for XE6: Class A/ Low Gain/ Turbo Mode/ Vol 36/ NOS)
(RS8 Settings for FW: Class A/ Low Gain/ Turbo Mode/ Vol 41/ NOS)

One of the tracks of 2023 for me and a track I’ve enjoyed with XE6 many times. It starts with a fairly intense, head-rattling beat, and somehow, when the vocals come in, they are not lost behind it. As the track builds, it has a very rhythmic nature that draws you in, and as more layers are added, they add to the listening experience with the vibrations from the sub-bass and Kinetic bass.

Without the Kinetic bass of XE6, Fei Wan sounds more balanced initially in comparison. The heavy beat isn’t as dominant, but that is quickly forgotten about when you hear the lyrics. On first listen it kind of caught me by surprise as I was expecting to hear what I had just heard with XE6, but the lyrics jump out at you with clarity, detail and richness that wasn’t there with XE6. There is more detail across the board, and as a result, the soundstage actually sounds larger with Fei Wan as you can hear more nuances further out in the space it creates around you.

Both versions of the track that the two sets produce are very enjoyable. XE6 takes the hammer approach and pounds the bass line home with its usual authority, whereas Fei Wan allows more of the track to shine through.

“Player” Stylo

(RS8 Settings for XE6: Class A/ Low Gain/ Turbo Mode/ Vol 40/ NOS)
(RS8 Settings for FW: Class A/ Low Gain/ Turbo Mode/ Vol 41/ NOS)

There is a visceral thud from the opening beat in the intro with XE6. As the track develops, it maintains that tactility throughout, showing off exactly what Kinetic bass is. The track has that almost cavernous feel to its soundstage, with sounds coming in waves from the distance and building to crescendos. There are many layers to the track, and the huge soundstage XE6 can produce is used to its full potential. It’s a very engaging listen, and the Kinetic bass adds a unique dimension to it.

Listening with Fei Wan, while there is decent impact from the opening best, it isn’t on the same level as XE6. If I were comparing it to other sets, I would probably be talking about how it was more mid and sub-bass, but XE6 is a special case. The bass quality with Fei Wan is excellent, though. It may not be able to match XE6 for the shear impact, but there is still plenty to love.

The soundstage isn’t quite as big in comparison either, but where Fei Wan is noticeably superior is in resolution. All of the notes, synths and drums have a fuller, more detailed sound, and Fei Wan sounds a step above XE6 on this front. It is also worth noting if I listen to the track with RS8 and MK475, then the differences in soundstage are much smaller, if any.

XE6 has few rivals when it comes to that tactile bass experience, but with Fei Wan, it feels like there is just more information arriving at your ears, and its bass performance is still class-leading in its own right.

Conclusion​

I guess one of the conclusions I personally came to with Fei Wan was to not write IEMs off so quickly in the future. During my initial demo and then when I took delivery of my own set, I often struggled to get along with the set, but since I found a chain that worked for me and took the time to get to know the set well, I’ve really started to enjoy it.

There is a lot to like about Fei Wan. It can cover a lot of different genres well. Feed it high-quality music, and it creates an unashamedly full-on listening experience while still maintaining the highest level of technical proficiency.

The Aroma Audio Fei Wan retails at $4688 and is available from MusicTeck in this part of the world.

Up until MusicTeck started carrying Vortex cables, I wasn’t aware of the brand at all. After reading some initial impressions and taking a look at the materials they were using and their shielding design, I decided to try out Lavinia.

The Vortex Lavinia retails at $759, which isn’t a crazy price in the current market. It arrives in packaging that you would expect to find with much more expensive products.

Lavinia comes with nicely machined, steel hardware which has a unique look to it. Interestingly, the cable comes with a full set of EA’s ConX system, which allows you to change from 2 Pin to MMCX and so on. The outer jacket of the cable seems fairly durable, and I like that it doesn’t catch in things like some other cables with similar designs do. I am not sure about the orange pattern, but I guess they use it to make it stand out.

The cable is pretty light and supple. It is easy to coil for storage and uncoils back to its original shape. The ear hooks work well and are comfortable to wear for long sessions.

I’ve put together some impressions on Lavinia below, comparing it to some other cables in a similar price bracket. I tried out the cables connected to my Kinera Loki using a Hiby RS8 and Mass Kobo 475.

Specification​

Structure: Shielded Twisted pair & S-Z Strands
Shielding: Silver-plated 5N OFC
Cores: 4N Pure Silver, Gold-plated OCC Copper, Gold-plated 4N Silver , Palladium-plated 4N Silver
Origin of materials: Taiwan
Gauge Size: 20.4 AWG
Accessories: Standard ConX 2.0 connectors – Full Set, Carry Case.

​

Sound Impressions​

Listening to: “Woke Up This Morning” by Alabama 3


1950s/ Cardas Clear Clone

Ergonomics between the two cables is quite similar, as it is the overall size. Both are equally flexible. As the name suggests, the cable uses Cardas Clear copper for all of its cores.

This was the comparison I was most interested in as Cardas Clear-based cables have become the standard bearers from a performance versus price perspective and it’s the standard the Vortex cable will be judged against.

Listening with Vortex first, there is a very black background, and the soundstage stretches far from front to back. The vocals are centre stage, but the instruments feel like they are positioned all around you.

Vocals are clear and easy to hear. The heavy bass line that comes into the track with the vocals sounds great, and you can feel the vibrations from it as Lavinia elevates the sub-bass levels. As the track intensifies, it remains easy to hear each instrument and sound. This cable pairing with Loki really highlights the 3D stage it can create, and the whole track is kept in control nicely, even when it is at its busiest.

Swapping to the Cardas Clear cable, the start of the track sounds very similar, but as the vocals and bass come in, there is more intensity to how it’s delivered. The vocals and bass are slightly warmer, and there is a little more detail coming through.

Possibly because every sound is that bit more full-on, the stage seems a little more intimate, and the vocals are closer, as are the instruments.

As the track picks up, some of the higher-pitched sounds became a bit too much at the volume level I had the amp set to from the previous cable and I had to reduce it a little.

The Cardas Clear cable overall is slightly more detailed than Lavinia, but it produces a more full-on listening experience. I would lean towards preferring the Vortex cable in this comparison. It was easier to appreciate the technical abilities of the IEM and the track was better controlled overall.




Listening to: “Stars” by Sara K.

EA Fusion 1

The EA Fusion 1 is a slightly heavier and slightly less flexible cable than Lavinia, but there is very little difference in use. Fusion 1 uses UP-OCC material gold-plated silver litz, pure silver litz, and pure copper litz hybrid for its cores.

Listening to this track, there aren’t massive differences between how the cables sound, and the differences between the two are similar enough to what they were with the Cardas Clear cable.

With Lavinia, notes have a shorter decay, so there is a sense of less colour being added by the cable. Everything is crystal clear and detailed. The sound is refined, and it’s a very relaxed and enjoyable listen.

As it is mainly a singer and a few instruments, the stage is intimate, but it feels right, and everything still clearly has its own place.

With Fusion 1, notes linger longer, and the overall tone is warmer. Vocals are slightly more forward and have a more romantic tone to them. It is also a very enjoyable listen, but you are sacrificing accuracy for that comforting warmth!

Much like the Cardas cable, some notes hit a little harder than with Lavinia, so it is not as balanced, but these are really very small details between them.

Lavinia has a more balanced sound, with everything keeping nicely in line, allowing you to enjoy the track, whereas Fusion 1 presents a more coloured version of the track with a lingering warmth.



Listening to: “Devil Inside” by INXS

Kinera Orlog

The Kinera Orlog is very light. It's probably one of the lightest and most supple cables I have come across. It uses multi-strand gold-plated copper, silver-plated copper mixture and multi-strand pure copper core mixed with pure sterling silver for its cores.

Listening with Lavinia, the track has a nice top-tapping intensity to it which is very engaging. There’s a nice weight to the notes. The layering is impressive, and each instrument, along with the vocals, is detailed and clear. As the track picks up, there is a nice rumble from the drums and bass guitar. This is a really nice pairing for this track. It pushes the intensity to the right level without ever going too far, and it sucks you into the track.

Swapping to the Kinera Orlog, there is an immediate difference in the intensity of the track. The instruments don’t grab your attention as much as they do with Lavinia, and everything feels more reined in. Details levels aren’t massively different, but there is less of a sense of air, and the stage feels smaller. The track is very easy to listen to with Orlog, but it isn’t as engaging. The difference in sub-bass levels is also quite noticeable and it is a less tactile experience listening with this cable.

Conclusion​

I have been impressed with the Vortex Lavinia. Considering its retail price, I think it is very good value. It doesn’t add a lot of colour to the sound, and it produces a black background, which allows all of the instruments, sounds and vocals to come through nicely. There is definitely a boost in sub-bass using it, and with a set like Loki, that results in a more tactile listening experience. It does a good job of improving the technical aspects of an IEM, and it should pair well with a broad range of sets.

Kinera is a brand I have become more familiar with in recent years. Up until recently, they were known for mainly producing IEMs in the lower and mid tiers, but with the launch of Loki, they are firmly taking aim at the upper echelons of this hobby.

As I have mentioned in many of my previous reviews, I have an interest in all sets that utilise bone conduction drivers, and my preferred configuration for IEMs, in general, are hybrids that include DD, BA and EST drivers, so when I heard Kinera had a new IEM in the works that ticked all of these boxes, my interest was piqued!

To clear up some confusion that exists when it comes to Loki, there are two versions in circulation. The original Loki, which is aimed at the Asian market, and the Loki Emerald, which is aimed at Western markets. It is the Emerald version I am reviewing here. I have not heard the other version, but I have included a graph below so you can see the differences in tuning.

I left Loki burning in around the clock for a week before doing any critical listening. Like everything in this hobby, what you are going to read are just my opinions based on my hearing, tastes, and previous experience. You may disagree with them, and that’s fine, but just treat them as one data point.

Packaging​

Kinera has gone above and beyond with the packaging, in my opinion, and it is up there with the best I have come across in this hobby. The IEM itself is presented in a hexagonal, tiered box which includes two different cables, a great selection of tips from well-known brands, a carry case, a cleaning cloth and a cleaning brush. In addition to this, you also get a black leather storage box, similar to the one that comes with the Hiby RS8, to store the IEM, cables, tips and a DAP. I will go into more detail about the two cables included in the Cable section below.



Everything is of very high quality, and you can see that a lot of thought went into including accessories people will need and want to use.

Design​

Loki has a traditional hybrid shape. If you have no fit issues with this general design, you shouldn’t have any issues with Loki. The IEMs are very light, and there are no edges or bulges in the shell so once I found the right tip, the fit has been perfect for me, and I seldom need to adjust the fit if at all.

The faceplates of the Loki Emerald have a beautiful 3D effect of flaskes, which really catch the light and shine. The rest of the shell has speckles of colour running throughout which also catch the light and sparkle. I have tried to capture it as best as I can in the images, but I am probably not doing it justice. It is also possible to get a custom design for a fee if that interests you, but I stuck with the standard Emerald design as I quite like it.

The IEM uses flush-mounted 2-pin connectors, and the shells are vented. Inside the shell is Kinera’s custom-made 6mm liquid diaphragm dynamic driver, four Knowles mid-range BAs, two Knowles treble BAs and four Sonion ESTs for ultra-high frequencies.

In addition to these drivers is Kinera’s custom-made contact-type bone conduction driver. This is a full range BCD which Kinera designed to have significantly more impact than comparable drivers found in other IEMs.

Sound​

I have found Loki to be very responsive to different cables, sources and amps, and they scale really well with desktop gear. My favourite set-up has been listening with my Gustard R26 DAC and Topping A70Pro amp, but to be fair, I have enjoyed listening with any source. Describing its tuning is made a little more difficult by how much you can fine-tune it with sources etc, but put simply, Loki can produce huge quantities of quality bass, it has a clear, forward and highly resolving mid-range with a detailed and airy treble.

Loki is a very detailed set, which produces a vast, 3D soundstage and impressive layering. The BCDs clearly play a big role in producing this effect, and it is one of the best sets I have come across for creating that sense of being able to hear sounds coming from anywhere around you. It creates that sense of being immersed in the music.

One of the standout features of Loki for me has been its ability to reproduce bass in tracks faithfully. Whether it’s a traditional drum kit, bongos or synths creating the beat, they all sound exactly as you would expect them from the first strike right the way through the decay the quality and texture are exceptional.

Loki can produce a visceral, tactile thump when needed, but it doesn’t dominate the rest of the frequency range. The bass appears when called for and gets out of the way when not. I think this is another benefit of the BCD, as even with busy tracks, the bass quantity always remains balanced enough to allow everything else to be clearly heard and never becomes too much. From an experience and quality point of view, Loki produces some of the best bass I have come across in an IEM.

On initial listen with the stock EA cable, I found there was a lot of upper-mid energy and the sound was a little shouty at times. I swapped to the other cable from Kinera that is included, and it hasn’t been an issue since.

The mid-range is detailed and full, and the sheer resolution Loki produces is impressive. Vocals are forward and take your focus. The detail combined with the BCD effect adds realism to the vocals. The forwardness can make it a full-on experience at times with more intense tracks, but the set is equally capable of reproducing nuanced details in more delicate tracks. Strings are reproduced accurately and without any colour being added. The vibration of the strings is tactile. All of the nuanced details you expected to hear like fingers sliding along strings, are clear and present. Similar to the bass and vocals, everything sounds like you would expect it to.

I think Loki does a great job of having enough treble quantity to keep it balanced with the rest of the frequency range and produce an airy and sometimes ethereal experience while never straying too far and becoming spikey or sibilant. The treble has great extension and enough energy for notes to cut through and be heard in detail. The way Treble has been implemented means Loki can cover a broad range of genres. It extends well and can produce ethereal synth sounds for genres like EDM but can also handle the busyness of heavy metal cymbal crashes.

Cables​

Loki comes with two cables included. One is what looks like an EA Ares, and the other is a cable that the Kinera owner had manufactured to acoustically pair with Loki. It is a Silver plated OCC, and Gold plated OCC mix. For my tastes, this is a much better pairing with Loki than the EA cable. With the Kinera cable, the sound is a lot fuller, and there is a greater sense of air. The EA cable, for me, produces a thinner sound with sharper treble and forward upper mids. As a result, all of my listening has been done with the Kinera cable.

I have compared Loki against a selection of other aftermarket cables, and my impressions are below.




The track I used for comparison was “Somebody New (feat. ShezAr)” by Sonny Fodera, played through a Gustard R26 and Topping A70Pro.

EA Fusion 1

Listening with Fusion 1, compared to the stock Kinera cable, there is a more visceral mid-bass punch and there is also increased sub-bass. The vocals are very clear and detailed, but everything is warmer leaning. I like the increased sub-bass levels, but the extra mid-bass is making that the focus and some of the aspects of the track are a little overpowered by it. There is a slight reduction in treble quantity too, but that is amplified by the great bass quantity changing the balance.

Overall, it’s a more “fun” tuning with Fusion 1, and it’s nice to know you can add extra bass if that is what you are in the mood for or the track requires it.

Khanyayo Cardas Clear

In an outcome that will shock no one, the Cardas Clear cable pairs very well with Loki. Swapping from the stock cable, you immediately notice a blacker background. The soundstage stretches out even further, and there is that sense of sounds appearing out of the blackness.

Whereas Fusion 1 impacted the bass and mids more than the treble, the Cardas Clear cable makes improvements across the board. The bass is even cleaner, the mids have a nice touch of warmth added, but the blacker background keeps them sounding clear and detailed while the treble is smoothly delivered. It is a very impressive pairing.

Kinera Orlog

Kinera’s own upgrade cable, which was a collaboration with EA, is a light and supple cable which I often use when I am out and about with an IEM. I have reviewed it in the past if you want to take a more in-depth look at it here.

Similarly to the Cardas Clear cable, Orlog creates a very black background. The overall impression I get when listening is that everything is very clean and detailed sounding. Orlog doesn’t make changes to the tuning, it more so improves the delivery and accuracy of notes. It is more laid back as a result, but if you like to keep your IEM sounding more faithful to the original recording, it is a good choice and would definitely be suited for more energetic music to keep everything in check.

Select Comparisons​

The stars aligned for me to have some really special IEMs in my possession to demo while writing this review. Thanks to my audio friends who made that happen.



NGaudio Erebus

The Erebus is NGaudio’s flagship IEM and consists of 1 DD, 6 BA and 8 EST drivers.



“Gotta Go” by Monoplay

What I love about this track is that it starts off simply with a heavy kick drum beat but gradually gets more complex as more instruments and vocals are introduced. That simplicity, though, means that every note can be scrutinised, and I find it a great track for testing IEMs.

Listening with Loki, that initial kick drum impacts hard. It’s a tactile hit, but it is clean and detailed. There is a distant sound of someone striking what I guess is a tambourine, and while subtle, really shows the vast dimensions of the soundstage this IEM is creating.

As the guitar enters, it is very detailed and immediately grabs your attention. The vibrations of strings and fingers moving over frets are all perfectly audible, even with the heavy kick bass continuing in the background. Then comes the bass guitar, adding another layer and now you can really feel and appreciate the impact the BCDs have here. On top of the impact you are feeling from the drums, you now have the visceral feel of the bass guitar notes vibrating, adding another tactile sensation to the overall listening experience.

Vocals are clear and detailed and, with the huge soundstage, have an almost crossfeed effect going on. It is a captivating listen created by the exceptional layering and the tactile aspect of the BCDs, which add to the sense of realism.

Swapping to Erebus, that initial kick drum hit is equally impressive from a texture and detail point of view, but you do notice the difference in tactility without the BCDs. It is still very impressive for a set I have heard described as bass light in the past.

The acoustic guitar sounds detailed and accurate when it comes in but takes a slight step back behind the bass guitar and drums as the track moves on.

It would be very hard to separate vocal quality between the two sets, but the main difference is that the instruments and vocals all seem closer together in a smaller soundstage, The result of that is that is it is harder to pick out the finer details in the track. There is no real sense of that crossfeed, and the tambourine that was so detailed and easy to pick out with Loki in the distance now seems like it is bunched together with everything else and is more challenging to hear.

Overall, I think Loki’s BCDs are the big difference between the sets. There is little to separate them in terms of sound quality, but Loki creates a much wider soundstage and gives everything a little bit more space to be clearly heard.



“Number of the Beast” by Unami

This is another superb track for testing IEMs. There are lots of subtle sounds circulating around the track that get lost with weaker sets.

Listening with Loki, the track really comes to life as the acoustic guitars enter. They are detailed, musical and rhythmic. Double-tracking vocals quickly follow, and you feel surrounded. It is a 3D experience with the vocals sounding like they are positioned just on either side of your ears, but the different instruments are spread out in a larger space. This track again showcases Loki’s impressive layering and vast soundstage.

Listening with Erebus, the instruments are just as detailed, but the differences in stage size are again noticeable, with everything sounding like it between my ears. Vocals are, at times, a little sharper with Erebus. It isn’t sibilence, but some of the “s” sounds cut through noticeably.

Very similar to the last track, the sound quality is pretty much on par, but the soundstage sets the two apart. Erebus is intimate and close in, whereas Loki stretches everything far and wide.




Aroma Fei Wan

The Fei Wan is the latest flagship IEM from Aroma Audio. It consists of 2 DDs and 10 BA drivers.

On first listen to Fei Wan, I found it to be a bit of a wild beast. I was using the Hiby R6 Pro II, which I have since found just doesn’t really pair that well with this set. There was huge amounts of bass coming through in the tracks I was listening to and lots of treble energy, and I found it all too energetic.

I swapped to using a desktop R2R DAC with better results, and I have given my brain time to adjust, but I still don’t feel it is the ideal source for this set. While bass and treble are much more controlled, the mids can be a little too smooth at times. Unfortunately, my RS8 is still on its way back from repair, so I didn’t get an opportunity to try that as a source.



“Tabu” by Artbat

I chose this track as many IEMs struggle to play it well. There is quite a heavy, bassy beat, which can sound muddy with some sets, and this is accompanied by a lot of ethereal sounds, which can often be lost if the bass isn’t in control.

Listening with Fei Wan, the initial beat and burst of synth sounds are clear and detailed, and as the track builds, you get a good sense of how big the soundstage is. When the track breaks at 01:04, that beat becomes quite intense, and while it remains quite controlled, the quantity of bass means it dominates. You do adjust to it though, and as other sounds and vocals are introduced into the track, it becomes more balanced.

Throughout the track, you get a sense of sounds travelling side to side and back to front, but the stage doesn’t stretch too far outside your head.

All the synth sounds that come and go in the track are detailed, and the vocals are quite melodic, but that bass line comes to the fore throughout.

Swapping over to Loki, the initial beat has less intensity, and the build-up to the track breaking is less ethereal, but when the heavier beat drops, mid-bass is much tighter, and overall it is less dominating. The other sounds in the track take more of your attention, and you can hear them travel out further within the stage.

Loki is more reserved when it comes to treble, too. There is less energy and intensity, but it’s really a matter of taste which you would prefer between it and Fei Wan’s treble presentation, as the extra energy Fei Wan brings can work well with tracks that have that ethereal sensation when listening.

Loki keeps everything in control throughout the track with excellent bass quality and a detailed sound. Fei Wan is more intense. The bass hits harder, and there is a lot more treble intensity.

Loki when paired with the Hiby R6 Pro II has a closer treble presentation to Fei Wan but at the cost of bass control. There is a greater sense of air and space, and treble notes cut through the heavy bass with more intensity, but the bass is a lot looser.



“Cola” by CamelPhat

This has probably been one of my favourite tracks I have listened to with Fei Wan. The opening beat is more controlled than it was with the previous track. When the vocals enter, they have great resolution and detail. Similar to the last track, that beat intensifies at times, and I feel like there is a little too much quantity again, but for the most part, it works well with the track. As there is less overall bass quantity in this track though, it is easier to hear all of the other synth and drum sounds in the track, and there is an incredible amount of details presented throughout.

It is a very full-on listening experience, which I think the R2R DAC keeps in control but which I found a little jarring at times with the Hiby player. Overall, I enjoyed this track with Fei Wan, and it helped me to appreciate some of its strengths more.

Loki delivers the track with a bit of a lighter touch. It isn’t as full-on as with Fei Wan. Vocals are detailed and similarly forward in the mix, but when the heavier bassline hits at around 00:38 in the track, the texture is noticeably better and more natural sounding.

With the R2R DAC, the bassline and the vocals keep your attention with Loki, whereas Fei Wan again introduces a more ethereal sound to accompany the bass and vocals.

What you come away with after listening to both is that Loki has exceptional bass control, a larger, more 3D soundstage with its treble extension really being sensitive to the source. Fei Wan has performed best for me with my R2R source, and I have found tracks such as Cola to be quite enjoyable with it, but swapping over to the Delta Sigma based sources I have access to while writing this review has produced less desirable results for me. Hopefully, I will get to compare them more down the line.



Noble Audio Spartaqcus

The Noble Audio Spartacus competes at a different price point to Loki, but it is technically a very impressive set. While it may seem unfair to compare the sets, both use BCDs in a unique way, which makes it of interest to me to compare.

While it is never straightforward to compare an all-BA set with a Hybrid, careful selection of music makes it a more “apples to apples” comparison, and I want to highlight the similarities and contrasts that don’t stem from driver config. That driver config consists of 4 BAs and 2 BCDs for Spartacus.



“We Don’t Care” by Habib Koité/ Eric Bibb

Listening first with Spartacus, the song is clear and detailed. Much like Loki, Spartacus excels with layering. All the instruments are super detailed and easy to hear. They all have a distinct space within the soundstage and remain clear no matter how busy the track becomes. Vocals are natural sounding and very detailed. With tracks like this, there is never a hint of thinking about what drivers are doing what. It’s just a case of sitting back and enjoying.

Swapping to Loki, Vocals are a tiny bit more laid back. The acoustic and bass guitars are ever so slightly more forward and grab your attention that bit more. The soundstage stretches more left to right and it feels like each instrument fills more of the space it is presented in. There is just that sense of a fuller, more resolving sound with slower, less aggressive notes.

It feels like there is more information being presented with Loki, but I can see people liking both presentations. I think technically, Loki is better, but Spartacus is also impressive.



“There is Still Pain (Laolu Remix)” by Sophie Hunger

Listening to these tracks back to back on each set, there aren’t night and day differences. Both sets produce a detailed and clear sound.

The bass drum in the lead into the track is fast and hard with Spartascasu, as you would expect from its drivers. Loki is fuller and slower. The soundstage stretches about the same left and right, and the small details are as easy to pick out with both sets. Vocals are a little darker with Loki. That fuller bass takes more of your attention, whereas with Spartacus, vocals jump out at you more as there are fewer notes lingering, and everything is faster.

And that really is the stand-out difference between the two with this track. The speed and attack of Spartacus versus the warmer and slower decaying notes of Loki.

Conclusion​

Loki has some of the best bass quality I have encountered in this hobby. It has a detailed, accurate and highly resolving mid-range, and its treble can cover many different genres well. The implementation of the BCD adds tactility and impact while also helping it to create an immersive 3D soundstage.

The Kinera Imperial Loki Emerald is a seriously impressive IEM, and I am thoroughly enjoying my time with it. To think this is their first foray into the high end of this hobby is almost unfathomable, and it makes me excited to see what they do next.

You can find out more about Loki on the Kinera website here.

As someone who has been around the houses over the years when it comes to IEMs, I was a little late to the Noble party.

In recent times, I picked up both Kublai Khan and Ragnar. Both these sets have been divisive in their own ways, but I loved both for what they brought to the party, things that other sets hadn’t.

I guess as time has gone on, I have realised I always gravitate towards trying sets that do things a little differently, and I am happy to take on board that they may have their quirks, too, as a result.

I also have a soft spot for BCDs or sets that employ some sort of tech that elevates them above what normal BA or DD drivers etc, can. I’ve owned nearly every BCD set that has been released over the last few years, and while the Fir XE6 may not be considered a BCD set, its use of kinetic bass has besotted me, and it has outlasted every other set in my collection.

In the audiophile world, I have always seen BCDs as a technology that supplements traditional drivers. I have seen them as something that adds to the sense of “feeling” music in some cases, and in other implementations, I have felt they extended the soundstage or added more texture to notes, for example. It’s a little nebulous what they do, but I feel you can easily identify when they are being used, so they do “something”. And I clearly like what that something is.

My interest in BCDs has led me to purchase some sets from companies like Shokz, who create sets mainly aimed at people who exercise and want to keep their ears free for situational awareness. It is hard not to be impressed with sets like their Open Run Pro, which sit outside your ear in contact with your skull and produce sound while everything else around you is silent. If you haven’t tried it, it is a hard experience to describe. It feels like you are listening to speakers, but your surroundings are quiet.

While interesting, I always found them to ultimately be a waste of money as they were basically nothing more than a novelty for me. Useful if you run near main roads/ traffic, etc and can’t have your ears plugged with a traditional set. Never something that I thought would cross over into the Audiophile world.

I read a poorly translated press release some time back, which indicated that Sonion were creating a BCD driver that was focused on certain sections of the frequency range and were designed as a replacement for other drivers.

The headphones like the ones I mentioned above from Shokz are designed to sit outside your ear and in contact with your head. It is relatively easy to get a good “fit”, no matter what your head shape. When it comes to universal IEMs, we all have differently shaped ears, all have preferences for deep or shallow fit and preferences for what material is used and so on, so it can be the Wild West for sets that rely on a good fit. BCD sets that in the past only supplemented traditional drivers often didn’t perform as expected for people who couldn’t get a good fit.

While I know these Sonion BCDs used in Spartacus are based on BA technology, I don’t have too many other details on how exactly they work but they don’t seem to be affected all that much by fit from my testing so far, which is good!

To completely move one section of the frequency range to a BCD driver while keeping audiophiles happy seemed like it may be tough to deliver on. Nonetheless, I was very interested to hear how this implementation of BCDs would work out. I saw a couple of manufacturers announce they were going to use them in flagship units, which was reassuring, and when I saw mentions of Noble using them in an upcoming set, I was excited to see Spartacus announced and wasted no time picking a set up from Musicteck.

I have been listening to Spartacus since it arrived a few weeks ago, and my impressions follow below. Like everything in this hobby, what you are going to read are just my opinions based on my hearing and my previous experience. You may not agree with them, and that’s fine. Just treat them as one data point.

I have owned and loved sets with every type of driver config possible. While I have no prerequisites for a set, I tend to prefer hybrid sets that have a BCD.

What’s in the box​

Nobile has never disappointed me with their packaging. It is more functional than trying to be overly premium, but it is certainly not lacking.

The hard case and accessories are top-quality, and while some may prefer a few more frills, I find what is included to be excellent, and there is something very satisfying about locking your IEMs in the hard case.

Design​

Fit is always subjective, but if you are used to the hybrid-style shell that has become very common over the last few years, you won’t have any trouble with Spartacus. In fact, I would say Spartacus is one of those “semi-ciem” fits. The contours of the body fit nicely into your ear, and with a deep fit, they disappear into your ear. They are quite light, and I haven’t found the need to keep adjusting the fit during use. As you will see in the pictures below, they are similar enough in size to Mest MKIII.

Some of the designs that have come out of Noble over the last number of years have been complete show-stoppers. Whatever you thought about their tuning, it was hard to argue that their shell designs are often stunning.

Kublai Khan, which was in the same price bracket (ish) as Spartacus, was a fairly subtle design, but still impressed when you had it up close, and you could appreciate the detail in the design. Spartacus is no different, really. From a distance, it may be easy to miss it, but up close, the unique design of the faceplate is very interesting. Something I really like is that each faceplate is unique, so no two units will be exactly the same. In hand, the faceplate design has layers, so there is a 3D effect to it up close. I will leave it up to you what you think of the design, but clearly, I am a fan of it.

Something I am not a huge fan of is the flush-mounted 2-pin sockets. I much prefer recessed sockets for the greater security, especially if you are someone who likes to cable roll, as the pin sockets will no doubt loosen with time, but it is what it is, and I guess it keeps the size down using a flush mounted design.

I have tried a number of different tips to get my best fit and have no issue getting a secure fit with them on the stems. The top of the stems flare a little, and this is enough to stop the tips coming off in your ear.

How do they Sound?​

I have to mention this before we go any further. The main set I listen to on a daily basis is the Fir Audio XE6. That set has become my “go-to”, and, of course, that means my reference point is one that is quite coloured.

Many people would find the bass response of XE6 to be over the top or in your face, so to speak, so you have to keep that in mind when I make statements below about how Spartacus sounds.

The technical abilities of this IEM are excellent for the price range it sits in. The soundstage it creates is vast. It stretches very far from left to right. Spartacus has exceptional layering coupled with a high level of detail retrieval, which results in an impressive listen. There is something about it that catches your attention from the first listen, which I will have to attribute to the BCD drivers. It is precise and detailed but never analytical.

Spartacus uses BA drivers to deliver its bass. Before I get lots of the usual comments about how the set would have been better if it had a dynamic driver, I have no issues with a set using BAs for bass as long as it’s done well. For me, it’s a case of using the right tool for the right job. If you want to listen to a genre or track that will benefit from the bass being delivered by a DD, then pick an IEM to suit that rather than picking a set that uses BAs and then running it down for not using a DD!

The bass is very fast, as you would expect. In general, drums sound accurate but sit back in the mix and play a supporting role as such. There is a nice mid-bass impact when called for and a tasteful amount of sub-bass, but strings and vocals are the star of the show for me with Spartacus. Before I picked up Spartacus, I read a good few comments by people mentioning it had a healthy amount of bass quantity. I guess it depends on what you are comparing it to. Versus something like XE6, they are clearly very different sets, and it wouldn’t be a fair comparison, but compared to something like Traillii, I could see how people may come to that conclusion.

Bass guitars sound excellent and benefit from the slower nature of their notes compared to drum strikes. There’s a nice weight to everything and a tactile feel to each strum.

Acoustic guitars and both male and female vocals are also exceptional. It really is where this set shines for me. Notes from guitars appear quickly out of a black background in an intricate and layered soundstage. Vocals are detailed and have a presence to them that gives more of a sense of the space they were recorded in. I think this is one of the things that makes Spartacus grab your attention. It creates more of a sense of 3D space and where each instrument and singer is located compared to most other sets in this price range.

The treble that Spartacus produces I have found to be affected a lot by source and, to a lesser degree, by cable choice. With the stock cable, I have found there can be some sharp S sounds at times. I’ve done most of my listening using the Cayin N7 and my desktop R2R gear and have really enjoyed the treble. With some Delta Sigma-based sources, I’ve found the treble to have a little more bite and intensity. Not to the point of it being a problem, more so just that I have found the smoother nature of R2R to suit it better. Overall, though, the treble extends well and is clean and crisp.

Sources​

To compare sources, I listened to the same track across all devices.

The track I chose for the comparison was “Wicked Game” by Chris Isaak, and I used the same FLAC file for each device.



Cayin N7 (Volume 42/ Medium Gain/ Class A)

Listening with the N7, the song sounds very natural and detailed. The focus here for me is the vocals, with the instruments playing a supporting role. The separation between the instruments is excellent, and everything is crystal clear. It is a very engaging listen, and there is a beautiful naturalness to the track with this combo of source and IEM.


Shanling H7 (Volume 35/ Low Gain)

Switching to the H7, there’s an immediate difference in the note weight and warmth. H7 creates a more impactful listen that sounds slightly less natural than with N7. There isn’t much difference in detail levels, but at times the more intense listen can push some of the higher frequencies a little too far. While I quite enjoy the extra warmth that H7 offers and the heavier note weight, I have found the treble to be a little fatiguing at times with some tracks.

Select Comparisons​

UM Mest MKIII (Caying N7/ M Gain/ Class A/ Vol. 43)

I used a track called “Long After You Are Gone” by Chris Jones to compare Spartacus to the UM Mest MKIII.



From a size and fit perspective, these IEMs are very similar. Once you find the right tip, you can stick them in and forget. Both sets obviously use BCDs, but the one in the Mest covers the full frequency range in contrast to the narrower range covered by the unit in Spartacus. Price-wise, they are not a million miles apart either, so it makes for a good comparison.

Listening to this track, there is a very clear division between the sets when comparing, with Mest being much more focused on the bass guitar and Spartacus highlighting the vocals and acoustic guitar. With Spartacus, the bass guitar sounds accurate, but it is not the focus. Vocals are placed more forward and are more detailed. The notes from the acoustic guitar are sharper and more impactful than with Mest, which is a little more laid back.

Spartacus presents more details overall and in a broader, more defined soundstage.

Listening with Mest, the bass guitar dominates, and at times, it can be a touch too much, with it overpowering the rest of the track. For the most part, though, it is an enjoyable listen which offers a nice contrast to Spartacus.

As I listened down through my playlists, going back and forth between these two sets, there was very little between them, with some tracks being better on one or the other. In technical terms, Spartacus has the edge, but Mest has a much more bass-focused presentation, which some will prefer.



Custom Art Fibae 5 (Caying N7/ M Gain/ Class A/ Vol. 46

I used a track called “You Just Want” by King Creosote to compare to the Custom Art Fibae 5.



My CIEM Fibae 5 set me back 1300 euros, so a little cheaper than Spartacus, but I was interested to hear how the different driver configs competed.

Swapping between the two IEMs listening to this track was quite contrasting, and it took a few minutes each time for my brain to adjust. Surprisingly, considering Fibae 5 uses two planars for its highs, it presents a darker, more gritty version of the track compared to Spartacus. Bass and lower mids are where your attention is drawn when listening to Fibae 5, with vocals being a little more laid back.

There is no real competition when it comes to details, with Spartacus being several steps ahead, but it is more the different way the tracks are presented that stands out here. With Spartacus, individual notes from the different instruments and vocals catch your attention, and you can appreciate the different aspects of the song, but it lacks the toe-tapping, rhythmic presentation of Fibae 5.

The technical abilities of Spartacus shine through in this track, and while Fibae 5 can’t really compete on that front, it brings its own uniqueness to the table.

I was surprised in most of my listening comparing these sets that Spartacus nearly always came across as being brighter, but some of that is no doubt accounted for in the different balance between bass and treble between the two sets.

Cables​

The stock cable is one of the better stock cables I have come across. It is an 8-core SPC cable, which is very light and quite supple to use. It comes with interchangeable connections for 2.5/ 3.5 /4.4mm. While I was happy with the SQ the stock cable provided, I still like cable rolling, so my impressions from two after-market cables follow below.

To compare cables, I listened to the track “Chan Chan” from the Buena Vista Social Club.



Khanyayo Cardas Clear 4W

This Kahyayo cable continues to be one of my favourite cables with just about any set. Swapping from the stock Spartacus cable, there is an immediate jump in both warmth and details. Vocals are smoother, and some of the sharp S sounds that are present with the stock cable are gone. The extra warmth of the Cardas cable makes the stringed instruments kind of blend together a little bit, whereas with the stock cable, when instruments take the lead, they stand out a little more. It would be a matter of taste which you prefer, with the stock cable sounding more like a silver cable with the Cardas Clear giving a warmer, more traditional copper sound.



EA Fusion 1

Compared to the stock cable, there are a lot of small improvements. The depth of the stage front to back increases, and it becomes easier to hear nuances in the music. Vocals step a little closer and sound a little more organic. The percussion has better texture and hits a little harder. Treble is a little smoother listening with Fusion 1, and it overall is a more enjoyable listen with this cable. Across all my listening to Spartacus with the cable, I have found it to be a very good match, and I now use it as my main cable for Spartacus.

Conclusion​

My focus here with Spartacus was to find out how the Sonion BCDs worked and how Noble put them to their best use. To that end, there is certainly a little magic in the set and a uniqueness to its presentation. Spartacus is a very detailed set which I’ve really enjoyed listening to a lot of vocal and acoustic music with. Its technical abilities are well above most of the sets it competes within its price range. It’s an engaging set you will enjoy experiencing your library with.

If what I have said has resonated with you, you can pick up the Noble Spartacus now from Musicteck for $1799.

The Cayin N7 caught most of us by surprise. Most people were expecting a successor to the N6ii with its swappable motherboards. Instead, much like they did with N8ii, Cayin headed in a new direction bringing out an entirely new type of device to the portable market.

For me, the N7 arrived at an interesting time as I had started transitioning away from delta sigma-based DAPs and found myself using desktop R2R systems for my music enjoyment. While devices like the Hiby RS8 were certainly of interest, its price and the initial reports of teething issues caused me to pause and I had basically decided to make no further DAP purchases.

Enter the N7 to turn all those plans on their head. While not exactly being given away, the pricing of the N7 vs other top-of-the-line devices made it a much easier purchasing decision, and I ended up picking one up from MusicTeck. I’ve been using the N7 as my on-the-go source since, and what follows are my impressions after about two months of use.

Like with any review, my impressions below are just my experience with the device, listening with my IEMs and, more importantly, my ears. They are subjective, so treat them as such! If you don’t agree with them, that is perfectly ok, but I hope my thoughts may help someone considering buying the N7.

What’s in the Box​

Cayin’s packaging is always high quality, and the N7 is no exception. Opening the box, you are presented with the device, and once you have removed it, underneath, there is a case, some 2.5mm balanced and single-ended adapters, a USB-C cable, a manual and some screen protectors.

The included case is thankfully a much better design than the one that came bundled with the N8ii. It has a flap at the top to keep the device from being ejected every time you pick it up!! The mustard colour won’t be for everyone though and I do have some concerns with how it may wear or discolour over time. So far though, it has survived my laptop bag and my grubby hands without showing it. However, it ends up, it is nice to get a decent case included at this price point.

Specs Overview​

• Discrete fully-balanced 1-Bit Resistor Network “DSD” DAC
• Discrete fully-balanced Low Pass Filter with BJT driver
• Discrete fully-balanced Headphone Amplifier with JFET input stage and BJT amplification.
• FPGA/Audio Bridge to re-shape, de-jitter and transcode/oversample PCM to DSD512
• Dual Amplification Mode (Choice of Class A/Class AB)
• High Quality “unamplified” single-ended and balanced Line Out
• Unique variable-voltage single-ended and balanced Pre Out
• 4-ch resistor ladder electronic controlled analog volume from JRC
• Decode DSD512 natively; support PCM up to 32bit/768kHzk; 16x MQA decoder
• Headphone Outputs: 3.5mm Single Ended and 4.4mm Balanced
• Shared Line and Pre Output: 3.5mm Single Ended and 4.4mm Balanced
• Digital Interface: USB In, USB Out, Coaxial Output, I2S Output.
• Snapdragon 665 CPU, 4G RAM, 64G Internal, 1xTF card (up to 1TB)
• Android 12 with Google Play preinstalled, streaming ready
• DTA bypass Android SRC, Hi-Res playback to all applications
• Dual Band Wifi: 2.4G/5G.
• 9000mAh Battery with a duration of 6 to 10 hours.
• 5" TFT multi-point touch screen.

There is no doubt a lot in the Cayin N7 that people won’t be familiar with or even understand. Cayin have done an excellent job creating detailed posts explaining all of the main features of the device. I have linked them below and they can be found in the main N7 thread here. Cayin always publishes vast amounts of details about their devices and it is a great resource if you are interested in gaining a more in-depth understanding of the tech used inside it and how it works.

Unexplored Frontier in DAP, a discrete fully-balanced design
Pure 1-Bit “DSD” DAC Explained
Discrete LPF Circuit Explained
How to use HiByCast
Fully Balanced Discrete Class A/AB Headphone Amplifier in N7
N7 Analog Connectivity

Design​

Size-wise, the N7 probably sits between mid-range and totl DAPs. The device measures 142 x 77.8 x 22.2mm and weighs in at 380g. While there isn’t too much out of the ordinary in the chunky candy bar design, the rounded sides and smaller size make the N7 so much easier to handle and carry around compared to the sharp edges of the N8ii. I didn’t really consider the N8ii a portable device, but the N7 sits just at the limit of what I would consider pocketable.

All of the ports sit at the bottom of the device. There are LO & PO, 4.4mm and 3.5mm connections, along with a USB-C port and an I2S port that uses a mini HDMI connection. The volume dial sits at the top of the device, and as someone who listens mainly at the desk, this is my preferred arrangement. For those who plan to use the device on the go, not having the outputs on the same end as the volume dial will undoubtedly cause frustrations. It’s impossible to keep everyone happy here, so it is not really a negative of the device.

The power button, along with the standard player controls, sit on the righthand side of the device and the MicroSD card slot sits on the left.

Most of the front of the device is taken up by the 5” screen with a Home button sitting on the bottom bezel. There are no other buttons for control, and navigation in Android is done via screen gestures outside of the home button, which also acts as a back button when tapped once.

While I don’t have the N8ii here to compare directly, the quality of the screen seems about the same from memory. It’s detailed, has good colours, and it will be possible to watch high-quality videos if that is your thing, but for me, the screen is turned off the majority of the time, so it isn’t something I spend too much time worrying about as long as there is a decent level of resolution for album art.

While I like using DAPs naked, devices like the N7 really need to be kept in their cases to prevent scratching or bumps. The case included fits well, and the hardware buttons are very easy to locate and use while the device is in its case. It is also easy to swipe down on the screen for the Android notification tray, something that was infuriating to do with the case that came with the N8ii. These are simple things, but it makes a big difference to your user experience with the device.

The N7 comes with a 9000mAh battery which can be fast charged. Using the balanced jack, I am averaging around 7 to 8 hours from it, but how you use the device will clearly have an impact. I have been a lot happier with the battery life for my use case vs what I experienced with N8ii. Something N7 does share with N8ii though is a long charge time. The battery is quite large, so even with fast charging you are looking at 3 to 4 hours to charge fully.

Android​

It is hard to avoid Android if you would like a device that can stream. There are very few alternatives out there right now that don’t come with their own issues. When it comes to Android, the Cayin N7 comes s with a very sleek and clean version of Android which, during all my testing, has never got in the way or been a source of any type of issues.

The N7 comes preinstalled with the Play Store so there is no need for third-party stores or any other stress related to trying to install apps.

Compared to N8ii, this is a newer and faster version of Android and it is evident in use. Not that N8ii was sluggish or anything like that, but this version of Android feels better.

I installed Apple Music, Tidal, SoundCloud, UAPP and a few other audio apps without any issues. Everything has just worked out of the box. I haven’t done any stress tests or benchmarks as I don’t think anyone really cares about the arbitrary numbers those tests produce as long as the device is quick to use and album art and tracks load quickly.

Cayin have released a number of firmware updates since the device launched addressing some bugs and so on, and all of these have gone smoothly without any issues to report. Overall, the device works very well, and I have yet to experience any issues related to the operating system.

Sound​

I have listened to, owned or demoed pretty much everything Cayin has released in the last number of years. I can’t say I have always loved what they have released, but I have certainly appreciated it, and in the case of something like the N8ii, got many, many hours of enjoyment from it.

While I am an engineer and love the ins and outs of the technology behind what we listen to, I can’t claim to know what the difference is between 1-bit architecture devices and R2R beyond what I can only describe as an overview. I have, however, owned a number of 1-bit devices down through the years and currently own a 1-bit Gustard R26 desktop DAC which I was very keen to compare to the N7.

While the engineer in me can get caught up in frivolous conversations about the tech, at the end of the day the only thing that counts is how something sounds in this hobby. Cayin deserves great credit in my book for doing something different, but when you stick your neck out and do something different, it better be good.

I think the pricing of the N7 places it behind the N8ii but I do wonder if it had a higher price, where would people place it? I think it is great that the price was kept “reasonable” but the price still infers what level something is at. If N8ii is the TOTL device then N7 will no doubt be seen as the inferior device. Not the “better value” device.

After the AKM fire, many companies were forced into the hands of ESS. Coming from AKM-powered devices that were often quite warm and rich leaning, it was quite hard to love ESS-based devices, even those that deployed warm op-amps to try to negate the differences. The ROMH DACs that were present in the N8ii were probably the best attempt at capturing the best of both camps. Anyone that has heard the N8ii knows what it excels at, but it can be a device that pushes parts of the frequency range too far and it is often described as “bright”, as a result.

With the AKM factory now producing a new generation of DACs, it would be easy to revert back to choosing one of the different flavours of AKM DACs now available. Thankfully, Cayin has chosen a different path, one I feel is pretty brave considering the fact it would have been easy just to choose an off-the-shelf option.

However you describe the tech that is in the N7, there is no doubt to my ears that it has an R2R-like timbre. While it isn’t quintessential R2R, if I was asked to blind test it, I would describe it as R2R with an elevation in treble. I think many who like that aspect of delta-sigma DACs will enjoy with the N7. It is not as “bright” as the N8iii, nor is it as technical, but it offers a much more analog and smooth-sounding signature while still delivering great detail.

Over the last couple of months of testing, I have found the N7 to be a very versatile device. When listened to at low volumes, I find the sound signature to be detailed but very smooth, and it is very easy to listen to as a result.

I spend a large part of my work day basically listening in the background. I have IEMs in my ears mainly to block out ambient noise and help me focus. It needs to be background music, and if it becomes any more engaging, the music would distract me from work, and I’d get nothing done! With the N7 at low volumes, it ticks this box perfectly. It produces a detailed and satisfying signature which keeps in its lane and doesn’t distract.

While at low volumes and gain, it is a reasonably sedate device, when you crank things up, it becomes an engaging device that has an exceptionally wide soundstage, with an impactful and textured bass and, overall, a device that sits among the best devices in its price range right now.

The sound signature leans warm once the volume or gain it up. Polite before but definitely warm after. That may not be for everyone, but for those that enjoy R2R timbre and appreciate what that brings, it is an excellent device, considering its price.

It is not warm for the sake of being warm, it is a characteristic and it is coupled with plenty of detail and refinement, something devices like the Cayin N6ii R01, Hiby RS6 or RS2 lack. I like all of these devices in their own way, but N7 is a step above for me.

Before the device was burned in, it would be easy to describe things as a little flat. There was a very clear difference in the tone and technical abilities of the device as it developed with more hours. So it is worth keeping this in mind if you are demoing the device. It also needs some time to warm up every day before it sounds at its best.

Class A vs Class AB​

The differences between Class A and Class AB are subtle but much more clearly noticeable than they were with N8ii. Class A has a more analog tone to my ears. Vocals become smoother and the edges are rounded a little. Class AB has a more delta-sigma type signature with sharper, faster notes and a wider soundstage which is quite noticeable when listening to electronic music.

For the most part, with natural music I have preferred listening using Class A but prefer Class AB when listening to anything electronic/ synthesised. Class A drains the battery slightly faster but not to the point of it being prohibitive to use.

Sound with IEMs​

Noble Audio Ragnar​

N7 with Ragnar is an excellent pairing. N7 adds a little warmth to the mix and smoothens some of the intensity Ragnar can bring in the treble region while still allowing it to shine. Vocals sound clear, detailed and very natural. In addition to the tonal benefits, N7 also creates a huge, 3D soundstage with Ragnar which stretches far in every direction.

Fir Audio XE6​

A warm leaning source with a warm IEM produces a result you would probably expect but that’s not to say it isn’t good. Similarly to Ragnar, N7 helps to create a really impressive soundstage with a great sense of grandeur. Class AB produces the best results with XE6 for the electronic genres I listen to with it. It sharpens everything a little and allows XE6’s superb treble to cut through the warmth of the bass. A coloured combination for sure, but very enjoyable and technically impressive.

Line Out​

If you want that performance to take another step up again you can pair the N7 with an external amp.

The N7 has both 4.4mm and 3.5mm dedicated lineouts. For most people, this will probably go unused but for the few of us in the community who enjoy using external amps in a chain with our IEMs, the dedicated hardware Cayin has included in the N7 for this is a welcome addition.

I have owned many of the 4.4mm input portable amps that are available, and I am currently putting the Astell and Kern AK PA10 through burn-in so have used that to try out the LO on N7.

So how does N7 perform in line out? I’ll start with the negatives. It is not completely silent. I use a Topping A90D every day for my IEMs and it is absolutely silent with any IEM but when I swap to N7 with the A&K amp, there is some noise. That noise is not there with 3.5mm connections and it also isn’t there with 4.4mm when I use different sources with the A&K amp.

Now does that noise present a problem in general listening? Absolutely not. It is unnoticeable to me when the music starts but I do not have sensitive IEMs and maybe not the ears to isolate it from music, but some people are super sensitive to noise so I have highlighted what I found.

When it comes to sound quality, N7 is superb in line-out mode. I absolutely love how it sounds with the A&K amp. The sound is full and rich, and the soundstage is immense. If you are happy to add another device to the chain, it can produce a very enjoyable listen.

I have seen comments about the amp stage of the N7 being weak. For sure, things will improve if you add a dedicated amp, but I feel the amp stage of the N7 is very much in line with its price. I have owned most of the DAPs in this price range, and there is nothing that exceeds the quality of N7 for me in this bracket. Simply, you will have to pay more if you want better. My impressions are for sure based on listening with IEMs. If it it is the case you are interested in N7 for use with headphones then I can only suggest you do more research as it is not a use case I have tested.

I’ve been very impressed with the line-out quality of the N7 during all of my testing to date, and I tend to use N7 a lot with the AK amp. It isn’t the case that N7 needs an external amp, but it’s nice to have the dedicated LO, so you have more options available to you.

USB C Out/ I2S Out​

Digital outs are a secondary feature for me and not the main reason I would buy a DAP, but you do have an expectancy of quality with them, considering this is an expensive device.

I tried the USB-C port and the I2S port on N7 to connect to the USB and I2S inputs on my Gustard R26. It is always hard to say with any certainty if there is much of a difference between any of these options as you have to allow for switching cables and selecting another input on the receiver, but I can say that N7 with both USB C out and I2S out are both excellent quality and I have zero issues to report with either so if you wanted to use N7 as a source for your desktop equipment, it performs well. Both ports sounded the same to me, but as I mentioned, it is hard to directly compare without relying on memory.

Select Comparisons​

I am not going to get into comparing delta-sigma to resister ladder DACs here. I think if you are reading this, there is something about the timbre a device like N7 produces that ticks a box for you.

I purchased the Hiby RS2 DAP sometime back when it was available for less than 400 euros. It is a source that often gets overlooked due to its price and the fact it can’t stream, but I immediately thought it would be very interesting to compare it to N7 to see what the extra 1600 euros got you, other than streaming.

As I mentioned above, I also have a Gustard R26 R2R DAC here, which is my standard that all sources, such as N7, get compared against. It is 1-bit R2R architecture and one of the finest sources I have listened to.

Hiby RS2​

My RS2 has many hundred hours of use clocked up at this stage. I use it regularly around the house or out and about when I want a light source in my pocket. For sure, it is not the best source you will encounter, but it is very good value for its price. It is unashamedly warm and coloured but in a tasteful way. You don’t get distracted by its colour, but you know it’s adding it. When it was new, it had a narrow stage but with more use, that opened up to be as big as most other sources.

When I compare RS2 to N7, it really comes down to the IEM I am using for which source I prefer more. With something like the Noble Audio Ragnar, which is at the very top level when it comes to detail retrieval, listening with RS2 adds a nice amount of warmth and while it is not as technical as the N7, Ragnar has so much on offer when it comes to its technicals that the difference between N7 and RS2 isn’t so clear. That is not to say that the differences are not there; they are, but if I played a track on Ragnar with RS2 for you and then swapped to N7 as the source, what you would pick as the winner would come down to what you valued more. N7 is clearly more refined with better technicals but RS2 can produce a fun and enjoyable sound that makes it compete in its own way.

Gustard R26​

The Gustard R26 is an exceptional device. It is very well-priced, and I have yet to come across anything in the mobile realm that competes with it for my tastes.

To keep things fair, I compared the N7 paired with the A&K amp in line out as the Gustard R26 was connected to the Topping A90D amplifier.

The A90D is by no means the best amp on the market, but it is completely silent with IEMs and not priced in the tiers where it would be unfair to compare.

The R26 produces an incredibly refined and detailed sound with a vast, 3D soundstage, and it is here in its technical abilities and refinement that it really stands out. When it comes to timbre, both devices share similarities, but the N7 comes across as warmer. Bass notes are a little looser and slower with N7, and this is apparent when you compare the two directly.

When it comes to details, N7 isn’t quite at the same level, but it gets very close. When I am listening to N7 casually though, and not back-to-back comparing, I don’t feel like it comes up short in the detail department. It is very good at its price, and N7 brings many other positives to the table.

Conclusion​

I loved the N8ii when I owned it but it really had its flaws when it came to battery life and portability. If I was just to compare the N8ii and N7 on these two fronts, the N7 would come out ahead. It has good battery life. It is relatively light and portable. It can stream and has a nice Android interface if that’s your thing. If it’s not, it keeps out of your way with no real negatives to report. It is priced incredibly competitively when you take everything I’ve mentioned above into account.

If you want an R2R-like timbre and also want Android for streaming, your options are limited and even more so if you are on a budget. The Cayin N7 is an excellent device in its price bracket and well worth checking out.

Something I always look out for in this hobby is praise coming from multiple people with varying tastes. It is generally a very good indicator that a product has something special about it. The Brise Audio Yatono Ultimate 8W certainly fits into that category. After speaking to a number of people who all returned glowing impressions of the cable, I was intrigued to find out what the buzz was about, so I picked one up from MusicTeck a few weeks back and have been putting it through its paces since.

I think it’s pretty clear just by looking at this behemoth of a cable that it will not be for everyone. This is a cable that Brise Audio have designed with sound quality being the number one priority and due to the fact insulation layers play such an important role in their design and the fact this is an 8-wire cable, its size, weight and stiffness are at the upper end of what I have encountered before for an IEM cable.

So it probably won’t be the cable you will grab when you want to go for a walk, but it is not intended to be either. Sitting at a desk or in a nice comfortable chair where ergonomics don’t come into it is where this cable comes into its own and where it can be really enjoyed.
As always, what follows below are just my opinions, and they are, of course, completely subjective. Take them as such.

Cable Design​

This isn’t going to be the most extended section of the review by any means, as Brise keep their cards close to their chest when it comes to sharing details about what exactly goes into making the cable.

According to Brise, “It is the highest sound quality cable in the history of Brise Audio, which has put in all of its current know-how and pursued high sound quality to an excessive degree as an earphone re-cable”.

There might be a little lost in translation there, but the sense you get from reading about the cable on their website (which you can do here) is that they have tried to put everything they know into this cable to make it sound excellent.



As you can see in the image above, there are many layers of shielding and insulation used in the cable’s construction which is why it ends ups being a quite heavy.

The pure copper used in the cable is of Brise’s own design, and the wires are made by spinning 200 strands together.

The whole cable is handmade, and it has a very high-quality feel in hand. It also feels quite durable and like it will stand the test of time as you would hope for a cable in the price range ($2499).



The ear hooks retain their shape, and while you may be able to bend them as they are made of a titanium wire, I didn’t personally go that far.

The cable comes with a 4.4mm jack, and I have the 2-pin version. This hardware and the chin slider are nicely finished in the traditional Brise colour.

Overall I am very happy with the workmanship and the quality of the materials used in the cable.

Packaging​

The packaging is straightforward and of good quality. The cable comes with an ID card and certificate showing its serial number, a Brise brochure and a bottle of “cable smoother” spray. There aren’t any instructions for use of this spray, but I guess it does what it says on the bottle!

How it sounds with IEMs​

I am sharing my impressions below of how I found the cable with two of the higher-end IEMs I own, but I have tried it with many sets from various different price tiers over the last few weeks and the improvements it provides are pretty universal. It hasn’t been the case of trying to find the correct synergy with certain IEMs, more a case of connecting something and seeing which aspects improve.

Nobel Audio Ragnar​

Listen to Burning Sun by Monolink on a MacBook>Gustard R26> Topping A90D

I recently completed a review of Ragnar, and in that review, I mentioned about how, with the cables I had available to me at that time, I found none to offer significant improvements over the stock cable. After trying Ragnar with Yatono, I am going to have to revisit that review.

At a very basic level, Ragnar is a better IEM when paired with Yatono. It improves its technical ability, adds a slight warmth and takes genres that may have been on the fringe of what you would listen to with Ragnar and makes them completely accessible.

When listening to Burning Sun and swapping between the two cables, there are clear differences to my ears. This track has some sort of double-tracking vocals effect going on, and it also pans sounds from left to right so it is ideal for seeing how good a set is at building a 3D soundstage and how it deals with complex layering.

Immediately when swapping from the stock cable to Yatono, you can notice a jump in clarity, details and an expansion of the soundstage.

The effect in use on the vocals becomes more pronounced, and you have a sense of being surrounded by the vocals. Vocals also sound fuller and warmer but are still very detailed.

While the vocals take your attention and have that sense of encompassing you, the other instruments and sounds in the track come and go in a 3D space around your head. I often hear people question what a 3D soundstage is. For me, it is the ability of a set to create a sphere around your head and the sense of sounds being able to come from anywhere within that sphere. The better sets can stretch the dimensions of that sphere further out, they can have many clearly defined layers within the space and produce the surround sound type effect as sound travels through the space.

Often you will find sets that have a wide left-to-right stage but very little sense of depth or height, and their limitations draw your attention as something feels off about the presentation.

Yatono, paired with Ragnar, creates an effortless and immersive experience. There are incredible levels of detail produced, and almost any genre is handled with ease. It is a superb pairing and one I highly recommend trying for yourself if you get the opportunity.

Fir Audio XE6​

Listening to Tibet by Artbat on a MacBook>Gustard R26> Topping A90D

If I were to try and show someone who was undecided about upgrade cables what difference they can make over a stock cable, I would use this setup. While some may fairly argue the ergonomics of the stock cable that comes with XE6 would make it preferable for them, there is absolutely no contest for me when it comes to sound.

XE6 is known for being able to create a huge sound, that sense of being in a club with a wall of speakers in front of you, but when I compare the stock cable to Yatono, everything feels a little closed in and restrained.

Similarly to Ragnar, there is quite a jump in clarity and resolution with Yatono but somewhere this really surfaces is in the bass. The control and texture that Yatono adds to the mid-bass of XE6 is something special. Every aspect of the bass is improved. More rumble, more visceral impact but above all, a level of clarity, detail and control that just makes the insane amount of bass on offer work with just about any track.

Listening to Tibet using Yatono, during the intro, the kick drum beat is fast and impactful and as the track builds towards the first drop there is a nice sense of intensity building. When the drop hits, the heavy bass line is clear and accompanied by the kinetic bass effect and sub-bass rumble.

Swapping back to the stock cable, some of the sounds in the intro come across a little sharper, and that kick drum beat sounds more restrained. The track feels more congested, and as the drop hits, it is more like a wall of sound that is hitting you in a narrower space, so it had me reaching to turn the volume down a little. There’s still nice sub-bass with the stock cable, but with Yatono, every sound is crystal clear and effortlessly presented. Everything is on point, and you can enjoy the intensity of the track without ever getting overwhelmed.

How does it compare against other cables?​

I’m going to stick to comparing the effects on sound here as there are clearly going to big differences in ergo, and it will be up to you what your requirements are there.

I listened to a track called Dance With Me by Kevin de Vries using my XE6, a Cayin N7 and Astell & Kern AKPA10 amp to compare each cable to Yatono.

Liquid Links Venom​

Vocals are similarly clear and detailed with both cables. The immediate difference that surfaces is that the bass is much looser with Venom and just sounds much less controlled. It is tight and fast with Yatono.

With Venom, there is a noticeably smaller soundstage and much less of a sense of depth back to front. It makes the track sound somewhat flatter, and some of the smaller details are just not as clearly defined as they are with Yatono. When I swap back to listen with Yatono, the whole track opens up into a larger space, and the difference in details and layering are clear.

Kinera Orlog​

This has been one of my favourite pairings to date with XE6, and I have been a big fan of the Orlog due to its performance vs price proposition, so I have been looking forward to comparing these two cables to get a better window into diminishing returns.

Orlog does a better job of keeping the bass tight and in control versus Venom. The overall sound is very clear and detailed, and there is a good sense of space between everything. Considering its price, Orlog does a great job here. Everything is clearly defined, and there is nothing drawing your attention as a negative. Where it comes up short against Yatono is in that it feels somewhat safe or restrained when compared directly.

There’s a richness to the sound with Yatono that is missing with Orlog. There is more treble sparkle and a more ethereal sense to it as the sounds appear to travel further in the soundstage. There is just that sense of something more special about the overall presentation with Yatono that feels lacking in Orlog when you compare back to back but considering the price difference, you would be disappointed if there wasn’t.

Khanyayo Cardas Clear​

This is another cable that is incredibly hard to beat when it comes to price vs performance. Vocals sit a touch further back with this cable and, as a result, don’t come across as clearly defined as they do with Orlog or Yatono. When it comes to bass though, the Cardas Clear cable is much closer to Yatono than the other two. There is good control and texture to the heavier beats but at times, it isn’t as effortless as with Yatono and feels like it is on the edge a little.

Back to back, the major difference in these cables is the sense of space and air that Yatono creates. It is immediately noticeable. The Cardas Clear cable is technically very good. It has more magic to it compared to Orlog but at the cost of control at times. Yatono has the best of both though, with none of their weaknesses, more details and with a larger soundstage in every direction.

Conclusion​

The ergonomics of this cable have to be considered if you are planning on buying one. It is not a “one and done” type cable in the sense that it is most definitely suited to use sitting at a desk or in a comfortable chair, but I think anyone who is considering it will have taken that into account already. This cable is all about the sound and sound only.

The improvements it makes are undoubted. It helps IEMs create a rich and detailed sound in a soundstage that seems to stretch for miles in every direction. What has been really impressive about it is that it has improved every IEM I have tried with it, and once you hear the improvements it makes, it is hard to go back to using other cables.

The Brise Audio Yatono Ultimate 8W is a beast of a cable in many senses of the word. If it fits your use case and you have a listening environment where its ergonomics aren’t an issue, then it is highly worth checking out.

I briefly got to demo the Noble Audio Ragnar during a local meet-up some time back. The meet-up took place in a hotel lobby which doesn’t always turn out to be the best environment for critical listening, but out of all of the gear I tried that day, Ragnar stood out and I left that meet-up intent on hearing it again.

Fast forward a month or two and I have since picked up a set from Musicteck and have been using it daily since. My impressions below like always are just one man’s opinions on how I hear things. Please remember this will always be subjective and we no doubt hear things differently.

What’s in the Box​

Ragnar comes in a Nanuk hard case similar to other Noble sets. I don’t know why, but it always seems impressive opening these types of cases to find the IEMs presented inside. The case certainly offers a safe way of storing your IEMs if you are on the move but I am not sure how practical it is on a day-to-day basis unless you are trying to keep things safe from kids or pets.

Also included is a leather carry case, some ear tips, some branded accessories and a steel thank you card for purchasing Ragnar.

Overall, everything has a high-quality feel to it and is in line with what you could expect at this price point.

Design​

While Ragnar may not have the full Damascus Steel body like Viking, I actually prefer the more subtle aluminium body which makes that face plate the real star of the show visually. It is a unique design and one of the nicest I’ve come across to date. The IEM feels solid in hand, and while I still baby them when holding them, they feel like they will be more durable than plastic-shelled alternatives.

The 4 wire Magnus cable that is included is aesthetically very complementary to Ragnar. Its weave has darker and lighter strands which gives a similar visual impression to the Damascus Steel. There’s a Pentaconn 4.4mm jack and the rest of the hardware is nicely machined steel. It is surprisingly light and supple in hand and overall, it is an excellent quality “stock” cable.

Inside the aluminium and steel body of the IEM lies 10 drivers per side. There are two dynamic drivers for the bass, two balanced armatures for the mids, two for the highs and four EST drivers for the super highs.

Fit in general has been fine for me. Ragnar, to me, sounds best with narrower bore tips and a deep insertion. The sound changes quite dramatically with different tips so if you have smaller ears, the large hybrid shell may present some issues in achieving the best fit but it will always be a case of just having to try them to find out. Even with the steel, the IEMs are not that heavy and once I achieved a good seal with my chosen tips (Spinfit W1), I seldom had to readjust the set in my ears.

Sound​

Without the demo I had of Ragnar, I never would have bought this set based off of the impressions I had read to that point. I’m glad I got that demo or I would have missed out on experiencing an excellent set of IEMs. Make decisions with your own ears is the key takeaway here!

Your experience with Ragnar will come down to whether you enjoy its sometimes intense presentation and synergy with your sources. It has a lot of treble energy which can go from too much with the wrong source to unique with a well-paired one. It pairs well with warm-leaning sources and R2R DACs and clearly less so with sources that would already be considered bright or analytical. When you find the right synergy it can produce stunning results.

Ragnar is also a set that needs some brain burn-in on a day-to-day basis. I couldn’t swap from a set like XE6 to Ragnar as it would just seem bass-light but if I start the day with Ragnar there are no such problems. This isn’t unique to Ragnar. Going from a very coloured set to a very detailed set will always create a moment (or longer) where your brain needs to adjust.

Soundstage, imaging and layering are all exceptional with Ragnar. The IEM is capable of producing a 3D soundstage which stretches far in every direction. Another area Ragnar really shines in is how it can handle complex or busy tracks. It seems like no matter how many instruments or sounds are in a track it can handle it with ease whereas other sets I have compared the same tracks on start to sound congested and lose details.

Detail retrieval and resolution are also at the very highest level with Ragnar. It will make many other sets feel blurred around the edges and what you have been missing before in a track becomes very apparent when you start comparing. The analogy of going from 1080P to 4K is probably fairly apt here. You don’t necessarily look at 1080P videos and think they look bad but when you compare it to a 4K version you can see what was missing and the 1080P versions just doesn’t seem so good any more.

Bass​

It is worth noting that the stock tips that come on Ragnar in the box produce a very poor bass experience for me. I have seen impressions from a few people saying that Ragnar was bass-light after having a demo and I wonder if these tips are the cause of that. These tips also result in your focus being drawn to the treble region due to the lack of balance.

Certainly for me, with the correct tip and seal, I think both bass quality and quantity are very good. The two dynamic drivers are fast and mid-bass is tight with no bleed. There isn’t bass head levels of impact but the quality and texture are on point so it certainly doesn’t feel lacking. There is also decent sub-bass rumble when called for.

Overall, bass keeps in its lane. It is there when called for and then gets out of the way so everything else can shine.

Mids​

Accuracy, details and realism are the words that come to mind first when describing the mid-range of Ragnar. It can’t really be understated what impact having so much detail available has on your listening experience. Stringed instruments sound natural and life like but when you add in the extra details that sense of realism or the sense of being there listening to a performance just goes up a level. It’s addictive and it makes you want to dive into your library to hear how your favourite tracks sound.

Vocals are fairly forward and you feel like you are right next to the artist as they perform. There can be an intensity in female vocals especially as you go up the frequency range but it never becomes too much for me. Both male and female vocals have a very natural tone and likewise benefit from being so detailed, creating a captivating experience when you listen to a track that has been well recorded. While I wouldn’t go as far as to say Ragnar is unforgiving with poor recordings, you certainly won’t be allowing it to shine if your library doesn’t have high enough quality material to support it.

Treble​

Probably the part of the frequency range that causes the most polarizing opinions of Ragnar. While some of that may be down to differences in how people use terms such as “bright”, if you are sensitive in this region then a demo is a must before a purchase.

I would classify Ragnar as being intense in the Treble region. Sets I would classify as “bright” are the ones that generally have spikes that make you wince or make you quickly reach for the volume knob and for me, Ragnar never causes either reaction. Clearly, my library and my hearing have a huge impact on this, as do the source and tips you use, so it’s something you will have to experience for yourself.

The EST implementation here really adds to the sense of air and the vast soundstage. Notes are crisp and detailed but you can also get that type of ethereal and smooth nature to notes when the track requires it. R2R sources have by far produced the best experiences here for me with Ragnar and I’ve enjoyed the intensity it brings rather than finding it to be a negative.

Comparisons​

Unique Melody Mentor​

Listening to “Keith Don’t Go” by Nils Lofgren from the Acoustic Live album

Source: MacBook>Gustard R26>Topping A90D

I really love this album as the guy is a genius with a guitar and it shines on sets like Ragnar and Mentor.

Listening with Ragnar, the thing that stands out first is the level of detail. Everything is pin-point from the vibrations of the strings, his fingers moving along them and the taps on the body of the instrument and the resulting echos. As Nils’ strumming intensifies, Ragnar conveys it brilliantly and effortlessly. It is highly detailed but never analytical. There’s plenty of emotion and it’s songs like this where the intense nature of Ragnar comes into its own adding to the listening experience when needed without becoming too much.

Swapping to Mentor, the guitar has a much warmer tone with each note lingering a little longer than with Ragnar. There’s also a feeling of more vibrations from the strings which I will put down to the BCD. Vocals are smoother and not as crisp as Ragnar but it goes with the overall warmer tone. When the track is at its most intense around 04:45 in, there is noticeably less energy than with Ragnar and some of the higher frequency notes just don’t cut through the air in the same way.

I can thoroughly enjoy the track on both sets. The BCD in Mentor really makes some of the guitar notes vibrate and linger in a unique way. On the whole, it is a smoother listen on Mentor vs the more detailed version and accurate version Ragnar produces. Ragnar makes you sit up and listen and you go on a bit of a journey with the track as it ebbs and flows.



Listening to Warwick Avenue by Duffy

Source: MacBook>Gustard R26>Topping A90D

Listening with Mentor, there’s a noticeable warmth to the instruments with the bass guitar being quite prominent at the start but everything is nicely spread out within the stage created. It’s really easy to isolate any one of the instruments and just appreciate it. Even as the orchestral instruments enter and the track builds, everything remains clear and uncongested. As Duffy’s vocals likewise build, there are some moments where the higher notes have you thinking about reaching for the volume dial to turn it down a touch but I think this is caused by the stock cable, which I am using for this comparison, but is not something I experience when I use other upgrade cables. Overall though, the track sounds great with Mentor.

When I swap to Ragnar, the vocals have your focus. They cut through the music with their clarity. The instruments feel like they are supporting the vocals whereas with Mentor everything is on an equal footing.

There’s a clear difference in warmth between the two sets again and notes feel like they have less impact with Ragnar which leads to the vocals taking centre stage in the presentation. The bass notes that were prominent with Mentor now seem much smoother and laid back with Ragnar. The soundstage, in size and layout, is very similar between the two sets. When I swap back and listen to the track on Mentor I come away thinking about the instruments. Swap back to Ragnar and it's vocals. Both sets draw you in but you end up focusing on different aspects of the track.

Cables​

This section is going to be fairly short as out of all the different cables I have tried with Ragnar, I have found the stock to be the best pairing. Not too often that happens.

During my testing I tried the Kinera Orlog, Plussound Hybrid+/ Silver+/ Copper+, Liquid Links Venom, PWA Deep of Universe, Khanyayo Cardas Clear and a number of cheaper cables I own and while some improved some areas of the sound, they made sacrifices in others which were not worth it to my ears.

Nearly universally across all of the cables, the major things that suffered compared to the stock cable were details. The stock cable really allows Ragnar to present incredible amounts of the tiniest of details and once you hear that, it is hard to sacrifice it even for improvements in other areas.

If I were to pursue an upgrade cable for Ragnar I would look into the 8-wire version of the stock cable that Noble sells via their website.

Conclusion​

I like the sets I own to have something unique about them and Ragnar certainly fits that bill. The sometimes intense signature coupled with absolute top-level detail retrieval creates a listening experience that is never dull.

If you get a chance to demo Ragnar, take some time to try different tips and sources with it. It took a little fine-tuning for me but I’ve found it an incredibly rewarding set to own since and I am glad I took a chance on it.

The Kinera Orlog is Kinera’s first venture into the IEM upgrade cable market and I was lucky enough to receive an early production unit to try out over the last few weeks. Kinera have collaborated with Effect Audio to produce this cable and the end result both looks and sounds superb.

This collaboration also means that the cable comes with EA ConX which allows you to change from 2 Pin to MMCX, and indeed others if you purchase them separately.

The cable I was sent is a 4-wire and retails for $699. There is also a limited edition 8 wire available for $999.

Like always, this is just my opinion of how I hear things with this cable so take from it what you will. I used the cable daily for two weeks before doing any comparisons to allow for any burn-in/ brain burn-in.

Specs:​

• Material：UP-OCC
• Dual Material Hybrid Design
  • Golden Ratio Composite Cable Core：Multi-strand gold plated copper & silver plated copper core mixture
  • Golden Ratio Composite Cable Core：Multi-strand pure copper core mixed with pure sterling silver core
• Braiding：4 core / 8 core three-dimensional braiding
• Cable Diameter：26AWG 4 core / 8 core
• Outer Layer：EA UltraFlexi ultra-soft insulation outer layer
• Interface：EA ConX 0.78 2pin, MMCX
• Plug：EA-P 4.4mm balanced
• Plug Material：Gold plated brass
• Plug Internal Connection：Threaded connection structure
• External Metal Parts：Aluminum alloy
• Cable Length：1.2m

Design​

When I first saw the product shots of the Kinera Orlog I thought it was going to be a quite heavy cable but in hand, it is very light and supple. In use, it is pretty much unnoticeable to wear it as it is that light.

There are lots of small details to the design that really makes the cable stand out for me. The hardware is of excellent quality and weighted appropriately. The addition of the extra gold pieces, while a small detail, makes Orlog stand out and contrasts nicely against the black. The clear insulation on some of the cores adds a little sparkle but overall they’ve managed to keep the aesthetic eye catching yet still subtle.



The cable comes with a nice faux leather case along with the two different ConX connections. The packaging is high quality and there’s even a bit of theatre to it as you slide out the drawer the top of the box folds up effectively turning it into a type of display case. While they are small touches, the quality of the packing is important to most audiophiles and it shows Kinera have put some thought into the experience they are providing for their customers.

Sound​

I will be comparing the Kinera Orlog paired with the Fir Audio XE6, Unique Melody Multiverse Mentor and the 64 Audio Tia Fourte Noir against a number of different cables I have so hopefully you will get a better understanding of how Orlog affects the sound of each set.

While synergy with a particular set will be the most important factor, I have found the Kinera Orlog easy to pair with most sets as it allows the IEM to create a crystal clear and detailed sound with little to no colour added at all.

The Kinera Orlog has many of the characteristics you would associate with a high-quality silver cable but the hybrid mix of core materials means it also has some of the characteristics of copper and GPS cables.

As a result of it adding very little colour, once you pair Orlog with a good source and IEM it will help the positives shine. Through all my testing with this cable it has really brought out the best in all the sets I’ve tried it with and rarely if ever made them worse.

Unique Melody Multiverse Mentor​

Source: MacBook> Gustard R26 R2R DAC> Topping A90D



Test track: Eric Clapton – Old Love (Unplugged)

Kinera Orlog

This combination of source, cable and IEM has produced some beautiful results during my testing and this track from Eric Clapton is stunning with it.

All of the instruments are detailed and life-like and you really get a sense of where everything is positioned on the stage. There is a beautiful note weight to the stringed instruments which you can really feel due to the BCD. The soundstage is quite intimate but every instrument has an exact position in it and as the track gets busier everything is layered excellently and remains crystal clear.

Likewise, with vocals, they are positioned perfectly and everything just comes together to suck you in and get lost in the song.

The naturalness of the R2R DAC and Mentor’s abilities are allowed to shine and this really is as good as I have heard this song from any combination of audio equipment.

Deep of Universe (Stock Mentor Cable)

Swapping cables, the difference in ergonomics is immediately apparent. While the stock cable isn’t heavy by any means, it is a lot thicker and the sheathing material catches in things.

Sound-wise, detail levels are very similar with both cables. There is a greater sense of air with Orlog but the bigger difference listening to the stock cable is that there’s a bit more bite to everything and it’s a more aggressive listen. Orlog is smoother and it’s a more relaxed and enjoyable listen whereas the stock cable keeps me on edge a little with some notes just hitting too hard or a little shrill. The piano notes also don’t sound as natural as with Orlog and they come across as little muffled or dulled in comparison.


Khanyayo Cardas Clear

The Khanyayo cable is noticeably warmer compared to the other two cables. Instruments and vocals are slightly smoother and there is slightly less note weight compared to Orlog. Everything is a little more rounded.

That smoothness does come at the cost of details but it’s a marginal difference. Overall it is a very easy and relaxing listen with the Cardas Clear cable but I feel the song is more life-like with Orlog and the layering is more clearly defined.

While I like elements of both the stock cable and the Khanyayo cable, with Orlog the song was as close to life like as I have heard it and I kept going back to this combination to explore the rest of my library.

Fir Audio XE6​

Source: MacBook> SMSL D400EX DAC> Topping A90D



Test track: Yotto – Let you Go (feat. AunA)

Kinera Orlog

This is a fairly full-on track and you are presented with a wall of sound listening to it on XE6. With an intense track like this, I am mainly checking to see how all the different sounds are handled, if anything becomes overwhelming or lost in the mix.

Orlog pairs excellently here with XE6 as it allows every sound to be pinpoint accurate and exist in its own space. The female vocals are clean and detailed and sound excellent.

The soundstage is huge, as you would expect with XE6, and even though it is intense, it is intense in an exciting way that evokes that sense of being in a club being hit in the chest by a huge sound system. There is a gentle rumble of sub-bass all through the track but the whole bass spectrum is kept balanced and controlled throughout the track. A really nice pairing.

Liquid Links Venom

Vemom has been my go-to choice to date to pair with XE6. I guess the first thing that really needs to be highlighted here is the difference in ergonomics. Both cables use a hybrid mix of materials in their cores but Venom opts for two very heavy cores rather than the four small and light ones that Orlog utilises. I’ve been using Venom for a number of months now and it has softened and become a lot more flexible over time but I know some people will have a problem with its size and stiffness, at least out of the box.

At a very high level, I would say Venom leans warmer than Orlog which leans more towards the sound you would usually associate with good silver cables. When listening to the test track, the initial bass line is warmer and slower with Venom and the vocals and pushed back a little behind the different sounds. With Orlog, the different sounds are in exact positions whereas with Venom they more blend together in a somewhat smoother and more ethereal presentation.

It is two slightly different presentations with both cables with neither being better than the other, just a different flavour, but the one weakness Venom has compared to Orlog is in keeping the bass under control on XE6. When the bass lines get really heavy it is bordering on becoming muddy with Venom whereas with Orlog it is tight and controlled throughout.

Khanyayo Cardas Clear

Technically, the Khanyayo Cardas Clear cable is more similar to Orlog than Venom. Stage dimensions and the sense of space between sounds are very similar. There isn’t a huge difference between the two when it comes to bass quantity or quality but with the Cardas Clear cable, it does hit ever so slightly harder. It really is very fine-tuning to taste here to select which would be “better” when it comes to bass but you would be happy with either.

Again it is splitting hairs when it comes to comparing many other aspects of the sound. Both help XE6 produce a huge stage. There is more of a sense of air with the Khanyayo Cardas Clear cable but with Orlog the treble has more detail and definition to it.

The biggest difference between the two for this track is the vocals. With Orlog they are clear and equally weighted with the rest of the track whereas, with the Cardas Clear cable, vocals are further back in the mix and take much less of a focus compared to the bass and synth sounds which are firmly to the front. Again, it will be personal taste here and both do a great job with the track.

It is hard to pick a clear winner here between all three cables and it really was a case of different cables highlighting different aspects but overall Orlog is the cleaner and more detailed of the three.

64 Audio Tia Fourte Noir​

Source: Shanling H7



Test track: Kerala Dust – Maria

Kinera Orlog

Kerala Dust were the discovery of 2022 for me. I’ve fallen in love with their rhythmic, almost melodic style which sounds particularly good with Noir. You can change Noir massively with different cables and tips so it is always great to experience music you really like in a new way with a different cable.

Listening to Maria, during the intro there is an instant sense of a wide soundstage that wraps around your head. As the vocals come in, they sound detailed but very smooth and easy to listen to. As the bass drum hits around 35 seconds in, it is impactful, fast and controlled but doesn’t overpower the rest of the track. Everything blends together in a balanced manner and it’s easy to just get lost in the track. Balance really is the word that keeps coming to mind as I think about what I am hearing. Throughout the track, everything remains detailed and easy to distinguish and this combination produces a superb listening experience.

Liquid Links Venom

Listening to the track with Venom, the are a few very obvious differences coming straight from listening with Orlog. Firstly, the vocals just aren’t as detailed. They are softer and the positioning changes slightly as the soundstage doesn’t feel like it’s wrapping around your head as much as it does with Orlog so there is more of a left-to-right bias in the stage dimensions.

There are similar levels of impact from the bass but with a longer decay and it isn’t as tight. There is more sub-bass with Venom though.

Overall, it sounds like everything is a little dulled with Venom and the drop-off in details is very apparent. In a direct comparison for this track, Orlog would be the clear winner.

Khanyayo Cardas Clear

Swapping to the Cardas Clear cable, the stage feels a little more intimate during the intro. The copper characteristics come through with the vocals which sound a little warmer than Orlog and as a result sound slightly less detailed.

The different instruments that come and go through the track are positioned well in a 3D space but the biggest difference between the two cables is that the Khanyayo cable is a more intense listen.

Everything hits harder, especially the bass drum which really thumps throughout the song with Noir. It is purely down to a matter of taste between Orlog and the Khanyayo cable. The clean and detailed presentation or Orlog or the more full-on version of the song the Khanyayo cable produces.

Conclusion​

In addition to sound quality and aesthetics, pricing and value for money carry a lot of weight for me. Not only have Kinera delivered a cable that both sounds and looks excellent, but they have also delivered it at a price that is far below comparable sounding cables on the market.

The Kinera Orlog has paired well with all of the IEMs I have tried it with and there have been some exceptional pairings with sets like the UM Multiverse Mentor. It is a light and supple cable that is finished with high-quality hardware and when this is all combined with very reasonable pricing, the Kinera Orlog gets a strong recommendation from me.

I’ve been very impressed with Kinera in all my communications with them so far. They are a growing brand who are eager for feedback from the audiophile community so they can produce products that will be appreciated and I look forward to seeing what comes next from them.

You can find out more about the Kinera Orlog here: https://www.kineraaudio.com/product/kinera-orlog

Intro​

Unique Melody gave me my first introduction to bone conductor drivers in the Mest Mki. It added a little bit of magic to that set and was something I immediately connected with. Since then I have always had at least one set in my collection that has a BCD. While I’ve kept clear of the ultra-expensive models UM has released over the last while, very positive initial impressions from the community were enough to draw me back in and pick up Unique Melody’s latest set from Andrew in MusicTeck.

The Unique Melody Multiverse Mentor, to give it its full name, is a 12 BA & 1 BCD set. There are 4 BA looking after bass, 2 for Mids, 2 for Mid Treble and 2 for Treble along with the piezoelectric “frequency shift” bone conductor driver.

The shells are made from carbon fibre with ceramic frames and a “Banksia Seed” face plate. The IEMs have a recessed 2-pin socket and come with a high-quality cable from PW Audio with a similarly interesting name, “Deep of Universe”.

The shells are a standard hybrid shape and size. I have had no fit issues at all with them. I have been using SpinFit W1 tips with them and once inserted, they stay put and I never need to readjust them.

As you will see from the images I took, there seems to be a range of different face plate colours out there. The unit I have is quite dark compared to the product shots but I have seen others that are somewhere in between.

I’ve been listening to the Multiverse Mentor for the last few weeks and these are my resulting impressions. I am only one voice so please treat these impressions as such and remember that we all hear differently!

What’s in the Box​

The packaging Mentor comes in is good quality and an improvement over my previous experiences with UM. The cardboard is good quality and the tiered box is well put together.



The Dignis vegan leather carry case is presented in a white dust cover which you would usually associate with high-end jewellery or handbags so you get an idea of what UM are aiming for.



The carry case is very soft to touch and feels good in the hand. I am not sure how the softer material would stand up to rough and tumble of commuting in a laptop bag, but it is certainly a nice case to keep the IEMs in on your desk.



UM includes two different types of tips in a number of sizes along with a warranty card and a cable clamp.

Sound​

Mentor has a fairly natural tuning which is very easy to listen to. Bass is elevated and is assisted by the magic the BCD adds.

I often find it hard to describe the effect a bone conductor has on the overall sound of an IEM. Graphs just don’t tell the full story and that is definitely the case here with Mentor. The vibrations from the BCD give a tactile feeling to drum strikes and strings being plucked while the Mids have a body and presence to them that you just don’t find in sets without this type of driver. The combination of details, clarity and that presence that the BCD brings add up to a very interesting listening experience.

That BCD also helps to create a 3D soundstage with excellent imaging, layering and separation. The size of that stage varies with source but the sense of having music coming from all angles or spaces around you is present even with weaker sources. The ability of the set to build a picture in your head of where each instrument is located within the stage is impressive and combined with the level of detail, it adds to that sense of “being there” rather than just listening to a recording. I really feel the BCD has a big impact on the overall listening experience. It takes good tuning and adds an extra level of engagement, and for me, it is why Mentor stands out from many other sets.

Bass​

There is a certain familiarity and nostalgia attached to dynamic drivers. Most of us grew up listening to speakers which had dynamic drivers and when it comes to bass the air movement generated by these types of drivers has a very distinguishable effect. For some, BA drivers will never be able to recreate bass how they want but the introduction of bone conductor drivers I would suggest has changed that reality somewhat. If you can’t get past a set not having a dynamic driver to generate bass frequencies then there is little I am going to write here that will change your mind but I would suggest you open it and explore what sets like Mentor can now offer.

We all have test tracks we like to play to test the different aspects of bass. For me, many of these tracks have drum solos or detailed isolated drum strikes that allow you to follow from initial contact with the drum skin right to the end of the decay. If I play one of these tracks back to back on Mentor and on a dynamic driver set then it’s easy to pick out how the dynamic driver sounds more true to life and how the texture and decay just sounds more familiar.

During all my casual listening with Mentor though, it has been incredibly rare that I have even noticed what type of driver is generating the bass. You don’t notice unless you go looking for specifics that you know the BA drivers can’t produce when compared to a dynamic driver. Sure, you don’t get the same sense of air movement, but you do get impact that isn’t lacking, along with the vibrations the BCD is creating and as an overall package, the bass quality is excellent.

While the BA characteristic of speed is there, the timbre is a hybrid due to the BCD effect and something you have to experience to fully understand. There is a sense of rumble far beyond what I have experienced in any other BA-only set.

The simple fact here is that Mentor creates a better bass experience with the drivers it has than many lesser dynamic driver sets and I think for a lot of people this set will change their preconceptions about BA bass.

Mids​

Note weight, details, and clarity. All stand-out aspects of the mid-range of Mentor. Mids sound beautifully natural and accurate but there is a combination of details and body to them that is unique.

Vocals and stringed instruments are exceptional. There is a fine balance between warmth and detail with neither ever allowing the other to ever take over. Sometimes sets that have so much detail and resolution on offer can lean cold or lack a little emotion but Mentor balances it beautifully. Vocals are life like, crystal clear and importantly for me, connect with you.

There were times during my testing when I came across tracks which I found to be a little too energetic for my tastes in the upper mids but after extensive tip, cable and source rolling that has come down to the stock cable for me, but this, of course, is all down to personal tastes and not an issue with the set itself. With the stock cable there can be a little more bite or crispness in the upper mids compared with other cable combinations, which I will go into further below.

I listen to quite a lot of acoustic music which has just a couple of instruments and a singer and for genres such as this, where the mid-range is so important, Mentor is fantastic. It allows you hear and appreciate every detail but there is more to the overall experience than just hearing details and I think this is where the BCD really elevates things. The sense of feeling it adds along with a soundstage that gives that sense of being at the venue or in the recording studio with the artist, creates a listening experience that is unique.

Treble​

The BA treble of Mentor is clear, detailed and extends well. It is easy to listen to and has never become fatiguing. It doesn’t have the great sense of air or shimmer that piezo or EST drivers can create but it also has non of the problems that often accompany those drivers. The Treble is in line with the overall tuning and is capable of handling pretty much any genre. While there are no party tricks here, having well-tuned treble that can handle various types of music is very welcome and something that many sets just don’t get right. Treble is one of the last things on my priority list when assessing a set but often the first to rule a set out.

This really is BA treble done excellently. There are no spikes or harshness and everything is incredibly detailed and natural.

Comparisons​

The Multiverse Mentor is an expensive set of IEMs. As a result, I have specifically picked tracks and equipment set ups that I know bring the best out of the set I am comparing Mentor against so hopefully people can get a an idea of whether the outlay is worth it for them or not.

Noble Kublai Khan​

Kublai Khan is an impressively technical set for its price and if it clicks with you, it can be a very rewarding set to own. It is definitely not a “one and done” type set though. It has strengths from its driver config that certain types of music really bring out.

Trøllabundin by Eivør

Listening was done with a Hifiman EF400 in Low Gain OS, which suited both sets more than NOS.

I am not sure what genre this track exactly fits into but Kublai Khan is suited to it perfectly. The track is mainly focused on the singer’s vocals, which are captivating, along with a drum beat accompanying her throughout. With the right gear, the track has a sense of grandeur, like you are listening to the singer perform in a huge open space. Bone conductors really help to amplify this and I have often felt this track sounded quite flat when I listened to it on sets without them.

With Kublai Khan, the drum beat in the opening seconds like it is in the room with you but your attention is then quickly drawn to the singer’s voice and rarely leaves it after that. The vocals are smooth and almost have an ethereal feeling to them from the piezo tweeter when the singer hits the higher notes.

As the track opens up, the sound stage becomes huge but your focus remains on the singer’s voice.

Swapping to Mentor, the first thing I looked for was how the opening drum beat compared. For sure, with Mentor there is less intensity to each strike. You lose some of that feeling of each strike that DD texture brings to the table. What you don’t lose though is quality. Everything sounds exactly like it should.

Where the differences in these sets really shows is the body and weight of the vocals. With Mentor, the vocals are more detailed, grander, and carry more weight but yet come across as smoother than with Kublai Khan which when compared back to back with Mentor has some sharp edges.

For this track, the drums definitely go to Kublai Khan but for where it counts in vocals Mentor produces a more enthralling experience.



Stupid Girl by Garbage

This is one of my favourite tracks to listen to with Kublai Khan. It does an excellent job of clearly separating all the different instruments and the vocals so it’s easy to hear them all. Nothing is overpowered and as the track gets busier you don’t feel overwhelmed or like many sounds are blending into one, which happens with many lesser sets. Vocals and instruments are all positioned equally and it is a very enjoyable listen.

Swapping to Mentor, there’s some noticeable differences in dynamic range and note weight. The bass line is more prominent, as are the drum strikes. The different sounds and effects that come into the track are positioned in a more 3D space and their intensity grabs your attention. There’s noticeably more details and clarity in the vocals but at the same volume levels as Kublai Khan, it is a more intense listen.

When I swap back to Kublai Khan again, the difference in details is immediately noticeable but it is a smoother listen so it will be a toss up between which you value more to pick a winner between them on this track. Personally, I would lean towards Kublai Khan.

Interestingly between the two sets, it is not BA vs DD bass that dominates the comparisons. Both do bass very well and are helped out with BCD drivers. In all my listening comparing them, the differences in treble was something I spent a lot more time comparing to decide which I preferred. With all that said though, the superior mid-range and details on offer from Mentor stand out.

Softears Turii Ti​

This was an interesting battle for me. A politely tuned singe dynamic driver versus an all BA set with the big question being what does the BCD in Mentor bring to the table.

Take the Power Back by Rage Against the Machine.

Cayin N8ii Tubes/P+/AB/Low Gain



Like most tracks on this album, Take the Power Back is aggressive and hard-hitting. It’s a busy track and what I am mainly looking out for is how easy it is to clearly hear each instrument, the vocals and if it’s a coherent listen amongst so much intensity.

With Turii Ti, the intro sounds excellent. The drums and bass guitar are accurate and sound great. As the vocals come in they are clear and easy to distinguish. As the electric guitars enters in stereo, it completes a soundstage that wraps in shape from one ear to the other. There is nice positioning and separation but the soundstage isn’t huge and as the track intensifies, that leaves a lot of sound focused in what feels like a small area. Turii Ti handles it well though and once you keep the volume at reasonable levels the whole track is presented well.

Swapping to Mentor, I initially thought the first stand-out difference would be the bass drums strikes in the intro followed by the opening bass guitar line but that wasn’t the case. Turii Ti probably sounds a little more life-like in its reproduction of these two instruments but Mentor has more impact and weight to the notes and you would be forgiven for thinking this was the DD set.

The soundstage stretches slightly further left and right with Mentor but the depth is about the same.

There are two clear differences between Mentor and Turii Ti here though. First is the difference in detail. With Mentor, all of the instruments sound fuller and each note is more detailed and more clearly defined in its space. It leads to a more intense listen but the details are there to support that and even the more delicate cymbal hits in the background are clearly identifiable. The other difference is that vocals are slightly more forward and as there is more detail it makes them easier to hear.

Turii Ti has a slight edge for accuracy which is more evident in the intro when you can just hear the bass drum followed by the bass guitar but as the track gets busier, it is the superior details of Mentor that stand out again.


Seven Nation Army by the White Stripes

Mentor: Cayin N8ii Tubes/P+/AB/Low Gain

Turii Ti: Cayin N8ii SS/P+/AB/Mid Gain

Interestingly for this track, I had to use different settings on the N8ii to achieve a sound from both that I could compare. Maintaining the same settings as the previous track left Turii Ti sounding a little too smooth and rounded for a track that needs a little grit.

So, to a track that probably has one of the most recognisable drum and bass riffs of any song.

Listening first on Mentor, it is clear what effect the BCD is having from the off. The opening bass line has grit and vibration to it. Vibration that you feel in your head and in the seat of your pants. There’s a satisfying thud from the bass drum and the vocals are superb. Detailed, clear and never overpowered by the instruments.

Like with the previous track, the technical aspects are excellent. Everything has its own clearly defined space within the soundstage and everything is detailed and textured.

Swapping to Turii Ti, even with the more aggressive settings on N8ii, the opening bass line is still smoother than Mentor and while there is the sense of feeling the vibrations it is not as intense. Concentrating on the bass drum strikes, Turii Ti is more true to life. There is a realistic texture to the bass drum hits that sound a little 2D in comparison on Mentor but there isn’t as much impact with Turii Ti.

Ultimately it comes down to a choice between the slightly more accurate Turii Ti or the more detailed and more intense presentation of Mentor. I can happily listen to the track on both sets but I would lean towards preferring the track with Mentor as it has a little more bite which suits the track.

Cables​

The cable Mentor comes with reassembles a non-shielded First Times but it feels slightly lighter and I much prefer the hardware. According to the MusicTeck website, the cable has 4 independently insulated cores which are a copper and silver-plated copper mix. Overall I have been quite happy with the cable. It’s detailed and very accurate but as I mentioned above there were a few occasions when I thought there was a little too much upper-mid energy in some tracks. Whether that is an issue for you will be down to your own preferences and no doubt hearing.

Liquid Links Venom​

Listening to Come Together by The Beatles, the differences are minimal between these two cables. There is slightly more air with Venom but with the original cable there are more details.

Bass is slightly more boomy with Venom but the increased sense of air gives notes further to travel so it does sound a little more closed in when you swap back. There’s no clear reason to see Venom as being an upgrade here vs the stock cable.

Khanyayo 4W Cardas Clear Cable​

This was a much harder one to call at first and it took a lot of listening rather than going back and forth between cables to appreciate. One first listen with the Khanyayo my reaction was “wow”. The dimensions of the stage were pushed out and it wrapped further around your head. There is a little more clarity and warmth to the vocals which I really liked but they are also somewhat darker. This is noticeable when swapping back and forth with the stock cable but not something you notice after some brain burn-in.

Bass impact increases, becomes a little slower but it can also be a little loose sometimes. It doesn’t sound as pristine or pinpoint as with the stock cable but the sounds appearing out of a black space in a larger stage grab your attention.

The pros of the cardas clear copper cable are a richer, warmer mid-range, more bass and a bigger BCD effect but this comes at the cost of accuracy and at times looser bass.

I look forward to trying different cables with Mentor as it is the type of set that you should be able to really fine-tune to your exact preferences with a little experimentation.

Conclusion​

It has been a really enjoyable journey with Mentor so far. Getting used to what it can offer, matching it with different sources and cables and importantly finding a new way to enjoy my library has kept me excited and wanting to come back for more. Always a sign of a great set.

Note weight, details, clarity and a BCD that adds to the experience on so many levels combined with an ability to cover just about any genre makes the Unique Melody Multiverse Mentor an easy recommendation for anyone to try. It is excellent technically but also an engaging set that sucks you in and keeps you listening to “just one more track”!

I first encountered the Liquid Links Venom when I owned the Elysian X. Up to that point I knew very little about the company and in fairness until Musicteck started carrying them a couple of months ago I probably wouldn’t have encountered them again. When I had the Liquid Links Vemon with Elysian X, it had Pentecon Ear connections so I was never able to try it with any of my other iems.

The version Musicteck now carries has 2 pin connectors so I was intrigued to try it as it certainly paired well with the Elysian X.

I’ve been using Venom daily for the last 5 weeks with all of my IEMs and I am sharing some of my thoughts from this below. Keep in mind this is how I, as one person, hear it and if you are not a cable believer, there’s nothing I’m going to say below that will convince you.

Packaging​

The packaging Venom comes in is straightforward and of high quality.

Design and Erogenomics​

The cable has a fairly unique design compared to a lot of other cables that are on the market. It has 2 large wires which together are larger than the 4 wires of the Khanyayo Cardas Clear cable but slightly smaller than the looser braid of the 4 wires in First Times, both of which I will be comparing Venom to later. Venom is also heavier than both of those cables.



The cable has a clear outer coating that shows off the beautiful, gold-flaked inner cores. I really like how it looks up close. This was a perfect match for the similarly designed Elysian X but if aesthetic matching is a thing for you, it is also turned out to be a perfect match for the Fir Audio XE6 and Empire Ears Legend Evo as both have black and gold designs. There’s no getting away from the fact that the cable is on the more rigid side due to the materials used and the heavier cores. The cable is more in line with some 8 wires I’ve used in the past so you need to keep this in mind if you are considering it.

Sound​

To test the cable I have been comparing it to a PWAudio First Times and to a Khanyayo Cardas Clear 4 wire using a Fir Audio XE6, Noble Kublai Khan and an Empire Ears Legend Evo. All listening for this review was done using UAPP on a Cayin N8ii connected in line out to an Aroma Audio A100TB. I used a playlist of songs that covers many genres and that I know extremely well.

Kublai Khan​

Listening to Gemma Hayes’ cover of “Wicked Game”, there were my impressions:

Liquid Links Venom - there is a beautiful balance between vocals and the instruments which each taking focus when required. Gemma’s vocals are crystal clear as is each note strummed on the guitar. Overall the signature leans slightly warm and there’s a euphonic vibe to the backing vocals. Imaging and layering are excellent but I would say the soundstage size, while 3D is on the more intimate side. It feels like the artists are right beside you. Balance is the overall word that comes to mind when thinking about this combination. There’s no one part taking your attention and it just allows you to enjoy the track.

Khanyayo Cardas Clear 4W - Swapping to the Cardas Clear cable, the signature is noticeably cooler. Notes don’t linger for as long compared to Venom and the focus has slightly shifted to the vocals. Detail retrieval is very similar as is the soundstage width but it feels like the height has increased with this cable and notes have more space to travel into.

Both cables do an excellent job of presenting the song and it is a matter of choice which you prefer. The more warm leaning version with Venom which also highlights the instruments or the more vocal focussed version that the Cardas Clear cable presents.

PWAudio First Times - With FT, vocals sit slightly back behind the instruments. The note weight of the instruments is heavier and has a longer decay. Vocals are detailed but smoother. There isn’t the sense of space in the soundstage compared to either of the other cables and while it is very refined, it doesn’t have the same engagement factor as with Venom or the Khanyayo cable.

Fir Audio XE6​

Listening to “Tell Me Are We” by Rampa these were my impressions:

Liquid Links Venom - In the opening of the track, the bass drum has a nice impact that can be heard and felt. There is a great sense of left-to-right width. As the vocals come in, they are clear and detailed and their positioning adds to the sense of a huge soundstage. As the track gets more complicated and more sounds are added, all remain clear and easy to identify. The signature is melodic and this combination of IEM and cable makes for a really enjoyable listen. Detailed but musical.

Khanyayo Cardas Clear 4W - With this cable, that opening drum beat has slightly more impact. There is the same sense of width but the vocals feel a step closer and a little more prominent as a result.

Similarly to Kublai Khan, when sounds travel from front to back, it feels like they have a larger space to travel into. As the track builds, the different sounds that are introduced are more impactful. While the track comes across as melodic with Venom, the different sounds grab your attention more with the Cardas Clear cable. Again there are very similar levels of details on offer from both cables.

PWAudio First Times - With First Times the impact from the drum beat in the intro is again more than the Venom and probably in line with the Khanyayo cable. Vocals are clear and detailed but the big difference here vs Venom is that the soundstage feels much narrower and as the track becomes busier this leads to a sense of congestion with too much sound being focused in the centre. Rather than sounds travelling across a large soundstage you have the feeling of them travelling between your ears and it detracts from the enjoyment.

Empire Ears Legend Evo​

Listening to “Brother” by Alice in Chains from their Unplugged album, these were my impressions:

Liquid Links Venom - The thing that stands out straightaway with this combination is the positioning of the instruments. In the opening of the track, there is a guitar positioned to the right of the stage with another guitar coming in later to the left. The contrast in positioning from right to left is striking and really builds a picture of the stage in your head. Vocals are clear and on an equal footing as the instruments. While warm leaning, the instruments sound natural and accurate.

Khanyayo Cardas Clear 4W - The dimensions of the stage don’t spread quite as far to either side and the position of them doesn’t jump out as accurately as with Venom. The tone is slightly cooler and notes don’t linger as long. Vocals are more intense with the instruments taking a slight step back as a result.

PWAudio First Times - The positioning and stage size are very similar to Venom. The instruments all sound great. This is definitely the warmest pairing and there’s more impact from the drum strikes. While positioning and stage dimensions were the star with Venom, your attention is more drawn to the guitars and drums with First Times. Evo probably benefits most from First Times’ attributes of improving bass and lower mids while taking some of the energy out of the upper frequencies.

Conclusion​

One of the things I like most about the Liquid Links Venom is that it has paired well with every set I have tested it with. While I may prefer particular aspects of what other cables can do with my IEMs, I could happily connect any of them to Venom and just enjoy it.

The cable’s ergonomics needs to be taken into consideration but if it works for you, it lays the foundation for your IEMs to perform at their best and in a market of escalating prices, Liquid Links Venom is a comparative bargain.

All of this combined makes it an easy recommendation.

Kublai Khan has been my first experience with a Noble IEM. The hybrid driver configuration, which includes a bone conductor driver, is what drew me in and I am glad I took the chance. In addition to the BCD, there’s a 10mm dynamic driver looking after bass, four Knowles BAs covering the mid-range and a 10mm Piezo super tweeter for the highs. I have been listening to Kublai Khan for the last five weeks and they have several hundred hours of use time at this point. Below are my thoughts and experiences with the set so far. This is how I hear it but remember I am just one voice we all hear differently!

Packaging and Contents​

The overall packing of Kublai Khan is very impressive. The IEMs come in a dust and waterproof Nanuk 903 hard case. Inside the case, the IEMs are presented along with a leather carry case, a cloth pouch and a selection of tips.

The included cable is 8-core copper and one of the nicer-looking stock cables I’ve come across. The hardware is high quality and has a nice weight and finish to it.

Design and Fit​

As Kublai Khan is a hybrid it is on the larger side. They are pretty much the same size as the Aroma Audio Thunder and Empire Ears Legend EVO for comparison. Personally, the longer stems that this hybrid shape has really suits my ear shape and I can get an excellent fit using Spinfit CP145 tips. The set are reasonably light too so once you get a good fit they tend to stay in place with little need for adjustment. If you can get a good fit with other hybrids, you shouldn’t have any issues here but being able to achieve a good fit is obviously very important with a BCD being present. The faceplate of the shells has a high-quality smoke like finish with a gold logo on the right IEM and a gold dragon on the left. It’s a subtle design but looks excellent in the right light.

Sound​

The things that struck me first about Kublai Khan were the level of details and the relatively balanced tonality. With some more use then, the impact the BCD became more apparent, creating a huge, 3D soundstage and adding that sense of “feeling” the music. There really is an interesting mix of drivers here. Even coming from a place of mainly listening to IEMs that use EST for the highs, the Piezo super tweeter presents treble in a new and exciting way to my ears and the fact that Noble have created a coherent set from these different technologies deserves great credit.

Bass​

The combination of dynamic driver and BCD can create huge amounts of quality bass, but only when called for. This is not a bass-heavy set by any means but when the track you are listening to has it, Kublai Khan can both slam and rumble in a way I just don’t think is possible without the inclusion of a BCD to complement the dynamic driver. Bass keeps in its lane and never bleeds or lingers longer than it should. In keeping with the rest of the frequency range, bass is delivered cleanly and accurately.

Mids​

While the BCD and Piezo drivers work their magic at either end, it is their combination with BA drivers that makes the mid-range really stand out for me.

Instruments, especially acoustic, are detailed, true to life and sound great. Both male and female vocals are excellent but the set really excels with female vocals for me. Artists like Agnes Obel, Freya Ridings or the whole “Folkesange” album by Myrkur are simply captivating.

Vocals are positioned right in front of you so it can feel like you are standing right there with the performer. Everything sounds accurate and with the level of details being produced alongside the extension at each end, Kublai Khan creates an engaging listen that keeps you coming back for more.

Treble​

I was very curious to listen to a Piezo driver for the first time and to hear how it gelled with the other drivers. Out of the box, I found the highs to be a little sharp at times but that has really settled with some use.

I’m not sure of the exact frequency range the Piezo driver produces (or if my ears could even hear it!) but it certainly feels like it extends past what I am used to with EST drivers. Notes are fast and detailed and feel like they have endless space to extend into. There’s also more of a sense of body to the notes versus other drivers.

Through all of my testing, the Piezo driver was capable of covering everything I threw at it from heavy metal to EDM which combined with the other drivers makes Kublai Khan a very versatile IEM, capable of covering many different genres.

The Piezo tweeter offers a superb alternative to EST/BA drivers and I hope to see them being used in more sets in the future.

Battle of the Bone Conductors​

Empire Ears Legend Evo​

If you are a fan of bone conductor drivers then Evo and Kublai Khan are actually very complementary sets. They share many of the same characteristics such as a wide open soundstage and the sense of feeling the music but whereas vocals and the mid-range really catch the attention with Kublai Khan, Evo flips the focus to bass. Vocals take several steps back and while still very detailed, they are not on the same level as Kublai Khan which is actually more comparable to Odin on that front. The lack of sparkle and air from the BA treble in Evo also pushes the focus more to its bass which becomes more apparent when you compare it to Kublai Khan.

As both sets present music differently they could both live side by side in a collection with Evo offering a warmer alternative.

Fir Audio XE6​

I think XE6 and Kublai Khan excel in different genres but as with Evo, there are some similarities due to the bone conduction effect. It made for a very interesting listen to compare both sets with the same music.

Both sets have excellent treble extension, air and details but XE6 is clearly tuned warmer with far more bass quantity.

The most interesting music I found to compare the two sets was the “Folkesange” album by Myrkur I mentioned above and the results pretty well sum up the differences between the two sets.

Listening to the album on Kublai Khan your attention is completely drawn to the singer’s voice. Instruments sound accurate and are enjoyable but they play a supporting role to the vocals which are captivating.

Swapping to XE6, the vocals also sound great but they are now part of the overall presentation and not the focus. There’s more sub-bass and vibrations from the instruments which also come across warmer and more musical. Listening on XE6 your attention is instead drawn to the massive soundstage it creates. This album sounds like the score from a Lord of the Rings film and when you listen to it on XE6 you get that sense of scale you get when listening on a movie theatre sound system.

Again, I think Kublai Khan and XE6 are very complementary as you can enjoy the same music in a different way with each set.

Sources​

Kublai Khan responds very well to different cables and scales with better sources. Like most top-of-the-line sets, the better the chain and the better the audio you feed it, the better it sounds. The majority of my listening is done with the Kublai Khan connected to the Cayin N8ii and Aroma Audio A100TB amp.

The N8ii is a great source for Kublai Khan. There’s ample power to drive it properly and plenty of options to adjust the sound on the fly. For busier tracks using “P” instead of “P+” can reduce the intensity, while using the Tubes mode adds smoothness to vocals and rounds some of the edges. Whatever the settings, this is a very refined and detailed pair up and it’s possible to find a combination of settings to suit any track.

Connected to the Aroma Audio A100TB amp, this steps everything up another level for me. It is a less refined pair-up compared to the N8ii so won’t be for everyone. With this pair up, the soundstage pushes out further, bass becomes more thunderous and the clarity and intensity of vocals are increased. For me, this is my preferred setup to enjoy Kublai Khan and it really displays what the IEM is capable of. (If anyone would like info on the effects of various different op amps I tested in the Aroma Amp please PM me)

Cables​

PWAudio First Times​

First Times had the same effect on Kublai Khan as I have experienced with a lot of other sets. The first thing you notice is a reduction in the treble energy and that sense of air. Vocals become smoother and lose a little detail. Bass on the other hand becomes more impactful, a little warmer with slightly more rumble on offer. If you wanted to rein in the treble a little this would be the combination to go for but ultimately for me, it isn’t a pairing I would use.

Khanyayo Cardas Clear​

My favourite pairing by far with Kublai Khan. It takes everything that is good about Kublai Khan and improves it. The soundstage opens up even further, there is a greater sense of air and you can pick up even the smallest details in a track. Vocals take another step forward and with such details on offer this pairing can produce some stunning results.

Conclusion​

I’m very impressed with Kublai Khan overall. The set allows me to enjoy my library in a different way to the other sets I own.

It’s highly detailed and tuned in a way that makes it suitable to cover many genres.

The collection of different drivers work together coherently and the implementation of the BCD adds a little magic to make this one of the stand-out sets I have listened to this year.

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I picked Kublai Khan up from a MusicTeck at a discounted rate in return for completing this review. They had no input into this review and did not see it prior to publishing.

Intro​

I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that the Cayin N8ii was one of the most anticipated product launches of the year. Having owned the N6ii and C9, the opportunity to own a device that combined the best of those two devices into one was too hard to pass over so I picked one up from Musicteck and have been using it as my main source since to see how it performed.

Cayin have gone all-in with the N8ii with the attitude of giving the user all the options they may desire, even if that is at the cost of heat or battery life.

I’m not going to bore you by listing all of the specs, here again, these are just my thoughts on the device after using it for some time. All of the specs and detailed explanations of each main feature are available or are linked to from the first page of the official thread here.

Design​

The industrial design of metal, straight lines and sharp cut edges really appeals to me. The N8ii is a substantial device with around the same footprint as an iPhone 13. At 25mm thick and 442g it is somewhat less pocketable though. The Shanling M9 has a larger footprint but in hand, it feels like there is a lot of empty space inside its body whereas the N8ii feels like it is densely packed.

All of the ports sit at the bottom of the device, which if you are like me and do most of your listening at a desk, is ideal. If you intend to use the N8ii out and about though, the fact that the volume dial and headphone jack are on opposite ends will cause an issue when the device is in your pocket. It is not possible for Cayin to please everyone but for my use case, I prefer the jacks to be on the bottom, so the cables are under no stress.

Along the right side of the device, you have a Micro SD card slot, the player control buttons and the on/off button. The top of the device has the elaborately engraved volume dial and down the left-hand side of course is the sci-fi esque window with the 4 green LEDs of the Korg Tubes looking out at you.

The screen is a 5” OLED with a resolution of 1280 x 720px. Clearly, modern smartphones have a far higher resolution screen but for a device that will most likely live most of its life with its screen off, it is perfectly acceptable. Fewer pixels to be pushed means fewer resources being consumed. However, if you are planning on watching a lot of hi-res videos on your device then this would be something to keep in mind.

Even though it is quite chunky overall, I still find it easy to hold and one-handed use is possible as the weight is balanced across the device, so it never feels like it is going to slip out of your hand.

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Android​

The device ships with Android 9 and is powered by a Snapdragon 660 CPU along with 6GB of RAM. The device is snappy to use with no lags and apps opening quickly. It feels as quick to use as most modern smartphones and you don’t feel like you are taking a step backwards when using it, as can be the case with some DAPs.

The device also ships with the Google Play Store installed so there is no need for third-party app stores or workarounds.

I believe the reason the N8ii doesn’t ship with a more modern version of Android is to do with being able to bypass the limited internal Android audio and have high-res audio available system-wide, no matter what app you are using. While I understand people’s concerns about apps not being updated for older versions of Android, it is rare that you would see support for this recent a version of Android being withdrawn by app makers. Most apps should still be supported long after the N8ii has had its day in the sun, and it is possible Cayin may update to a newer version of Android in the future.

Battery and Charging​

The battery in the N8ii has a capacity of 10,000mAh. It can charge, with a QC3 compatible charger, from 0 to 80% in about 2 hours and to full in around 4. On average I am seeing about 8 hours of use before I need to charge and that is mainly using streaming apps. You should be able to push this further with local files and Wi-Fi turned off.

If you have been paying any type of attention to the N8ii thread you will know that there have been some charging related teething issues.

Like the C9 before it, the N8ii can get quite hot when in use and if you choose to charge it while using it the temperatures can rise to a point where a thermal cut off occurs and charging is stopped as a safety measure. I noticed this happening once in the first couple of days but since then I have either only charged it when not using it or charged on a stand with a built-in fan when I do need to use it at the same time.

With such a big battery, even with quick charging, it takes quite a while longer than what we are used to with smartphones to charge fully. You also need to make sure you are using a quick charge compatible charger which isn’t always easy to identify.

After the first few days of getting used to it, and understanding what it can and can’t do, it hasn’t been an issue for me. The N8ii’s charge time and battery life are in line with other similarly sized DAPs.

Options​

This is really where the N8ii differentiates itself from other DAPs. There are many different ways to adjust the sound that is produced making it much more likely you can find some combination that will work well with your IEMs. Unlike with the N6ii for example, where hardware had to be swapped in and out to change the sound, everything is available from the pull-down menu in Android so you can almost instantly compare the different options.

A brief overview of the options available:

• H/M/L Gain
• P & P+ modes
• Tube or Solid-State Timbre
• Class A or Class AB amplification

The majority of these options can be selected together but there are some exclusions due to heat or power drain such as P+ mode will only work with Class AB amplification.

The effect each of these options has on the sound has increased with burn-in of the device but it is also dependent on the gear you are using and what you find is that it can be more pronounced or more subtle accordingly.

The Gain settings perform as you would expect and for all IEMs I have tested there has been ample power available to drive them all with quite a bit of headroom available on top for even the most demanding.

Switching between P and P+ modes probably has the most impact on sound out of all of the options. It will really come down to personal taste and what music you are listening to for which you prefer but for the most part, bar with a few high energy tracks, I used P+ nearly all the time.

“P+” adds a sense of energy to whatever you are listening to. The soundstage widens and music fills it. Notes become more impactful, and everything feels more alive. Conversely, in “P” mode, everything is more relaxed, more reference sounding and suited to genres where you want to appreciate finer details.

Tubes and Solid-State are another one that comes down to taste and genre. When I had the Cayin C9 I used to pretty much default to SS and Class AB for synthesised music and Tubes with Class A for real instrument music, with a few exceptions for fine-tuning a specific IEM. The effect that the Tubes option on N8ii has on music is somewhat different so it hasn’t been such a linear choice compared to the C9.

On N8ii selecting Solid State produces a cleaner, more digital sound with shorter note decay. There is no colour added. As a result, imaging and layering are often improved and everything can sound more exact. Depending on the IEM this can work well with certain genres but as I mentioned above, it is not as clear cut as with the C9 and it’s a case of needing to experiment on the N8ii to find what works best. That often means changing settings between genres with the same IEM and indeed using a completely different selection of options when you listen to the same music with a different IEM.

The debate over what exactly a “Tube” sound is or is not, is not something I am going to get into here. I had very realistic expectations of what impact the Korg Tubes would have coming from a place of owning the C9 previously. I would describe it as having another tuning flavour available to you, that in no way will make the impact of a desktop tube set-up, but which will with the right IEM pairing produce excellent results.

As with most of the options, I can easily see how someone who just had just a brief listen or demo in a shop may dismiss the impact any of these have but with a little bit more time to find combinations that really click, you begin to really see the value of having those tubes and it is something I instantly miss when swapping to other DAPs now.

When you select the Tubes mode, it takes a few seconds for them to heat up before switching over to them. At a basic level, this mode rounds some of the edges and adds a touch of warmth (or at least it comes off that way) but with the right IEM pairing, it produces a more analogue, more tactile and often euphonic sound which just drags you into music and engages in a way that Solid State just can’t. I will go more into this when discussing IEM pairings below.

The differences between Class A and Class AB to my ears have been minimal. I found the difference to be more noticeable with C9. Maybe with different gear, it is more noticeable but so far, I have mainly used Class AB due to the ability to use P+ mode.

Not everyone will want or utilise so much choice so it’s important to keep this in mind. There were times, such as when demoing a lot of IEMs in one session, where so many options meant that for each new IEM I tried, I would have to cycle through all of the options to find which I liked. The benefit here is of course that you do have those options available to you to fine-tune your experience, but I can see how some will prefer to just plug in their IEMs and hit play without worrying about which setting may be best suited.

Sound​

On to the important part. How does N8ii make your gear sound? In my time with N8ii if I was to distil things down to one line, I would say it makes great IEMs sound better. While the differences between it and other sources I have tried are often smaller than you would think, it is capable of moments of magic where you find a track and combination of settings that just clicks and the results are fantastic.

While there was a lot of anticipation to find out how the new ROHM chips would affect the sound, to my ears it is a continuation of what many will have been used to with the higher end AKM DACs. This isn’t a completely new sound or direction, it feels quite familiar.

The N8ii produces a powerful, detailed sound with an incredibly black background. I haven’t got any overly sensitive IEMs on hand to try but all the ones I have connected have been silent with no hiss detected.

My listening thoughts on a selection of tracks are below and are focussed on the IEMs I felt people would be most interested in. All listening was done using Tidal via UAPP and with the highest quality version of the track available.

Traillii (Stock Cable)​

Take On Me (MTV Unplugged) - a-ha [Gain: M/ P+/ SS/ AB Vol 33]

I often use this track to test IEMs as it is odd in the fact that I first heard this track when I saw the video for it and as it’s a live recording the video shows you the dimensions of the room and where the performers were positioned.

As a result, it provides a very good reference to judge how accurately the stage and positioning are being recreated.

With the settings above it feels like I have a front-row seat with the performers positioned the same as in reality. Switching to the Tube mode improves the vocals and they become more lifelike, but they also take a step forward and feel a little on top of you.

“P+” mode keeps the intensity of the notes enough so that they are not lost behind the vocals. Piano keystrokes are clearly defined as is the sound of the guitar strings being manipulated. Swapping to “P” mode, the recording sounds flat and distant.

In My Heart – Moby [Gain: M/ P+/ Tube/ AB Vol 35]

There’s a lot going on in this track to balance and it’s a good example of the different listening experiences that can be provided by the N8ii.

The vocals, drums and piano that the track starts with are all very detailed with P+ mode on. It feels like you could nearly reach out and touch them with the sense of realism that is created. As the more orchestral sounding music enters at around 0:51, in Tube mode the sound feels encompassing. It’s melodic and you get a sense of feeling through perceived vibrations. Switching to Solid State produces a very clear version of the track but it loses the engagement and tactility the Tube mode adds.

Come Together (2019 Mix) - The Beatles [Gain: M/ P+/ Tube/ AB Vol 36]

This track is enjoyable with many combinations of settings, but I have listed my favourite above. In P and Solid State, the sound is clear and accurate, but the music feels like it is being played a few rows ahead of where you are. Switching to P+ and Tubes, the drums, guitar, bass and vocals each have a defined place in a 3D space around you. Notes linger longer and there is an almost grittiness to the electric guitar effect.

For me, the best parts of the instruments and vocals are amplified with the Tubes enabled and it just makes you want to keep listening. It gets much closer to feeling like you are listening to a live performance rather than a reproduction.

XE6 (Khanyayo Cardas Clear cable)​

Don’t You Worry Child – Swedish House Mafia (Gain: M/ P+/ Tube/ AB Vol 30)

This track shows off what XE6 is capable of when paired with N8ii. The whole presentation is huge and intense. This track is equally enjoyable using Tubes or Solid State, it will just come down to personal taste. Solid State adds some air and pushes the stage even wider while the Tube mode creates a more enveloping and euphonic tone.

When the track drops at 1:07, the intensity increases but each individual element remains clearly defined and easy to listen to.

Titanium – David Guetta (Gain: M/ P+/ Tube/ AB Vol 29)

With some sources, the higher intensity parts of this track have you reaching for the volume dial to turn it down, so I include it here to highlight how well N8ii handles busy tracks.

With the Tubes turned on, the opening of the track is vivid and the vocals intimate. As the track builds the vocals move back to be in line with the rest of the mix. The transitions from quieter to louder parts of the tracks are smooth and it never becomes too much or jarring.

Solid State adds a little edge to things. The drums hit a little harder, vocals are a little cooler but there is more sparkle. Subtle changes no doubt, but nice to have the option.

Harvester of Sorrow – Metallica (Gain: M/ P+/ Tube/ AB Vol 30)

A completely different direction to that last two tracks but Harvester of Sorrow just brings the best out of XE6 and the Tubes in N8ii. The electric guitars have an analogue tone and note weight that you can feel through the kinetic driver of the XE6.

Vocals are warmer and closer than with Solid State and you get the sense of being in the recording studio with them from the combination of the more realistic tone of the instruments and tactility the kinetic driver adds.

These combinations and experiences really stand out. It adds something extra to the experience and it is what makes you come back to listen to more.

Elysian X (Liquid Links Venom cable)​

Blinding Lights (Joris Voorn Remix) – Alex Kennon, Joris Voorn (Gain: H/ P+/ Tube/ AB Vol 41)

This track was equally as good on XE6 with N8ii, but the mid-bass can be a touch too much.

With the Elysian X, selecting Tubes provides a great balance between intensity and control. Bass hits hard enough but is never too much.

The track is melodic, and you feel closely immersed in the music. Switching to Solid State, there is much more of a thud from the mid-bass and the stage is pushed further left and right. There are also more details but the track loses a little magic that the Tubes bring.

We Come 1 – Faithless (Gain: H/ P+/ SS/ AB Vol 39)

As the track has vocals, I’d usually lean towards using Tubes but with the Elysian X, Solid State and P+ really bring out the best in it. With Solid State, the vocals are less warm, but they are clearer and fit better with the whole track. Solid State adds some air but overall, it makes the small details in the track much easier to pick out. No one part of the track overpowers the other, but everything has a great impact when needed.

One of the standout things with N8ii is how it allows the higher tier IEMs to create a detailed soundstage around you and even when tracks become more intense, the individual parts are not lost and remain easily identifiable, even as tracks crescendo.

Keep Control – Sono (Gain: H/ P+/ Tube/ AB Vol 41)

The track opens with a lot of sounds and effects which have the feeling of coming at you from all angles. You also get a great sense of these sounds travelling through space and echoing.

I prefer Tubes here as the constant hum in the background is more intense and vocals move closer. Tubes also brings out a little more sub-bass with some of the effects and it makes for a more engaging listen.

The common theme throughout most of my listening is that Tubes adds a more analogue and tactile nature to the sound that often makes it more engaging to listen to. It also adds a sense of realism to the music which is more relatable to live music than digital recordings.

vs Shanling M9​

As I own both DAPs it has been interesting to read the opinions of people on both devices. A common theme has been that M9 adds bass impact and warmth while N8ii is detailed and uncoloured. For me, at least in some settings combinations, they are more similar than different.

In use the M9 is a larger device to hold, it has a larger, higher-resolution screen and feels lighter in the hand. Both devices are fast to use, have a similar UI and similar battery life.

The main differentiator with the N8ii is the scope to change the sound via the different options available.

To compare the two devices, I used an Oriolus Audio Selector which is a handy device that allows you to feed up to three sources into one set of IEMs and then switch between them instantly via button selectors. Once you volume match each source you can then get an instant comparison between the two devices and it takes your memory out of the equation which I find is usually pretty unreliable.

With the M9 in headphone mode and the N8ii in P+/ SS/ AB, the sound is about as close to identical as my ears can pick out. With many tracks, there is no way I could pick out which was which in a blind test.

When tube mode is selected on the N8ii there is a clearer difference between the two with the M9 sounding airier and slightly more detailed while the N8ii has more bass impact and a heavier note weight.

There isn’t a gulf between these devices. Sound quality is on par with the real differences coming by way of the choices available to adjust the sound to your taste on the N8ii.

Line Out​

The N8ii offers a true line out function which is selectable from the pull-down menu. In the audio settings, you can also select L/M/H gain settings for the output.

I often read a lot of talk about whether high-end DAPs such as the N8ii really “need” to be connected to an external amp. First and foremost, for me, I prefer when DAPs include this as it gives you the option to connect to a more expensive home or desktop system, but it also gives you some more options for fine-tuning the sound or your experience with an IEM.

To test out the line out, I have been using the recently arrived Aroma A100TB amp and power supply. This combination has produced some really interesting results with some of my IEMs and this is where the value in the line out function lies for me. Do any of the IEMs “need” an external amp to sound good with N8ii? No, absolutely not, they sound great paired with N8ii on its own but the ability to add an amp into the chain has given me more options which are in addition to the ones already available on N8ii.

It can be a rabbit hole that some may not want to go down, but for me to have the options to further expand the capabilities of the N8ii is a welcome addition and it adds to my enjoyment being able to explore that further.

The line out from N8ii is clean and powerful with the low gain setting being more than enough for even the more power-hungry IEMs I have. Paired with the Aroma amp the sound is crystal clear with a silent background.

The one downside of the line out is that the Tubes option is not available. I believe this is down to some hardware restrictions.

Conclusion​

The Cayin N8ii is a tour de force of options in a portable package. It’s capable of producing a detailed and powerful sound with a silent background and some stunning results.

Cayin have done about as good as you can to provide the number of features, they have while balancing heat, power consumption and still managing to ship a reasonably small device.

Its Solid State performance is as good as any DAP I have tried to date and the Tubes option gives you another flavour of tuning from the same device. If you can appreciate and make use of everything that the N8ii can offer, then it is well worth checking out.