Reviews by seamon
Empire Ears Odin Review
Bass
The Odin has good bass impact. The speed of the bass is average. The texture is great and so is the sub-bass with good extension. Except for the speed, the bass is superb. That’s all that needs to be said. It is honestly very good.
Midrange
Midrange is pretty clean with an extremely neutral tone. There is a very slight nasally quality to the midrange. I want to emphasize that the Odin is not a nasal sounding IEM but the midrange has that very slight nasal tone to it which is literally the only fault I could find. Also, it effects mostly male vocals and some guitar tracks.
Treble
The Treble is fast with good weight. Not super smooth and effortless but not too forward either. It’s very detailed. It’s a good neutral treble.
Technicalities
The Odin images very well. The best imaging I have heard in an IEM still goes to the Empire Ears Zeus which has legendary imaging in my opinion but this is within the same realm, just not as good as the best. The tone is neutral to slightly warm. The soundstage is average to big and is 3D. I want to emphasize again that the Odin is very detailed. I could hear every vocal cue and every bit of spatial information in the track is clearly audible. The separation and layering is very good.
Conclusion
The Odin is almost perfection. It is the IEM that most closely resembles Studio Monitors. This IEM can be used for studio monitoring purposes which one can’t say for most other IEMs in the market.
szore
Any additional thoughts about the bass? Layering, rumble, slam, musical? detail?
Preface
From what I have heard, there have been many silent revisions of the Fir M5 and I don't know what revision I heard. This is probably the reason for vastly varying reviews of this IEM. I can only comment on the revision I heard.
Bass
Let's start with the bass. In my opinion, this is the best part of this IEM. The bass has good impact and texture. The sub-bass is thunderous. The bass is really enjoyable. It helps that the IEM as a whole is tilted to the warmer side of things. The bass is what the M5 is truly about. Good thing that I enjoyed the bass because it goes downhill from there.
Midrange
The mids are in a word not resolving. There is weird haze over the midrange that makes the details not clear. The midrange is neutral with them being neither too forward nor too laid back but the haze is there which just ruins the whole experience. The midrange I would say is passable.
Treble
The Treble is the worst offender on the M5. It is trash. The Treble sounds restrained as it something is holding it back. It’s pretty slow and hefty. It just doesn’t sound effortless as good Treble is supposed to sound. This is I believe my first encounter with IEM EST driver treble and I absolutely abhor it.
Technicalities
Fir M5 has an average sized 3D soundstage, nothing to complain about but nothing special. The imaging is also good, it’s not pin point accurate but good enough. It also lacks some transparency and resolution especially for its price range.
Comparisons
Fir M4 – Now, this is what a good IEM should sound like. Fir M5 is dead neutral. It’s neither warm nor cold. The FR balance on Fir M4 is absolutely perfect. The bass is not as good as Fir M5. It’s fine with good texture but lacks the thunderous bass on the M5. The midrange is much more resolving than the Fir M5 and sounds great imo. Not the best midrange I have heard in an IEM but it’s pretty good. The treble sounds like good BA treble which is great, much much better than the M5. The treble is fast and has good weight. It is also pretty extended. The soundstage is a tad smaller and separation also takes a hit. That said, Fir M4 is a more coherent and complete IEM than the Fir M5.
Campfire Audio Solaris – Solaris is much warmer than both the M5 and M4. It has the most detailed vocals. You can really hear every little detail in these. The DD bass has good texture and tactility but lacks some impact. Fir M5 has better bass overall. The treble is fast and weighty, again good BA treble and much better than the M5. The soundstage is super wide and the imaging, layering and separation is superb. Solaris probably has the best technicalities among the 3 IEMs.
Conclusion
Fir M5 has been an underwhelming experience. It’s fine if it were priced at $1000 but at its current price, it’s a hard no for me. I don’t mind paying for good sound but this is not it. Again, I can’t comment on any other revisions of the M5, this is strictly for the unit I heard.
Equipment used to test:
From what I have heard, there have been many silent revisions of the Fir M5 and I don't know what revision I heard. This is probably the reason for vastly varying reviews of this IEM. I can only comment on the revision I heard.
Bass
Let's start with the bass. In my opinion, this is the best part of this IEM. The bass has good impact and texture. The sub-bass is thunderous. The bass is really enjoyable. It helps that the IEM as a whole is tilted to the warmer side of things. The bass is what the M5 is truly about. Good thing that I enjoyed the bass because it goes downhill from there.
Midrange
The mids are in a word not resolving. There is weird haze over the midrange that makes the details not clear. The midrange is neutral with them being neither too forward nor too laid back but the haze is there which just ruins the whole experience. The midrange I would say is passable.
Treble
The Treble is the worst offender on the M5. It is trash. The Treble sounds restrained as it something is holding it back. It’s pretty slow and hefty. It just doesn’t sound effortless as good Treble is supposed to sound. This is I believe my first encounter with IEM EST driver treble and I absolutely abhor it.
Technicalities
Fir M5 has an average sized 3D soundstage, nothing to complain about but nothing special. The imaging is also good, it’s not pin point accurate but good enough. It also lacks some transparency and resolution especially for its price range.
Comparisons
Fir M4 – Now, this is what a good IEM should sound like. Fir M5 is dead neutral. It’s neither warm nor cold. The FR balance on Fir M4 is absolutely perfect. The bass is not as good as Fir M5. It’s fine with good texture but lacks the thunderous bass on the M5. The midrange is much more resolving than the Fir M5 and sounds great imo. Not the best midrange I have heard in an IEM but it’s pretty good. The treble sounds like good BA treble which is great, much much better than the M5. The treble is fast and has good weight. It is also pretty extended. The soundstage is a tad smaller and separation also takes a hit. That said, Fir M4 is a more coherent and complete IEM than the Fir M5.
Campfire Audio Solaris – Solaris is much warmer than both the M5 and M4. It has the most detailed vocals. You can really hear every little detail in these. The DD bass has good texture and tactility but lacks some impact. Fir M5 has better bass overall. The treble is fast and weighty, again good BA treble and much better than the M5. The soundstage is super wide and the imaging, layering and separation is superb. Solaris probably has the best technicalities among the 3 IEMs.
Conclusion
Fir M5 has been an underwhelming experience. It’s fine if it were priced at $1000 but at its current price, it’s a hard no for me. I don’t mind paying for good sound but this is not it. Again, I can’t comment on any other revisions of the M5, this is strictly for the unit I heard.
Equipment used to test:
- RME ADI-2 FS DAC
- Oriolus Stack (BD20, BA300s mkii, BA20)
Introduction
Viento-Reference is the flagship IEM of Hidition. This utilizes 4 full range BA drivers per ear with Bass and mid-range switches. This review was done with both switches ‘on’ as I feel that’s the definitive way to listen to the Viento.
The review score guide
I will score CIEMs on a scale of 5.
· 1 point for Technicalities (Imaging and separation).
· 1 point for Bass.
· 1 point for Midrange.
· 1 point for Treble.
· 1 point for Soundstage and Air.
· I will also deduct up to 1 point for sibilance.
Do note that the score grading will be done extremely harshly and getting a full point in any criteria would be almost impossible no matter how good the IEM is. This grading system is relative to all the other TOTL IEMs out there. For a reference in any category,
· 0.0 – 0.1 = Bad
· 0.1 – 0.3 = Average
· 0.3 – 0.5 = Good
· 0.5 – 0.7 = Superb
· 0.7 – 0.9 = Amazing
· 0.9 – 1.0 = Best in Class; No other IEM in the world does this better.
If an IEM manages to score even a 3/5 then it can be considered a TOTL piece. A 4.5 essentially means the perfect IEM. The score is also subject to tiny changes over time as I try to perfect this grading system.
Also, the score at the top does not reflect this score but how the IEM performs with respect to every other IEM in the world. Pretty much all IEMs that I review will be TOTL pieces so that score will most likely be a 5.
I am more of a music lover than a true Audiophile. I prefer musicality but I will try to make my review as objective as possible.
Source
Ibasso DX200
Sound Impressions
Technicalities (Imaging, Separation)
Viento is a reference IEM. Naturally, technicalities are done extremely well on the Viento. It’s not not even funny how technical the Viento can get. Notes are exactly at the right spot, Imaging is excellent, while I have heard better (Zeus *ahem*), this is as good as it gets in the mortal realm. The star of the show is the cleanliness of the stage and the separation. These 2 are insane on the Viento. The stage is spotless clean and every note has its own spot and space. The notes never collide and you can distinctly make out every note separately no matter how crowded the song gets.
Score – 0.9/1
Bass
I think bass will be the most polarizing part of the Viento sound signature. No one can doubt that the bass is incredibly detailed. The texture is simply legendary. The texture is solid, rough, agile and of very high definition. Viento slams hard. Mid-bass impact is superb and moreover it’s pin precise. It strikes exactly where it needs to strike and it strikes hard. This is typical BA bass performance. It’s extremely agile and fast. Then comes the Achille’s heel of the Viento sound signature. Viento lacks bass quantity. It’s my second time making this statement in this review – it’s not even funny how lacking Viento bass quantity is. Even with the bass switch on, it just lacks bass. Bass just lies there in the background. You know it’s there but the bass will never showcase itself, it’ll never say “Look at me”. It just lies there like an introvert sitting lonely and quietly in the dark.
Score – 0.65/1
Midrange
Midrange is again very good on the Viento. It lies on the Musical side. It is positioned exactly at the right spot, not too intimate and not too laid back. Male vocals sound very good and natural. Female Vocals are sweet and musical but border on the verge of being harsh. They do sound harsh sometimes. Midrange is also very engaging.
Score – 0.85/1
Treble
Viento without a doubt has a very clear and transparent Treble. However, the quantity is just too much. Quantity is the polar opposite of Viento bass quantity. Moreover, the Treble is not entirely smooth, there are some peaks which make the Treble fatiguing and harsh after some time. The harshness starts at the upper mids and continue onto the Treble. Being very sensitive to Treble, I can’t handle the Viento for more than 15 minutes.
Score – 0.8/1
Soundstage + Air
Viento has a very well-defined soundstage with almost equal width and depth to it. Soundstage is not the greatest attribute of the Viento. While, it’s small, it’s nothing special. This is normal run of the mill soundstage. People coming from IEMs with bigger soundstages like A12, Andromeda, Zeus will find the Viento a little lacking but it’s not too bad.
What the Viento does well however is the cleanliness of the stage. I mentioned this before but I feel compelled to mention it again. Viento stage is extremely clean which is just splendid.
Viento is pretty darn airy. This might be one of the more airier IEMs I have heard. However, the average soundstage holds back the airiness. If Viento had a larger soundstage coupled with its airiness, the result would have been phenomenal.
Score – 0.7/1
Sibilance
Viento is very sibilant. Viento has a bad habit of emphasizing sibilance if the recording has some. If the recording has even the tiniest bit of sibilance, Viento will drag it forward, beat it up and present an extremely ugly form of it in front of the listener.
Score – -0.7/-1
Comparisons
64 Audio A12 ADEL – A12 has a moderately larger soundstage. Technicalities, Viento just destroys the A12. Viento resolves much more, images better and in separation, there’s just no competition here. Bass performance is a tie imo, A12 goes deeper and has almost triple or quadruple the Viento quantity. Viento slams harder in the mid-bass and has better definition and texture. Midrange is again a tie in my opinion. A12 with its slightly laid-back midrange envelops you in its warmth and the sweet vocals make you forget everything else. Viento keeps it real. Vocals are still sweet and musical but it never envelops you in its sound. A12 is dreamy while Viento is down to earth. Treble, Viento takes the cake. Even though it’s harsh, the definition of Viento Treble is insane. A12 has a very bad Treble response in my opinion.
Campfire Audio Andromeda – Andromeda has a moderately larger soundstage than Viento. Viento is a moderately better than Andromeda in terms of technicalities. The difference in technicalities is much less than A12 vs Viento. Andromeda is midway in-between A12 and Viento in terms of bass performance. Viento has better definition, texture and slam than Andromeda. Andromeda has double the Viento bass quantity. Andromeda has the worst mids among the three in my opinion, they are on the verge of being dry. Viento mids are much sweeter and musical. Andromeda Treble is smooth and not as fatiguing as Viento but Viento Treble has much better definition.
Note: The only cable I had with the Andromeda was a Gold/Silver alloy which according to the owner makes the Andromeda bass and mids thicker.
Conclusion
Listening to the Viento has been absolutely a pleasure for the brief period I had it. This is what a true reference IEM should be in my opinion - excellent technicalities and yet keeps it musical. Viento offers technicalities that can only be rivalled by the likes of Zeus. Overall, the IEM scored 3.2/5 which I would consider to be a very good score.
The Nobleman Viento stays classy. He doesn’t like to dwell too much on the low end but is all about that high life. The secret to his success is organization and he manages to keep every aspect of his life separate.
Credits
I would like to express my thanks to
@Barra – For organizing the Hidition tour because of which I was able to hear this masterpiece.
Viento-Reference is the flagship IEM of Hidition. This utilizes 4 full range BA drivers per ear with Bass and mid-range switches. This review was done with both switches ‘on’ as I feel that’s the definitive way to listen to the Viento.
The review score guide
I will score CIEMs on a scale of 5.
· 1 point for Technicalities (Imaging and separation).
· 1 point for Bass.
· 1 point for Midrange.
· 1 point for Treble.
· 1 point for Soundstage and Air.
· I will also deduct up to 1 point for sibilance.
Do note that the score grading will be done extremely harshly and getting a full point in any criteria would be almost impossible no matter how good the IEM is. This grading system is relative to all the other TOTL IEMs out there. For a reference in any category,
· 0.0 – 0.1 = Bad
· 0.1 – 0.3 = Average
· 0.3 – 0.5 = Good
· 0.5 – 0.7 = Superb
· 0.7 – 0.9 = Amazing
· 0.9 – 1.0 = Best in Class; No other IEM in the world does this better.
If an IEM manages to score even a 3/5 then it can be considered a TOTL piece. A 4.5 essentially means the perfect IEM. The score is also subject to tiny changes over time as I try to perfect this grading system.
Also, the score at the top does not reflect this score but how the IEM performs with respect to every other IEM in the world. Pretty much all IEMs that I review will be TOTL pieces so that score will most likely be a 5.
I am more of a music lover than a true Audiophile. I prefer musicality but I will try to make my review as objective as possible.
Source
Ibasso DX200
Sound Impressions
Technicalities (Imaging, Separation)
Viento is a reference IEM. Naturally, technicalities are done extremely well on the Viento. It’s not not even funny how technical the Viento can get. Notes are exactly at the right spot, Imaging is excellent, while I have heard better (Zeus *ahem*), this is as good as it gets in the mortal realm. The star of the show is the cleanliness of the stage and the separation. These 2 are insane on the Viento. The stage is spotless clean and every note has its own spot and space. The notes never collide and you can distinctly make out every note separately no matter how crowded the song gets.
Score – 0.9/1
Bass
I think bass will be the most polarizing part of the Viento sound signature. No one can doubt that the bass is incredibly detailed. The texture is simply legendary. The texture is solid, rough, agile and of very high definition. Viento slams hard. Mid-bass impact is superb and moreover it’s pin precise. It strikes exactly where it needs to strike and it strikes hard. This is typical BA bass performance. It’s extremely agile and fast. Then comes the Achille’s heel of the Viento sound signature. Viento lacks bass quantity. It’s my second time making this statement in this review – it’s not even funny how lacking Viento bass quantity is. Even with the bass switch on, it just lacks bass. Bass just lies there in the background. You know it’s there but the bass will never showcase itself, it’ll never say “Look at me”. It just lies there like an introvert sitting lonely and quietly in the dark.
Score – 0.65/1
Midrange
Midrange is again very good on the Viento. It lies on the Musical side. It is positioned exactly at the right spot, not too intimate and not too laid back. Male vocals sound very good and natural. Female Vocals are sweet and musical but border on the verge of being harsh. They do sound harsh sometimes. Midrange is also very engaging.
Score – 0.85/1
Treble
Viento without a doubt has a very clear and transparent Treble. However, the quantity is just too much. Quantity is the polar opposite of Viento bass quantity. Moreover, the Treble is not entirely smooth, there are some peaks which make the Treble fatiguing and harsh after some time. The harshness starts at the upper mids and continue onto the Treble. Being very sensitive to Treble, I can’t handle the Viento for more than 15 minutes.
Score – 0.8/1
Soundstage + Air
Viento has a very well-defined soundstage with almost equal width and depth to it. Soundstage is not the greatest attribute of the Viento. While, it’s small, it’s nothing special. This is normal run of the mill soundstage. People coming from IEMs with bigger soundstages like A12, Andromeda, Zeus will find the Viento a little lacking but it’s not too bad.
What the Viento does well however is the cleanliness of the stage. I mentioned this before but I feel compelled to mention it again. Viento stage is extremely clean which is just splendid.
Viento is pretty darn airy. This might be one of the more airier IEMs I have heard. However, the average soundstage holds back the airiness. If Viento had a larger soundstage coupled with its airiness, the result would have been phenomenal.
Score – 0.7/1
Sibilance
Viento is very sibilant. Viento has a bad habit of emphasizing sibilance if the recording has some. If the recording has even the tiniest bit of sibilance, Viento will drag it forward, beat it up and present an extremely ugly form of it in front of the listener.
Score – -0.7/-1
Comparisons
64 Audio A12 ADEL – A12 has a moderately larger soundstage. Technicalities, Viento just destroys the A12. Viento resolves much more, images better and in separation, there’s just no competition here. Bass performance is a tie imo, A12 goes deeper and has almost triple or quadruple the Viento quantity. Viento slams harder in the mid-bass and has better definition and texture. Midrange is again a tie in my opinion. A12 with its slightly laid-back midrange envelops you in its warmth and the sweet vocals make you forget everything else. Viento keeps it real. Vocals are still sweet and musical but it never envelops you in its sound. A12 is dreamy while Viento is down to earth. Treble, Viento takes the cake. Even though it’s harsh, the definition of Viento Treble is insane. A12 has a very bad Treble response in my opinion.
Campfire Audio Andromeda – Andromeda has a moderately larger soundstage than Viento. Viento is a moderately better than Andromeda in terms of technicalities. The difference in technicalities is much less than A12 vs Viento. Andromeda is midway in-between A12 and Viento in terms of bass performance. Viento has better definition, texture and slam than Andromeda. Andromeda has double the Viento bass quantity. Andromeda has the worst mids among the three in my opinion, they are on the verge of being dry. Viento mids are much sweeter and musical. Andromeda Treble is smooth and not as fatiguing as Viento but Viento Treble has much better definition.
Note: The only cable I had with the Andromeda was a Gold/Silver alloy which according to the owner makes the Andromeda bass and mids thicker.
Conclusion
Listening to the Viento has been absolutely a pleasure for the brief period I had it. This is what a true reference IEM should be in my opinion - excellent technicalities and yet keeps it musical. Viento offers technicalities that can only be rivalled by the likes of Zeus. Overall, the IEM scored 3.2/5 which I would consider to be a very good score.
The Nobleman Viento stays classy. He doesn’t like to dwell too much on the low end but is all about that high life. The secret to his success is organization and he manages to keep every aspect of his life separate.
Credits
I would like to express my thanks to
@Barra – For organizing the Hidition tour because of which I was able to hear this masterpiece.
seamon
It has been a long time since I heard both but I think Viento did Imaging a tad better, Andromeda has a much bigger soundstage tho
Introduction
Burson has always been known in the audio world for their revolutionary op-amps and robust solid-state amps. My first experience with Burson dates back to the time when I was just started out in the audiophile world. I had a modest soundcard back then and after some op-amp rolling, I settled on their V5 series. In my opinion, they are some of the best performing op-amps in the world. When they announced the Cable+, it piqued my interest and now finally I am able to review one.
The Burson Cable+ is an active wire which serves as a pre-amp utilizing one of their esteemed V5i op-amp. I have had a very good experience with this particular op-amp in the past. The Cable+ is meant to be used with low quality sources to make them better.
Equipment
For critical reviewing, an iBasso DX200 was used as the DAC, Cavalli Liquid Carbon was used as the amp and a pair of LCD 3 headphones were used.
PC->well shielded USB 3.1 cable->iBasso DX200->Burson Cable+/Moon Audio Silver Dragon->Cavalli Liquid Carbon->Moon Audio Silver Dragon->Audeze LCD 3F
For additional testing, my PC and a HTC One M9 cell phone were used as sources.
PC/HTC One M9->Burson Cable+/ Moon Audio Silver Dragon ->Cavalli Liquid Carbon->Moon Audio Silver Dragon->Audeze LCD 3F
Volume Matching between Cable+ and Moon Audio Silver Dragon was done using a cellphone microphone.
A Note about Noise
I noticed quite a bit of noise induced when I first tried the Cable+ powered out of a USB port using the stock micro USB cable. However, after switching to a clean wall source using a much better micro USB cable, the background was completely black.
Sound Impressions
Without much further ado, let’s talk about what the Burson Cable+ does.
The sub-bass quantity rumbling is increased by a small amount. The mid-bass is better controlled and the impact is tightened. What this does is change the bass texture a bit. This allows the listener to better separate the sub-bass from the mid-bass. In a way, you can say that the bass separation is made better. However, in higher end sources, this takes away the evenness of the bass. In lower end sources, since there wasn’t much texture to begin with, this allows the listener to have a much better experience with the bass texture.
The mids are by far the most affected by the Cable+. The note placement of the mids are changed entirely. The mids are now placed much closer than before. The mids are now what is commonly referred to as “In your face”. Vocals are now just thrown at you. What this creates is better retrieval of details and micro-details. Since the mids are closer to you than any time before, you can now make out subtle nuances with any source. With higher end sources, it was already possible to distinguish the subtle nuances in sound so you just get the feeling of everything being closer to you. However, with lower end sources, you will almost universally hear details and micro-details better even at lower volumes.
Next up is the soundstage. The cable+, to compensate for bringing the notes closer to you decreases the soundstage by a small amount. What it also does is create a wall at the end of the soundstage. Lingering notes no longer decay but stop abruptly. With higher end equipment, this is a clear disadvantage. However, with lower end sources you get a more well-defined soundstage and the loss in soundstage is not that noticeable.
Tonally, the Cable+ makes the sound quite a bit warmer.
Conclusion
The Cable+ is great tool for making lower end sources bearable for the general audiophile. While travelling, you might not always have the means to bring along heavy high end desktop sources with you. In this scenario, the Cable+ is a great tool that can help you make music out of your phone or laptop bearable.
The Facilitator delivers. It might make a few compromises along the way but it always delivers.
Burson has always been known in the audio world for their revolutionary op-amps and robust solid-state amps. My first experience with Burson dates back to the time when I was just started out in the audiophile world. I had a modest soundcard back then and after some op-amp rolling, I settled on their V5 series. In my opinion, they are some of the best performing op-amps in the world. When they announced the Cable+, it piqued my interest and now finally I am able to review one.
The Burson Cable+ is an active wire which serves as a pre-amp utilizing one of their esteemed V5i op-amp. I have had a very good experience with this particular op-amp in the past. The Cable+ is meant to be used with low quality sources to make them better.
Equipment
For critical reviewing, an iBasso DX200 was used as the DAC, Cavalli Liquid Carbon was used as the amp and a pair of LCD 3 headphones were used.
PC->well shielded USB 3.1 cable->iBasso DX200->Burson Cable+/Moon Audio Silver Dragon->Cavalli Liquid Carbon->Moon Audio Silver Dragon->Audeze LCD 3F
For additional testing, my PC and a HTC One M9 cell phone were used as sources.
PC/HTC One M9->Burson Cable+/ Moon Audio Silver Dragon ->Cavalli Liquid Carbon->Moon Audio Silver Dragon->Audeze LCD 3F
Volume Matching between Cable+ and Moon Audio Silver Dragon was done using a cellphone microphone.
A Note about Noise
I noticed quite a bit of noise induced when I first tried the Cable+ powered out of a USB port using the stock micro USB cable. However, after switching to a clean wall source using a much better micro USB cable, the background was completely black.
Sound Impressions
Without much further ado, let’s talk about what the Burson Cable+ does.
The sub-bass quantity rumbling is increased by a small amount. The mid-bass is better controlled and the impact is tightened. What this does is change the bass texture a bit. This allows the listener to better separate the sub-bass from the mid-bass. In a way, you can say that the bass separation is made better. However, in higher end sources, this takes away the evenness of the bass. In lower end sources, since there wasn’t much texture to begin with, this allows the listener to have a much better experience with the bass texture.
The mids are by far the most affected by the Cable+. The note placement of the mids are changed entirely. The mids are now placed much closer than before. The mids are now what is commonly referred to as “In your face”. Vocals are now just thrown at you. What this creates is better retrieval of details and micro-details. Since the mids are closer to you than any time before, you can now make out subtle nuances with any source. With higher end sources, it was already possible to distinguish the subtle nuances in sound so you just get the feeling of everything being closer to you. However, with lower end sources, you will almost universally hear details and micro-details better even at lower volumes.
Next up is the soundstage. The cable+, to compensate for bringing the notes closer to you decreases the soundstage by a small amount. What it also does is create a wall at the end of the soundstage. Lingering notes no longer decay but stop abruptly. With higher end equipment, this is a clear disadvantage. However, with lower end sources you get a more well-defined soundstage and the loss in soundstage is not that noticeable.
Tonally, the Cable+ makes the sound quite a bit warmer.
Conclusion
The Cable+ is great tool for making lower end sources bearable for the general audiophile. While travelling, you might not always have the means to bring along heavy high end desktop sources with you. In this scenario, the Cable+ is a great tool that can help you make music out of your phone or laptop bearable.
The Facilitator delivers. It might make a few compromises along the way but it always delivers.
Introduction
Aether is the flagship model of Lime Ears. This utilizes 5 BA drivers with a four way passive crossover network. The IEM features a switchable sub-bass woofer. The Aether has been described as a very Natural IEM with amazing depth.
The review score guide
I will score CIEMs on a scale of 5.
· 1 point for Technicalities (Imaging and separation).
· 1 point for Bass.
· 1 point for Midrange.
· 1 point for Treble.
· 1 point for Soundstage and Air.
· I will also deduct up to 1 point for sibilance.
Do note that the score grading will be done extremely harshly and getting a full point in any criteria would be almost impossible no matter how good the IEM is. This grading system is relative to all the other TOTL IEMs out there. For a reference in any category,
· 0.0 – 0.1 = Bad
· 0.1 – 0.3 = Average
· 0.3 – 0.5 = Good
· 0.5 – 0.7 = Superb
· 0.7 – 0.9 = Amazing
· 0.9 – 1.0 = Best in Class; No other IEM in the world does this better.
If an IEM manages to score even a 3/5 then it can be considered a TOTL piece. A 4.5 essentially means the perfect IEM. The score is also subject to tiny changes over time as I try to perfect this grading system.
Also, the score at the top does not reflect this score but how the IEM performs in comparison to all the other IEMs in the world. That score will most certainly be always higher than my personal TOTL score.
I am more of a music lover than a true Audiophile. I prefer musicality but I will try to make my reviews as objective as possible.
Source
Ibasso DX200
Sound Impressions
Technicalities (Imaging, Separation)
I thought that the Imaging was done very well. The imaging was not pin point precise like some other IEMs. It’s definitely a little loose but even then, it can be considered very good.
Separation was done pretty well especially vertically separation which the Aether excels at. Horizontal separation is not at par with some other IEMs but overall, it’s very good.
Score – 0.6/1
Bass
The Aether has a bass switch which turns on or off the subwoofer. When the switch is off, the bass texture improves and the speed improves (both attack and decay). With the switch on, the texture of the bass becomes lack luster but the decay considerably increases which is enjoyable on quite a lot of songs. With the switch on, the mid-bass impact definitely increases slightly but the biggest change is the sub-bass(obviously) and the bass overall becomes very authoritative. It adds a certain atmosphere to songs having sub-bass. With the switch on, bass extension is deep, very deep.
Score – 0.6/1
Midrange
Midrange is exactly at the right spot. It’s neither too forward nor too laid back. It’s neither too musical nor too reference. I can hear a fair amount of musicality in the mids. Smoothness is decent. It could have been smoother but this is good. Personally, I would have preferred slightly more musical mids but no complaints here as this is subjective. Female vocals are sweet yet not so sweet. It’s like the IEM is trying to please both the musical and analytical crowd. That said, vocal extension could have been better. Engagement is decent but a little more wouldn’t hurt.
Score – 0.65/1
Treble
Ah the sweet Treble. This is almost perfect Treble quantity imo. I am very Treble sensitive and have a preference for darker signatures. I thought this amount is just the sweet spot. Moreover, it is smooth, just utterly smooth. No peaks or harshness. The Treble definition could have been a little better but I think the Treble is just awesome.
Score – 0.8/1
Soundstage + Air
Vertical soundstage is the star here. Just superb depth and height. I was quite surprised when I first heard this because my daily driver does not have much soundstage depth and height. Meanwhile, the soundstage width is decent. It’s not very wide something which I would have liked. Overall, this is still TOTL soundstage.
The air between instruments was good. It definitely could use a little more but this is very good and no complaints here. However, it lacks the feeling of being enveloped by sound.
Score – 0.6/1
Sibilance
Absolutely no sibilance. Nada! Nothing. Not even an iota. This is one of few IEMs I have heard that contain no sibilance. This is very surprising because I am very susceptible to sibilance. I can hear it in the most unexpected of places. This is just wonderful.
Score – 0/-1
Comparisons
64 Audio A12 ADEL – A12 has much better horizontal soundstage and separation. The bass is also better textured and has a tad more impact when Aether’s bass switch is on. The midrange of the A12 is more laid back but is more musical and sweet. Aether just trumps the A12 at Treble. Aether Treble is smoother and just plain better. Aether also has a much better vertical soundstage. A12 also has more air.
Empire Ears Zeus XR ADEL – The Zeus does technicalities better than any IEM I have heard to date. It just trumps the Aether at everything including soundstage, imaging, separation and layering. Zeus bass lacks impact but is very well textured and extends very deep. In XIV mode, Zeus’ midrange is sweeter. Zeus Treble is also much more sparkly and better defined than Aether. Aether Treble however is much more smooth and devoid of any sibilance. Aether has more air than Zeus.
64 Audio tia fourte – The tia also does technicalities better than Aether. Tia has that dynamic bass characteristic of it being a hybrid piece. The bass is very well defined and articulate. The midrange is also much more enjoyable. The tia has more Treble quantity than Aether yet it is not sibilant. Tia fourte also has infinitely more air than Aether.
Noble Audio Kaiser Encore – Encore bass has more mid-bass impact than Aether. It’s also a tad more well defined. The Encore mids really shine well and are more enjoyable than Aether. Meanwhile Encore Treble is on the verge of being harsh and is much more sibilant than Aether. Aether is just plain smoother and non-sibilant. Soundstage is comparable to the Encore and Aether has much more air than Encore.
Conclusion
Listening to the Aether has been absolutely a pleasure for the brief period I had it. This is a very affordable TOTL IEM. The best part is that this IEM provides a very low cost for entry into the TOTL IEM arena. Overall, the IEM scored 3.25/5 which I would consider to be a very good score. The Aether stands tall as the sentinel to the door of the TOTL IEM realm.
Credits
I would like to express my thanks to
@Barra – For organizing the Lime Ears tour because of which I was able to hear this masterpiece.
@He IS Emil – For letting me have this opportunity to hear his creation.
Aether is the flagship model of Lime Ears. This utilizes 5 BA drivers with a four way passive crossover network. The IEM features a switchable sub-bass woofer. The Aether has been described as a very Natural IEM with amazing depth.
The review score guide
I will score CIEMs on a scale of 5.
· 1 point for Technicalities (Imaging and separation).
· 1 point for Bass.
· 1 point for Midrange.
· 1 point for Treble.
· 1 point for Soundstage and Air.
· I will also deduct up to 1 point for sibilance.
Do note that the score grading will be done extremely harshly and getting a full point in any criteria would be almost impossible no matter how good the IEM is. This grading system is relative to all the other TOTL IEMs out there. For a reference in any category,
· 0.0 – 0.1 = Bad
· 0.1 – 0.3 = Average
· 0.3 – 0.5 = Good
· 0.5 – 0.7 = Superb
· 0.7 – 0.9 = Amazing
· 0.9 – 1.0 = Best in Class; No other IEM in the world does this better.
If an IEM manages to score even a 3/5 then it can be considered a TOTL piece. A 4.5 essentially means the perfect IEM. The score is also subject to tiny changes over time as I try to perfect this grading system.
Also, the score at the top does not reflect this score but how the IEM performs in comparison to all the other IEMs in the world. That score will most certainly be always higher than my personal TOTL score.
I am more of a music lover than a true Audiophile. I prefer musicality but I will try to make my reviews as objective as possible.
Source
Ibasso DX200
Sound Impressions
Technicalities (Imaging, Separation)
I thought that the Imaging was done very well. The imaging was not pin point precise like some other IEMs. It’s definitely a little loose but even then, it can be considered very good.
Separation was done pretty well especially vertically separation which the Aether excels at. Horizontal separation is not at par with some other IEMs but overall, it’s very good.
Score – 0.6/1
Bass
The Aether has a bass switch which turns on or off the subwoofer. When the switch is off, the bass texture improves and the speed improves (both attack and decay). With the switch on, the texture of the bass becomes lack luster but the decay considerably increases which is enjoyable on quite a lot of songs. With the switch on, the mid-bass impact definitely increases slightly but the biggest change is the sub-bass(obviously) and the bass overall becomes very authoritative. It adds a certain atmosphere to songs having sub-bass. With the switch on, bass extension is deep, very deep.
Score – 0.6/1
Midrange
Midrange is exactly at the right spot. It’s neither too forward nor too laid back. It’s neither too musical nor too reference. I can hear a fair amount of musicality in the mids. Smoothness is decent. It could have been smoother but this is good. Personally, I would have preferred slightly more musical mids but no complaints here as this is subjective. Female vocals are sweet yet not so sweet. It’s like the IEM is trying to please both the musical and analytical crowd. That said, vocal extension could have been better. Engagement is decent but a little more wouldn’t hurt.
Score – 0.65/1
Treble
Ah the sweet Treble. This is almost perfect Treble quantity imo. I am very Treble sensitive and have a preference for darker signatures. I thought this amount is just the sweet spot. Moreover, it is smooth, just utterly smooth. No peaks or harshness. The Treble definition could have been a little better but I think the Treble is just awesome.
Score – 0.8/1
Soundstage + Air
Vertical soundstage is the star here. Just superb depth and height. I was quite surprised when I first heard this because my daily driver does not have much soundstage depth and height. Meanwhile, the soundstage width is decent. It’s not very wide something which I would have liked. Overall, this is still TOTL soundstage.
The air between instruments was good. It definitely could use a little more but this is very good and no complaints here. However, it lacks the feeling of being enveloped by sound.
Score – 0.6/1
Sibilance
Absolutely no sibilance. Nada! Nothing. Not even an iota. This is one of few IEMs I have heard that contain no sibilance. This is very surprising because I am very susceptible to sibilance. I can hear it in the most unexpected of places. This is just wonderful.
Score – 0/-1
Comparisons
64 Audio A12 ADEL – A12 has much better horizontal soundstage and separation. The bass is also better textured and has a tad more impact when Aether’s bass switch is on. The midrange of the A12 is more laid back but is more musical and sweet. Aether just trumps the A12 at Treble. Aether Treble is smoother and just plain better. Aether also has a much better vertical soundstage. A12 also has more air.
Empire Ears Zeus XR ADEL – The Zeus does technicalities better than any IEM I have heard to date. It just trumps the Aether at everything including soundstage, imaging, separation and layering. Zeus bass lacks impact but is very well textured and extends very deep. In XIV mode, Zeus’ midrange is sweeter. Zeus Treble is also much more sparkly and better defined than Aether. Aether Treble however is much more smooth and devoid of any sibilance. Aether has more air than Zeus.
64 Audio tia fourte – The tia also does technicalities better than Aether. Tia has that dynamic bass characteristic of it being a hybrid piece. The bass is very well defined and articulate. The midrange is also much more enjoyable. The tia has more Treble quantity than Aether yet it is not sibilant. Tia fourte also has infinitely more air than Aether.
Noble Audio Kaiser Encore – Encore bass has more mid-bass impact than Aether. It’s also a tad more well defined. The Encore mids really shine well and are more enjoyable than Aether. Meanwhile Encore Treble is on the verge of being harsh and is much more sibilant than Aether. Aether is just plain smoother and non-sibilant. Soundstage is comparable to the Encore and Aether has much more air than Encore.
Conclusion
Listening to the Aether has been absolutely a pleasure for the brief period I had it. This is a very affordable TOTL IEM. The best part is that this IEM provides a very low cost for entry into the TOTL IEM arena. Overall, the IEM scored 3.25/5 which I would consider to be a very good score. The Aether stands tall as the sentinel to the door of the TOTL IEM realm.
Credits
I would like to express my thanks to
@Barra – For organizing the Lime Ears tour because of which I was able to hear this masterpiece.
@He IS Emil – For letting me have this opportunity to hear his creation.
