A review of the Noble Audio Katana In-Ear Monitor (IEM).
The Noble Audio Katana is a TOTL IEM and was released in 2016.
NB: for anyone reading who might not be familiar with the ‘lingo’, TOTL = Top Of The Line; a flagship model, usually with a correspondingly high price tag attached.
I would like to begin by thanking John at Noble Audio, who provided me with a wizard version of the Noble Katana in response to me asking him whether he’d considered if it could be done.
The thread for discussion of this (and other Noble Audio IEM’s) may be found here:
https://www.head-fi.org/f/threads/noble-audio-the-wizard-returns.684787/
The official Noble Audio webpage for the universal version of the Katana may be found here:
https://nobleaudio.co.uk/en/shop/universal/katana/
Specs from website:
Noble Audio do not release detailed specifications as a rule, but here is their description:
Pricing at the time of writing was £1’699 when buying from the UK. A wizard model (with custom built faceplates) will add an additional £250.
Photos:
It's been a fair while since these have been released, and I imagine every picture under the sun has long since been posted, so here is the briefest set of images, for anyone who may have just emerged from under some prehistoric rock
A lovely touch was the "Wizard 1 of 1" that he etched into the side of the IEM body.
It certainly gives an exclusive feeling!
The Sound:
As ever, my preferred method of testing is to try out the product(s) in question with a selection of songs from various genres and to let that process draw out the comparative strengths and weaknesses of each product.
I have a few tracks which I’ve only found available on MP3; the rest are FLAC or WAV in 16/44 or 24/192.
As a way to test and benchmark, I have A/B tested the Katana with the iBasso IT03 on all these tracks (and many others), since it’s the best other IEM that I currently own (and an outstanding IEM in its own right). If anyone wishes to send me more TOTL IEM’s to expand my review with, I would not attempt to dissuade you from this course of action
Also, for the purposes of this review, I have used two DAP’s to play the music on for testing; the iBasso DX200 (with AMP1 – balanced mode and AMP3) and the Shozy Alien+ (single ended, but using a 2.5mm balanced to 3.5mm SE Eidolic adapter).
I would add that this review has been done over the course of many months. I do property management/investment in London on a self-employed basis, and anyone reading who has their own business will know how it has a marvellous tendency to intrude upon one’s intended activities!
Since I wrote the bulk of this review, iBasso have released AMP units 4 and 5.
I haven’t yet heard 4 (and greatly wish to do so!), but I own AMP5, and I would say that the sound signature of the DX200 with AMP5 is comparable to the strengths of the Shozy Alien+ DAP used in this review. So, if you are a DX200 owner and you are salivating at my descriptions of the Alien+ sound on certain songs, AMP5 is going to give you a similar experience I believe!
Finally, in order to be able to compare apples with apples as best as possible, I have substituted the standard cable of the Katana with a balanced silver-plated copper cable. I haven’t noticed any significant change in the sound signature of the Katana as a result (it’s not a TOTL cable or anything) and I have also listened to the Katana extensively with the standard included cable, so I am as confident as I can be that I’m presenting accurate impressions of the sound of the Katana.
As mentioned above, please note that all impressions below are in comparison to the IT03 as well as ‘stand-alone’. It’s hard to quantify something without a benchmark against which to compare it!
With all this box-ticking preamble out of the way, shall we proceed?
I think we shall
The Darkness - Black Shuck, Get Your Hands Off Of My Woman, Givin' Up:
Now then. I’m autistic (but fortunately was blessed with extreme attractiveness to compensate), and this seems to come with a sensitivity to certain sounds and frequencies.
I love rock, and I love these songs, but I’ve mostly found them difficult to listen to, due to the dense and noisy nature of the song, the joyful bashing of cymbals, occasionally piercing falsetto and so on.
Also, these tracks really benefit from a powerful low end (doesn’t need to be one that is not balanced with the rest of the sound signature, just not an anaemic or lacking one!).
Here’s what I found:
DX200 (AMP3):
This presented well, with a smooth and cohesive sound and no fatigue, matches well with rock.
At last!
DX200 (AMP1):
Even better! More open soundstage than with the Alien+ with an increase in separation. This is a good combination, but I feel the Alien+ wins out here with its musicality and weighty low-end.
Alien+: Based on notes from my critical listening to ‘Walks With Me’ (another song in this review), I had a sudden hunch that this DAP/IEM combo might be just the thing for these songs by The Darkness.
I was proved right!
As the robot Kryten remarked in the British sci-fi comedy series Red Dwarf:
“Ah, smug mode”
A bit less separation and sparkle, and a slight decrease in soundstage compared with the DX200 (AMP1). However, this is more than compensated for by the terrific meatiness and depth to the guitar riffs, the organic and rich low end and the taming of the hi-hat/cymbals (and occasionally shrieking vocals!).
These songs really shine when there’s significant low-end presence and where the treble is tamed slightly. I have to (yet again) give huge credit to the Alien+ here for its musicality.
I’ve never enjoyed these songs so much in my life; I feel they’ve found the perfect match in this combination! For any rock music where the bass isn’t overemphasised and where there’s dense guitar riffs, I believe this combination is going to be an absolute blast of joy
Warning: This pairing rocks hard. Very hard. Those with weak constitutions or delicate sensitivities may not be able to handle the high-voltage riffs and head-moshing tendencies that this combination engenders. As the music seller in the movie Human Traffic exclaimed:
“This could turn Hari Krishna into a badboy!”
Ray Lamontagne - A Falling Through:
This track features a gorgeous drum beat in the background, a delightful deep thump with significant bass weight and presence, that still doesn’t dominate the song but increases its emotion. Along with this, the strumming of the acoustic guitar is a great test for an IEM’s faithful representation of timbre.
DX200 (AMP3):
The drum is comparatively somewhat subdued within the mix with the Katana (whereas they were an integral part of the beauty of the song with the IT03).
Guitar however is enchantingly beautiful with engaging timbre, realism and musicality.
DX200 (AMP1):
The tactile sound of the guitar strumming is strongly presented here, the sound is quite balanced but still capturing the intimacy of the track. Nicely musical and detailed, good clarity. The cymbals in the chorus are present and clearly discernible, without being a distraction or making it noisy.
Alien+:
Again, a more closed-in and intimate presentation. The whole sound here seems slightly muted and softened; not in a bad way where detail is sacrificed though. If you’ve ever heard the remarkable and quite unique mastering and production on Bob Dylan’s 1990’s album ‘Time Out Of Mind’, it’s akin to that.
The cymbals here are quite magical; each tap discrete and distinct, yet very subtle, like an ephemeral mist of noise floating above the guitar and vocals.
Club 8 - Love Dies (from the excellent 2015 album ‘Pleasure’):
My goodness, this song is astonishing. The first time I heard it, my jaw dropped.
It’s extremely crystalline, clear, beautiful. It takes a good combo of equipment to display this to perfection without letting the highs become piercing or strident in occasional places.
The track starts slowly, and from about 50s in to 1:07, you can hear a progression of sounds being introduced at the edge of the soundstage, giving the impression of the soundstage opening out like a blossoming flower.
DX200 (AMP3):
The Katana’s musicality presents the song in a way that is engaging and distinctive.
It’s not the best pairing, but more than holds its own.
DX200 (AMP1):
Using this amp unit, the Katana brings out more of the great qualities of the song.
The soundstage opens up very nicely, the pristine, crystalline sound of the song is enabled to shine and there is never any hint of treble heat or sharpness.
Alien+:
This is a song where a huge soundstage has a magical impact. Unfortunately, that’s an aspect of the Katana that is suppressed somewhat in this combination, and hence its presentation of this song is diminished as a result. Again, it’s still excellent and would put many other combinations to shame, but it lacks the synergy of the very best combinations I’ve found between the four items here.
RDF (Radical Dance Faction) – Borderline:
This is a somewhat cold and melancholic song, but with a hell of bass line.
It features a wonderful moment in the beginning where the percussion being employed changes 3 times in succession, giving one’s equipment a wonderful opportunity to show of faithful representation of timbre.
DX200 (AMP3):
The percussion is reproduced outstandingly here, with the timbre and musicality of each change of percussion bringing its own delightful character.
The bass line goes deep and with a fuller sound compared to the IT03 which seems slightly leaner.
DX200 (AMP1):
Slightly clearer and more detailed presentation than with the AMP3, but with less musicality and overall, slightly less engaging. A solid performance, but not a magical combination.
Alien+:
Immediately noticeable is the enjoyable thickness and musicality of the notes.
Similarly, the percussion and its changes are presented outstandingly well, the bassline is very engaging. Detail levels are vivid and the whole presentation sucks you in like some huge sucky thing (insert political or corporate dig of choice here)
Hobotalk – Walks With Me (from Beauty in Madness, 16/44 FLAC):
This song, by a relatively obscure Scottish band, is one of my all-time favourite songs. A piece of pure bliss; warm and wistful, slightly melancholic without being cold or depressing, beautiful and peaceful in equal measure.
DX200 (AMP3):
On this song specifically, the soundstage seemed more oval (a vertical oval to be precise) with less width, and this, combined with the comparatively warmer, more organic sound of the Katana made it feel a little closed-in and the instrumentation had a slight blandness comparatively.
Don’t get me wrong, this is in comparison to an IEM that seemed perfectly matched to this song; the Katana makes pretty much everything sound wonderful. We’re talking small degrees here.
DX200 (AMP1): The Katana seems to have more weight and thickness to the notes.
The soundstage opens wide, again oval shaped, but this time horizontally. There’s a greater warmth and presence to the low-end here.
Alien+: Smaller soundstage, more intimate and closed-in sound.
Very thick notes and low-end presence, but somewhat lacking airiness and separation; however, it’s worth noting that this is in direct and immediate comparison to an IEM with huge soundstage and airiness. Given time to get used to the sound signature in its own right, this could be a very enjoyable combination, especially for those people (or those songs) that benefit from a more warm and intimate feel to the music.
Dire Straits – Sultans Of Swing:
One of my go-to test tracks for testing (and just listening), and I know several other reviewers on here share this point of view!
A terrific song, with lots of things to get analytical over; percussion, timbre, guitar fretboard wizardry etc.
DX200 (AMP3):
In fairness, it would be hard to make this song sound bad, but this combo certainly doesn’t disappoint! Rhythm, texture, timbre, musicality; the sound of all the boxes being ticked
DX200 (AMP1):
The vocals seem a touch more forward and this combination captures the gravel and texture in his voice that really does it justice.
Good grief, this sounds good.. I’ll be back in a while…
The way it brings out all the background sounds, whilst still bringing forward the vocals and lead guitar is something magical. This is a superb combination for this song.
Alien+:
As is often the case with this combination, there’s a small, but immediately noticeable decrease in soundstage and separation when switching from the others.
When it gets to the final guitar solo at the end that generally has me clenching my fists and so forth in musical ecstasy, the background music (acoustic guitar strumming etc) is still present and can be drawn forth by focusing on it, but not as balanced as with the combination involving the DX200 (AMP1). However, here there is a beautiful musicality to the guitar solo; it really reaches deep into the soul and sounds absolutely magnificent.
Anberlin – The Art Of War:
This is a staggering track. There’s so much going on in it and so many things to zone in on when listening. There’s powerful percussion and bass, a driving rhythm, synths and sound effects and over all this, great vocals, searing lyrics and simply majestic rock!
In terms of analysis of detail retrieval, on this track, around 9 seconds in, there’s a sudden sense of space opening up in the upper-central zone of the soundstage, along with a faint, almost imperceptible hum.
I don’t know much about music production, but I’m guessing this is the ‘channel’ being switched on that the bass guitar is linked up to (as indeed the bass comes in at the same spatial location a second or two later).
DX200 (AMP3):
This sounds wonderfully open and not congested at all (a hazard with this song).
The bassline is not quite as strong and physical as that presented with the IT03, but it is a significant step up from the AMP1 below. Overall, this combination has a great musical and detailed sound, with a welcome dose of sparkle in the treble that lifts the whole presentation.
DX200 (AMP1):
Soundstage more spacious in comparison with Alien+, separation a bit better too.
Overall, my perception was that this combination presented a more balanced sound to the song; through maintaining soundstage and separation, each aspect of the song was presented clearly without being drowned under any other part.
However, there was a slight lack of weight and feel to the bass, which in a song like this (that centres around a driving bass and rhythm section) left me slightly less satisfied than with other pairings.
Alien+: Soundstage a little bit closed in; in terms of soundstage alone this combination is not the ideal match for this song as a good soundstage and separation really opens up the dense guitars and rhythm section. This feeling was quite noticeable the first time I switched from the DX200 with AMP1; however, it became less noticeable upon further listening. The small detail of the channel opening up for the bass at 9 seconds in is captured more noticeably and adds to the atmosphere of the song.
Finally, with this combination, there’s a delightful thickness and weight to the driving bass and rhythm; unfortunately, this is slightly (but not badly) achieved at the expense of some of the other aspects of the song, where the harmonies and background music gets slightly overwhelmed.
Also, the bass weight and thickness in this particular song seems to engender a slight muddiness where the bass seems to bleed slightly into the mids. However, I haven’t experienced this on any other songs, so I’ll chalk it up to being one of those rare occurrences.
Conclusion:
Astonishingly small and light in Wizard form; eminently comfortable and wearable for extended periods. For me, memory foam or Monster Foam Supertips provide the best fit, but the Symbio tips I use are not far off in terms of fit and seal and also seem to help open up the soundstage even further and increase airiness.
The Katana for me distinguishes itself by offering TOTL reference sound quality but with what I hear as a sound signature that offers a fairly neutral sound with a gorgeous tinge of naturalness and musicality. There’s a slightly warm and organic quality there, but not at the expense of detail or clarity, which it has in spades.
I should note that I first heard it at CanJam London 2016, and there’s been a marked increase in the number of TOTL IEM offerings since then (including Noble’s own excellent Encore). I’ve heard many of them too.
I’m not a fanboy of any brand (although there’s plenty of brands that I admire for various reasons – Noble Audio included); in all honesty there are certainly IEM’s out there today that can do specific things as well as (or better than) the Katana, especially 18 months later, which can be a long time in the wonderful world of audio!
When it comes to TOTL products, even more so than with other price ranges, you’re obviously going to want to listen in person if at all possible to a range of products and find what fits YOU. If my descriptions of the Katana are ticking your boxes and tantalising your audio taste buds, then I’d unreservedly encourage you to give it a listen and see what you think
For me, the Katana doesn’t dazzle in a specific area (unlike some TOTL offerings, which however, may also exhibit comparative weaknesses in other areas of course too); however, it dazzles me as a complete package.
I think the Katana’s strength for me is that it’s a terrific all-rounder and it has proved a challenge to find any songs that it *doesn’t* sound wonderful with.
Most of us on here are on a never-ending quest to find the equipment that allows the music we love to shine as brightly as we know it can. Simply put, the Noble Katana makes me almost embarrassingly happy when I listen to my music on it.
And that’s ultimately what it’s all about. Time for some more. “Excuse me while I kiss the sky”
I leave you with this brief clip (hopefully it will actually work!).
Noble Audio – because sometimes, only a Katana will do
The Noble Audio Katana is a TOTL IEM and was released in 2016.
NB: for anyone reading who might not be familiar with the ‘lingo’, TOTL = Top Of The Line; a flagship model, usually with a correspondingly high price tag attached.
I would like to begin by thanking John at Noble Audio, who provided me with a wizard version of the Noble Katana in response to me asking him whether he’d considered if it could be done.
The thread for discussion of this (and other Noble Audio IEM’s) may be found here:
https://www.head-fi.org/f/threads/noble-audio-the-wizard-returns.684787/
The official Noble Audio webpage for the universal version of the Katana may be found here:
https://nobleaudio.co.uk/en/shop/universal/katana/
Specs from website:
Noble Audio do not release detailed specifications as a rule, but here is their description:
- 9 proprietary balanced armature drivers per side
- Updated Noble universal form factor and geometry featuring creative precision machined aluminium housings
- Sensitive enough for use with smartphones as well as portable amps and DAPs
- Hand-assembled and matched
- Detachable cable with industry standard 2-pin configuration (0.78 mm diameter)
Pricing at the time of writing was £1’699 when buying from the UK. A wizard model (with custom built faceplates) will add an additional £250.
Photos:
It's been a fair while since these have been released, and I imagine every picture under the sun has long since been posted, so here is the briefest set of images, for anyone who may have just emerged from under some prehistoric rock
A lovely touch was the "Wizard 1 of 1" that he etched into the side of the IEM body.
It certainly gives an exclusive feeling!
The Sound:
As ever, my preferred method of testing is to try out the product(s) in question with a selection of songs from various genres and to let that process draw out the comparative strengths and weaknesses of each product.
I have a few tracks which I’ve only found available on MP3; the rest are FLAC or WAV in 16/44 or 24/192.
As a way to test and benchmark, I have A/B tested the Katana with the iBasso IT03 on all these tracks (and many others), since it’s the best other IEM that I currently own (and an outstanding IEM in its own right). If anyone wishes to send me more TOTL IEM’s to expand my review with, I would not attempt to dissuade you from this course of action
Also, for the purposes of this review, I have used two DAP’s to play the music on for testing; the iBasso DX200 (with AMP1 – balanced mode and AMP3) and the Shozy Alien+ (single ended, but using a 2.5mm balanced to 3.5mm SE Eidolic adapter).
I would add that this review has been done over the course of many months. I do property management/investment in London on a self-employed basis, and anyone reading who has their own business will know how it has a marvellous tendency to intrude upon one’s intended activities!
Since I wrote the bulk of this review, iBasso have released AMP units 4 and 5.
I haven’t yet heard 4 (and greatly wish to do so!), but I own AMP5, and I would say that the sound signature of the DX200 with AMP5 is comparable to the strengths of the Shozy Alien+ DAP used in this review. So, if you are a DX200 owner and you are salivating at my descriptions of the Alien+ sound on certain songs, AMP5 is going to give you a similar experience I believe!
Finally, in order to be able to compare apples with apples as best as possible, I have substituted the standard cable of the Katana with a balanced silver-plated copper cable. I haven’t noticed any significant change in the sound signature of the Katana as a result (it’s not a TOTL cable or anything) and I have also listened to the Katana extensively with the standard included cable, so I am as confident as I can be that I’m presenting accurate impressions of the sound of the Katana.
As mentioned above, please note that all impressions below are in comparison to the IT03 as well as ‘stand-alone’. It’s hard to quantify something without a benchmark against which to compare it!
With all this box-ticking preamble out of the way, shall we proceed?
I think we shall
The Darkness - Black Shuck, Get Your Hands Off Of My Woman, Givin' Up:
Now then. I’m autistic (but fortunately was blessed with extreme attractiveness to compensate), and this seems to come with a sensitivity to certain sounds and frequencies.
I love rock, and I love these songs, but I’ve mostly found them difficult to listen to, due to the dense and noisy nature of the song, the joyful bashing of cymbals, occasionally piercing falsetto and so on.
Also, these tracks really benefit from a powerful low end (doesn’t need to be one that is not balanced with the rest of the sound signature, just not an anaemic or lacking one!).
Here’s what I found:
DX200 (AMP3):
This presented well, with a smooth and cohesive sound and no fatigue, matches well with rock.
At last!
DX200 (AMP1):
Even better! More open soundstage than with the Alien+ with an increase in separation. This is a good combination, but I feel the Alien+ wins out here with its musicality and weighty low-end.
Alien+: Based on notes from my critical listening to ‘Walks With Me’ (another song in this review), I had a sudden hunch that this DAP/IEM combo might be just the thing for these songs by The Darkness.
I was proved right!
As the robot Kryten remarked in the British sci-fi comedy series Red Dwarf:
“Ah, smug mode”
A bit less separation and sparkle, and a slight decrease in soundstage compared with the DX200 (AMP1). However, this is more than compensated for by the terrific meatiness and depth to the guitar riffs, the organic and rich low end and the taming of the hi-hat/cymbals (and occasionally shrieking vocals!).
These songs really shine when there’s significant low-end presence and where the treble is tamed slightly. I have to (yet again) give huge credit to the Alien+ here for its musicality.
I’ve never enjoyed these songs so much in my life; I feel they’ve found the perfect match in this combination! For any rock music where the bass isn’t overemphasised and where there’s dense guitar riffs, I believe this combination is going to be an absolute blast of joy
Warning: This pairing rocks hard. Very hard. Those with weak constitutions or delicate sensitivities may not be able to handle the high-voltage riffs and head-moshing tendencies that this combination engenders. As the music seller in the movie Human Traffic exclaimed:
“This could turn Hari Krishna into a badboy!”
Ray Lamontagne - A Falling Through:
This track features a gorgeous drum beat in the background, a delightful deep thump with significant bass weight and presence, that still doesn’t dominate the song but increases its emotion. Along with this, the strumming of the acoustic guitar is a great test for an IEM’s faithful representation of timbre.
DX200 (AMP3):
The drum is comparatively somewhat subdued within the mix with the Katana (whereas they were an integral part of the beauty of the song with the IT03).
Guitar however is enchantingly beautiful with engaging timbre, realism and musicality.
DX200 (AMP1):
The tactile sound of the guitar strumming is strongly presented here, the sound is quite balanced but still capturing the intimacy of the track. Nicely musical and detailed, good clarity. The cymbals in the chorus are present and clearly discernible, without being a distraction or making it noisy.
Alien+:
Again, a more closed-in and intimate presentation. The whole sound here seems slightly muted and softened; not in a bad way where detail is sacrificed though. If you’ve ever heard the remarkable and quite unique mastering and production on Bob Dylan’s 1990’s album ‘Time Out Of Mind’, it’s akin to that.
The cymbals here are quite magical; each tap discrete and distinct, yet very subtle, like an ephemeral mist of noise floating above the guitar and vocals.
Club 8 - Love Dies (from the excellent 2015 album ‘Pleasure’):
My goodness, this song is astonishing. The first time I heard it, my jaw dropped.
It’s extremely crystalline, clear, beautiful. It takes a good combo of equipment to display this to perfection without letting the highs become piercing or strident in occasional places.
The track starts slowly, and from about 50s in to 1:07, you can hear a progression of sounds being introduced at the edge of the soundstage, giving the impression of the soundstage opening out like a blossoming flower.
DX200 (AMP3):
The Katana’s musicality presents the song in a way that is engaging and distinctive.
It’s not the best pairing, but more than holds its own.
DX200 (AMP1):
Using this amp unit, the Katana brings out more of the great qualities of the song.
The soundstage opens up very nicely, the pristine, crystalline sound of the song is enabled to shine and there is never any hint of treble heat or sharpness.
Alien+:
This is a song where a huge soundstage has a magical impact. Unfortunately, that’s an aspect of the Katana that is suppressed somewhat in this combination, and hence its presentation of this song is diminished as a result. Again, it’s still excellent and would put many other combinations to shame, but it lacks the synergy of the very best combinations I’ve found between the four items here.
RDF (Radical Dance Faction) – Borderline:
This is a somewhat cold and melancholic song, but with a hell of bass line.
It features a wonderful moment in the beginning where the percussion being employed changes 3 times in succession, giving one’s equipment a wonderful opportunity to show of faithful representation of timbre.
DX200 (AMP3):
The percussion is reproduced outstandingly here, with the timbre and musicality of each change of percussion bringing its own delightful character.
The bass line goes deep and with a fuller sound compared to the IT03 which seems slightly leaner.
DX200 (AMP1):
Slightly clearer and more detailed presentation than with the AMP3, but with less musicality and overall, slightly less engaging. A solid performance, but not a magical combination.
Alien+:
Immediately noticeable is the enjoyable thickness and musicality of the notes.
Similarly, the percussion and its changes are presented outstandingly well, the bassline is very engaging. Detail levels are vivid and the whole presentation sucks you in like some huge sucky thing (insert political or corporate dig of choice here)
Hobotalk – Walks With Me (from Beauty in Madness, 16/44 FLAC):
This song, by a relatively obscure Scottish band, is one of my all-time favourite songs. A piece of pure bliss; warm and wistful, slightly melancholic without being cold or depressing, beautiful and peaceful in equal measure.
DX200 (AMP3):
On this song specifically, the soundstage seemed more oval (a vertical oval to be precise) with less width, and this, combined with the comparatively warmer, more organic sound of the Katana made it feel a little closed-in and the instrumentation had a slight blandness comparatively.
Don’t get me wrong, this is in comparison to an IEM that seemed perfectly matched to this song; the Katana makes pretty much everything sound wonderful. We’re talking small degrees here.
DX200 (AMP1): The Katana seems to have more weight and thickness to the notes.
The soundstage opens wide, again oval shaped, but this time horizontally. There’s a greater warmth and presence to the low-end here.
Alien+: Smaller soundstage, more intimate and closed-in sound.
Very thick notes and low-end presence, but somewhat lacking airiness and separation; however, it’s worth noting that this is in direct and immediate comparison to an IEM with huge soundstage and airiness. Given time to get used to the sound signature in its own right, this could be a very enjoyable combination, especially for those people (or those songs) that benefit from a more warm and intimate feel to the music.
Dire Straits – Sultans Of Swing:
One of my go-to test tracks for testing (and just listening), and I know several other reviewers on here share this point of view!
A terrific song, with lots of things to get analytical over; percussion, timbre, guitar fretboard wizardry etc.
DX200 (AMP3):
In fairness, it would be hard to make this song sound bad, but this combo certainly doesn’t disappoint! Rhythm, texture, timbre, musicality; the sound of all the boxes being ticked
DX200 (AMP1):
The vocals seem a touch more forward and this combination captures the gravel and texture in his voice that really does it justice.
Good grief, this sounds good.. I’ll be back in a while…
The way it brings out all the background sounds, whilst still bringing forward the vocals and lead guitar is something magical. This is a superb combination for this song.
Alien+:
As is often the case with this combination, there’s a small, but immediately noticeable decrease in soundstage and separation when switching from the others.
When it gets to the final guitar solo at the end that generally has me clenching my fists and so forth in musical ecstasy, the background music (acoustic guitar strumming etc) is still present and can be drawn forth by focusing on it, but not as balanced as with the combination involving the DX200 (AMP1). However, here there is a beautiful musicality to the guitar solo; it really reaches deep into the soul and sounds absolutely magnificent.
Anberlin – The Art Of War:
This is a staggering track. There’s so much going on in it and so many things to zone in on when listening. There’s powerful percussion and bass, a driving rhythm, synths and sound effects and over all this, great vocals, searing lyrics and simply majestic rock!
In terms of analysis of detail retrieval, on this track, around 9 seconds in, there’s a sudden sense of space opening up in the upper-central zone of the soundstage, along with a faint, almost imperceptible hum.
I don’t know much about music production, but I’m guessing this is the ‘channel’ being switched on that the bass guitar is linked up to (as indeed the bass comes in at the same spatial location a second or two later).
DX200 (AMP3):
This sounds wonderfully open and not congested at all (a hazard with this song).
The bassline is not quite as strong and physical as that presented with the IT03, but it is a significant step up from the AMP1 below. Overall, this combination has a great musical and detailed sound, with a welcome dose of sparkle in the treble that lifts the whole presentation.
DX200 (AMP1):
Soundstage more spacious in comparison with Alien+, separation a bit better too.
Overall, my perception was that this combination presented a more balanced sound to the song; through maintaining soundstage and separation, each aspect of the song was presented clearly without being drowned under any other part.
However, there was a slight lack of weight and feel to the bass, which in a song like this (that centres around a driving bass and rhythm section) left me slightly less satisfied than with other pairings.
Alien+: Soundstage a little bit closed in; in terms of soundstage alone this combination is not the ideal match for this song as a good soundstage and separation really opens up the dense guitars and rhythm section. This feeling was quite noticeable the first time I switched from the DX200 with AMP1; however, it became less noticeable upon further listening. The small detail of the channel opening up for the bass at 9 seconds in is captured more noticeably and adds to the atmosphere of the song.
Finally, with this combination, there’s a delightful thickness and weight to the driving bass and rhythm; unfortunately, this is slightly (but not badly) achieved at the expense of some of the other aspects of the song, where the harmonies and background music gets slightly overwhelmed.
Also, the bass weight and thickness in this particular song seems to engender a slight muddiness where the bass seems to bleed slightly into the mids. However, I haven’t experienced this on any other songs, so I’ll chalk it up to being one of those rare occurrences.
Conclusion:
Astonishingly small and light in Wizard form; eminently comfortable and wearable for extended periods. For me, memory foam or Monster Foam Supertips provide the best fit, but the Symbio tips I use are not far off in terms of fit and seal and also seem to help open up the soundstage even further and increase airiness.
The Katana for me distinguishes itself by offering TOTL reference sound quality but with what I hear as a sound signature that offers a fairly neutral sound with a gorgeous tinge of naturalness and musicality. There’s a slightly warm and organic quality there, but not at the expense of detail or clarity, which it has in spades.
I should note that I first heard it at CanJam London 2016, and there’s been a marked increase in the number of TOTL IEM offerings since then (including Noble’s own excellent Encore). I’ve heard many of them too.
I’m not a fanboy of any brand (although there’s plenty of brands that I admire for various reasons – Noble Audio included); in all honesty there are certainly IEM’s out there today that can do specific things as well as (or better than) the Katana, especially 18 months later, which can be a long time in the wonderful world of audio!
When it comes to TOTL products, even more so than with other price ranges, you’re obviously going to want to listen in person if at all possible to a range of products and find what fits YOU. If my descriptions of the Katana are ticking your boxes and tantalising your audio taste buds, then I’d unreservedly encourage you to give it a listen and see what you think
For me, the Katana doesn’t dazzle in a specific area (unlike some TOTL offerings, which however, may also exhibit comparative weaknesses in other areas of course too); however, it dazzles me as a complete package.
I think the Katana’s strength for me is that it’s a terrific all-rounder and it has proved a challenge to find any songs that it *doesn’t* sound wonderful with.
Most of us on here are on a never-ending quest to find the equipment that allows the music we love to shine as brightly as we know it can. Simply put, the Noble Katana makes me almost embarrassingly happy when I listen to my music on it.
And that’s ultimately what it’s all about. Time for some more. “Excuse me while I kiss the sky”
I leave you with this brief clip (hopefully it will actually work!).
Noble Audio – because sometimes, only a Katana will do