Noble Audio Viking Ragnar

Noble Audio Ragnar does not need any introduction. It has been one of the most revered iems in recent times. It’s really great to see Noble Audio pushing their boundaries, with each and every release. I have a Kublai Khan with me, and I am in absolute love with the Kublai. One of my dear friends acquired a Ragnar few months ago, and I happened to demo the unit multiple times in the last month. I will be sharing my views on Ragnar, and I hope they will resonate with those of many other reviews.

Specs:

2 x Dynamic Drivers for Lows
2 x Balanced Armatures for Midrange
2 x Balanced Armatures for Treble
4 x Electrostatics


Fit:

Ragnar, like many other Noble Audio IEMs, has a big shell, but it has a very good and comfortable fit. A couple of my friends mentioned that they have issues with the fitting of Kublai Khan. Kublai Khan fits very well, and since it is a very lightweight monitor, I absolutely have no issues with it either. Similarly, the Ragnar, even if the size is on the larger side, has a light weight and fits well. Also, the tip rolling becomes handy if you find a tip that helps you with a decent insertion, Ragnar will fit really well. Ragnar has a wide nozzle, and a tip with a long stem and wide bore sits really well on it. It's funny to note that in the winter, the aluminum shell is too cold sometimes.

Also worth mentioning is the cable that comes with Ragnar. It is much better than the one that comes with Kublai Khan and many other high end IEMs. The stock cable on Jewel is just meh. I am sure most of the people owning the Jewel do not use it's stock cable. I also tried a couple of different IEMs with the Ragnar's stock cable and found it to be really good in terms of sound. Not that it adds a lot to the overall quality of sound, but you will not consider discarding it either. A well-done job, Noble Audio.


Sound:

All the sound impressions are based on the different listening sessions I had on the following set-ups:

1. Lotoo Paw Gold Touch + Ragnar on stock cable
2. Lotoo Paw Gold Touch + Ragnar on stock cable + Aroma A100tb
3. Lotoo Paw Gold Touch + Ragnar on PWAudio First Times + Aroma A100tb
4. Earmen Angel as DacAmp + Aroma A100tb
5. Sony WM1ZM2 + A&K PA10 + Ragnar on PWAudio First Times (with Shielding)

I will talk about all these combinations later. First, let's try to understand what the general characteristics of Ragnar are.

Those who have demoed or owned Ragnar already know that there are only a very few IEM‘s that come close to Ragnar in terms of technicality, detailing, resolutions, and imaging. Ragnar is a real beast when it comes to detailing. Every thing, every sound, comes out quite clear and distinct. I think this is the biggest prowess of these IEMs; it's something you will notice as soon as you have put them in your ears. You can hear new things in the music, or something that may sound muted on other iems would come to life with Ragnar. It has such a spacious sound stage - wide and tall - it will leave you stunned. Also, the sound is very analytical in the sense that it does not add any color and produces sound as the tracks intend it to. These few characteristics make Ragnar really different from the others in this sense. It has its own character, and it sticks to it. Ragnar does not pretend to be a musical or fun-sounding iem rather, it has it's own type of potential.


Highs:

In my opinion, Ragnar has very impressive highs. I have found that if the EST drivers are properly tuned and implemented, the IEM will have impressively high frequencies. To me, Ragnar is a true treble monster with superb extension and airiness. If for someone the highs are sharp, tip rolling comes really handy to tame the treble, if at all required. I did not find any treble spike or any harshness as such. I am treble sensitive and do not tolerate brightness in the iems, but Rangnar did not bother me at all. I think this is more because of the set up that I was listening the Ragnar on. Also, the stock cable adds a bit or two to the brightness of the IEMs. I think if you give enough power (read a good source) to Ragnar, the upper frequencies become cleaner and more detailed, and there should be no issues as such. The high frequency becomes more enjoyable with a better chain.

Lows:

The lows in Ragnar are lean by my standards, and a lot of people find them the same way. If two dynamic drivers cannot produce enough bass, then what can? With a lean bass and an airy, detailed sound, sometimes Ragnar may come across as a thin or sharp-sounding IEM. If your source (DAP) has a very normal amp section, you will certainly not enjoy Ragnar a lot. I found that if enough power is given to the Ragnar, the lows get some weight and there is enough kick in the lower end, which makes the Ragnar much more enjoyable. Also, throwing a good cable as FTs or 1950s adds to it's tonal weight, and the bass response gets better. The sound is more open with a good cable.

Mids:

With such great resolution and detailing, the mids have to be amazing. The wide and tall soundstage and great imaging help the instruments play very separately, and everything sounds really sweet. I find the mids to be positioned exactly where they should be - not far behind and not too much in the front. The vocals are crisp and sharp. You will feel intimate with the singers, as if they are singing softly in your ears with all the voices directed towards you. On the stock cable, it may not sound as full as many would like it to, but the better the source you have, the more the mids shine. All in all, there is nothing to complain about here.


Comparisons:

To be fair, Ragnar has a distinct characteristic that I do not find fit to compare to other IEMs. But just for the sake of it, I would say that in terms of resolving capabilities, I think it is better than the XE6 and Radon6. Jewel is definitely better at resolution than Ragnar. If given a full-blown chain, Ragnar comes quite close to the Jewel but does not surpass it. Ragnar may have done better on the highs, as the extension is superb. In terms of soundstage, Rangnar has better depth and height and has a three dimensional character, which the XE6 and Radon6 do not have or are lacking in. Both the FiR Audio iems have better bass (default), and Ragnar never reaches the surreal level of bass from XE6 and Radon6. In my opinion, Radon6 probably has the best bass on any iem.



About different sources:

To me, the best chain for Ragnar is - Lotoo Paw Gold Touch + Ragnar on PWAudio First Times + Aroma A100tb. I am very sure there are only a very few chains with a better or equally great sound than this. The LPGT replaced with the Sony WM1ZM2 is equally good-sounding, if not better. Both of these DAPs are on par when it comes to resolution capability. The First Times with Shielding takes Ragnar to another level by opening up the sound, giving it a fuller midrange, and adding to the overall dynamics. There is a better sense of staging with this cable. No wonder it is one of the best cables on the market. The Aroma A100TB amp is a beast, and it gave a new life to Ragnar. It adds a lot to the overall dynamics and tonal weight. The bass response became really amazing, and who says the bass on Ragnar is lean. The overall bass response of this amp is much better than the A&K PA10.

I have an interesting story to share. This unit, which I borrowed for auditions from my friend, was put on sale. He might have used it for nearly 6-7 months, and he was somehow not enjoying the iem a lot on his chain (Sony WM1ZM2 + A&K PA10 + Ragnar on PWAudio First Times (with Shielding)). One evening, I sent him my Aroma A100tb, and things changed. He was so happy with what the amp had done to Ragnar's sound. He was so thankful that I saved him from selling off the unit and saving time for further exploration. I am sure it will take a lot of effort and auditioning if someone wants to go for the next IEM after Ragnar, and there aren't many IEMs. If you have used Ragnar on a good setup, consider yourself spoilt.

I am not sure why some users drive the Ragnar with a dongle. Dongles do not have enough power and resolution to work well with Ragnar. It's just undermining the immense capability of the iem.



Conclusion:

Noble Audio Ragnar is not everyone's cup of tea. I feel that the makers made such a technical and capable IEM with intention. You have to be sure if you want to get one or not. To all who consider owning it: please make sure to audition it well. Also, it's very important to know that Ragnar needs a proper chain - a good source, an amp (may be), and a good cable - and then you will not consider anything else for a long time. Ragnar is an IEM with infinite capability, and as a listener, you have to make sure that you get the best of it. There has to be absolutely no weak link in the chain, because that would really put Ragnar in the back seat. Contrary to some views, I do not find Rangnar to be cold and thin. I have enjoyed my time with it a lot.

Before starting, I would like to publicly thank Andrew of MusicTeck always particularly kind and helpful, for giving me the opportunity to listen to the Noble Audio Viking Ragnar.
https://shop.musicteck.com/collections/noble.


A few words about the name....
Ragnar Lodbrok, according to legend, was recognized as a Viking hero and a Swedish and Danish king. According to the story, Ragnar was notable for many raids and innumerable raids on the British Isles and the Holy Roman Empire in the 9th century. According to a saga, Ragnar's father was a legendary Swedish king named Sigurd Ring

Let's move on to the technical data of the Noble Audio Viking Ragnar:

10 drivers (DD+BA+Electrostatic) divided into:

2 x Dynamic Drivers

2 x Midrange Balanced Armatures

2 x Treble Balanced Armatures

4 x Electrostatics

Frequency: 20Hz – 40KHz

Resistance: 17 ohms

Sensitivity: 1KHz 112dB

Crossovers: 4-way



Cable:

4.4mm Magnus cable constructed from Graphene, monocristalline silver, and copper silver alloy. Twisted conductors 1.064

The internal parts of the Viking Ragnar are the same as those of the Viking, thus giving the listener the opportunity to "experience" the sound of the Viking. Even the shape of the shell remains the same, even if the beautiful damask is missing (which also raises the price), but from an aesthetic point of view it is a great "observing". The cable is a 4-strand Magnus that includes monocristalline litz silver, copper-silver alloy, and graphene. Terminated with 4.4.mm Pentaconn.

Ragnar is presented in its "classic" black top case with NOBLE writing in white. Inside the case we find a small metal plate with the Viking Ragnar logo. A bag with various types of tips of different colors, sizes and construction of materials. Two black elastic bands with white “Noble” lettering and magnetic black leather case for storing the IEM and cable.

The Ragnar (unlike the Viking) does not have a completely damask metal body, so it is not as visually impactful, but overall, it is a little lighter. Very particular dark gray and black color design. Also nice to the touch. Inside we find a total of 10 housed drivers divided as already mentioned in the specifications. Personally, I found the fit good. I would say perfect, but this is a factor that remains purely subjective and linked to the conformation of the ear canal of each of us.

But I go straight to the sound: Ragnar's presentation is truly of immense aural impact. As soon as mass is literally "WOW" without ifs and buts. The synergy with LPGT seemed to me excellent even if I was afraid (initially) that such a neutral source with a slightly radiographic IEM might not be an optimal combination. But it was not so. Indeed, I must add that already after about fifty hours of listening, the sound became more full-bodied and the clarity gave way to a much more homogeneous context and, if I may venture, even more balanced. And in any case after almost 100 hours the sound continues to change, becoming slightly more mellow, more addicted. I've read somewhere that Ragnar has a bit of a colorful sound……I'd say Ragnar sounds like an exact copy of what you're hearing. Like a photograph. Whatever it may be. In the first listening session I must say that going from Ragnar to Fir Audio XE6 and vice versa, it took me a few minutes to RE-adapt to a certainly different musical typology. Then the pleasantness of Ragnar or XE6 logically remains a very subjective thing but the differences are quite marked. In Ragnar overall there is a truly record-breaking recovery of details and micro-details. In some passages that I know quite well, I have caught notes of the same instruments never heard with other iems. So much so that I went back and listened to it again to understand if what I was hearing was true or the result of psycho acoustics. The funny thing is that listening to the low range, I have to say that the two DDS do a great job, but as the song progresses, we tend to forget all this because the absolute star of the listening is the high and mid-high range. I am very sorry to have sold my LP6 Ti, because I have the clear impression that it could have been a perfect marriage with Ragnar.



TECHNIQUE and SOUND:

Ragnar goes a little out of the common ordinary. In common with Traillii (for example) it has a very large soundstage both in depth and width but the representation of this is different. Overall Ragnar plays many more technicalities and many more tools. The separation of the instruments in my opinion is at a very high-level level and sharpness. Then… unlike Traillii, he conveys everything in a less harmonious and persuasive way, because it's not in Ragnar's character. Even if he does everything with such quality. On some songs I heard notes and details never heard before.


TIMBRE:

Traillii, Isabellae and XE6 are 360° warmer almost everywhere in the sound spectrum, while Ragnar is light years ahead of these 3 iems in the high mids and highs. Even compared to Jewel it is abundantly sharper and with excellent separation between instruments. As well as on vocals, although I have to say that Jewel on vocals (both male and female) has more quality. It seems that Ragnar compared to anything else, sounds almost unnatural, but it's not like that. It's just and definitely different. There is an objective datum where one can quibble: it is the response of the treble that appears to be intensified compared to all the rest.

BASS:

I find the Ragnar bass to be very deep and very controlled. So much (sometimes) that it doesn't seem like a DD. He doesn't have any bleeding. It has space around it, but everything is always very well circumscribed. In metal tracks, where the bass speed is sometimes truly remarkable, Ragnar still manages to always maintain excellent separation and even more a great ability to maintain details. Compared to XE6 it has less thud (and I like it a lot for this too), and maintains that sense of airiness, breath and clarity that other iems lack with a deeper bass, articulated but never so sharp or clear. Although overall with metal music the choice between XE6 and Ragnar becomes a subjective thing, with electronic music that Ragnar is better than XE6 is quite evident. On the low range it is one of the most incisive sets I've heard. Perhaps for my taste one of the basses that combine depth, impact and very clear ends, without smudges.





MEDIUM:

Lean, dynamic, fast, open, qualitatively luxurious and detailed. Its midrange is neutral in the truest sense of the word. It never loses its sense of musicality (not like Traillii of course), but as detailed and lustrous as it is one would expect it to be even slightly above bearable, but it isn't at all. It often happens that even if you know a track well, you can pick up musical details whose existence was completely ignored before. In their entirety they have a fairly sweet texture. It seems that the voices (both male and female) are shifted slightly forward, making them more impactful, without ever transcending into digitality. However, they sound three-dimensional and every note of the stringed instruments can be perceived beyond all imagination and above the reproduction of any other IEM. Technically I think they are the best on the current market.



HIGH:

It is Ragnar's characteristic. In stringed instruments, you really can hear anything and everything. Perhaps slightly clear overall, but quality and body act as a counter altar. Technically I've never really heard anything like this. Everything seems to be perfect, maybe even too much. There is a lot of air and space overall and between the top notes. The high end is beyond any doubt the part that polarizes all of Ragnar's sound. In pieces of the pop or classic jazz genre, the notes, although very detailed, never lead to the most absolute brilliance. Also, in this Ragnar knows how to give an open and clear high range but also soft when the piece requires it. In metal songs it is never harsh, hard, or excessively present. Perhaps it is in the songs that are not perfectly recorded ... there it is a bit like a photograph and if necessary, it can be a bit shrill. I don't find (as someone mentioned) that it has a slightly cold tuning…but maybe it's just a matter of getting used to, because you have to get used to the sound of the Ragnar as I think it has a high range perhaps never heard in this mode, before this iem. A fusion of perfection, detail, technique but of the highest quality.



COMPARISON : Jewel/Ragnar and Traillii/Ragnar


JEWEL vs. RAGNAR:

I'm going from memory…having heard in the same session, Jewel, Ragnar and XE6. Jewel and Ragnar are two IEMs if we want to put it that way, with a neutral, technical, fast sound. I found the mid range of Jewel more melodious, compact, certainly more beautiful. Overall, bottom, top, and technically, I much preferred the Ragnar. The quality of 80% of Ragnar's 360° sound, but made her preferred, without the slightest doubt. Jewel (albeit neutral) has a more soulful sound than Ragnar which is however much more technical than Jewel. In the low range Jewel has a more powerful thud, but Ragnar has a bass that never overflows and is always very precise and restrained. Jewel in the high range certainly remains more intimate than the
slenderness, breadth and audacity of Ragnar. Ultimately, I believe there is no absolute best between Jewel and Ragnar. I believe that even in their similarities, the difference is made by the personal listening pleasure. And here I can go too far in saying that I like Ragnar infinitely more than Jewel.





TRAILLI vs RAGNAR:

Here in some ways, the differences are amplified. If Jewel and Ragnar have similarities, it's not exactly the same here. Overall Traillii is certainly a handyman compared to Ragnar, and has a much more relaxed, sweet, harmonious, persuasive sound. Traillii doesn't have Ragnar's technique or "wow", but has a more mellow, romantic sound. It is different precisely in the strict sense of sound setting. Ragnar with electronics is excellent. Traillii is like an armchair in front of a fireplace with a fire lit on a cold and overcast day. And you wouldn't trade it for anything or for any reason. Ragnar is an intense, sparkling, lively sunny day. Let's say that they compensate almost completely. And that's why I keep them both, I think for a long time yet. Even though……between Ragnar and Jewel as I said, I chose Ragnar without the slightest doubt, between Ragnar and Traillii, not only is it not easy to choose, but if I really had to stay with one, I would probably choose Traillii. You listen to it for hours and hours and it is always very pleasant. Ragnar is more beautiful and satisfying (in my very personal opinion) than Traillii, but it certainly implies a more demanding, more attentive, more quirky listening. Luckily, I don't have to choose and so I keep both. And, depending on what and how I want to listen to, I have a very valid alternation. I just have one doubt……I read somewhere that technically Storm is better than Ragnar. I haven't listened to Storm, but personally I find it hard to think of anything even more technical than Ragnar. I hate to think what could be better Storm than Ragnar in this respect. I hope to listen to Storm and clear my doubts.



For now (for me) Ragnar is number one.

Hello all,

New to head-fi forums here and wanted to come and post some impressions of my most recent IEM trial/purchase, the Noble Audio Viking Ragnar. The trial and sale was all done via Musicteck and the help of Andrew which, as most here know, is always helpful and there to supply great customer service. You can check out the Viking Ragnar other Noble Audio products at https://shop.musicteck.com/collections/noble. I can be a bit wordy at times so sorry if I ramble or drag on at any point.

With intros out of the way, I want to briefly go into my gear and preferences, especially what I was looking for in my newest IEM to be added to my collection.



Gear:

My current gear for IEMs includes the Empire Ears Odin, Unique Melody Mest Indigo (and now a Viking Ragnar). For sources I have an Astell&Kern SP3000 and a Shanling H7. I want to also include the pair ups and tips/cables used here for everyone to be able to make exact comparisons if they wish as well. The Odins are attached to my SP3000 via an Effect Audio Horus+Cleopatra 8 Wire with Final Audio Type E Medium tips and the Indigos are attached to the Shanling H7 via an EA Cleopatra II Octa with Spinfit W1 Medium tips. For all comparisons done to the Ragnar below, these are the combinations used while the Ragnar was used with the SP3000, it's stock Magnus cable (4 wire OCC Silver and Graphene) and Azla Crystal SS size tips. It is worth noting here, I absolutely did not enjoy the Viking Ragnar paired with the Shanling H7, the SP3000 feels like a perfect match for it since the soundstage is stronger, the bass goes deeper and does not have the same vocal boost/focus as the H7 which takes away from the Ragnars strengths.

All music was streamed via Qobuz and my listening ranges from Rock, Alt Rock, Classical Rock (Zeppelin and the like), Metal, Metalcore and more within the same genre areas with light amounts of Rap or other genres speckled in. A few specific songs will be referenced in the sound description/comparison as they are my "reference" tracks for specific areas of the FR I look at.




Preferences and expectations:

As for my preferences and what I was looking for in the Ragnars, I like my bass to be relatively controlled and not bleed through to the rest of the frequency range (Empire Ears are a bit notorious for this, and the Odins don't escape the fact) while my mids are detailed but never shouty and I have an extremely high tolerance for treble and thus often like my treble quite spicy and piercing. With the addition of the Ragnars I was looking for a very detailed, more analytical leaning IEM that would really be able to pull every last detail out of music and they delivered on every front, but more in depth to follow.

I'll start with the obvious, the look, build and fit of the Viking Ragnars.

The aesthetics of the Ragnar are striking compared to most other IEMs, they aren't overstated or exaggerated but have a distinct look and feel (the Damascus steel is slightly textured and has a nice "matte" like gloss). The shells are aluminum and quite thick feeling but are still light and comfortable and will get warm but, personally, never got TOO warm or uncomfortable in the ear where I felt the need to remove them.

I have fairly small ears/canals and, while the Ragnar have a relatively deep insertion (very similar to the Indigos, but without the UM twist on filters which often poke even through tips) they never became irritating and were not pushed out (something I experience regularly with the Odins, it's a fight between getting a good seal or having bass attenuated to death by improper seal). The shell fits perfectly in my ear, very similar to the indigo shape and fit, with almost no protrusion when fully/properly inserted. With the Azla Crystal SS tips they did take a mild bit of twisting to get in, but once in, they stayed and were comfortable as long as you don't push too far, a common problem for me with the Azla tips since they are wide bore, is they can sometimes expose a bit of the IEM nozzle if pushed too far without a proper twisting motion.



Sound and Technicals:

I'll start with the most apparent and what some may find to be a downside based on their preferences/expectations in the IEM they want. The Ragnars have a VERY wide and deep soundstage that is extremely transparent and airy. The ability to pinpoint every sound/instrument/singer in the stage is absolutely there beyond any of the other IEMs I've heard (to include Trailii, Jewel, UM Universe). The thing that really surprised me here is the Ragnar's ability to take even HEAVILY crowded tracks and separate them so they felt open, airy and detailed. My reference point for this is usually Confession by Wovenwar and We Are One by White Chapel. Both songs, despite being very crowded and having lots of bass going at once, felt like completely new songs with the Ragnar; minute details buried previously (Yes, even on the Odins, the Indigos faired slightly closer due to their BCD) were present in all the space injected between the drums and bassist.



Transients:
The Ragnar bullseyes everything here, alongside the Indigo, but still edges the Indigos out, ever so slightly. Compared to the Odins, it wins more handedly, mostly because a lot of transient strength of the Odin is buried beneath the aforementioned bass bleed and, typically, the shouty mids. However I solved that thanks to the Horus+Cleopatra cable (also purchased with the help of Andrew and Musicteck, so thanks again there).

The sound profile overall of the Viking Ragnar is extremely detailed while leaning heavily toward the analytical, cold and SLIGHTLY thin side (this thinness greatly decreases as you become accustomed to them and not other bass-ier IEMs/sources). It is important to note in the rest of this impression that this is EXACTLY what I was looking/hoping for from the Ragnars.

Timbre:

The Odin being warmer in the mids and a bit less realistic in the treble than the Ragnar. While the Indigo (w/ CleoII/H7) have a very natural and analog timbre all the way through. My one test here especially for lower treble/upper mids is Libertine (Abbey Road Version) by Architects. At approximately 1:50 there are a series of piano strikes which, with the Indigos, sound like you're right in the room with the piano, the Ragnar had the same quality timbre but it was further back due to the soundstage expansion. The Odins with this test can sound SLIGHTLY unnatural in comparison to the Indigo and Ragnar.

Bass:

The bass is very well controlled, fast, and present when it needs to be in terms of rumble and oomph, but as soon as it doesn't need to be there, it's gone, which is absolutely perfect for me. It's still detailed and has a good sense of air due to being a double dynamic driver IEM but they will absolutely never bleed any of that bass into the mids/upper mids or treble, or even sub bass to mid bass for that matter - everything is precisely where it should be and never outside that area. Even on the above mentioned tracks I use for congestion testing/passing with a lot of bass, I never felt like I was missing any bass or thump/rumble to the music. One of my favorite songs, Immigrant Song by Led Zeppelin was particularly amazing with the Ragnar.

Compared to the Indigo the bass can feel a little flatter at times, but this is one of the Indigos heavy strengths due to the BCD and it's also not something I'd deduct from the Ragnar (because, as mentioned, not looking for a bass cannon). Detail retrieval was similar, but slightly easier to discern on the Ragnar due to the air/width of the soundstage in comparison.

The Odins obviously have more rumble and thump than the Ragnar due to their dual W9+ but they also suffer massive bleed through which can often make them feel crowded and overly close to the stage as a result. The Horus+Cleo once again helps a LOT here for the Odin. When comparing to the Ragnar with the stock stormbreaker there is a stark contrast and it really makes the Odin feel like a bit overwhelming. There's a time and a place for the Odin and its bass, but there is absolutely no overlap between the two in this region of the FR. It'll all come down to listening preference/what your current mood is.



Mids:

The Ragnars mids are very detailed, but due to the wide soundstage as well as the airy, forward, extended treble, can sit a little further back than some may prefer. The good news here though is, since the bass is so well controlled and tight, the mids don't suffer a loss in quality or quantity and are able to be fully articulated. Worth noting, they do not suffer with female vocals at all, no siblance or other even with the highest of pitched singers I tested (tried with The Pretty Reckless, Elyose, Icon for Hire, etc.).

I'll start by comparing to the Odins, as they are usually the front runner for most people in the Mid department of ToTL IEMs that aren't all BA based. I don't necessarily prefer one over the other here when using the Horus+Cleo on the Odin, but with stormbreaker and the absolutely intollerable echo/reverb that is present on the odins with that cable, the Ragnar win hands down. With the Horus+Cleo the Odins Mids are fuller and sweeter sounding while also being closer to you, for me the singer is placed slightly infront of you with the band in a holographic but fairly intimate stage. The Ragnars place you infront of the singer with the band all behind them but spread across a vast plain in every axis, as a result, the mids are a bit further back and colder in tonality but still extremely detailed, absolutely nothing is lost to the void that is present between. The void statement feels like an exaggeration, but the more I look back at A/B comparisons, it really is that dark/open and a stark contrast to the Odin.

The UM Mest Indigo with the H7 are a bit more forward in their mid presentation though never shouty like the Odin w/ stormbreaker, again, greatly assisted by the use of the non-stock cable. When compared to the Ragnar the Indigos mids are fairly similar but lacking the depth/detail of the Ragnar. The Ragnars Mids are able to let you hear absolutely every little guitar pick, slide on a violin or other tiny nuance you might have missed with other IEMs.



Treble/Highs:

The Ragnars home and kingdom, as far as I'm concerned. It does everything perfectly here, my one and only complaint is I didn't get some of the pierce I was able to achieve with the Odin and Indigo but afterwards I quickly realized this was a tip difference, which is worth noting. The Ragnar is one of those IEMs that are very sensitive to tip rolling, so if you have a penchant for a more tamed treble, you can use your typical Final Audio Type E or others to control it. In my tests they definitely took away some of the spice that I personally loved from them.

The Treble on the Ragnar is so well extended, airy and detailed. Symbols ting and reverb as they should, popping out of the black and fading back in. Another test track for me in the treble region is Rumination by The Dead Rabbitts, from about 40 seconds to 1 minute there is a series of xylophone strikes deep in the background that, with the Ragnar, are so much clearer and noticable than on the Odin (again, the bass covers them a bit, an on-going problem for the Odins as you may notice). The Odin also doesn't keep the clarity or reverb as they fade into the black as long due to the treble roll-off. The Indigo fairs a lot better in this test vs the Ragnar than the Odins, but still has a bit of roll-off that gives a clear win to the Ragnar.

Overall/Closing:

The Ragnar are technical/treble monsters, which anyone looking for a "closer to reference" sound while still maintaining insane levels of detail and soundstage width/depth, will want to obtain. The initial listen/comparison of the Ragnar was hard to get past, I'll admit, they sounded cold, thin and dead. But once you start hearing all those details come through and you acclimate to their tuning, you realize it's all there, just a little further or "misplaced" than your used to due to the stage. They quickly found a place in my collection and are unlikely to ever leave it as they bring something completely new/different to the table for me. They're a blend of the Indigos and their very balanced signature but nice treble and BCD detail (minus the BCD, obviously) while also taking the Odins technical prowess and none of it's weaknesses.

I hope this helps anyone here who may be on the fence with the Ragnar as they might feel it's "too similar" to the EE Odin, but I assure you, they are entirely complimentary and you'll reach for one over the other depending on mood/music you want that day or evening.

PS: I really want to try the XLR8 with these, Noble Audio, if you're reading let me know

Thanks for reading. Don't forget to check out the Ragnar and other Noble products at https://shop.musicteck.com/collections/noble.