Effect Audio x Elysian Acoustic Labs Gaea - Discussion & Impression Thread
- Thread starter Rockwell75
- Start date
I've been loving my time with this IEM so far. I will post a more substantial impressions post soon.
So I've spent the last few days getting to know the Effect-Elysian Gaea and it's been one of the most enjoyable experiences I've had with an IEM in a while. I first heard the Gaea at CanJam SoCal and it was such a quick demo I didn't note any specifics beyond that I really liked what I heard and wanted to hear more. I was delighted when almost immediately in the wake of CanJam an opportunity arose to get my hands on a tour unit and I couldn't pass it up. Very grateful to @AnalogandDigital and @JordonEA for helping to coordinate this. Following are some pics from the unboxing of the tour unit last week:
I approached the Gaea with some prior experience of Elysian's IEMs-- I have had extensive demos of the X, Diva and Annihilator (though I've yet to hear the Annihilator extensively under ideal circumstances). All 3 Elysian IEMs are noteworthy for their impeccable treble tuning. It really has to be heard to be believed. Elysian highs are delicate, detailed, nuanced, lush, sweet and have a unique capacity to open up vast sonic vistas within the mind of the listener. The first thing I will say about Gaea is Elysian's characteristic treble majesty is definitely found here. I won't go so far as to say that it attains the lofty heights of the highs on X or Annihilator in terms of refinement or technical capacity...but it's damn good and draws me right in. This is a great entry point into the world of Elysian tuning.
In terms of FR Gaea is definitely a treble and upper mid-focused IEM. Bass is decent with a sub-bass focus-- authoritative when it needs to be, not the most extending, but sufficient and possessed of a decent DD weight and timbre... but it never really commands your attention on its own. This is quite a contrast from something like my Campfire Supermoon, a single planar IEM whose signature is by and large built around bass that reaches to the stygian depths. On the Gaea the bass is the foundation on which the mids & highs can shine. This is not the type of sound signature I typically go for and it's more evidence to me that when t comes to tuning it's less the salient features that are important but how well they are executed and how well they play together. Gaea is a delight to listen to.
If I compared Supermoon and Gaea directly it would look like this:
Supermoon: More coherent (as a single driver), resolution is on the whole a step up but I would say Gaea is more refine and nuanced up top. Supermoon has better extended, better textured and harder hitting bass... Supermoon is an IEM that I think was tuned around the bass as it is the gravitational centre of its sound. Supermoon suffers from some glare in the upper mids from time to time, is source sensitive, and has a timbre that while mostly very good can be a little vibrant and crisp and not the most natural at times.
Gaea: Not quite as technical or resolving on the whole as Supermoon-- but no slouch either. Here the mids & highs are the centre of attention and Gaea is super well refined there-- no glare or metallic-ness to the timbre. Gaea can be just a touch energetic in the upper mids sometimes, but never metallic or sibilant or even shouty really...just a little strident here and there and may be a touch fatiguing for some. Male vocals can lack just a touch of body at times. Female vocals are intoxicating, seductive. Highs are super well refined, nuanced, sweet and a joy to get lost in.
I also had a chance also to compare Gaea to the Elysian Diva. The biggest difference is the bass. Diva has more mid-bass slam and is a warmer more bass dominant IEM than the Gaea whose DD textured bass doesn't grab your attention as much but reaches deeper, has more grip and provides more of a sonic foundation for the delicacy and nuance of Lee's peerless treble tuning to shine.
I sat down and compared the Campfire Supermoon, Elysian/Effect Audio Gaea, Elysian Diva) the other morning over a few different tracks that while by no means comprehensive cover a few major points of my library and tastes. Here are my notes:
Variant Vortexual Element 2 - Tape Session
Supermoon – beautiful top and bottom extension and resolution. Defined by a throbbing centre of bass that you almost try and become one with.
Gaea - This track was where I first fell in love with Gaea. On SM the focus is the bass on Gaea the bass goes from being a centre to being a foundation upon which swirling emotive textures and nuance wrap you up and absorb you. It’s an entirely different sort of experience than with SM even despite SM’s superior overall resolution and extension. Don’t know if I’ve ever heard such subtle emotiveness out of delicate textures in the highs conveyed quite like this before. I bet this would sound amazing with X or Annihilator.
Diva (max bass setting)
You get a piece of both worlds (enveloping bass and textured highs) but the best of neither when compared with SM (bass) and Gaea (highs)…in the case of this track.
Gaea wins this one for me and it's performance here will probably alone justify the purchase.
Morcheeba The Sea
Diva
Vocals are breathy, natural and seductive. The opening of this track was a delight to listen to.
Supermoon
More resolving, bigger stage, more extended…vocals have just a smidge of digital glare and aren’t nearly as seductive as on Diva.
Female vocal afficianados would probably prefer Diva here me I could go either way.
Gaea
Oh this is nice…typical Gaea vs. Diva as I perceive it…bass emphasis is lower down the FR on Gaea and as a result the highs and mids have more room to breathe and display themselves. Compared to Diva the more bodied DD foundation of the bass compensates for the less bass presence overall. Vocals are a little more forward compared to Diva and SM which in this case I really like as they are wet, breathy, natural and seductive. Stage is nicely articulated, guitars sound nice. My favorite rendering of this track of these 3 IEMs.
Dave Brubeck - Three to Get Ready
Supermoon
This is another track that won me over to Supermoon initially. Resolution and coherence is perfect...cymbals sound right to me and decay delicately & softly into nothingness. Snares sound good too. Everything is nicely forward and placed...sax sounds wonderful (I used to play sax for what that's worth) and is nicely "breathy". Piano sounds good but I'm not an expert there or super fixated on piano generally. A win for me here and one of my favorite tracks to listen to.
Gaea
Sounds good but SM's superior resolution, coherence and overall technical chops make it really hard to stand up to here as this is one instance where SM's timbre is spot on.
Sol 1
Diva (max bass)
Nope nope nope-- the extra bass is too much here and sounds bloated and boomy. The is one of the tracks l listened to Diva too originally at CanJam
Diva (mid-bass)
Much better. This is a mid-bass dominant track so Diva is just right here. There is a nice blissful synth line up top in this track that Diva's wonderful treble puts on display beautifully...very nice.
Gaea
Lush is the only way to describe this. Bass emphasis back down low from Gaea but the obvious DD authoritative thump is very helpful. Lush textured beautiful engaging highs. Another win.
Supermoon
Bigger staging, more technical, better bass. More resolving and better extended at both ends but you lose some of the lushness and sweetness of the highs.
To me all 3 of these IEMs do this track well in different and equally enjoyable ways.
Stone Temple Pilots - Crackerman
Supermoon
I picked this track because Struggles with it depending on source. I can definitely hear the "metallic glare" at times and SM is borderline sibilant here. Not ideal but it doesn't cross the line into making me want to hit skip. This song didn't sound good through SM on DX170 and isn't that great on SR25ii if there is any ambient noise cancelling out the bass and thus enhancing the upper end.
Gaea
Bass is better on SM...but timbre & tonal balance from the mids up is better here. Still a touch of glare & sibilants (as it's inherent in the recording) but less noticeable than on SM.
Sultans of Swing
Supermoon
Resolving, spacious, natural, coherent, transparent. Technically superb. Bass is subby yet disciplined natural and well-articulated. SM is my current “reference” for this track. It sounds like a full size planar headphone.
Gaea
VS. SM Bass less present, not as well extended, vocals less bodied…perhaps just a hair breadth more nasal than normal. Bass lacks just that last touch of grip, grunt and extension to be fully satisfying to me. Guitars are very nice…sound stage is not as well articulated. Cymbals are more prominent and have more nuance….typical Lee treble magic.
Diva (middle bass setting)
Vocals are wetter than Gaea…bass has a little more mid-bassy oomph, which suits this particular song. Sound on the whole is a little warmer more full bodied than Gaea. Because of the extra mid-bass emphasis compared to Gaea the treble doesn’t stand out as much.
Max bass setting.
On this track a more satisfying listen than on the mid-bass setting but it lacks the full on transparency & technicality of SM and the beautiful nuance in the treble of the Gaea.
Coming back to SM from Diva…stage is wider & a little deeper I think. Bass extension & body is back. Sub-bass present and midbass has sufficient oomph. Vocals are more forward in the mix…less “nasal” vocals that are a little “huskier” if not as wet as they are in Diva. Treble is nice clear, smooth and resolving though not as refined and nuanced as on Gaea. I think ultimately for music that is mid bass or lower mid centred Gaea might not be the best option.
Conclusion
I've been craving an IEM with great treble for a while and the Effect-Elysian Gaea fits the bill nicely. It's got a well balanced, engaging and energetic sound that is both airy, open and lush up top while being grounded on a solid foundation of bass. One week in and I've decided to order my own set.
I approached the Gaea with some prior experience of Elysian's IEMs-- I have had extensive demos of the X, Diva and Annihilator (though I've yet to hear the Annihilator extensively under ideal circumstances). All 3 Elysian IEMs are noteworthy for their impeccable treble tuning. It really has to be heard to be believed. Elysian highs are delicate, detailed, nuanced, lush, sweet and have a unique capacity to open up vast sonic vistas within the mind of the listener. The first thing I will say about Gaea is Elysian's characteristic treble majesty is definitely found here. I won't go so far as to say that it attains the lofty heights of the highs on X or Annihilator in terms of refinement or technical capacity...but it's damn good and draws me right in. This is a great entry point into the world of Elysian tuning.
In terms of FR Gaea is definitely a treble and upper mid-focused IEM. Bass is decent with a sub-bass focus-- authoritative when it needs to be, not the most extending, but sufficient and possessed of a decent DD weight and timbre... but it never really commands your attention on its own. This is quite a contrast from something like my Campfire Supermoon, a single planar IEM whose signature is by and large built around bass that reaches to the stygian depths. On the Gaea the bass is the foundation on which the mids & highs can shine. This is not the type of sound signature I typically go for and it's more evidence to me that when t comes to tuning it's less the salient features that are important but how well they are executed and how well they play together. Gaea is a delight to listen to.
If I compared Supermoon and Gaea directly it would look like this:
Supermoon: More coherent (as a single driver), resolution is on the whole a step up but I would say Gaea is more refine and nuanced up top. Supermoon has better extended, better textured and harder hitting bass... Supermoon is an IEM that I think was tuned around the bass as it is the gravitational centre of its sound. Supermoon suffers from some glare in the upper mids from time to time, is source sensitive, and has a timbre that while mostly very good can be a little vibrant and crisp and not the most natural at times.
Gaea: Not quite as technical or resolving on the whole as Supermoon-- but no slouch either. Here the mids & highs are the centre of attention and Gaea is super well refined there-- no glare or metallic-ness to the timbre. Gaea can be just a touch energetic in the upper mids sometimes, but never metallic or sibilant or even shouty really...just a little strident here and there and may be a touch fatiguing for some. Male vocals can lack just a touch of body at times. Female vocals are intoxicating, seductive. Highs are super well refined, nuanced, sweet and a joy to get lost in.
I also had a chance also to compare Gaea to the Elysian Diva. The biggest difference is the bass. Diva has more mid-bass slam and is a warmer more bass dominant IEM than the Gaea whose DD textured bass doesn't grab your attention as much but reaches deeper, has more grip and provides more of a sonic foundation for the delicacy and nuance of Lee's peerless treble tuning to shine.
I sat down and compared the Campfire Supermoon, Elysian/Effect Audio Gaea, Elysian Diva) the other morning over a few different tracks that while by no means comprehensive cover a few major points of my library and tastes. Here are my notes:
Variant Vortexual Element 2 - Tape Session
Supermoon – beautiful top and bottom extension and resolution. Defined by a throbbing centre of bass that you almost try and become one with.
Gaea - This track was where I first fell in love with Gaea. On SM the focus is the bass on Gaea the bass goes from being a centre to being a foundation upon which swirling emotive textures and nuance wrap you up and absorb you. It’s an entirely different sort of experience than with SM even despite SM’s superior overall resolution and extension. Don’t know if I’ve ever heard such subtle emotiveness out of delicate textures in the highs conveyed quite like this before. I bet this would sound amazing with X or Annihilator.
Diva (max bass setting)
You get a piece of both worlds (enveloping bass and textured highs) but the best of neither when compared with SM (bass) and Gaea (highs)…in the case of this track.
Gaea wins this one for me and it's performance here will probably alone justify the purchase.
Morcheeba The Sea
Diva
Vocals are breathy, natural and seductive. The opening of this track was a delight to listen to.
Supermoon
More resolving, bigger stage, more extended…vocals have just a smidge of digital glare and aren’t nearly as seductive as on Diva.
Female vocal afficianados would probably prefer Diva here me I could go either way.
Gaea
Oh this is nice…typical Gaea vs. Diva as I perceive it…bass emphasis is lower down the FR on Gaea and as a result the highs and mids have more room to breathe and display themselves. Compared to Diva the more bodied DD foundation of the bass compensates for the less bass presence overall. Vocals are a little more forward compared to Diva and SM which in this case I really like as they are wet, breathy, natural and seductive. Stage is nicely articulated, guitars sound nice. My favorite rendering of this track of these 3 IEMs.
Dave Brubeck - Three to Get Ready
Supermoon
This is another track that won me over to Supermoon initially. Resolution and coherence is perfect...cymbals sound right to me and decay delicately & softly into nothingness. Snares sound good too. Everything is nicely forward and placed...sax sounds wonderful (I used to play sax for what that's worth) and is nicely "breathy". Piano sounds good but I'm not an expert there or super fixated on piano generally. A win for me here and one of my favorite tracks to listen to.
Gaea
Sounds good but SM's superior resolution, coherence and overall technical chops make it really hard to stand up to here as this is one instance where SM's timbre is spot on.
Sol 1
Diva (max bass)
Nope nope nope-- the extra bass is too much here and sounds bloated and boomy. The is one of the tracks l listened to Diva too originally at CanJam
Diva (mid-bass)
Much better. This is a mid-bass dominant track so Diva is just right here. There is a nice blissful synth line up top in this track that Diva's wonderful treble puts on display beautifully...very nice.
Gaea
Lush is the only way to describe this. Bass emphasis back down low from Gaea but the obvious DD authoritative thump is very helpful. Lush textured beautiful engaging highs. Another win.
Supermoon
Bigger staging, more technical, better bass. More resolving and better extended at both ends but you lose some of the lushness and sweetness of the highs.
To me all 3 of these IEMs do this track well in different and equally enjoyable ways.
Stone Temple Pilots - Crackerman
Supermoon
I picked this track because Struggles with it depending on source. I can definitely hear the "metallic glare" at times and SM is borderline sibilant here. Not ideal but it doesn't cross the line into making me want to hit skip. This song didn't sound good through SM on DX170 and isn't that great on SR25ii if there is any ambient noise cancelling out the bass and thus enhancing the upper end.
Gaea
Bass is better on SM...but timbre & tonal balance from the mids up is better here. Still a touch of glare & sibilants (as it's inherent in the recording) but less noticeable than on SM.
Sultans of Swing
Supermoon
Resolving, spacious, natural, coherent, transparent. Technically superb. Bass is subby yet disciplined natural and well-articulated. SM is my current “reference” for this track. It sounds like a full size planar headphone.
Gaea
VS. SM Bass less present, not as well extended, vocals less bodied…perhaps just a hair breadth more nasal than normal. Bass lacks just that last touch of grip, grunt and extension to be fully satisfying to me. Guitars are very nice…sound stage is not as well articulated. Cymbals are more prominent and have more nuance….typical Lee treble magic.
Diva (middle bass setting)
Vocals are wetter than Gaea…bass has a little more mid-bassy oomph, which suits this particular song. Sound on the whole is a little warmer more full bodied than Gaea. Because of the extra mid-bass emphasis compared to Gaea the treble doesn’t stand out as much.
Max bass setting.
On this track a more satisfying listen than on the mid-bass setting but it lacks the full on transparency & technicality of SM and the beautiful nuance in the treble of the Gaea.
Coming back to SM from Diva…stage is wider & a little deeper I think. Bass extension & body is back. Sub-bass present and midbass has sufficient oomph. Vocals are more forward in the mix…less “nasal” vocals that are a little “huskier” if not as wet as they are in Diva. Treble is nice clear, smooth and resolving though not as refined and nuanced as on Gaea. I think ultimately for music that is mid bass or lower mid centred Gaea might not be the best option.
Conclusion
I've been craving an IEM with great treble for a while and the Effect-Elysian Gaea fits the bill nicely. It's got a well balanced, engaging and energetic sound that is both airy, open and lush up top while being grounded on a solid foundation of bass. One week in and I've decided to order my own set.
So I've spent the last few days getting to know the Effect-Elysian Gaea and it's been one of the most enjoyable experiences I've had with an IEM in a while. I first heard the Gaea at CanJam SoCal and it was such a quick demo I didn't note any specifics beyond that I really liked what I heard and wanted to hear more. I was delighted when almost immediately in the wake of CanJam an opportunity arose to get my hands on a tour unit and I couldn't pass it up. Very grateful to @AnalogandDigital and @JordonEA for helping to coordinate this. Following are some pics from the unboxing of the tour unit last week:
I approached the Gaea with some prior experience of Elysian's IEMs-- I have had extensive demos of the X, Diva and Annihilator (though I've yet to hear the Annihilator extensively under ideal circumstances). All 3 Elysian IEMs are noteworthy for their impeccable treble tuning. It really has to be heard to be believed. Elysian highs are delicate, detailed, nuanced, lush, sweet and have a unique capacity to open up vast sonic vistas within the mind of the listener. The first thing I will say about Gaea is Elysian's characteristic treble majesty is definitely found here. I won't go so far as to say that it attains the lofty heights of the highs on X or Annihilator in terms of refinement or technical capacity...but it's damn good and draws me right in. This is a great entry point into the world of Elysian tuning.
In terms of FR Gaea is definitely a treble and upper mid-focused IEM. Bass is decent with a sub-bass focus-- authoritative when it needs to be, not the most extending, but sufficient and possessed of a decent DD weight and timbre... but it never really commands your attention on its own. This is quite a contrast from something like my Campfire Supermoon, a single planar IEM whose signature is by and large built around bass that reaches to the stygian depths. On the Gaea the bass is the foundation on which the mids & highs can shine. This is not the type of sound signature I typically go for and it's more evidence to me that when t comes to tuning it's less the salient features that are important but how well they are executed and how well they play together. Gaea is a delight to listen to.
If I compared Supermoon and Gaea directly it would look like this:
Supermoon: More coherent (as a single driver), resolution is on the whole a step up but I would say Gaea is more refine and nuanced up top. Supermoon has better extended, better textured and harder hitting bass... Supermoon is an IEM that I think was tuned around the bass as it is the gravitational centre of its sound. Supermoon suffers from some glare in the upper mids from time to time, is source sensitive, and has a timbre that while mostly very good can be a little vibrant and crisp and not the most natural at times.
Gaea: Not quite as technical or resolving on the whole as Supermoon-- but no slouch either. Here the mids & highs are the centre of attention and Gaea is super well refined there-- no glare or metallic-ness to the timbre. Gaea can be just a touch energetic in the upper mids sometimes, but never metallic or sibilant or even shouty really...just a little strident here and there and may be a touch fatiguing for some. Male vocals can lack just a touch of body at times. Female vocals are intoxicating, seductive. Highs are super well refined, nuanced, sweet and a joy to get lost in.
I also had a chance also to compare Gaea to the Elysian Diva. The biggest difference is the bass. Diva has more mid-bass slam and is a warmer more bass dominant IEM than the Gaea whose DD textured bass doesn't grab your attention as much but reaches deeper, has more grip and provides more of a sonic foundation for the delicacy and nuance of Lee's peerless treble tuning to shine.
I sat down and compared the Campfire Supermoon, Elysian/Effect Audio Gaea, Elysian Diva) the other morning over a few different tracks that while by no means comprehensive cover a few major points of my library and tastes. Here are my notes:
Variant Vortexual Element 2 - Tape Session
Supermoon – beautiful top and bottom extension and resolution. Defined by a throbbing centre of bass that you almost try and become one with.
Gaea - This track was where I first fell in love with Gaea. On SM the focus is the bass on Gaea the bass goes from being a centre to being a foundation upon which swirling emotive textures and nuance wrap you up and absorb you. It’s an entirely different sort of experience than with SM even despite SM’s superior overall resolution and extension. Don’t know if I’ve ever heard such subtle emotiveness out of delicate textures in the highs conveyed quite like this before. I bet this would sound amazing with X or Annihilator.
Diva (max bass setting)
You get a piece of both worlds (enveloping bass and textured highs) but the best of neither when compared with SM (bass) and Gaea (highs)…in the case of this track.
Gaea wins this one for me and it's performance here will probably alone justify the purchase.
Morcheeba The Sea
Diva
Vocals are breathy, natural and seductive. The opening of this track was a delight to listen to.
Supermoon
More resolving, bigger stage, more extended…vocals have just a smidge of digital glare and aren’t nearly as seductive as on Diva.
Female vocal afficianados would probably prefer Diva here me I could go either way.
Gaea
Oh this is nice…typical Gaea vs. Diva as I perceive it…bass emphasis is lower down the FR on Gaea and as a result the highs and mids have more room to breathe and display themselves. Compared to Diva the more bodied DD foundation of the bass compensates for the less bass presence overall. Vocals are a little more forward compared to Diva and SM which in this case I really like as they are wet, breathy, natural and seductive. Stage is nicely articulated, guitars sound nice. My favorite rendering of this track of these 3 IEMs.
Dave Brubeck - Three to Get Ready
Supermoon
This is another track that won me over to Supermoon initially. Resolution and coherence is perfect...cymbals sound right to me and decay delicately & softly into nothingness. Snares sound good too. Everything is nicely forward and placed...sax sounds wonderful (I used to play sax for what that's worth) and is nicely "breathy". Piano sounds good but I'm not an expert there or super fixated on piano generally. A win for me here and one of my favorite tracks to listen to.
Gaea
Sounds good but SM's superior resolution, coherence and overall technical chops make it really hard to stand up to here as this is one instance where SM's timbre is spot on.
Sol 1
Diva (max bass)
Nope nope nope-- the extra bass is too much here and sounds bloated and boomy. The is one of the tracks l listened to Diva too originally at CanJam
Diva (mid-bass)
Much better. This is a mid-bass dominant track so Diva is just right here. There is a nice blissful synth line up top in this track that Diva's wonderful treble puts on display beautifully...very nice.
Gaea
Lush is the only way to describe this. Bass emphasis back down low from Gaea but the obvious DD authoritative thump is very helpful. Lush textured beautiful engaging highs. Another win.
Supermoon
Bigger staging, more technical, better bass. More resolving and better extended at both ends but you lose some of the lushness and sweetness of the highs.
To me all 3 of these IEMs do this track well in different and equally enjoyable ways.
Stone Temple Pilots - Crackerman
Supermoon
I picked this track because Struggles with it depending on source. I can definitely hear the "metallic glare" at times and SM is borderline sibilant here. Not ideal but it doesn't cross the line into making me want to hit skip. This song didn't sound good through SM on DX170 and isn't that great on SR25ii if there is any ambient noise cancelling out the bass and thus enhancing the upper end.
Gaea
Bass is better on SM...but timbre & tonal balance from the mids up is better here. Still a touch of glare & sibilants (as it's inherent in the recording) but less noticeable than on SM.
Sultans of Swing
Supermoon
Resolving, spacious, natural, coherent, transparent. Technically superb. Bass is subby yet disciplined natural and well-articulated. SM is my current “reference” for this track. It sounds like a full size planar headphone.
Gaea
VS. SM Bass less present, not as well extended, vocals less bodied…perhaps just a hair breadth more nasal than normal. Bass lacks just that last touch of grip, grunt and extension to be fully satisfying to me. Guitars are very nice…sound stage is not as well articulated. Cymbals are more prominent and have more nuance….typical Lee treble magic.
Diva (middle bass setting)
Vocals are wetter than Gaea…bass has a little more mid-bassy oomph, which suits this particular song. Sound on the whole is a little warmer more full bodied than Gaea. Because of the extra mid-bass emphasis compared to Gaea the treble doesn’t stand out as much.
Max bass setting.
On this track a more satisfying listen than on the mid-bass setting but it lacks the full on transparency & technicality of SM and the beautiful nuance in the treble of the Gaea.
Coming back to SM from Diva…stage is wider & a little deeper I think. Bass extension & body is back. Sub-bass present and midbass has sufficient oomph. Vocals are more forward in the mix…less “nasal” vocals that are a little “huskier” if not as wet as they are in Diva. Treble is nice clear, smooth and resolving though not as refined and nuanced as on Gaea. I think ultimately for music that is mid bass or lower mid centred Gaea might not be the best option.
Conclusion
I've been craving an IEM with great treble for a while and the Effect-Elysian Gaea fits the bill nicely. It's got a well balanced, engaging and energetic sound that is both airy, open and lush up top while being grounded on a solid foundation of bass. One week in and I've decided to order my own set.
Great review.
Can’t decide SM or GAEA T-T
They're totally different. Supermoon is a bass centred IEM and Gaea is a mids & treble centred IEM. Gaea has more of what could be described as an "Eastern" tuning but the sheer quality of the treble tuning negates a lot of it for me. For my tastes Supermoon is more of an "all rounder" but when it hits Gaea is a unique experience and hard to beat.
Thanks x100 for your detailed impressions and comparisons. When you said that SM has better detail than Gaea, do you mean across the whole frequency? Or Gaea has better detail at least at treble side, which is the highlught of that set.
The Supermoon is a planar and is on the whole more resolving-- but I don't think this is quite the same thing as detail. More resolution means more definition-- like a picture where all the distinct layers or lines of sound come individually clearer into view. It certainly correlates with more detail but I'm not prepared to say the terms detail and resolution can be used interchangeably as "detail" to me refers specifically to very subtle and delicate parts of the sound.
All of that said yes I find Supermoon more resolving on the whole but Gaea is better defined and more detailed in the highs.
.
Masters of bass, mids and treble
In my audio life at various times I've thought of myself as a bass guy, a bass & treble guy, as a mids guy, as a mid-bass guy, as a mids & bass guy, a "western" tuning guy...only to time and time again come across something that in theory shouldn't be something I would be into but which nonetheless manages to win me over on its own terms. The JVC HA-FW10000 springs to mind here, as does the Vision Ears Elysium and the Dunu Zen Pro. I would now also put the Effect Audio-Elysian Gaea into this category. The Gaea is an IEM that on paper shouldn't be something I would be into-- it's tuned around the treble and not the bass or mids, the tuning has pronounced upper mids as per what is commonly thought of as "Eastern" tuning, and the bass is just ok compared to much of what I usually gravitate to...but I'll be damned if this IEM doesn't totally hit the spot for me. Due probably to market preference on the whole in the west treble centric tuning is not very common in my experience, and truly exemplary treble is even less common. I have realized that until now I have always had an unconscious bias against treble-- thinking it somehow lesser and ultimately subservient to bass & mids, that it is merely flourish. I have thus far not really entertained seriously the idea that an IEM could be effectively tuned around treble in the same way it could be tuned around bass or mids. It's taken me a few demos of various IEMs but I think I finally now get the groove and beauty of Lee's tuning. I'm not claiming Gaea is the best, it just happened to be the IEM that made it all come together for me. Listening to Gaea the bass is definitely in the background and its like I'm taking in the signature peering through the highs as it were. As such the upper registers are the most vivid and resolved area of Gaea's signature. In the past I've found tuning like this to be unnatural, fatiguing and weird (the Cayin Fantasy is an example of an utter failure here) but in this case there is such delicacy, nuance and sweetness to the highs that you get a sort of effortless transparency that preserves the wholeness of the sound and, say, I don't find myself detecting a lack in bass even though it's way in the back. I'm still very much in the honeymoon phase and I am by no means claiming these IEMs are perfect but... if you'll forgive the cheese they've given me the joy found in experiencing that which I've loved for a long time in a new and inspiring ways and in the process facilitating a new dimension of audible intimacy.
In my audio life at various times I've thought of myself as a bass guy, a bass & treble guy, as a mids guy, as a mid-bass guy, as a mids & bass guy, a "western" tuning guy...only to time and time again come across something that in theory shouldn't be something I would be into but which nonetheless manages to win me over on its own terms. The JVC HA-FW10000 springs to mind here, as does the Vision Ears Elysium and the Dunu Zen Pro. I would now also put the Effect Audio-Elysian Gaea into this category. The Gaea is an IEM that on paper shouldn't be something I would be into-- it's tuned around the treble and not the bass or mids, the tuning has pronounced upper mids as per what is commonly thought of as "Eastern" tuning, and the bass is just ok compared to much of what I usually gravitate to...but I'll be damned if this IEM doesn't totally hit the spot for me. Due probably to market preference on the whole in the west treble centric tuning is not very common in my experience, and truly exemplary treble is even less common. I have realized that until now I have always had an unconscious bias against treble-- thinking it somehow lesser and ultimately subservient to bass & mids, that it is merely flourish. I have thus far not really entertained seriously the idea that an IEM could be effectively tuned around treble in the same way it could be tuned around bass or mids. It's taken me a few demos of various IEMs but I think I finally now get the groove and beauty of Lee's tuning. I'm not claiming Gaea is the best, it just happened to be the IEM that made it all come together for me. Listening to Gaea the bass is definitely in the background and its like I'm taking in the signature peering through the highs as it were. As such the upper registers are the most vivid and resolved area of Gaea's signature. In the past I've found tuning like this to be unnatural, fatiguing and weird (the Cayin Fantasy is an example of an utter failure here) but in this case there is such delicacy, nuance and sweetness to the highs that you get a sort of effortless transparency that preserves the wholeness of the sound and, say, I don't find myself detecting a lack in bass even though it's way in the back. I'm still very much in the honeymoon phase and I am by no means claiming these IEMs are perfect but... if you'll forgive the cheese they've given me the joy found in experiencing that which I've loved for a long time in a new and inspiring ways and in the process facilitating a new dimension of audible intimacy.
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Thank you Rockwell75 for the input, it reminds me when Lee and me work on the sounding and pairing of Gaea, now happy to see it is well received.Masters of bass, mids and treble
In my audio life at various times I've thought of myself as a bass guy, a bass & treble guy, as a mids guy, as a mid-bass guy, as a mids & bass guy, a "western" tuning guy...only to time and time again come across something that in theory shouldn't be something I would be into but which nonetheless manages to win me over on its own terms. The JVC HA-FW10000 springs to mind here, as does the Vision Ears Elysium and the Dunu Zen Pro. I would now also put the Effect Audio-Elysian Gaea into this category. The Gaea is an IEM that on paper shouldn't be something I would be into-- it's tuned around the treble and not the bass or mids, the tuning has pronounced upper mids as per what is commonly thought of as "Eastern" tuning, and the bass is just ok compared to much of what I usually gravitate to...but I'll be damned if this IEM doesn't totally hit the spot for me. Due probably to market preference on the whole in the west treble centric tuning is not very common in my experience, and truly exemplary treble is even less common. I have realized that until now I have always had an unconscious bias against treble-- thinking it somehow lesser and ultimately subservient to bass & mids, that it is merely flourish. I have thus far not really entertained seriously the idea that an IEM could be effectively tuned around treble in the same way it could be tuned around bass or mids. It's taken me a few demos of various IEMs but I think I finally now get the groove and beauty of Lee's tuning. I'm not claiming Gaea is the best, it just happened to be the IEM that made it all come together for me. Listening to Gaea the bass is definitely in the background and its like I'm taking in the signature peering through the highs as it were. As such the upper registers are the most vivid and resolved area of Gaea's signature. In the past I've found tuning like this to be unnatural, fatiguing and weird (the Cayin Fantasy is an example of an utter failure here) but in this case there is such delicacy, nuance and sweetness to the highs that you get a sort of effortless transparency that preserves the wholeness of the sound and, say, I don't find myself detecting a lack in bass even though it's way in the back. I'm still very much in the honeymoon phase and I am by no means claiming these IEMs are perfect but... if you'll forgive the cheese they've given me the joy found in experiencing that which I've loved for a long time in a new and inspiring ways and in the process facilitating a new dimension of audible intimacy.
Suyang
@Rockwell75
How would you compare the Gaea along with some of the 'flagship TOTL' that you've owned or heard?
How would you compare the Gaea along with some of the 'flagship TOTL' that you've owned or heard?
Hurray! Excited to see an official thread here on Head-Fi. The GAEA was one of my highlights from CanJam SoCal.
sjssusma
New Head-Fier
I'm super excited for my pair to come not only do I love the look the sound actually is great for an iem at this price point.
The biggest showdown on in that dept will be with my Elysian Annihilator that should arrive early next week. The Gaea is something of a baby Annihilator and as such that is where you'd find the most natural comparison at the TOTL level. Regarding TOTL in general the reality is that once you get to the summit what you find are areas of high specialization. IEMs at the $3K and above level often have as their selling feature some area of speciality that distinguishes them from the rest of the market. What this means is that the further you climb up the summit of IEMs the more specialized their appeal becomes-- IEMs that are "worth the cost" for some are not for others who happen to not be as interested in their particular area of specialty. Regarding the Gaea on the one hand I can't imagine it luring people away from their favorite summit fi IEMs. It's not what I'd call a "giant killer" generally as you can find many IEMs at the TOTL level that best it in various ways on their own terms. Gaea can't compete with the timbre of the Traillii, the masterful reference sound of the Jewel, the imaging of the Mentor, the bombastic yet highly technical insanity of the Xe6, for example. That said Gaea is a very uniquely appealing IEM and one that I have not stopped listening to in the weeks I've had it despite having many TOTL sets cross my path in that time. In my opinion Lee of Elysian might be the one true IEM tuning savant out there right now. The Gaea, based on its FR on paper should not appeal to me as much as it does...but the tuning is so masterful that I find it utterly compelling to listen to day after day.
In other news I'm sending a tour unit down to the US either today or Monday-- interested parties who haven't already should see the tour thread and sign up:
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/wat...ails-see-second-post-for-active-tours.960012/
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