[twister6]

He defo has his own preferences and bias, but is probably the only guy who keeps a current list so he's an easy resource. A lot of us don't do lists bcos of lack of access, and bcos it's tiring lol.

Speaking of which it's kinda telling that from the original 17 in Nic's list, only 2 are still current flagships, while the rest have moved on to newer and blingier TOTLs. It's freaking hard to stay current unless you have a ton of money or stay in HK/Singapore/Japan with easy access.

Yes, but how can you maintain a list and keep it updated with every new release when you have to go by memory (or just collected FR measurements) since you only get a chance to hear something briefly in the store. It's not an easy task, and I know Crin (@crinacle ) puts a lot of work into that. I was thinking at one point about it awhile back, but the thought of constantly re-evaluating a growing list with every new release and going back to update the scores since it becomes outdated every few months just gave me an anxiety I remember 3 years ago when I contributed a few write ups on THL, including Andromeda, Ken asked me where will Andro fit in joker's Top IEM list. That list had years worth of monitors with some which have been discontinued long time ago, would have been impossible to fit in a new addition.

 

[Rockwell75]

Well I'm after something a little warm with good bass. Nothing too fatiguing

Z1R!

 

[ezekiel77]

What do folks here think of the Z1R? I picked one up about a week ago and it's become my favorite thing ever.

Other than a treble that can get hot sometimes, everything else has been near perfect.

Yes, but how can you maintain a list and keep it updated with every new release when you have to go by memory (or just collected FR measurements) since you only get a chance to hear something briefly in the store. It's not an easy task, and I know Crin (@crinacle ) puts a lot of work into that. I was thinking at one point about it awhile back, but the thought of constantly re-evaluating a growing list with every new release and going back to update the scores since it becomes outdated every few months just gave me an anxiety I remember 3 years ago when I contributed a few write ups on THL, including Andromeda, Ken asked me where will Andro fit in joker's Top IEM list. That list had years worth of monitors with some which have been discontinued long time ago, would have been impossible to fit in a new addition.

Exactly. Maintaining a list opens you up to so much scrutiny, you'd spend more time defending your decisions than actually get some work done. I wouldn't dream of making one either, since I change tastes more often than my underwear.

 

[491326]

I change tastes more often than my underwear.

When I was testing cables today, my taste changed depending on the music, the previous cable, what other people around me were saying, the number of people that were in the room at the time, the language they were speaking, etc. Goddamn this crap subjective.

And now, I'm still kind of torn between the two cables I ended up choosing between. I chose one but now I keep thinking about the other one.

 

[crinacle]

Maintaining a list opens you up to so much scrutiny, you'd spend more time defending your decisions than actually get some work done.

It does help to have a 13-point disclaimer section that people don't seem to read

 

[491326]

Ok good to know, nah no special requests for me but thanks for asking, i will just wait for your impressions and may be pictures ! And if you find something interesting around the cost of the agni then i will check it out.

I posted some impressions of 5 cables i tried today. Bear in mind the impressions for the cheaper copper cables are very early first impressions cause I didn't spend so much time with them. OC Studio's Orpheus 5.5 was a surprise for me, so was the Hansound Zentoo.

As for cables to compare to the Agni, I was torn between the Agni and the OC Studio AuX.

The AuX is warm, and a little veiled sounding compared to the Agni but its subbass is earthshattering. I had a bass heavy song playing while the iems were off and when I put them on I was genuinely taken aback (in a good way). It sounded like how the bass response sounded the first time I listened to the A12t with bassy music, with huge rumble that would rattle my neck. It's drawbacks is its general warmth and slightly vague and soft imaging. It has clearer treble than the copper cables I tried (except the Montana) but it doesn't reach the level of pure silver cables (Agni, Cleopatra).

The Agni is transparent, revealing plenty of timbral detail. Its spatial positioning is clearer than the AuX though a little unnatural in the center image (pretty much everything is). Though it is very detailed and clear, it is very smooth, unlike some inferior silver cables. It still has ample low end, though nowhere near as much as the AuX. I like to consider it a baby EA Cleopatra that is also more balanced and mid focused overall. The Cleo is a little sharper in the treble and a little thicker in the midbass/lowermids. It's still superior in its timbral detail, which is what I think makes the Cleo special.

I also tried the OC Montana, which is a large gauge copper cable that sounds a little bit like an in between of the AuX and Agni. Not quite as bassy as the AuX, not quite as transparent as the Agni. It has very natural spatial presentation.

 

[491326]

It does help to have a 13-point disclaimer section that people don't seem to read

me: reads first point
also me:


In all seriousness, I have read it but I already forgot everything

 

[deafdoorknob]

I posted some impressions of 5 cables i tried today. Bear in mind the impressions for the cheaper copper cables are very early first impressions cause I didn't spend so much time with them. OC Studio's Orpheus 5.5 was a surprise for me, so was the Hansound Zentoo.

As for cables to compare to the Agni, I was torn between the Agni and the OC Studio AuX.

The AuX is warm, and a little veiled sounding compared to the Agni but its subbass is earthshattering. I had a bass heavy song playing while the iems were off and when I put them on I was genuinely taken aback (in a good way). It sounded like how the bass response sounded the first time I listened to the A12t with bassy music, with huge rumble that would rattle my neck. It's drawbacks is its general warmth and slightly vague and soft imaging. It has clearer treble than the copper cables I tried (except the Montana) but it doesn't reach the level of pure silver cables (Agni, Cleopatra).

The Agni is transparent, revealing plenty of timbral detail. Its spatial positioning is clearer than the AuX though a little unnatural in the center image (pretty much everything is). Though it is very detailed and clear, it is very smooth, unlike some inferior silver cables. It still has ample low end, though nowhere near as much as the AuX. I like to consider it a baby EA Cleopatra that is also more balanced and mid focused overall. The Cleo is a little sharper in the treble and a little thicker in the midbass/lowermids. It's still superior in its timbral detail, which is what I think makes the Cleo special.

I also tried the OC Montana, which is a large gauge copper cable that sounds a little bit like an in between of the AuX and Agni. Not quite as bassy as the AuX, not quite as transparent as the Agni. It has very natural spatial presentation.

ergonomically, did you find the Montana worse than EA’s plus series or 8 wire cables, during my brief audition i was too taken by the SQ to care but i could see it potentially problematic over time or on the go...

 

[twister6]

It does help to have a 13-point disclaimer section that people don't seem to read

I just read it, except I counted a total of 14 Would be cool to see you do a joint podcast with Chris/HBB or something like that one day

 

[crinacle]

I just read it, except I counted a total of 14 Would be cool to see you do a joint podcast with Chris/HBB or something like that one day

Ah shoot, I wanted to see more people fall for that trap.

I actually did a podcast with lachlanlikesathing that was posted a month ago, I'm sure you can find it with a quick YouTube search.

 

[kingdixon]

I posted some impressions of 5 cables i tried today. Bear in mind the impressions for the cheaper copper cables are very early first impressions cause I didn't spend so much time with them. OC Studio's Orpheus 5.5 was a surprise for me, so was the Hansound Zentoo.

As for cables to compare to the Agni, I was torn between the Agni and the OC Studio AuX.

The AuX is warm, and a little veiled sounding compared to the Agni but its subbass is earthshattering. I had a bass heavy song playing while the iems were off and when I put them on I was genuinely taken aback (in a good way). It sounded like how the bass response sounded the first time I listened to the A12t with bassy music, with huge rumble that would rattle my neck. It's drawbacks is its general warmth and slightly vague and soft imaging. It has clearer treble than the copper cables I tried (except the Montana) but it doesn't reach the level of pure silver cables (Agni, Cleopatra).

The Agni is transparent, revealing plenty of timbral detail. Its spatial positioning is clearer than the AuX though a little unnatural in the center image (pretty much everything is). Though it is very detailed and clear, it is very smooth, unlike some inferior silver cables. It still has ample low end, though nowhere near as much as the AuX. I like to consider it a baby EA Cleopatra that is also more balanced and mid focused overall. The Cleo is a little sharper in the treble and a little thicker in the midbass/lowermids. It's still superior in its timbral detail, which is what I think makes the Cleo special.

I also tried the OC Montana, which is a large gauge copper cable that sounds a little bit like an in between of the AuX and Agni. Not quite as bassy as the AuX, not quite as transparent as the Agni. It has very natural spatial presentation.

Yup, great impressions !

I keep reading it over and over and each cable has some powerful area, it would be great to mix and match but i think the agni would be the safer and better choice or at least that should have best synergy with varying iems from warm to slightly bright as it seems smoother than other silver cables and doesnt thin or bright the sound too much, in contrary i think the aux might be an overkill for warmer iems from the impressions i read .. alot of reading got me tending towards the agni right now, unless i want to try more cheaper options like pw no.5 + ares or zen 4, but for best synergy i think the agni would be it.

How much the agni set you back ? Also i think the zentoo not available anywhere online, how much was it ?

Also i just read about redcore seems nice but it is sleeved like the montana, did you try it before ?

I started thinking of a cable under 200$ budget and now reading reviews for 450$ and 500$ and seems that accepting these prices is slowly sneaking to my head, and its slipping out of hands.

I will keep reading any reviews or impressions i find, but i think agni is very nice.

Hope your enjoying it !

 

[491326]

Ah shoot, I wanted to see more people fall for that trap.

me: falls for trap
also me:

ergonomically, did you find the Montana worse than EA’s plus series or 8 wire cables, during my brief audition i was too taken by the SQ to care but i could see it potentially problematic over time or on the go...

I'm not familiar with how EA's 8 wires feel. the tops of my ears happen to be quite sensitive, but ergonomically, I found the Montana to be a generally positive experience. It's soft due to the cloth covering so it's more comfortable than my 8 wire plussound, which is a thicc mofo. It doesn't exhibit to much memory and I was surprised to find how little mechanical noise it caused. However, the unit I tried was quite stiff and one of the cables kept falling over my ear. The weight also started messing with my iem fit when I stood up to do my standing/walking ergonomics test.

tldr it's comfortable but a little too heavy and stiff for my liking.

Yup, great impressions !

I keep reading it over and over and each cable has some powerful area, it would be great to mix and match but i think the agni would be the safer and better choice or at least that should have best synergy with varying iems from warm to slightly bright as it seems smoother than other silver cables and doesnt thin or bright the sound too much, in contrary i think the aux might be an overkill for warmer iems from the impressions i read .. alot of reading got me tending towards the agni right now, unless i want to try more cheaper options like pw no.5 + ares or zen 4, but for best synergy i think the agni would be it.

How much the agni set you back ? Also i think the zentoo not available anywhere online, how much was it ?

Also i just read about redcore seems nice but it is sleeved like the montana, did you try it before ?

I started thinking of a cable under 200$ budget and now reading reviews for 450$ and 500$ and seems that accepting these prices is slowly sneaking to my head, and its slipping out of hands.

I will keep reading any reviews or impressions i find, but i think agni is very nice.

Hope your enjoying it !

Thanks! I definitely enjoy trying new gear!

the Agni set me back 273~274 USD. I ordered it with a 4.4mm jack which did increase the price. I forget the price of the Zentoo but I believe it was around half the price of the Agni.

If I were to consider a cheaper copper cable instead of the Agni, I'd actually look towards the OC studio Orpheus mk5.5. It was the best of the entry level copper cables imo. It was transparent, with great spatial positioning for its price, a nice black background.

I haven't tried the redcore but it does look interesting.

lol, don't stretch your budget too much unless you have cash to spare. you'll eventually find yourself spending $1000+ on vibranium coated unobtainium cables

 

[SeeSax]

What do folks here think of the Z1R? I picked one up about a week ago and it's become my favorite thing ever.

Z1R is off the charts awesome for me. Tuning is damn near perfect, sound stage is huge and expansive and fit (while heavy and massive) is decent enough. I hate that it has MMCX because all of my cables are 2-pin, but that's Sony's preference. I love this IEM. The Labkable Pandora cable has taken it to new heights in transparency, soundstage and overall natural timber. Agree with you on the favorite thing ever.



-Collin-

 

[junix]

I thought we agreed to hype the Fourté Noir this week..

Jokes aside, the Z1R is quite nice, tried it in store for 30ish minutes, so a bit noisy environment, huge soundstage and tuned to my liking, Definitely to check out if you're in the market for new IEMs.
It is officially on my "don't buy it, you don't need it, wait, what did just happen" list.

 

[491326]

I thought we agreed to hype the Fourté Noir this week..

Jokes aside, the Z1R is quite nice, tried it in store for 30ish minutes, so a bit noisy environment, huge soundstage and tuned to my liking, Definitely to check out if you're in the market for new IEMs.
It is officially on my "don't buy it, you don't need it, wait, what did just happen" list.

senpai your wallet is moving on its own