[DavidS11]

It is the exact same cable Fir Audio and 64a the owners are brothers so they made me a nice cable I really like it. This cable was build on my request to be the exact replica as the noir stock in fact its a replica lol it is the same cable !
I also asked to use the same solder! And spc ofc type... I didn't want to lose a single bite of performance.


I think all 64a iems should be packed with tia noir stock cable 8wires and 90° 4.4 balanced

It’s great u found something u are really happy with, buddy. Enjoy!

 

[Titienne]

I'm not a cable fanatic myself, but agree the stock cable that comes with the U12t/Nio is junk. Might sound fine, but is hard, wiry and cheaply made. Couldn't agree more about ergonomics and fit, both are almost as important as sound when it comes to IEMs, headphones and cables. If it doesn't feel good , wear comfortably and look good, I'll be far less inclined to use it, and when you're paying top dollar for something (like 64 Audio IEMs) you expect top dollar. The one caveat, I suppose, is that their heritage is custom IEMs for pros, and pros tend to care less about ergonomics as they do practical, hard wearing, reliably performing equipment.

As for the quote above, I have to say the Premium silver cable is one of the softest, best looking cables I've seen. It's an absolute pleasure to use, well made, zero microphonics and impossible to twist or tangle. And it sounds great. Compared to the stock cable it's not even on the same planet. (Haven't used or seen the Noir Premium cable though).

To be honest, you can get IEM cables from reputable DIYers that are much better quality for a lot cheaper than what 64audio and other cable companies are charging. I don't believe in sound differences between cables, so I'm basing my statements only on what I know : feel. Custom cables just feel infinitely better than what 64audio is offering and that's the most important. No matter how good a cable "sounds" (and, I don't believe in cables), it should be very soft and thin (at least, for people wearing glasses), while being free of microphonics and shouldn't tangle easily.

 

[gLer]

To be honest, you can get IEM cables from reputable DIYers that are much better quality for a lot cheaper than what 64audio and other cable companies are charging. I don't believe in sound differences between cables, so I'm basing my statements only on what I know : feel. Custom cables just feel infinitely better than what 64audio is offering and that's the most important. No matter how good a cable "sounds" (and, I don't believe in cables), it should be very soft and thin (at least, for people wearing glasses), while being free of microphonics and shouldn't tangle easily.

I never used to believe in cables affecting sound either...until I got into high-end IEMs. I can definitely tell a difference in sound in some parts of the FR with the silver premium cable compared to the Forza Audioworks hybrid cable (a great cable by the way, and less than half the price of the 64 Audio cable, albeit not as luxurious feeling or good looking). And I could tell a difference between the Forza and a well-made pure copper cable from IMR.

That said, the differences are very minor, quite subtle, and it really depends on what you're listening for. Also some cables work better with some IEMs over others. It's all about synergy at the end of the day.

I definitely wouldn't pay $300 for an IEM cable, let alone the $500 they want for the silver premium, so getting it for free is just a bonus. Then again $2K is already the hard limit of what I'd spend on an IEM - and I never thought I'd ever spend even that much - but ever since I first heard the U12t and now the Nio, I know for sure the 64A IEMs in that price bracket are worth their price, so I'm happy.

 

[Titienne]

I definitely wouldn't pay $300 for an IEM cable, let alone the $500 they want for the silver premium, so getting it for free is just a bonus. Then again $2K is already the hard limit of what I'd spend on an IEM

I guess you're right. We all have our limits and that's OK. It's all about "how far do you want to pay to get that small % increase".

Some people might be able to tell the difference, and that's good for them, but even if I could, I wouldn't go higher than $150-200 for a cable. The small difference in sound just isn't worth more than that to me. I'd rather put that money into funding another IEM completely than just get a piece of wire hehe. Good thing we have choices and options!

 

[GiullianSN]

I like the simplicity of the stock cable. But I don't like the memory form the cable have. It tagles too much and as it is hard it gets microphonic.

 

[Vitaly2017]

I get no microphonics and no comfort issues... I use the ear loop memory wires and also the cliper.
It holds thanks to all this option in my ears super comfortable and very sturdy. I listen for 5 hours a session few times a week and this helps me a tone!

 

[pacman46]

Awesome. I watch his reviews all the time great guy and tells it as it is. Sometimes I don’t know how he reviews something so quick. Lol some people can I guys. I’m not a reviewer by all means but I have been in this game a very long time and have had many TOTL IEMS and it takes me at least a few days to get the signature. Sometimes they sound great right off the bat but become not so great in time. And some that don’t sound so great over time really loved. That’s just me though maybe I’m just old lol great channel though!!

 

[pacman46]

Awesome. I watch his reviews all the time great guy and tells it as it is. Sometimes I don’t know how he reviews something so quick. Lol some people can I guys. I’m not a reviewer by all means but I have been in this game a very long time and have had many TOTL IEMS and it takes me at least a few days to get the signature. Sometimes they sound great right off the bat but become not so great in time. And some that don’t sound so great over time really loved. That’s just me though maybe I’m just old lol great channel though!!

I would really like it if he would review some fitear stuff!!

 

[gLer]

Awesome. I watch his reviews all the time great guy and tells it as it is. Sometimes I don’t know how he reviews something so quick. Lol some people can I guys. I’m not a reviewer by all means but I have been in this game a very long time and have had many TOTL IEMS and it takes me at least a few days to get the signature. Sometimes they sound great right off the bat but become not so great in time. And some that don’t sound so great over time really loved. That’s just me though maybe I’m just old lol great channel though!!

To me this was more like a 'first impressions' review. No mention of cables, no mention of burn-in, no mention of how the different modules affect the bass, no mention of tips used. (I know BGGAR doesn't believe in any of that stuff but still).

I'll just say this, I had a listen to my Nio earlier after it's been burning in untouched for 108 hours. Not always a 'believer' but I can unequivocally say (and clearly desbribe) the subtle but very audible differences in certain FR now and since the first few days I got them and tested them.

I'll be back later with more thorough impressions, but for now, just a comment that I think this review, while decent, is also undercooked.

 

[CL14715]

The only thing I take from his review is that he did not crap all over them like most things. Which confirms to me that they will be widely regarded.

 

[GiullianSN]

The only thing I take from his review is that he did not crap all over them like most things. Which confirms to me that they will be widely regarded.

Maybe he is trying to get a few of his viewers back?

 

[CL14715]

Maybe he is trying to get a few of his viewers back?

I’d agree if I hadn’t heard the Nio myself. I don’t care for his content at all though.

 

[dleblanc343]

I got my Nio’s yesterday, and put in about 4 hours of listening.

Off the bat, I was a bit worried I wouldn’t like these based on measurements and overall first reports on its smoother treble, but after some brain adjustment and just pure musical enjoyment, I can say without a doubt that these are fantastic iem’s. My favorite from 64 Audio tonally actually.

Bass is definitely at the forefront, and boosted significantly compared to neutral with m15 and m20 modules, whereas with MX it nearly sounds like a different iem, which caught me off guard. MX really makes it sound like a monitor, and very similar to U12T but with better bass texture and timbre, but less airy and extended higher registers.

My favorite iem is the KSE1500, and I wanted a complimentary sound to it, and this fits the bill perfectly. So perfect that it’ll probably get most ear time going forward.

I can safely say it outshines these iem’s I’ve owned (solaris, IER-M9, Andro S), and personally beats some of the best universals I’ve tried (U12T, VX and Z1R) for its versatility. The treble is what I’d consider its “weakness” as there is shelving, but the resolution and detail is not sacrificed, it’s just not in your face.

Honestly, I am quite easily fatigued by energetic but etched treble in iem’s, and Nio makes for a very very enjoyable listen, with tons of character, and just a slight compromise in tuning (not a traditional hi-fi tuning, like what Sony did with Z1R), but for the better. Of all the iem’s mentioned, it sounds like a mix of U12t and Z1R, with less raw treble resolve, bass more similar to z1r with m15/20, otherwise very reminiscent of U12T with MX, but with superior bass. The flexibility of tuning is pretty sweet. I need to get the Fir MO now, as it seems to bridge the gap between MX/ M15, and sounds like my near ideal.

 

[rantng]

Sounds like a byproduct of Nio sales will be an increase in atom module sales for Fir Audio. I prefer this kind of (slight) tuning over the switches and swappable filters.

 

[Rockwell75]

I got my Nio’s yesterday, and put in about 4 hours of listening.

Off the bat, I was a bit worried I wouldn’t like these based on measurements and overall first reports on its smoother treble, but after some brain adjustment and just pure musical enjoyment, I can say without a doubt that these are fantastic iem’s. My favorite from 64 Audio tonally actually.

Bass is definitely at the forefront, and boosted significantly compared to neutral with m15 and m20 modules, whereas with MX it nearly sounds like a different iem, which caught me off guard. MX really makes it sound like a monitor, and very similar to U12T but with better bass texture and timbre, but less airy and extended higher registers.

My favorite iem is the KSE1500, and I wanted a complimentary sound to it, and this fits the bill perfectly. So perfect that it’ll probably get most ear time going forward.

I can safely say it outshines these iem’s I’ve owned (solaris, IER-M9, Andro S), and personally beats some of the best universals I’ve tried (U12T, VX and Z1R) for its versatility. The treble is what I’d consider its “weakness” as there is shelving, but the resolution and detail is not sacrificed, it’s just not in your face.

Honestly, I am quite easily fatigued by energetic but etched treble in iem’s, and Nio makes for a very very enjoyable listen, with tons of character, and just a slight compromise in tuning (not a traditional hi-fi tuning, like what Sony did with Z1R), but for the better. Of all the iem’s mentioned, it sounds like a mix of U12t and Z1R, with less raw treble resolve, bass more similar to z1r with m15/20, otherwise very reminiscent of U12T with MX, but with superior bass. The flexibility of tuning is pretty sweet. I need to get the Fir MO now, as it seems to bridge the gap between MX/ M15, and sounds like my near ideal.

Curious what you would say about the Nio relative to Solaris to someone who considers the latter to be a step up from the Z1R, VX, KSE and u12t.