Probably the first Bluetooth headphones I’ve tried lately that actually sound good … good enough that I don’t feel the need to switch to IEMs and a DAP.
Bang & Olufsen took a pretty interesting approach with the Beoplay H100, especially codecs wise, as the only ones available are SBC and AAC. That alone tells me how little codecs sometimes matter, and how much difference a proper implementation can make.
I owned the Beoplay H95 (it’s predecessor) a while back and that was already a high-quality pair of bluetooth headphones, both in build and sound, but what about H100
Getting rid of the obvious. The Beoplay H100 is a luxury product and, priced at 1700€, with an impressive build quality, packaging and sound
What’s in the box:
Beoplay H100 Headphones
Leder carry case
Fabric USB-C-zu-USB-C-Kabel, 1,25 m
Fabric USB-C-zu-3,5-mm-Audio cabel, 1,25 m
Paperwork
Features:
Advanced Sound Features
Adaptive Active Noise Cancellation
(Total: 10 microphones 2 dedicated Mics for ANC/Transparency function Wind Guard)
True Transparency™
34 hours battery life
Driver Type & Size
Electro-dynamic Titanium Driver, 40 mm diameter
Frequency Range
10–20,000 Hz
10–40,000 Hz (hi-res mode)
Customizable Sound EQ
Presets available and fully customisable through the Bang & Olufsen App
Earsense
After it’s predecessor , H100 takes things a clear step further (imo). I’d describe them as rich, neutral-warm tuned with a detailed, enjoyable presentation that prioritizes musicality, engagement rather than pure technical performance. To be expected, especially for a wireless HP
One minor downside is the app’s integrated EQ. They used the same approach as for every previous Beoplay HP I used in the past. It’s not a traditional * band equalizer, but rather more of a “wheel” with a dot in the middle which can be moved from the center to the sides, tuning the sound towards being warm / energetic / bright / relaxed.
The presets are usable and well thought out, though I’ve mostly stuck with the default tuning, which is just right for my ears out of the box.
They’re very expensive, and arguably too expensive, but the sound quality is top-notch.
Beyond the audio, the build quality is stunning, with many parts being removable and replaceable (including the real leather ear cups and headband). Modularity is the word and is clear that B&O did not only want to create a good sounding product, but they did all they can to make it long lasting and durable
Last but not least, the microphones are good, though not quite on par with the overall sound quality. I use them for work calls, and the feedback I get is that my voice sounds natural and that they handle standard background noise effectively. My voice comes across as slightly distant, but not excessively so.
When I’m out and about, the ANC shifts a little, and my footsteps transmit through the ear pads slightly more than they do with headphones like the Bose QuietComfort Ultra or Sony XM6.
Given that Mysticraft Myth was announced in the very select company of Tet and Hex, it is easy to dismiss it as not being up to snuff, compared to its bigger brothers. This, however, would be a mistake, for it is Myth that really pushes forward the boundaries of what we considered possible. Yes, Hex has unmatched details and separation, and yes, Tet has the most impressive mids known to audiophile world (in my opinion), but Myth is the one that achieves a level of quality, both in manufacturing, and sound, that simply wasn’t possible at this price until now.
Myth is tribrid, with 1DD, 4BAs (2 Knowles, 2 Sonion) and 2 microplanars, handling the highs, 6 ways crossover, all hosted in a Titanium shell. One has to pay 1052Eur for the pleasure of owning a Myth, available here.
The build quality is very good, but the unpacking experience is lacklustre at best. It does come with a box of Divinus Velvet tips, which is a plus.
The sound follows the general lines set by its more expensive brothers, but with an evident step down in stage and instrument separation. The next in line, Tet, is 6 times more expensive, so I find this cut more than justified.
Bass is strong, with good rumble, and some degree of elasticity, but doubled by impressive control. Even though there is plenty of sub bass, it rarely feels overwhelming. Mid bass is well articulated, but somehow it doesn’t jump right at you. Listen to Iron Maiden’s bass gallop and nothing is missing, though. Not only is the articulation of each note Steve is playing perfect, but that clanky sound is preserved and clearly audible. Or the excellent Rust in peace by Megadeth…Myth serves as reminder that Megadeth has always been more than just Dave Mustaine. In a way, Myth achieves something that eludes the grands, like Hercules Moses and even UM Pentara to some extent: a bass that is at the same time large sounding, but fast, not dry, but not oozy either.
Mids are maybe where the most cuts can be felt, with lower mids being slightly recessed, with a very faint lack of substance compared to the magnificent bass. The amount of grit, required for acts like Amon Amarth, Rotting Christ and so on, is average, Myth not being overly polished, but also not having quite the richest textures. With a healthy pinna gain, similar to that of Elysian X, Myth is one of those IEMs balancing on the edge of shoutiness. The balance is perfectly executed and at normal volumes, Myth remains safe at all times. Male voices sound a bit heady, a bit more “chest” would have increased the naturalness of the delivery. Female voices are somehow spared this slight lack of substance, sounding a bit fuller, by comparison, as highlighted by Lizzy Hale, this true angry powerhouse. Plenty of textures in this part of the spectrum, making for a very rewarding listening experience.
Highs are airy, and with a good deal of emphasis on mid treble. The question is: do they have planar timbre? Yes and no. In most cases, it is easy enough to ignore the light thinness/plasticness. Certain triggers are present, though: longer sounding cymbals (repeated ride strokes) show the limits of the current generation of planners, a slight sheen being present. Personally, I find the planar timbre better controlled than Forté Ears Mefisto, but maybe less so than Luxear Valor. Sibilance is mostly absent, but there is a very faint metallic tint in the places where I know the sibilance is expected. Still, much better to endure than a full blown sharp “S”.
The soundstage is fairly large, tall and with better than expected depth, with a caveat: the stock cable has to be replaced for best performance.
Pairing
With the stock cable delivering a modest quality, I have turned to the Pentaconn Sloflo cable. Tet cable is also good (I think it is also sold as a Myth upgrade cable). Myth is not power hungry, but like many other IEMs it scales up when given more juice. For the purpose of this mini-review, I have used the Astell&Kern SR35 and the Devastator Pro Max dongle. Both provided enough power, with the Devastator generating a bit of hissing.
With a solid build quality and a price that is at the same time prohibitive, but not crazy, Myth reminds me of another perfect gate opener product, the tiny DJI Neo 2 drone, a fun, easy to use, high capability drone that, like Myth, has become a staple of our family holidays.
Let me start with mentioning that is a pleasure and an honor to be a co-writer on this blog.
We were chatting on thewatercoolerwith the boys about “what is a good all-rounder set” ?
The question to me should have been rather , what do we even mean when we say “all-rounder” , “reference” ?!
For me, a good “all-rounder” is an IEM that plays any type of music at a high standard and doing this, it doesn’t need to be boring.
In my book, tuning and creating a good “all-rounder” that comes just shy of being the best at everything is not an easy job and I think it’s actually harder than creating a specialist set which shines in some particular aspects, but not in most or all.
The newest set I had the pleasure to own is Canpur CP752B. Canpur´s TOTL is a 14-driver configuration , 7-way crossover, multi kilobuck IEM which plays at the upper echelon of summit-fi with a masterful tuning and sound quality.
The model name, CP752B, refers to the driver config, which consists of 7BA drivers, 4EST + 1PMD drivers, and 2BCD drivers – follows a similar naming convention as Canpur´s other models: CP54E, CP74E, CP622B
The packaging is quite impressive, though I’m less enthusiastic about the included cable. It is comfortable and ergonomic, but it falls short (only a little bit) in sound quality, and the 752B deserves something better to fully showcase what it’s capable of.
The shell design is rather understated, and the form factor feels slightly improved compared with Canpur’s previous TOTL model, the 622B.
Sound and a few notes about comparing CP752B with Storm and UM Pentara
Why Storm and UM Pentara?
They are direct peers in the ultra/summit-fi IEM category, priced roughly in the same price range with a complex multi-driver hybrid configuration , top of the line technical performance and a similar tuning philosophy.
The CP752B ranks among the very best all-rounder IEMs available today.
That doesn’t make it safe or boring, quite the opposite. It carries just the right amount of “color” to keep the listener engaged and focused.
The bass and especially the mids have a slight warm coloration that makes the presentation inviting rather than clinical. Although it is a highly technical set, it never forces you to dissect every note, instead it simply lets you sit back and enjoy the music.
The stage is probably the star of the show. While the 752B pours detail into your ears, its spatial presentation is what truly steals my heart. It places the music in a 3D, amphitheater-like venue with large, well-defined images and spectacular layering.
I would risk saying this is largely thanks to the BCD drivers, which, when implemented well, can work magic in creating a truly holographic stage.
Outside of Canpur, only a handful of brands manage this level of BCD performance. The two that come to mind are Mysticraft and Unique Melody (especially the Mason series from UM).
The bass was one of the pleasant surprises when I first tried the 752B in London a few weeks ago and outperformed basically all other sets I tried employing BA bass. It delivers a deeply textured sub-bass rumble paired with fast, punchy mid-bass. On Phil Collins’ “Another Day in Paradise”, the low end provides a solid, natural foundation, so convincing that it’s hard to believe you’re listening to BA drivers rather than a high-quality DD, even though the low end relies primarily on BAs (with the BCD also contributing to the mids and lows). Tt does an excellent job of replicating the natural texture and atmospheric reverb , fullness normally associated with good DD drivers.
Compared with the UM Pentara, the 2DD configuration produces a slightly more nimble, elastic, and organic bass – nothing outperforms DD imo , but things can get close and BAs have their own clear advantages.
The 752B is faster and leans more toward a technical presentation.
Switching to the Storm, bass presence is reduced just a little. Tactile and fast, but the mid-bass in particular becomes less “ever-present”.
The midrange is transparent and highly resolving, yet carries a gentle hint of warmth. Quite lovely, I have to add.
On Tarja Turunen’s “Anteroom of Death,” vocals come through impressively clear, articulate, and natural. The midrange and mid-bass area share the same warm coloration, giving the overall signature a subtle U-shaped (or perhaps V-shaped) tilt that remains inviting and engaging.
Mids sit slightly forward while the bass provides a stable “ground floor” beneath them.
Storm’s mids are a touch airier , placed deeper in the large stage presented by the GOAT , and slightly more recessed by comparison. The difference in spatial presentation isn’t huge, but it’s easily audible.
On David Gilmour’s “A Pocketful of Stones,” the Storm renders his voice with remarkable clarity and an enveloping quality.
Switching to the CP752B provides with a different experience: the stage contracts a little and the voice becomes less enveloping, yet warmer and more engaging.
It would not be an easy job choosing between the two when we are talking about vocals – one is warmer and engaging, the other presents voices better in space and has an edge in clarity.
752B’s treble is highly extended and airy, offering exceptional clarity and sparkle while remaining smooth at all times. From memory (I no longer have the 622B for a direct comparison), the 752B’s high end is smoother and carries slightly more body.
In comparison, the Pentara is airier, clearer, and more incisive.
Storm sits closer in tonality to the Pentara but elevates detail just a fraction further. All three sets are highly detailed and technical, yet the Storm extracts an extra tiny bit of information that can feel missing on the Pentara or CP752B. Cymbal edges, for instance, carry a little more air, like a subtle hue only visible through special glasses, which Storm equips the listener with.
Prime Ti is a single 12mm magnetostatic driver IEM, housed in, as the name says, Ti shells, with a mirror-like polish. We’ve seen this before on the Cadenza 12.
This unit was sent on a tour to EU by @MicDavism141 (over at head-fi.com forum), in collaboration with Rhapsodio, the boutique IEM maker from Taiwan/Hong Kong. Many thanks!
The package was limited, due to customs restrictions: IEM, the Evolution Silver Ultimate 2W cable and the Giant cable (from Darker). No unpacking, therefore.
This write-up reflects the way I hear them, subject to influences due to anatomy, chain, music choice, previous experience. As usual, YMMV.
In order to improve readability, some in-depth passages are hidden under drop down arrows. Simply click on the arrow to see the content
In a nutshell
In terms of raw resolution, I think the Prime Ti fares very well, but the details are less discernible than my current darlings (Hex, Tet, Storm). You just have to reach out to them. No low-hanging fruits. Compared to IEMs like Storm, you might even say they sound muddy, but this would be a lazy and shallow evaluation. Prime Ti makes you work for those details. I like the fact that it takes the transducer out of the equation, and they let me enjoy music. However, I don’t like their safe, bordering on boring, tuning. It simply isn’t for me. This is something that can be educated (the way we enjoy music is usually too bassy) or one can cheat, like I did with Brioso. That extra bass turned Prime Ti into a different beast altogether.
For those looking for a neutral set, I can hardly think of a more appropriate option. For those chasing extreme details, sets like Storm, Tet, Hex, APX Me, Pentara are better choices (some of which I own already).
Prime Ti and Mysticraft Tet
Comfort While significantly smaller and lighter than V3, I have the same problem with them. Namely, they slowly slide out of my ears, until the seal is completely broken. I have tried a variety of tips, with limited degrees of success. I have settled on Penon Liquer Black, as they are a bit stickier and manage to keep the IEMs in my ears for a bit longer. I reckon Azla should work the same. The shells are shallower than Tet, but the angle of the nozzle creates this sliding effect for me.
In depth analysis of Prime Ti’s sound
Bass This is one of the most strictly neutral sets I have evaluated recently, as a quick glance at its graph confirms it. It may look lean and bass light, but in practice, it delivers just enough quantity of bass without ever overpowering the mix. It’s not going to win any bass competitions, but I like how it gracefully steps out of the way. So, the rumble is subtle to almost non-existent; however, the articulation and muscularity in mid bass compensate for this. To simply call it a mids bass focused bass would be an injustice though, as it maintains a good balance. The texture is intricate—it doesn’t force itself upon you but rather sits patiently in the backdrop for you to discover. Prime Ti’s bass, then, is not obtrusive, it’s relaxed, waiting for you to acknowledge it’s presence. Imagine walking through a vineyard where all the grapes are equally ripe, equally good looking. You look left, right, you like all you see and are just waiting for the right moment to make your selection, postponing it and just taking in the beauty of the place. If you prefer a big, thunderous bass, look elsewhere.
Mids follow the same pattern, fluid flowing, neutral, with a slight dose of bohemian charm. Lush, but not overly so – without becoming syrupy, and organic without feeling thin or hollow. Note weight is average, well in line with its neutral tuning. The soft focus, with the details intimately blended into the music body, helps create an atmosphere of slight mystery surrounding the music. At times, this flat linearity can veer into sounding slightly safe or sterile, which acts as both a virtue and a flaw depending on the track. Voices are well placed, dead in the center, at a comfortable distance, that feels intimate without becoming claustrophobic.
The highs are fairly energetic, with the mid treble accentuated, followed by good air. The details are good, but once more, delivered in a rather polite way, rather than the aggressive sharpness that I value so much in other sets. The mid treble tends to be on the hot side, but for most of the time it remains safe, helped maybe by the swift upper treble drop. The timbre carries a slight metallic sheen, reminiscent of a planar, albeit a good one, just like the supreme V3 before it. If I were to describe the treble in just one word, that’d be effortless. It does the job it’s supposed to do without fuss, without drawing too much attention. Cymbal decay remains somewhat localized; I occasionally found myself missing the ultra-wide, shimmering dispersion of an Electrostatic (EST) array. Furthermore, the high-frequency response is heavily source-dependent: on sharper sources, cymbals can sound slightly splashy, whereas warmer or higher-tier sources allow the treble to bloom into a rounded, organic decay.
Stage and separation The stage is large and tall, with good depth, rivaling Traillii JP. Instrument separation is rather decent, though expectedly limited by the single driver physics when compared with multi-brids like UM Pentara or Mysticraft Tet.
Pushing the volume up opens up the soundstage, sharpens dynamic contrast, and infuses the presentation with vital energy. This is NOT a set for whisper-quite listening, then.
Sources and cables
Sources With Nipo N2 it gets a bit hot in the mid treble and the female voices lack that final touch of shimmery sparkle. Audma Brioso fixes that, restores the shine to female voices and has a more delicate treble. The Brioso brought a welcome change, in the form of the bass adjustment knob. Adding a few dB of bass made things much more palatable for me. However, for testing I went back to zero. AK SP3000 feels decidedly underwhelming; I guess this IEM needs a punchier, more dynamic source to come alive. Surprisingly, the Hiby R8II was one of my preferred sources for Prime Time. It has given it a bit of V shape, which I really enjoyed.
Music used
Paradise Lost – Salvation Prime Ti has massive sounding drums, establishing a direct lineage line with V3. Very little sibilance, like a slight shadow. Very good separation, in its own relaxed way, nothing forced, a sound that I can only describe as analog. There is a certain fluidity, no sharp edges anywhere, and even if this comes at the price of the rhythm guitar sounding a bit too chill, the end effect remains good. Some of that sense of tragedy is lost, again due to the atmosphere, not being somber enough. IE900 (my only notable single DD) has a lot more dynamic sound, bringing a lot of atmosphere into the mix. Its stage does not have the height and depth of Prime Ti and the lower mids are definitely thinner than Prime Ti’s. It has more detailed treble, with a very sharp edge, a sense of urgency. This is right up my alley. Traillii JP sounds very large, with very detailed treble slightly coloured mids and, of course, Mr. Holmes sounds sublime with Traillii. It’s another “bass light set”, so there are certain similarities, but Traillii has better separation and more detailed treble.
Dua Lipa – Levitating Very strong L/R effect, perfect disco effect, complete with a virtual disco-ball. The bass is surprisingly strong, with the details surfacing effortlessly. Detailed, natural voice, well delimited from the background and a large, tall stage. This is as good as I’ve heard this song. Tet presents a very different image, with lots of bass, huge stage extended in all directions, and a nice, sweet and detailed voice. The treble is darker, but not less detailed. Despite the stereo effects being less popping than with Prime Ti, I much prefer this presentation, with loads of macro-dynamism.
Boz Scaggs – Thanks to you Prime Ti perfect match, reducing the bass of this song to acceptable limits (for me). The voice is free to shine, close, but not claustrophobic, clear with just a faint touch of warmth. Traillii shines here, unsurprisingly.
Mozart – Piano concerto No. 20 III Rondo Allegro asai Prime Ti is very good with its relaxed sound, creating a nice spatial soundscape. Traillii is the one to beat and this has not happened. I do have a strong affinity for Traillii, even after so many TOTL sets.
Bob James – Avalabop Binaural recording at its best. The stage depth is crazy, and the rendition let’s you forget everything about gear and you just bob your head slowly. Plenty of details, the ghost notes and flares on the drum, the cymbals, everything is present. The piano has a full sound, the bass reaches low and gives that physical impression of moving air. I find Prime’s tuning to work best for this genre. Traillii offers a different flavour. I enjoyed both equally.
Doors – Riders on the Storm Traillii has clearer and more detailed highs, an even larger stage and the voice more upfront. At the same time, the voice is so emotionally laden. The ethereal beauty of the music is contrasting so starkly with the lyrics and the life-like thunders give it an extra dimension. The organ is also very forward, a lot more than Prime’s. Prime has a bit of splashiness in the cymbals, the voice is more closed in, not as open as Traillii’s, while the biggest difference is the mid bass pushed forward significantly. The song is, luckily, light on bass, so it all works well. The two are close in term of performance, this not being the first Rhapsodio IEM with near-perfect voices. The organ solo gets just a bit too loud at times.
Music pairing For albums having already a flat production, they seem to accentuate the highs, since there is no bass counterbalance, which can make them sound a bit flimsical (like Dio’s excellent The Last in Line – the production is too thin for Prime Ti). Switch to Opeth’s Windowpane and prepare to be immersed in a sense of depression, with full sounding music, having all the weight needed, making it easy to sink into melancholia. I would have preferred the guitar tone a tad darker, though. It’s almost too open, too cheerful.
Conclusions
As I sit here listening to Maiden’s epic Empire of the Cloud, I realise technical metrics like resolution and stage dimensions fade away, leaving pure musicality. I think the syntagm, speaker-like has been overused, so I’ll try to avoid it, difficult as it is. The sound does not seem to come for anywhere, it just exists inside your head, and in a small measure outside it too. No sharp details, no micrometric separation, but genuinely musical and transparent. Integrated. A very accomplished set that for me lacks the raw energy of V3, the savagery of its cymbals attacks and the boldness of female voices. But, hear me out, this makes it a good allrounder, provided you like a neutral set. By making this “normal” sounding IEM, some of the craziness built into the Rhapsodio IEMs is gone, leaving the space to a more mature approach. Maybe the next release will find the perfect balance between these two.
And the elephant in the room, the price. This set is in the Storm/Tet territory, with those being far more exciting. At this price, I expect more. Drop the safety net and add more excitement.
Just when I thought things could not get any better, from the combined power of three audiophiles, this here is the absolute best the IEM world has to offer at this point in time.
Hex is an absolute monster in terms of stage and details. Every little detail is highlighted, tagged, categorized and easily retrievable. Normally, an IEM so detailed would be pushing those details into your face, but thanks to the particular way the stage is built, this is not the case with Hex. All the elements come together like a puzzle with very, but I mean very low tolerances. Imagine the inner workings of a Swiss watch, the way all gears work together, that is the image Hex projects into my mind. A marvel of micro-imaging and micro-details.
Tet is playing cool, with details less extroverted, but it does something very impressive, the attack of the pick on the guitar strings is so precise, each triplet, each gallop, so clear, so precise. Music to my ears!
One of the most impressive things is the bass. Broadly mid bass centered, Hex’s bass evolves into layer after layer of details, leaving me wonder how much information was packed into the music I thought I knew inside out. There is ample sub bass, of course, filling the stage, but it’s relatively nimble, not feeling heavy or slow. On top of this comes the heavy poundering of the mid bass. It’s like an unescapable impact hammer. Although taking a beating from it, I still have time to register a lot of details. I strongly recommend trying Megadeth’s Hangar 18 with it.
Tet, on the other hand is more sub bass centered. Big and boomy, with zero consideration for your feelings. You will end up burried under the rubbles of your house…I am exagerating, of course, but there were moments when I thought there’s an earthquake happening.
Both Tet and Hex are similar in mids, warm-ish, textured, natural sounding, despite the slight colouration. While Hex is more susceptible to harshness, with some recordings, Tet seems largely immune. This, of course, means also more sparkle for Hex. It’s a matter of which flavour you prefer, Champagne or a nice Bordeaux.
Turning to treble, the difference between them becomes clear, and along with it, the genius of Lee tuning. While Hex is bright and energetic, with thick sounding cymbals, making it easily possible to “hear” the weight and density of each cymbal strike, it pushes these forward, closer to you, as opposed to Tet, pushing them backwards a bit. You’d be excused to think Hex is more detailed in treble, but upon closer inspection, I find the level of details almost the same, only the presentation differs.
Nothing from my existing collection gets close to these two. Storm is a huge stage, detail, monster, but dead on neutral. X is like a sneak peek into the future. The imaging was a promise of the things to come, the treble has the weight of Hex but not quite the details.
Much to my surprise, I am more attracted to the cool, nonchalantly calm of Tet. It took me by Storm!
Btw, the title reads like the name of an Epic Audio IEM, doesn’t it?
The Epic Audio brand is almost unknown in the West, but it is a popular brand in Asia, where they have released a number of products which are quite appreciated.
The Epic Audio Intoxication has an impressive driver count, with 12 BA + 1 PBA + 8 EST+ 2 BCD. The shells are made of titanium, with a hammered aspect, rough and sturdy.
The sound is, at a first glance, a mild V, but upon more listening, the voices are quite forward, so a W shape would be a more appropriate description.
The sub bass is rolled off, while the mid bass is allowed to stand proud and tall, the end result being an approach that emphasises texture and articulation over low frequency rumble. In a manner similar to some Noble products, the low frequencies are very dense and pretty forward. Does it chug? Yes, it does, with a mean, thick sound that works wonderfully for downtuned distorted guitars. The passage between low and high frequencies is swift and harmonious. The upper mids remain uncoloured and smooth and the treble is nicely layered, with splashes pushed towards the back of the stage, but the rides crystalline and loud enough for this treble head. Overall, the treble is smooth and easy to listen to, with good sustain and note thickness.
The stage is large, but more importantly it is very full. Everywhere you focus your attention, there are multiple things happening at the same time. That is not to say that it is missing air, but it is noticeably going in the opposite direction than some of the popular modern IEMs (Arion, Legion, Spectrumica or even Mentor). The layering is good, logical and coherent. But the main feature remains the “wall-of-sound”.
I had a chance to audition these two beauties thanks to a tour organized by Elise Audio over Head-Fi.
Starting with Arion, it is an upgrade of the Legion in every conceivable way.
The bass is, as expected, powerful, with deep extension and a prolonged rumble, but, compared to Legion, it is significantly faster, fast double bass drums not being an issue anymore. A bit of bass bleeding into the mids is unavoidable, but it is, in most cases, not hindering the enjoyment.
Mids are smooth, to the point where I wished they had more grittiness. They are pretty uncoloured, despite their noisy neighbour. The voices are centrally placed, but slightly remote. Also, do not expect the same kind of clarity as Fei Wan or the Faith Audio E1000. For complex music, the voices have a hard time cutting through the mix, the weight of the bass drawing my attention away from them. However, with less congested music, like Gretel’s squish album, Arion’s character is very different, the music sounding light like a summer breeze, with the voice up and front, floating above the instruments. In rare occasions, the bass makes its presence felt too much, though, even here.
The cymbals are located at the periphery of the soundstage, much like Legion before, but unlike Legion, this time there are a lot of elements in the immediate vicinity (I felt the stage was hollow with Legion). As for the treble sound, is a more contained one, with limited spatial spread and rather thin and delicate sounding cymbals. The extension is good, there is ample headroom over the cymbals, but the sizzle is more appropriate for dance/pop than metal. In terms of details, I’d say they take a relaxed approach, not throwing details at you, but not giving the impression something is missing either.
In terms of stage, it is very impressive. Not only it is large and tall, but there is good sound density throughout. No hollowness here.
Some peculiarities: as soon as you put them in your ears, you start feeling a subtle vibration, like a very, very faint ringing, no doubt an effect of the BCD contained therein. Also linked to this, when the cable is rubbing against your clothes, there is the same sensation, that something is vibrating.
The stock cable (made by Eletech) is very nice, soft, with no microphonics and colour matching the shells.
They need a clean, analytical or reference source, like the AK SP3000 or the Nipo N2 (despite its tendency to accentuate sub bass a tad). With MUB5, despite adding body in the mids, the treble is less detailed than I like and the bass pummelling is getting too much after one hour.
In terms of music, they can do quite well with metal, despite not being my no.1 choice for this genre. Slow jazz is very good with Arion, with natural voices, lively trumpets and an ample bass acting like an anchor. Film music is the perfect match, the OST of Hostiles or Boba Fett sounding cinematic, large, impressive, with so many different layers. Rap is another good choice and so is EDM. In conclusion, a very accomplished set, that takes the Legion heritage and adds more precision, resulting in a greatly improved IEM. I guess its main competition is the Ice Labs Spectrumica.
Faith Audio E1000
If you take everything I said about Arion and turn it 180°, you have the E1000. Short version: light, nimble bass, reference mids with an emphasis on upper region and sparkly, sizzling treble. Long version: the E1000 has one of the most natural bass reproduction I have heard in an IEM. It is very light handed, to the point of me wishing it had a bit more energy. The extension is not lacking, but the sub bass is so polite, if you blink you might miss it. For reference: I usually complain about the bass being too much, or too slow or overwhelming, muddying the mids or any number of things, but I rarely complain about it not being enough. To make things clear, it is not a complaint in this case, more like a wish for that extra 1%.
If the sub bass keeps a low profile, starting with mid bass, the picture couldn’t be more different. E1000 has a well articulated, textured mid bass, with abundant details. Those details are not just thrown at you, but layered like a cake. Such a layering is no surprise in a multi- hybrid IEM, but in a single DD? Colour me impressed. Moving further, the lower mids are equally detailed, textured and uncoloured. There is enough grit for metal, which combined with the super fast bass, turns E1000 into a mean machine for the genre. The only negative is a perceived lack of body in the lower mids. While the edginess is there, I would have liked a bit more note weight. The same trend is present for upper mids. The practical importance of these, is that while the timbre is spot on, in some occasions, the voices sound too ethereal, missing some core weight (imagine the difference between a ball that is filled with matter and another, made of the same material, with a hollow core, or a lower density filling in the core. They will look the same, feel somehow similar but the difference between them will still be noticeable. Some sibilance is present, but nothing dramatic. It seemed to be amplified by wide bore tips (Eletech Baroque). Narrow bore tips were almost a must for me. The treble is fantastic. Details, extension, body, layering, sizzle and body, everything is just right. It’s lively and organic, making this treble head very happy.
Great clarity throughout the spectrum.
The stage is reasonable large, with some height, but not a lot of depth. I’d say the IE900′ stage has a bit more width, but it is more shallow than E1000. Quite normal for a single DD to not have that much depth. The imaging is much better than expected from a single DD.
The stock cable is thick and unwieldy. A far cry from the Flipears’s effort. Sonically, it doesn’t do E1000 any favours either, as it tends to amplify the slight lack of body and add some harshness in the upper mids. I had much better results with the Quad Copper, Ulan 8w and Eletech’s 5th Ode, cables that tamed the upper mids and brought in a bit of weight in the lower frequencies. Other cables took it in the opposite direction, Apollo GT increasing the detail retrieval but making it quite shrill. Hansound Nyx brought more hollowness, so a clear no-go for me. The biggest minus of the E1000 is the comfort, due to its particular shell shape and short-ish nozzles.
E1000 benefits greatly from a warm source, something like tubes (Apos Gremlin was used) or R2R, where the reasonable priced Fiio M33 did a great job. MUB5 was good, but not great, while Nipo N2 seemed to “correct” the bass, and put a flashlight on the voices. Of course, there is an immediate fix to the few E1000’s shortcomings, in the form of the Audma Brioso. With a simple twist of a knob, a tasteful bass shelf is added, without detectable impact on the mids. Furthermore, activating the Elisa circuitry (let’s call it simplistically, a form of cross-feeding), adds all the fullness and body I was needing. Frankly, once you hear it with Elisa on, it is hard to get back to normal sources. The drawback, apart from the prohibitive price, is a los of stage width upon activating Elisa, but more than compensated for by the extra thickness.
Where does it excel? The sound is one of the most natural and most pure I have heard to date. The level of details, and even more so, the way they are presented is downright impressive. It is enough to focus on one part and look closely at the layers, decorticating them one by one, to realise the amount of effort that went into the E1000. While I tend not to prefer one technology over another, I must admit, the single DD IEMs sound more natural than anything.
E1000 is good for bass light music, such as rock, metal, progressive, indie and many others. I cannot imagine it being the best for EDM, though. Or any other kind of bass heavy music. Rap, hip-hop lovers might also feel this set is lacking in pure extension.
For jazz, the answer is more nuanced. Depending on the artist, male or female, and the type of accompaniment, it can be either brilliant or slightly thin. The interplay bass – drums, with snares vibrating very clearly is very nice. I spent hours listening to slow-ish jazz, the emphasis on voices making E1000 a great contender to enter my collection.
The natural competition is the TXN Diamond, another Ti shells single DD, that has even more energy in the upper mids, but was easily tamed by using the Ulan 8w cable. It is significantly cheaper and more ergonomic. I wish I had them both at the same time, as I cannot reliably compare them based on memories.
The other alternative is the DIta Ventura, significantly more expensive, with an equally stubborn cable. The differences in sound are more marked, with Ventura having a more buttery, warm sound, with less treble energy and more note weight.
From these two, my preference goes, without a doubt to E1000, despite it needing another cable and careful source pairing.
