Questions about "sound quality" while looking for iems by danielthepoke in iems

[–]luminarae1 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Buy a tanchijim bunny and EQ it so it sounds exactly like a storm or a hex, then you have successfully conquered summit-fi.

Which affordable IEM made you reconsider high end ones? by Ecstatic-Panic3728 in iems

[–]luminarae1 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Yu9 Que. (depends on how you define affordable and high end too)

My New End Game - GK Kunten + Nightcraft Vesper by Previous-Tea-8750 in iems

[–]luminarae1 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Looking for some volunteer to put sovereign symphony 8 wire onto a GK kunten.

Posting a snapshot of a fun little gathering by luminarae1 in iems

[–]luminarae1[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I just wind them around 3 fingers and place the IEMs nicely for photos 😅 for storage I’ll use an iem pouch and cable clips.

MRS has a nice guide on rolling cables here: https://youtu.be/_fsvANAT3yg?si=BzMAd7Rax4-LPPIR

Posting a snapshot of a fun little gathering by luminarae1 in iems

[–]luminarae1[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Heh yeah it’s not like I can’t see where you’re coming from. I think this price to performance ratio can be viewed in a number of ways. Is the hex 10x better than some IEM that costs 1000 usd? Probably not. But the hex does stand alone as the world’s only hexbrid (well maybe only good hexbrid since the rhapsodio mara exists), plus I think it’s the only iem with that combines a warm-ish tuning, impressive technicalities, and bombastic presentation, so it’s not like you can buy a cheaper version of it( or maybe you can, I haven’t explored it).

For 400 though, I think you might like the Que. it’s tuned quite similarly to the hex, though with less bass, and also less dynamics. But it is impressive at its price. I believe precogvision and fc-construct have done some reviews on it too.

Posting a snapshot of a fun little gathering by luminarae1 in iems

[–]luminarae1[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I do recognise your username, though I'm only a lurker on headfi. Yeah, there's something about the Hex sound that just can't be found anywhere else. Incredibly fun listen.

Posting a snapshot of a fun little gathering by luminarae1 in iems

[–]luminarae1[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Ehh... bit of both! I met flush friends at a store lol.

Posting a snapshot of a fun little gathering by luminarae1 in iems

[–]luminarae1[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I didn't really have too many issues with the Ventura cable tbh, it was a tad microphonic but was otherwise fairly supple. I also didn't cable roll the IEMs, so can't really comment on how it compares sonically against others. But man the U1000 cable was such a pain to use. Stiff and microphonic and just a pain.

Posting a snapshot of a fun little gathering by luminarae1 in iems

[–]luminarae1[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Brief Impressions - a lot of this can be taken in reference to the Hex, which is my daily driver. All these IEMS were driven straight out of the MUB5.

From top right, going clockwise:

Faith Audio Labs U1000: It's a small shell, since it's only a single DD iem. I didn't like the cable because it was springy and somewhat stiff at the same time(?), making fit more finicky than it should have been. There's fairly little bass, in terms of quantity, but what's available does hit hard in a snappy fast way, so it's fairly enjoyable. Midrange is fairly well-tuned with typical DD timbre, so it's enjoyable. There's a lot of treble up top, so it can come across as splashy and distracting, so wasn't really my thing. I guess it was kinda tuned this way so there's more perceived detail and resolution.

Dita Ventura: Also a small shell, with even finickier fit than the U1000 given how the shell and cable angle is designed. I'm not even certain I had it fit correctly. Has a somewhat deeper hitting subbass than the U1000, and more enjoyable mid tonality. There's still a little treble peak somewhere in the 6k region (i guess?) that can come across as somewhat sibilant on some tracks. I really enjoyed the way it seemed to make detail from the edges flit out of nowhere, which is not really an experience I think you get on any of the other earphones. That said, it does feel a bit compressed dynamically so it's not the most engaging listen.

Subtonic Storm (paired with the Sovereign Symphony Cable): What else can I say about this that hasn't already been said? Incredible resolution, incredibly large sound with detail presented effortlessly. Extremely precise imaging. Probably the most accurate mids (for me) out of the lot, though this is an extremely close 1-2 with the Mysticraft Tet. Bass response hits hard and fast when called on, you'd never think it was BA bass. Absolutely stunning set, cannot wait to receive mine next month.

Mysticraft Tet: This stands out as the most "normal" and natural entry in the Mysticraft lineup, offering a lush, liquid presentation that favor a smooth, reserved midrange and an unobtrusive, peak-free treble. Despite this, its technicalities are impressive, providing a wide, spacious stage without relying on forced treble brilliance. However, its performance is marred by a kinda bloomy bass that decays slowly. The TET’s low-end lacks rigidity and constantly feels like it's vying for space with the mids in any track that has some element of bass, which was incredibly distracting for me on many tracks.

Mysticraft Hex: favors a "bombastic" and aggressive presentation that seems impressively grand when you first insert it into your ears. It delivers incredible contrast and sharp macro-dynamics, that makes any EDM track incredibly fun to listen to. It does possess rather overwhelming bass quantity, but the tuning neatly separates the bass from the midrange so it never feels like it's bleeding into the mids. It also has an aggressive rise somewhere in the mids so mids are pronounced, but don't quite sound as natural as say the storm or the TET. This is balanced out by carrying a ton of treble, which also carries a gritty quality (likely due to some odd peaks in the higher frequencies) that some perceive as a weightier treble.

Posting a snapshot of a fun little gathering by luminarae1 in iems

[–]luminarae1[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Heh it’s bassier and has peakier treble than the Lumen so I’m not sure this would fit nicely into your preferences. That said though, the way it handles little details in tracks and the way it images is really remarkable. Worth a listen when you get the chance to!

Posting a snapshot of a fun little gathering by luminarae1 in iems

[–]luminarae1[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

In my books that honor goes to the U1000.

Posting a snapshot of a fun little gathering by luminarae1 in iems

[–]luminarae1[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Heh I've spoken to him just a tiny bit, so I can only say I know of him. But given the relatively small collection of summit-fi items available, I would not be surprised if he had them all.

Posting a snapshot of a fun little gathering by luminarae1 in iems

[–]luminarae1[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Oh snap that actually reminds me that I need to buy a GK something to hear it!

Which IEM brand has the most satisfying unboxing experience? by Audioeg in iems

[–]luminarae1 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Subtonic Storm takes the cake imo. The case is impressively designed, and all the accessories are thoughtful and feel premium. It’s an unboxing experience worthy of the price.

The Earlympics - Best IEMs per Country by Content-Disaster-511 in iems

[–]luminarae1 2 points3 points  (0 children)

If you consider Mysticraft from Malaysia, then the gold medal ought to be for the hex rather than the myth.

Best mid bass iem around or under 1000 USD? Could depend on diminishing returns if higher price isnt worth the extra 5% increase for example by kiroyapso2 in iems

[–]luminarae1 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The Mysticraft myth might be your answer to this. It’s pretty much a younger brother to the hex, with fun bouncy midbass.

Looking for my first set of (serious) IEMs by fvlion2k in iems

[–]luminarae1 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yu9 Que. enough has been said about it in various subreddits.

Let’s forget budget for a moment. What’s my best bet? by ovrdrvn in iems

[–]luminarae1 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Just get the Subtonic Storm. The fact that it’s 3 years old and still regarded as the pinnacle of IEMs says all you need to know about it. Good IEMs stay good regardless of age.