So, price to price, do you think it makes more sense to invest in a flagship IEM or flagship headphone if pure music listening/enjoyment is your goal? Curious as to what your outlook is all. For some reason I have less reservation with headphone cost than IEM cost.
@@thelastrhino2581 iems get better every year, if you know what your doing with your iems, if you know what's good chifi in the sub 200$ range you'll bet way better bang for the buck In the iem world, headphones in the midfi world are pretty average.
I think both points are true here. Headphones will provide the better overall listening experience in almost all cases, but you get more sonic performance from an IEM at the same price. There aren't many same-price headphones that outperform the Pentas in my experience. The same is true for the sub-$1000 options too. On pure performance (resolution, detail, separation, etc.) IEMs win, but for listening experience, I do think headphones are preferable because they bring the sound a bit more out of the head.
@@thelastrhino2581 Correct, but I'm not promoting any one point it's just an open question. I hesitate to spend into the hundreds for an IEM because, not being a musician or engineer, I just don't think you have to spend that kind money to achieve a pleasurable listening experience. Bang for buck it seems like sub-100 US dollars and in the 300-500 range that IEMs outperformed their closed back headphone counterparts (or so is my perception). However when you add open-backs into the equation I just don't see where an IEM would be justified. I am ignorant regarding the upper echelons, or flagships comparatively. So a 1000+ IEM flagship vs. an equivalent headphone, open or closed, I would guess to lean toward the headphone. However the point made about technicalities is something I overlooked and could very factor into someone's listening enjoyment. I appreciate the responses. I don't think my opinion has changed but I think I understand a bit more why people would pick a flagship IEM over a headphone.
Nice IEMs. Would need an elegant balanced portable source to go with them. Do it Darko style sipping epresso at an outdoor coffee bar. Nah... I'll start out cheap with a good bargain pair and a phone DAC dongle. Maybe upgrade if I love IEMs. I only stream Spotify and Hearts of Space. No MQA to worry about. Hopefully Spotify HiFi rollout comes to North America soon.
No need for balanced necessarily - depends on the device. My unbalanced Mojo is still better than balanced EarMen Sparrow, but Sparrow IS much more convenient 😉
Now I'm looking at entry level IEMs around $100 or so. Maybe a little more. Also a USB-C dongle DAC/amp to play mobile streams. Like the Dragonfly, but ~$100 or so. Lots of reviews to explore.
Thanks so much, Lachlan, for this review! I'm so happy to be a patron; I urge everyone to consider supporting the channel. The perks for patrons are well worth the cost. I didn't know much about 64 Audio, but your comparison in this video brought them to my attention; I ordered the U12t, and received them today!! I immediately compared them to my older Shure SE846, and Noble Kaiser 10. Oh wow, the U12t are the bee's knees! I'm amazed at the refinement, detail and transparency throughout all frequencies. And they are OK for comfort. I'm using them with my Astell&Kern KANN Alpha player, and tips and cable I already had: Final Audio Type E tips, and Moon Audio Bronze Dragon IEM cable. I played a couple of familiar, well-recorded albums: Bria Skonberg's "With a Twist", and Emmanuel Pahud's "Beethoven: Works for flute". On both albums, I heard detail & refinement like never before with my other IEMs. My only complaint is no documentation in the package, other than what is printed on the back of the box. I understand there are 3 different "apex" modules, but no information is supplied on which is which. So far, I've just used the gray ones that were already installed. At the 64 Audio website, I was able to identify by color, the gray m15, black mX, and silver m20 apex modules.
Hi Robert and thanks for the kind words. Glad I could introduce you to these amazing IEMs! I agree that the documentation is lack luster. Thankfully the listening experience more than makes up for it!
@@PassionforSound Yes, the U12t are wonderful-sounding IEMs. In the meantime, I've tried all 3 apex modules. The mX is too trebly, the m20 I like but it's a bit too bassy, and the m15 is just right. I've also tried the supplied 64 Audio cable by connecting to my Burson Soloist 3X headphone amp, on low gain. I have no problem with the stock cable and the U12t sounds great with the Burson amp. By the way, this makes a total of 5 items I've purchased based on your reviews: Chord Qutest & M-Scaler, Burson amp, OEAudio cable adapters, and 64 Audio IEMs. Thanks, I'm thrilled with all of them!
So glad I can help! I personally like the M20 module, but I'm a fan of solid bass. Recently also bought an Aurealis Audio cable for them and wow! The stock cable is good, but hearing through an Aurealis litz cable is impressive
@@PassionforSound What tips do you like with the U12t? I first tried Final Type E, got good sound but some discomfort. Now I'm trying "Comply foam isolation", and may like these better. I have not yet tried the ones that came with the U12t.
I like Spinfits and both Comply and Dekoni foam tips. I prefer Spinfits for quicker insertion (silicone) but I think the foam tips provide better comfort
awesome review like always.. im looking into u12t vs softears rsv vs shouer ej09 ... also maybe dunu est114 i recommend you find pioneer hdj-c70 and use them with their included coiled cable.. they do some things that is hard to find elsewhere in my opinion im also interested in atlantic technology dual ceramic DD headphones and KLH pure berylium DD headphones
Are you using a compensation curve for the measurements? I've seen raw fr graphs of the Penta, and they don't have flat bass response but a subtle +5dB in the midbass
Hi Bhu, all of my IEM measurements are using the Diffuse Field response curve within Room EQ Wizard (REW). It's best to not compare my measurements with others because mine isn't a professional rig. It's really only helpful for some general discussion and direct comparisons with other measurements on my setup.
Question maybe a video topic why would you choose an iem vs headphones. Idk if that's to simple like vs each other cause they are different but I'm just curious about the advantages and disadvantages of both
Thanks Monty, the pair I reviewed are owned by the local supplier and have been used regularly. They had a couple of tiny marks on them, but overall looked to have handled regular use very well
The Ikigai are currently $1,285 AUD, If I am going to purchase these for these IEM's which Top connector and bottom plug am I wanting to be as universal as possible? Also, would the Ikigai be a good fit to round out the Sennheiser IE900's too?
As far as I know, you can't get aftermarket cables that will fit the IE900 as yet. They use a recessed MMCX connector at the earphone end. In general, for the amp end, I'd recommend a 4.4mm balanced connector if available (or 2.5mm balanced if not). It's then worth getting an adapter from whichever balanced connector (e.g. 4.4mm) to the basic 3.5mm plug so you can use IEMs with all different amps.
have not heard the Penta iems, however I totally agree with you about the 846. Really great iem, but I always wish if they had more highs. Great holographic soundstage, with depth, although not so wide. What about a comparison against to Sennheiser ie800? ( if you have ever heard to them..)
Hi Filippos, I have heard the ie800s at one time, but wouldn't dare do a comparison from memory as it's likely to be inaccurate so I stick with what I have on hand 🙂
@@PassionforSound Normally I would agree with you but after seeing folks posting multiple times a day on headfi with USD100-200k invested in personal audio, I am not so sure. Feels more like a contest between rich kids than passionate audiophiles.
@@PassionforSound If I had a dollar everytime I was called a communist for protesting ever increasing audio prices, I could purchase the Orpheus by now. BTW check out the A2A sale starting today. Good prices on Sony IEMs.
Not at all true in my experience. I haven't heard all IEMs out there, but I'm yet to hear anything significantly cheaper that I think is better overall
I didn't find it so much like the HD650. The Pentas to me are brighter and more extended so they don't place as much emphasis on the midrange IMO. Of course, tip choice and insertion depth (i.e. ear canal shape) can alter what we hear so there's a chance that we ARE both hearing what we're describing 🙂 even though they're a little different
I agree that there may be better hybrids (there are so many options, after all). I'd also like to know which you think is better so I can add it to my wishlist!
So, price to price, do you think it makes more sense to invest in a flagship IEM or flagship headphone if pure music listening/enjoyment is your goal? Curious as to what your outlook is all. For some reason I have less reservation with headphone cost than IEM cost.
IMHO Headphone for sure, by very, very far.
@@thelastrhino2581 iems get better every year, if you know what your doing with your iems, if you know what's good chifi in the sub 200$ range you'll bet way better bang for the buck In the iem world, headphones in the midfi world are pretty average.
I think both points are true here. Headphones will provide the better overall listening experience in almost all cases, but you get more sonic performance from an IEM at the same price. There aren't many same-price headphones that outperform the Pentas in my experience. The same is true for the sub-$1000 options too. On pure performance (resolution, detail, separation, etc.) IEMs win, but for listening experience, I do think headphones are preferable because they bring the sound a bit more out of the head.
@@zenmystic111 The original poster spoke of flagship, not cheap chifi.
@@thelastrhino2581 Correct, but I'm not promoting any one point it's just an open question. I hesitate to spend into the hundreds for an IEM because, not being a musician or engineer, I just don't think you have to spend that kind money to achieve a pleasurable listening experience. Bang for buck it seems like sub-100 US dollars and in the 300-500 range that IEMs outperformed their closed back headphone counterparts (or so is my perception). However when you add open-backs into the equation I just don't see where an IEM would be justified. I am ignorant regarding the upper echelons, or flagships comparatively. So a 1000+ IEM flagship vs. an equivalent headphone, open or closed, I would guess to lean toward the headphone. However the point made about technicalities is something I overlooked and could very factor into someone's listening enjoyment. I appreciate the responses. I don't think my opinion has changed but I think I understand a bit more why people would pick a flagship IEM over a headphone.
Nice IEMs. Would need an elegant balanced portable source to go with them. Do it Darko style sipping epresso at an outdoor coffee bar. Nah... I'll start out cheap with a good bargain pair and a phone DAC dongle. Maybe upgrade if I love IEMs.
I only stream Spotify and Hearts of Space. No MQA to worry about. Hopefully Spotify HiFi rollout comes to North America soon.
No need for balanced necessarily - depends on the device. My unbalanced Mojo is still better than balanced EarMen Sparrow, but Sparrow IS much more convenient 😉
Now I'm looking at entry level IEMs around $100 or so. Maybe a little more. Also a USB-C dongle DAC/amp to play mobile streams. Like the Dragonfly, but ~$100 or so. Lots of reviews to explore.
Check out the EarMen Eagle for sure. As for IEMs, there are lots of great choices around depending on your tastes
Thanks so much, Lachlan, for this review! I'm so happy to be a patron; I urge everyone to consider supporting the channel. The perks for patrons are well worth the cost. I didn't know much about 64 Audio, but your comparison in this video brought them to my attention; I ordered the U12t, and received them today!! I immediately compared them to my older Shure SE846, and Noble Kaiser 10. Oh wow, the U12t are the bee's knees! I'm amazed at the refinement, detail and transparency throughout all frequencies. And they are OK for comfort. I'm using them with my Astell&Kern KANN Alpha player, and tips and cable I already had: Final Audio Type E tips, and Moon Audio Bronze Dragon IEM cable. I played a couple of familiar, well-recorded albums: Bria Skonberg's "With a Twist", and Emmanuel Pahud's "Beethoven: Works for flute". On both albums, I heard detail & refinement like never before with my other IEMs. My only complaint is no documentation in the package, other than what is printed on the back of the box. I understand there are 3 different "apex" modules, but no information is supplied on which is which. So far, I've just used the gray ones that were already installed. At the 64 Audio website, I was able to identify by color, the gray m15, black mX, and silver m20 apex modules.
Hi Robert and thanks for the kind words. Glad I could introduce you to these amazing IEMs! I agree that the documentation is lack luster. Thankfully the listening experience more than makes up for it!
@@PassionforSound Yes, the U12t are wonderful-sounding IEMs. In the meantime, I've tried all 3 apex modules. The mX is too trebly, the m20 I like but it's a bit too bassy, and the m15 is just right. I've also tried the supplied 64 Audio cable by connecting to my Burson Soloist 3X headphone amp, on low gain. I have no problem with the stock cable and the U12t sounds great with the Burson amp. By the way, this makes a total of 5 items I've purchased based on your reviews: Chord Qutest & M-Scaler, Burson amp, OEAudio cable adapters, and 64 Audio IEMs. Thanks, I'm thrilled with all of them!
So glad I can help! I personally like the M20 module, but I'm a fan of solid bass. Recently also bought an Aurealis Audio cable for them and wow! The stock cable is good, but hearing through an Aurealis litz cable is impressive
@@PassionforSound What tips do you like with the U12t? I first tried Final Type E, got good sound but some discomfort. Now I'm trying "Comply foam isolation", and may like these better. I have not yet tried the ones that came with the U12t.
I like Spinfits and both Comply and Dekoni foam tips. I prefer Spinfits for quicker insertion (silicone) but I think the foam tips provide better comfort
awesome review like always.. im looking into u12t vs softears rsv vs shouer ej09 ... also maybe dunu est114
i recommend you find pioneer hdj-c70 and use them with their included coiled cable.. they do some things that is hard to find elsewhere in my opinion
im also interested in atlantic technology dual ceramic DD headphones and KLH pure berylium DD headphones
That's quite a diverse list - some of which I've never heard of. I'll have to go check them out - thanks! 🙂
Super video! I applauded for $10.00 👏👏👏
Are you using a compensation curve for the measurements? I've seen raw fr graphs of the Penta, and they don't have flat bass response but a subtle +5dB in the midbass
Hi Bhu, all of my IEM measurements are using the Diffuse Field response curve within Room EQ Wizard (REW). It's best to not compare my measurements with others because mine isn't a professional rig. It's really only helpful for some general discussion and direct comparisons with other measurements on my setup.
Question maybe a video topic why would you choose an iem vs headphones. Idk if that's to simple like vs each other cause they are different but I'm just curious about the advantages and disadvantages of both
I like that idea! Maybe a couple of selected, similarly priced products to discuss the pros and cons of each
@@PassionforSound yeah just thought it be a good thing to talk about
Outstanding review. I was wondering how durable the meze’s would be wearing them day to day?
Thanks Monty, the pair I reviewed are owned by the local supplier and have been used regularly. They had a couple of tiny marks on them, but overall looked to have handled regular use very well
The Ikigai are currently $1,285 AUD, If I am going to purchase these for these IEM's which Top connector and bottom plug am I wanting to be as universal as possible? Also, would the Ikigai be a good fit to round out the Sennheiser IE900's too?
Not am option for the IE900 I'm afraid. The stock IE900 cable is fine though IMO.
@@PassionforSound And which top connector and bottom plug would you recommend?
As far as I know, you can't get aftermarket cables that will fit the IE900 as yet. They use a recessed MMCX connector at the earphone end.
In general, for the amp end, I'd recommend a 4.4mm balanced connector if available (or 2.5mm balanced if not). It's then worth getting an adapter from whichever balanced connector (e.g. 4.4mm) to the basic 3.5mm plug so you can use IEMs with all different amps.
have not heard the Penta iems, however I totally agree with you about the 846. Really great iem, but I always wish if they had more highs. Great holographic soundstage, with depth, although not so wide. What about a comparison against to Sennheiser ie800? ( if you have ever heard to them..)
Hi Filippos, I have heard the ie800s at one time, but wouldn't dare do a comparison from memory as it's likely to be inaccurate so I stick with what I have on hand 🙂
Filippos, have you tried the "bright" (white colored) nozzle insert with the 846? That will increase the highs by +2.5 dB.
@@robertnoblitt518 White filter is the one i am using now. The highs are better, however I still miss the sparkle... thx for your suggestion :-)
WHERE? WHERE DO PEOPLE FIND THE MONEY TO BUY 2K$ EARBUDS?
Trust funds and Successful Investments.
Or hard work and an interest in the hobby. We all spend money in different ways - some people choose to focus it on earphones.
@@PassionforSound Normally I would agree with you but after seeing folks posting multiple times a day on headfi with USD100-200k invested in personal audio, I am not so sure. Feels more like a contest between rich kids than passionate audiophiles.
No doubt there are those cases too
@@PassionforSound If I had a dollar everytime I was called a communist for protesting ever increasing audio prices, I could purchase the Orpheus by now.
BTW check out the A2A sale starting today. Good prices on Sony IEMs.
Don't lie to people! Penta are bad IEMs and are easily beaten by much cheaper ones ChiFi IEMs!! They are overpriced!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Not at all true in my experience. I haven't heard all IEMs out there, but I'm yet to hear anything significantly cheaper that I think is better overall
The sound of the Penta is a bit like the HD650 in an iem form. Mids focused.
I didn't find it so much like the HD650. The Pentas to me are brighter and more extended so they don't place as much emphasis on the midrange IMO. Of course, tip choice and insertion depth (i.e. ear canal shape) can alter what we hear so there's a chance that we ARE both hearing what we're describing 🙂 even though they're a little different
They are awesome. Great review
I agree. Glad you liked the review!
not even close
What's your fav?
I agree that there may be better hybrids (there are so many options, after all). I'd also like to know which you think is better so I can add it to my wishlist!
@@PassionforSound no offense for my comment but I could DM you if you’d like ? There’s so many to name haha
No offense taken - I'm honestly interested to know. Can you throw us 1-2 faves here?
Beard = less Jason-like
That's it! The beard's coming off! 😂
Great work, thanks.
My pleasure