Bad Guy Good Audio Rankings and stuff (under construction) (Part 1)

Can I ask, is there a specific reason for 444hz? Could this calibration be done with pink noise, which would reflect the full frequency range?

I do 2
1@ 440
1@ 1Khz

Could be
The goal is lining up any set or any 2 + sets and make sure the source is driving the same instead of rando turns of the dial.
I am always adjusting the Jot2 or ADI 2 DAC to 77dB.

Gotcha. It seems for the most part, itā€™s a fairly linear region and should produce the desired result. I was just thinking there could be oddball sets which have something weird going on in that region. The overall volume when listening to a track (which be reproducing more or less all frequencies) could be quite different, while those regions are matched.

This example shows some slight differences between the two subject, when aligned at 1k. I wonder if you were able to integrate the areas under the two curves, would that correlate to their respective output levels?

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Easier to show this.
The 2 tones allow me to align at a general point.
Pink noise will create a range.

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Ah, right, didnā€™t expect it to jump around so much. edit I guess it could be averaged over a fixed period, but weā€™re entering the realm of impractical.

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For sure interested in this comparison:

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Yes it could.

This started from me realizing by fixating on Cymbal strikes I sometimes had an urge to reach to turn it up
I immediately realized I may be subconsciously compensating/helping a set that just had poor dynamics or other.
Which made me try and find over time, my general listening level of 77dB with a +/- of 10dB of dynamic range in general.
So 77dB it was
and adjusting everything I touch to that prior to a review.
Itā€™s an exercise in O.C.D that I share.
I likely find it more valuable than anyone else but It helps my brain

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Itā€™s not ocd, definitely needed, without removing these variables, the comparisons are meaningless.

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Same! The canon keeps looking like it could be my endgame set. I have been torn on leaving Olina as my mobile choice and going with a desktop/headphone setup or just going all in on IEMs

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If the Canon is good, that bodes well for Yanyin in general.

The Aladdin was thought of as an alternative the Tea, which was high praise for a $245 set, and they made nymzā€™s under $300 short list.

I have nothing but good to say about Olina, they are in my ears for the 4th day this week. I might switch for the afternoon just to mix it up, but I am wearing them 3.5 of 5 work days, plus some other time too.

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Yeah I wanna get the Canonā€¦just waiting to flip my O2 and Aladdin, then I can justify buying a new IEM lol.

I voted to have the Canon review up next, but everyone else wanted BEST UNDER XYZ videos from HBB :sweat_smile:

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I am one of the folks that voted other. I am super curious to see his review of Audio Hekili. It has been brought up in a couple earlier videos, but never reviewed. I think there was another person that voted/commented for Hekili when I saw it, but Canon would be my next pick.

I have been looking for a good quality hybrid, I have heard some people rave about Hekili and it seems really interesting, and different. The bass looks meaty but probably not overdone, there is a slight peak around 5k, but again not too bad.

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Would love a video on the Canon vs EJ07/M vs Dark Magician :pray:

Canon graph looks right up my alley :stuck_out_tongue:

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@hawaiibadboy Looking at the Canon or the Hekili for my next set. Any thoughts to which one? Leaning towards the Hekili as it looks more unique in low to mid frequency compared to Mest MKII, EJ07M HBB and Up. All of which Iā€™m tremendously enjoying. Just looking for a slight departure and some changeup but, still staying with the sub-bass/mid-bass boost.

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Just put my set up for sale in the Buy/Sell thread if you decide to try the Hekili.

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Could you give your thoughts on them and why you are selling?

Oh Iā€™m tempted. Still learning my way around navigating the site. Are you allowed to link or PM it?

@cal_lando

Alright, both kids put to bed, hereā€™s my quick take on the Hikeli:

  • I notice their warmth more than their ā€œbassinessā€, perhaps itā€™s the driver tech, or just a more shelfy than gradual slope approach, but the Serial hit harder with the bass for me. From graphs Iā€™d expected about as much warmth/bass as I could probably handle from the Hekili, but in listening it just didnā€™t stick out a huge amount in the signature.
  • The peaks at 5ish and 8 k have been referenced here and elsewhere. This is an interesting ears vs. graphs case too. I really donā€™t like peaks, and it was a main downfall of the Autumnā€™s tuning for my ears and preferences that they had a 5k peak. But nothing sounds sharp or shouty.
  • Thatā€™s not to say those areas arenā€™t a little more pronounced. There is a lot of energy, and very bizarrely those regions can sound louder than Iā€™m used to them being emphasized, while never sounding sibilant, which sets that donā€™t even have those emphases can do. They are very engaging, not a relaxing listen, but for me never a grating one at all, just demanding of attention.
  • Treble, as with Lokahi, is some of the best treble I have ever heard for extension, detail, and lack of sibilance, all at once. I care less for treble than mids and bass, but my goodness the treble presented as well as it is on this set, while causing no issues, makes me wish I could just glue this treble response on the end of some of my favorite sets that tend to be rolled off. I think rolling off is playing it safe, because itā€™s hard to do treble excellently and itā€™s better to have no treble than awful treble. This just shows me that ā€œexcellent trebleā€ is as much of a solution as trying to avoid the treble issue altogether, itā€™s just very very rare.
  • Also like the Lokahi - stage is wide but not surrounding, certainly not spherical. So while the tonal emphases are incredible, and very well done, I find them harder to be ā€œimmersedā€ in than other sets.
  • Great fit, and lacks pressure alleviation issues the Lokahi could sometimes have.
  • Easy to drive, and to drive fully. BA advantage there? Run this bullet point past people with heftier rigs, I may be quite wrong in thinking Iā€™m driving them fine/well from a BTR5 balanced.

So why am I not keeping them?

  • I was trying them out when I already have a set I am very happy with, the Penon Serial. If I have a set I love already in hand, I can be quite critical of sets that come to shake the throne.
  • Although I rate this set very highly, I would probably rate it at the same level as the OH300 and Globe. Very great sets but not the ones I want to settle on at this moment personally.
  • Mind you, the Serial isnā€™t Godā€™s gift, I wouldnā€™t even for certain say itā€™s a 5/5 rather than a 4.5/5 - but for my current listening habits and more frequent library picks, itā€™s what Iā€™d choose to do the job. Impactful and textured bass, clear lovely mids, and relatively rolled off treble. Relaxing but with killer guitar, vocals, piano, and bass (perhaps not cymbals). Excellent timbre as well. Stage is above average, not mind blowing, but leans closer to a stage with actual height to it as well as width and distance. I am more likely to feel immersed.
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Thank you for that informative write up! Iā€™m surprised at the bass response based on the graph

These are the two sets Iā€™m most currently interested in; Canon and the Hekili. Might just go ahead and get both of them. Afraid of a video dropping and then it being out of stock. Like yourself Iā€™m most interested in it because of how different the bass region looks on it. Especially compared to what I already own.

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