Cal's Corner Store - I like Bass

IEMs / Other In-Ear Monitors (IEM)
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Hello everyone and welcome to Cal’s Corner Store! I have been a pretty active member of the forums here for some time and have done the odd review here and there. I have been trying to get more organized and structured with my reviews in search of my “endgame” IEM(s). Some of you have seen my recent reviews and asked me to make a topic to put them all so I figured why not! Below is some background on me, my search and my preferences which I think will help people understand my reviews better.

About Me

My first experience with music was playing the trumpet in elementary school. I wanted to play the guitar but that wasn’t an option so I somehow found my way to the trumpet. From there I listened to a lot of popular music of the time including hip hop and R&B (90s & 00s). One of my fondest memories in High School was burning mix tapes to bump in my Chevy Impala and cruising around our town with my friends.

In college I was introduced to Coheed and Cambria and Guitar Hero which ended up getting me into learning the guitar. From there I started to dive into different decades of rock and Pink Floyd became one of my favorite bands. I also started to get into electrical engineering and modding guitar amplifiers, one of which I still have today!

Once I graduated from college real life took over and music took a back seat to everything else going on. I would still frequent festivals and shows but I didn’t start caring about audio quality until about a year ago when my company gave me a headphone stipend for working from home. Needless to say I ended up spending way more than that in audio equipment in the last year and really started figuring out what I am looking for in my audio experience.

My Search

This now leads to where I am today. For IEMs my search is to find something that can:

  • Replay the songs of my youth, which require goobs of bass and a more intimate soundstage to really get the vibe.
  • capture the euphoric nature of my vocal centric library and transport me to another world
  • can play everything well enough without being too distracting to help focus me at work

In a perfect world all three would be accomplished by a single IEM but since that seems improbable my search is to find my endgame for each of those points.

My Preferences

Tonally I prefer a neutral replay with a pretty hefty bass boost. There needs to be enough treble extension so things don’t feel suffocated and the bass needs to be pushing serious air when it comes into play. Outside of those things a lot of little changes depend on the genre. I don’t focus too much on technicalities because my bar is kind of low. Its cool to have so much detail that you can here the singer smack their lips however that gets old really fast for me. The only thing in the “technicalities” space I care about is staging and imaging as that has a much greater affect on the musicality of songs than detail retrieval does.

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Review Information

Playlists
Pop
R&B
Rap
Hip Hop
Latin
House/EDM
Country

Genre Scoring
The score are statements about the IEM for a specific genre and what number roughly matches that statement.
1 - So awful I cannot listen for more than a few seconds, I would throw them away.
2 - I won’t listen to it but its not that horrible.
3 - It may be salvageable with a mod and will probably sit in my drawer for eternity.
4 - I would skip songs in this genre if these are already in my ears.
5 - I would begrudgingly listen if these are already in my ears.
6 - Not very exciting or engaging but fine for background listening.
7 - Enjoyable but noticeably missing something here or there.
8 - Enjoyable and exciting. Maybe one or two things could use a slight tweak.
9 - As flawless as I have experienced but something is missing that I can’t quite put my finger on.
10 - Idk, I haven’t found anything that makes me think yeah this is the pinnacle yet.

Favorite sets per genre

Pop - IE600
R&B - resin EJ07M/P1 Max
Rap - Legato
Hip Hop - Legato
Latin - resin EJ07M
House/EDM - resin EJ07M
Country - IE600

Reviews

Sennheiser IE600
7Hz Legato
Symphonium Meteor
Softears RSV
Thieaudio Monarch MKI
TinHiFi P1 Max
Letshuoer EJ07M Resin

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Sennheiser IE600 Review

Sound Profile
I would probably classify it as a flat W or maybe a U shaped signature however when listening to it generally I would consider it to be neutral with a slight boost in bass and upper treble.

Overview

For the price I got it for I would say it’s worth it. It’s a great IEM and one of my favorites however at $700 I think it makes too many concessions for the price. I would say its worth it if

  • You can get it for under $500
  • You require a small IEM (for sleeping or with ear muffs for instance)
  • You love DD timbre and desire a technically amazing experience

If I could change anything on this it would be the bass. I love the quality of it but it needs to hit harder. The treble can get a bit fatiguing, especially if you are coming off a more neutral or darker set. You do get used to it after a while.

Sound Details

Treble

The IE600 has an amazingly unique replay. There is so much air and sparkle however it never gets harsh or sibilant (for me). On top of that there is substantial depth so you get this airy, open stage. There isn’t much width but imaging is pretty precise which helps it feel open and personal at the same time.

Due to the enhanced treble, things like snaps and cymbals cut well through the mix without being crashy or overly done. Most instruments and vocals will have like an extra push in the upper range that make them sound a bit more ethereal and lighter than what they normally might sound like however I think that works with the rest of the FR. I will say the extra top end can make these a bit fatiguing, especially on busier tracks. If you are looking for a natural replay this is probably not going to be your cup of tea.

Midrange

Mid range is cleeeaaaaannnnnn. It’s the cleanest midrange I have heard without sound lifeless or thin. Details come through in spades making it a great critical listening IEM. There is a bit of a recession in the mids which probably helps with them coming off as clean as they are. Upper register vocals tend to work better with this set than lower register vocals. It’s not that lower registers sound thin but they don’t have the same warmth as other sets which really helps them out. Distortion effects also suffer from a lack of warmth. For some genres that is actually a benefit but for things like hard rock they don’t capture the same excitement as say psych rock where the euphoric feeling is enhanced. Acoustic guitars, especially in country music work really well with this set. Things that sometimes get lost in the mix like harmonicas, violins and flutes can cut through without feeling clustered. I think the midrange works really well with the rest of the FR however on its own they do their job and get out of the way.

Mid bass

Mid bass generally sounds very clean and quick with a bit of oomph. There is no distortion or flabbiness in the bass on this IEM. It’s well balanced with the rest of the FR even if the graph doesn’t show it. It works really well with kick drums and it’s quick enough that I can see things like Metal sounding really good on this set. That quick and clean mid bass has enough quantity that when coupled with the cleanness of the midrange help give a good sense of space without sounding thin. Certain genres that put a heavier emphasis on mid bass will find it lacking in quantity and coming off a little too tight. This is definitely a set where the graph kind of leads you astray.

Sub bass

I feel like sub bass replay usually falls somewhere in the spectrum between loose and rumbly to tight and thumpy. For the IE600 it’s very deep on the tight and thumpy side. Tight and thumpy basses need a lot of quantity for me so that I can really feel it and there just isn’t enough quantity in the IE600 for me (for certain genres). While it is subdued it’s not soft in any way and has very good texture. It’s easily enough to support any song and not make it sound sucked of life. If you are looking for something to really rumble you and get your bass fix this is not it. I will say I have tried boosting if over 10db and it never distorted so if you EQ you got a lot to play with here.

Genres

Below are my rankings for how this set plays each genre. These are based on my general enjoyment of the replay for songs in each set and is therefore very subjective.

Pop - 8/10
R&B - 8/10
Latin - 8/10
Rap - 7/10
Hip Hop - 7/10
House/EDM - 8/10
Country - 9/10

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Sick write-up bro :sunglasses: The genre ratings really help - Looking forward to more brother :handshake:

(Also dunno if it’s a typo but the detail part may be missing)

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that is more a top header on the other sections. idk how to do different header sizes :joy:

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Ohhh I see I thought it was the detail rating sections. I’d tell you but idk either LOL

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This was long overdue, brother. I love it :sunglasses:

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7Hz Legato Review

Sound Profile
Bass boosted warm sound signature with decent treble extension

Summary

The 7Hz Legato gives me festival show in the summer vibes. It’s not going to be for people who put big emphasis on detail retrieval, stage size and and imaging but it is going to be a party in your ears.

Is it Worth it?

In my opinion these are totality worth the price and probably more. However, worth the price != a good value to me. While I think its worth the price for what you get (I like this cable more than the Moonlight cable) It’s a very specific tuning and thus I wouldn’t recommend this set if its going to be the only set you own (unless your library is primarily hip hop and rap) when you can get an IEM that plays more genres better on average for cheaper.

Sound Details

Treble

There is a lack of air and sparkle in the replay which results in a pretty intimate space. Coupled with the excessive bass, you can get a bit of a claustrophobic experience on some songs. I don’t mind the intimacy, especially because after getting the Serratus I realized all IEMs that I have tried aren’t all that much more open.

Midrange

Vocals and instruments are pretty accurate overall but are colored a bit warmly. Luckily that warmth doesn’t come at the expense of good extension so while voices sound full and warm they avoid coming off muted which I felt was the case for the Penon Serial and ultimately why I sold that set. Unfortunately vocals are a bit too recessed for my taste as I prefer a slightly forward vocal experience but overall not offensive or poorly done. For those who listening to vocalists who sing mainly in the upper registers you will be missing a bit of completeness unfortunately.

Mid bass

Mid bass has great texture, snappy and thumpy bass hits feel distinct and are palpable. They have really good speed and don’t linger longer than they should. There is definitely nothing soft about the mid bass.

Sub bass

Sub bass has over the top rumble and boom that can sometimes wash out the rest of the replay, especially on drones. However the speed and texture of the bass is great so for songs that have quicker sub bass drops you don’t get it messing with the rest of the song. For the quantity that is present I feel like the sub bass is surprisingly tight.

Genres

Below are my rankings for how this set plays each genre. These are based on my general enjoyment of the replay for songs in each set and is therefore very subjective.

Hip Hop - 9/10
Rap - 9/10
Latin- 8/10
Dance/EDM - 7/10
Pop - 7/10
R&B - 7/10
Country - 4/10

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Symphonium Meteor Review

Sound Profile
Bass boosted mini W

Overview

I will say I really enjoyed the Meteor, probably more-so than the Mest MKII. It leans pretty close to my preference while also giving a very unique experience. I definitely think it’s worth the money. I will say if you are looking for something closer to a natural presentation this probably won’t be your cup of tea.

Sound Details

Treble

The meteor has pretty crazy extension that doesn’t get peaky or shrill at any point. It also avoids the fraying effect that I feel the Mest had while having similar air. While treble is obviously well extended it doesn’t come off as sparkly or shimmery to me which is nice and keeps vocals sounding natural. Detail retrieval is good for the price range but nothing particularly mind blowing to me.

Midrange

Guitars and other string instruments have good body and detail. This is one of the best replays of guitars that I have heard in a while, it sounds correct but then takes it to another level and gives a very immersive. You can feel the reverb yet it doesn’t mask the delicacy of the higher frequencies. Things get interesting in the vocals though, vocals come off slightly recessed and ethereal, benefitting from the save immersive qualities that the instruments show. They definitely don’t sound natural to me but I don’t hate it!

Mid bass

So this list he first time I have a heard an all BA IEM and I was very interested in this set because of the elevated BA bass and I have to say its definitely different but I appreciate it. Mid bass is extremely tight and precise. There is no bleeding and boominess but you definitely still get the tactality and can feel the mid bass kick drums and slaps. Having said that I definitely prefer DD bass.

Sub bass

Sub bass hits hit well but can come off soft, maybe that is the BA limitation. Even with the softness the bass hits are distinct, clean and quick, never lingering or loose. It’s not basshead bass but that wasn’t expected anyway. I think the sub bass (and mid bass) is actually very nicely balanced with the rest of the FR and it never overpowers it for my library. For an all-arounder I could see getting along with this however I think it would take it up a notch if they had a DD here for the lower freqs.

Genres

Below are my rankings for how this set plays each genre. These are based on my general enjoyment of the replay for some songs that fall in each category and is therefore very subjective and may not represent the category as a whole. If you have any questions as to what songs I listened to for each category feel free to ask!

Pop - 8/10
Rap - 7/10
Hip Hop - 6/10
R&B - 7/10
Latin - 8/10
House/EDM - 7/10
Country - 8/10

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Softears RSV Review

Sound Profile
like really good… maybe a warm neutral? It definitely has elevated bass and forward vocals but with full mids

Overview

Well… so I really really really like this set! For my preference it beats out the Meteor and Mest MKII easily. While I love my bass, I need good vocals or else the whole sound falls flat. I could honestly see this set knocking out the IE600 from the top spot for me. This will be getting A/B’d with the IE600 later this week for sure. As for the price, I don’t think I could pull the trigger on this for new price. While it’s really good it doesn’t do anything super magical (besides being overall really good) to put it at over $600 for me. I could see grabbing this for under $600 though.

Sound Details

Treble

The RSV is not a particularly airy IEM. There is a good amount of detail but it’s definitely not in the upper treble. Having said that I don’t think it’s missing anything in how it replays vocals and instruments alike. It doesn’t have the most spacious soundstage although it’s not particularly tight either. The RSV strikes a good balance where it doesn’t over offer and under deliver when it comes to the treble.

Midrange

IMO this is the sets bread and butter! Vocals are like being right there in front of the singer. They are clear and accurate and forward and beautifully detailed and a bunch of other positive adjectives that I don’t have time to write. Instruments come through well articulated with good detail and warmth. There is nothing sterile about the replay here. Instruments and vocals are well separated while still giving an intimate feeling like you are at a small venue.

Mid bass

So the bass really tricked me on the RSV. After coming from the Meteor’s very tight and clean bass (mid and sub) I honestly thought I was listening to a DD in the RSV until I looked it up. Mid bass has all the goodies. It’s Thumpy, snappy and tactile which I love. It also has some things that I usually attribute to DD bass which is that it’s a little loose and lingers a little longer than the bass on the Meteor does. The quantity in the RSV is about right given the looseness as I would be worried any more bass would start to muddy up what’s there. Having said that I honestly wouldn’t want much more mid bass than what it presents anyway. While its not the most detailed I really appreciate how it works with the rest of the replay.

Sub bass

I’ll just say it. I want more sub bass. This IEM definitely sounds more mid bass focused than sub which is cool because the mid bass is good however for my library I think it could use a couple of dbs in the sub 40hz region to just get some more rumble.

Genres

Below are my rankings for how this set plays each genre. These are based on my general enjoyment of the replay for some songs that fall in each category and is therefore very subjective and may not represent the category as a whole. If you have any questions as to what songs I listened to for each category feel free to ask!

Pop - 8/10
Rap - 7/10
Hip Hop - 7/10
R&B - 8/10
Latin - 8/10
House/EDM - 6/10
Country - 8/10

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Thieaudio Monarch MKI Review

Sound Profile
Bass bumped bright neutral or V, I can’t tell

Overview

Originally I was really excited about the Monarch but it quickly faded as I started getting to genres where it just wasn’t up to the task. The biggest issue with this set for me is that mid bass tuck. It’s extremely noticeable and causes two issues for me; the first is that it thins out notes a little too much and staccatos become too sharp and in your face, especially when you crank the volume. The second is the cut is too deep into the bass frequencies, leaving not much low end to support the elevated upper mids and treble. Vocal clarity is very good and technicalities are good for the price but overall it’s a pass for me and my library.

Sound Details

Treble

Monarch is more focused on the upper range and it really shines up here. It’s got a great amount of air without feeling overdone like on the Mest MKII. Details come through well even at lower volumes. The space feels pretty open and expansive and imaging is very good. Even with the extended treble the upper harmonics of percussions such as cymbals sound natural, however staccatos do shoot you in the ear at times.

Midrange

String and wind instruments and vocals lack some body but otherwise sound clean and natural. They have great extension without sounding artificially airy or frayed. They also occupy a good space in that they are not too forward or too recessed. Percussion instruments do sound particularly thin and lack the bunch from the mid bass that is needed to make them sound natural and prominent.

Mid bass

Audible but lacking body. You have to really crank the volume to get much mid bass however the treble becomes too unbearable before the mid bass can really show up. When it does come through its a clean and tight bass.

Sub bass

It does have a sub bass bump which gives a bit of support in the low end to not back the whole replay sound shrill however for my library it just isn’t enough. Even though its bass boosted I think it doesn’t go far enough to balance the rest of the FR out.

Genres

Below are my rankings for how this set plays each genre. These are based on my general enjoyment of the replay for some songs that fall in each category and is therefore very subjective and may not represent the category as a whole. If you have any questions as to what songs I listened to for each category feel free to ask!

Pop - 8/10
Rap - 6/10
Hip Hop - 5/10
R&B - 7/10
Latin - 6/10
House/EDM - 7/10
Country - 8/10

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TinHiFi P1 Max “Panda” Review

Sound Profile
warm neutral

Overview

Totally worth it 1000x! It’s so smooth and warm yet clear and articulate. The vocals remind me of the IE600 except slightly warmer and with less shimmer and detail. It’s definitely mid bass which makes it a good compliment to the IE600 as well. It’s like a slightly warmer and smoother IE600 with a mid bass emphasis instead of a sub bass emphasis. This is pretty much an instant buy at under $100 and even at full price they are worth it.

Sound Details

Treble

You don’t reach for the panda if you are looking for treble. The name of the game is smooth here and with that comes a narrow stage, a more intimate presentation and less air overall. Although it leads warmer it still manages to stay surprisingly clear and resolving.

Midrange

As I mentioned in the overview, the mids remind me a lot of the IE600 which I love. The only vocals I prefer over the P1 Max and the IE600 would be the RSV. They are actually a good in between. The present like the IE600 but are warmer like the RSV (although not as warm). As for instruments they are definitely colored a tad by the overall warmth but they don’t sound off or necessarily incorrect. More just that they are a bit more mellow, with less bite.

Mid bass

Mid bass has all types of texture. It hits with good physicality and decent speed which makes for a fun time with certain tracks. The nice thing about the mid bass is that it only comes when it’s called.

Sub bass

Sub bass is not elevated over the mid bass which is my preference but in this case I don’t feel like I am missing anything. I think the Lower sub bass quantity in this case works because of the warmth and smoothness of the rest of the signature. I will say I do miss the sub bass for things like kick drums as I feel the hits come off a bit too soft.

Genres

Below are my rankings for how this set plays each genre. These are based on my general enjoyment of the replay for some songs that fall in each category and is therefore very subjective and may not represent the category as a whole. If you have any questions as to what songs I listened to for each category feel free to ask!

Pop - 8/10
Rap - 7/10
Hip Hop - 7/10
R&B - 8/10
Latin - 7/10
House/EDM - 6/10
Country - 7/10

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Damn man I got some catching up to do. You just threw down mad content. Love to see you having your own thread now. Briefly skimmed everything, until I get more time to read in depth, and I’m here with you to say. I agree to every point you made on the Legato.

Aside from that if anyone here is a much a reggae head as I am, Meteor is a set that gets a 10/10 out of every set I’ve heard. Throwing this in as plug to my favorite set and seeing reggae isn’t one of your genres. Until another set comes along and knocks it down it’ll reign supreme as my top reggae choice. No set I have gives that reggae rhythm section the justice Meteor does.

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Thanks! Most of it was copying posts from the IEM thread but it’s nice having everything in one spot.

I can definitely see that. The texture of the bass seems like a good fit for reggae. You also bring up a good point which is there are tons of genres that I didn’t list since they either aren’t in my library or make up a very small amount. For all I know the ie600 can be 9/10 for metal and a 3/10 for orchestral.

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I was quite surprised to see HBB not list the Meteor as the better reggae set in his newer video. I’ve never heard the Maestro SE but, from my take on the Mini it just had a tad to much subbass emphasis for reggae. The Meteors slight subbass dip and elevated midbass really allows the bassist and riddum they bring to the song to be forward, punchy and textured. While the BA bass for me felt the most accurate to the mellow mood of reggae to shine. Bass did feel deeper on the Mini, though contrary to what a lot may say, it felt to deep and less textured. It had a sound I’d more relate to EDM amd HipHop. No other set gets my skankin’ shoes hotter. I get it though we all have our preferences.

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I just saw that video and it was cool to see the Meteor on that list! I would love to try the Gran Maestro at some point. Also the fact that that got bumped above the Storm is very interesting…

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:+1:

(pst you might want to put links to your reviews here (first post or 2) so it is easier to find.)

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I didn’t get the chance to play around with the GM too much but I do remember them being ridiculously balanced in the setting I heard them in at CanJam. I’d be so down to play around with all the different settings it’s capable of. Seems like a beast of a set.

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Good call! Ill add that to my second post

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Yes. But not for old or classic records! Otherwise, for metal they are 9.5/10. Having owned several mid-centric kits, I think the IE600 is better for metal than them (and technically). Some may think that guitars lack bite, but this is not the case. They have a good bite but aren’t in your face so it’s not tiring listening.
They are hard to recommend because people listening to metal want more emphasis in the middle! :wink: :love_you_gesture:

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