So I’m sensing some sarcasm here…
LOL 
That was legit funny!
2 Likes
I can always pass this off as British humour no…???
Readymade excuse 
P.S. don’t try to put me in a box - I am just speaking my truth…
Typical musician cable denier - probably refers to my trusty Nordost interconnect as “snakes”
This was impressively well thought out for being a gaff, dude, I’m surprised you were able to keep it going for as long as you did 
bravo 
2 Likes
I love this lol 
1 Like
I think KBear hit up the same factory for the Xuanwu as Tangzu did for the Heyday.
$20 build quality has leveled up!
8 Likes
My Impressions of the Kiwi Ears Orchestra Lite or Wait a Second, Who Let You Into This Party?
So it is my turn to go through the tour box that you’ve heard @MMag05, @VIVIDICI_111, and @cal_lando talk about in the last month or so. For those that may not have followed, we all shared some of our best and favorites, and what made it back to me (because I had already heard @Sonofholhorse’s MEST Mk II and U6T and sent it ahead at the beginning of the tour) are as follows:
- Symphonium Meteor
- TinHifi P1 Max (Giant Panda
) - Yanyin x HBB Mahina
- Xenns Up
- Sennheiser IE600
- Softears RSV
- Thieaudio Monarch (the OG)
- Tangzu x HBB Wu Zeitan Heyday
My intention with these impressions is to go in reverse order of my preferences of these sets, from the bottom of the pile to the cream of the crop.
Which brings us to the subject of these impressions: What is the Orchestra Lite here? Well, while I was waiting for my turn with the tour sets, I went ahead and grabbed a couple of sets (these and the Juzear 41T) to try out and put up against the competition.
So how does the Orchestra Lite fare?
THE GOOD
- Tuning is clean, a bit of a bass-boosted neutral, in the vein of the Aful Performer 5
- This had decent midbass slam, not the most impactful but tasteful with the tuning
- The upper midrange and treble are smooth and well handled
THE BAD
- This has lacking BA sub-bass. If you need that good quantity of sub-bass, dream on
- Not as engaging as P5 and I didn’t find that to be a standout in that department
- Calling this set “safe” isn’t fair, but it’s favorite tv show was old Dragnet cause it wants “Just the facts, ma’am”
- Technicalities don’t really do anything special for the configuration (8BA) or price ($250)
What Does It All Mean?
This is the definition of a “fine, but” set for me. It doesn’t do anything very wrong but it doesn’t do anything to inspire more either. If you wanted a set to dip your toes into how an all-BA configuration competes this is fine enough, but this is not the best representation of what all-BA IEMs can do.
We’ll get to that soon enough. But with that I’m done here for now, see you next time!
Rank For Orchestra Lite: B
Rank With Personal Bias: B
Rank As a Food: Unseasoned Grits
(no butter though…)
14 Likes
My Impressions of the Tangzu x HBB Wu Zeitan Heyday Edition or What Did You Do With the Real Wu?
Having had time with the Heyday, I think it’s easy to understand where HBB was coming from on this one: Heyday is more premium looking/feeling: The shell is a complete upgrade on the OG Wu, and I think they sound materially better/different than the OG as well. But I feel like that makes a problem out of the entire exercise. Lets look at why.
THE SOUND
So in terms of the sound, these definitely are a departure from the OG Wu. The Wu is a V-shape planar more in the vein of Timeless/S12, while Heyday is more balanced/midcentric like the Panda. The sub-bass is brought down and the midbass has more emphasis. This is a welcome change to me, of course. They also don’t get as much emphasis in the upper-midrange, showing more control and smoothness.
That said what do I like and dislike about Heyday:
THE GOOD
- Shows more balance in the sound signature both in the bass and midrange
- Has good planar technicalities
- Build quality is very premium. This feels/looks like it should be a pricey IEM
- Good treble that keeps good clarity in the sound for me
THE BAD
- Set falls kind of in between on the spectrum: Not a good enough V-shape to be in the Timeless category, not good enough of a midcentric set to be in the Panda’s category
- Bass hits soft. It doesn’t have the midbass thump to give bass any texture, when pulling back the sub-bass boom
- I don’t like that this is called Wu Zeitan when it doesn’t sound like Wu much at all. Collaberation name feels more like an attention grab, when this is admittedly not an adjustment/evolution of Wu but a whole different IEM.
WHO IS THIS SET FOR?
- HBB fans/supporters
- People (like me) who can find planar V-shape IEMs too clean/antiseptic
- Someone who waited until the end of the wave of this generation of planar to pick their winner and wants to try a safe, good bet
WHO IS THIS SET NOT FOR?
- Those who have a planar they’re already satisfied with. This likely isn’t going to make you need to sell what you have. It’ll be side grade material really
- People on a budget/care about value: at $199, there are options at lower price points that I would go to before this
- If you want a set that commits to being more V-shaped or more midcentric, I’d go more towards Timeless or Panda respectively
- If good, well textured bass matters. Heyday does not have that for me. It’s very soft bass to me
What Does It All Mean?
For me, Heyday has a lot of good but enough bad to make this complicated. It’s an easier listen, in some ways, than S12/Timeless, is a complete upgrade on it’s predecessor, and has the muscle of HBB behind it. All of those are great selling points. But I think it misstepped by trying to latch onto the Wu name, it falls into an in-between space in the market that I don’t know/think needed filling, and is still at a price point that I personally don’t think is warranted, considering the options in the market.
At the end of the day, while I know this is a good enough IEM, it just doesn’t do anything for me that fills a need that I can’t get from somewhere else. The bass is just not inspiring, and for me it’s just one of many very competent IEMs. It doesn’t stand out to me in a meaningful way, so it’s a pricey pass for me. We’re done here for now, so see you next time!
Grade for Wu Zeitan Heyday Edition: B
Grade With Personal Bias: B
Rank As a Food: Overpriced Restaurant Sandwich
12 Likes
…
Very critical for Heyday! I think it’s a delicious Greek gyro 
7 Likes
Meh. It’s not really Heyday’s fault. I just don’t really care about planar all that much
5 Likes
Agreed with your comments for me the KZ PR1 PRO when i bought it for $48 is my go to planar.
I wish companies would focus on making a larger planar better one not cheaper as seems the current trend.
1 Like
I was a big Timeless fanboy but the build quality on that set is admittedly ass. For that reason alone the Heyday takes the crown as the new planar king IMO. Agreed with stock tuning the bass is a little lacking for my taste but for those not allergy to some minor EQ it goes hard.
I rate it a beef tataki with ponzu sauce 
7 Likes
My Impressions of Symphonium Meteor or What If “Play Stupid Games, Win Stupid Prizes” Was an IEM?"
I really expected the Meteor to be one of the standouts in the tour box. I was anticipating coming in and telling you how awesome this set is and why it’s a great example of a well-done all-BA set and maybe it’s expensive but it might be worth it.
Then I listened to them…and that didn’t happen. And now I guess I have to start asking a stupid question: Do I even like BA bass?
THE SOUND
Whether this is a W or U-Shape or whatever isn’t really all that clear for me, but I will say that the Meteor sounds well balanced. Bass isn’t too light in quantity; it is present in the mix. BA midbass is good with the quick decay that allows it to be present but not muddy up the lower midrange. The problem is in the sub-bass. That fast bass can work in the midbass but you should want that linger in the sub-bass/early midbass to get good rumble and texture. BA sub-bass just doesn’t do it.
The midrange is VERY well tuned, it’s clean, forward, vocals don’t get drowned out. This is what makes the set great. So if we’re pretty okay overall so far, why does this set sit so far back on my list?
The treble. This treble is a problem for me. It’s got good presence, and there is a lot of extension, but the cut in the mid-treble is egregious for me because it kills the clarity for me. I’ll put it this way in a TV analogy: I actively have the feeling like listening to the Meteor is listening in SD, and other sets can sound like listening in HD. I broke out my best clarity tips (Spinfit CP240 double flange tips), just to see if I was crazy, and the CP240s made the Meteors sound as clear as other sets with normal single flange tips. Not clearer, it just got them to normal levels of clarity. That’s…nope. That’s not acceptable at $600.
THE GOOD
- The midrange is worthy of the reputation of this set. Vocals are quite good
- Smooth, easy-listening treble. You can push the volume well without consequence
- Could be good as an all-around, EDC-type IEM if the cons aren’t dealbreakers
- The fit is great. It’s got a great size for most ears and you’d be in a minority if these were difficult to wear
- I think it’s a nice build quality and wouldn’t complain about that
THE BAD
- Not a fan of the BA bass, especially the sub-bass. It comes off soft and without impact or texture
- The treble is a double-edge sword: It’s great for easy listening but if I’m paying $600, it shouldn’t be fuzzy at the edges like it’s a $30 set that’s just tuned “well-enough”
WHO IS THIS SET FOR?
- People who want a competent all-BA set that has more musicality than Kiwi Ears Orchestra Lite
- People who are treble-sensitive, or want an all-day set. This is a warm, but also darker, IEM
- People who are sensitive to IEM shell size: This is a top-2 best fitting all-BA set I tried
WHO IS THIS SET NOT FOR?
- People with a treble deficiency: Meteor has the lowest treble output of the BA sets I tried (OL, RSV, SA6U) and I can hear it, compared to all the others.
- People who are bass junkies: This has soft, fuzzy bass. It’s good enough for just being present, but it’s not engaging or toe-tapping bass
- Detail freaks need not apply. We got no sparkles for you here
What Does It All Mean?
For me, it means the Meteor is a miss. It’s just not that good of a set. This competes with the Orchestra Lite, but wants to be in the same conversation as RSV or SAU6, and I don’t think it is. And yet I know (KNOW) I’m going to hear a bunch of “but what about (insert reason why you love Meteor)?” And to that I say, you do you. You love this set in spite of everything I just said even though it’s not for me. But if you put Meteor in front of me, I’m going to smile politely and ask “Do you have anything else? Like, anything else? No…fine, I’ll take it”. And with that, we’re done here for now, so see you next time!
Grade for Symphonium Meteor: B
Grade With Personal Bias: B
Rank as a Food: Poutine
:strip_icc()/quick-poutine-BBOQQT52qRM8_P2JsdQxXI-2336ec1ff4744ee89333a3da76fd7ae3.jpg)
Editor’s Note: I was re-listening to Yanyin x HBB Mahina to write up my impressions on, and it doesn’t deserve a full post for itself now, as it should be here below Monarch in my preferences.
It’s a ying/yang with Meteor: Mahina is a more upper-midrange focused IEM for people who like darker sets. It has less impressive bass quantity than Meteor with just satisfactory quality. It has more vocal presence, but it is also a bit dark in the mid-treble around the area that hurts me most (it has more treble energy there than Meteor though). The sound descriptions aside, the feelings I had for Meteor and why I compared it to poutine largely apply to Mahina so it goes here too.
11 Likes
My Impressions of Thieaudio Monarch or This Is Why Arranged Marriages Are Still A Thing: They’re Not As Bad As Their Reputation After All
If I had my pick of the tour IEMs, the Thieaudio Monarch would not have been on my list of must-listens. I would have prioritized other sets (like SA6U, Meteor, Xenns Up), and very well have said “I’ll pass on Monarch”. That definitely would’ve been a mistake because this is a very good IEM. But it has a known quantity (or lackthereof) that we all know about and it has to be addressed. But that said, it’s not a hard dealbreaker…even for me.
THE SOUND
The Thieaudio Monarch is a neutral-tuned IEM with a very particular bass-response: It has a sub-bass elevation married to a midbass tuck. So you get the rumble of the sub-bass and some thump in the early midbass, but NONE of the late midbass, which means a completely clean lower midrange. It’s not lacking body or note-weight though, but it does mean male vocals are a little off tonally. The trade off is that instrumentation that lives with harmonics in the upper midrange and female vocals that have that extension sound phenomenal. Treble is well extended, with good energy and clarity throughout and air to add the sparkles and extra details. These are extremely good at what they do and there’s a reason the Monarch line is where most people get off in the Thieaudio lineup.
THE GOOD
- Awesome midrange overall: Lots of stage for the IEM to be musical and engaging
- Female vocals are a definite highlight
- Engaging treble that has very good clarity
- Gets positive marks for detail retrieval: This set gets me paying attention to details like singers taking their breath or guitar pulls and other micro details more than most sets
- Layering/separation/imaging portions of technicalities were very good
- This is a very good set for people who believe in deep nozzle insertion: The lack of midbass is less noticeable with the deeper your insertion (insert all your giggidy jokes about insertion here). CP240 tips would push Monarch up my list, if I didn’t get bothered wearing double flange tips for long listening
THE BAD
- The bass response: At the end of the day it’s still a bass tuck set and I don’t fuck with them
- The fit: It is a BIG BOY and it is all up in your earholes. My first session hurt after about 10 minutes and I didn’t think I could get more than 30 minutes in total. If you don’t tolerate big shells this is not your IEM
- Male vocals are not that great
- Other parts of the technicalities were not blowing me way: I didn’t find myself engaged in the overall dynamic range. Soundstage should be better with driver configuration IMO
WHO IS THIS SET FOR?
- Clarity/detail freaks: But you already knew that
- People who prioritize female vocals
- Sub-bass over midbass fans
- People who prefer a more musical and less analytical sound style
- The Deep Insertion Crew: If you like violating your ears, then get these with some double flange tips. These jump up a level!
WHO IS THIS SET NOT FOR?
- Bassheads: just…it’s unsatisfactory
- Fully critical listeners: This is not an analytical “break down the music” set, even though it has good micro detailing
- People with small ears or difficulty with dealing with big shells: RUN RUN RUN away. Just go, now!
What Does It All Mean?
For me, it means the Monarch is very much neck and neck with the next IEM up on my list. Without fully giving away what that set is, I think they do similar things but do them in different ways to get to that place. What the Monarch does is just be very clean, musical, and technical. It’s a very good set. But it’s a set for a very specific clientele and if you don’t fall under that umbrella, then you are not going to have the most ideal experience.
It is not an experience I would necessarily see myself going to all the time (both because of the price of admission and the very specific nature of the Monarch), but I’m not going to act like this is not an experience worth having if you have the means and opportunity. It certainly is. And with that, we’re done for now, so see you next time!
Grade for Thieaudio Monarch: B+
Grade With Personal Bias: B+
Grade As a Food: Foie Gras
7 Likes
Foie gras 
The more you speak about that set, the more I think it would be for me (I don’t really know about the size, though).
It’s always a meme!!!
4 Likes
Well. I got some thoughts for sure. I’ll be writing a full breakdown tomorrow morning for sure, but I can say this much:
I’ll most likely be buying a pair of OG Monarch’s in the near future.
And I’ll definitely, 100% be buying a pair of big Pandas sooner rather than later. They’re as amazing as I first remembered them and it only took 30 seconds to confirm that - I simply need them in my collection.
More thoughts to come no doubt 
Oh, and the lighting absolutely sucks in the library so getting a half decent photo was challenging 
Here’s the only shot that’s acceptable anyways
8 Likes