Sounds like a fantastic find! Love how you highlight that perfect balance of fun and musicality, sometimes that’s exactly what we need over pure technicality. Definitely adding Prelude to my radar now.
4 Likes
Anyone with both Xenns Top Pro and Dunu SA6 MK2? I recently got SA6, which I consider very good allrounder, and I wonder what Top offers over it - is it worth to jump fomo train or look for something more specialized.
I was supposed to get Softears Twilight next but Xenns hype train is messing with my plans 
Here’s a double-header: I compared the Symphonium Giant ($700) and Titan ($1000) for about a week. Both are bassy sets with completely different tunings: Giant is warm warm warm, while Titan is clear and energetic with massive subbass rumble.
Symphonium takes a less-is-more approach to driver count, and a more-is-more approach to power requirements. The Giant features a single DD + BA with 88 dB/mW sensitivity and 7Ω impedance, while the Titan packs a DD + 2BA configuration with an extremely low 80 dB/mW sensitivity and 3Ω impedance - the lowest sensitivity I’ve ever seen in an IEM by a long shot. This thing drinks current like a thirsty sailor. Thanks to AudioGeek EU for the chance to try these on tour!
Titan
I listen to my Kiwi Ears Punch a lot, and I liked the Titan for many of the same reasons. It’s got nice tonality and clarity through the mids and treble, with some sparkle, and vocal tone sounds correct. That’s complemented by a crazy bass boost that doesn’t bleed into the mids, but gives a very fun subbass rumble. This is, without question, a basshead set. In spite of that, this is easily the best vocal presentation I’ve heard yet from Symphonium (vs Giant and Crimson, which I found a bit nasal and shouty, respectively).
If you’ve listened to other bassy sets and thought “no, this isn’t enough physical rumble,” the Titan could be just what you’re looking for while still performing admirably beyond just the bass. It gives more subbass rumble than Kiwi Ears Punch, with a touch less warmth through the mids and more forward upper mids and treble. The treble has a bit of spice which helps balance against the bass, but I don’t find it fatiguing.
With the subbass focus, the bass doesn’t give the super fast, snappy feel that more conservative subbass tunings generally give, but it performs very well. It keeps good separation from the mids, not compromising clarity. The separation and resolution is also very good - it kept the busy double-kicks and bass line well defined in Death’s “Moment of Clarity” and really shone with electropop like Charli xcx’s “B2B” with huge bass synth hits.
Giant
The Giant offers a big midbass thump with impressive bass rumble and good punch, but not nearly as much subbass compared to the Titan. The star of the show here is strictly bass - lots of it, gliding unabashedly through the mids making the whole presentation warm. The presentation is more relaxed rather than engaging, with vocals taking a step back in the mix. Male vocals sound a bit nasal, and while there’s no sibilance with smooth treble, it’s lacking edge and sustain on cymbals.
Comparison
The Giant is warm and midbassy with smoothed out, recessed vocals and treble, while the Titan is more energetic with better vocal timbre and huge subbass but less warmth and body to instruments. Treble sparkle comes through with the Titan but not on the Giant.
The shells are small, light, and very nicely built, though the triangular shell shape doesn’t work too well for my ears, creating a hotspot by pushing on my tragus. It’s worth trying a Symphonium IEM first to see if this shell shape works for you. Giant is a bit smaller than Titan.
For my preferences, the Titan is the clear winner. I find it a really enjoyable basshead set that brings very fun bass with impressive subbass rumble while maintaining good clarity and technical performance throughout. It’s easy to recommend if you’re looking for a bassy set. The Giant didn’t quite work for me, but if you’re looking for a warm bassy set and don’t mind vocal and treble presentation that could euphemistically be called “analog,” it’s something to consider.
14 Likes
I got the Tanchjim Bunny today, and for $20 it is a steal. I was using a Samsung dongle, and the Anker one, both had power to spare, and sounded great.
This might be my new favorite budget set.
2 Likes
I’ve not tried Giant but I did prefer Titan over Crimson too when I got to quickly try them at last years London CanJam.
5 Likes
Good to see some Titan love around these parts. It doesn’t get much love anywhere else.
7 Likes
This makes me think I should give Titan a go…
4 Likes
The brushed copper actually looks like wood as well (assuming the faceplates are made of wood of course). Reminds me of a violin for some reason.
3 Likes
I’m fully geeking out over that woodgrain it’s sort of giving boutique-tier vibes. Classy!! Lowkey curious though… does the ebony actually shape the sound in any way? Like, do we get smoother decay or is it just a visual flex? 
2 Likes
If this is a DD and the inside is also wood, then yes it will affect the sound in some way.
If it is only the faceplate, and the material inside is different, then the wood may only have a minor effect as it would still affect the mass of the shell.
3 Likes
For example the Japanese 634ears models have different choice of backplate, and if you test two of the same model with one of soft wood and other hard you notice a change. Of course not drastic, but the change is larger than most accessories like DAPs, Cables etc
And going from soft wood to metal back is even more change, so I would think the Tangzu wood design is part of the sound design. As this effect the rebounds and how the soundwaves decay inside the shell.
8 Likes
that’s a great point. Shell material especially in acoustic designs can subtly but meaningfully shape the sound. It might not be night/day like a driver swap, but the changes in decay, resonance, and overall timbre are definitely more noticeable than most cable or DAP swaps.
1 Like
The Monarch 4 looks pretty cool imo.
The faceplate on the right really reminds me of the Symphonium Meteor just in a different color way;
What’s more interesting though is it looks like even Thie is not immune to the new “Basshead Tuning takeover” in the market recently. I’m not sure if they’re going for a tuning switch or dial of some kind, but two different tunings are available.
A part of me is very much interested but I have to ask my self, is the neutral tuning going to be better than my Monarch 2s? And is the bass-leaning tuning going to be better than the Titans? A part of me might be interested but it’s nice to just sit back, really critically think about your purchasing decisions in this hobby, and just appreciate what ya got 
12 Likes
Agreed, there’ll be plenty of people out there to review and adopt them on the name alone. It is interesting to see that “Bass is back on the menu, boys” though; I wonder if there’ll be a focus on neutrality or upper mids/treble next? The market does seem to chase trends that way, and of course there’s always specialists.
3 Likes
MK 4 look great. Titanium shelll, nice cable, two tunings, and probably for around what mk3/2 are at so hopefully around 1000. This is a pretty exciting combination and the graph looks great, so it could be really nice. I’ll probably get one and review, but still figuring things out. I’m a sucker for titanium shells and thie iems.
5 Likes
I am going back and forth on the two designs, the star shower is quite cool but now that you mention it look like Meteor I might tip my scale toward the other design.
I do preffer my IEMs without switch/dials, but if the change is drastic enough I can dig it if we get two different and viable sound profiles.
5 Likes
I’m a sucker for all black IEMs, there aren’t that many out there tbh. The matte titanium finish makes it look that much cooler imo I could go either way with the faceplate. I think that shell design and coloring is plenty distinctive and also pretty discreet at the same time.
I’m sure you’ll get a set soon, looking forward to reading your thoughts, especially compared to the Valhalla.
5 Likes
I swear half of my liking of the ziigaat Nuo is due to the muted black styling. I hate that stuff like that is rare.
Clean, piano or matte black with only a small logo and no glitter bomb would be such a nice look instead of the current “styling” trend of the week 
5 Likes
I couldn’t agree with you more, brother. I gave my Nuos away to my buddy from work who was getting into IEMs at the time but I swear I miss them just because of the look lol
I do enjoy the glittery faceplates though, I can’t lie. I love the way the Estrella looks as an example. It’s most likely because it’s not a random design, it actually looks deliberate with the colors and the shape of the glitter. Not to mention the entire shell has the glitter in the resin so I always thought that was dope af.
3 Likes