This is awesome to hear. Iāve always wanted the UP. When Iām ready for my next set, itāll most likely be the UP or the KL honestly. Then, I shall assemble my infinity gauntlet of my infinity sets 
Yes I have a KL. I donāt want to steer you wrong in details. Iāll leave it as simple as I find the quantity of bass to be comparable. I do get a sense of slightly more energy on the Up with something like a bass or guitar but, not much. Just the way the two hit and present are very different to me.
Up is only slightly forward on vocals. Iāve seen others also say it isnāt so, itās a toss up. I find KL to beat it out by a good shot. Especially on busier tracks with vocals. Iād never recommend the Up to someone whoās main priority was being vocal forward.
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This. Wouldnt word it better.
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Ahh I think I got a picture of what you are describing regarding vocals and bass. I think Iāll try to find a shop that I can audition UP around and see if the slight bass energy satisfies my ear, thanks again!
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Youāre very humble about your abilities to describe audio, but you keep writing incredibly practical and helpful descriptions and comparisons. Thanks for the time you put into them.
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Agreed 100 per cent
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Thanks for the kind words. Iām still fairly new to the hobby. Got my first IEM in November and was all AirPods or gas station buds before that. Been reading a ton and trying to make sense of all the terms. Itās overwhelming though trying to interpret someoneās review or definitions into sound and IEM capabilities. Especially when we all here things slightly different. Just gonna stay in the slow lane for now.
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I agree, youāre descriptions of your experience have been insightful. I donāt have anywhere to audition these sets, so itās a big help. thanks
Iām leaning towards the KL for now, but I have a feeling Iād really like the Xenns Up. The KL just seems a bit more versatile and a safer bet. Once I make this buy I should be set for a bit to save up and trim some gear
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The mid-fi conundrum has been consuming me for the last weeks, I have no idea what IEM I should get next.
Iād easily go for a second hand IE600 if it was cheaper but canāt really afford to drop 600 USD on a secondhand unit right now and rather get something a bit cheaper.
My max budget is around 500, the Xenns Up goes for around this price second hand.
Tha FR graph is ideal for my tonal tastes and library which is mostly electronic music.
The issue I have with the Xenns Up is that most reviewers agree itās not a particularly great technical performer, especially given the price tag.
Have been considering the EJ07m and Variations too. I think the EJ07m is probably the best middle ground, the Variationās thin mid bass and chunky nuzzle puts me off from getting this one over the other contenders despite how much praise it gets and saves me around 100 bucks compared to the other two.
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I guess technical can be subjective. Itās technical with bass and sounds great with the beryllium driver. Especially with some volume. Thereās no signs of sibilance on it for me. So itās got some chops going for it.
Treble doesnāt really have sparkle or air though. Which is a huge plus for me. Makes for great extended listening sessions with EDM where you can crank the volume. Iām not saying a listen super loud but, when a DJ is spinning a good live set I just like to bump up the volume a bit. Some of my other IEMs Iāve tried can be a bit much then in the treble or the DD drivers start to distort (best word I can think of). The Up just hits a grand slam and continues sounding great.
I can see how a lot of the bigger reviewers or ones who do this daily would say itās not technical. And it isnāt when compared to other IEMs whoās strengths are imaging, separation, soundstage or treble. But, donāt mistake the Up for lacking or being sloppy with technical ability. It just puts priorities in other areas.
I think they get to focused on those areas without giving credit where itās due; Great Tight Clean Controlled Bass with Darker Treble. Suited for those of us who arenāt full bassheads but, want some extra bump with a colored approach to tuning and not heavy on sharp treble.
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That darkish treble is great for me because I can crank the volume higher and experience less fatigue / sibilance than cranking up my Fiio FD5 or DUNU EST 112 which have peaky upper treble.
Technicals are always subjective, I wonder if the Xenns UPās tuning has to do with itās lesser technical performance? Colored IEMs like the UP usually have lesser perceived clarity due to having more bass and less treble extension.
I think the UP will fit quite well in my collection of around 21 IEMs, I can get a Xenns UP next month and a Moondrop S8 later which is the opposite of the UP: Very analytical and technical.
Personally like to have a wide variety of tuning options in my collection even if it doesnāt play my library super well like the S8.
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Just a puzzled/different perspective on these. Iāve tip-rolled and made sure to try high gain on the R5S over a balanced connection, but I still donāt get it:
- HBB describes these as a guilty pleasure due to bass levels
- Many reviewers if the could have their take condensed to a sentence, say āGood bass but too much bass, doesnāt shine elsewhereā
And I just donāt get it. There is a tasteful level of bass and warmth but nowhere near a thumpy bloated basshead level. In my opinion there isnāt even any bloat at all. Furthermore, the overall bass quantity seems reasonably elevated over neutral (like the Serial) but again nothing unusually so. Case in point - the Yanyin Canon, even on a balanced 000 setting (no FR region given extra boost) has a much higher quantity of sub-bass. For example on Roots Manuvaās On a high, on the Canons (SE, low gain) Iām swimming in warm sub-bass, but even with the tips and gain choices to give the berylium and all, the Xenns still remain very tasteful.
Now, it is certainly great bass. I LOVE when even subtle 4 string bass has clear distinction in every part of the note, it isnāt just a vague blurry melody but has character of its own. And the driver in the Xenns seems to do that.
But for such a tasteful, non-bleeding presentation, which tbh holds itself back a lot in quantity compared to sets that get no flak at all for being ātoo bassyā, what am I missing?
If you get them at a good enough used price, Iām happy to give them a pass at this early stage, opinions might change as being the technical upgrade to the Serial while retaining a lot of its character. Theyāre not a direct upgrade, the Serial even has some aces in a few occasions for my preferences, and at full price I wouldnāt recommend the diminishing returns.
So they get the rec of a Serial user, but I wouldnāt say they were super bassy at all? Neutral with elevated bass? (Which can make the treble a little darker, I feel like Iām still getting plenty of detail there though.)
Curious on othersā takes/insights.
EDIT: To pre-empt a wise and likely suggestion, I have been (at least by ear) being careful to try to volume match when comparing the bass quantity.
I have no complaints about the bass quantity by the way, Iām not stating any disappointment I think itās right on - others donāt seem to be hearing it that way in comparison to other sets though. And qualityās great.
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Bad Guy usually talks about midbass because thatās the kind of bass bump he likes, so he MIGHT be referring to that, even less sure about other reviewers
Me when I think of bass, I think of sub-bass, the low low rumble.
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Good point! The mid-bass has great punch, but still not nuts in quantity and certainly no bleed, to my ears that is. Thanks for that.
Thanks for the comparison! Just curious in what area/instances is the Serial better than the UP?
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I want to give you specific answers to that, so it might have to wait until sometime this week. Points of comparison in specific songs.
There are so many mixes of A/B comparisons to try with different IEMs, tips, and dare I say it, sourcesā¦ and even in my vacation Iām surprised how little I can accomplish in 30-45 minutes listening time a day.
Iād be happy to make more specific what I mentioned though 
Edit: Iām quite curious to try the Yanyin tips on the Up. The stock tips are KZ starlines, which have a similarish shape.
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No rush I was just curious. Enjoy your vac 
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Awesome to hear your take on them. Completely agree for most points. I got the UP early in my journey. At the time I made comments on Reddit and possibly here about the bass quantity being extra elevated in a good way for me. However I canāt say that anymore and havenāt for awhile. Funny enough thereās other IEMs despite by the graphs are much lower in bass and still at most times seem to have more quantity and thump. Best current direct comparison I have is the Moonlight.
Iām with you on the bloat too. Even seen a few reviews mention the bass bleeds into mids. Neither of which Iāve ever picked up. My continued love for the UP is simply due to the darker treble playing with the bass presentation. For me it makes for a super warm intimate tuning that never gets fatiguing. I also really like the texture, attack and decay of the bass. Iām not gonna say itās great or that others may like it just that for me it stands out as being pleasurable and unique.
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Thanks for the input! And Iām in agreement with these notes.
Definitely. Iām assuming thatās well implemented beryllium at play? Speed and texture without a lack of presence and weight. Itās differently textured to biocellulose, but itās the first driver Iād consider different-but-equal for what I like.
I donāt think Iāll be able to afford different IEMs for different moods/genres, (and it just doesnāt seem to be a system which meshes well with how I operate - always reaching for just one of them in the end whenever Iāve tried this approach) which is why finding one to settle on has been so hard and Iāve been so finnicky.
Currently in your listening, if the Up is what you reach for when you want something rich and unfatiguing, what do you reach for the Moonlights for?
I have a dread that they will be the closest thing to the all-rounder Iām looking for, but I know theyāre also beyond my reach at least for a few years. Technically the others Iām sampling at the moment should be too, but I found them at absurd used prices (and will only end up keeping one of them, or none if for some reason reverting to the Serial makes the most sense in the end).
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I touched on this a few days ago with the below comment.
Of course this isnāt to a tee. Just a humorous way to sort of sum it up. Theyāre both easy listens for me. The EST shines more in the mix on the Moonlight. Thereās a touch of airiness to the mix. Hence why I made the comment about it being more euphoric. Iām able to pull out the amazing details in songs easier while it not being analytical or dry in overall tuning.
For me UP is all warmth and personal. The soundstage is small and the vocals closer. Thatās part of how I define intimacy. Like the band is doing a personal show in small room under candle light for my wife and I at a nice restaurant. The night is all about her and I donāt want the music or my mind to take away from it yet enhance it. As if itās there but not meant to distract or guide the night.
Moonlight has warmth but, leans slightly towards being neutral. Soundstage is wider, imaging is fantastic, vocals are cooler and details and energy pull through better. As if my wife and I were in an open field on a nice cool yet warm early spring night. Sitting on a blanket enjoying a glass of wine and a fine cheese. The night is still about her but, the music pulls you two in more. Suddenly you find the music guiding the night more.
Well sorry for my ramblings. I realize itās probably an awkward way to compare them. Just been my approach lately. See what feelings an IEM/Bud brings forward with a song or how Iād imagine the presentation/tuning fit into a scenario of my life. Even something like the ASG 2.5 had a fun nostalgia that brought me back to my younger club going days. Just didnāt find it getting much use for its price and let it go. Still looking for cheaper replacement for it.
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