ThieAudio Prestige LTD. This is a bit capabilities over character but still an excellent set if you can get the full staging and details out of it. Brings clarity to dense/vintage sound designs without it seeming forced. Quite bright but ESTs keep it from getting harsh. Likes a bit of power to heighten the detail. There’s a shared sound to all the ThieAudio EST sets I’ve heard.
Sennheiser IE600. Another one that really needs power. Gives it more body. Came in with a ton of hype then a bit forgotten.
Campfire Bonneville. I love this. All character. Not a purist set. Deep, warm and lush with heavy bass and cut through treble. Expensive.
Hidizs Ducbloke MK12. A recent addition. Listening without the Ducbloke PEQs. Nice growly bass. Slightly reminiscent of the ddhifi surface but overall tighter, tougher and less super relaxed in the upper frequencies. Speaking of which…
Ddhifi Surface. Big backside but incredibly chilled out. If I’m in the mood for some classic Bob Dylan albums this is the set I pick up.
Let S08. Yeah the $70 one. It fits me perfectly and takes to Wavelet exceedingly well.
AO RA. It’s got that magic for me but the fit isn’t stellar.
Sigva Que UTG - another that does something special and quite well like a good planar but it’s glass. Fit is great too.
Recent ‘rejects’ include Ziigaat Horizon. MP do subtle things I just don’t care for. It was also a bit weirdly subbassy but then not.
Inawaken Twilight DS was fun for a minute, as was Yanyin Canon Pro. In the end neither did anything spectacular other than being very compentently tuned IEMs that fit pretty darn well given how many bits were crammed into them.
Yeah the Astrum is already a giveaway when it comes to that statement lol. Man I saw the unboxing of the Astrum and it’s really an experience to behold, I bet it’s even more awesome for you to experience it for yourself. I hope the presentation and price bracket that you bought with the Astrum reflects on its overall sound and tuning as well, for I have had seen IEMs that have overall great presentation and unboxing, but the sounds are just the worst.
I have to revisit the Quintet since I haven’t listened to them in quite a while since they are slightly too bright. But wow, I recall that the upper midrange details were extremely well defined!
Haven’t picked up any sets since I got the MMk4 in July. Been awhile since I’ve kept FOMO at bay for this long. Theres a number I wouldn’t mind hearing, but I don’t feel like my setup is missing anything (for now). Happy with my current lineup, and enjoy them all. Pardon my photography skills. Definitely not on par with most shots on here.
I grabbed mine off headfi. I think there’s one for sale now, but it’s Europe only. I really enjoy the tuning. The bass is just about perfect, imo. I wasn’t expecting it to work for as much of my library as it does. I thought about buying it number of times during sales, but it fell into an odd price bracket and the packaging is really awful. The cable is solid. A bit of a missed opportunity.
I hope we get something similar again. I think there’s a good market for something like it right now. Better packaging, maybe a revamped shell, and price it closer to the Prestige. The tuning is different enough that it hopefully wouldn’t need to compete with the Prestige’s and Monarch’s. Would love a revamped Xenns Up too.
Happy New Year people! I hope this current year is going to be spectacular for everyone! Since it is now 2026, time for an update from mine.
Elysian Acoustic Labs Pilgrim: What do you know? Still the top dog of my collection and it will remain there for a while until a set or a new set finally dethrones it for I which still doubt it. I am so glad I got this one for $220 back then and never regretted it once.
Yu9 Que: I LOVE and HATE THIS set at the same time, for I really want to love it despite some caveats of it being sounding a bit metallic and artificial on some cases, but the details, the different tuning from the META and the overall looks of it makes it really special. But fuck man! It’s just the fit of this set just SUCKS oh and the stock cable is crappy too. It’s no. 2 currently, it would have been number 1 by now if the overall fit just works for me, but it doesn’t.
Softears Volume S: Yeah Volume S, no worries, I still love you. Unlike the Ques at least your damn fit really works in my ears. And yes, this set is still freaking excellent and listening to it right now, I remember why I love this one along with the Pilgrim before the Ques arrived.
Hisenior Mega5P Ultra: Legit question to you Mega5P Ultra, why aren’t you getting a lot of attention back then?! I get it due to the Mega5EST but you’re not so bad, in fact you are really chill to the ears and despite being chill, you’re not a slouch yourself when it comes to technical performance. I apologize talking to these sets as if they were human beings but right now I am just writing on a whim, and it’s no. 4 due to some nitpicks for me, I have received this set without the proper tips and cable for it, hence I have to tip roll and cable change.
Leteciel Magiris: Another underrated baby, and yes dare I say better than the Lush. I know I am aware I have said it previously after getting this set but it is that, the Lush which I also like have some problems, but the Magiris for me? Nada, like barely anything, though if I have to nitpick it would be its nozzle length a bit freaking long so tips with shorter stems would help, the rest though? Already perfect.
I love my Mega5P. Glad to see it getting some love. I don’t think there were many good reviews, just the usual Penon shills. One of my best ever blind buys.
Yeah, I traded my Ziigaat Lush for Mega5P Ultra and I’m glad I did, for the Mega5P Ultra really exceeded my expectations. At first, not gonna lie, I was indifferent about it but after a while some tip rolling and a cable change since when I have received it via trade it did not have its stock cable and tips anymore, later on it has been a revelation. It’s really a shame that these sets are not getting a lot of reviews, but I have no regrets trading the Lush for this one.
Just sold my Volume S, as the proceeds helped me climb into mid-fi with the Astrum, BrainDance and EBC80.
All three of those sound better than the Volume S, but not by a mile. I think I may end up missing the Volume S, adding it to the Audeze LCD-2C as the only transducers I have regretted selling among many.
Hoping to get an another set that I could level up eventually, though it would have to require a sacrifice of like selling one of my sets as well. It’s gonna be tough for me to let go of the Volume S since I love that one as well.
