This is interesting and shows how audio processing isnāt as straight forward as it seems.
tl;dr: Iāll switch from Peak normalization to LUFS or RMS normalization in coming demos.
Long answer
I checked the 2 post-processed demo tracks (which you hear in the video) and they have indeed different RMS amplitudes.
I always peak normalize the whole IEM demo track (with all the songs) in one step to -2 dB.
Even though I was of the impression that RMS amplitude is directly related or kind of synonymous to the peak normalization level. It turns out this is is not the case.
First of all what is RMS?
RMS calculates the square root of the average of the squares of the amplitude over a given period. This method accounts for both the duration and intensity of the sound, giving a more comprehensive measurement of its energy.
So interestingly what we see in the different RMS amplitudes is the direct representation of the different tunings or rather frequency response characteristics of the IEMs. In other words:
Dynamic Range and Frequency Content: The original music tracks in each demo and the way the IEMs reproduced them have contributed to a different dynamic range and frequency content in the recorded files. This variation leads to different amounts of signal energy influencing the final RMS amplitude.
Ok so i got my Doscinco and here are my impressions after 2 days of listening.
Bass texture and quality is very good however it can get a smidge too much on certain tracks which can mask some of the layering and notes in the bass.
Mids are smooth, vocals sound natural but somewhat veiled and the added husk and warmth from the bass is noticeable.
Keep in mind that i am not a fan of high pinna gain and treble but i still think that this set just dont have the necessary bite in the leading edge of drums, snares, hats, trumpets and they can sound muted or veiled, blanketedā¦especially with that level of bass in the background.
I think that because of the boosetd bass it could have used more upper treble to balance things out and make it sound more airy and open. I find myself more often than not pumping up the volume to hear what i just said better, but then i get into dangerous listening levels.
I played with APO EQ and added 3 to 4db in the 8k, 10k, 15k, 20k areas and everything falls into palce, gives the extra bite and attack which improves clarity and realism of the insturments. If this set had a bit more treble extension it would have been perfect, at least for my taste.
No tips and sources can make the effect i did with eq. The only thing that can fix it is maybe a mod, maybe changing the density of the foam inside the nozzle, but i dont dare to explore im talking just form what i have seen on the net.
Iām sure it canāt, but it may be helpful in the sense that you may require less EQ to fine-tune it.
As I am sure you know, bassy IEMs tend to like wide bore tips because it tilts the tonality brighter, balancing the heavy bass and releasing choked-up treble.
iām finding these sound great on the shortest and widest bore tips that i can manage a fit. I love this tuning except just a little too much mid-bass on your average tips.
currently using a random TWS tip that ends up flush with the end of the nozzle, tilts the whole tuning toward treble a bit, maybe 1.5db off the mid-bass. your generic short/wide bores get close.
although somehow the Moondrop Spring tips go too far in that direction, but maybe perfect for some, bass level similar to the TWS tips, maybe a hair less but the treble gets a noticeable bump thatās too much for what I got this set for.
just now got the Azla Crystal TWS tips in, fits the same as my random TWS tips that i like so much that i mentioned before.
So if youāre interested in a tip the locks onto the Doscinco nozzle lip with a flush fit at nozzleās end, these will do it.
Based on 4 hours of listening to Doscinco, and 50+ hours of Wind:
Doscinco will offer a cleaner, higher resolution replay with much better separation (despite its tuning which is weighty, lush, warm) by virtue of its 2DD/3BA setup. It is technically more impressive than the Wind and sounds an order of magnitude more powerful. It offers an intensity and density of its bass and mids that is akin to what you can experience in a club, yet its tuning is non-offensive and definitely not grating in any way.
What the Wind does better is its midrange transparency, vocal extension, even better timbre, openess and cohesion. It offers a simpler perspective on music, less elaborate - but arguably easier for the brain to digest due to not having to put together separated sounds.
The open-backed nature together with its BC driver gives it a somewhat unique propagation of sound in each direction where notes have room to reverberate into each other in a big open space.
The Wind is better at rendering female vocals.
Though, I must admit, the ZiiGaat brothers represent more overall performance and have pressed price to performance to a new level in my estimation. The Wind was (is?) $240 but can be found at $199 I believe. With the introduction of the ZiiGaats, the Wind would be more appropriately priced at maybe $170 if I were to give a gut-derived number.
They are really different however, if you fundamentally like how single DD present music, you may prefer Wind overall.
Iāve got very little single DD experience only coming from IE200 that I do enjoy, sounds like the twins vs Wind fight is harder
the one thing Iād ask then is if the BC of the Wind offers a unique enough bass slam compared to the twins, Iām really just trying to get a higher level of the Plutus Beast but if itās not unique enough then I might just do Plutus and then the fight will be between Doscinco or Cincotres
The BC of the Wind isnāt slamming in a deep, pressurizing sense, rather it aids the sense of instrumental presence.
Think of the sensation you would get when sticking your head into a car pimped out with dual 12-inch bass drivers - thatās the bass capability of Doscinco.
Now imagine sticking your head into a big guitarr och cello - hearing the natural reverberation of the wood and strings āhummingā along, giving texture and a sense of, yeah, tactile all-encompassing instrumental presence. The BC driver operates from, I believe, 200Hz up and probably not beyond 2000Hz if even that. Itās mostly to add meat to the mids.
The Wind cannot emulate a club like Doscinco can, and Doscinco cannot emulate the natural sensation of a vibrating guitarr housing.
If you want a super dynamic, contrasty modern sound, the Doscinco wins flat-out.
If you want a more open depiction of music more suited for acoustic instruments (and most vocal performances, particuarly female singers), the Wind is your pick.
To be fair my ears might have had a lot of low-pinna bias lately. But Iām finding even the Doscinco pretty forward in the upper mids (some female vocals, electric guitar, horns), and Iām wondering if I find the timbre debatable in that section too. Hands down some of the best bass Iāve heard at any price though.
The density, authority, weight and slam of the bass is more and better than I remember the UP having. (Without EQ)
Perhaps something could be said for the āberylliumnessā (speed, texture) of the UP bass, but still itās like Iāve taken 3 steps forward and only 1 step back, so Iām not going to be looking too long in the rear mirror for it.
I can only imagine what true bass monsters like Symphonium Titan or the FatFreq stuff can do in terms of bass. Not counting the famed ASG 2.5 which just seems absurd on all levels lol
Kind of sounds like the Cincotres would have suited your tastes better.
Also makes me wonder how many owners of either the Doscinco or Cincotres would actually prefer the other if they had access to both. I guess that is where you can test using EQ.
