What a tease… what a tease… 
I am obliged to keep my mouth shut. 
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How is the Moondrop Illumination?
Ohhhhhhhhhh. Intriguing designs😍
Welcome to the forum!
Just posting my initial impressions of the Softears RSV - it seems to be all the rage these days. In general, I like it. The tuning here is really quite good, with perhaps a bit too forward of an upper mid presentation around 3khz for my liking, but the treble balances it out reasonably well. In fact, the treble in general is quite well balanced - even if a bit relaxed overall. So there’s no sibilance or fatiguing qualities, and while it looks like it tapers off in the upper treble, it is reasonably well extended too - more so than most IEMs up there.
Keep in mind this uses the GRAS RA0402 coupler, which is different from the one Crin uses, so there’s no resonance peak at around 8khz on this one (it’s slightly damped there).
Soundstage is also pretty darn good for an IEM, as is the timbre. I don’t hear any BA smearing in this one. For detail… I think that’s really the only thing that’s not as good as the rest of its aspects. It’s not bad per se, just… nothing all that special. I do really like the way the bass feels though. It’s not massive or overdone, but still commands a decent punch to it. Again, not the most detailed or textured but generally satisfying.
So in general, everything is solid here. Would I take it over a Dunu SA6?.. maybe. There’s better treble extension on the RSV, and it’s also less bassy. So maybe for a more ‘reference’ neutral sound, the RSV would be preferable. But if I’m honest with myself for what I prefer… it’s that SA6 / U12t type of sound.
A few notes on the ‘tangibles’. The cable is a bit annoying, and the IEM itself isn’t the most comfortable for my ears. It’s quite large, with a somewhat longer and protruding nozzle. For this reason I had to use smaller tips than I normally would. But, others may not have any issues with this.
In any case, it’s great that there’s another contender available to compete with the Thieaudio twins. Think of this as a slightly less bassy clairvoyance in a sense.
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I like how this one graphs
I reviewed the Campfire Dorado 2020 if anyone’s interested. For someone who was a fan of their Atlas and Vega models and is looking for a unashamedly fun sound with an engaging natural timbre and prominent midrange they’re worth a serious look. They’ve come out of nowhere and emerged as my favourite Campfire release so far…and given how much I love Solaris and Andromeda that says a lot.
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Hey all, here are some quick impressions on 64 Audio’s new U18S.
This measurement was taken off the IEC-711 coupler, so you will see a resonance peak at ~8kHz.
First off, they sound very different from the U18T. The U18T is considerably more mid-bass emphasized, upper-midrange forward, and significantly brighter. This culminates in a more in-your-face presentation. The U18S, then, is for people who did not enjoy the U18t and more closely aligned with the U12T’s sound. The U18S is more laid-back, sporting a gentle, U-shaped curve. The tonal balance here is terrific. The only issue I would point out is what appears to be the lack of mid-treble energy; the U18S’s treble can run on the darker side as it dips somewhere after ~8kHz. Like most of the 64 Audio IEMs, though, it comes back up for air at around ~15kHz, so you’re going to get that very airy zing. In general, this is an easy on-the-ears tuning that works terrific with the Apex modules for extended listening.
Technicalities are interesting. Imaging is expectedly excellent thanks to the spike of treble air; I swear those tia tweeters work magic. Detail on the U18S is fantastic too, enough to play near the top. It’s noticeably more resolving than the U18T which is surprising given that the U18T is much brighter-leaning. To this end, I have to wonder if the drivers being used in the U18S have changed. The shell is slightly larger in width than the U18T and the other 64 Audio IEMs; the transient behavior of the U18S also sounds different to my ears. Of course, it’s very possible that these are more the by-product of tonal shifts, but given the discrepancy between perceived detail and their respective tunings, I think there is some merit to this theory.
And of course, a comparison to the U12T is warranted. Although they sound very close tonally, they don’t sound so similar when it comes to transient behavior. The bass on the U12T is more impactful to my ears, so I don’t think these are the same drivers being used for the low-end in the U18S. The U12T remains my benchmark for BA bass. Unfortunately, the U18S also sounds noticeably flatter, more downwards-compressed to the way it scales dynamic swings. The U12T is smoother in transient attack and decay; the U18S is more micro detail-oriented, textured to my ears. So on the flip side, for sheer detail, the U18S is easily on par.
For now, I can confidently say that the U18S is solid work by 64 Audio and an apt foil to the A18T. Whether it’s “worth it” when the U12T exists is another matter that’ll have to be explored more closely, but suffice it to say I’d struggle to see a listener being unhappy with either of them. I also heard the U18T today, so with this I’ve heard the entire 64 Audio lineup!
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my review and measurements is already drafted and scheduled will be posted at 5PM PST on my blog. I am trying to follow the company’s guidance on embargo release 
I’ll repost it here when I have time today or this weekend
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Thanks for the teaser! How’s the “new” cable? Better than the previous attempts?
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Uh, the tactility, yes. I love the tactility of the new cable - major improvement on that front. The memory wire is still here, though! 
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I wish someone would explain to 64audio that they are limiting their demographic by putting literally all of their treble past 15k.
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Agreed, it definitely limits buyer appeal. Though, I suspect there’s also limitations at play when tuning the tia driver which leads to some interesting - maybe polarizing is more apt - results. I can definitely see why it’s frustrating for some listeners. Stuff like the U12T, Nio, and the U18S all have the potential to come off as too dark, while the Trio, Fourte, and U18T are maligned by some for being too bright.
I delve into it more in my upcoming 64 Audio IEM shootout, but I’m almost certain that the tia driver plays a large role in their IEM’s terrific imaging chops. When you boost the upper-harmonics like that so strongly, it can lend to the perception of instruments “floating” and makes for some pretty unique reverb. The dip in the mid-treble for most of these IEMs also likely lends to this perception. So I do think it’s a conscious decision by 64 Audio that’s also being dictated by tuning constraints.
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Yeah, that one looks interesting. Can’t find too much info on it. Hardly any (YT) reviews (in English).
Is there a not a thread on this forum yet for the Dunu EST 112?