9 posts were merged into an existing topic: Dunu EST 112 IEM Discussion
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?
I was able to spend a short amount of time with this new IEM called the Lokahi from a brand without a name, or something like that. For now, they’re called “Audio.” This unit was sent up to me from Precogvision, however it is a personal unit owned by “tgx78”, a member in the audio community, and will be returning to him shortly after the publishing of this article.
The Lokahi is priced at $239, and is a 7-BA IEM that comes with mmcx connectors, a nice silver-colored braided cable with 3.5mm stereo jack, and a case. The shells are comfortable and have a multi-gray-tone swirl patterned design. It’s not quite a marble look, but it’s close. The nozzle has a bit of a DIY-look and feel to it. It’s a narrower nozzle than most IEMs, so some of my typical tip choices slipped out easily. I ended up pairing these with SpinFit CP100 tips, which didn’t have issues with falling out.
My first impressions on the sound of the Lokahi are that it’s a no-holds-bar, in-your-face IEM. It has a big bass boost, forward mid-range, and also a very clear and forward upper treble, that kind of clearly defines itself even through the bass pounding fog (note, its not muddy).
The Lokahi felt like it didn’t hold back on bringing everything at you. It shoots from the hip and everything is presented. For those who like to hear those details forward and close to you, this is one that’ll do that. It’s resolution is good at this price, and its present. Always.
I do find it lacks a lot of soundstage space. It’s very forward, and lacks depth. There’s little room for good imaging and separation, when I compare it to my typical monitors. It’s intimate, and provides you with an up close and personal look at the band on stage. You’ll be right there with them, maybe able to shake their hands too.
I am impressed with the ability to resolve and present the upper treble at this price point. The Lokahi does this, and while it’s rather forward, I never found it sibilant, or harsh. I wouldn’t call the treble range sweet, but it’s free of pain, while being incredibly present.
I listened to all sorts of music with this IEM and I feel it plays everything equally well, or not well, depending on your tastes. For dynamically compressed music, which unfortunately includes a lot of pop, rock, and other goodies from my youth (the 90s), there’s overly forward presentation is a bit crazy to handle with this IEM. Some may like that, but I prefer more depth and width to handle the lack of dynamic swing.
For my favorite jazz and bluegrass music, the Lokahi has an interesting front row approach to the sound that I can actually get behind. It’s a solid buy for this price range, though I will again caveat that I do feel like it’s missing some technical depth and layering capabilities, but it has some other tangible factors that make this IEM impressive and has a certain WOW factor to it while not having an overly colored sound, which is impressive in its own right.
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Check out the Audio Lokahi on my new IEM Graph Comparison Tool!
http://iems.audiodiscourse.com/?share=Antdroid%20Target,Lokahi
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I bet we can squeeze some CP800 tips on as well. This looks interesting.
So many IEM threads.
Anyway.
U12T and Mest MK2 arrived today.
Initital impressions are along the lines of most reviews. Mest bit more fun tuning, U12T bit more reference tuning. Both enjoyable sounds for sure.
Out of interest, do IEMs get much better than this? Is there a few models that are just “breathtaking”. As cheesy as that term is.
Tuning ideally would be something with strong bass, like the Empyrean or D8000 (non-pro), and not too dark or too V.
I have KEF LS50W II on my desk, and of late my main cans have been the Empyrean / D8000 Pro. Some some decent gear to compare to.
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I’ve heard pretty much everything out there in terms of iem’s, and for me personally I’d have three tiers of TOTL based on what I’ve heard extensively or owned (most I’ve owned):
Summit-Fi:
KSE1500 (custom user defined EQ/ bypass DAC. NOT KSE1200)
TOTL:
EE Odin
Z1R
Elysium (unfortunate bass, but incredible everything else)
End-Gamers:
MEST
Fourte Noir (not my preference but impressive)
U12T
VE8
IER-M9
EX1000
Andro 2020 (just barely makes it here)
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Rate the Z1R that highly hey!
Rest is helpful thank you.
I think either in custom form be extra special.
U12T has better mids and female vocals. Mest has that nicer DD bass feel, but U12T bass still decent. Mest seems a bit airier and more going on in the soundstage, U12T just more always reliable.
Only had hour or so on each so far though.
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Great, I’ll spam “refresh” on the classifieds section on that other forum in 30 mins 