Craft Ears Omnium Universal In-Ear Monitors

[VSG]

Poland-based Craft Ears may be new to the IEM world, yet its flagship Omnium proves it is highly capable. Using a novel tuning via a DD/planar/BA tribrid configuration and available in UIEM or CIEM versions, the Omnium is a specialist that takes lessons from HIFIMAN to render a truly memorable and competent sound signature.

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[bug]

Fun fact:

• Female vocals can come off shouty
• Imaging could be better
• Soundstage depth notably lacks behind width

I have no idea what any of that means. Though I figure someone spending that amount on IEMs would.

 

[SOAREVERSOR]

Fun fact:

I have no idea what any of that means. Though I figure someone spending that amount on IEMs would.

Female vocals - Women sing at higher pitch than men do. So these are tuned to where a female voice comes out louder than the standard.
Imaging - The location where various sounds come from. For example if you are listening to a live recording and imaging is good you can identify where everyone and everything is located and if say the singer is moving around during it.
Soundstage - How large in 3d space they can reproduce. Some headphones will make you feel like you are in an open concert hall, others will make you feel that everything is in a small room with you. Width is how wide to your left and right things are. Depth is forward and behind. So these have a narrow oval.

All together womens voices are louder compared to everything else than a balanced curve to the point it stands out. The soundstage doesn't extend far in front of you or behind you compared to your left and right. And they don't clearly identify where individual items are coming from.

That's not always a knock on things. IE soundstage matters a lot more for rock or orchestral music than it does for electronic or jazz. Imaging well... if it's techno it's a wash but for an opera or live recording it's huge. Female vocals also depends on the recording and track. It's just to be aware of. There's other tricks with IEMs like having a dynamic driver is great if you want your base to thump but it's not great if you want a neutral tone.

Hence the trick with the IEM game, really any audio, is to keep trying stuff or buying and selling it until you find what really works for your music.

 

[bug]

@SOAREVERSOR Thanks for the explanation. You got me, I'm heavily into 90s dance music. But I do listen to everything from opera to metal (which reminds me Tarja is in town in a few days and I still don't have tickets). And most of it using my floorstand speakers.

I imagine imaging is the trickiest of the bunch. Since you can't actually see where everything/everyone actually is, a lot of guesswork is involved.

 

[SOAREVERSOR]

@SOAREVERSOR Thanks for the explanation. You got me, I'm heavily into 90s dance music. But I do listen to everything from opera to metal (which reminds me Tarja is in town in a few days and I still don't have tickets). And most of it using my floorstand speakers.

I imagine imaging is the trickiest of the bunch. Since you can't actually see where everything/everyone actually is, a lot of guesswork is involved.

Guesswork isn't really accurate. The main issue is your source and how it was recorded and mastered. IEMs themselves are always going to struggle with soundstage compared to open backed headphones and this applies to imaging as well. However the amount of drivers, type of drivers, and crossover are where they can makeup for this and really shine. Of course this costs $$$$ but it comes down to the quality of the drivers and competency of the crossover. Tuning is entirely subjective and does affect everything and it can be anything from deliberate, to guesswork, to just half assed.

I don't do metal. However I can say that I went with an IEM company (Empire Ears) because of my love of EDM because their dynamic driver as woofer is IMHO the best one out and it along with their crossover is proprietary. But that's in my personal opinion and as the cheapest you're going to get both of those for in an IEM is at the 1350 USD price point try before you buy.

We do listen to opera and orchestral music (I'm in DC so the Kennedy Center is here and we get tickets to the orchestra, opera, and plays constantly) and these seem good for that. For one planars are the king of mids and five BAs is going to be good for that sort of thing but the dynamic is a wash. IMHO again. But as these are "shouty" for female lyrics well... try a shouty track! Mozarts The Magic Flute famously has Queen Of The Night which is one of the most high pitched shouty items in all of opera! There's little depth or imaging needed as the orchestra is in a pit. But a wider soundstage is good as the singer paces left and right on the stage.

I can get more into it but VSG covers the crossover and some of the build aspects though that part is complex to grasp. The DAC he's using is a great one and pretty neutral (it doesn't color anything) but it's not the most punchy as it's a true portable and the amount of drivers in something like this and the complexity is probably asking for something more like those portables that are bigger than your smartphone (earman, ifi, chord are all good picks here). IMHO this unit begs for The Magic Flute slammed through the Diablo (any version of it) over balanced at max volume and try to go deaf!

 

[bug]

Guesswork isn't really accurate. The main issue is your source and how it was recorded and mastered.

I was thinking, if one set places your source to the left and another one places it farther left, you can't really tell which one is right. Unless you're also watching a video recording or something.

 

[Selaya]

if i were to spend two fucking grand on headphones, wired in-ears are most definitely the first on mine shortlist.

/s

 

[Caring1]

"Soundstage depth notably lacks behind width"
Makes me think of booty more than sound