I can’t tell you how many times I have been on forms talking about IEM’s and my love for them before someone comes into the comments talking about the U12T’s greatness. It didn’t matter how great the previous IEM I was talking about or currently dating:)). Someone had to bring up that they weren’t as good as the U12T’s. I just thought that they were there to be jerks and all. And while that may be true, I now see that they were still correct about how great the 64 Audio’s entry was.
I still never really accepted it based on my assumptions about them. I mean, for starters they weren’t really that pretty like the standard IEM custom faces that looked like art. No, it was just plan and boring I thought. Who the heck was “TIA” anyway:)). The additional thing that kept me away was the absence of a venting hole. I mean, come on, why would I purchase a no venting IEM with the headaches I get? It was just stupid. And then obviously the biggest hurdle, the $2000. Ain’t no way I would ever purchase a IEM for $2000(now that one I still stand on).
But now, fast forward to today. A smarter, more intelligent man sits here before you. That man ended up finding the $2000 IEM for $925 in like new condition. Why? Because I found out that the IEM that didn’t have venting, I thought, actually had the best venting system placed on a IEM. So once I got the incredible price and knowledge about the venting along with what a LID, TIA, APEx really stood for, I was hooked before I even got them in the mail. So much so I gave it a Name.. meet “Excalibur”!!
Once they came in and I got that cold aluminum into my hands and my perfect tip finally put on them(had to go through them all), the IEM that I didn’t like the look of, became the apple of my eye every single time I picked them up from their case. Their looks quickly became my favorite looking IEM. The silver and black look really fit my style and clothing the most. I developed a kinship with its looks accenting mine. Even its cable really started to take on an appreciation in my heart. So glad they upgraded the cable with my version vs what it was in the past.
But all that is looks. Let’s get to the real reason why this IEM is at the top of most Audiophile Endgame IEMs, the Sound. OMG! Try as I did to not get pulled into its magic and maintain my love and focus for my previous IEM, the Monarch MK2, I eventually failed. When I say “Night and Day” difference was what I got with the U12T vs Monarch MK2, I truly mean “Night and Day”. There is not but one thing the Monarch MK2 did better.. the flatter mids. While the U12T were flat in the Mids, they had a slight hill keeping it from being as ruler flat like the Monarch but still flat.
After that, everything falls on their knees in the frequency responds. The imaging is holographic, the Bass was harder and quicker resolving(almost like a planar magnetic driver), the treble was pinpoint ice laser. And the mids were still killer with its timbre and tonality. Vocals killed the centering and the soundstage just made it all look like a lopsided victory while maintaining intimacy. And lastly the fit for me once I got the tips I needed was flawless and it will be one of the easiest IEM to rock over most competitions.
So yes people, something great is among us. And while I have never listened to the Odin(wouldn’t ever, against my religion), Fir m5 $4000, or any other $2000-$5000 IEM, I know I have no interest in ever doing that. I still stand by my belief that no IEM is worth $2000+ for me. I also know that nothing below this price can compete with the balance, realistic, hard hitting, and yet so resolving of a frequency these displayed. The best way I can put is this; all IEM’s have a root system and a basic sound origin that it’s built off of. They all sound similar and yet different in key areas. This IEM is the first that is so different, I believe it’s a 1 of 1 in it’s approach, tech, performance, and appearance. And because of this and its performance I give this a PERFECT SCORE, 5 out 5 diamonds. This is easily my #1 IEM I’ve ever had or heard in my life.
Tech-N-Things 