Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Stereo Science and mass market headphones

I thought it noteworthy pointing out an in-ear monitor (IEM) headphone review that posted on Audio Science Review.

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...uthear-x-crinacle-zero-iem-review.37380/

This IEM closely hugs the Harman curve, and it's $50 USD. (!) There's a lengthy forum discussion discussing the merits of the Harman curve (science), conflicts of interests of the Crinacle review site promoting an OEM design, and the ick factor of IEM's (personal preference).

There is a momentum of manufacturers using the Harman curve as a target curve.

https://acousticstoday.org/he-perce...y-what-do-listeners-prefer-sean-e-olive/

We already know that the Axiom 3-way speakers nail the NRC recommendations, from which the Harman curve is based.

https://www.axiomaudio.com/boards/u...ating-on-axiom-s-olive-scores#Post444691

https://www.axiomaudio.com/boards/ubbthreads.php/topics/445486/two-curves-is-enough#Post445486

I personally don't have a need for a set of headphones that lack microphones nor active noise cancellation, but it's interesting that audio science is reaching mass market price points.

As a comparison, I have the Sony WF1000-XM3 wireless ANC ear buds. It sounds excellent, so much so that I didn't bother renewing my SonarWorks active EQ app. I'll collaborate its lack of deep bass and warmth in mid-bass where it doesn't comply with the Harman target (easily fixed by enabling the Deep Bass setting). But it's still worthy of its 5/5 star rating in Sound & Vision testing.

https://crinacle.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/WF1000XM3-on.jpg
https://www.rtings.com/headphones/1-5/graph#917/7917
https://www.rtings.com/headphones/1-5/graph#917/7903

It'll surely be a frigid day in Hell when a burly stud like me violates his ear canals with hunks of plastic.

I think its incredible that audio quality is now able to be shared in a standardized format for savvy consumers.

I still debate the “authority” behind a single best fit graph, but really do appreciate the efforts of Amir. I dont visit there much anymore. I think everything is oversimplified and gives (almost recklessly) good products bad reviews because they arent market leading in measurements. I think often the most valuable features a product has are overlooked, because they are too complicated to distill into pictures. Notably, products with modern correction filters such as Dirac are not investigated properly.

Anyone who has properly set up a system knows the speakers, or amp, or delay, or filters, or sub phase or room etc… = the experience.

There are ZERO guarantees a well measuring product is the magic bullet for all situations. It is a stink check at best. At worst, misleading….

I like Axiom products. They measure well. I can make them sound like shit if I want to.

Think you'll need to get you a warmer coat.

I agree, but still find the site valuable. My Axiom amp is dead silent but the 8805 puts out a hiss if you put your ear up to the speaker ... basically, a non-issue as you will never hear it from 6 feet away. But it's heavily weighted by Amir.

I bought it anyway, knowing what Amir said about it ...
Just need enough knowledge to make a reasonable decision.

Are you using the 8805 through the ADAs to the ALFRs? Is it silent? If so, the noise is in the 8805's final gain stages and not its pre-amp?

After I transition, handsome. (wink, wink)

I've weaned myself off the audio sites, maybe checking once a month. I consider them entertainment rather than sources of consumer education, and the ones I did trust (Floyd Toole, Alan Lofft, Ian G. Masters, Larry Klein, Peter Aczel) have all retired or died.

Good sound is available for a very low price point if you follow a few basic principles, but the audio hobby has convinced everyone that it takes thousands of dollars to get audio nirvana (or worse, that you'll never reach it until you make that next purchase, and the next purchase, and the next...).

"...but the audio hobby has convinced everyone that it takes thousands of dollars to get audio nirvana (or worse, that you'll never reach it until you make that next purchase, and the next purchase, and the next...)"

How have you arrived at that conclusion? Who or what is "the audio hobby" that has convinced everyone?